Quotas for the underpriviledged in the Bollywood Hindi film industry

There was a rather peculiar question in the All-India Pre-medical and Pre-dental Entrance Examination a few years ago. The question in the biology section asked if children of doctors were genetically inclined to become doctors themselves. I am sure that there were some students who filled in the “b” or “c” circle with their No.2 pencils  for all questions they did not know the answer.  Some must have chosen that option.

Will we ever see this story outside of the The Indian Bakwaas?

Reflecting back to the gist of the question, I can say that is certainly true that many physicians want their children to follow in their professional footsteps. The same also applies for practitioners of professions such as law, politics, sports, and engineering. The Hindu caste system was originally based on professions. Even today there is controversy regarding the touchy topic of race and ability. Geneticists are however, quick to point out that there is no “race gene” in the human genome.

Arguably the most visible instances of offspring following in footsteps all the way down to nepotism can be found in the Bollywood Hindi film industry. A staggeringly large proportion of lead actors and actresses who get their first ”big breaks” in Hindi films come from filmi households.

Yes, I have heard many of the usual arguments. The parents of these youngsters finance many of the movies. They are well-connected. They have acting in their genes. They are more marketable.

Further, arguments are made that financiers can choose whoever they want in a free country.The public is not forced into watching anyone’s films. And many actors and actresses related to industry folks have flopped miserably over the decades. For every Hrithik Roshan, there is an equal and opposite Puru Rajkumar.

These are all valid points. But my question is this: if we can have rational discussions on mandatory reservations for underprivileged castes and classes in India in the public and private sector, why can’t we imagine quotas in the top-spots in films for those of us not related to film-royalty?

© 2009-2011, Anirban

[Via http://milkmiracle.wordpress.com]

My Review On VEER

Yesterday on Jan 23, 2010 I went to see VEER along with my parents. It was surprising that only the last SIX rows were occupied.

The movie is based on a fictitious plot of  war between PINDARIS and a princely state of  MADHAVGARH.The story revolves around a brave Pindari soldier, VEER (SALMAN KHAN).

CHARACTERS OF THE MOVIE:

Salman Khan:VEER

Salman Khan plays the lead in the movie. He is a brave Pindari soldier.

Zarine Khan: Princess Yashodhara.

Zarine Khan is playing lead opposite to Salman Khan. In some scenes she did resemble KATRINA KAIF.

Jackie Shroff:  King of Madhavgarh

Jackie Shroff  is  playing the villain in the movie, who cheats the Pindaris to please the British but loses his arm.

Sohail Khan: He plays VEER’S brother

Mithun Chakroborty: He is VEER’S father and a brave PINDARI.

I liked the movie, my mother thought it was very violent and my dad thought it was good. There was one mistake that my dad noticed, that is, in one scene Salman Khan has short hair whereas in the next scene his hair grow and they are long again.

[Via http://avvalk.wordpress.com]

56th National Awards : Complete List

1. BEST FEATURE FILM – Antaheen (Bengali)

2. INDIRA GANDHI AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FILM OF A DIRECTOR – A Wednesday (Director : Neeraj Pandey)

3. BEST POPULAR FILM PROVIDING WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT – Oye Lucky ! Lucky Oye (Hindi)

4. NARGIS DUTT AWARD FILM ON NATIONAL INTEGRATION – Aai Kot Nai (Assamese)

5. BEST FILM ON FAMILY VALUES – Little Zizou (English,Gujarati)

6. BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUES- Jogva (Marathi)

7. BEST FILM ON ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION/PRESERVATION – Jianta Bhoota (Oriya)

8. BEST CHILDREN’S FILM – Gubbachigalu (Kannada)

9. BEST ANIMATION FILM Roadside Romeo (Hindi)

10. BEST DIRECTION – Bala (Naan Kaduval – Tamil)

11. BEST ACTOR- Upendra Limaye (Jogva, Marathi)

12. BEST ACTRESS – Priyanka Chopra (Fashion, Hindi)

13. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – Arjun Rampal (Rock On !!, Hindi)

14. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – Kangana (Fashion, Hindi)

15. BEST CHILD ARTIST – Shams Patel (Thanks Maa, Hindi)

16. BEST MALE PLAYBACK SINGER – Hariharan (Jogva, Marathi)

17. BEST FEMALE PLAYBACK SINGER – Shreya Ghoshal(Antaheen, Bengali)

18. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY – Avik Mukhopadhyay (Antaheen, Bengali)

19. BEST SCREENPLAY- Sachin Kundalkar (Gandha, Marathi)

20. BEST AUDIOGRAPHY- Pramod J. Thomas( Gandha, Marathi)

21. BEST EDITING- A. Sreekar Prasad (Firaaq, Hindi)

22. BEST ART DIRECTION- Gautam Sen (Firaaq, Hindi)

23. BEST COSTUME DESIGNER – Neeta Lulla (Jodha Akbar, Hindi)

24. BEST MAKE-UP ARTIST – Moorthy V. (Naan Kadauul, Tamil)

25. BEST MUSIC DIRECTION – Ajay and Atul (Jogva, Marathi)

26. BEST LYRICS – Anindya Bannerjee and Chandranil Bhattacharya (Antaheen, Bengali)

27. SPECIAL JURY AWARD – Bioscope (Malayalam)

28. BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS – Govardhan (Mumbai Meri Jaan, Hindi)

29 BEST CHOREOGRAPHY – Chinni Prakash & Rekha Prakash (Jodha Akbar, Hindi)

30. BEST FEATURE FILM IN EACH OF THE LANGUAGE SPECIFIED

a) Mon Jai – Assamese

b) Shob Charitro Kalponik – Bengali

c) Rock On – Hindi

D) Vimukthi – Kannada

E) Thirakkada – Malayalam

F) Harishcnadrachi Factory – Marathi

G) Vaarnam Aiyiram – Tamil

H) 1940 LO Oka Gramam – Telugu

I) Yarwng – Kokborok

J) Gaggara – Tulu

31. BEST BOOK ON CINEMA – Bollywood Melodies (English) Author: Ganesh Anantharaman

32. SPECIAL JURY MENTION – The Director’s Mind (English) Ujjal Chakraborty

33. BEST FILM CRITIC – Altaf Mazid and R.K. Bidur Singh

[Via http://crazyrals.wordpress.com]

Padmapriya

Padma Priya is one of the top heroine in Kollywood and Mallywood now.  She is going to enter into Bollywood with the movie called Striker. Its going to release on February 5th 2010. She has paired opposite Siddharth in that movie.

She is hoping that, Striker movie will give some more offers in Bollywood. Present She is working in a Telugu movie called Sumadhuram starring Allari Naresh in lead role. K. Vishwanath is the director to this movie. On the other hand she has a Kannada movie and Malayalam movie also in hand.

In a Tamil movie called Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam she is going to pair with Lawerence.

[Via http://southtobollywood.wordpress.com]

Assorted Songs

1.  BUZDIL – ROTE ROTE GUZAR – 1951 – LATA – S D BURMAN

2.TAXI DRIVER –  JAYEN TO JAYE – 1954 – TALAT MAHMOOD – S D BURMAN

3. DEVDAS –  AAN MIL O SHYAM – 1955 – GEETA DUTT MANNA DEY – S D BURMAN

4. HOUSE NO 44 – PHAILI HUI – 1955 – LATA – S D BURMAN

5.HOUSE NO 44 – TERI DUNIYA – 1955 – HEMANT KUMAR – S D BURMAN

6. PAYING GUEST –  CHAND PHIR NIKLA – 1955 – LATA – S D BURMAN

7. MUNIMJI – JEEVAN KE SAFAR – 1955 – LATA – S D BURMAN

8. FUNTOOSH – DUKHI MAN MERE – 1956 – KISHORE – S D BURMAN

9.PAYING GUEST – CHHOD DO AANCHAL – 1955 – ASHA KISHORE – S D BURMAN

10. NAU DO GYARAH –  AANKHON – 1957 – ASHA KISHORE – S D BURMAN

[Via http://oldhindifilmsongs.wordpress.com]

Mudassar is proud of Dulha Mil Gaya

The last week’s release Dulha Mil Gaya opened with the mixed response but the maker of the film Mudassar Aziz is quite optimistic the way film is fetching the attention at the box-office.

Expressing his bliss Mudassar says, “I’m really happy- my film has seen the light of the day as it had to face many hurdles but finally it arrived the way I have imagined.”

He further adds, “Having said that I think reports are not as bad as it has been put forth by the media. In fact the film is doing well at Northern India though critics didn’t like the film.”

“With due respect to the verdict of critics in India I believed I think in India critics come up with their opinions too early,” he signs off.

-Anil A Kanojia/Sampurn Media

[Via http://monadarlingblog.wordpress.com]

Take on Rajeev Masand

I was wondering…when Rajeev Masand knows how a movie has to be, what and what not a movie should contain, the way songs and the music need to be in order to catch the pulse of the audience, the plot of a successfull movie, what a thriller/romantic/action/art..etc etc movie should constitute,what is comedy and what not is comedy when it comes to a movie,…and he can even judge how an artist has performed in a movie, and how he/she could have changed the performance for it to look superb!!! When he knows so much about all these…then why doesn’t he make a movie himself?

[Via http://prodigalcorner.wordpress.com]