Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Corrupt Politician

Recently, while watching the movie "The Hunt For Red October", I came across a dialogue which painted a very apt picture of corrupt politicians.

The Corrupt Politician

"Listen, I'm a politician, which means I'm a cheat and a liar, and when I'm not kissing babies, I'm stealing their lollipops, but it also means that I keep my options open."

What a beautiful way to describe these cheats!! It's time to chuck these guys out of the system.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

What Works For Harry Potter?

Harry Potter has come a long way. A widely praised book and money spinner movie series, it was liked by all - young and old. Harry Potter is a reflection of how ordinary men and women like you and me love to get lost in the world of magic.

The first book of the Harry Potter series was published on 30 June 1997. Titled "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone", it was an instant hit across the world. It catapulted the author J.K. Rowling to mega stardom. Since then she has published all the seven books of the series, finishing with "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". 

This fantasy book series has also being converted into a successful movie franchisee. Needless to say, it's prime actors - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have become stars.
Harry, Hermione and Ron - Daniel, Emma and Rupert
The last movie of the Harry Potter franchisee - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" is scheduled to release on 15 July 2011. Harry Potter fans are looking forward to this movie with a lot of excitement. It promises to be the darkest of all of them.
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2
What was it about Harry Potter that worked wonders? Well, here are some points I think which can be credited to it's success.

The Story
The Harry Potter story was a classic. Rowling built it up excellently over the multiple books. And most importantly she retained the suspense till the very end.

The first book - "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" - introduced the world to the most important characters in the series - Harry himself and Lord Voldemort.
Harry Potter
The names of the seven books of the series are :-
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Each of the seven books above wove a great fantasy story revolving around Harry,  Hermione, Ron, Professor Albus Dumbledore, the Hogwarts school, the Death Eaters, and ultimately The Dark Lord. 

The theme of the book - "Victory of good over evil" was a hit.

The Narration
J.K. Rowling narrated the story beautifully. The narration was wonderful and spell binding. It had finely crafted characters you could easily relate to. 

J.K. Rowling
Most importantly, it had the element of magic - something which we all desire in our ordinary life. Harry Potter is often credited with bringing back kids to books, in the age of computers.

The School and The Teachers
It was the story about a school which we all dream about. A huge castle, big lawns, lots of hidden secrets, some wonderful teachers, some really scary teachers et al. 

The Hogwarts Castle
A major part of the story was painted in Hogwarts and most of these moments were special. Chapters like "The Battle of Hogwarts" added to the excitement.

You had interesting teachers - Albus Dumbledore who was the Head, Ms McGonagall. Severus Snape kept the audience thinking right into the seventh book on his allegiance. 

Albus Dumbledore
Dolores Umbridge, Mad-Eye Moody and Horace Slughorn lit up the intermediate books. Hagrid too was an affable character.

The Friends and The Foes
Harry Potter had an interesting mix of characters. Like in schools, it depicted friendships between diverse people. You had Hermione who was a muggle (an ordinary person like you and me), Ron who was a pure blood wizard and Harry who was a half blood (his mom was a muggle and his father was a wizard). 

Then you had other student characters who played the bad guys. All in all, it was an interesting mix and added to the beauty of the story.

Draco Malfoy
Interestingly, all students could do magic, cast interesting spells, do amazing tricks and play some really tough games. All these antics were a hit with the readers and the movie goers.

The Supporting Characters
You had other interesting characters in the book. This included ghosts, talking portraits, a Poltergeist, a Sorting Hat, a Centaur, a wand maker etc etc. All this characters played a major part in the story. 

You cannot forget Dobby, who was a house elf. Then there were Goblins, owls, a rat  (who later turned into a man), a cat and what not. Some of these characters were a reflection of real life animals, while many were imaginary. Rowling's imagination in depicting these characters and weaving them into the story was simply superb.

Dobby
Most importantly, there was a snake. That itself gave rise to many a terms - like parsletounge - which meant the ability to understand both humans and snakes.

Last but not the least, you had muggles. They were ordinary men and women like you and me.

The Magic
The book was all about magic. You had wizards, muggles and half wizards. They could cast spells, make interesting potions, fly on a broom, walk into a non-existent train platform etc etc. All this struck a chord in the hearts of the people.

Spells - Avada Kedavara
We all hope to have an element of magic in our life. This book was full of it. It would be apt to remember Rowling's line - Magic is Might.

The Dark Characters
There was no dearth of dark characters in the book. 

You had Lord Voldemort itself. He had several names like "He Who Must Not Be Named", "The Dark Lord" etc etc. He was cruel, unforgiving, brilliant, intelligent and really dark. He was Harry's chief nemesis.

To support him, there were loads of Death Eaters. And there were Dementors - who could suck the happiness out of you.

Dementors
All these dark characters casted bewitching spell, hurt people and were a threat to the lives of wizards and muggles. The battle between them and Harry and team was a primary idea of the story.

Harry Ron Hermione and Co
Last but not the least, it was a story about Harry. The Potter boy worked his magic into the hearts of the people. 
Harry, Hermione and Ron
From being without parents since he was a little boy, to suffering the cruelty at the hands of his mother's relatives, to making great friends with Ron and Hermione, and finally falling in love with Ginny - it was an incredible journey.

This book has been often criticized as a children's book. In case you have not read the book, let me assure you that it is not the case. It is something which adults too would love to read. After all, who doesn't love magic, romance, hatred and love. 

The books are extremely addictive. After reading the first 5 books well after they were published, I was hugely 
hooked onto the book. And I read the last two books within two days of the book being released. 

The movies too are good. Children will fancy the excitement depicted on the big screen.

All in all, this fantasy story series is a must read. Hope you read it if you haven't done till now. It is never late. And if you have read it, it will be great if you could share your experience.

Long Live Harry Potter and his cult.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Sarararara

Once in a while, you have a song which you like immensely. Half an year back, it was Mora Piya from Rajneeti for me.

And today I caught onto this song - Sarararara - from the movie Yeh Saali Zindagi.


The lines of this song are simply amazing - they echo "life" so nicely.

=
Kuch deke chalti woh, sab leke chalti woh
Hai dum toh rok usse, balkhaake chalti woh
Sarararara, zindagi nikal chali
Sarararara, haathon se fisal chali sararara
== 

Or were they meant for this pretty actress (read Aditi Rao Hydari) in the movie? 

Catch a small video of this song right below



And the entire lyrics too.

Sarara sarara sararara
Sarararara, zindagi nikal chali
Sarararara, haathon se fisal chali sararara

Hey behla ke chalti woh, phusla ke chalti woh

Kanya karaari si, itra ke chalti woh

Kuch dekhe chalti woh

Sab leke chalti woh
Hai dum toh rok usse
Bal kha ke chaldi woh

Mara mara mara ..

Girta na har tu toh mara mara

Arrey sarararara, zindagi nikal chali sararara


Khwaabon ki jootar hai, yaadon ki payal hai

Zindagi husn tera hum tere kayal hain
Aaja na reham tera humpe barsa ja
Sarara sarara ..

Aaja na jhalak teri humko dikhlaja
Teri raahon mein bhich jaaye bas tere nagme kayi
Aaja na aaja na aaja aaja aa
Tumpe apna bhi haq hai, apna haq leke jaaye
Behla ke chalti woh, phusla ke chalti woh
Kanya karaari si, balkha ke chalti woh

Sarararara, zindagi nikal chali

Sarararara, haathon se fisal chali sararara

Sa sa sa ra ra ra ..


Hey hum chalte hum rukte, sab teri hi marzi hai

Jeenay ki chaahat ho, kehde kyun khudgarzi hai
Aaja na noor tera humpe barsa ja
Sarara sarara ..

Tu koi noor nahin, tohdi narmi toh la
Tu agar zid pe atki hai hum bhi na gabhraaye
Aaja na aaja na aaja aaja aa
Chori karna bhi ik fun hai
Apna fun na aazmaaye

Kuch deke chalti woh, sab leke chalti woh
Hai dum toh rok usse, balkhaake chalti woh
Sa sa sa ra ra ra ..
Sarararara, haathon se fisal chali sararara

Khwaabon ki jootar hai, yaadon ki payal hai

Zindagi husn tera hum tere kayal hain
Aaja na reham tera humpe barsa ja
Sarara sarara ..

Aaja na jhalak teri humko dikhlaja
Teri raahon mein bhich jaaye bas tere nagme kayi
Aaja na aaja na aaja aaja aa
Tumpe apna bhi haq hai, apna haq leke jaaye
Kuch deke chalti woh, sab leke chalti woh
Hai dum toh rok usse, balkhaake chalti woh

Sarararara, zindagi nikal chali

Sarararara, haathon se fisal chali sararara
Sarara sarara ..


This movie also stars one of my favorite stars - Chitrangada.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Liz Hurley

You have people who are hugely talented and skilled. And this makes them famous and popular. And then you have some who are popular just because they are pretty, beautiful and smart. And you also have some, who are social bees, which moves them up the popularity chart.

If you know Elizabeth Hurley a.k.a. Liz Hurley - you would wonder about the category to which she belongs to. But whatever may be the category, she is hugely popular with the newspapers and the tabloids. And this has been the way for the last fifteen years.


All of 45 years, Liz is an English model and actress. 

She has been an actress since 1987 - acting in about 32 films since then. Her films have not been hugely popular - but she has been extremely popular. 


So what has made Liz move up the popularity chart over the years??

Well, in 1987, a hitherto unknown Liz Hurley met the British actor Hugh Grant. And they were good friends, a couple in fact, for 13 years till the year 2000.

And it was with Hugh Grant that she propelled herself up the popularity ranks. 

At the age of 29, in 1994, she walked with Hugh Grant to the premiere of his film - Four Weddings and a Funeral - wearing a black Versace dress. The dress was held together by several gold safety pins and it immediately put her right at the center of the media's attraction.

This "Safety Pin" dress was later voted as the greatest red carpet gown of all time.


An year later, she was signed up by Estee Lauder to model for their products. And since then, she has been an icon for them - helping them sell their stuff across the world. 

Most famously, she helped them sold their perfumes - becoming a style icon. Sensuous and Pleasures were immensely successful.



Liz Hurley also supports Estee Lauder's breast cancer awareness campaign.

All of this happened much before I knew someone called Liz Hurley ever existed. That was when she starred in a movie named Bedazzled. A review of this movie introduced me to her.

She split from Hugh Grant in 2000 and had a baby with Steve Bing in 2002. Later in 2002, she started dating Indian business man Arun Nayar.

Her relationship with Arun also went through intense media scrutiny. They finally married in India in the year 2007.


All through these years - till date, she remained good friends with Hugh Grant.

And after her much publicized marriage to Arun, she announced that she had split form him in late 2010. And this was via Twitter - the new age communication media.

And if you are wondering what had possibly triggered this, then you should have a look at the picture below. 


This was at the races in Melbourne in July last year.  If Liz is famous, so is he. He is none other than Shane Warne - the greatest spinner in the world of cricket in the last 25 years.   

Since then, the media has been intensely speculating the nature of the relationship between the British starlet and the Aussie spinner.

They had been keeping their long distance relationship alive with a lot of tweets. And when the Liz decided to go to Australia to meet Warnie, the media was all gung-ho. Her visit has made it right to the front pages of the tabloids.

What is it about Liz which makes her immensely attractive? Is it her charm or is it her intelligence? Is it her beauty or is it her persona? What makes her be in the media's spotlight continuously? 

Keep contemplating.

So here is Ms. Hurley - going from strength to strength - becoming a hugely sucessfull social celebrity. And if she does end up marrying Warne, then she is bound to be a darling of the Aussie masses.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Chitrangada Singh

"Ohh My God!!!". 

This is what I said when I looked at this picture of hers less than 24 hours back.

She is none other than Chitrangada Singh.

I was reading a new article which had her interview. It said - her name meant - someone with unique features. I wouldn't disagree.

All of 34 years, the Indian actress has been on silver screen for the last 8 years. Yet she has acted in just 5 films.

Six years back, she made a stunning debut in the film - Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (A Thousand Such Wishes). Her role as Geeta Rao received widespread appreciation.



In this movie, she didn't dress up in alluring clothes. Or didn't have any enticing make up. Yet, I found her amazingly attractive.

A month back, I wrote about Attraction. And contemplated why someone is attracted towards someone.

It's very difficult to say why someone is attracted to someone. And Chitrangada is that someone for me.

After 2005, Chitrangada took a hiatus from making movies. 

And when she made her comeback in 2008, starring in Sorry Bhai, I made a beeline to watch her movie on the first weekend.



And then she disappeared again. Only to come back again in 2011.

Starring in Yeh Saali Zindagi, she is making waves again.


So what is it about Chitrangada which makes her so enamoring, so tempting, so alluring, so charismatic??

Is it her eyes - which makes you drown in them??


Or is it her dusky looks, coupled with a messy hairstyle which gives her that desirable look?


Or is it her oomph factor - elegantly conveyed in the snap below - which would give the super models a run for their money?


Or her cute smile?

Or is it simply her elegance?



Keep thinking. And let me know if you are attracted towards her.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

He is back. Harry Potter is back.

With "You Know Who" a.k.a "He Who Must Not Be Named", you have Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Severus Snape making a comeback on the silver screen after a long gap one and a half years.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Movie Poster

Just a week back, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows opened to the audiences in the U.K. The prime Harry Potter cast - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint - were the center of attraction on the red carpet.

And yesterday, it has made an opening in India.

Harry Potter Cast

A lot has changed in this last year and a half.

In the past decade, people have taken a liking for fantasies. - be it Harry Potter or the Chronicles of Narnia. It helps ordinary men and women, like you and me, to escape the harsh realities of the real world. 

After all, who wouldn't like a world where you could get anything that you would desire with a flick of a wand.


Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Movie
And this is what made Harry Potter a phenomenon. 

Since 1997, after the release of the book - Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone, and subsequently with its immensely popular movie series, Harry and his gang has been heroes in the world of fantasies.

But off late they are facing stiff, very stiff, competition from Bella Swan and Edward Cullen - courtesy the Twilight Saga.

But with the kind of hoopla surrounding The Deathly Hallows, you can  safely consider that the Harry Potter magic is much alive and kicking.

This movie promises to be the darkest of the series. After all, it is a culmination of the battle between Good and Evil, and between Harry and Lord Voldemort. 


Harry Potter Movie Poster
Harry's mentor - Albus Dumbledore - died in the closing parts of the The Half Blood Prince. 

With this, in The Deathly Hallows, you have Harry with his limited group of friends - Hermione, Ron, the Professors at Hogwarts and The Order Of The Phoenix - trying to find the elusive horcruxes, in an effort to destroy The Dark Lord.

The movie starts with the dramatic escape of Harry with the seven Potters. And later, it is battle all the way - between the Death Eaters and Harry and team.


The Death Eaters

You will also have Harry romancing Ginny - in one of the few simple yet  intense moments of the movie.

Harry Ginny

And Ron and Hermione sharing some quiet and intimate moments in the dark and trying times.

Ron Hermione

And if you are planning to catch the movie, here is the spectacular trailer.



It has been a long and a fruitful journey for the three stars in the past decade.

Ten years back, they were kids, fighting the Dark Forces.

Emma Daniel Rupert

Today, they are super stars in the world of cinema.

Emma Daniel Rupert
Go ahead and enjoy the movie.

One thing is for sure. The die hard Harry Potter fans would definitely be looking forward to July 2011 - when the final edition of The Deathly Hallows and  it's battle royale is rolled out in the theaters.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Hair Color

A long time back, when I was a child, reading was the most common pastime. 

Back then, we didn't have Cable TV, Internet, Computers et all to keep us  engaged. And reading was one habit which I pursued a lot - although it was mostly limited to vacations.

Apart from reading fiction and detective novels, I was passionate about reading comics. Phantom, Archie, Mandrake, Chacha Chaudhary etc etc were my favorites. 


Each and every story of Archie comics is incomplete without the two pretty girls - Betty Copper and Veronica Lodge. They battled on various fronts - including vying for Archie's attention. 

The duel which stood out was that of hair color's. 

Veronica commonly took swipes at Betty's blonde hair color - often accusing her of being dumb. Quite on the contrary, she was the most intelligent among the lot.

Veronica was a beautiful brunette - who considered herself to be more intellectually superior to Betty - while she was to the contrary.

And this battle of hair color's continued for as long as I remember. 

This made me think - what are the most common hair color's for people across the world? Does being blonde or brunette matter?

The most common hair color for people across the world is black. 


We don't have any percentages about the people who have black hair. But it is considered to be the most common.

Then you have the brunettes. They have hair with a shade of brown.


Featured above is Katie Holmes - the better half of Hollywood star Tom Cruise. 

Other starlets who sport this hair color include Penelope Cruz, Keira Knightley and the current Twilight heartthrob - Kirsten Stewart.


Then you have the "legally blonde" hair color. 

These are most common in people who have their origins in Eastern and Northern Europe - yet it can be seen in people across the world.


You would find many actresses with enticing blonde hair color - Charlize Theron, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Uma Thurman et all.

Before we go onto red hair, have a look at the Auburn colored hair. Auburn - as per the dictionary - is a hair color which is moderately reddish brown.


Kate Winslet, Kylie Minogue are some super stars who are known to have auburn colored hair.

And then you have red hair.


This color has the distinction of being the least commonly occurring hair color among the people.

Among the few stars who have red colored hair are Julianne Moore, Lindsay Lohan and Kirsten Dunst. The list is very limited - due to the rare occurrence of this hair color.

You also have honey colored hair.
Jennifer Aniston, Jenifer Lopez, Eva Mendes commonly sport this hair color. 

And there would be several such hair color styles - which we might not be even aware of. But needless to say, the people who own them would be proud of them.

In this age of commercialization and fashion, you can have a hair color of your choice. All you need to do is buy some Hair Coloring Solution. 

It will change your hair color - either temporarily or permanently. 

Temporary change of hair color is in vogue these days. After all, you can sport a new hair color every few months. That's why they said - variety is the spice of life.

And maybe that's the reason I found Kirsten Stewart featuring almost every possible hair color while researching for this blog. 

Catch some of her pictures below

Here she is with black hair.


And then with Blonde Hair.


And then with Auburn Hair.

What next??