Burkhe ke peeche kya hai!

Page

sheetal

@sheetald

Rocker

Posted: 19 years ago

Stars are generally caught in compromising situations, but this is one of those rare times when an actor has been caught doing his job. Anil Kapoor was undercover in a burkha doing research in a crowded Delhi locality for his next film, Black and White, when the people mistook him for a terrorist. The reason? He was wearing sneakers under the black robes!

Woh kaun thi?

Says Subhash Ghai, who is directing Black and White, "The film revolves around a small-town character that comes from this particular locality in Delhi, and so Anil had gone there to do research. He has to refine his mode of walking, talking and behaviour to suit the role, so he was there to meet some Muslim scholars and other people. The film is shot around Qutab Minar, Chandni Chowk and Lal Qila."

Since Anil did not want to make his presence there known, he decided to wear a burkha and enter the locality. "But because he was wearing sneakers under the robes and has a manly frame, someone in the crowd realised there was a man undercover in the burkha. Finding this extremely suspicious, he raised an alarm and the crowd started chasing him.

Thankfully, before the situation could get out of hand, one of the production assistants revealed Anil's identity and hurried him away from the place," says Ghai.

Famous five

Adds a unit member, "Initially, only a couple of policemen followed him. But very soon, others got suspicious and the numbers increased. The faster Anil and the production assistant ran, the more the numbers increased. Then 15 policemen got into action and chased the actor too. When they caught up with him, the assistant lifted Anil's veil and cried, 'Yeh terrorist nahin, Anil Kapoor hai!' They left that day, only to return the next day with Anil wearing a helmet instead of a veil!"

Anil is a bit shaken the incident. "Fortunately, my identity was exposed before anything bad could happen!" he exclaims.

Anil is more willing to talk about his seven-year association with Subhash Ghai instead. Black and White will be their fifth film together. They are working together after six years, Taal being the last. Their other films include Meri Jung, Karma and Ram Lakhan.

Says Anil in his characteristic sense of humour, "I am always Subhashji's last choice. For Meri Jung, he wanted Amitabh Bachchan and for Taal he wanted Govinda. I don't know if I'm his first or last choice in Black and White too. He must have had date problems with another star, which is why he has opted for me! But it's always a superb experience working with him."

Salman will have to wait

Subhash Ghai was supposed to wield the director's baton post Kisna with his latest film starring Salman Khan. But that will have to wait now, as Ghai is busy with another film, Black and White.

Says Ghai, "It's a quickie film. Black and White is very dramatic and we will start shooting from November 21 in Delhi," says Ghai.

Scripting issues
As for why he has postponed his untitled film with Salman, Ghai says, "I am scheduled to do one film a year for Mukta Arts.

The film with Salman is scheduled to go on floor from May to September 2007. This was planned six months ago."

Besides Anil Kapoor, Black And White also stars FTII graduate Anurag Sinha and Aditi Shroff, who has already appeared in Mukta Arts next production, Khanna vs Iyer.

Says Ghai, "I liked her very much in this film, that's why I selected her for Black And White. I like films with unusual titles.

From Iqbal to Apna Sapna Money Money, all my films have earned either name, value or money. Black And White will do the same, I hope."

Quote

Frequent Posters

sheetal

@sheetald

Rocker

Posted: 19 years ago

Guru's soundtrack is typical Rahman

In this reviewer's humble opinion, there is a fine line between having your own sound and being repetitive.

A R Rahman is one of the few music directors in Bollywood -- or for that matter anywhere -- who can tread that line with 'lan.

And the soundtrack of Guru -- Mani Ratnam's upcoming film which features a Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Madhavan, Mithun Chakraborty and Mallika Sherawat -- has A R Rahman written all over it in all caps.

As you listen through the soundtrack, you get the feeling that some songs you don't like too much might grow on you. And you also get the feeling that once you see the film, you might want to revisit the soundtrack.

Guru is generating buzz for a number of reasons. It is rumoured to be inspired by the villager to tycoon story of Dhirubhai Ambani. And the movie sees Rahman reunite with Ratnam, a duo that has given us memorable soundtracks like Roja.

The album of Guru kicks off with Barso Re, a peppy rain song sung by Shreya Ghosal and Uday Mazumdar. It is sparse, Rahman style, and injected with intelligent loops and percussion staccatos. But it does not tug at your heart-strings.

Which cannot be said about Tere Bina. This is Rahman at what he does best: ballads. The heart-warming song also bears testimony to the fact that the composer has evolved from a shy singer to a confident vocalist, never mind that his voice is not what most experts will go ga ga over. Tere Bina -- marked as a tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan -- is one of the two best songs of Guru.

Next up is Ek Lo Ek Muft, a bhang number sung by none other than Bappi Lahiri. His accent almost disguised, Bappida seems to be enjoying the song, which sounds like a tribal chant at times. So-so, is the verdict.

Then comes Ms Sherawat's belly dance moment. Mayya, with its sensual sibilance and speaker-phone vocals, is very Middle Eastern. The singer's accent is a bit of a put off but I don't think anyone will be bothering about her accent with Ms Sherawat's accentuated curves hugging the screen.

Track number five is Ay Hairathe, sung nicely by Hariharan and Alka Yagnik. The smooth transition from what is almost a ghazal to a Scottish highland interlude and back demonstrates the composer's ease with both Western and Eastern music.

Up next is the techno-beat-meets-Udit Narayan's-voice offering called Baazi Laga. A tad pedestrian, but you never know with the right moves on screen.

The finale is the goose-flesh moment, undoubtedly the best song of the seven-number soundtrack, Jaage Hain. The orchestra rises and the strings swell to conjure up visions of a great beyond. A song full of cinematic promise.

The bottom line: If you want an album to play at a party, give Guru a miss. If you want to ponder over life's deeper questions and listen to music that tugs at your heart, buy it just for Tere Bina and Jaage Hain.