Amitabh Bachchan--a living legend

My first awareness of Amitabh Bachchan was negative, but that is ok as his roles were very stern.   After two patriarchal roles the next one I viewed he played a bit of a goof. 

My first experience was viewing "Khabbi Khushi Kabhie Gham" (2001)  where Amitabh drove his son (Shah Rukh Khan) to leave the country with his disapproved bride (Kajol). In "Mohabbetein" (2000) he drove daughter to suicide played by his his future daughter in law Aishwarya Rai and co-starring Shah Rukh Khan.  My third experience was watching him in "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" (2006) where he played to my eyes a goofy comic role in a serious soap opera film playing the father to his actual son Abhischek.  These were all otherwise enjoyable movies.

Gradually his versatility and his role effectiveness created a more positive appreciation.

I had no consciousness of how highly regarded he was.  He had been named in a BBC poll as Actor of the Millenium over Charlie Chaplin and Sir Laurence Olivier  At his peak he could attract movie ticket lineups of over 2 kilometres in length.  He was the first Asian to have a wax model at Madame Tussaud's in London.  His name was the answer to a quiz question in "Slum Dog Millionaire" (which I actually got).  Filmfare, the major Indian film academy gave him over 30 nominations for best actor and 9 for best supporting actors, one for playback singer and one for producer.

Born as the son of a poet,  Harivanh Rai Bachchan.  By university days he had befriended Rajiv Gandhi.  He was interested in films, but surprisingly in the beginning his looks were not considered good enough for leading roles, but his voice was noticed as authoritative.  He once got a reference from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (Rajiv's mother) which led to his first big break "Zanjeer"  He starred with his future wife, Jaya Bhaduri.


He played in a variety of roles including a popular comedy "Chupke Chupke" in 1975.  That was also the year he co-starred with Dharmedra in "Sholay" that was the most popular movie to that date. 

For the next nine years he had many roles as the "Angry young man" written for him by Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan.  He was a self righteous man, fighting against a perceived evil, mostly the little guy fighting the giant    "Zameer" (1974), "Deewar" (1975) "Trishul" (1978); Don" (1978), Kaala Patthar (1979) and "Shakti" (1982) were all hits.  Javed Akhtar is father to Farhan Akhtar who is the subject of another post.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/11/farhan-akhtar-young-man-on-rise-in.html

During this time he also played in "Silsila" with Rekha who he was having a public affair with, and his wife Jaya Bhaduri.  Ironically the movie was revolving around adultery. 

At the end of this period with the encouragement of Rajiv Gandhi he got involved with politics, but got out after 3 years.  He did not do well for a few years, but was successful as a tv host and after a business setback he restructured his business and has gone forward ever since.


In "Black" with Rani Mukerji in 2005  Amitabh plays the teacher who breaks through with a young girl who is deaf, blind and mute.  The script was mostly in English  He later succumbs to a type of Alzheimer's.  A big award winner for many of the cast and crew.  This was the movie where I began to appreciate his versatility.

"In Cheeni Kum" (2007) with Tabu and Paresh Rawal  he played an arrogant London restaurant owner who pursues a younger woman.  It was funny, romantic and at one point tragic.  In researching  I discovered the young girl played by Swini Khara had also appeared in my favorite movie, "After the Wedding"and also "Paa."



"Paa '(2009) was released with his son Abischek playing his father. Amitabh was born out of wedlock and had a degenerative disease requiring many hours of makeup preparation.  By flukey circumstances he unknowingly interacts with his father, by now a prominent liberal politician.  A very touching movie with the unusual marketing gimmick.

With "Laksyha" (2004) he played a tough but supportive military leader in a movie starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta.

In "Aarakshan" (2011) he high-lighted a delicate problem in India's education with world wide implications.  Amitabh played a dedicated school owner who wanted to support a quota system for the lower castes against privatization efforts to exclude them.  Read more  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/aarakshan-study-on-education-inequality.html

In "Piku" (2015) he played a doddering old father to Deepika Padukone.

With "Pink" (2016) he felt the three women leads should get billing over him, even though he was a a bigger draw and his name starts with an A.  This is a movie that deals with sexual consent and is a masterpiece.  Amitabh wanted to emphasize how polluted Delhi is and insisted on wearing a mask for outdoor scenes.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/11/pink-sensitive-film-to-deal-with-consent.html

His only Hollywood movie was "The Great Gatsby," (2013)  in a minor supporting role as a Jewish gangster working with star Leonardo DiCaprio.

Returning to his voice .  He did narrate "Lagaan" (2001) which was a breakthrough for my interest in Bollywood, but not really appreciated his role at the time.   He also narrated  "Parineeti" (2005), a breakthrough movie for Vidya Balan who later played his mother in "Paa."  A movie with my favorite twist, "Kahaani "  (2012)  was capped by his singing voice over the credits.  In 2015,  "Shabitabh" (2015) was written for him in which he portrayed an actor with a voice to back up a Dhanush character who was mute.  Their egos clashed in a way symbolizing the contest between voice and appearance.

To get to well over 200 movies a lot were duds,   Played 15 duo roles and one triple role film.  His appearance doesn't guarantee a great movie, but he has been a key ingredient in some very top notch movies.  He doesn't appear to be very selective, but he has the advantage of being in such demand that scripts are written for him.  At his age he is more active than almost any actor and I am confident a lot of worthy films lie in the future.

The bolded movies are ones that I have actually seen.

SHAH RUKH KHAN, WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS ACTOR PART 1

In North America Shah Rukh Khan may not garner much attention, but in the rest of the world he is top of the movie world.  Not only is India the most prolific movie producing nation, they have made inroads in many foreign countries.  He can draw a massive crowd in most countries including United States and Canada.

I have enjoyed more of his movies to a greater degree than any other actor anywhere.  Shah Rukh Khan is above all charming and masculine  His acting ability seems mixed, but he has won his share of awards.  He has also been in his share of duds and has taken time to make commercially acceptable movies.  Having attracted a wide following he gets offered a lot of very good scripts supported by very talented crews.

My sister Rebecca liked "Devdas" (2004) so much she bought me a copy.  Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and also starring Aishawarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.  A story of a man stopped from marrying his love by his wealthy father.  He self-destructs.  My sister knows me pretty well and this whetted my appetite.

"Kal Ho Na Ho" (2003) is the movie that expanded my fascination with Bollywood to an obsession.  Filming was started in Toronto, but the crew left for New York when the SARS scare happened, however you can spot some interesting local scenes.  I checked this out of the local library and was told it was "very sad."  It certainly was that, but in the beginning it seemed very juvenile like perhaps a stereotypical Bollywood movie.  That was just a big setup to make you feel guilty.  The main actors and most of the supporting cast were very good; Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan and Jaya Bhanali.  The music was also great from Shankar Ehsaan Loy.  If you really like good movies you will be reaching for a kleenex.  After this I looked for movies with Shah Rukh Khan.
  

"Swades" ( 2004) is my favourite.  He plays a NRI (Non Resident Indian).  He represents the successful Indian gone to the United States space program.  He misses his nanny and decides to go back to India in order to bring her to his American home.  Once there he encounters a lot of people who are envious and he offers to help them get to the States, however the romance in the story is a local teacher who won't move.  Eventually with his science and engineering skill he solves a common problem by providing electric power.  He is torn between doing something globally and scientifically significant in the United States or helping elevate the Indian people.  Directed and partly written by Ashutosh Gowariker with music by A. R. Rahman.  With many third world countries the non resident is a delicate issue with most understanding moving to opportunities while other capable people stick around.  Shot in the United States as well as India.  This was considered an artistic success, but not commercially.

"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" (1998) saw Shah Rukh playing a father for the first time.  Kajol starts out as a tomboy friend who disappears when she realizes the more sophisticated Rani Mukerji attracts Shah Rukh.  As his wife, Rani dies.  Shah Rukh raises a young daughter with the help of his mother.  The daughter reads a letter from her mother telling her that her husband, the girl's father should seek out his old friend.  Lots of hokey moments, but a very stirring romance.  First time saw Salman Khan, in a cameo.  Directed by Karan Johar.  Some catchy melodies by the brother team Suleiman-Salim.  This movie started the appeal of Rani Mukerji and you can read more about her here:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/05/anupam-kher-actor-i-now-respect.html

"Khabie Kushi Khabie Gham" (2001) represented a clash with Amitabh Bachchan (who is very good as stern fathers amongst many other types).  Kajol plays the chosen one against the father's wishes (who wished for Rani Mukerji).  Scenes go from India to England and Wales and include a few shots from the pyramids for effect.  Directed and written by Karan Johar as a well produced family drama.

"Khabie Alvida Naa Kehna" (2006) is quite the soap opera.  Shah Rukh is married to Preity Zinta, but soon wants Rani Mukerji who is married to Abischek Bachchan.  A lot of shifting around and lot of anguish, but some really good music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy.  Directed and written by Karan Johar.  Set in the U.S., filmed in Philadelphia and Jersey City.

"Paheli" (2005) with Rani Mukerji again not commercially successful, but its fairy tale story was very slickly done with the pairing of the stars very satisfying.  Another of many movies supported by Anupam Kher and you can read more of him here;  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/05/anupam-kher-actor-i-now-respect.html

"Veer Zaara" (2004)  with Preity Zinta.  This time she is the Pakistani Muslim and he the Indian Hindu in a doomed romance.  He is thrown in jail for decades until rescued in time to reunite in old age.  Rani Mukerji plays a sharp lawyer that gets him released for a late in life happy ending.  Anupam Kher plays the mean prosecutor.  Directed by Yash Chopra.

In "Chakdei India" (2003) he coaches a girls field hockey team--as a  disgraced former international player.  His sin was not scoring at a critical point in a championship game against Pakistan.  Shah  Rukh is a Muslim and many of his roles portray him as one and in this movie he is thought to have betrayed India.  No romance, but a typical sports story very well done. Filmed in Australia as well as India.

"Don" (2006) was a revival of an old Bollywood film made famous with Amitabh Bachchan.  There were skeptics, but Shah Rukh played the dual role of the ordinary guy and the gangster very smoothly.  Priyanka Chopra played on the team chasing Don.  My favourite musical team of Shankar Ehsaan Loy provided the music.  There is a teasing relationship between Don and Priyanka who portrayed a very smart cop chasing him down.  Very spectacular stunts over the two films.  Don was filmed in Malayasia with the climax at the Petronas Twin Towers.  "Don 2" (2011) was shot starting in Malaysia, but shifted to Germany.  Farhan Akhtar directed both movies and wrote the scripts.  For more on Farhan Akhtar:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/11/farhan-akhtar-young-man-on-rise-in.html

"Om Shanti Om" (2007) launched Deepika Padukone.  Directed by Farah Khan who had originally been a choreographer very much favored by Shah Rukh.  He plays a dual role, first as a young man who gets involved in Bollywood, but is killed along with a woman he was infatuated with.  Thirty years later after re-birth he is again involved in Bollywood and slowly realizes the back story and seeks revenge.  Lots of complications.

"Rab ne Bana Di" (2008) launched another big star, Anushka Sharma.  At first Shah Rukh plays a bookish type of character who as a deathbed favour marries a girl much younger and active.  We all know Shah Rukh is very dynamic and soon he is masquerading as a dance partner for his wife who doesn't recognize him.  Eventually she is conflicted between her husband and this dynamic dancer.  He proves his love in his bookish avatar in a funny wrestling match.  Anushka emerged as a star in her own light.  For more on Anushka: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/05/anuska-sharma-actess-on-rise.html

At this point I realize I have gone overboard on one actor, but in fact there is more I want to say, but will defer to another post.

Click here for Part 2: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/06/shah-rukh-khan-worlds-most-famous-actor_23.html

The Bollywood Gender Gap and Culture

What makes you decide which movie to watch?  Of course some of us look at a lot of details, but for this post I am interested in whether the male lead or the female lead influences your decision.  Even this can be a bit difficult as many of us go as a couple and have to consider the opinion of our companion.  Even with same gender groups, decisions may partly be made by whether or not they are looking for the opposite sex or to affirm their own gender culture.

Most of us very definitely like to look at the opposite sex and the more attractive the better.  Men also  like to see what masculinity standards and which approaches to desirable women work.   Women also want to see what fashion (and behaviour) standards are important. Members of the LGBT community might spin things a little differently, but have a definite interest in gender issues.

With all that, it is fair to say that we are attracted to both male and female leads and roughly equally.  Strange to say that is not reflected in their pay.  Some reports regarding Bollywood point out that in the past the male lead has been paid as much as ten times what the female lead is paid.  Also there are more significant male roles in the film industry.

India, like many other cultures has a long history of male dominance.  Men are the ones with the aggressive hormones that lead to fighting and bossing.  And they have been the ones controlling the money.   With men dominating families in real life it was naturally reflected in films.  Not getting pregnant helps men develop leverage for salary negotiations, but really it is primarily their traditional position in families.

Negotiating for compensation for films can be complicated.  Seldom is it a straight fee, often it is a share of the profits with different calculations used.  Females are less inclined to accept share of box office receipts in lieu of a larger fee.  Both established actors and actresses can make a big part of their income from product endorsements.

Athletes were at one time demanding what seemed like large amounts of money and one of the rationalizations was that their careers were short and risky.  Actresses, particularly the ones whose avatar must reflect youthfulness and attractiveness are subject to a short big income career.  In India years ago it was taken for granted that when a woman gets married she retires from whatever work she was doing to concentrate on household duties..


Today more Indian women are working outside the home and more unmarried couples are attending movies as dates.  If a young man wants to make an impression he will have to consider what his prospective date would be attracted to.  Women want to see their lives reflected in what is shown on screen and this is starting to happen.

To me one of the reasons Western societies have gained prominence has been their willingness to give women more credit and more responsibility.  Getting the vote was a big breakthrough and so was their contributions to war efforts. Glamour is still important (to both sexes), but as women achieve more economic, social and political power they need to be represented by a wider range of activities. Women  in India are more visible in policing, the military, politics, business and even boxing.

Women consumers have enough clout that women centric movies are more common.  Examples include "Kahanni," "Queen," "Mary Kom," "Mardaani," and "English Vinglish."  There are still plenty of male oriented films with the women serving merely as props for the men, but there are changes there as well

Bollywood actresses are looking for something more meaningful than complementing the male lead.

Nandita Das has played her share of romantic roles, but has sought more meaningful roles--for my first awareness she played a gun toting rebel in "A Peck on the Cheek.." In " Provoked" had her playing an activist in a wife abuse case.   She has written and directed "Firaaq" concerning the aftermath of the Gujarti riots. She had had key roles in Canadian Deepa Metha's films "Earth" and "Fire" set in India. The latter film was very controversial with Nandita's role at the centre.

Juhi Chawla basically played romantic roles in her early career, but was smart enough to accumulate resources to get involved in film production and has produced four movies. Rani Mukerji (who recently married a producer), Vidya Balan (also married a producer), Kangana Ranaut and Priyanka Chopra have all had leading glamorous romantic roles, but have sought more meaningful roles and more money.  Deepika Padukone is supposed to have received bigger contracts in recognition that she does attract big audiences.

Mira Nair got started with documentaries and then in1988 directed and helped write "Salaam Bombay" which was nominated for the Oscar best foreign film.  She is most famous probably for "Monsoon Wedding"  I was very struck by "The Namesake."

Farah Khan was a noted choreographer for popular dance sequences.  Her ability to organize the most elaborate dance routines gave her the opportunity to direct "Main Hoon Na" and continues to direct big budget films.

Women directors are now receiving more opportunities and also getting involving in producing decisions.  Gauri Schinde, after doing ad commercials and short films made her feature "English Vinglish" in tribute to her mother who ran a home business and never spoke very good English as a sort of apology.  Sridevi made her comeback in this film.  It might be a step for female directors for women centric movies, but it might be a bigger step for them to direct big budget male oriented movies such as "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" directed and written by Zoya Akhtar.

As women direct and produce more films they will give the female perspective more emphasis.  As more consumers accept their critical importance to the success of a film (financially and artistically) they will get closer to pay equality.

As India achieves more gender equality it can create its own momentum.  Real life inspires movies and movies in turn inspire more dreams that reach towards reality.  There will always be gender differences (thank goodness), but it will be better for all when there is more gender equality.

Rani Mukerji, maturing actress

At first Rani seemed too sophisticated for my taste,  maybe too sophisticated for Bollywood.  One of the first movies that created this impression for me was "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" where she played the British educated daughter of a school principal coming back to India and winning the heart of Shah Rukh Khan.  They married, she died and the movie switched focus to Kajol in what is one my favourites.  In another movie seen shortly afterwards "Chalte Chalte" she again played a sophisticated woman who married down in class to Shah Rukh Khan and there was (verbal) fighting right through to the end of the movie including a break up and even their make up.

Still another sophisticated role, this time as a lawyer in Veer-Zaara who helped free Shah Rukh Khan to be with Preity Zinta in their old age.  I was catching on that Bollywood loves experimenting with different jodies.

One of her trademarks is her husky voice.  I would add her smile is very warming, but when she gets upset get out of the way!

In "Kabhi Alvida naa Kehna" she played a woman who just didn't love her husband (played by Abischek Bachchan), although he was a good and loving man.  Instead she fell for a married man, Shah Rukh Khan and suffered for it.  Lots of emotion.


She played a number of movies as either the leading lady or the jilted one and for the most part one could understand why the hero wanted her and were perplexed when someone else was preferred.  Typical Bollywood where women seem to have their lives revolve around the hero who is the real star.  Rani has taken on acting challenges. Perhaps the best one was in "Black"  where she played a deaf and blind woman and another good one was "Nobody Killed Jessica" where she played a foul mouthed journalist campaigning against an injustice.

She has won several acting awards most notably for "Black." She won jodie awards with Abhishek Bachchan and Saif Ali Khan, but to my mind was matched best with Shah Rukh Khan.  One of my favourites was in "Paheli"

One movie, "Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic," is awkward because it should be child friendly but wasn't in a few scenes.  It contains two favourite song videos starring Rani.  In both she plays a sort of rebellious angel with music from my favourites, Shankar Ehsaan Loy.  Earlier she had played in two other roles with Saif--"Hum Tum" and "Ta ra Rum Pum."

In "Dil Bole Hadippa"  she played a tomboy fixated on cricket.  She masqueraded as a man and was able to perform at a high level, but of course romance intruded in the person of Shahid Kapoor.



In "Talaash" she played with Aamir Khan as a suffering wife who had lost a child.

"Mardaani" her most recent is an action movie with Rani providing the action.   The bad guy played by Tahir Raj Bhasin in his first role captured a lot of attention.  It was also a movie about sex trafficking which is a major problem in India.  She demonstrated there is more to acting than romance.

She married in 2014 to Aditya Chopra a prominent producer and screen writer.  In the past marriage sometimes ended or at least interrupted a movie career for an actress.  She would be very good in mature roles (including romantic) and hope she is willing to continue.  She has a good comic touch, has a wide range of emotions and yes can be sophisticated.

Anupam Kher an actor I have learned to respect.

Anupam Kher epitomizes for me the worst and the best of Bollywood.   I am of two minds on Anupam.  In some films I have been embarrassed thinking his acting reminded me too much of Jerry Lewis at his worst.  I had seen enough of Bollywood to find lots of things to like, but could also see why my North American acquaintances tend to cringe when they think of it.  As an excuse, I can appreciate that to get ahead in a career you do whatever is required--Steve Martin was pretty wild when he hit my attention, but has proved to be pretty good at serious drama, enjoyable comedy and has done some serious writing.  Bollywood has always tried to cater to families (from Grandmother to the kids) and comic relief is important.

On the other hand Anupam has demonstrated his versatility.  We movie goers tend to judge the actors by what we see on the screen.  He has managed to take part in a lot of critically acclaimed films as well as some very popular ones.  Obviously he fits in well with film crews and has proven to be very flexible.  He has worked with a lot of well known directors, producers and other actors in at least five countries.  He is popular as a father figure, but that description covers in his case a wide range of styles.

Over 350 films.  Not usually a leading character, but he still must have juggled a lot to fit it all in  He is busier than ever and seems to like it.  He has also acted as an ambassador for Bollywood and been involved with acting schools.

Anupam started making films in 1982.  His first English speaking movie in 1984 was "Kim" starring Peter O'Toole, but Anupam was uncredited.

He has appeared in some of my very favorite movies such as "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" as Rani Mukerji's father (and Shah Rukh Khan's father in law), but in this one I feel he overdid the comic relief.   On the other hand he played a deft hand in comedy and drama as Shah Rukh Khan's father in the trend setting classic,  "Diwali Dulhania le Jayenge" where he won an award for comedy.  

In "Darr," a scary movie he played comic relief excessively--but perhaps this movie really required comic relief.  In any case he won best supporting actor in a comic role from Filmfare.

Playing the father role in a very professional manner is more normal.  In "Wake up Sid" as father to Ranbir Kapoor he played a tough, but loving father in an excellent coming of age movie.  In "Vivah" he played a father encouraging his son, Shahid Kapoor to get married and was supportive of the prospective bride's family (in some ways from a relatively lower class). In "Dil Bole Hadippa" he was a cricket loving father again to Shahid.  In "Badma$h Company" again played father to Shahid , but as a tough ethical business man disappointed in his son.  In "Pyar Impossible" wearing a wig he played an empathetic father to producer director Uday Chopra in a movie not highly rated, but enjoyable to watch.

In "A Wednesday" he played the Mumbai city police commissioner threatened by bombs from Nasseruddin Shah. A lot of tension in this movie which won a number of awards.

In "Breakaway" Anupam came to Toronto and played the father to Vinay Virmani who wrote the script.  Hockey was the key ingredient linking Sikhs and Canada's national game.  Russell Peters gave it some more Canadian flavour.  Anupam had played a cricket playing father in "Bend it Like Beckham."

In "Silver Lining Playbook" he played a psychiatrist and with the rest of the cast had been nominated for awards as part of an ensemble cast.  

"Bride and Prejudice" saw him as father to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan "in a remake of Pride and Prejudice".  He appeared in an ER episode with his wife Kiron,

In "Veer-Zaara," he played a tough ruthless Pakistani lawyer,  In "Paheli," another favorite movie he was a greedy merchant.  "Rang De Basanti" was another classic movie starring Aamir Khan.

"Lust-Caution!" by Ang Lee (one of the hard to forget movies) set in China with mostly Chinese dialect during World War II.  He played a shady character

"Special 26" can compare itself to "Oceans Eleven" favorably.  Akshay Kumar led the cast, but Anupam played a very clever con man with a large brood of children.  He was excellent.

"Jab Tak Hai Jaan" was the last film for director  Yash Chopra's and was noted for Shah Rukh Khan's first screen kiss.  Anupam played the father of Katrina Kaif.

"Maine Gandhi ko Nahin Mara" pictured at the top with Urmila Matondkar was the movie that inspired this blog post.  Anupam was a producer and really gave a top notch performance in the difficult role of a man with Alzheimer's.  He paid his dues and will be remembered for this role and dozens of others.  He added value to a number of worthy movies.  When I now see his name I know there must be something good to look forward to.

Mar 1/11 Enjoyed  watching him in "New Amsterdam" disappointed to see him leave, but understand.  Look forward to future endeavours.

VIDYA BALAN, A VERY VERSATILE BOLLYWOOD ACTRESS

For the most part Bollywood treats its women stars as objects for the male stars to pursue.  The male leading stars have a much longer shelf life and as they age their leading women get younger and younger.  Gradually actresses are getting married, having children and returning to the big screen.  Men are offered a wider variety of roles.

How do you measure acting skill?  It is very subjective.  If you as a viewer feel gripped by the realism of the story, the actors are helping you feel that way.  The movie itself doesn't exist in isolation and you find yourself projecting what you know of the actor (often from other movies, maybe a tv interview or what you have read) and are most amazed when they project a different image in a movie.  The best example I can think of is Sean Penn playing Harvey Milk, a role so at odds with what we know of him, but one that he made us believe in.  From Bollywood the biggest adjustment pulled off very well was by Amitabh Bachchan when in his 60's he played a 13 year old with his actual son playing his father in "Paa".  Another one was by Rani Mukerji known as a vibrant dancer and outgoing personality portraying a Helen Keller type of character in "Black."

These types of roles help an actor establish themselves as versatile and should be considered as the more challenging roles.

Vidya Balan started her movie career in "Parineeta" as the girl next door that everyone loves.  There could be a good career there, but without challenges it would be limited.  In this one she plays the relatively poor girl next door to Saif Ali Khan, son of the rich father who was literally conning her father.  A millionaire, played by Sanjay Dutta enters the scene and confusion results.   In the end Saif breaks with his father and declares his love for the girl next door.  A very enjoyable movie to start with and you cannot help liking Vidya who is both victimized and misunderstood, but it does end happy for her.

In her next movie, "Lago Raho Munna Bhai" she plays an enthusiastic radio announcer. I read that she spent time with a well known radio announcer to get the right feel.  She captures the attention of Sanjay Dutta  (the loser in her first movie) who this time is playing a gangster.  Don't worry this is a comedy with quite the twist.  As a ploy to contact the radio announcer, the gangster enters a contest showing off his knowledge of Mahatma Gandhi.  Only he really doesn't know anything, but enlists his goons to smooth the way.  He is really out of his league, but somehow the ghost of Gandhi helps him.  Of course there are twists and turns (and a lot of laughs) with a message.  Vidya's character is very light and in one sense very much the girl next door except this time she is a caretaker in an old folks home.

In "Guru" she is paired with Madhavan and plays her role from a wheelchair. This is really perhaps the best movie by Abischek Bachchan who is paired with his real life wife Airshawaya Rai.  It is an excellent movie, but Vidya has only a supporting role well done.

"Kismet Konnection" is a bit disappointing in some ways, but it has one redeeming feature.  It is is filmed in Toronto.  For me Toronto is one of the stars.  I obviously like Vidya and I also like her co-star, Shahid Kapoor, but for various reasons this is not one of the better movies for either although they played well together.  CN Tower, Roy Thomson Hall, Harbour Front, Lake Ontario, the CNE EX
are only a small selection of recognizable Toronto scenery.

An aside from "Kismet Konnection" was the minor role of Juhi Chawla.  Juhi was a major leading lady years ago pairing with the likes of Shah Rukh Khan (who she is a business partner with) and Aamir Khan, both of whom romance much younger women today.  That is the way of Bollywood.  When I first became interested in Bollywood I watched mostly newer movies and as I got more interested started looking at older films, most of which seem dated, but Juhi was a very delightful surprise.  I am pleased she is now making a better transition, partly because she was smart enough to get involved with producing.  Vidya is on her way to a really nice transition where she plays roles more versatile than just being the object of romance.

"Paa" is the first Vidya Balan appearance I was privileged to see.  In it she plays a single mother and professional.  She lives with her mother and her diseased son.  Her 13 year old son is played by 64 year old Amitabh Bachchan (and this is perhaps the most interesting acting assignment of all time) with amazing makeup.  There are flashbacks to her romance with a hopeful politician, but when she becomes pregnant she decides if he won't support her wish to keep the child she will leave him.  She maintains her independence through some very rough times before becoming a doctor.  The hopeful politician and her lover was played by Abhischek Bachchan and he had lost contact. until a chance meeting with his son.  After this movie I kept my eyes open to learn more about her.  She had what I value-maturity.

"Isqiya"had her playing a gangster widow courted by two con men on the run.  She outfoxes the two men.  She seduces both of them.   She played a gun toter and in sexphobic Bollywood indulged in some thumb sucking of one of her leading men.

In "Nobody Killed Jessica," working with Rani Mukerji (also playing a non glamorous role) she played a very quiet, plain looking women trying to obtain justice for her sister who had been murdered in plain view of many witnesses who were all too afraid to testify.  She toned herself down and played a introverted role.

'"The Dirty Picture' was a real image crusher.  Vidya played the part of a sex symbol from poor beginnings to her downfall and eventual suicide.  Her role was very provocative and then very desperate.  Not at all the girl next door. Outspoken.  She proved she can be very sexy, but also demonstrated there is a lot more to her.









"Kahaani" is another progression.  She plays an 8 month pregnant wife looking for her missing husband.  She is the one who is able to overcome bureaucratic red tape and persuade uncooperative male authority figures to help her in her quest.  There is quite the twist in this movie and it is well worth watching for the surprise.  There really is no leading man, she carries the film.



She is currently filming "Ghanchakkar" opposite Emraan Hashmi.  The director says she will look different than the public is used to.  The movie will be using hidden cameras (as with "Kahanni") in the streets of Mumbai during the monsoon season.  I will have to wait to 2013 to see the results, but am looking forward to it.

Vidya looks like she will escape being put into a niche and grow into suitable and desirable film roles. I look forward to her future roles.

FARHAN AKHTAR, YOUNG MAN ON THE RISE IN BOLLYWOOD

As a student of Bollywood movies for a few years it has taken me awhile to identify the people who exemplify what I like best. Farhan Akhtar snuck up on me. The earliest movie I have seen of his was 'Don" which he produced. A bit later I saw "Karthik Calling Karthik" where he was the principle actor and I just could not associate him as a blockbuster producer. Later I watched "Rock On." Still later I watched what most would consider a masterpiece, "Dil Chahta Hai".

By this time I took a closer look. Nothing happens on its own. In fact Farhan is the son of Javed Akhtar a prominent screen writer and Honey Irani a writer and actress, both still active. At the age of 17 Farhan got involved in camera work and as assistant director.

At one stage he goofed off for about two years. He watched a lot of movies, but didn't do much of anything productive. One of his movie characters is at least partially modeled on this part of his life.  A movie that really established him was was "Dil Chata Hai" in 2003.  The movie had several established actors: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta and Askaye Khanna.  He used the musical talents of Shankar Ehsaan Loy who are are another favourite of mine.  It seemed to attract top technicians.  He established a few habits such as shooting scenes in Goa.  He used the coming of age theme.  This is one of my favourite Bollywood movies and won awards for best film, best screenplay and music.  More on "Dil Chata Hai":  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/07/dil-chatha-hai-bollywood-classic.html

In 2004 he directed "Lakshya" with Hithrik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Amitabh Bachchan and Bomran Irani. To this point I had not liked Hithrik in the few films I had seen and he seemed just a pretty face with some dance moves. However I saw another side to him in this film and have since appreciated his talent more. Incidentally Hritrik played the role that Farhan identified with in his two years of goofing off. Hrithrik's character matures and we can assume that Farhan did as well.

In 2006 he produced, wrote and directed "Don". It was actually a remake of a very popular movie of Amitabh Bachchan (I have to confess I haven't seen it) and there was some concern that it wouldn't measure up. The consensus is that it did measure up with Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Om Puri and Boman Irani.

In 2005 his acting debut was in a tv mini series with which I am unfamiliar.

In 2008 he took a big acting step in "Rock On". Unlike most Bollywood actors he was allowed to actually sing. Not only did his voice suit the role, but it provided greater voice consistency. He won an award for best newcomer.

As an actor he next appeared in 'Luck by Chance' and then 'Karthik Calling Karthik' with Deepika Padukone. It was a simple suspense story very well done. For 2011 he appeared as an actor( and as a producer) in "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara" and wrote some of the dialogue. In my opinion this was one of the best movies of 2011. This seems a good point to mention his twin sister Zoya who wrote this last movie as well as directed it (she is nominated for an award as well). She has been involved as writer, producer and director, but so far not acting.

When a sequel was decided for "Don", Farhan was the natural choice to produce, direct and write the story. At this early date, "Don 2" seems destined to rise up to record earnings, especially in foreign markets, including the U.S and Canada.

A few projects are on the go and I for one will be looking for any that are tied to the name Farhan Akhtar. One is a sequel to "Rock On" and another is "Talaash", written by Zoya and starring Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Rani Mukerji. Both Farhan and Zoya are carrying on a Bollywood tradition--one of excellence and entertainment.

See future blogs:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/05/three-bollywood-films-that-got-my.html

and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/12/the-sky-is-pink-my-top-movie-for-2019.html

Bollywood Movies and Cricket

When I was in elementary school I loved baseball. Other than playing pickup baseball at a neighbourhood level it took the form of collecting baseball cards and poring over seemingly endless statistics. Of course I watched baseball on tv (which had only recently entered my household--that is really a hint of how old I am, not how poor we were).

Over the years my interest in baseball has waned (too many strikes, but also too many other interests). One of those interests has been Bollywood movies.

On the whole I tend to avoid sports movies, but the first Bollywood movie I saw, recommended by my sister Rebecca was "Lagaan." I didn't know what to make of it--subtitles, songs and dances in the middle of plot development, a leading actor, Aamir Khan who I later came to appreciate, but disliked in this portrayal. Despite all that I enjoyed the movie and part of it was the sports angle.

Most popular sports movies are about the under dog beating the champion. Champions tend to be arrogant and nonchalant and lets be honest, most of us are not champions. I like the tension that can be found in many activities, but is most obvious in sports. Cricket was something the oppressive British military colonizers amused themselves with and along with the rest of their culture felt it meant they were superior.

The poor natives in "Lagaan" don't have a clue about cricket, although they do claim a child's game was very similar. As circumstances develop the Indians naively challenge the soldiers in order to lessen a suffocating tax burden. A visiting British lady taking pity on them (and providing a romantic angle) attempts to teach them the rudiments of cricket. As you might expect at the end the natives do overcome the Brits at really the last possible second after many twists in the game.

They do it by uniting. The native side seems to represent a wide range of Indian religions including an untouchable and somehow they reconcile their differences in the face of the hated foreigners.  As I recall the movie cricket was played in an older style. The game stretched over a long period of time and as I gradually caught on there was tension a true sports fan can get addicted to. Not the type of tension you get in baseball with alternating at bats after every three outs, but easy enough to identify with.

A few other Bollywood movies I saw later had cricket scenes or references, but did not focus on the sport. I learned one of my emerging heroes, Shah Rukh Khan owned a cricket team and a few other Bollywood celebrities were also involved

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"Dil Bole Hadippa" did not get great reviews, but had one of my favorite leading ladies, Rani Mukerji. She played a spunky girl who liked to challenge men on her batting ability, but who could not be accepted for a team. She eventually had to disguise herself as a man. That led to the inevitable misunderstandings and comic double entendres. The leading man, Shahid Kapoor was a superior cricketer who was prominent in England and returned to visit his father who desperately wanted to overcome a long losing streak. Naturally the climax involves a long drawn out game with a great deal of tension. This victory required an effort overcoming pain in case you thought cricket was sissy.

"Iqbal" was another cricket movie that actually received favorable reviews. Iqbal is an adolescent who is also a deaf mute. This movie provided the best example of bowling of all the movies discussed here and I admit I was impressed with the motions and effort involved. It also had some coaching strategy not noted in other movies. Iqbal's mother was so intently interested in cricket that she started labour during a cricket celebration. Iqbal's younger sister, very critical to his later success was just as fond of cricket. But, and a big but, his father was not a cricket fan and proved to be another obstacle. This movie also illustrated some of the corruption in cricket.  Loved the background music.

"Patialia House" offered still another disadvantaged cricket player. This time Akshay Kummar has been forbidden to play cricket by his father who was very upset with the English, although he brought his family up in London. At age 34 Akshay going behind his father's back and against a lot of initial resistance by the cricket authorities actually made the English team and fairly quickly establishes himself as a key player. A lot of family dynamics and in the end cricket turns out to be the key unifying force.

What do we look for in sports? For men it might be said sports are an outlet for aggressiveness. For some men and a few women they immensely enjoy the skill involved. For both men and women the uncertainty creates a dramatic tension we love.  Movies try to capture the uncertainty of a sports event, but of course there is never quite as much doubt as there can between really well matched teams in real life.

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. It enjoys a strong professional system. For most baseball fans, especially those who have never seen it, cricket is boring, elitist and foreign. If you have never watched it up close with the best players it is very easy to dismiss. I think it is fair to say that it takes great athletic skill to either bowl or bat at the international level. Fielding doesn't seem as prominent, but then the ball is harder, the players have no gloves, and they have more ground to cover. A good fielder can negate spectacular batting and change the course of any game.

Strategy is something I have only a superficial understanding of. Unlike baseball the cricket batsman can get many more opportunities during the course of a game. Unlike baseball when a bowler is taken out of the routine he can be reinserted. This allows coaches to rotate their best bowlers to optimize their performance. Of course fielder placement can be critical. Although every single play can be the game decider, cricket is a game of strategy, decided by bringing many details together.

In the course of writing this post a prominent cricketer, Mansoor Ali Khan died and generated a lot of mourning across India. He was literally royalty, the Nawab of Patudi, but helped breakup some of the royal traditions. At Oxford he was the first Indian captain of their cricket team. As a player he was a high scoring batsman, but made his mark as captain of the Indian national team. The national team was a collection of players with regional loyalties. Perhaps because he was a Muslim (and conscious that many top players had shifted to Pakistan) he encouraged national loyalties. By marrying Sharmila Tagore, a glamorous Bollywood star he glamorized cricket. Two of his children, Saif Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan are significant Bollywood stars.

The four movies I have talked about are a good introduction to Bollywood for a sports fan. You will meet some of the top stars (Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Akshay Kumar, Shahid Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher), interesting directors (Ashutush Gowariker, Nagesh Kukunoor, Nikhil Advani) some great music (A R Rahman, Salim-Suleiman, Pritam Chakraborty, and my favorites Shankar Ehsaan Loy) and some stirring sports action.

Beyond Bollywood stereotypes

For many North Americans their experience with Bollywood consists of stumbling on a movie while playing with their remote tv control. They might come across something that gets their curiosity such as frantic staged musical dance scene or maybe some improbable wild action. After their initial curiosity subsides they get back to their regular program (which they might have left at a commercial break or between quarters) and mostly forget about the weird interlude. When they think about it they mostly think those other people sure are strange.

India's population is much bigger than Canada and the United States combined and produces many more movies. The masses tend to fall into a general patterns. In North America we not only cater to our masses where the chance to make the most money is, but because we are so sophisticated (in our minds at least) and diverse we also have what might be called art films or serious films. So does India.

They really do have some sophistication and some diversity (several languages spoken by more people than the whole population of Canada) and film makers are able to find an audience for a different brand of films. They also have an immense audience around the world because of the Indian diaspora. More than that they have attracted the attention of millions more of non Indians in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and even North America.

I would like to suggest a few movies I have enjoyed that don't fit the Bollywood stereotypes and might help provide a bridge for others.

The first, "Dor" was brought to my attention by @bollywoodfanmia who is a non Indian living in Oregon. There is music in it, but not the dance sequences you saw while channel surfing. Actually there is a short snippet of dance, but it is similar to someone singing in the shower and really adds to the story (a pleasant memory leading to guilt feelings). The story is based on two women (the romance is dispensed with at the beginning). They come from different parts of India, of different religious backgrounds and have a conflict that only one of them is conscious of for most of the movie. More importantly they share a woman's perspective in a world not fair to women. The drama makes a point including that things may be changing and that human spirit can overcome all sorts of obstacles. Coincidently shortly after viewing this I came across another movie by the same writer/director, Nagesh Kukunoor and enjoyed it, but wish to discuss it in another blog. I am turned on by the director/writer and have reserved a third movie at the library. Learned of a most recent effort that will soon be ready. Not a prolific writer/director with the big budgets, but with a message for the world.

Another movie I would suggest has a familiar story to it, but with a twist. Many of you may have seen the movie, "The Miracle Worker", the story of Helen Keller.  An Indian producer took the story and put a twist on it and called it "Black" as that is how the heroine knows the world.   This version is mostly in English with a few subtitles that will make it easier to identify with. The two main actors, Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan are each very good (if you see them in other more typical Bollywood movies you will be amazed at their versatility).  Music plays a role, but more background. In some places it is certainly melodramatic and creates a mood that resonates with the dramatic message. One scene uses music in an unexpected way. Blind and deaf the heroinne lets us know she feels music and that is up-lifting. The movie illustrates the strength of the human spirit.

"Road, Movie" will give you a different concept of India. We see India as mostly big poor cities (with rich enclaves) or villages based on agriculture or mountainous regions. This movie takes us through a desert. The movie shows a maturing process. The hero played by Abhay Deol is a youth unhappy with his lot in life (does that some familiar?). He grabs an opportunity to drive an old truck through the desert to the ocean where his family can get some compensation and he can get some boredom relief. Along the way he picks up some unusual company that affects his view of life. A young boy, an older man with mechanical talent and a younger gypsy woman. They discover an old film projector and some movies. As one character says, movies have the ability to take away "life's pains" at least temporarily. You see some clips that you might recognize as early Bollywood successes. There was also what I thought was an American or European silent comedy clip. Indeed you see an outdoor audience laughing and enjoying the entertainment. You also see a change in the hero's outlook.  Two actors that usually play character roles were Satish Kaushik and Tannishtha Chatterjee.

I am as guilty as anyone of stereotyping. When dealing with "weird" outsiders it allows us to comfort ourselves with our superiority and an excuse not to waste time trying to understand things that just aren't worth the effort. I have come to enjoy some of what might be considered Bollywood stereotypes, but appreciate even more that there is a diversity with much of value to anyone willing to make the effort to explore.

WHAT IS A BOLLYWOOD JODI?

In honour of the IIFA awards this evening I would like to offer a new Bollywood item.

A jodi is simply the couple in a romantic movie. For those of us who can get obsessed with Bollywood, a jodi is something we consider in evaluating any movie we have seen or ones we anticipate.

Hollywood over its history has often touted couples as a dynamic component of a movie to hype up your interest. An old one is Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn. Not quite so old might be Doris Day and Rock Hudson. A more modern one might be Brad Pitt and Angela Jolie. The idea of course is that they are such glamorous and sexy people and their chemistry will light up the screen. Many couplings are picked for their individual popularity and budget, but some combinations really do add interest to the movie.

In Bollywood the concept is more intense and fans develop their own favorite jodis. I haven't seen that many Bollywood movies so my thoughts are mostly for the last 15 years or so. In reality there are too many to note in a short blog.

Some of my favorite jodis form around the male star Shah Rukh Khan. In 1995 he made his mark opposite Kajol in "Diwale Duhania le Jayenge" that was one of the most ground breaking movies. They went onto "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" that spanned a longer period of time and showed Shah Rukh as a father for the first time and Kajol transposes herself from a tomboy to someone more glamorous. Still another popular movie where they run off together against his father's wishes was "Kabhi Khushie Kabhie Gham."    More recently "My Name is Khan" saw them together again, this time with Shah Rukh playing someone with Asperger's and a lot of persistence to win the heart of Kajol and then after some historical changes forced to redeem his love.

Earlier in his career Shah Rukh had a jodi with Juhi Chawla which is worth recalling as the two afterwards formed business relations for both movie productions and cricket. Most of their movies together were comedies and they played off each other very well. Ones that I recall were "Yes, Boss"; "One Ka 2 Ka 4" ; and more recently "Boothnath" which was considered a special appearance by Shah Rukh. Juhi made an interesting special appearance at the very end of "Kabhi haan Kabhi Naa" where Shah Rukh had lost the girl, but as the narrator said he didn't get discouraged and Juhi appears magically and you can sense this would be the match meant to be.

Another favorite jodi is Shah Rukh and Rani Mukerji. It is amazing how in movies the jodi can be configured in different ways. In "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", Rani is Shah Rukh's first real love, but her death and letters to her daughter are what spark his pursuit of Kajol.  In "Khabie Khushie Kabhie Gham" she is actually rejected by Shah Rukh in his pursuit again of Kajol, but takes it in good spirits. They come together in" Chalte Chalte" in an poor boy/rich girl mix that is realistic in the sense that they are quarreling even at the end.  Another favorite is "Paheli" where Shah Rukh plays both a cuckolded husband and a ghost who wins Rani's heart.

Again Shah Rukh picks the ladies I like. Preity Zinta. I first saw the pairing with one of my first Bollywood movies," Kal Ho Na Ho."  It turned out to be a love triangle with lots of misunderstandings. Shah Rukh won her heart, but pushed her to another hero, Saif Ali Khan. Ironically in another heavy movie, "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" they start out married while Shah Rukh falls in love with Rani and they start an adulterous affair. In "Veer-Zaara" Shah Rukh spends years in jail to be reunited with Preity in his old age and only due to the efforts of Rani Mukerji playing a lawyer.

One other jodi for Shah Rukh is worth mentioning. Asoka was a big epic historial movie where he paired with Kareena Kapoor. In another movie she played Kajol's younger sister. "Ra One", a movie portraying Shah Rukh as a super hero to come out later this year with Kareena playing the leading lady and they are also filming together in another movie Angoor due in 2012.

Aamir Khan is considered a more serious actor and he broke with tradition in pretty well always actually kissing his jodi partner. He has paired up with Juhi Chawla in a movie that proved a big breakthrough for him," Qayamat Se Qayamet Tak" in 1988. He formed a a strong jodi with Preity Zinta in "Dil Chata Hai."  In one of his biggest pictures, "3 Idiots" he teamed up with Kareena Kapoor to very good effect. One of my favorite pairing was with newcomer (to Bollywood) Asin in "Ghajini."  I am looking forward to her pairing up with Shah Rukh Khan sometime in the next two years.

A younger jodi was Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor. I didn't really appreciate either one of them until "Jab We Met." They were real lovers when this was filmed after having performed together in a few others. It is one of my favorite romantic films, partly because they did have that chemistry. Both are exceptional dancers and the music helped the cause.

Recent news might heighten interest in another jodi--this time an actual husband and wife. Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. Her pregnancy was announced just a short time ago. Their wedding in 2007 apparently was one of the biggest deals in India. She was a former Miss World in 1994 and has been seen in a few American movies and he is the son of a Amitabh and Jaya Bhaduri, reigning Bollywood couple. Abhishek appeared in "Kuch Naa Kaho." they have done "Guru" and "Raavan" and "Sarkar Raj" together.

Perhaps the top Bollywood male dancer is Hrithik Roshan and he has participated in a few winning jodis. One partner was Aishwarya Rai in "Jodhaa Akbar" and lately "Guzzarich."  He also paired with Preity Zinta in Lakshya. I will be looking for another one with this jodi "Koi Mil Gaya."    One of his jodis I didn't like was with Kareena Kapoor, but they have both matured since then.

In closing--this is not a typical jodi, but one of the most spectacular casting of all time and all cultures was Amitabh playing the son of his actual son in a movie called "Paa". He played a 13 year old with progeria. Abitabh won a well deserved award for that. Another pairing, in the same movie more traditional was Abhishek with Vidya Balan, the first time I have seen her (but it won't be the last).

There are lots of other jodis and there certainly lots of attractive popular actors and actresses. Movie goers like to talk about their favorites and speculate which jodi they would be most excited about. How about you? Hollywood, Bollywood or elsewhere?

BOLLYWOOD COMES TO CANADA

If you are one of those Canadians whose only awareness of Bollywood comes when you channel surf you may not realize that Bollywood is coming to Canada in a big way. So what, you say.

As a WASP, my route to Bollywood has been herky jerky, but I realize it is a BIG DEAL (or opportunity for some). First India makes more movies than North America (with a wide range of genres and styles). Second they have spent a lot of money in Canada and the United States and seem to enjoy doing so. Third, it is time to develop some appreciation of what turns on over one fifth of the world's population.

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) has been putting up big awards show since 2000, always outside of India, covering Europe. Asia and South Africa. This is the first year it has been held in North America. One of the reasons has to do with the Toronto International Film Festival which impressed some key decision makers.

June 23rd to 25th is shaping up to be a very big weekend with promotional activities already started. They put on an impressive show with lots of celebrities, and dazzling performances from some top Bollywood stars and local performers, capped by the awards for the best contributions to the Indian films of the past year. They have some interesting awards in addition to the usual sort you expect at the Oscars. For instance they have an award for the top comic actor, the top negative (Villain) performer, playback singers (those who do the actual singing that is synched by the actors on screen) and Dialogue writing.

Before the weekend there are dozens of activities all around Greater Toronto including free films in parks, celebrity events. Some movies will be premiered here in Canada. The big awards event will be at the Rogers Centre and they anticipate a sell out.

Politicians have not been slow to take advantage. In the recent election Steven Harper had some Bollywood stars, such as Akshay Kumar who danced with Laura Harper at some of his rallies. Akshay was one of the torch bearers for the Olympic Games held in Vancouver. Dalton McGuinty has taken part in photo ops including with Preity Zinta (to the right in above photo) and Anil Kapoor to promote the upcoming events.

To make their movies more glamourous Bollywood film many of their movies overseas. Toronto has been a favorite. They don't pretend it is another city--they glory in it being Toronto. One of my favorites Kal Ho Na Ho was set to be filmed in Toronto when the SARS scare occurred and they were forced to switch to New York. Still there is one part of the movie that shows recognizable parts of Toronto very positively. After the scare they looked for more reasons to come back and found them. A recent release "Thank You" is very clear the story takes place in Toronto. In a few weeks Russell Peters will be seen in co-production, called "Breakaway" about a future Indian striving to make the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Some of my favorites include Shah Rukh Khan (pictured left in first photo), Aamir Khan, veteran Abitabh Bachchan on the male side with upcomers Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor. On the female side I love to watch Kajol, Preity Zinta (to the right in above photo), Kareena Kapoor and newcomers Deepika Padukone and Asin. An impressive producer, director and actor, Farhan Aktar still might be considered young. Who are your favorites?--love to know.

Many hate the term Bollywood and I use it mainly to make sure you know what I am talking about (or at least think you do). India is a huge country with diverse cultures, speaking many different languages with English being one of the glues. Bollywood was a combination of Hollywood and Bombay--Bombay is now Mumbai. There is more to Indian movies than Hindi musicals based in Mumbai, but why not let go of your cultural inhibitions and enjoy--billions of others already do.

Here is a link to see what is up before you miss a unique opportunity: www.filmicafe.com/iifa2011.php

Bollywood is certainly one of my favorite topics and I plan to blog about it at least once a month.

First photo is of a favorite Bollywood movie, "Kal Ho Na Ho" the second is the IIFA logo for Toronto.