Sue has asked me to name six unspectacular quirks of mine. And pass on the onerous task to 6 more unsuspecting souls. And finally, tell these innocent souls to bare their souls. Whatay fun!
The first task is easy enough and Sue touched my heart (and hence the title!) by asking me to give it a filmy twist. I first thought she wanted me to explain Republicans and Democrats in filmy terms (which is easy - Sunny Deol and Saif Ali Khan respectively!) but then it transpired that it is the tag which must allude to my Bolly quirks!
So here goes...
1. I just love musical medleys and spoofs in films.
The clutch of Laxmikan-Pyarelal songs in Mr India, with which Sridevi and the kids sparred over a football. The antakshari in Maine Pyar Kiya which was actually an elaborate charade to make Bhagyashree say 'I love you' to Salman in public. The show in Hum Saath Saath Hain which is put up by Saif and Karishma to introduce the family. And of course, the Naseer Hussain college music competitions with a flurry of song-lets (Hum Kissi Se Kum Nahin and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, for example). I love them all. In fact, I am addicted to them.
2. Various Bollywoody questions and possibilities suddenly hit me and I spend days worrying about them.
Will Amitabh and Madhuri ever act opposite each other? Which was the first time a product placement happened in a Bollywood film? Who counted the number of films in which Jagdish Raj acted as a police officer? Who enters the data for Bollywood films on IMDB? Will Ramgopal Verma ever appear on Koffee With Karan?
3. I have liked several 'lesser films' more than I liked 'classics'.
I liked Dharam Veer more than Mughal-e-Azam, Chalti Ka Naam Gadi more than Pyaasa, Jewel Thief more than Guide and Don more than Abhimaan. Consequently, I cannot understand people going ga-ga over certain 'classical' moments. Every list of erotic moments in Bollywood routinely contains the Mughal-e-Azam scene in which Dilip Kumar 'tickles' Madhubala with a feather. I found that scene completely passion-less and boring.
4. I have a fetish for collecting souvenirs.
In school, I had a scrapbook of Amitabh Bachchan pictures, which I still have. I have retained ticket stubs of some of the more memorable movies I have seen. The last one I collected was the first time I went for a movie with my son (Lage Raho Munnabhai) but unfortunately, the print on the tickets nowadays fade with time. Also, I have cuttings of newspapers and magazines from twenty years back featuring my favourite stars.
5. Usually, I like the musical oddballs more than the acrredited hits.
The Aaashiqui number from Rock On. Amitabh's rendition of Neela Aasmaan. Anup Ghoshal's rendition of Tujhse Naraaz. Shashi Kapoor version of the Do Aur Do Paanch title song. In Abhimaan, there are snatches of Tere mere milan ki yeh raina all through the film before it comes on as a full-blown performance in the finale. I liked all those humming-jamming pieces better than the song!
6. I don't buy pirated music or films. I don't download music from the 'net. Actually, I only download music of which I own an original album. I only wish Bollywood would be impressed by my honesty and reduce the prices of original CDs!
I think Udayan and Nilendu should continue this tag to revive their blogs. Cannot think of anybody else who has six unspectacular quirks...
The first task is easy enough and Sue touched my heart (and hence the title!) by asking me to give it a filmy twist. I first thought she wanted me to explain Republicans and Democrats in filmy terms (which is easy - Sunny Deol and Saif Ali Khan respectively!) but then it transpired that it is the tag which must allude to my Bolly quirks!
So here goes...
1. I just love musical medleys and spoofs in films.
The clutch of Laxmikan-Pyarelal songs in Mr India, with which Sridevi and the kids sparred over a football. The antakshari in Maine Pyar Kiya which was actually an elaborate charade to make Bhagyashree say 'I love you' to Salman in public. The show in Hum Saath Saath Hain which is put up by Saif and Karishma to introduce the family. And of course, the Naseer Hussain college music competitions with a flurry of song-lets (Hum Kissi Se Kum Nahin and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, for example). I love them all. In fact, I am addicted to them.
2. Various Bollywoody questions and possibilities suddenly hit me and I spend days worrying about them.
Will Amitabh and Madhuri ever act opposite each other? Which was the first time a product placement happened in a Bollywood film? Who counted the number of films in which Jagdish Raj acted as a police officer? Who enters the data for Bollywood films on IMDB? Will Ramgopal Verma ever appear on Koffee With Karan?
3. I have liked several 'lesser films' more than I liked 'classics'.
I liked Dharam Veer more than Mughal-e-Azam, Chalti Ka Naam Gadi more than Pyaasa, Jewel Thief more than Guide and Don more than Abhimaan. Consequently, I cannot understand people going ga-ga over certain 'classical' moments. Every list of erotic moments in Bollywood routinely contains the Mughal-e-Azam scene in which Dilip Kumar 'tickles' Madhubala with a feather. I found that scene completely passion-less and boring.
4. I have a fetish for collecting souvenirs.
In school, I had a scrapbook of Amitabh Bachchan pictures, which I still have. I have retained ticket stubs of some of the more memorable movies I have seen. The last one I collected was the first time I went for a movie with my son (Lage Raho Munnabhai) but unfortunately, the print on the tickets nowadays fade with time. Also, I have cuttings of newspapers and magazines from twenty years back featuring my favourite stars.
5. Usually, I like the musical oddballs more than the acrredited hits.
The Aaashiqui number from Rock On. Amitabh's rendition of Neela Aasmaan. Anup Ghoshal's rendition of Tujhse Naraaz. Shashi Kapoor version of the Do Aur Do Paanch title song. In Abhimaan, there are snatches of Tere mere milan ki yeh raina all through the film before it comes on as a full-blown performance in the finale. I liked all those humming-jamming pieces better than the song!
6. I don't buy pirated music or films. I don't download music from the 'net. Actually, I only download music of which I own an original album. I only wish Bollywood would be impressed by my honesty and reduce the prices of original CDs!
I think Udayan and Nilendu should continue this tag to revive their blogs. Cannot think of anybody else who has six unspectacular quirks...
Comments
IMDB entries about Indian films are not always reliable. In the Amitabh entry, they don't mention his playback for Lawaaris
So go on ...
J.A.P.
As for IMDb, you should read some of the plot summaries of the more obscure films. Amazingly well-written. But you are right, they are not comprehensive.
For some strange reason, I am also fascinated by the Amjad Khan version of Oonchi Oonchi Baaton Se from Mr Natwarlal. Listen to it sometime.
But I knew you could come up with six filmy oddities. :) Shall I tell you something scandalous now? Don't tell anybody, but I enjoyed the Farhan Akhtar 'Don'.
Still friends?