Bitten By...The Masala Bug??...Amar Akbar Anthony

First of all, let me apologize for abandoning the blog once again...life has been crazy hectic, but rest assured, I've been spending the time accomplishing things that are relevant to Bollyblogging, such as: 1) I attended the 2009 Boston Bollyblitz Meetup and 2) completed all of my classes in the most stressful semester I have ever experienced (so that I can get a good job to support my Bollywood DVD shopping sprees).

But make no mistake--I've still been managing to squeeze in some good ol' movie watching through it all...How else could I make it through the day to day grind without a good dose of this:



Amar Akbar Anthony marks one of my very first attempts to tread the waters of classical masala. And after my personal lackluster reactions to Deewar and Suhaag (Beloved films by many that I promise to retry before my upcoming reviews), I was beginning to think that perhaps, sadly, classical Hindi masala madness just wasn't for me...

But then I popped in Amar Akbar Anthony and--something clicked. I found AAA to be such a wondrous experience--On the one hand, it was so utterly ridiculous that I was laughing out loud. But on the other, it was so gosh darn enjoyable that I lapped it up like sugar in a bowl. And then it hit me--that's the whole point of classical masala, isn't it?

The gorgeous Neetu Singh

Similar to the other masala films I've seen, AAA begins with a poor family. Nirupa Roy plays maa, as she does so well. Pran pays the father, Kishanlal, who, upon his release from prison, comes home to find his wife ill with TB. He goes to visit his rich "friend" Robert for help, but is ridiculed and mocked instead.



A confrontation between Robert and Kishanlal ensues, resulting in Kishanlal's separation with his wife and three sons. I won't go too much into detail here, as this is the brief summary of events, but rest assured most of this is explained much as it needs to be in the film.



The three sons are then separated from each other, and found by three different outside characters. Amar is adopted by a Hindu police officer, Akbar is taken in by a Muslim tailor, and Anthony is raised by a Catholic priest(Can you guess which one will grow up to be Amitabh Bachchan?).

Of course, its Anthony (which I only happened to know from the parody segment in Gol Maal-and the readers who were kind enough to explain it to me!). This was the first (and granted, I haven't seen many) "older" Amitabh film that I really, really liked him in. He was great in Deewar, true, but had sort of an icy and conceited quality that was perhaps necessary in order to portray Vijay. Here, Anthony was funloving, goofy, and even a bit awkward(he loses two fights!). If you've ever heard the "Easter egg song" mentioned, here's the movie it came from (I've included the youtube video below). Quirky and lovable, Amitabh and Parveen make one of the cheesiest songs I've ever seen an instant favorite. Despite all of this, Big B was still smooth enough to make this one of his iconic roles (there's a great mirror scene following the egg song). Clad in an array of assorted colored pleathers and bell bottoms that looked supersoft to the touch, Anthony showed me a glimpse of what made Amitabh Bachchan so special to his fans--After all, who else could pull off all that chest hair? :P



Rishi Kapoor plays Akbar, a.k.a. King of Qawwali, and lives up to his nickname in not one, not two, but three songs(ok, only two of them are really qawwalis, but Rishi gets the most songs in the entire film mostly to himself and I'm definitely not complaining). Quite the cutie pie, Rishi lights up the screen (literally) in every song picturization he has. I've included my favorite one below, in which he romances none other than real life wife Neetu Singh (though I'm not certain on whether or not they were yet together when this film was made).



The whole thing mesmerizes me, from the song itself to Rishi's colorful attitude (and outfit), and Neetu's striking beauty alongside that red rose and black veil...

Amar is played by Vinod Khanna, and what a hottie he turned out to be! Though there were times I swore he was wearing blush...



As a police officer, Vinod has one of the more serious roles in the film, but ironically enough, during the title song he's given the most comical disguise of the three brothers.

While its obvious from the beginning that Akbar's girlfriend will be played by Neetu Singh, the other two women were welcome surprises (since I'd purposely read very little about this film before viewing it).

Anthony ends up falling for a Christian girl named Jenny, played by the lovely Parveen Babi...

Dizzy with images of Parveen Babi! A nice place for anyone to be.

Parveen's such a beauty to begin with, but she brought the same golden-hearted cheer to her role that Anthony did to his, making them a funloving addition to the already likable Neetu and Rishi coupling. And while Jenny seems rather softspoken and meek in the beginning, we get to see she's got much more of a backbone in later scenes. And, as in Deewar, poor Parveen always seems to get attacked in her own home. But look at the way she books it in a pair of high heels!



And, also, where can I find a hat like this? I used to have one similar, but can't seem to find it!



Amar's romance begins on the wrong foot with a seemingly fiesty yet misunderstood young woman named Laxmi played by none other than Shabana Azmi!



One of the only disheartening things I found in this film was the under-use of Amar and Laxmi. Much of the romantic screentime in the film was granted to Parveen and Amitabh, and while Neetu and Rishi still had their songs, Vinod and Shabana were left with little to do. After the two warm up to one another in their first segment, we see only a glimpse of their life together as Laxmi hangs Vinod's clothes to dry while he rests in a hammock.

I wanted more of these two!

Another disappointment I had with the film once again involves Amar. In the end, when the three brothers are reunited (and you know they will be, so I'm not going to post a spoiler alert), we miss out on Amar and Anthony's reunion. This would have been neat to see, especially after their fight in Anthonyville, yet its skimmed over with nary a dialouge.

Still, Amar Akbar Anthony is more than just the delightful tale of three long lost brothers. One of the best jodis in the entire film was the hilarious long term rivalry between Robert (played by Jeevan) and Kishenlal (played by Pran).



These two enemies were pure masala entertainment in each and every scene they shared, equipped with stolen boxes of gold, bullet proof vests, and midnight kidnappings!



And it wasn't just the songs in AAA that were brilliant (and they all were--my favorites were "Parda Hai Parda" and the title song); the background music was just as memorable and fun. When Anthony and Amar fight, we're treated to a flamingo-eqse tune to keep the mood upbeat. When Anthony first spots Jenny in the church, he chases her to a catchy tune that echoes the Western image of their characters.

I feel like this is one film I could sit down and watch again and again--and notice something different every time. While laugh-out-loud ridiculous at times, it was such a delight from start to finish that I'm left feeling like I need to see more of classical masala. Needless to say, this film was perfect for a group watchalong at our Boston Bollyblitz Meetup. Our playful banter made for a hilarious rewatching experience, and I think I'll always remember our comments every time I watch this. What a great film to toast new friendships!

Before "Chaiya Chaiya" there was Neetu and Rishi!

Here are some burning questions we came up with (all in jest, of course):

*What ever happened to Maa's TB? Was it magically cured or swapped for blindness?

*Did somebody actually misspell Anthony's sign and was too lazy to make a new one or was this just another glimpse of Manmohan Desai's brilliant humor?

*Did Maa actually think delivering flowers to Akbar would be a legitimate reason to stop a surgical procedure?

*How could Robert and Zebesko think that by listening to Jenny's pulse, Dr. Salma could tell she was pregnant?

*In the beginning, when little Amar buries a pistol in the dirt (to "hide it from Anthony", no less), his father seems more concerned with why he is doing so instead of why he had the gun in the first place!!

There are many, many more--and, of course, these unanswered gems are part of what make this film so great. Can you come up with any? :)

Worth The Wait---Arth

Oooohhh, Arth is an incredible film!

Every bit worth the wait it took it get my hands on a copy that actually played (Special thank you to Nicki for sending me one--you're a sweetheart, girl!), Arth was probably one of the best Hindi films I've ever seen. First of all, it stars not one, but two remarkable women in Indian cinema--Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil. Need I say more?



The Plot

The movie is about a woman named Pooja(Shabana Azmi) whose husband, Inder (Kulbhushan Kharbanda)is having an affair with a film actress(named Kavita, played by the late Smita Patil!). When news of Inder and Kavita's tryst comes to light, Pooja finds herself alone and abandoned. With nowhere to go, she ends up living at a women's hostel, having to learn how to support herself as a newly single woman. She finds solace in friendship with Raj (Raj Kiran), a musician who appreciates what Inder did not.

A stunning Shabana Azmi--who would cheat on her?

Sounds simple, right? Well, actually it is. Unlike most Bollywood films, there aren't many plot twists or side stories going on in Arth--for the most part, it manages to stick to the issue at hand. And that's when it really shines, thanks to the smooth, controlled performances from the three leads!

The Women

I've wanted to see both Shabana and Smita onscreen for quite some time, but hadn't really seen anything until now (If anybody has any recommendations on these two, please do share!). Both women were deliciously good in Arth. There's a scene when Pooja confronts Kavita and Inder at a party, and let me tell you, sparks fly! Its one of the most effective scenes in the film, and fortunately, in Arth there are plenty.



Smita'a performance as the glamorous yet insecure Kavita rang so true that I really felt worse for her character than I did for Pooja. Pooja was strong-willed, and I knew she would recover once the pain of losing Inder lessened with time. But as Kavita unraveled, she showed true fragility despite her fame and beauty. Moreover, her guilt in having "stolen" Inder from Pooja haunted her to no end, turning to psychotic paranoia that prevented her from the life she had wanted so badly in the first place. She was also extremely passionate--there was a scene where she literally licks Inder's tears. As I watched Smita at work, one thing was clear--I finally understood just what a loss the untimely death of this talented actress was to the Indian film industry!

The legendary Smita Patil.

The Loser

Though he was more often than not overshadowed by the two actresses, Kulbhushan Kharbanda's understated portrayal of Inder was just what Arth needed its leading man to be; He had to convey just the right amount of emotion with saying and doing very little. He did a perfect job of this--Anything more from him would have been too much given the intensity of the two women.

Kulbhushan Kharbanda looks so young!

The music

The music of Arth was not you typical Bollywood fare. Most of the songs were woven into the story, since Raj was a musician and liked to sing to Pooja. Overall, I enjoyed the songs very much; They were few and far between, but welcomed nonetheless. Yet it was the eerie melody that played during the opening credits that reeled me right in--I knew trouble was ahead, and I was at the edge of my seat with anticipation as the story began to play out. It was almost as if I was watching a thriller or a horror film! Funny, isn't it? Sometimes the actions of humanity are scarier than monsters and murderers.



The Ambiance

In addition, the film had a sort of sepia tone, which added to the unshakable sense of foreboding. I'm not sure if this was the director's intention, or the quality of the actual film being used, but it worked.

The Backstory

After watching Arth, I found out it was supposed to have been based on director Mahesh Bhatt's real-life affair with yesteryear actress Parveen Babi. First of all, I was already intrigued with Parveen Babi after seeing a couple of her films with Amitabh, because she was just so fascinatingly beautiful! But after reading up on the stories (whether they are true or not), I learned what a sad life she is said to have had. Her issues with paranoia and schizophrenia bore an uncanny resemblance to Kavita's...

Kavita loses her mind...

Second of all, the fact that Mahesh chose to focus on Pooja's character, Pooja's strength, and Pooja's fate said a mouthful. If Mahesh was in fact trying to tell a story based on his own actions with Parveen, he certainly humbled himself enough--Inder ended up looking like a big fat loser up to the very end.

(**WARNING*****SPOILER ALERT)

It was a no-brainer that Pooja would end up with our Teddy Bear Musician, Raj, by the end...but, wait....she didn't!?! Nope, that's right folks, even in 80s Bollywood you don't need a man to feel good about yourself(well, that's rarely true in Indian cinema, but let's just enjoy it here, shall we?)! Pooja's rejecting of Raj in the final scenes showed her strength and sensitivity at the very same time. She didn't need to replace Inder to make herself feel complete, and she wasn't going to be unfair to Raj by using him as a rebound boyfriend. Hooray!!!

(****SPOILER END****)

Have I convinced you to see this film yet? It's truly amazing, and I'm so glad I didn't give up on the search!

Umrao Jaan (starring Aishwarya Rai)

Although the 2006 version of Umrao Jaan starring Aishwayra Rai is a far cry from the original, I still really enjoyed this film.

For those of you who've read some of my earlier posts, you may remember that both Umrao Jaan films were a couple of the first Bollywood movies I'd seen. This one in particular lost me a little halfway through, as I felt it dragged. However, after re-watching it nearly a year and a half later, I liked it a whole lot more. I know, I know. I say that a lot about some of my earlier Bollywood experiences(Devdas, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the old Umrao Jaan and now this), but it's so true! Perhaps I'm more accustomed to reading the subtitles now. Or maybe, with this version of Umrao Jaan, I'm more familiar with the story and less taken aback by Aishwayra's beauty...She's still gorgeous, but the first time I saw this I was so in awe of the woman I think I found her beauty a distraction from subtitle reading.



Even though J.P. Dutta's version is extremely long (189 mins), when compared to the 1981 version (145 mins), it's my understanding that the director intended to portray the original novel instead of remaking the older film. Keeping that in mind, I'm beginning to think Umrao Jaan Ada is a whole lot of story to try to cram into a movie. I'd really like to get my hands on a translated version of the novel at some point, because I get the feeling there's quite a lot I'm missing here.

Aishwayra's Umrao was a far cry from Rekka's riveting performance, but she still held her own. It's just really, really hard not to compare the two. If you look at Ash's work by itself, she had some powerful scenes where she showed an appropriate amount of pain and sadness in her crystalline eyes. She looked amazing throughout the entire film, particularly in "Salaam", where I had to laugh out loud at how ridiculously beautiful she was. But when you hold this up to Rekka's Umrao, Ash pales in comparison. Rekka was beautiful, but in her own not-quite-so-perfect way, and she had tons more sex appeal. She cast the seductive spell a real courtesan would, as men were drawn to her soft "bedroom eyes" and demeanor as smooth and warm as maple syrup. Ash, on the other hand, was like a porcelain doll...if I was a man in her brothel, I'd be afraid to touch her, lest she'd break.
And while Rekka seemed subtly unaware and a bit surprised by her ability to bewitch Naweb Sultan, Ash appeared almost cocky when she pranced right over to him and assumed he'd be enamored with her beauty just like everyone else was (and, of course, she was right).



Abhishek did a pretty good job as Naweb Sultan, but lacked the elegance and maturity in Farooq Shaikh's performance. However, I think Sultan had quite a different storyline in this film...his character, in my opinion, was supposed to be a little bit immature (he couldn't handle a woman supporting him when he lost everything, so he left) and spoiled (seemed lost once Daddy kicked him out and went on a drinking binge), as the story called for him to let his ego get between his ability to love Umrao (couldn't deal with another man taunting him over his territory). I'm thinking Abhishek was probably a good choice for the role, though, because he didn't upstage Ash(as perhaps Shahrukh's fame or Hrithik's own pretty face would have done).

I realize it's probably not fair to compare these performances, but as I stated above, how can you not? Rekka, Farooq, and Naseeruddin Shah made those roles their own. I didn't even grow up on the classic and can see that!



Of course, this statement does not apply to Shabana Azmi. Her performance as Khannum was flawless, and uncannily "spot on" with the original (which I discovered was played by her real-life mother-Cool!)--if not better. The only unfortunate thing for me is that I have yet to see a Shabana Azmi film, and I can't really count this one since her role was so small. But since I read a lot of Bollywood blogs and magazines, it's clear just how respected she is as an actress. I can't wait to experience her in a more substantial role!



There were a few directional choices I really appreciated. Perhaps exclusive to my copy (a pirated DVD given to me as a gift from the fam), I thought the movie had a very beautiful yet "bleached out" kind of feel, like an Indian or Pakistani soap opera. Nonetheless, I liked that vibe, as it reminded me of watching television in Pakistan as a child.:) Another thing that was cool was the scene were Lord Sultan and Umrao consummate their relationship, a conclusion we draw by the pressure in their clasped hands. And, finally, I thought the scene where Umrao returns to her childhood home only to be shunned away was heartbreaking and effective. As Umrao walks away from her birth family, her brother slams the gate, which stops her in her tracks, a symbol of a closed chapter in her tragic life. Her eyes are glassy, but she's been through it all at this point, so she's almost unfazed. However, as we then get a close up of her seemingly cold hearted brother, we see tears budding in his own eyes as well. Powerful.

I liked this movie more than I thought I did. While it's far from perfect, it's still a good watch featuring some pretty people and sets. If you're going to enjoy it, be open-minded and try not to compare it to the original (like I did through this whole post!). Otherwise, you may be disappointed.

Text © Copyright 2008 Nida Nazir Bitten By Bollywood