About: Romance lived once

May Long Live the memories of Rajesh Khanna. He rekindled romance like never before. A string of consecutive hit movie. The hype and imagination that fueled the hysteria of fan following that was never known to Hindi movies and the phenomenon will never repeat He weaved magic while romancing most glamorous heroines of the seventies, Sharmila, Mumtaz, Hema Malini, Asha Parekh, Zeenat Aman. Kishore Kumar crooned the songs, Pancham and Laxmikant-Pyarelal and compose the music,Shakti Samanta, Raj Kholsa, Yash Chopra, Hrishi da all of them came together to make some of the most delighful rmantic – dancing-around the trees movie. Rajesh Khanna went on to catch and hold imagination never known before. All the retro, belts ties up on shirts, flowing hair, and warm smile and the hint of the wink.

He went on to essay one of th golden periods of Hindi movie industry. The best of legends, actors, directors, story writers, lyricist, singers came together that came together. It was particular the age of golden music, each song a trinket of gold something any Indian will hum for ages. These songs till date are remade, remixed and jazz up but fall flat is mere shadows.

My favourites of Rajesh Khanna

Ittefaq, Anand, Andaz, Amar Prem, Aardhaa, Raja Rani, Khamoshi, Namak Haram, Meheooba and so many more. Rajesh Khanna convinces the audience that it was their story he piotrayed. He portrayed his role with an efficacy, delight and tenderness that went on to become hallmark of his times. He immortalized a romantic hero and no ma after him could woo his leading lady hike he could.. His style and charm had every hypnotized for more. His fan following seems to be deserving if you consider the types of role he played, intriguing, philosophical intense romantic, he did some negative roles as well.

Ittefaq, Anand, Bawarchi happen to be my favourites. The climax of Anand is the most astounding. Its one of the most stark rebuttal when audience close in on the climax and a tape recorder calls out to other actors. It was amazing scene. Its perhaps the most moving scene of Hindi Cinema. Ittefaq is an amazing murder mystery in which the accused murder breaks into a house while running away from the mental asylum only to find the Police on the door step of that house to investigate a murder. Bawarchi is all about Rajesh Khanna and all the things a hero can do, cooking, singing, story telling, and off course getting the family together.

A little bit of hysteria and some sense of romance lived once when Rajesh Khanna was the only superstar.

About: Suave smiling Shammi

Shammi Kapoor breathe his last earlier today. He was my favourite hero. The songs from those movies which he starred are still remade ,redone and remixed again and again. He was perhaps the most handsome among all the movie actors across the ages who came to don the silver screen Hindi film world. He was suave and had lot of class, surely a gourmet if not a connoisseur. The songs from his movies were collector’s items. He was never to be choreographed, he was just told about the camera angles and he did his own stuff, did it pretty well. The characters he played were full of panache and gusto. He romanced the most glamorous heroines on the silver screen of his times from Vyjantimala, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Saira Bano, Geeta Bali and so many others. He was reputed not to feature with the same here heroine more than once. 

Junglee, Janwar, Budtameez, Professor, Boyfriend, Raj Kumar, Prince, China Town, Teesri Manzil, An evening in Paris, Kashmir ki kalli, Bluff Master, Brahmachari These were some of the movies which he starred,most of them were musical hits and popular movies. His movies were so good,so easy to watch in the sense, there was no sleaze and nothing loud and unsavoury. The stories consists, boy meets girl, pop corm love stories, but romance changed for good once Shammi Kapoor touched fame. He teamed up Rajendra Nath, Mehmood, Tun tun and other leading comedians and comedy was a permanent fixture of his movies. Rafi lend his voice to most of Shammi’s songs and there was magic on screen. Pran often played the villan in many of those movies. He did thrillers apart from romanctic movies. There was a sense of intergue in many of his movies, lot of drama and thrill. He often played a character wanting to make a mark of his own,often the rebel but those movie were sans chaotic action. His sense of style and persona was hard to miss. He would portray characters that stood out from the character that other actors played in their movies. The other actors were busy doing melodramatic, emotional roles, while Shammi was playing a flamboyant, yet sensitive comic-romantic hero. No other hero could match him for style, jackets, caps, t-shirts etc. 

When it comes to romance people go on roof tops to sing and yell their stories. He did it better and crazier. He did it on roof tops, mountain slops (Yahoo!! – Junglee ), river banks (Lal chadi maidan khadi - ), Lakes (Deewana hua badal – Kashmir Kalli ), waterfalls ( An evening in Paris), boats (Kashmir ki Kalli),elephant back (Yahan ke hum hai Raj kumar – Rajkumar), helicopters (Aasman se aaya farishta – An evening in Paris), cars,trucks (Kashmir Kalli) pubs( Teesri Manzil) , while trekking (Deewana mujhsa nahi – Teesri Manzil). He did it all and did it wish class and style. The few songs out of these were outright to woo some more just to flirt.

Shammi Kapoor will remain my favourite actor of all times.

About: King of Pop

The Moon Walker

Michael Jackson is no more. A legend a performer passed away and left one and all a bit of a shock and dismay, although his hysteresis dies down over the last decade or so but he remains near mythic icon for pop music. My father though still confused if he was a singer or a dancer but did by a few Michael Jacksons cassettes and one of the first CDs he bought was an MJ compilations.
The hysteria for MJ almost preceded him every where he went and he manage to whip such gigantic wave of emotions, something which may be equaled in the future but will never ever be bettered. Some said that in music industry there was Michael and then there were other while some said he was one man rescue team for the music industry. I don’t know whether Nasem Taleb would consider a black swan event or a white swan. (This has nothing to with him or other being black or white, beige or sky blue.) There was no doubting his fan following, his talent and performance and his ability to zoom past the #1 on all music charts but you can also say that he left behind lots of doubts and confusion. I think he would have to be top few person in last 50 years who bought people alike.
He remained an antonym to the word normal. I think it is safe to conclude there would be no other Michael Jackson. I wanted to do a Michael Jackson post a few months back but wasn’t to be, I wasn’t planning his obituary though. But guess that is how life unwinds. No matter what he did he made jaws drop, despair and affection for him was in equal measure and one could have never ever ignored him. A confusion which is kinds a hereditary, I mean something on similar lines to my father; I wonder if he was a better singer or a better dancer. I think he was par excellence in both which made him perhaps the most loved and revered performer, so much so that the best of performer swear by his name. I often see him and Madonna as parallels, interns of eccentricity, marvelous performances and their mass following.

MJ would remain a legend and I think the fan following will only grow.

The Blonde Bomshell Farah Fawcett died fighting cancer on the same day. I wish to bid her adieu as well.

Second Edit:

When Amul posts,you see.
They have dedicated this to Micheal Jackson.

Blog: This week in review.

No TV (Tabloid) Channel or for that matter the Print Media would have hated this week coz there for lot of material for churning out rumours, gossip, hoax and off cousre some NEWS. This was the week when I logged on to Orkut first time in Three weeks and completed the formalities of adding on some more friends and checking my G Mail account only to find a few jokes some beautiful snaps and spam. I did forward the clip which I think I must upload in the next few days. All those of have managed to have a look just see it to believe it.

An obituary to a Maestro.

This week saw the sad demise of Ustad Bismillah Khan. He was an exponent of Shehnai. The grand old man saw some horrorful days mainly due to the neglect of his kin. It is a sad story. He was reluctant to go to west but he was successful as any musician and not as flashy as some of his other exclaimed peers.
He will be most remembered for playing Shehnai on 15 August, 1947 when Indians won their Independence.

Rumors, hoax and scares.

This week saw things happening. The sea water near a revered Dargaah became sweet the stautues in temples started drinking Milk again, Mother Mary was crying a church. I said to myself wow. People thronged to see the miracle but I laughed with no intention of hurting anyones sentiment. I just wanted to reiterate that religious explanation start from the point scientific wisdom cannot think. I have a firm belief that religion do restrict man's view. It gives him the power to think beyond what contemporary.
Then there were bomb hoaxes in predominantly American flights. "There is a saying that one rotten apple ruins the whole basket". I dont know for how long will the world especially the developing and the under developed world will have to bear the brunt of "war against Terrorism". The world most powerful democracy is the biggest obstacle to world peace.
I atlast some some coverage on the havoc of floods on Surat. It was worst then what was reported by Agnecies who also report NEWS, having said that the relief work is under way courtesy the government and the innumerous volunteer groups. The cleaning operation is in full swing. There are some areas which have not been accessed but things are about to get only better.
I think I will update the second part of Floods on Surat in a few coming days.

Pakistan Cricket Team commit suicide.

It may have been the matter of National pride but Pakisatni team, missed the opportunity of beg win and restore some pride. The ball was changed and they still played, they seem to hold all the cards and would have had buried all dismay of whatever happened and gave a crushing blow on England and also Darrel Hair. What was the point of not coming back to the ground again after tea.If somebody decieves me once shame on him and if someone decieves me twice shame on me. There is no doubt that ICC is not the most fair and potent sports governing body. They can still do so as the One Days are still to start.England is not the best One Day team so it is less of a challenge.
Pakistani's have been guilty of tampering with the ball. The Pakistani bowlers from Imran and Waqar have been guilt and reprimanded at various time. Darell hair has no proff though, atleast this time TV crew did not catch it. It is a sad episode in cricketing history but Inzamam would have done better had he taken the option of coming out again bowling England out at the earliest and then guide Pakistan to a thumping victory. I am sure all new of ball tempering then would have swept under the carpet and there would have been one less cricketing controversy.

Looks whos blogging?
Invincible is back after a long break. I would like to welcome him back and hope the next break wont be as long as this one. :)