Rock On!!!

Just back, from what for me, is definitely the "Movie of the Year'. I went with high expectations and the movie did not disappoint!

This movie really blew me away with its abundance of TALENT. The script and dialogue - fantastic, the acting - sensitive and controlled, the music - SUPERLATIVE, the editing taut, the direction - apt. A beautifully made movie to be savoured like a fine vintage! The last time I lost it like this over a movie was way back for Dil Chahta Hai - unsurprisingly, Farhan Akhtar's debut as a director! And here he is again - this time with his acting and singing debut - brilliant! Kudos to this young Powerhouse of Talent.

Yet for me the sensitive, angst-ridden Joe, portrayed by Arjun Rampal (looking HOT,HOT, HOT!!) in the performance of a lifetime, is the piece-de-resistance! He becomes Joe Mascarenhas - guitarist par excellence, dreamy, principled, protective and conflicted. Shahana Goswami as Debbie his wife, is the perfect foil to his down-and-out Joe. She's a no-nonsense kind of gal, who's sacrificed her dreams to work in the family fish business, put food on the table and pay the bills, struggling to keep her family afloat. In one of my favourite scenes (there are too many to count!) she's complaining to Joe, "I can never get rid of this damn fish smell from my hands!" Another is when she goes to meet Farhan's character Aditya, to tell him to stop 'spinning-castles-in-the-air' for Joe, 'cause what they need, is for him to have a steady job not unrealistic expectations. "The shards of those broken promises, will affect my life," she says, "my life and my son's, not yours. Please, let him go Aditya." Great scene, great dialogue, great acting!

Luke Kenny and Purab Kohli shine as 'Rob' the keyboard player and 'KD', short for 'Killer Drummer' :) Prachi Desai, whom I previously knew, only as the ever-suffering 'Bani' in the TV serial 'Kasam Se', shows she can indeed act and redeems herself as Sakshi Shroff, Aditya's wife and the catalyst serving to reunite the band, for one last Hurrah. I love the scene where she rather hesistangly, haltingly croons 'Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Ye', while husband Aditya watches, silently supporting her, eyes brimming with pride and love - very sweetly done!

The band is 'Magik', as its members say because, "We're all in it together!" I agree, it's all of them, together, creating movie-magic! This movie renews my faith in 'Bollywood', perhaps all is not lost after all and hope exists while such talent does. It's a good feeling :)

3 Cheers for 'Magik', 3 Cheers for 'Rock On', Hip Hip Hurray!!!

Happy Days...

Sorry this is not about the show - though I worshipped the Fonz - still do!!

Lately my days have been kind of a blur, happily busy with work and friends, until I realized that September is half gone! We're scrambling to get work ready for the Frankfurt Book Fair while not passing up on any opportunities to live it up, which leaves me very little time to blog ;)

Have spent several long days staring at computer screens, editing, trying to find the right words, thoughts, punctuation marks and others, having long relaxed lunches in the company of old friends - alcohol a must of course - wine, mohitos, margaritas - as a friend of mine likes to say - Jolly!!

Yesterday was particularly wonderful - a dear friend's birthday, nine women, stiff margaritas mixed by moi, delicious Mexican food and interestingly diverse conversation - all making for one long, potent celebration of the best kind!! Haven't had as much fun in a long while :)

As an Indian living outside India, removed from family with a manically travelling spouse - my girlfriends are my sanity, my lifeline, my raison d'etre! Life without them is unimaginable! We share laughs, cribs, books, jewellery and clothes! We give freely of ourselves - our homes, food, advice and ideas. Solutions to problems, shoulders to cry on and an extra pair of helping hands - we are all this and more.

A big Thank-you to all my Friends, for enriching my life, renewing my spirit and bringing me happy days!

I dedicate to all the Phenomenal Women who grace my life,one of my favourite poems, by Maya Angelou aptly titled 'Phenomenal Woman'...'cause that's what you are and that's how you will forever stay in my heart!

PHENOMENAL WOMAN

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care.
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

- by Maya Angelou

Girl Power!

Yesterday I attended Avril Lavigne's concert, here in Singapore, a part of the Asian leg of her 'The Best Damn Tour' and boy was it a Revelation!

I am not a major concert-goer. I've been to a couple (Santana and Elton John) courtesy a dear friend, and had a blast, but its not something I do by habit. Santana and Elton John are two all-time favourites and I know their music well. Avril Lavigne on the other hand is not someone I have followed at all, except for the occasional 'Girlfriend'. I knew she was a young teen Phenom and yesterday I got to see just why!!

The venue was full of young girls mostly between ages 9-12 (we ourselves had two aged 9 & 11) dressed in what I'm assuming are the latest teen fashions! Tights with mini-skirts, denim jackets, flip-flops, dark nail polish and pink hair-streaks! They all looked adorable! Many had Avril T-shirts over their outfits and almost all had pink and black flags to wave during the performance, as did we! None of these came cheap, but that didn't seem to matter!

The performance started an hour late and the children waited somewhat patient but fidgety, letting of steam through repeated collective chants of "Avril, Avril, Avril!" She came on at last at 9 pm and I was immediately deafened by the collective roar from thousands of screaming fans!! She launched into 'Girlfriend' and there was no looking back! My friend and I might possibly have been the only two people left sitting in our seats! Everyone else was on their feet - screaming, dancing and singing along.

Right in front of us, was a young girl (she couldn't have been more than 9 yrs old) in denim capris, an over sized black Avril tee and silver guitar earrings. She was obviously a huge fan and knew every word of every song that Avril sang, singing along with her, as did every other girl there including our two! It was amazing to see them sing lyrics, which they were still too young to fully understand and touching to see their devotion to their Idol :-)

Avril didn't disappoint! She was utterly charming, extremely pretty and wonderfully talented! I loved 'When You're Gone', 'Complicated' and 'Happy Ending'. For a moment the little girl's father and I made eye contact as we watched his daughter's joyful celebration in shared amazement and exchanged a knowing smile. In that moment I understood how she felt and I was right there with her!

'Go Avril!'