Random thoughts

Hmm ... so AB has signed a new show on Imagine on the lines of Josh ... interesting. Pretty decent choice ... because among the zillion saas bahu shows on screen, this sounds like one which might actually have some scope for both the male leads, although he's doing the younger brother, Chandrachur Singh, not the older, which is the meatier role. but that one was pretty negative - forget the guy's name. SRK's role in the movie goes to Kapil - that's actually the bigger one, had more shades to it. The actress being unknown is a surprise - considering the original was Aishwarya and it was the bro-sis story which was the stronger one, the love story was pretty incidental. Even SRK's love story was pretty incidental - took me a while to even remember who his heroine was - Priya Gill, and she had nothing much to do, which Aish actually did. More to the point, this isn't a saas bahu show, it's more likely to appeal to the youth, which might be one reason for AB to sign it. Even though it's on Imagine. Anyway, to make this into a serial, I'm guessing there will be lots of changes in the original storyline ... might go closer to the West Side Story rather than Josh ... or veer off in completely different direction.
Also, seems that after LRL, in which AB aka Alekh didn't even have a heroine, and MJHT, where Mayank started off somewhat like Alekh, then turned lover boy and was pretty much destroyed, AB has decided to go back to a non-lover role ... the destruction of Mayank seems to have had an impact!

Still waiting for New Years and news of Monaya - considering they're off to Goa to bring in the New Year, doubt we'll get much news of any new show of theirs, individually or together, before that - though Mohit muust be pretty confident, taking off with San as soon as she arrives. He's obviously done all his networking after getting back from Delhi. Or maybe - eternal optimist - we'll get some news before they go off to Goa ... doubtful, though. Let's hope this New Years is as special for Monaya and Sajan fans as 2010 was - on 1st Jan we got a Sajan kiss that kept us going for over a week on one scene ... this year what if we get news of a new show ... sigh ... And Cinevistas is a good well established PH ... so all positives so far.
Although, looking at the state of the shows on Star One - 6 days a week ... I really wonder - should they take up a show on that channel? It can't be a single lead couple show on Star One with this format ... unless they have really good strong supporting cast, which knows it is supporting ... to sustain a 6 day a week show. One of the stupidest decisions taken by the channel ...


Another completely random thought ... if RP is such a brilliant actress, why do her fans feel the need to continuously spam the accounts and walls of ph's to get her a good show worthy of her talent? Won't she get it automatically? If she is such a great actress as well as being so popular, humble, down to earth, genuine ... I forget the rest of the accolades, but they were pretty much along these lines ... if she is all that, then the Ph's should be lining up anyway ...
Oh well ... Ratz and her fans don't interest me much ...

Reminiscing again - SG dosti break

Chatting online last night made me nostalgic for Sajan again, so I watched the set of episodes that had gotten me totally hooked on to Gunjan ... and had made me for the first time, think that Mohit could actually ACT! ;)

The episodes when Gunjan finds out about the bet, does NOT break her promise to Samrat to get him through the exams, continues teaching him, though her trust is broken, she is broken inside ... but she made a promise, and she will fulfil it ...
And Samrat knows that something is wrong ... her smiles were always rare, but she had opened up with him slowly, she was enjoying his company ... what on earth happened suddenly? He's going crazy trying to figure this out, he asks her repeatedly, what's the matter, did someone say anything to you, did anything happen? But Gunjan knows that if she tells him before the exams, it will affect his studying, exams are more important, Samrat getting through the exams is more important if he is to continue with his basketball - and she knows how much he loves basketball ... so she doesn't tell him. keeps saying, no, nothing is wrong ... but her smiles have vanished, she can never lie, pretend, so she can't pretend that everything is okay, even though she tries her best.
The scene in Sam's house - Gunjan has barely any dialogues, it's just her eyes which convey her hurt, her anger, her incredulity when Sam talks about friendship, trust - as though to ask - you talk about these things? Do you even know their meaning? But she doesn't say anything ... anything at all ...
And this is probably where I saw Gunjan's eyes talk ... and realised why she doesn't need dialogues ... not at all.

And the scene in which I first said - okay, this guy CAN act - the last bit of the edited scene, when after the exams are over, Gunjan runs to hide from Samrat, because she knows he won't let her off now, he wants to talk to her about her changed behaviour, and she doesn't want to say anything, she's hurt too badly, she just wants to run and hide somewhere. But he won't let her. And as he hunts everywhere for her, he's getting more and more upset ... until the scene where he says - tum kahan ho, Gunjan? Aur voh kya baat hai jo tumhein itna pareshan kar rahi hai?
And it was there in his eyes - his pain, his anguish, even his fear ... fear of losing her, losing his best friend ...
Pal - Gunjan reminiscing about Samrat - after she finds out about the bet
I'll be there for you

Then he finally sees her, catches up with her, asks her for their date, she keeps making excuses, trying to leave, he says, come on, think about my image, don't keep saying no ... and she finally snaps ... your image? I've always thought about your image, whether it was when making notes for you, waiting for you in the cafe ... and he says, what wrong, chashmish? Because she's never like this ... she's usually the softest-spoken person he knows ... and she says, exams are over, my responsibility is over ... Samrat more and more disturbed ... exams are over, but our friendship isn't over ...
And then the heartbreak ... for both of them ... her words, cutting like the sharpest knives ... what friendship, Samrat? You helped me ... maybe only for a bet ...
and his world comes crashing down around him ... she knows ... he was going to tell her himself, but she already knows ...
and he can't say a word as she goes on ... you helped me, I helped you ... where was the friendship in that? Now exams are over ... you don't need me ... and ... long pause, as she looks down, swallows her tears, and looks back at him, as determined as ever ... I don't need you.
and she walks off ... not looking back.

And I am hooked ... totally, completely and utterly hooked to Gunjan Bhushan ... softvoiced, meek, mild Gunjan Bhushan, who just delivered the ultimate slap in face to the cool dude of the college, without raising her voice even once, without any name calling, any show of anger ... broke a friendship with a guy whom the rest of the college, or the female half, would have killed to have had ... but he broke her trust ... and that was what broke her heart.

Dosti break

Saregamapa - final three

Bishakh - O maajhi re and Samandar mein nahake aur bhi namkeen ho gayi ho
Sugandha - Tappa - her classical is beautiful, pleasure to hear ... and switch to Piya tu, ab to aaja ... got the floor rocking :)
Kamal - More Piya - very nice, and I forget the fast song
Abhilasha - a triad of a carnatac song, Kismet se tum mile ho and a Lavni number ... all well done

Two duets - Abhilasha and Bishakh, then Kamal with Sugandha - Bol na halke halke.

Guys are definitely very average this year, girls are both better. Sugandha out - really? Or was that to make sure each gharana was left with one contestant? With this voting system, the reality shows have lost touch with reality.

Last day of competition, all contestants sang three songs each - disappointing episode, or maybe I just didn't like the choice of songs.
Bishakh - Tum Jo mil gaye ho - Mohd Rafi, and I don't like Mohd Rafi, I don't particularly like this song.
Second song - Koi haseena jab rooth jaati hai - Kishore Kumar - again, one of few kishore songs i don't particularly like very much, although Kishore Kr made it ok, didn't particularly like Bishakh's rendition.
Third song - Ek Haseena thi, ek deewana tha - better, I like the song, Bishakh was ok.

Abhilasha - Yeh dil tum bin lagta nahin, hum kya karen - again, not one of my favourite Lata numbers, so okay
Second - Hatooba - again, okay-okay, she could have chosen any number of peppy songs, why this one, Don't think she sang it very well. Would have preferred Hawa hawaai if she had to do a peppy number
Third - Chupke se lag jaa gale - Bunty aur Bubli - finally a song I like - she sang it well, I seem to remember Sumedha doing a better job though.

Kamal - Ankhiyan nu chain na aave - again, not a known song for me
Second - kaisa yeh pyaar hai allah allah - okay again
Third - Chhaiyya Chaiyya - difficult to go wrong with this song, it's such a great song. Abhilasha did excellent backing vocals. Kamal was okay, problem is that Sukhwinder is superlative, so it's very very difficult to match up to the original.

All in all, a disappointing episode. Now just up to the votes. Hope JDJ is better tonight.

Saregamapa and JDJ 4

Saregamapa - liked both girls again - and Bishakh's Mehbooba was very good. Sugandha sang Do Lafzon ke hai yeh Dil ki Kahani - nice. Abhilasha sang Kya Jaanun Sajan Hoti hai Kya Ghum ki Shaam - another huge favourite of mine - enjoyed it thoroughly. Don't know the song Kamal sang, but he sang well. But for once the girls are better singers than the guys.
The second half - Richa frankly overshadowed each and every singer - she has such a powerful voice, they were nowhere near her. Shows how far they all still have to go.



Jhalak Dikhlaja 4 - fun to watch, but am glad am watching it on yt and can forward. Nice to see Madhuri's dance after ages - that woman is so graceful! After seeing the other girls perform to her dance, I think Ragini and Ankita are the best dancers - let's see how far they get. Not very impressed with Yana, Renuka is sweet and very sporting to try this challenge.
Guys - Sushant is good, of course but his performance was not that great. Renuka was surprisingly good - surprising because not much was expected from her and she did well. Shekhar Suman I find boring - didn't watch much of him. Yana and Anushka ... strictly ok.

Nearing top four - Saregamapa

11th Dec

The ones I remember today are Abhilasha with Daler paaji - excellent, full of energy,
then Abhilasha again with Mohe chhal ... a very, very difficult song and she did it very well.
Sugandha has always been a favourite of mine - her Hey Shona was weak today but more because of Shekhar - I love the song by Shaan, and Shekhar was not good enough, so Sugandha suffered with him. Also the beat was slower than the original. Sugandha then sang my all-time favourite Raina beeti Jaaye .. amazingly well - loved it!
Bishakk with his challenge song was good - Madhuban mein Radhika - again tough - pure classical song - remember Sonu Nigam singing it on stage years back and he was amazing, Bishakh was very, very good as well, especially in the tarana.
Kamal's ghazal was good in the end.
Ranjeet - i think I never heard his good ghazals - today I wasn't very impressed with what he sang, but the glimpses of his old ghazals made me want to catch up with them, esp Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo and the Mehdi Hasan ghazals. Ranjeet out today.

SGP and Maryada

Two shows currently holding my interest ... and of course Saregamapa is getting good as it nears the finale ...

SGP - very good episode on Friday, 10th Dec. First the Panna Raunaq inlaws scene - Panna getting more and more confident, Raunaq more insecure, Father trying to keep the balance, mother being as obnoxious and double faced as ever ... both father and Raunaq are not happy with what mother says, and leave the table ... What I liked was that Panna is not being obsequious any more, and handling home and job without much help from anyone is starting to get to her - she's trying, but she's losing her calm, and soon it seems she will reach the stage of saying, if I don't do anything at home, why can't anybody else either.
Ishaan Suhana Sona Disha - today the scene was all four in varying combinations and they were all excellent - to the point that one felt like shaking them all! Sona was very obvious about her joy at being on Ishaan's scooter, but what about Ishaan? After claiming he loves Suhana so much and knows her so well, can he really not understand why her face is getting smaller and smaller as Sona gets closer and closer to him? Disha was sweet - she knew Suhana was upset - but is she also in on the plan?
Suhana was excellent - I don't care much for her character, too childish for me, but now as she shows signs of growth, she is excelling ...
The last scene - a worried Ishaan comes back and starts shouting at her, she shouts back, Sona interrupts and she tells Sona to shut up ... Sona leaves in tears, Ishaan shouts at her more for upsetting Sona and that makes her lose it even more, without even knowing why she is losing it so badly ... Ragini excelled there in her acting, her emotions ...you could see her struggle, the woman coming out of the child ... she never wanted to marry Ishan, even now she would scoff at the thought that she loves him ... but she's possessive, he's her husband, he is hers ... is it just possessiveness, or something more ... yet ...

The only problem - well, two, actually - Ishan is not really the kind of guy who could make a woman dreamy-eyed. He's just your average Mr. Nice Guy. And for Suhana to fall head over heels in love with him is gonna take some doing. Also, Suhana Ishan chemistry is not there at all ... don't know whether it will grow, but so far, nothing. And they're not showing anything either, no awareness, no nothing - a lot of chemistry on screen is made up of the frills - the eyelocks, bg music, but there is usually an awareness of closeness which differentiates friendship from love. And so far nothing of the sort has been shown between IS. Although Ishaan is supposed to have fallen in love with Suhana, he's doing an excellent act of being a completely clueless husband as of now. So the love bit is not very convincing as of now.
Anyway, the love story is the least important part of SGP ...

Maryada - again, the same. For the first time today, when AdiPriya are cooing together, I felt a lack of chemistry - the couple was more interesting when they were apart. The other stories in Maryada are actually much more compelling. But then, the conflicts in the AdiPriya story have barely started, there will be far more after marriage, so one can wait for this one to take off more. And the episode was a bit predictable - of course we know Priya is not going to see SSP before the marriage, so they might as well skip straight to the wedding, instead of these multiple hit and misses. Also, today, I did feel that the actress Nidhi is a bit weak. Don't know if she will be able to carry off the complicated story that Maryada will definitely become.

Miss SG, Monaya and their chemistry still!

Yeh Zindagi

Last of the episodes that hooked me to MJHT and Sajan. Actually - three episodes in this set, to include the entire post ball SG scenes - Januable, Galti and Yeh Zindagi.

After the Valentine ball, Samrat and Gunjan quietly leave the ball and go off on his bike. He takes her to the chai stall and they have probably the first of what became their trademark - heart to heart talks. Loved the awkward silence at the start - both not quite knowing what to say, after all the bitterness and anger, now suddenly things have changed. And then they both start together, laugh and that breaks the awkwardness. Gunjan won my heart with her apology - simple straightforward words, I was stupid, I overreacted, I took my annoyance over the bet too far, I never saw everything you did to make up, and how much you helped me.
Mohit's dialogue delivery still needed a lot of work at this point, but he had defintiely improved in his acting. And Sanaya was excellent - the first time I really saw how beautifully she spoke and how sweet her voice as Gunjan was.

Next scene - Galti - when they blame themselves for the distances, Gunjan showing her obstinacy for the first time, so finally Samrat laughs, ok baba, it was your fault ... now can we forget this?! They talk more, about Nupur hearing what was meant for Gunjan, that Samrat feels her to be his only friend, and tells her for the first time how much he listens to her, goes by her reactions, how she has become his guiding light, his true friend, not someone who will support him in everything blindly, but only when he is right. And then he laughs, enough of praising you, now your turn to praise me ...

Last scene - heart stealer ... lost for words, Gunjan does what she does best - she sings 'Yeh Zindagi' for him and only him. And that's all that they need ... they take off again, simple pleasures, chaat, when all the while he's talking, talking and she just listens, her eyes fixed on his face, and a smile constant on hers, they're happy just to be with each other, they don't need anything else, something which again became a Sajan trademark, that simple joy of just being together ... mirchi, so he rushes to get her ice cream, caught by a policeman, they both apologise and take off again ... a magical night ...

And my most favourite bit - when he drops her back, she waits for him to leave, he tells her to go in before he will leave ... another cute spat, when she rolls her eyes without bothering to say anything - no, I'm not going before you - I can watch this bit 1000 times and still laugh at her expressions here - then Samrat says, ok, I'll count to three ... She agrees, and starts to leave at 3, then realises he's not leaving, so comes back all huffy - you're cheating! And he says - dare i cheat? Again? And they both laugh ... and then she just gives in, gracefully, sweetly, with no ego whatsoever ... says, ok, you win, 1, 2 3 ... and goes, handing him his win ... or is it her own ...
And last, the trademark 'palat' - she turns for a last look, of course he's waiting for it, and they finally say bye ...
Sam thanks God for giving him his friend back.

This was the night they fell in love - and didn't even know it.

Januable
Galti
Yeh Zindagi

Khuda Jaane

THE episode which got me hooked to Sajan - and I don't think I was alone in that one. The promos had gotten me interested, and I was waiting for the song to happen, because it was beautifully presented - the red and white Valentine's day theme, the games and fun preceding it, the tension between Samrat and Gunjan, Purab and his girlfriend - cute cameos ... again, acting by Mohit and Sanaya was not great at all, but the whole scene set up was very well done and caught my interest.

Then came the scene between Samrat and Gunjan in the cafe before the song - and I was hooked. The hallmark of this couple, especially of Gunjan - few words, but now Sanaya was getting the emotions into place, in her eyes, and more so, in her voice ... for me, diction and dialogue delivery is one of the most compelling things in any actor, and now Sanaya was getting it down pat. And her eyes - hesitant, yet the glimmer of happiness showing through clearly, Gunjan was happy to have Samrat back in her life, she was happy to have him back as a friend ... her shyness was intact as she still couldn't muster the courage to tell him she wanted him as her partner, but her eyes said it all ... that's a cliche, but here it was really true. And Samrat understood - without her having to say it, he understood - and that was that.

Khude Jaane ...

Sanaya never said a truer word - ever since KJ was picurized in MJHT, it has been an SG song all the way, Ranbir and Deepika forgotten completely. KJ hooked me to Sajan - it is still completely and wholly an SG song for me. Their dance, their expressions, the whole scene setup, this has to rank as one of the best tracks and scenes of MJHT. Khuda Jaane is completely Sajan for me - the first time I saw it, I didn't even register MN were in the song at all. Only later when i read something on AB/RP dancing to KJ at some function, I vaguely wondered why they were so excited about an SG song, and went back and saw, oh, yes, they were in it as well. But they were incidental, an aside ... every time I watch the song now, and I still watch it every now and then, it's just Sajan and them alone. Sajan are pure magic in this song - they have really made it their own. And I'm not the only one - many SG fans I know have the same feeling - KJ hooked so many of us to Sajan.

SGP again

Dec 2

Okay, SGP just got me interested again :) The Panna with inlaws scene was great - missed the start, need to watch it! Question answer session was skippable, Suhana looking angrier and angrier, but I should have thought she should look troubled ... but the scene with Badi maa, Radha Bua and Rano was best - really sweet - loved it! And precap - finally Ishaan realising that Sona is a pain in the neck!