Haider

What an ambitious adaptation of Hamlet! Worth every second of the scary 45 min drive it took to watch the first day first show of this amazing movie. I was enthralled from start to finish except for a minor misstep or two (only one that stands out in my memory is the odd placement of a song that broke the flow of the film). Some really really good performances. Kay Kay Menon and Irrfan Khan, of course. But also, Shahid Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor. Even the players of the smaller parts left an impression.

And then there was Tabu. She owned the screen in every frame that she was in. It was simply impossible to keep my eyes off her when she was in a scene. If ever I take up acting, she's the one I'd aspire to be like. What an actress.

Visually and aurally too the movie was a treat. Especially the music. It lingered on in my head even after I walked out of the theater. That's usually a sure sign of a movie that got to me. This one sure did. I really hope I can watch it again on the big screen. Very seriously thinking about going back again next week right after (like driving straight from the airport) I get back home from a week-long trip. I hope the DVD comes out soon as well. Must have it.

Next up in my VB movie to-watch list: Maqbool and Omkara. Was having trouble finding copies of those here in the U.S. So looking forward to finally acquiring them when I go back home.

P.S.: Here's a review of Haider that does it justice, more justice by far than my meager words could do.

Kaminey

What a delicious rollercoaster this was! I knew going in that it would be good, but man. Shahid, I forgive you for all those godawful movies. Vishal Bhardwaj, this is what I expected from you. Not a confused, uncertain step here. This is the movie I should've watched first. Not 7 Khoon Maaf.

On the other hand, better save the best for last. Speaking of which, so so so looking forward to Haider tomorrow. First day, first show. Don't think I've ever done that for any film. Better sleep now so I don't oversleep and miss it.

Probably shouldn't have picked Kaminey to watch tonight. Hard to calm down after such a ride. *grin*

7 Khoon Maaf

Just finished watching my first Vishal Bhardwaj film - 7 Khoon Maaf. I knew going in that it was his least appreciated film. So why did I watch it first? Maybe for the same reason I save the best for the last. Mostly though because it was really available as the local library had a copy by some odd chance.

The film had certain striking sections and one brilliant song. The twist at the end was nicely done. But other than that it left me rather cold. The tone of it was just off. I liked the actor who played the narrator - turns out he is Naseeruddin Shah's son. The son outdid the father in this particular movie, as well as most others in the cast. I found John Abraham particularly lifeless and Annu Kapoor's caricaturish performance cringeworthy.

Overall, I find myself agreeing with Raja Sen's review minus his sense of disappointment for obvious reasons. I found his line about Neil Nithin Mukesh's moustache particularly enjoyable. More enjoyable that the whole of this movie, unfortunately.

O Saathi Re (Omkara)

Had a long day (went out in the evening and then had to work all night afterward), so am too tired to write up a more than a quick post today. I want to write about the band I saw, but I can't do them justice in a hurry. So instead, have another gorgeous song from Vishal Bhardwaj. This is one of the best, if not THE best, duet I've heard in recent times. Achingly beautiful.The translation is again courtesy my best friend K:

O Saathi Re (sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Vishal Bharadwaj, music by Vishal Bharadwaj)

O saathi re din doobe na

Aa chal din ko roke

Dhoop ke peechhe dauDen

Chhaanv chhuen na

O saathi re

O saathi re din Doobe na

O my companion/ friend, let the day not sink

Come let us stop the day

Run after the sunlight

Never touch the shade

O my friend

O my friend, let the day not sink

Thaka thaka suraj jab nadi se hokar niklega

Hari hari kaayi pe paanv baDha to fislega

Tum rok ke rakhna 

Main jaal giraaun

Tum peeTh pe lena 

Main haath lagaaun

din Doobe na

When the tired sun runs down by the river

If he steps on the green, green moss, he will slip

You stop him there, I'll throw in the net (fishing net)

You take it on your back, I'll give you my hand (to haul the net in)

The day mustn't end

Teri meri atti patti

daat se kaati katti

Re jaiyyo na 

O peehoo re

O peehoo re, na, jaiyyo na

This quarrel of yours and mine (the words atti-patti don't mean anything, but are implying a playful fight)

Biting fingers in katti

Oh don't go away

O song bird, 

O song bird, no, don't go away

(You know, like when kids fight, they say katti, and sometimes its done by biting the tip of your little finger and saying - katti, go away, i won't talk to you... but of course you only say katti to your friends.)

Kabhi kabhi yun karna 

Main Daantun aur tum Darna

Do this sometimes too - I'll scold and you get scared

Ubal pade aankhon se 

MeeThe paani ka jharna

A waterfall of sweet water spills out of your eyes

Tere kohre badan mein 

Sil jaaungi re

Jab karwat lega 

Chhil jaaungi re

I'll get sewn into your dark body

When you turn (in sleep) I will be flayed

Sang le jaaunga

I'll take you with me 

Teri meri angni mangni

Ang sang laagi sangni

Sang le jaaun 

O peehu re 

This union of ours (the words angni-mangni don't mean anything, but ang means body and mangni is engagement)

My companion is against my body 

I'll take you with me

O my songbird

O saathi re din Doobe na

Aa chal din ko roken

Dhoop ke peechhe dauDen

Chhaanv chhuen na

O saathi re

And here's the video which makes me want to watch the movie right NOW. The sequence in the beginning is so beautifully shot.

Bekaraan Redux

Here's a better translation of the song Bekaraan by my brilliant friend K (Thanks dodo!):

Bekaraan hi bekaraan  (at first its "hi" then its "hai")

 aankhein bandh kijay na  

Dubne lagey hai hum 

 saans lene dijay na

Lillah!

Ek zara chehra udhar kijay inayat hogi

Aap ko dekh ke badi der se meri saans ruki hai

Endless, limitless 

 Are your eyes, close them please

I have begun to drown

 Let me breathe, I beg...

Oh God! 

Just turn your face a little that way, it will be a kindness

Seeing you, my breath has halted for far too long

(Lillah is an exclamation, not la ilaha illallah, the declaration that "there is no god but allah"!) 

Ek zara dekhiye toh 

 aapke paaon tale 

Kuch toh atka hai kahin, 

 Waqt se kahiye chale 

Udti udti si nazar 

 mujhko chu jaaye agar (not "aa gaye")

Ek taslim ko har baar meri aankh jhuki hai

Aap ko dekh ke badi der se meri saans ruki hai

Would that you'd look, 

 under your feet, 

perhaps some something is stuck... 

 Tell time to move on

If that breezy, flightful glance

 Touches me and brushes by

For one tasleem each time my eyes are lowered

Seeing you, my breath has halted for far too long

tasleem - said at the end of the muslim prayer - is also the greeting wishing someone peace, from where you get the "salaam", short for "assalam valaikum".  When you say salaam to someone, which is a salutation in this context, you lower your eyes.

Aankh kuch laal si hai 

 raat jaage toh nahi

Raat jab bijli gayi

 darr ke bhaagey toh nahi 

kya laga honth tale 

 jaise koi chot jale

Jaane kya sochke iss baar meri aankh jhuki hai

Aap ko dekh ke badi der se meri saans ruki hai

Your eyes are slightly red

Have you/ they been up all night?

When the lights went off at night

You didn't run away in fear, did you?

What is that under your lip

Like some burning bruise?

Who knows with what thought this time my eyes are lowered

Seeing you, I have stopped breathing for far too long

Bekaraan hai bekaraan 

Aankhein bandh kijay na

Dubne lagey hai hum 

Saans lene dijay na

Aankhein teri bekaraan (aankhein bandh kijay na)

Your eyes are endless (please close your eyes)

Aasman hi aasman (aankhein bandh kijay na)

Endless as the skies (please close your eyes)

Bekaraan hai bekaraan 

Aankhein bandh kijay na

Dubne lagey hai hum 

Saans lene dijay na

Lillah

Lillah!

I really liked the song Bekaraan from 7 Khoon Maaf when I first heard it. As is usual with me when listening to music I paid no attention to the lyrics at all. It was just such a beautiful composition sung so soulfully by Vishal Bhardwaj that I loved it at once musically.

I got curious however, and decided to look up the meaning of the lyrics since my hindi comprehension is only somewhat passable with speech and completely non-existent with singing. Unless I pay very close attention and then I can maybe make out a word here or there. But poetry is more than the sum of its parts, of course. So, thanks to this nicely done translation by another blogger (Thanks, Kanupriya!), I can now appreciate this amazing song so much much more. And can say to the song itself, Lillah!

Update: I posted another better (imo) translation of this song here.

On bad movies and good directors

Just got done watching yet another blah movie of yours, Shahid. Third one in a row. Makes me sad, dude. You clearly have talent. But just not for choosing the right script seemingly. Maybe you should get someone else to do that for you. I dunno, man.

I am glad that you're working with Vishal Bhardwaj again. He ought to be able to get the best out of you. I still haven't seen Kaminey in full. Just clips and songs so far (I'm saving it for last with good reason). But it definitely looks like your best work. So I'm really looking forward to catching Haider on the big screen when it releases. I hope it will have a wide release so I don't have to drive too far to see it.

Also speaking of Vishal Bhardwaj, I mean to devote an entire post to him but only after I watch Kaminey and his other films. However, just based on the little I've seen (and heard! the man composes some great music as well) of his work and this one interview of his that I read, I have immense respect for him already. And I'm totally jealous of you for having access to him to pick his brains and learn from him. I hope you appreciate your good fortune in this regard.

I shall go listen to the title track from Kaminey now before I read myself to sleep. It's become a nightly ritual for me. Love love love the lyrics and the way Vishal has sung it.

Kabhi zindagi se maanga, pinjre mein chaand la do,

Kabhi laanten deke, kaha aasmaa pe taango

Side note: I say nightly but it's almost dawn. Yikes. There goes my hope that this week I will finally turn my schedule around and stop staying up all night. I should just resign myself to my natural state of night owl-itutde already.