The Last Emperor

DILIP Kumar has acted in just 60 films but he is arguably the greatest Indian actor of any generation. His method acting skills added a whole new dimension to the craft.

Dilip Kumar's life, like his performances, is equally fascinating.

Sanjit Narwekar's biography of this actor par excellence, is aptly titled, "Dilip Kumar - The Last Emperor." A still of the actor from Mughal-e-Azam adorns the cover of the book. So much for the first impression!

The author knows his subject well for Narwekar has written and lectured on Indian cinema since 1970. He introduces Dilip Kumar through his films. The book is neatly organised on the basis of major milestones in the life of the actor.

Narwekar has beautifully captured the essence of Peshawar in the growing up years of a young Yusuf Khan, all in just six pages.

Born on the 11th of December, 1922 in Peshawar, Yusuf was the third son and fifth child of fruit merchant Sarwar Khan and Ayesha Begum. Theirs was a deeply relious family. The author tells us about the violence in the city during Khan's growing up years. This may have provided the element of authenticity to the intense roles he would go on to play.

A tragedy at home brought the family to Bombay. It was at the Wilson College of the city that his future started taking shape. He became a voracious reader and watched mostly Hollywood films. Football was one sports he excelled in. He was also an extremely shy lad.

Yusuf Khan had to drop out of college owing to a collapse in his father's business, and a sharp decline in the fortunes of the family as an outcome. He worked as an assistant manager with a military contractor in Poona for a while before joining his father in fruit trading.

It was during one of his usual business trips to Nanital that he was introduced to Devika Rani. She was on the look out for a fresh face and Khan impressed her. She gave him a three-year contract and her studio writer gave him a screen name on her suggestion. And thus was born the legend of Dilip Kumar!

The book has numerous interesting stories about the actor, such as the one where he steals cigarattes for his mentor Ashok Kumar, and once how Maulana Azad intervened on his behalf.

From the savage criticism for his role in Jwar Bhata to getting the title of 'Tragedy King' for his performance in Andaz, Narwekar chronologically builds the story of Dilip Kumar - the actor who became a major star. The author also talks about the sensitive issue of some people questioning Yusuf Khan's patriotism and the controversy over his acceptance of Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest civilian award. He briefly touches on the actor's social and charitable work. The author could have shed more light on this.

The Last Emperor is a sincere effort and Narwekar has done justice to the story. Although it looks more of a homage to Dilip Kumar but then his life and his films are nothing short of awe-inspiring.

My Name is Khan and I Love the World

THE US president sharing the stage with an ordinary physically challenged Indian Muslim is a defining moment in the history of Indian cinema.

For the first time an Indian film director has attempted a film of this magnitude. Karan Johar's Khan is a coming of age film in more than one ways. The movie reflects the growing stature of Indian cinema and stars like Shahrukh Khan. It talks about the global minority issue with a sincerity never seen before. And it lays the foundation for all future meaningful yet commercial cinema in India.

'My Name Is Khan' is the story of Rizwan Khan, an autistic man. He falls in love with Mandira, a hairdresser by profession and a Hindu by religion. They get married and Khan adopts Mandira's son Sameer from a previous marriage. Picture perfect!

Things change with 9/11. Something terrible happens in the Khan's household and his world falls apart. Always the one to take things on their face value, Khan sets on a journey to meet the President of the United States to sort out a domestic affair.

The journey of Khan is the soul of the movie. The world through his eyes melts your heart and moisten your eyes.

The Afro-American discrimination captured in the backdrop of hurricane Katrina was a brave new attempt. Also, for once, the depiction of Muslims was close to reality.

Karan Johar, the director, surprises you with his handling of such a sensitive subject. The production value, too, is top-notch. His earlier work pales in comparison with this big canvas effort.

Shibani Bathija's screenplay is one of the strengths of the movie. She also pens down the dialogues, which serves well in crucial scenes.

Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is a let down, though Noor-e-Khuda stands out. The impressive background score on the other hand, by the same team, makes it up for them.

What can one say about the lead pair! Shahrukh and Kajol would go down in history as one of the greats on-screen pairs of Hindi cinema. They share some amazing chemistry and it shows in every frame. It's no mean feat considering their first film was released in 1993.

Kajol has come up with another intense performance, something typical of her. But I do feel she overdid some emotional scenes.

For Shahrukh MNIK would serve as a milestone, more so for the challenges the character of Rizwan Khan offers. He plays the role of the autistic man to the hilt. This in itself is a considerable task when you think of Shahrukh with all his movie mannerism. The movie revolves around his character and he makes the most of this opportunity. Just when you thought 'Chak De' was his peak, he comes up with this brilliant act!

It was good to see Zarina Wahab sparkle in the brief role of Rizwan's mother. Yuvaan Makaar as Sameer was lovable. Tanay Chheda as the young Rizwan matched the senior Khan. Jimmy Shergill as Rizwan's brother puts up a sincere performance but it was his wife in the movie, played by Sonya Jehan, who was the real surprise. The lady from the Titanic Taj Mahal (pun intended) brought grace to her character. Jennifer Echols as Mama Jenny was likeable too.

Controversy or no controversy, Khan is great cinema.

Bharat Ratna for Dilip Kumar

AFTER recently watching Sanghursh I could not but admire Dilip Kumar's acting abilities. More so as the film boasts two other acting greats - Balraaj Sahni and Sanjeev Kumar.

For someone who has grown up watching Amitabh Bachchan's films Dilip Kumar was a star from an older generation. I still remember the fights we had in the family over who was better - Amitabh Bachchan or Dilip Kumar. My father's generation used to dote on Yusuf saheb and we on Mr Bachchan.

During my school days I bought Amitabh Bachchan's biography. It mentioned Dilip Kumar as his favourite actor and my long standing bias towards Yusuf saheb lessened. I started watching his films.

Gradually I realised that Dilip Kumar was more than an actor - he was an institution! His methodical approach to acting made the craft look different.

The language his character speaks fluently in 'Ganga Jamuna' (a local dialect from the rural north of India) was something of a first in a mainstream Hindi movie. 'Ram Aur Shyam' can rightly be called the mother, or rather the father, of all twins-separated-at-birth Hindi films.

Dilip Kumar shared screen space with almost all the greats of Indian cinema and somehow always stood out. Perhaps the biggest testimony to his acting skills is the fact that he won his first Filfare Best Actor Award in 1954 (the same year it was incorporated) for 'Daag' and his last Filmfare Best Actor nomination for 'Saudagar' in 1992. During the years in between he managed to win 8 Filmfare Best Actor trophies, a record he still holds.

Dilip Kumar was always a big star but the actor in him was even bigger. Today Dilip Kumar is a role model for all those who dream of a acting career in Mumbai.

Apart from movies Yusuf saheb did his bit for the upliftment of Urdu language. His own chaste urdu leaves one wanting for more. He has been working tirelessly all his life towards the betterment of Indo-Pak relations. He is also known for his charity work.

Honouring such rare individuals is natural. Dilip Kumar has touched enough lives in India and abroad with his work to deserve India's highest honour. He is already a jewel of India, only the citation has to come from the Government of India.

Awards & Honours

* National Lifetime Achievement Award (2006)
* Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award (B.F.J.A. Awards, 2005)
* Nishan-e-Pakistan (1997)
* NTR National Award (1997)
* Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1994)
* Fimfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1994)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Shakti, 1983)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Ram Aur Shayam, 1968)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Leader, 1965)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Kohinoor, 1961)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Naya Daur, 1958)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Devdas, 1957)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Azaad, 1956)
* Filmfare Best Actor (Daag, 1954)

Join in the facebook campaign to honour Dilip Kumar with Bharat Ratna: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128792135718&ref=mf

Jaane Tu... and the New Khan on the Block

So after much efforts I did manage to see Amir Khan productions' much awaited 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na'. I expected it to be a good film and sure it was. One of the main reason for its success is the talented scriptwriter Abbas Tyrewala who both wrote and directed the movie. It could have been the usual affair had it not been the the script and some fine performances.

The movie looks fresh with some new faces. I liked the idea of the flash backs as part of a long friendly chat. Nothing goes overboard in the movie, not even the characters with gray shades. In fact Ayaz Khan as Sushant Modi (Genelia's fiance in the movie) looks cool and does an impressive act. So does Genelia Dsouza as Aditi. Although I wonder if she is really a star material. Naseeruddin Shah shows his class even though he was limited to a picture frame. The chemistry between the main characters strikes you. Ratna Pathak as Imran's mother is in familiar territory. It's a pity that Bollywood could never tap her acting potential as much as the television did.

Music by Rehman gives that extra pep. I loved the Rashid Ali rendered "Kabhi Kabhi Aditi" and "Kahin to Hogi woh duniya." Like most Rehman songs these two also grow on you gradually. The musician has a knack for discovering young talent. First Naresh Iyer, brought through Channel V's 'Super Singer' reality show, mesmerised the nation with his "Roobaroo", and now Rashid Ali. Watch out for this kid!

And finally the new Khan! Imran Khan has surely arrived. There's a certain vulnerability about him which adds to his character in the movie. He gives an effortless yet strong performance, which reminds me of his illustrious uncle in QSQT. His expressive eyes communicates a lot more. Imran Khan may not raise the noise levels in theatres like what a Shahrukh or Salman Khan did more than a decade back, but, he has made his mark on Bollywood.

The only weak link was the climax and the character of Aditi's brother, played rather well by Smita Patil's son Prateik Babbar. I felt he could have been given some more screen space instead of the cameos by Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan.

Overall a nice fun movie which is fortunately not your run-of-the-mill kind of college romance. Go for it just for old times sake!

Not the Amitabh Bachchan I Admire

I heard a wise man saying,"The dogs keep barking but the elephant just walks away." Of late Mr Bachchan seems to have completely gone over-board with his replies to every Tom, Dick and Harry.

There was a time when silence was golden for both Mr Bachchan and his ardent fans. And it was his performance on screen which silenced his detractors. That Amitabh seems to have been eclipsed by a new age (MTV friendly) version of the superstar. The often demi-god status that Mr Bachchan enjoys is not just because of his films but his behaviour off-screen as well. As he lay fighting for his life during that terrible accident on the sets of coolie, the whole of India was praying for a man they both loved and admired. I was certainly one of those!

The equations changed for a while during his brief but controversial stint in politics on a friend's (Rajiv Gandhi) request. It was Congress then. He had to work hard to win back the trust of both his voters and some of his loyal fans. Amitabh publicily declared not to try his luck in politics again.

Unfortunately, he's doing it all over again. Jaya Bachchan has joined Samajwadi Party, he himself promotes the party indirectly in various poll campaigns, his son got an award from the SP led UP government, and his dauther opened an school in UP on a land purchased during SP's tenure. But the thing that most bothers me is his new found urge to reply each and everybody, as if promoting 'hajmola' (an Ayurvedic digestive medicine from Hamdard) wasn't enough!

Needless to say I'm pretty disappointed with his current showing. Amitabh Bachchab doesn't need a blog to reply to criticism now. He has nothing to prove after spending 40 glorius years in the industry. Perhaps Mr Bachchan should take a lesson or two on ageing gracefully from Yusuf Saheb!

The Talented New Bollywood Directors

I watched two entirely different but equally good Hindi movies last month. The first one, 'Deadline - 24 Ghante' has two very talented actors in Irfaan Khan and Konkana Sen Sharma. The movie didn't make any news but it's one of the better ones that came out recently. I never heard of the director Tariq Ali before this movie but he did a wonderful job. The plot was good and suspense builds up gradually. You will be glued to your seat till the end. As for the actors, the entire cast stood out in their roles.

The second one, 'Jab We Met' was much hyped even before it was released. And it doesn't disappoint! I had high expectations from Imtiaz Ali (director of the movie) after watching his earlier films. He did deliver with this one as well. The plot is nothing new but the treatment made the difference. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable movie. Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Ali share an amazing chemistry on-screen and it shows in every scene. As for Kareena, she is the heart and soul of the movie. She didn't go over the top, which actors normally do in such sort of roles and that was commendable. She was absolutely brilliant in her 'Punjabi kudi avatar.' To me this was her best performance till date.

Saawariya versus 'Om Shanti Om'

Watched the two big Hindi movies of the year this weekend, back to back. We couldn't get the tickets for OSO so had to watch Saawariya. In fact, my wife was pretty keen on Saawariya.

I was pretty disappointed with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. If lavish, eye soothing sets is what cinema is all about then it's a great movie. Unfortunately, that's not true. The movie is a fairytale without a soul. Among the cast the only weak link is Sonam Kapoor. If Bhansali couldn't make her act nobody could. Ranbir Kapoor is charming and has put in a lot of effort to make his character look real. Bhansali tried a desi adaptation of 'Moulin Rouge' but couldn't translate it on screen.

The very next day I saw OSM, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It's 3 hours of pure entertainment. Deepika Padukone is the girl to watch out for. She looked completely at ease with her characters in the movie. And to top it, she looked quite pretty! But, the real surprise of the movie is Arjun Rampal. Farah Khan couldn't have given a better tribute to the villian of the 70s. Rampal looks an icy cool villian. As for Shahrukh, he can sleep walk through such roles.

A word of caution for Farah Khan, she needs to bring in a little more substance to her movies.

Chak De - The Spirit of Nationalism!

Well 'Chak De' was one film I waited anxiously for. And trust me the film delivers in all the departments. The movie takes off from where 'Rang De Basanti' left. This time it's not about killing somebody to help your country, it's about reviving a dying sport (so called national game) to make you and your country proud. And what better team than a bunch of 16 ill mannered and raw women from all corners of India.

The best part of this movie is the director Shimit Amin's control on the narrative. Right from the opening shot to the credit titles, the focus is on the game of hockey. The characters are neatly fitted in the bigger picture. Probably this is something which makes this movie a first in Bollywood. The camera work is one of the best that I've seen in Indian films. There is a sense of reality when the focus shifts on the playing ground. You actually feel a part of the stadium rather than the theatre.

Having said it all, the actors needs to be applauded equally well. Almost every single character in the movie stands out. I was particularly impressed by the girls who played Bindiya Naik and Komal Chautala. As for the main protogonist of the movie, Kabir Khan, Shahrukh should be proud of him. This is easily Khan's finest performance. A no-nonsense film like this once again bring to fore the theatre artist in him.

For me it was a thoroughly enjoyable two and a half hours of pure entertainment. It brought fond memories of my own father's passion for the game as we sat together to watch a game of hockey, we still do whenever we get a chance.

As I left the theatre, I wondered, who was better Kabir Khan the coach or Shahrukh Khan the actor!

As for hockey, it's not dead yet.