Getting Lucky on the web
OJul 24, 2009
I’ve begun to add film reviews on PlanetBollywood.com. Here’s a link to Soham Shah’s latest, a little ditty called Luck. http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayReview.php?id=f072909035126
oirreverent cultural critico
Ain’t I … ?
OFeb 1, 2009
Love Akshay. Love Kylie. Love yellow. Can’t wait for Blue (10/16/09 release). “Out of all the mysteries that have plagued humankind over the centuries, none is quite as baffling as how America got stuck with boring old Madonna while the rest of the world got to savor the deliciously irresistible Kylie Minogue.” – Aidin Vaziri […]
more & less: Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
OJan 31, 2009
Loveleen Tandan, far right in photo Slumdog Millionaire has been generating a lot of attention in these parts and I’m happy to have participated in a lot of conversations about it, although I haven’t seen the film and have no plans to give it any of my money or theatre-time space. When I choose to […]
I see God in you – do you see her in me? [Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi]
ODec 29, 2008
At its core, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008, dir. Aditya Chopra) is a story of good people trying to make the people they care about happy. How they do it is full of fumbles, bumbling, well-intentioned goofs, mistakes and the conundrums of logic that go with plans that seemed logical at the moment but […]
Young Gifted and Brown
OAug 4, 2008
Last night my friend asked me “Why do you like Hindi films so much?” I get this question relatively regularly, especially from people who grew up watching them, which I didn’t, and/or who grew up in India (which I didn’t). One of these days I’ll have to ask why they ask. I replied to him […]
Scientologists <3 Ant & Dec - Let's get ready to rumble
My favourite variety show hosts, Ant & Dec, are apparently going down a a smash with Scientologists in the US. Say what? Ok, says the Daily Star, so you may want to get outside verification. But check out the article link above all the same for extreme British tabloid fun! I’ve really enjoyed their Saturday […]
My new story on Indian Cinema – East Bay Express
I’m the feature story in this week’s East Bay Express – a Northern CA weekly. Namastey East Bay: The local Indian filmmaking community has Bollywood dreams. The goal is not as far-fetched as it might once have seemed. http://www.eastbayexpress.com/news/namastey_east_bay/Content?oid=799102 I’m excited about the feature because the Express is the only one of several local magazines […]
Duniya Mein Kitni Hai Nafratein – Haters beware!
I recently saw the first episode of “Khatron Ke Khiladi ” – “Fear Factor” Indian style (lit: Dangers’ Players). The show is a little different from the American version, which I vaguely remember from a brief time that – God knows why – I got into it in the early 2000’s. The American version was […]
Thoda Pyaar Thoda Majbur
This past weekend I trucked it to the local Hindi cinema to see the new Yash Raj offering – Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. YR has been taking a beating lately in terms of audience, and I’m interested to see the different formulas they’re trying. By turns I was both endeared by and also annoyed by […]
Ready for my closeup…
My recent stint crewing on a Hindi film by a local filmmaker netted me a small role. I was working on set, being my usual chatty self, talking to people about films and actors. When he found out I knew about Indian films, one actor’s first bon mot was that Shah Rukh Khan is “much […]
