Oprah Winfrey: An Idiot Abroad!

Hands Off!

Dear Oprah Didi,

Before I start to tell you how stupid you are, I just want to ask you one quick question: Tere kya dimaag karaab ho gaya hai? Are you nuts? In a way I can understand. You’re from America, na? You lot are so ignorant. You eat sandwiches with a fork and knife. Poor us, we’re still living in the 17th century, you see. We still eat with our hands. No, no, it has nothing to do with traditions <insert sarcasm here>.

Let me educate you, cause it seems like you need it, Didi. You see we eat with our hands because we are not ashamed to sit and enjoy our food. As children, we are taught of the simplicities of life. Eating with our hands is one way in which we are able to fully engage in using all our senses while we indulge in our daily meals. So yes, Oprah Didi, we STILL use our hands to eat and you know what? We’ll probably do it forever. I’m more curious to know how you eat your fried chicken, pizzas and burgers. It’s rather sad that you associate how we eat with our progression as a country. Shame, Didi, shame.

I refuse to sit here and talk about how stupidly you depicted yourself and the western world via your show. We’re already used to the stereotypes that the west associates with India – we have cows everywhere, we’re poor, all of India is a slum, blah blah. But if you, a person who claims to be open-minded, unbiased, well-educated philanthropist, can make such immature comments, then really, I have no hope for the rest of the western world. By making such an ignorant and tacky statement, you’ve insulted India as a nation and as a culture too.

Your insensitive remarks on how a home in a slum begins before it ends made me yawn. Really? You think we’d be offended by that? Spare us. We know you westerners think India made up of nonstop slums and poverty. But let me tell you this. The family you visited in a tiny hole they call their home, is probably 20 times happier than you’ll ever be in your multimillion dollar mansion. In India, we don’t denote happiness and love with the size of our homes; we correlate our joys with our family unit.

But what really surprises me is that you, an African-American, who knows what exactly what it feels like to be a victim of racial profiling and stereotypes, has actually made such disgusting statements. Maybe we expected you to be more sensitive of our culture but you failed and how. So from now on, whenever African-Americans are projected in the wrong light, i.e. they’re all drug addicts, etc, I too am going to shrug my shoulders and pull an Oprah Winfrey: “Aren’t all African-Americans drug addicts…STILL?”

Just some FYI: we STILL eat with our hands, we STILL engage in arranged marriages, we STILL live in joint families and among many other things, cows STILL roam our streets. But you know what? We like it that way. In fact, we love it that way.

Also, by mingling with Bollywood stars and wearing designer saris, you don’t get even a slight inkling of experiencing the real India. Uhh and also, Ash and Abhi probably also STILL eat with their hands.

Peace out,
A-Desi-Girl-Who-STILL-Eats-With-Her-Hands

Baby Bachchan On Board!

Bollywood is abuzz with Aishwarya's pregnancy announcement. Some are ecstatic to see Bachchan Baby while others are already poking fun at Abhishek's "hit" and are hoping Ash will call it quits as an actress. I think I sit on the fence with this one. As much as I detest them as a couple, what khunaas to have with a bachcha? I am currently in wannabe-mama mode so I'm a ball of mush when it comes to babies. But yes, I am rather surprised that Abhishek finally "hit it" especially since he can barely do anything successfully in his life. And as for Ash, well I hope she does decide to throw in the towel as an actress (if you consider her one) and retire to be a mommy/homemaker/housewife/wife-to-wannabe-superstar.

To be honest, I'm rather concerned for Baby Bachchan. It is quite nerve-wrecking if you think about it. Baby Bachchan will be grandchild to superstar Amitabh Bachchan and acclaimed actress Jaya Bachchan and child to Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Before the child is even born, the expectations are sky rocking high. Not only will the child be envisioned to an acting superstar, courtesy of its heritage, from the minute it enters the world but is also predicted to be super beautiful courtesy of Mommy's genes. Sadly, Abhishek doesn't have much to contribute to his child. Okay that's not fair; a good head of hair is what Bachchan Junior can "give" his baby. That's not such a bad thing, eh?

What does a Baby B mean to the Bachchan khandan? Basically, a new generation of potential actor(s) is about to embark on Bollywood. Of course, you're talking another 20 or so years before we see them on the big screen - if they decide, that is, to get involved in the cine-blitz hoopla; which I believe they most likely will because it will be presented to them in a sone ki thaali and all that jazz. But via this baby, the legacy could potentially continue. Should they be worried though? Well, considering Abhishek's career is a dud while Ashs' is based on sheer beauty, that does make it rather iffy, no? One does hope however, that the baby doesn't inherit the plastic gene from Ash or the wannabe gene from Abhishek. We'll take a fully bred Bachchan baby versus a half bred, abundant in talent.

But all that will happen in nine months from now; until then here's wishing Abhishek and Ash a bubbly bouncy blooming Baby B!

100 Word Review: Dum Maaro Dum

Rohan Sippy is back again with yet another twisted film…which makes no real sense. Set in Goa, Dum Maaro Dum tells a story about love and deceit, ambition and money, drugs and sex. A desperate U.S. bound student, a corrupt cop, an ambitious air stewardess all get involved in a drug scam. DMD attempts to create a sense of mystery but only makes you yawn. Besides young Prateik Babbar, the rest of the cast, Bachchan Jr. included do an average job. But this is only because the script is so lackluster and confusing. Only reason to watch? Deepika’s item song.

Why India Could Never Have a Royal Wedding

And with that, they were married. Yes, the Royal Wedding of the century officially ended. Sigh. If you did manage to take a peek, you probably couldn't help but shed a tear at the regality and royalty that the wedding exhibited. Both Prince William (now Duke of Cambridge) and his new bride, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, looked, behaved and put on quite a majestic show. He was all smiles when he saw his blushing bride, calling her “beautiful” as she lifted her veil – very Bollywood, if I may say so, ghoonghat utka ke and all that jazz. As for her, wow, she really looked like a princess. But what worked the most for me was their youthfulness. They are not your traditional prince and commoner-turned-princess. Hardly. They dated eight years, co-habitated and then, finally, after she had been exposed to what could be her life, amidst the media and paparazzi, the Prince decided she was indeed, the one. We wanted a complete British imperial noble display, and we got it penny for penny. What was lacking? Lady Diana. Her presence was sorely missed. She would have been so proud to see her eldest son take a wife. You can be sure amidst all the "properness", Lady Di would have hugged her son and new daughter-in-law, a sight we, the audiences didn’t see once the nuptials were over. But somehow, you could feel her spirit was all around; abundant blessings for her son. And the Sun God too decided to shower his blessings on the couple – it actually made an appearance in April!

All this talk about shaadi made me wonder if we, in India, could pull off such a wedding? Amongst all the pomp and glory, there were a number of factors that really made the William-Kate perfect. Could India do the same? Here’s what they’d need to face.

The Big Ben Factor

I don’t care what anyone says about the British and their stern ways but they are one hell of an organized society. Every minute detail was taken care of at the wedding; especially the program and timing. The ceremony was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. sharp. And it did. The Princes arrived followed by Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla who were scheduled to leave at 10:38 a.m. Guess what? Their cars rolled out of their driveway at precisely that time. Not even a millisecond late.

This would not work at all in India. It would literally be impossible for any couple (royal or celebrity) to arrive at their mandap promptly. No chance. If it isn’t the security or the traffic, it’s just not in our bleedin’ blood! You cannot expect the bride to be on time – even if she is ready on time, she’ll find a reason to come late. And while we may look at it as being fashionably late, you have to admit that a delay of more than 10 minutes is hardly chic; it’s tacky and impolite. And while we do it, the British frown upon latecomers. Tut-tut.

The Organization

The entire ceremony, the schedule, the service; all of it was perfect. There was no error; not a single mistake. Even the bride, who portrayed herself with complete dignity and poise, failed to falter at any point. From the minute the celebration began to the end, and even the surprise convertible ride the couple indulged in, it was all pomp and glory with no blunders.

Unfortunately in India, that really isn’t possible. There would be bloopers, faux pas’ and major lapses. We can barely get through a decent ceremony without some disorganization; a wedding of this magnitude would be terribly hard to organize, logistic-wise at least.

The Guests

There were 1,900 guests at Westminster Abbey. Most of them included some of the crème de la crème and most elite from British society, major politicians and international country officials. But the biggies were missing in action – sorry Madonna and Obama; you didn’t quite make the cut. Reason? The palace and local police were having enough of a security nightmare as they ensured the Royal Family was safe, the crowds weren’t going crazy and ensuring that mayhem didn’t break loose. Can you imagine if they had to deal with Obama attending the shabbang? Yeah, carnage! So instead, they decided, sorry Yankee President, you can stay right where you are. Not only that, but the guests weren’t given any formal seating. They were told to a group after which, it was up to them to choose their seats. None of this diplomatic seating plan jhanjat.

In India, this would be the biggest issue. Politicians and celebs always take center stage at all weddings. This means if any conflict are currently brewing issues in the political or starry world, it would be a nightmare trying to organize seating. After all, can’t have Shah Rukh Khan sitting by Salman Khan. And you can’t not invite them. That would be wrong, no? The media always follows where the stars are after all and so, they need to attend. Oh the spectacle!

The Outfits

What was the biggest kept secret of the William-Kate wedding? Her dress. We had no clue who the designer was, what the style was and how she was going to wear it. And when she finally revealed her stunning Sarah Burton lace number, we were gob smacked – at least I was. Every aspect of her presentation was kept a secret including her tiara.

What would be the biggest problem for any Indian royal (or celeb) bride? They could never keep the dish on their trousseau a secret. First of all, the designer wouldn’t be able to contain their excitement and if they magically did manage to, someone from their camp would reveal the details which would ultimately completely ruin the mystery of it all. In India, nothing can be kept a classified. True fact.

The Drama

There was zero nonsense leading up to the Royal Wedding. No ex-girlfriends or ex-boyfriends coming out with unknown details, no friends wanting attention, no secret lovers or illegitimate children for the bride or groom. It was simple and noble.

Cut to India. Remember when Abhishek Bachchan was about to tie the knot with Aishwarya Rai and how some random “commoner” (that’s what the British called people who are not blue blooded, i.e. from a royal background) came out to claim that she was Bachchan’s lover? Yes, that is the kind of hoopla we get in India. Everyone wants to get in on the hype. And the extent to which they are willing to stoop is rather sad.

Footnote: Apaprently, Abhi-Ash are the closest it comes to royalty in India - oh dear!

On the flip side, Check out Varun Gandhi's small Benares shinding; small, sweet and simple.

Listen I’m all about the Band’s, the Baaja’s and the Baaraat’s, and I love it Desi style too. The 3 to 4 days of nonstop dancing, banquets of food and the functions make it worthwhile. But there was something magical about watching William and Catherine walk down the aisle, ride their 1902 carriage and eventually kiss on the balcony. Yes, yes, it was regal (how many more times will I use that word?) but it also, quite simply put, lovely. Sadly, we don’t have too much royalty left in India, and the few royal families that are around, choose to have rather quiet intimate weddings. So we’ll have to make do with watching celebrities, politicians (kith and kin) and cricketers who are the equivalent to royalty in our country, do their thing when they jump into matrimony. But that’s how we like our shaadis; fun and frantic, crazy and chaotic. #ithappensonlyinIndia

100 Word Review: Game

A hoj-poj plot with no head or tail from Excel Production, Game is Abhinay Deo’s debut which fails to impress. Supposedly the film is a murder whodunit which has a plot; however I failed to find it. Set in Turkey, Game is unable to really capture audiences because it makes zero sense. The star cast, Abhishek Bachchan, Kangna Ranaut, Jimmy Shergill, Boman Irani, Shahana Goswami and even Anupam Kher could not save this insane film. Rather dark and complicated, Game is a film which doesn’t fit the Excel Production realm of films which makes you question future Excel films too.

The-Piss-Roshni-Off-Club

You’ve probably figured out by now that I am incapable of speaking diplomatically. And what irks me more than anything in the world are people or rather celebs that are useless but walk around like they are successful for whatever reason. But then again, it is these very personalities that drive me to write and rant more and more. There are a number of these so-called celebs who never fail to piss me off. And today I dedicate an entire write up to them; for their ability to be nothing and yet have the audacity to name call themselves celebrities. Oh whatever.

When it comes to Karan Johar, my blood boils. I cannot fathom how it is that Karan Johar is a) still around, and b) actually has the finances to fund films that are trashy and plain stupid. And it isn’t like he isn’t capable of good work. As a director, he has given us one good film: Kuch Kuch Hota Hain. And then, he went into “I am awesome!” mode after which he has failed nonstop. Yes, we have been treated to a number of Johar directed useless films. You know what Karan Johar does best? Suck up to the stars. So basically, he would best as an ass-kisser, if that was a real-job at all. I think somewhere down the line he realized that he had to utilize his ass-kissing skills would come in handy IF he made proper use of it. And thus, out came the legendary Koffee with Karan. Now, I have seen every episode. However in my defense, I only watched KWK because it gave me more reason to poke fun at K-Jo. And now of course, the director has supposedly fallen into depression courtesy of his “protégés” (read: wannabes). Yes, believing in his new band of boys, the KJo donned the producer hat only and took on their scripts giving them the chance of a life. And what happened next was a series of bad flop films. It is for this apparent reason that Karan Johar has decided to take a small sabbatical from film making and is apparently scripting. God save us. What on earth will he give us next. Oh and he also has some issue with the media now. Yes, something about them being mean to him and so on. Uh do you blame them? Note to K Jo: Quit making and investing in bad films; the media will begin loving you.

And then there is the International Star: Frieda Pinto. Right. So basically this girl goes from no one to someone overnight courtesy of a terrible film where she had no role. Before she knew it, she was adorned with fans, international film offers, a new boyfriend, designer clothes and is plastered on the cover of a number of fashion magazines. All that doesn’t bother me. What irritates the crap out of me is how Pinto has all of a sudden become a “oh I’m not appreciated in India” character. Her comments never fail to make me super mad. First it was her claim that the paparazzi doesn’t exist in India. Uh, lady, perhaps you should ask big Bollywood stars how they are literally stalked by the media on a daily basis. Baat karti hain! And then her incredible naive comment about how she has not been “appreciated” or “accepted” in India. Uh duh! You ain’t worth it Frieda. Not only do you lack talent but a brain too apparently.

For the most part, I don’t mind Himesh Reshammiya, but when he goes crazy on reality shows and comes on screen, then yes, I cringe and hit my head with irritation. I would be fine if he continued to sing in his nasal voice and make repetitive music with cheesy lyrics. At least I would have a choice in the matter. But when he is on my favorite reality singing show or his movie is on the verge of release, it is impossible to get rid of him. He is always around. Definitely not fun. And what’s up with his attitude?

And while I’m on it, the following also irritate me on occasion of different reasons:

Mallika Sherawat: Her wannabe accent and Hollywood-is-for-me-not-Bollywood diva attitude is so lame.

Abhishek Bachchan: His put-on American accent is so boring.

Sonam Kapoor: For constantly claiming that she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Dude, you are a bad actress irrespective.

Just writing about all these people has literally pissed me off. To all of them I say, a big fat WHATEVER.

Koffee with Karan: Teaser and Details!

While Koffee with Karan, in my opinion, is just a number of stars sucking up to Karan Johar and vice versa, it doesn't fail to entertain. And despite the fact that it is not my favorite chat show (On the Couch with Koel, zindabad!), I will be catching every episode of season 3 because of the incredible jodi's that will join KJo on his couch for a cuppa joe. The episodes couples will include a directors special featuring Raj Kumar Hirani, Imtiaz Ali and Farah Khan while a separate episode will finally bring together the Devgns: Ajay and Kajol. Of course, Shah Rukh Khan will be seen with Gauri but in addition, Aamir will feature with his wifey Kiran Rao all in time for Dhobi Ghat. Then we will have a heartthrob episode which will bring buddies, Imran Khan and Ranbir Kapoor - hubba hubba! And then, rivals-now-friends Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor will grace the couch. Of course, Karan has gone on to say that the boys are not rivals, and if they are, they are the "coolest rivals" he's ever seen. Touche. As for the girls, they were apparently super "relaxed" with one another. But first up, Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The couple apparently talk all things about their marriage and their grand wedding. Check out the teaser below!

YouTube Video Resizer

GQ Awards 2010!!

So John Travolta is on a month long holiday in India and was also at the recently held GQ Man of the Year Awards this year. He presented the Icon of the Year award to Aamir Khan and himself was the recipient of the Legend of the Year award which he was presented by none other than Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Apparently, the Hollywood star was seated next to the Bachchans simply because he insisted that a) he get the opportunity to bond with Ash and b) was given the award by the ex-Miss World. So much did he like Ash that he is said to be "bowled over by her". *giggle giggle in Ash style*

Coming back to the GQ Awards, check out some of the other winners:

Most Stylish Man award – Arjun Rampal
Excellence award – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Lifetime Achievement award – Naseeruddin Shah
Producer of the year – Karan Johar
Woman of the year – Priyanka Chopra
Actor of the year (presented by Chivas) – Ranbir Kapoor
Cinematic icon award – Aamir Khan

Surprisingly, Aamir turned up to the event that was hosted by the uber cute Rahul Khanna. Check out some pics!! The boys definitely looked hot!! The ladies...meh!

KBC: Who You'll See!

Kaun Banega Crorepati is all set to hit your television screens and already Amitabh Bachchan is getting ready to entertain many of his co-stars and fraternity members on the game show. Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham have already shot with Big B and if all goes well, you will also see the likes of Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and even ex-host Shah Rukh Khan on the hot seat. Of course the stars play for charity and in this case, they are entitled to choose the charity they donate their winnings to.

In the past, the likes of Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor have all sat in the hot seat and managed to bag much moolah for their own respective charities. Of course, this was when SRK played host. With Big B back in the host seat, the actors who will sit across him will be those the actor shares a comfortable relationship with. You can pretty much forget a bunch of the above mentioned stars in that case!

The Next 6 Months in Bollywood...

We are half way into the year and Lord knows where has gone. And yes, lots has happened in Bollywood. Rajneeti has been declared hit of the year; Udaan has received critical acclaim and how; Tere Bin Laden has been deemed sleeper hit of the year and I actually enjoyed an Akshay Kumar film. Yes, I thought Khatta Meetha was pretty entertaining. Don't tell anyone I said that though. Okay so what's coming up for the next six months? Check it out!

Aisha: Yes, Sonam Kapoor's slated next week film is all ready to rock n roll. But which will it do? Rock or make you roll out of the cinema?

Peepli [Live]: Super excited for this Aamir Khan Production satire film based on farmers. And you know its good when A.K. agrees to produce it!

Lafangey Parindey: Missing Neil Nitin Mukesh? No? Maybe Deepika Padukone? How about them together. She plays a blind girl and he, a goon.

Dabbang: Oh Salman Khan in an action film gives me butterflies! Exciting and fun. Can't wait for the dishooms and the dshkyun's!

We Are Family: I'm not sure about this one. But if you're a fan of any of the following: Arjun Rampal, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor or Karan Johar, then this is your flick.

Rakta Charitra: Ram Gopal Verma and Vivek Oberoi. Need I say more?

Anjaana Anjaani: As much as I adore Ranbir Kapoor, I worry about him in Dharma films. Oh yeah, he pairs up with Priyanka Chopra for the first time in this one.

Action Replay: Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan go back and forth in time with this one. Not sure what to say except, eeks!

Golmaal 3: Fun fun fun! Yes, the boys and Kareena Kapoor are back to entertain you yet again! woohoo!

No Problem: Well the star cast is certainly makes you wonder if director Aneesh Bazmee did have any problems: Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Kangna Ranaut, Neetu Chandra, Paresh Rawal, Sushmita Sen!

Guzaarish: It's Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan back with a bang in a film that sees Roshan sporting a rather odd hairstyle. 

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey: It's Deepika Padukone and Abhishek Bachchan in this period film. National Award for him? Time will tell.

No One Killed Jessica: Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan team up for this murder mystery. Gotta hand it to Rani for trying yet again to revive her career. Kudos girl!

Tees Maar Khan: I don't like Farah Khan films. But I'll watch TMK for the much talked about item number Katrina Kaif will be a part of. 


So there you have it, the biggies of 2010. Much to watch and even more to talk about! Woohoo!

Delhi 6 Review

By Roshni Mulchandani

Delhi ka Thug, Delhi Express, Delhi Darbar and now Delhi 6. The former three are oldies which include the grand city as a character within their plot. In more recent times, Delhi has been associated very closely with one popular neighborhood known to its audiences as Chandni Chowk. However, there is more to the colonial metropolis that meets the eye. As a visitor, it would be foolish not to visit Chandni Chowk simply for its beautiful galli’s, great shopping, tasty paranthas and for the mere fact that it is Bollywood’s favorite chowk. The area code, Delhi 6 actually lies in this very area which is where Rakesh OmPrakash Mehra’s new extravaganza “Delhi 6” begins and ends. Post Rang De Basanti, Mehra had taken a sabbatical to come back with his new flick starring Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor in never before seen avatars. Read on to see if Delhi 6 is bigger and bolder than Mehra’s RDB or not.

Welcome to Delhi! NRI return, half Hindu-half Muslim, Roshan Mehra (Abhishek Bachchan) arrives in “Dilli” to drop off his ailing grandmother (Waheeda Rahman) who expresses her wish to breathe her last breath back in India. Young Roshan, who has had very little exposure to the Eastern culture, is mesmerized by his heritage, love and affection he receives from his new found relatives and friends which he constantly captures on his cell phone. He bumps into young and vivacious Bittu (Sonam Kapoor), an Indian idol wannabe who is looking for ways to escape the arranged marriage syndrome. While the duo sing and romance on the terrace of their homes which are literally a hop skip and jump away, Mehra is also introduced to a multitude of interesting neighboring characters: a local loan shark (Prem Chopra); his leachy debtor (Cyrus Sahukar); the bickering brothers (Om Puri and Pawan Malhotra); the local “untouchable” prostitute (Divya Dutta); family friend (Rishi Kapoor) and lastly, the “Kaala Bandar” (Black Monkey) who has been terrorizing the area. Add to this collection of interesting personalities, a crazy beggar and a corrupt police cop and you’ve pretty much met the whole neighborhood. After the meet and greet session is over, the story finally begins. The popular Kaala Bandar causes havoc in the lanes of Chandni Chowk and the residents decide to get together to rid their neighborhood of him. When the question of whether the monkey is Hindu or Muslim arises, members of the respective communities come to their defense quickly. The movie goes on to show the divide that still exists today between the Hindu and Muslim communities, between families and between political groups. As Roshan attempts to dissect and digest the manner in which India works, he decides the only way to rid the monkey problem is to take it on himself.

Critically speaking, the movie is based on a number of connotations the average moviegoer may have a hard time understanding. The “divide” concept for example does not only happen on a larger level but at a smaller one too. The character of Bachchan cannot understand why Dutta is considered an untouchable; he cannot fathom why a Kapoor is sheltered when she wants to fly like Masakali the dove, and lastly is unable to gather why the eccentric brothers have a wall in their own house while their wives chatter through a missing brick in the wall. While these ideas are all very fascinating, it does take some time for the audience member to identify the ideology behind each situation and related it to Mehra’s division concept. Mehra along with Prashoon Joshi have come together and thought of a script that is quite honestly too hard to comprehend or appreciate. It begins at slow pace only to get slower and never really pick up. The love story is stale and while the cast and crew have chattered nonstop about the “great chemistry” between Bachchan and Kapoor, it does not seem to flutter an eyelash. A lot of the mini-plots in the movie only add confusion and extra time to the screenplay.

A.R. Rahman is top notch with his musical score in Delhi 6 post Slumdog Millionaire. Without a doubt, it is the highlight of the film. While Joshi should be weary of his script, his lyric writing for the movie is worthy of accolade. Choreography is fabulous too with Masakali taking the crown on this one. While the script is weak, the sights are simply marvelous. Never has Delhi looked so enticing and beautiful. The busy lanes, the jalebi’s, Jama Masjid have all been seized by Binod Pradhan’s camera in most stunning of ways. This may one of the few reasons to buy a ticket for Delhi 6.

Abhishek Bachchan does an apt job as the fascinated foreign return who sees the beauty in the flaws of his homeland. His effort is genuine. Sonam Kapoor’s role was one to be watched out for and she falls flat on her face with this one. In fact, she has a very short role in the film. Her sequences where is apparently “flirting” with Bachchan look over the top. Performance wise the applause for this one goes to all the supporting actors. Om Puri is his usual best; Pawan Malhotra is excellent; Divya Dutta makes her presence known and the rest do not fade into the background. The talented Rishi Kapoor is fitting as is Waheeda Rahman. As a spoiler, Amitabh Bachchan has a tiny appearance which is not spell binding towards the climax.

Expectations were running mountains high for Mehra’s latest giving. He is, no doubt, a talented and distinctive director whose experimental ways have worked in the past when he jutted out the praise worthy Rang De Basanti. On a personal note, I enjoyed many of the sequences in Delhi 6. I think it may have something to do with the fact that I haven’t been back to India in a few years and miss my country terribly. Delhi 6 is really meant for the patriotic lot who like Roshan, see the beauty in India’s blemishes only to realize like the protagonist, “India Works!”

Delhi 6 is progressive for its time but is worth a one time watch. You either love it or hate it.

Personal Notes

I had a whole bunch I wanted to add to the review but realized I would be divulging too much. Some hidden connotations to watch out include the sequence between Abhishek and Sonam where she tells Abhishek that just like the dove, who her father loves, her wings too are tied. He looks at her and tells her to untie them. Its so much like life. We all have "wings" in different forms that are tie us down. It's just a matter of untying and letting go. I also loved how the fakir runs around the lanes of Chandni Chowk carrying a mirror which depicts how instead of judging the world, we should look inside ourselves before passing judgement. Additionally, in the midst of the community heat, Abhishek does clarify that God exists within all of us too which we fail to see and understand: Ram, Allah, Jesus - they are all the same. The "Kaala Bandar" really just represents a personality trait in all of us which is pure ignorance. We shut our eyes to reality and from a monkey, he turns into a gorilla. The more we feed it with its food of oblivion, the bigger he seems to get. The dream song sequence where Abhishek sees his life in New York and Delhi mesh together is shot fabulously but I can imagine a chunk of the audiences scratching their head in confusion. I really believe it is for a much more mature audience. I thought Divya Dutta's role was awesome and even more loved it when Abhishek was in shock that she was considered an untouchable, makes her a friend and shuns the rest of the neighborhoods views. It ends on a "huh, what next" note with Abhishek saying, "And then I returned home.." Home being? Well, to the movie's defence, watching a movie is an artform. Interpret it as you want - Home is Delhi? New York or where the heart is... I think this would be a fab movie for a film apprieciation class. Excellent to dissect.

Lots of great symbolism in the movie. It needs another watch with more minute observation on my part!

"Yeh Delhi hai mere yaar...bas ishq, mohabbat, pyar..."

Photo Credit: Anandhan Subbiah