Haven't made a post on books and movies for ages, and the last one has disappeared into the archives of 2012. So here is a new one for the new year 
Movies - watched Matru ki Bijli ka Mandola last night. A different movie from Vishal Bharadwaj, compared to his Maqbool and Omkara. Pankaj Kapoor was brilliant. Shabana Azmi was good. I liked Anushka Sharma for the first time ... had found her only okay-ish in Rab Ne and Band Baja Baraat in the past. The movie itself was good, an interesting watch, liked the subtle and not-so-subtle political satire beneath the surface.
Re-read Kane and Abel over the holidays, Now plan to re-watch Kismat.
Next on my list - Gita Mehta. More book recommendations please?
Movies - watched Matru ki Bijli ka Mandola last night. A different movie from Vishal Bharadwaj, compared to his Maqbool and Omkara. Pankaj Kapoor was brilliant. Shabana Azmi was good. I liked Anushka Sharma for the first time ... had found her only okay-ish in Rab Ne and Band Baja Baraat in the past. The movie itself was good, an interesting watch, liked the subtle and not-so-subtle political satire beneath the surface.
Re-read Kane and Abel over the holidays, Now plan to re-watch Kismat.
Next on my list - Gita Mehta. More book recommendations please?
Hi Dia....wish u a very happy new year!
ReplyDeletehave been irregular with posts what with not watching anything on telly.....tho i have been reading comments every now and then...post IPK has left a void...never thot i would say this for a telly prog....
actually time is ripe to take to reading but haven't been able to find that one book to delve into right now......Gita Mehta is one of my fav authors..i have read all her books except the last one....
i don't know if u like to read about history but if u do...glimpses of world history by JN Nehru is a really nice one u can look to read...i find it really amazing in its approach to how history can be perceived, described, taught, understood...i haven't finished the book...it requires a lot of patience but each completed part is really wonderful....
Hey Rekha, happy new year to you too!
DeleteI'm slowly catching up with telly, whatever little I feel inclined to do ... my kids are still here, so the inclination is much less, plus like you, IPK has left a void which is difficult to fill. Nothing has caught my interest as of now ... am back to watching while browsing online, reading and a dozen other things ... as before. So am trying to find a few good books to catch my interest ... I will have lots of time after my kids leave.
I've read bits of JL Nehru's World History ... it's one of those books that you can read in parts and enjoy ... too heavy to read at a stretch, but very interesting.
Dia,
ReplyDeleteThanx for the review on matru ka...
Have you read A game of thrones? I read it after X'mas. Found it very gripping. Beautifully written. Very few books get me excited like this. When I compare it with other fantasy series like The Lord of the rings and HP, this one ranks second, after LOTR. And I definitely prefer the innocence of LOTR to the dark tale this one is.
Didn't know it was already a series on HBO. I hope the sequels are as good. Apparently the 6th book is being written.
An excerpt for those who have not read the book.
'"Let me give you some counsel, bastard,"Lannister said. "Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not.Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you."
Jon was in no mood for anyone's counsel."What do you know about being a bastard?"
"All dwarfs are bastards in their father's eyes.".........................................................................
"Remember this, boy.All dwarfs may be bastards, yet not all bastards need be dwarfs." And with that he turned and sauntered back into the feast, whistling a tune.
When he opened the door, the light from within threw his shadow clear across the yard, and for just a moment Tyrrion Lannister stood tall as a king.'
The book I am reading now is, I'll do it my way- Aamir Khan's biography.
It is interesting. I think our generation will love this book because we have journeyed with him from QSQT.
The mention of QSQT automatically took me to IPK. If a tragedy like QSQT could be accepted so well, was there not a chance that IPK would be accepted by the audience too? I guess a serial has its limitations and when you started watching it expecting a happy ending, a tragedy would have been unacceptable. I wonder if the show was going on, would we still be mourning bitwa's death even if bitiya had showed signs of slowly moving on? (Just a thought. I know there is no point in all this now.)
Su,
DeleteCoincidentally I was planning to watch Game of Thrones once my kids leave for Uni ... will have all the time in the world then! So my son has been given the job of downloading it for me before he leaves. I didn't even know it was based on a book. But I'm not a fan of the LOTR series, haven't read the books, and liked the movies only mildly. So will have to give the books a try and see how I like them.
I want to read Abdul Kalam Azad's biography next, and Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies and its sequel. Warren Buffet's biography is still on my list as well.
I haven't tried Aamir Khan's biography either ... that should be interesting, like you say, we can relate to many events.
IPK ... what could have been ... *sigh* it still makes me nostalgic and sad to think how it could have gone ... or been going on ... watching QH in bits does make me feel that Gul and 4 lions are very good at dealing with conflicting emotions, so IPK would have been worth watching still. And I can bet that Khushi would have shown no signs yet of moving on ... one thing 4 lions accomplished in IPK was to take the progression of feelings very slowly, unlike most other shows, and still keep it a compelling watch.
dia, i did not comment on the books post because i am a big zero when it comes to current books, but QH.. is fully available online.. zee tv has uploaded the whole show on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=ELoVGxs_3C2is
DeleteDia,
DeleteDo read LOTR; I think you will love it.(If you liked HP. And there is no comparison between the two. If I compare with th ebooks I read as a teenager, HP is like an Enid Blyton and LOTR is like a Mark Twain.) It is simply a classic. The language just flows- it is a poem- a song. (Though I don't read poems.)
And watch the movie again after reading the book. I often wonder how much sense the movie makes to people who have not read the book. Usually, when I sit with my family, I have to explain even when the movie is self explanatory. There are so many more things you know because of the book. I read the book a few months before the movie was released. The movie succeeded in recreating the magic of the print, but the beauty of the book is irreproducible.
J,
Thanks for the link. Have you tried ammy basket's love scenes? If everything else is boring, you can follow the love story through that. But QH is not just a love story. In order to catch all the moods of AAK, I guess you have to watch the whole serial.
Rekh,
I have a feeling you will like the love story here. The dichotomy that you wanted with ASR- Asad seems to be headed for just that.Try a few episodes/ love scenes and see if you like it.
Hi Su...
Deleteis there a love story in QH? from the write-ups here, it is almost a comedy.......Isn't Gul perhaps taking an inordinately long time to build her love story? Yes, love stories of that kind can also be charming...where the love just creeps up without the lovers even knowing....is that what it is in QH?
I usually take to a thot in a story....and then look at the treatment...perhaps not the best way to enjoy a love story on television...unfortunately, QH 's main plot makes no sense to me as a story..was platitudinous ...couldn't make an impression...if i just take it as a love story that will just develop, i guess i won't have this complaint.....anyways i don't subscribe to zee so less chance of me watching QH...(yes, the online option is there!!)
Veera is exceptional in its treatment of a simple thot..they put it across as the love of a brother for a sister and created a set of circumstances to support that "anokhi ma" treatment...even the most incredulous aspects seem believable becos of how they have built that story..i can't say that i will remain an avid watcher when the two grow up but for now if i happen to see the epi, it has a lot to hold my attention.....i can see character in the visage of each performer there!! be it Gurpreet or Kartar or even the sarpanch lady(the vampish one)....even as the main cast is fantastic.i can't watch it regularly...but whenever i watch i am impressed....
Rekha,
ReplyDeleteI follow Veera with the exact sentiments as you. Can't take my eyse off the kids if they come on my scren, but I will not go searching for Veera. QH is fast becoming an addiction, purely for the rom com element.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC5Z0yv81b8
This is love scene 2. You can follow the love story of QH from here. It is just intensifying. But realisation will happen much later, I feel.
Repasting these too here for you.
Read the description by the vm maker.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1guG4YcOsE0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkkMOiyhkg0