Tag Archives: Delhi

Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Image May 26, 2015 jcisnowjs Leave a comment

“Kangana tera swagger Lakh ka re”….. Looks like it’s that time when Bollywood heroines have decided to not only play strong female lead roles but also turn them into blockbusters; be it Anushka’s ‘NH10’, or ‘Piku’ from Deepika, and now the masterpiece by Kangana in ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns‘.

Big cheers for the girls!!!!

Tanu Weds Manu Returns, is a comedy drama sequel of 2011’s ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, directed by Anand L. Rai. He has earlier directed the first film too along with highly appreciated ‘Raanjhanaa’. This one is also one of his best work.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns (TWMR), stars Kangana and Madhavan in lead roles. Other characters who have continued their roles from the original, are, Jimmy Shergill as Raja Awasthi, Pappi Ji played by Deepak Dobriyal, and, Payal played by Swara Bhaskar. New characters introduced in the sequel includes Zeeshan Ayub as chintu, and Rajesh Sharma as Datto’s brother.

Kangana has played two roles in this movie, one is of Tanuja(Tanu) Trivedi, a feisty Kanpur girl who is appropriately called batman by neighborhood, now married to a soft-spoken doctor from London.

Another role is of Datto (Kusum), who is an equally fiery girl from Jhajjar, Haryana; an athlete with a typical haryanvi accent and determination to do something to be proud of.

Story starts where most of the Bollywood stories ends, that is, marriage. It’s been 4 years since Tanu and Manu get married to each other and now living their boring life in London. It becomes so hard for Tanu to deal with her monotonous life that she decides to leave her husband in a mental asylum and come back to Kanpur, her hometown. Divorce proceedings starts and so start Tanu’s involvement with her ex lovers from rickshaw puller deepak to Raja Awasthi.

While Tanu is busy meeting his exes, Manu meets second Tanu – Datto. A haryanvi athlete who looks like Tanu, except for her big teeth, short hair and full on jhajjar personality. With Datto around, Manu started reliving his days when he had fallen in love with Tanu, only to realize that he actually loves Datto and wants to marry her. What happens next? Well, watch the movie, believe me you will not get disappointed.

What makes this film stand out is its perfect star cast. Everyone fits so perfectly in every role that you can not imagine anyone else. Everyone has acted so beautifully that you can not think of them outside their characters, ever. Specially Pappi Ji. Deepak Dobriyal has made Pappi ji a legend with his baraati dance and apt one liners. He is the perfect side kick. Kudos to that person who have written Pappi’s dialogues. He was the most funny and lovable character of the movie.

Same goes for Chintu, who was a new entry in TWMR. One of the best dialogue of the film comes from his mouth, when he tell Jimmy that he is a shoulder for girls to cry on and later be used. Jimmy Shergill has always proved his mantle in every film of his, here however he didn’t have much to do. But, he always look stylish and handsome to me. Swara bhaskar has also done justice with her role. I really liked the scene where she mimics Datto. All these theater artists, they are like a boon to Indian cinema.

Madhavan is madhavan, a gold hearted, good-looking, simple, plain, and soft-spoken common man, who wants to live a simple life. He has portrayed this character with such an ease that it looks like piece of cake. He is astonishing in his dialogue delivery and more so when he is expressing himself without saying anything.

Coming to the soul of this movie – Kangana. Just to give you an idea of what kind of performer she is, someone in the hall asked quietly to his neighbor, these two are the same girls? Same heroine?, referring to Tanu and Datto. She has played two totally different characters so distinctively that you forgot that she is the same person. They are totally different. From the walk to talk. Just to be more filmy, both have a different swagger. Kangana is a marvelous actress. She is talented, beautiful and a risk taker. She is what we need, and Indian film industry should respect this talent.

It’s not like that this film has no flaws. Most annoying was the introductory scene from mental asylum. Seriously, how can that be possible? Film’s climax is also a bit cringe worthy. It has more to do with our society which treat marriages as ‘7 janam ka rishtaa’, forever kind of things. It looked like in the end, filmmakers did not want to take the risk.

But, beauty of this movie is that you will forget about all these small glitches in the mayhem of natural performances, fast paced storyline and apt dialogues. One of my best scene from the movie was when Tanu disrespect Datto for her looks and small town mannerism; and Datto replies back with pride telling her that she is a state level athlete who is taken admission on her merit basis and she is a self-made girl and proud of it.

Overall, watch this movie because it’s very rare that you will see effortless beauty of every actor synchronized together in a single movie. Watch it for its actors. Watch it for Kangana.

You are The Queen Kangana(jcisnowjs.wordpress.com)

Life, Random

The Melodrama Called AAP

Image April 8, 2015 jcisnowjs Leave a comment

I have always believed that real life is much more fascinating and captivating than any TV Drama Series or Soap Opera; AAP has once again proved it right.

Make no mistake AAP here is not a new Drama series starting on your cable, but it is recently emerged Indian Political party which has created shock-waves across by winning Delhi elections with huge majority.

But, it’s not the winning which creates interesting news; it is the way you handle your winnings, is what matters. Believe me when I say that AAP was not as fascinating before as it is now, with its ongoing internal party drama.

Infact daily I visit news articles hoping to see some new twist and turn in AAP, and it does oblige me with something new unbelievable twist in the story. To name a few of its dramatic turn of events – leaking of audio tapes of one of Arvind Kejriwal cursing his fellow party leaders, or just trying a negotiation for horse trading; or leaking of internal emails where party leaders are showing discontent with each other; high point was expelling of two key members in a highly inappropriate and anarchistic way; and then their press conference which was topping all the reality drama television. It was like perfect drama – better than any Roadies, or Big Boss, or The Bachelorette.

You may ask but what is so special about all this? Isn’t every political party is like this?

Yes, you are right. Every party is like this and every party has its own internal dramas, but why AAP stood out more in this political mess is because AAP was created with the mindset that every political party is similar, and nation wants a new system/party which is more transparent and reachable to common men. It was the sacrifice, struggle and crusade of so many honest Indians against corruption which gave birth to AAP.

Now those same honest party volunteers are asking their donations back. Clearly, the trust is broken. Trust that they had on their leaders to provide them an honest alternative in today’s times of dirty politics; but alas; when it came to Power, every party behave in same way. Infact AAP has left behind other parties in its showcase of drama and anarchy.

Question which should be raised to these so-called honest party leaders is that – Why now? Why they didn’t expelled or reported dirty politics before elections? Why only after they won the election and now wants a share of Power, that they started pointing out the problems in party leadership? Problems which were not new but started about year back.

Why now?

Kejriwal was always presumed as an anarchist, who prefers to have his way, be it right or wrong. He wants to be high command. He prefers having ‘Yes Man‘, and not voice of differences.

Yadav and Bhushan have invested so much in this party, be it their time, money, ideas, efforts, actually everything. Now, they want equal standing in the party. They want an equal say. They are not wrong in this demand, although their timing is suspicious.

If yadav and bhushan were that honest, why didn’t they reported the atrocious things going on in their party? Was winning Delhi elections, more important than keeping your party honest to its basic vision? Didn’t they were fooling their party workers/volunteers and people of Delhi who voted for them.

Looks like in this party everyone is same, just like in any other party.

To end, a Quote from Abraham Lincoln – “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

Delhi Election 2013: Best thing that has happened to congress so far.(jcisnowjs.wordpress.com)
What Kind of Government We Want?(jcisnowjs.wordpress.com)
Delhi court slams Arvind Kejriwal, summons him in defamation case at 2 pm(dnaindia.com)
Kejriwal rapped by Delhi Court(niticentral.com)

Life

Killing ‘Nirbhaya’ Once Again

Image March 6, 2015 jcisnowjs Leave a comment

A feeble attempt by the Indian government to save tourism in India or just to prove that no matter who rules the government, its mindset is always the same – and that is to ban everything which raises questions.

By putting ban on ‘India’s Daughter‘ documentary which was based on the December, 2012 brutal rape of a medical student; Indian Government has once again raped and killed so many ‘Nirbhayas’, all over again. This government has snatched their right of freedom by muting their voice.

‘India’s Daughter’ is a documentary directed by ‘Leslee Udwin‘ for BBC. Film was based on the most historic and revolting incident happened in India in recent times – Rape of a girl.

Study suggests that every 20 minutes one rape takes place in India, then what was different about this rape.

Their was no difference. None. It was just a Rape. Just a Rape. Nothing new. Nothing new in India. Just another day. Just another girl.

A young girl who wanted to be a doctor, ‘Jyoti Singh‘, my namesake, who was returning around 8-9 pm with her friend, after watching a movie; took a bus; where 6 men (I don’t know whether to call them men, or monsters; will just call them rapists), rapists, raped her, beat her almost to death, and then throw her out of a moving bus along with her friend, to die in cold December night on Delhi‘s streets.

It was so brutal that her whole intestines were out of her body. She has bite marks all over her. She was beaten with iron rods and was gang raped with rapists taking turns in mutilating her.

It was then in 2012, when whole India cried and revolted for this brave girl; who despite of her trauma and serious medical conditions, detailed her ordeal to police to help them catch the culprits. She wanted justice and was served some partial judgment too, when court ordered death for 5 rapists, excluding one juvenile. She died. Her rapists are still alive and gloating.

What this documentary ‘India’s Daughter‘, has shown is a rapist, and his lawyer, saying what actually most of Indian Men still thinks – that, it is a Girl’s fault if she is Raped.

If a girl is out at night/evening, precisely after 6:30, or if she is with a male friend, or if she is a girl; she needs to be Raped and Killed….. so, she can learn a valuable lesson. A lesson that a defense lawyer very proudly says, that In great Indian culture, there is no place for women. A woman is like flower or diamond, and if diamond is on the road, dogs will take it. Another one says, if her daughter or sister will have premarital sex/love affair, he will burn her in front of whole family.

They don’t even flinch, while saying these things. I don’t flinch either.

If you are a woman brought up in India, you will realize that what they are saying is actually you have heard whole your life.

“Don’t go out. It’s evening now.”

“Who is calling you? Is it a male? You will not have phone anymore.”

“Why you have male friends? You are not supposed to have any male friends.”

“No skirts.”

“You want to watch a movie. Go with your husband, when you get married.”

“In our family, girls don’t go out on college trips.”

“Why you were talking to neighborhood boy?”

“We would prefer to kill you than marry you to your choice of husband.”

“You love someone. You are a slut.”

India is a patriarchal society, heavily. So much, that even the old generation women there thinks that all such thing are right. A girl should know her place, and her place is in kitchen only. Mindset of a society can not change in a single day, but there was a chance for the Indian Government to put forward a Rapists viewpoint and show to society, if you also think like him – then you are also a Rapist.

It does not matter if you have raped a woman or not, if you still think that all such statements are right, then you are a Rapist.

You have raped a woman of her freedom, of her right.

Her right of being a human being, just like you are.

She is a human, a person. She is not your property.

You can not question her.

You can not blame her for what you did to her.

You can not mute her.

You can not.

Because she is a person.

Stop your boys, not your girls. Make India a safe, not only for tourists, but for all.

What Kind of Government We Want?(jcisnowjs.wordpress.com)
India says it will act against BBC for airing banned film(thehimalayantimes.com)
BBC Documentary Nirbhaya India’s Daughter(kanthalaraghu.com)

Movies

Tuesday Talkies – Guardians Of The Galaxy

Image August 19, 2014 jcisnowjs 1 Comment

Everyone love Comics, and when they are as life-sized as ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘, you don’t have any other option left, other than love.

Comic Book - Guardians Of The Galaxy — Comic Book – Guardians Of The Galaxy

I watched ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘, this weekend. Actually I was planning to watch ‘Expendables’, but instead went ahead with ‘Guardians..’. As luck would have it, my kids loved it more than I do. Specially Otu, as he is fond of Raccoons…. are you listening Bradley cooper, my son loved your work in the movie, and he is the one who is always hard to please. 😛

Rocket Raccoon in Guardians Of The Galaxy

‘Guardians Of The Galaxy‘, is based on the superhero comic of Marvel Comics by the same name. This movie is produced by Marvel Studios and directed by James Gunn, who has also written the screenplay. This movie stars, Chris Pratt as Peter Quill, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Vin Diesel as Groot, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket. They all make a team of superheroes coming from different backgrounds and having mixed ambitions.

Story revolves around, Peter Quill, who after the death of his mother got abducted by a set of alien thieves/space pirates. Peter grew out to be a thief himself, stealing an Orb, to sell it in the space market for profits. But, that Orb was not some ordinary Orb. It had the power to destroy every planet and give immense power to its beholder. This is why the main villain of the movie, Ronan, is also after the same Orb. Needless to say, Peter made a lot of enemies in the process, who all are contending to get an hold on that Orb.

Peter along with Saldana, Rocket and Groot, got imprisoned by the Nova Corps, where the group meet Drax the Destroyer, who wants to take revenge of his family murder from Ronan. They all form a team, a team of Superheroes to save the Orb, actually to sell it to highest bidder, and stop Ronan from destroying the Planets. 😎 Saldana who was earlier a part of Ronan’s evil empire, has come a long way from her sister Nebula and Ronan’s immoral ways. She wants to stop Ronan at all cost. So, she persuade the superhero team to break out of prison and go to Knowhere, where they can sell the Orb.

Rocket who is a genetically engineered Raccoon, and is also a bounty hunter, devise a plan for the team to get out of prison and go to Knowhere. His tree friend, Groot, who is all heart and muscles too, assist Rocket the Raccoon, in this plan.

Rocket and Groot in Guardians Of The Galaxy

I don’t want to spoil the story much, so go watch out the movie to find out what happened to the Orb, and our superheroes? Did they make out of the prison, and what happen to evil Ronan’s plans?

What I like most about this movie, is off-course, cute Peter Quill. He is not a superhero kind of superhero, but rather a cute guy with all his boyish charm and cool dance moves, showing his skills on grooving to 70’s songs. He is less of brain and more driven by impulse. Yes, he is lovable. A silly superhero with all the good looks.

Our Superheroes in Guardians Of The Galaxy

I am not much impressed with our green beauty, Saldana. She seems cold and lacking emotions, but fast and fiery. I loved Groot and Vin Diesel voice too.

Vin Diesel with Groot - Guardians Of The Galaxy — Vin Diesel with Groot – Guardians Of The Galaxy

He is a kind hearted soul who delivers his lines, ‘I am Groot‘, with so much passion that you fall in love with him every time, he opened his rooty branched mouth. I loved him.

Groot in Guardians Of The Galaxy, with his Superhero Team

Rocket the Raccoon is funny, having some of the best one liners in the movie. He is the cool dude of the movie, who is always making Drax the Destroyer, run after him. It a good fun to see both of them in a single frame.

Overall, this superhero comic movie is not as extraordinarily as Avengers, but it does has it’s moments, where it will make you laugh, and when you will come out of the show, you will come with a grin on your face. 😀

Life

Wednesday Words – Rape is a Sinful Crime.

Image July 23, 2014 jcisnowjs 1 Comment

I read about the Rape of a 6-year-old girl, in her school by a Teacher. It was not the first time, that I have read about such gruesome thing. Last year, a 3-year-old girl from Delhi, was in news for the same reasons. We forgot about that three old girl. We will forget about this six-year-old too.

What is the point of remembering something, which you don’t want to talk about?

Everyone of you (I hope everyone), must have felt disgusted reading about it, or watching it running as a story on news channels. But, how many of you, have talked about it? Not on Facebook, or twitter, or just making a conversation in your office or college canteens? But, at your home, with your parents with your sons or daughters, with your husband or wife, with your brothers or sisters?

We didn’t talk about Rapes, not in our homes. It’s a bad thing. It’s a shameful thing to talk about Rapes. We can talk about murders, we can talk about thieving, we can talk about corruption, we can talk about Politics, Movies, cricket; but we will not talk about Rapes. It’s a very unspeakable thing to talk about Rapes. We are living in a society where we don’t talk about Rapes.

Rape is not a Crime. Not talking about Rape, is a Crime. Not taking action about Rape, is a Crime. Asking them to keep quiet is a Crime.

Once we are in a society where it is not bad to talk about a Rape, then maybe we can say, that Rape is a crime.

We as a society are the ones, who promote Rapes. We would expect from our married sons, to have dominance over their wives. We are the ones, who give precedence to our sons than to our daughters. We are the ones, who teach our girls to be soft-spoken and polite; and our boys to be aggressive and strong built. We do not want our daughters to make friend with a rape victim/survivor. We don’t even want to see them daily around us, in our neighborhood. So, we give them looks – like you do not belong here; Or, you have done a crime because you reported Rape, or crime that you got raped. We may go and protest with you, all with scented candles and fiery slogans, but deep down, we want to forget about you, as soon as possible. Afterall, it’s your daughter who got raped, not mine.

Isn’t this a reality? I truly hope, that none of you think that way, but we do behave in this way. If you want to help, then talk about it, among your friends, your family. We can not always be with our kids to protect them, but atleast we can tell them from what they need protection from.

Rape is not bound to a specific place or country, or a city, or to a particular age group. They are happening everywhere, to every class or age of girl, as you can imagine. Only thing that makes the difference is the way people come out to support the rape survivors. We can not hang a Rapist, it’s the role of justice department and police to take the rapist to his destination; but we can certainly help the survivor. We can help, in making our schools, our neighborhood, our home, safe for women. We can help in making our kids respectful towards woman.

Rape is a Sinful Crime — Linor – Brave Miss World

I was watching a documentary movie on Brave Miss World – Linor Abargil, who was Raped six weeks before she was crowned Miss World in 1998. She spoke about it and helped not only herself, but thousands of such women by helping them to speak about their ordeal. Linor survived, but it was the support of her family, her friends, and the society that supported her in every way, that contributed to her success story.

I would wish on it that no woman or man would ever get raped; but I would act on it to make my kids honorable and stronger. This is what I can contribute, and what I’ll do.