Wednesday, December 2, 2009
A star, in the making!
The pangs of hunger were now showing their narrow teeth. Kabir realized he hadn’t eaten anything. Had he? Did he?
Or was it excitement? Was it, or it wasn’t?
Kabir knew his residence needed to be renovated; the shabby walls weren’t fit for new SRK posters. They weren’t.
The shanty slums, the ‘not at all’ good looking home needed a repair. Stars can’t stay in slums.
Can they? If they can’t how could Kabir?
He could, he could tolerate the pangs, of hunger and emotions…
How could he?
Star in the making, was that a reason? Was that so?
Kabir never had luck; he wasn’t the destiny’s child. Or was he?
How could he not be even an extra in the local film industry? Or why should he?
A star was he, he was a star. Was he?
Kabir Alam, dreamt of becoming a Kabir Khan, a Bollywood starlet. Big dream indeed.
Dared he? He dared…
To dream it, dream it big.
He could have easily topped over the other lads of the slums who either did a disco dancer act, or mimicked a comedian. Kabir didn’t have to.
He was a star, in the making—a star!
Ammi would often treat him as a ‘chand’ while feeding him in childhood days.
A star was he, he was.
A star, in the making—a star!
Kabir knew Bollywood would be a land of fantasies, a land of fun and frolic.
Fun, eh?
Fun for him, for a star, he was, in the making…!
Was it all fun? Was it?
Wondered the lanky lad, wondered a star, he was, in the making.
How could he reside in a slum, how could he?
Stars aren’t meant to work as extras. They aren’t. They aren’t. Are they?
He was a star; he was, in the making!
Life would change, it would, for Kabir. The producers would knock on his door with offers and endorsements.
They would. They would do it for a star.
Life, magic remains there. Magic; of being a star.
Star he was he was a star—in terms of logic!
Would the magic work? Reasoned the lad, reasoned he.
He could dance, could sing, and could act. He could, he could…
Is it enough to fulfill the needs? Is it? Enough?
Enough to be a star, eh?
Kabir always wanted to be a star. Ammi’s refusal, Abba’s worries weren’t a problem for him. No more.
He was a star. A star he was—in the making.
The clock just stroke, it was a dizzy morning in the city, the teenage lad Kabir just woke up. He had a tight sleep. A starry one, dreaming was fun. For him, for a star.
A star was he; he was a star—in the making!
The dizzy morning showed the day, Kabir dressed up to go to his work—a newspaper vendor. That was Bollywood for him, and that bicycle was his train to the Bollywood.
Was it so? Or, it was just a journey? What was it?
A starry dream he had last night of catching a train to Bollywood.
To become a star…
A star he was, he was a star in the making!
A star in the game called life!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Flicks that took my heart away...

The 15th edition of Kolkata Film Festival just got over this evening. This year there has been a medley of some 'very good' and some 'not-so-good' films. Amongst them, here are some of the flicks that took my heart away.
The Boy in Striped Pyjamas: This UK-US venture by Mark Herman was probably the best shot of the entire festival. The story based in the backdrop of the World War II, and the infamous Great Hole Tragedy by Hitler’s Germany portrays a story of friendship between a German and Jew children. The story lineup and the treatment was just mind blowing. For the first time in my life, I literally cried after watching a film!
The Two Legged Horse: Her father Mohsen, is the living legend of world cinema, but Samira Makmalbaf proved her talent in this film. The Two Legged Horse deals with a typical subject faced by ‘all of us’ in our mundane life. In this world, money is the honey, and for that we aren’t afraid of making ourselves into mere animals. The story isn’t that simple, it deals with everything we come across, but in its own typical way, which is undoubtedly much controversial. There lies the success of Samira. A must see Iranian flick from the house of the Makmalbafs.
Harishchandrachi Factory: This Marathi flick by Paresh Mokashi is the year’s best ‘home’ production. This is the story of the nation’s first ever cinema, Harishchandra. This flick deals with the subject in a crisp terse and pithy manner. How an individual dared to dream big to make Indian cinema grow into an industry, how Dadasaheb Phalke fulfilled the great Indian dream, this flick tells you all. A must watch for every Indian cine buff.
The Poor: Yilmaz Guiney and his typical treatment of film making rules yet again. The Poor alias Zavalliar deals with the subject that’s true to its core, very contemporary. It’s the story that tells you the pang of poverty, curse of being poor. It would be unfair to reveal the story here. All the Guiney admirers must watch the flick. It’s a must see.
The Conductor: Andrzej Wajda tells the story of a symphony conductor in this film. This is the story of a legendary symphony conductor and his ‘controversial’ life. The man comes back to perform in his last gig, will he be able to? The story gives you a pen-picture of a man’s psychological whirlpool, what one goes through in the ‘not so pleasant’ phase of life. I must admit that here Wajda has sowed a plant which has grown up in to a huge tree, and this is the best example.
Lost Song: This flick by Rodrique Jean is a sweet and sour story, telling the viewers a story of a mother whose life takes an ugly turn after the birth of the child. The mother becomes psychologically affected after the motherhood. The story ends in a tragic way, justifying the title of the film, Lost Song.
A unique effort by this Canadian director, but one must say that the film was a bit slower. Had it been a bit faster, the film would have been much more thrilling.
Clown: An out an out happy note film with the urge to purge the child abuses. A
smart way of story telling. It portrays how a group of young drug addicts can be purged and brought back into the mainstream of life. Here, circus plays a vital role in motivating the youths. It’s indeed a nice presentation by the Italian film maker Marco Pontecorvo. Really inspiring!
The Childhood of Icarus: This swiss film is one of the finest treasures of world cinema. A scientific thriller, the story goes on with a patient being made the vegetable to cure another patient. He’s in a trap. Will he be able to overcome it? A brilliant film by Alexandre Iordachesu.
Guelwaar: Ousmane Sembene and his unique way of story telling is the USP of this film. It tells you about the problems of African citizens. That’s the magic of this film from the legendary film maker.
Jermal: This is for the first time an Indonesian film touched my heart. It’s the story of a child who has lost his mother. How he effaces out the difficulties to meet his father is the subject of Jermal. The director Ravi Bharwani deserves a special mention for portraying the slice of life through this film.
Wagha: This Supriyo Sen short film was indeed a brave attempt to portray the relationship between India and Pakistan. The most difficult topic was easily portrayed onscreen by this film maker. A must watch for film fanatics.
Apart from these there are many other films that attracted me. I fell in love with Bimal Roy’s films, yet again. Watching Udayer Pathey and Bandini was indeed a treat. Even, the Austrian film The Big Bliss as it has taken me by surprise. Sweet Rush, Athens Istanbul, Elegy has been the real treats. But, I was utterly disappointed with a French film titled “Black”. It’s probably the worst selection of the festival.
Here are the Top Ten films that took my heart away. I think that these would be appreciated by other cinema fanatics too.
Do send in your takes, would love to hear from you as well…
Sunday, November 15, 2009
20 te 'Paa'...!

Kuritey paa dilen ei muhurter Team Indiar 'Paa'!
Na ghabraben na, ei 'paa' cholochhitro jogoter Big B namok byakti non, non kono cinema r kalpito nayak o, ini ja koren ta nie cinema hote pare, sekhane sochhondey hajir hote paren 'Paa'!
Sachin Romesh Tendulkar. Boyesh matro 36.
Sei 1989 e Pakistan safarey abhishek, dingulor kotha mone porle aajo sritir sagarey dub maren Gavaskar, Srikant ra. Sachin dudh khete pochhondo koren jene Biman sebika ke doodh nie ashar jonno anuradh korechhilen sawang Gavaskar. Ebong sediner sei kishor ek chumukei sesh korechhilen dudher glass.
Majhe kete geche dui dashak. Sediner sei kishor ek chumukey dudh khawar dhangei sesh korechhen bohu bipoksho bowler er career. Sref bat ball er thokathuki tey.
Pray ek jug agey Pepsi r ek bigwapan ey dekha jeto gramey Sachin er chhobiwala ek jingle. 'Sachin ala re'. Aaj ei 20 te dariyeo bindumatro komeni tar charisma. Aajo, Sachin ala re!!!
Bodley geche anek kichu, bodlan ni tini. Aajo proti niyoto chhute jan Achrekar Sir er kache, aajo khelar duniyay keu safollo pele prothom SMS ti jay tar phone theke. Tini je aajo sei Shibaji Park er chhotto 'Tendla'!
Tai ekhono bitarko theke shoto hasto dure tini, aajo balya bandhur sathe jhagra hole tini i bolen 'Chhar bhai, chal ektu batting kori'. Etai Sachin, ekhanei tar biseshwatto.
Kuri periyeo tai komeni tar magic, je magic e bosh hoechen Don theke Dada!
Aar kotodin khelben 'Paa'? Proshno utheche, poreche.
Hoyto aaro bochhor khanek. Tarpor?
Hoyto ekdin hothat i willo r bat take hathey niye boben 'chollam'...
Ei dapot bodhoy takei manay, jar bat jhar tole marudesh theke paharey, swapno dekhay juddhe jawa sainik der.
Tini chhara r kei ba paren ebhabe abhibaker bhumkay abartirno hotey, ta se Team India hik kingba Mission Kargil.
Sadhey ki r take 'Paa' bollam!!!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Harischandra's Factory and the Oscars...


Fourthly, the child actors' were portrayed in same manner for the consecutive years. In 1911-13, kids doesn't grow up. Really strange!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Bharater raksha karta ebaar Barundeb!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
17,000 er poreo anischit Sachin!

Sunday, November 8, 2009
Nishtabdho- tar naam Sachin!
