Lesson from my 8yr old: Circle of Cry

My little one is tough nut. She keeps her emotions to herself. Even if she gets physically hurt, she likes to keep her pain in-bound.

As parents, since the time we knew this behavior, we have been constantly trying to have a conversation with her to ensure she lets her feeling out.

Lately, my little one found a friend in the community. This "friend" knocks on the door and asks her to come and play. Seems, this new "friend" only calls her and many other friends, if she does not find anyone else to play. She makes the same "come out to play" calls to other "friends" in the community, but then once they come to play, she does not play with them. It is more like "be around me", but I will not play with you.

One of these days, my little one came home and said, Dad, I cried today. For her to say that she cried, made me jump up to listen her next sentences. I asked her "why did you cry? Are you hurt? " She said No. Today, I and other friends in the community sat down in a "circle of crying" with this "come out and play" friend. We told her that she is hurting our feelings by calling us and not playing with us !

I asked - so what was her reaction? My little one said, she mentioned that she was not aware that her behavior was causing so much grief. Once she heard our concern, she also started crying. It is all sorted out now !

I thought for a second, you guys sorted this big issue among yourself by sitting in a "circle of cry"

As a parent, I learned something new. If it takes a "circle of cry" to let emotions out of your child, why not? Maybe we will let out other feelings that might be suppressed in some other corner of our brain or heart !

What an amazing and simple solution to a real complex issue. We all feel emotions and get hurt by behavior of others. If these mutual grudges can be solved by "sitting in a circle and letting it out", life would become so simple !

Thank you little one ! 

Memories of watching Bachchan movies - Suhaag

Memories of Amitabh Bachchan Movies - Shakti

PankajPurohit Jo Bheji Thi Dua A Piano Cover

Jo Bheji Thi Dua, Wo Jake aasman (Shanghai): Lyrics, Translation

Movie: Shanghai
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Lyrics: Kumaar
Singers: Shekhar Ravjiani, Nandini Srikar, Arijit Singh

Kise poochun, hai aisa kyun
Bezubaan sa, ye jahaan hai
To whom to ask, why is it so,
this world is, as if mute..

Khushi ke pal, kahan dhoondhooN
Benishan sa, waqt bhi yahan hai
Where to find moments of joy,
Even time is like without a sign..

Jaane kitne labon pe gile hain
Zindagi se kayi faasle hain
Kyun toot te hain sapne kyun aankhon mein
Lakeer jab chhoote in haathon se yoon bewajah
There are complaints on so many lips,
there are many distances from the life..
Why do the dreams dampen in eyes,
when the line leaves these hands, for no reason..

Jo bheji thi duaa, woh jaake aasmaan
se yoon takra gayi ke aa gayi
Hai laut ke sadaa
The wish I had sent,
that collided with the sky such that
a call has come back..

Saanson ne kahan rukh mod liya
Koi raah nazar mein na aaye
Dhadkan ne kahan dil chhod diya
Kahan chhode in jismoN ne saaye
where have the breaths turned their face,
I don't see any path..
where has the heartbeat left the heart,
and where have these bodies left (their) shadows..

Yehi baar-baar sochta hoon tanha main yahan
Mere saath-saath chal raha hai yaadon ka dhuaan
I, here, think this again and again..
a smoke of memories is walking with me..

Jo bheji thi duaa, woh jaake aasmaan
se yoon takra gayi ke aa gayi
Hai laut ke sadaa

Bachchan Saab Meetup at Janak: 2009

Wishing Mr. Bachchan A Very Happy Birthday !!!









Memories of Watching Bachchan Movies:



https://youtu.be/01f1sZ9vLLE

PankajPurohit Jo Bheji Thi Dua A Piano Cover

Jo Bheji Thi Dua

Movie: Shanghai

A Piano Cover.









Remembering Mukesh:

Woh Tere Pyaar Ka Ghum Ek Bahaana Tha Sanam

https://youtu.be/SPfn-kE-NqA





Man Tadpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj: A Video/Audio Remix

https://vimeo.com/222935637

WohTere Pyaar Ka Ghum by PankajPurohit

Previous Upload:



Man Tadpat Hari Darshan - Lean on Feat by Pankaj

Man Tadpat Hari Darshan - A Pankaj Purohit Mix !

A Tribute to Dev Saab Fans !

Us Shaam Chaar Bajey - A Mother's Day Memory

Happy Mother's Day ! Sharing a memory !

Pankaj Purohit Khamoshiyan On Demand !

Pankaj Ranjish Hi Sahee

Meri Jaan, once in a year hi sahee, par this is the Month of St. Valentines.

Kya kahte hain..Love, Pyaar, Amour, Mohabbat ! Ishq !! Ka mausam !

Woh Dil hi Kya jo Teri Yaad Main Na Dhadke !!
Woh aankh hi kya, jo kachre se na phadke !!!

As you can see, I am very passionate about Shayari !

Tou aaj kuch sahee roomani sheyr k mood ban rahaa hain.

These are inspired by Parveen Shakir, the great "shaayara" !

Irshaad hain...

Woh Chehra tou Mera Tha, Par Nigahen Thi…. Unhi Ki
Woh Chehra tou Mera Tha, Par Nigahen Thi…. Unhi Ki

Woh Khamoushi Meri Thi, Par Baaten Thi Unhi Ki

Mere Chehre Pe, Woh Ek Ghazal Si, Likhti Raheen
Shayari Karti rahee, Bas Woh Ankhen Unhi Ki

Woh lamha, woh dil, who shokhi, woh sadaa
Jab maine suni, Woh Tez Saansen Unhi Ki
Dhadkan tou Meri Thi, Par who nabz Thi…. Unhi Ki

Chehra tou Mera Tha, Par Nigahen Thi…. Unhi Ki !!

VaAise Mausam Bhi, kayee Guzaare hain Ham Ne
VaAise Mausam Bhi, kayee Guzaare hain Ham Ne

Subhe  bhi unki thi, Aur Shamain bhi Unhi Ki

Din bhi unke thay, aur raatein bhi unhi ki

Dhyaan Main Un Kay, Mera Ye Aalam Tha Kabhi
Ki Aankh Thi Mahtab Ki, aur bas Yadein Unhi Ki
(Mahtaab: moon light)

Woh Chehra tou Mera Tha, Par Nigahen Thi…. Unhi Ki !!

Ahsaas E mohabbat,  Mauj-E-Hawa Ne Sunaya kuch aisa…
Ahsaas E mohabbat,  Mauj-E-Hawa Ne Sunaya tha kuch aisa…

Ki Aandhiyan jo thi meri, Baharen ho gayee Unhi Ki !!

Tou Aaj bhi nazarein jhukaake, who jab dekhtein hain humein ..

Tou Aaj bhi nazarein jhukaake, who jab dekhtein hain humein ..

 "Lafz-e-jazbaat" hote hain mere, par “Tarz e mohabbat” .. unhi ki

Woh Chehra Mera Tha, Par Nigahen Thi…. Unhi Ki !!

Meri Jaan.....till we meet next, stay safe and stay in Loeve.....!!!!


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Shhhh....Amitabh !!

Meri Jaan, the biggest difference between just a Bollywood movie fan watching an Amitabh Bachchan movie and a Bachchan fan - is the adulation and awe the fans have for the actor.

We, as fans, are still stuck on "Trishul, or Don, or Deewar", and the very essence of "Tum log mujhe wahaan dhoond rahey ho, aur main tumhara intezaar, yahaan kar rahaa hoon" gets us all geared for the next scene !!

We "the Bachchan bhakts" still crave for the vintage "Sharaabi" an "Arjun Singh-valdh Bheem Singh" or "Anthony Bhai."

The good news is - there are directors like Balki - that are not just directors, but they live and breath "The Bachchan" as a fan !!! I am pretty sure Balki just gives the dialogues and says - Sir you just do it and we will capture the frame!!!

So to dissect a Bachchan film in 20 Frames is not posssible - coz each frame is an event !!!

Frame 1 - Of course the build-up of Dhanush;  A little too long - Yawn - but not bad work by the small kid,  I liked the symbolism of "Mumbai" on the bus !!! A dream the kid craves for - till finally when he does make it to the big city ! All about Ishq-e-fillum !!

Frame 2 -  Dhanush and Akshara are all fine  !! I am not going to even go into the loooong "voice" history channel documentary of how the voice gets transmitted (Boo---ring).

Meri Jaan - where is our guy??


Frame 3 - I will cut straight to Bachchan as the drunkard - one thing I have noticed is that Mr. Bachchan keeps changing his voice a lot; he literally rocks a voice-over; "Yeh aawaz ek kuttey ke mooh se bhi acchi lagegi"; even now he can create modulation and bring out a voice tone/ density that even "the fans" have not heard !!!

Frame 4 - Loved the banter of "Mughal-e-Azam" Sahibe alam dialogue and the first recording sequence. Not a comic scene, but the dialogues and the performances by all 4 (Akshara, Dhaunsh, Mr. Bachchan and the "jahapanah" dude) makes the scene a good watch

Frame 5 - Next frames show Balki the "Ad man" making "Lifebuoy" and Lintas Ads !! The creation of "Shamitabh" and the bonding between the "whiskey" and the "water"; the "voice" and the "actor" - decent build up; with the injection sequence and how they both try to upstage each other !!

Frame 6 - Piddly - or the PEE-dly se sets; and "The Bathroom Singer" once again ! Mr. Bachchan rocks !

Frame 7 - The brewing of tension between "whiskey" and "water"

Frame 8 - The speech in UK and the De Niro bus sequence !! You can literally see a frame straight out of "Naseeb" where he talks to a bottle and says - aati hain - aati hain - nahin - tou main aata hain....and yes the "gun holding"

Fans love Mr. Bachchan holding the gun and if only he just would say next "Agar kisine hilne ki koshish ki tou bhoon ke rakhdoonga" !!

Frame 9 - The bathroom scene with A to Z of "abusive words" - In one take - very powerful !!!

Frame 10-12 - All about the clashes of "I, me, myself"; Dhanush also at this point did some good work - the frustration of knowing where he stands without the voice and still not wanting to give up his "water" attitude !!

Frame 13 - Back to the graveyard - and Mr. Bachchan talking to a TREE !!! Now that's always a delight - audio/ video - picture picture nahin mixture hain !!! Whiskey whiskey hain !!!

Frame 14-16 - The "philosophy" of a laash (dead body) and the person carrying the dead body, and who has the right to be grateful - lovely scene !!! A little heavy - but for Bachchan fans - mindblowing !!

Frame 17 - Akshara going through the A to Z of collaboration - in a nursery school (that's Balki's creative vision - to teach a lesson like chote bacche) and the eventual meltdown and makeup of water and whiskey !!

Frame 18 - The car sequence was ok- but a "kinchit" long - this should have been bam-bam !!

Frame 19-20 - Hospital, Graveyard - the pain and helplessness of "uthiye na munshiji, mujhe chod ke mat jaaiye munshiji". Loved it !!!!

..and that's what the fans love !! Sharaabi, Naseeb, Amar Akbar Anthony ....we are stuck in a time zone Mr. Bachchan !!! Thank you Balki, always a treat bringing the best of Bachchan to WE, THE Bachchan Bhakts !

Somewhere, I recall back in 80s - I think it was for Sharaabi - when Mr. Bachchan's name came in the list of singers before "The Kishore Kumar", there were some "Whiskey/ Water" issues !!!

Meri Jaan, till next time...stay in love, stay tuned to "Bachchan Bhakti ki Train" ...and lets keep repeating for the n-th time...."Peter.....tum log mujhe wahaan dhoond rahey ho..aur main...."

-Pankaj

20 Frame Dissection - Tiger Tiger on the wall !!

Meri Jaan, as I sat down amongst the 700+ Desis in a packed Bellevue downtown theatre blowing whistles and claps at the dialogues of Bajirao Singham, I wished !!!

I seriously wished if only I could have seen some of those movies made between 1975-1982 on screen.

If only I could have witnessed THAT HYSTERIA on screen amongst not 700 but 7000 people shouting and screaming and clapping for THE ANGRY MAN !!!

I wish !! I wish !!!!

Well, wishes aside - lets dissect this "Jigar-waala", oh I mean Mr. Singham !!

Frame 1: Entry of Mr. Singham.
Some seeti maar dialogues - "Main leta nahin deta hoon" ! Ajay Devgn in good form - simple entry !!

Frame2: Entry of Guruji
A perspective of the National political scene. Amongst random questions by the reporters a clever slip of "a saas bahu" actress been nominated as a party candidate.

Hmm...I have heard that somewhere !! Arre bhai - kahin tou suna hogaa..."kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi" !!

Frame3: Entry of the bad guys: A funny act by Amol Gupte (I love this guy - same style of acting but does a good job !). Loved it when baba gets into his comfy shorts !!

Frame 4: Entry of the lady love.
Kareena looks ravishingly red. Gabbar hota tou kahta - "Arre oh samba - kaunsi chakki ka ataa khilate hain ye kapoor family wale?"

Frame 5: Build up of the key character - Mahesh !!

Frame 6: Some comic elements - guju mota guy again and repetition of the "main leta nahin" seeti maar dialogue at the police station.

Rohit - koi tou gaadi waadi girao yaar !

Frame 7: Mahesh and the tragedy - good scene.
Chalo - bhains, I mean ,gaadi gayee paanee main !!

Frame 8: Ambulance nikalo and all that media-vedia. Some great shots of Maharashtra remote locales - bridges, fields, toll nakas !

Frame 9: Another tragedy - good sequence with lots of trains in the background. Some more cars up and down !!

Yaar Rohit - Anupam Kher ko thoda tou jyaada role do ! Itna bhi kam role mat do ki yeh sab ab TV pe aane lag jaaaye !!!

Frame 10: The hunt begins and the same 'ol good v/s bad fight begins !!!
Baba and Singham !!

Frame 11: Lets give the audience some break and introduce some comedy - ek gaana ho jaaye ! Jadhavgard fort tou dikhao !! Maharshtra tourism !!

Frame 12: Forced comedy but Kareena in her element - and bechara Taavde !!

Frame 13: Lets roar !!
Lets get back to work on the mission Singham !!!
Lets roar !!! Jadhavgadh main bahut rah liye !

Rohit - ab bore ho rahey hain, can you please show some more cars jumping and fire - yaaar action movie hain !!

Frame 14: Phir wahi criminals and police.
Some great sequences around Mumbai - loved the sea link bridge sequence with boats coming around the bridge.

A little over-the top. but chalta hain, let the dialogue roar - ataa maajhi satakli !!! Public was waiting Rohit yaar !! Some more seetis !!

Frame 15: Dargah and faith - wah !!!
 Idhar dua udhar Altaf utha - wah !! Dua and Dawaa !! But a great mahim dargah sequence !!

Frame 16: Phir thoda rona dhona, wahi chor-police, politican ko pakda-choda kinds. Politician ko thappad and civil rights of women - wah  moral messages also Rohit !!!

Frame 17-20: Roopa Frontier Baniyaan
Roopa baniyan walk (best way to advertise Rohit !!)

Ab Roopa baniyaan waale hamesha line main aage rahenge !!!

Tum bhi chalo hum bhi chalein and lets go for the kill Singham !!

"Dayaa - darwaaza tod" and finally what a perfect goal of the van into the electrical grid - and what superb aatishbaazi yaar !!! Rohit tum tou expert ho !!

Finally chalein - Nope - Aaja - Yo-Yo's - tere gig ka time hain !!!

Cute kid in the song - Ataa maajhi satakli - malaa raag yete !! Ataa maajhi satakli !!

So what is the bottomline?

Meri Jaan, main bolegaa tou bologe ke bolta hain !!!

Its a typical 80s movie told in Rohit Shetty style - but kudos for keeping the screenplay progressing !!.

Except for some 30-40 mins - overall it was a moving frame all through out !!!

And I as came out of the theatre, all I wondered - Tiger-Tiger on the wall, who is the angriest of 'em all? Aur aapke options shuru hote hain yeh...!!

a) Wo " jab maarne lagta hain tou maarta nahin - maar hi daalta hain", ya
b) wo "jab silent nahin tou violent hota hain", ya
c) wo - "jab ek baar commitment karta hain tou khud ki bhi nahin suntaa" !!!

Meri Jaan, if you don't want to lock any of these options, tou till next time, if you really want to watch a tiger - just rent a nice Bachchan movie (from the 70s) or even watch HUM - when the TIGER just turns his hair and you can feel the TIGERROAR !! (with that background sound of course - Tanaa na ta naaaaa)

OR...if you are into something softer.. just listen to Katy Perry say - ROAR !!!! O-O-O-O-O ROAR !!!!
 

Seriously !!!

As I sat down to write some mumblings on the most anti-happy people that I can recall, it kind of took me back to the lane where I grew up. A lane in a small town called Jaipur.

First serious kinds jinki #ConditionSeriousHai - that I remember - are the "time-bound" characters.

Every evening the kids had a routine to gather at the gate of this garden; waiting for it to open at 5pm. I still remember the gatekeeper - we called him Hawaldar ji - he had these huge mousse - never smiled and would always keep jamming  his stick on the ground asking all the eager ones to make a line. "I will not allow anyone to enter if you do not make a line".

Man - he was serious about the line business ! I think he sometimes even gave a solid on the tushy to few of those really eager ones - trying to climb over the walls !! Phew - get a life Hawaldaar ji !!!

Second serious kinds are the "routine-bound" characters.

So right across the garden was a Sindhi shopkeeper - we called him Mr. Gajju, I think he had very little hair, but I am not sure how his name transformed from "Ganju" to "Gajju".

He had a very sharp business of keeping few boys around who would capture all the balls that came towards his shop. He would wipe them clean, cover them in a plastic, put a sticker and keep them back in his shop for sale.

Kids would come around looking for their lost cricket balls - when they could not find the balls, they had no other option than going to his shop again to buy - and he would keep selling those "captured" cricket balls again and again !!!

Problem was his was the only closest shop - else one would have to go really far for a ball - and when the guys had a match going on - you really needed the ball right that instant. Even after making so much profit - I never saw him smile ever !!!

He always had the same words - "what do you need", which ball? "small" or "big", I dont have change, or go bring change. Damn - give us another serious word or sentence - Mr. Gajju !

The third kinds are those "serious gossip news" neighbours - ahhh!! What a delightful happily serious folks. "You know today I saw that kid/ your daughter/ son speaking with that boy/ or girl in that bus/ or that place at that time."

And the parents - go - "accha", hmm, ok - thanks for letting me know !! In their minds they are going - Dude - who are you?? And if those kids do have serious parents that do take those newsy neighbours seriously, the kids do have a very serious time - without any serials !!!

There are all the others too - that can never be happy when others are having fun, be it in a group, or a shop, or a mall, or a party - these folks have that face that is a wall of serious-ness !!!

I have always wondered on people with serious mannerisms, teachers, principals, admins, bosses and so many others - some tied by routine, some by their work, some by habit - but hey - those used to the worlds and words of seriousness are seriously not word-ly or world-ly !!!!

So till next time - what can I say - Chill people - Be Happy - Seriously !!!!

-Pankaj Purohit
 

The Date - When love calls !

This story is about me, a live-life-each-day-as-it-comes dreamer, who was lost in the skyscraper capital till I met the love of my life.

I still remember the sprawling skyscrapers, the Hudson Bay, the New York skyline and the sunny sailing days! A vista view embedded in my eyes because that was where I worked for quite a few years and yes where I met my someone special !

Here I was, sitting at Rocker Feller center at the center of 5th Avenue and 48th street and I could feel my heart slipping away to the person sitting across. This person had an impressive charm, she had the prettiest smile, and yes, she could talk non-stop - Seriously - she still talks non-stop!

Opposites attract, and post that day, I could not find my heart!!!

Isn’t it funny how sometimes life just join's together the pieces of your scattered jigsaw. Life just joins the jigswaw together to show you a much clearer picture of the future.

My future was formed on 4th of July and let me take you forward into the Circles of Flashback !!!!

It so happened that some of us were working in Virginia had plans to go and see the fireworks near the Statue of Liberty. The problem was that most of us were new to the country and never drove on their own ! So we were pretty much dependent on this one friend to take us to NYC.

On a parallel front, I was in constant touch with "my special friend" and she had also planned to be around the waterfront that day! Stage was almost set for The Date !

Like they say, as is Murphy's law, the one dependable friend who would drive us to NYC got stuck with flu two days prior. Now our options were either catch a bus from DC, or rent a car - but even to go the bus station, we would need some transportation.

So renting a car seemed btter option, but who would drive? For some of you that have driven across the NJ turnpike and the Washington beltway would know that the roads are easy to drive as long as one can follow standard directions !

Well, I had never driven on those roads myself, but hey I was not going to miss my Date, so I volnteered to drive. Whatever it took, I was going to be with "my someone special" that weekend. My only requirement - I need to hit the road as early as 4am. This way, I would not feel intimated by the traffic.

This requirement had serious pullbacks from my friends. 4am - are you insane? I never got up at 4am for my engineering exams - one of them said! Hell, I also never woke up at 4am, but how could I miss THIS NYC trip? Cmon guys - we can make it !!!

With the directions all printed, we rented the car previous night and made sure the car was pumped with gas !! I probably slept only 2 or 3 hours and 4am it was - on a nice summer morning !  I felt very scared and nervous as we got on the road. I said - lets stop at the gas station to grab some coffee. I guess the mocha latte helped and off we went on our rendezvous!!!

It felt like a nightmare navigating through the turns - and the signs - go west or east? Go Cars lane or Trucks? Take toll road or non-toll? Bridge or Tunnel? HOV or non-HOV lane? Why cant they just have one straight road - without so many options !

Finally - we all managed somehow to live through those directions to reach our parking destination.

As crazy as this may sound, but I could not believe that it was my first drive on my own and I was able to navigate through all the crossings and turns! Finally after driving 300 miles, we entered the parking garage nearest to where we could catch the boat to Ellis Island !

I still remember that day, I asked the guys to go ahead while I grab some Donuts. I was standing in line still trying to figure out what to order, and I heard a voice - "excuse me - are u going to take longer"? I turned my head - and there she was standing with her hair all glowing with sun-rays gleaming through those golden streaks !

Hey - you? I thought you would be coming in a little late?

She smiled - I thought I would beat you to the statue, but are you not too early?

How could I tell her that I also could not sleep, I said - yes I like to hit it early on the road.

Great - same here ! She said. (Damn - I hope she never finds out this was my first trip on the big bad world of turnpike and beltway. Phew - dont ask how we just made it - all in one piece).

..and we kind of were lost in some conversation !

Our lovely conversation was sadly interrrupted with this lady on the counter - "could you two please move back to make way for others"?

Ah - suddenly as my mind was all clear - I turned around to the counter and said - "12 chocolate donuts and 2 chai latte to go please" !

12 chocolate donuts? You will have some serious sugar rush !!!! She said.

Well, it would be lesser than the adrenaline rush I have right now - and we both smiled !!

I probably dont need to go into the details of how the rest of the day went, but I definitely believe that when love calls - you just know the way to be with your love !

- Pankaj Purohit

http://bit.ly/1epU8Uj
 

2013 - Top 5 Desi Melody Blocks !!

Meri Jaan, a year - goes and another year - comes ! While there are always gains, some losses canot be replaced. These losses are of your near and dear ones.

I have lost many of my nearest and dearest ones in the last couple of years. Memories of all of them are dug deep in the heart and I will always cherish the moments spent with all of them !!

On a positive side, I metup with some friends after 25 years, and what a great reunion! I will miss the big event happening back home over the New Year, but it was incredible to catchup with school mates and those school-ish memories!

MPS alumni rocks !!

Ups and Down tou chalta hain - par Apna Bollywood was rocking as always - some movies went Express on Dhoom while some just went out like the Bijlee stuck in Zanjeer !!!

Some of you asked my favorite musical lots this year, and here they are ....top 5 desi albums and some songs I really loved from other desi movies.

No.1: Yeh Jawani Hain Deewani - Koi Shak? "Balam Pichkari " and "Badtameez Dil" Rocked the charts !!! Overall the album was rocking - Ghagra, Dilli waali, Kabeera, Ilahi, Subhanallah - all songs included - makes Pritam well deserved for the TOP ALBUM OF 2013.

No.2: Ashiqui2: No one expected what to expect - but the songs made everyone hear with "Sun rahaa hain na tu", "Kyunki Tum hi ho", "Chaahoon main", "Bhula denaa", "Hum mar jaayenge" and others.

Cant compare with the original Ashiqui music that actually marked T-Series as THE record company and introduced a range of singers, but this one too introduced some good composers and singers - Arjit Singh being one of them.


No.3: "Chennai Express. SRK really needed that one number to dance on all the shows and Vishal Shekhar gave him the deserved "Lungi Dance" and "1234". Alongwith Titli, Ready Steady, and Kashmir main, the album overall deserved to be in the top 3 slot.

No.4: Ram Leela: With Bhansali himself helming the musical reins you know it is going to be mixed bag of Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke, Saawariya and you can't miss the impact. My favorite was Lal Ishq, alongwith Dhol Baaje, Ram Chahe, Poore chand, Ang Lagaade,Tattad Tattad (wonderfully sung by Aditya), and others.

No.5: Raanjhna: When the music composer is AR Rahman you know the music will have Sufi, rock, folk, groove, ballad, jazz and it will take time to grow. "Ranjhna, Tum Tak, Banarasiya, Tu man shudhi, Ay Sakhi, Piya milenge" alongwith others had all the mixed bag of AR Rahman music taking it in the Top 5 slot.

Other numbers and albums that really had some good numbers:

ABCD: Sachin Jigar's composition and 3 songs - Ga,Ga,Gan Ganpati, Shabhu Sutaya and Bezubaan kab tak rocked the album !!!

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag: SEL really need a BIG Hit now. Movie was a biopic, and there were a lot of songs. To make all of them work - Zinda, Slow motion angreza, Maston ka jhund, Mera yaar, Rangrez had the flavour.

Kai Po Che: Manjha, and Shubharambh - Amit Trivedi + Swanand Kirkire.

I was definitely expecting more from Matru Ki Bijlee - but apart from Oye Boy Charlie, it was a let down.

R...Rajkumar - Pritam gave the soundtrack and it is Prabhudeva's movie - so the south influence is inevitable - but Gandi Baat, Saari Ke Faal Sa were just enough for a visual treat.

There were couple of other hits and miss-es in Murder3, Race2, Fukhrey, Special 26 (Mujh meni tu), Go Goa Gone, Lootera (Sawaar loon), D-Day, Phata Poster (Main rang sharbaton ka), Boss (loved the re-created Har Kisi ko), Ramiya Vastaviya (Jeene Lagaa Hoon, Hip Hop Pammi), Besharam (Piya).

Next year we have a lot to look forward to starting with Roy after Peekay doing Jai Ho on Highway and Action-Jackson Humshakals, Kick-ing Gabbar and Singham-2 with a Bang-Bang into a Happy New Year 2014.

Meri Jaan, with that lets end 2013 on a happy musical note. Till we meet next, stay safe, and stay in Loeve !!

- Pankaj

20 FRAME DISSECTION ! RAM-LEELA

It was great meeting some of the bloggers/ followers recently. Some of them mentioned to start a review column on movies that I see/ or have seen. So I am going to try and start a periodic 20 frame review of the movies. Lets make it my 20 FRAME DISSECTION !!!

Today's pick is the recent Romeo and Juliet with blazing guns - Ram Leela. I will not go into specific scenes, but only review frames that stayed in my mind.

Frame 1:  Opening sequence was good. Created the theme of the two camps and how a simple piss can piss-off someone. The camera showing net with bottles showed that such bottle throwing activities have been common routine in the town. Rivalry setup. Good beginning.

 Frame 2: Entry of Ranveer - FANTASTIC !!!! The screen was filled with people, costumes, colors, the loud bang musical entry. Love the song too. Ramji ki chaal dekho. Great move forward

Frame3: Entry of Deepika: Great entry. Cant miss the colors again. Holi. SLB tried to recreate the "ankhon ki gustakhiyan" chemistry - but - the song needed to be a little more powerful number - "Lahu muh lag gayaa" as a song was ok -ok !!

Choreography was brilliant with the dandiya steps !!! Deepika rocked !!!

Frame4: Some more enhanced character entries - BAA, NRI dude, Deepika's bhabhi at one end and Ram's brother and their internal relationships etc - SLB trying to set premise of side characters on both sides of the rivalry teams - OK - not bad - now we need to move forward

Frame5: Same to same frame of Romeo Juliet...it is like a poetry written " The moon was at its best and Ram entered Leela's courtyard. The palace was gleaming in reflection of the pond and serenity was flowing all around. Ram jumped and saw Leela up in her tower, courtyard filled with peacocks. Ram looked around and climbed the nearest branch - he had to be with his love and so she dared him...."

SLB - we know you love theatre. Brilliant sets. Loved it.

Frame6: Dishkiyaaoon - loved the "kisi disco main jaayein" style choreography. Passable song. This could have been a highlight song.

Not bad song placement but the next scene -  NRI taking photo in dushman area-too cliched - you know someone is going to see it !

Frame7: Ok - some more "mor" and song routine to keep the romance alive. Whats next SLB?

Frame8: Scene at the pier - great formation - and culmination - some movement atleast

Frame9: So - 2 principal leads killed of both factions. Should the love story still continue?

Frame 10: Lovers still run away...ok - u both dont want any part of this hate drama understood, dont fight - just take a room in lakeview and show us the passion. 

Frame 11: Somehow I felt that SLB really wanted this song to be the highlight - "ang lagaale" but it dint come out the way he was probably expecting. Lets just say - visuals were breathtaking !! But something was amiss in the smoke -  something's missing SLB !!!

Frame 12: A litle "Shakespear-en" twist !! A misunderstanding - love's gone !!!! Time for a sad song ! "Tujh sang bair lagayaa aisa" - Great song - SLB still stuck with "jhoka hawaa ka aaj bhi.." but great premise for Ranveer to show his drunken acting capabilities (Leeela main jo hain woh - kissime nahin; Anyone - "Baabuje ne kahaa ghar chod dou..Paro ne kahaa...." - yaya we know SLB - you are in love with Devdas !! )

Frame 13: Rajjadiyon ka Nayaa Don, Baa, NRI dude, Ram Ki Leela SMS - hmmm...even after cutting Leela's finger - this needs some more masala SLB

Frame 14: Enter Priyanka "Ram Chaahe Leela" - what a brilliant set? Brilliant purple hues in the background, props, magna, whites, cottons - rope in all the Kala-kind of shops.

Great visuals in the song !!!

Frame 15: Bhabhi goes looking for help in middle of night - why? Arre picture abhi baaki hain mere dost.

Well - Tit for tat attitude in camps, revenge games, Ram versus Baa, some misunderstandings - ok - whats next guys?

Another vibrantly choreographed song and sung flawlessly by Shreya Ghosal - "Nagaade sange Dhol Baaje"

By this time the guy in the front row had almost chew-ed his hair and he just did not know how should he express his frustration any more !!!  Ek aur gaana???? Hey Ram !!!!!!

Frame 16: Re-enter Shakespeare tale of traitors and dhoka; and now "Leela is Sanido ki nayee Don". SLB - now this is getting too much to watch - why is Razaa Murad around and who are these townpeople dividing the trades? Running out of ideas are we?

Frame 17: SLB - ab end kaise karoge? Arre - Ram Leela has to end in Ram Leela - so lets move towards climax - but too much happening on screen! Audience is confused - What is exactly happening?

Frame 18: Looks like a scene from Rambo - each one vanishing one by one ! C'mon SLB again "jaan ke badle jaan"....now we are bored ! Yeh Aag kab bhujegi? Yeh Ravan kab jalega?

Frame 19: Again Raja Murad is back - why? Pados main Madhubala ki shooting chal rahee thi Meri Jaan ! Oh - ok !!  Enter the Rajadion ka chora - aakhri chiraag story and suddenly BAA has melted and killed one of her own? Oh man what a turn of events - ab sab ek ho ke Raawan jalaaeinge YAAAAEWN !! Hey Ram !!!!!!

Frame 20: The end.

Angoor hain haraa, kelaa hain peela, SLB tumne 200 crore ka bhara hain thaila, par - Dude - visuals, props, sets and colors chodke humne too much hain - jhelaaa !!!!

Till next time - stay safe and Stay in Loeve !!!! (Non-Ram Lila Style)

 - Pankaj

Pyar Humein Kis Jod Main Le Aaya !

Scene is late 90s. Place is New York.

The day and date: Platinum day of love and the most memorable day of my life.

It was the 4th of July weekend. In US, if you live around the east coast, you get only 3 long weekends - Memorial day, Independence Day and Labor day.  4th of July is the Independence day and 2nd of those long weekends. I was working in this IT Factory of assembled engineers clocking in my "stay in front of the computer" time to clock in maximum hours.

One of my friend called me up from New York and insisted that I should forget about the project deadlines for that weekend and start worrying about the growing wrinkles on my head lines. He mentioned that he and some his group friends would be taking the city tour and asked me to come over for the weekend.

Hey - I was not going to miss a weekend in New York, so I packed my bags, booked a greyhound ticket and off I was to New York, New York.

In Hindi, Murphy's law translates exactly opposite of its real meaning into "Jab Jab jo jo hona hain - tab tab kuch gadbad zaroor hoti hain." On reaching New York about 8pm in the night, I called up my friends number, I found out that his boss called him for a last minute site visit to West Coast, and he had to leave in a rush. All the other group friends had made other plans, so I was left with no place to go.

My friend mentioned that I could use his place to crash and keys were with one of the apartment share mates. From what it seemed, this apartment share mate was a new "fresh of the boat" MBA student.

I was a little reluctant, but the great thing about New York is that if you are in company - nothing like it. If there is no company, it is a very scary place !

Well, where was I going to go that late in night, so I took the subway and landed at the doorsteps of my friend's apartment.

I rang the bell, I heard a voice and suddenly there was LIGHT !!!! I had heard that when love lands on your heart, you hear drum rolls - and so I did !

Yes - said the voice at the other end?

I said - Ummm - We were all going to go for the city tour, but seems things changed last minute. I just got off the phone with my friend and he mentioned I could crash here for the night. I will leave early tomorrow morning, if its ok?

Ok - said the voice, come in please, a little hesitantly.

After about 30 minutes of monologues - I asked, so what are you doing for dinner?

She said - "Notin much" I will probably have salad.

Salad? For Dinner? I asked.

Yes, I love the Salad and the dressings here !

Well, as much as I love food - I am not having Salad or the dressing for dinner, so why dont we head down the street - possibly pick up Chinese food - fried rice, noodles, with lots of chicken - and with salad and dressing on the side. 

Ok- she chuckled.

Suddenly - all those mushy songs of the 80s started making sense in full volume.
Damn - what was going on?

We walked down to the Chinese store.

This walk was probably the only time I have found myself deaf.  I simply could not hear anything. I was in a vacuum of this sort- all I could see was the other person was moving their lips, but not sure why I could not hear. I knew there was something called as dumbstruck - but never deaf struck !!

Finally - after about 15 mins of walking, we picked our meals and returned back to the apartment.

What happened next is a very long story, but lets just say that "plane of love landed on my airport forever".....all leading to some amazing platinum years........till the time I really had to go out and buy that diamond !!!!

-Pankaj Puroht
Blog entry for Platinum day of love.

MI SHOP - 2030 - A MAAS EXPERIENCE

Kid - Ma, Pa is in air

Ma - Hey hunny

..Suddenly Pa pops up in air like the Jeanie imagined from an Alladin story. Seems like he in some shopping mall on Mars

Pa- Hey sugar, this is incredible - did not know Mars was so cheap?

Ma- You betta check - turn the collar - it might have the tag - "Made in Earth"
You dont know hun - These guys get the spac-x-port quality and keep the earth-ing quality for us

Pa - Hun the paper roll is on sale. Should I get some?

Ma - Only if they take earth coupons? I have so many collected from the thanksgiving paper?

Pa - No. No earth coupons, they only take coupons from Venus

Ma - I told you we should have visited Venus first.

Pa - This is incredible - they still have mars rover on sale - it would be a great present for my family on Christmas

Ma - Mars Rover? Are you kidding? Get some rocks for your family, the Rover is for ma side of the family

Pa- hold on - this one says "Made in Taiwan - huh?"

Kid - Dad - can you check whats the latest available in cereals?

Pa - Oh wully pie they only have the ASTRON-oats variety

Kid - Dad whats the big smoke in the background?

Pa- Oh wully pie - they have the FIRE MARTIAN day today. The martians burn candles on their octospacey legs and then release them in the space.

Kid - why?

Pa - Seems Martians are still are trying to woo the Venussians. When will they learn to wake up? wake up wake up..wake up...wake up....

Ma - WAKE UP .. you couch-base, here is the list - go get some eggs, butter, salt, toilet paper, washing liquid, veggies and those tops on sale - make sure it does not say "Made on Mars"