New Dawn for Marathi Movies

Hello and Namaskar,

Yup - Continuing with my previous post which was in Marathi - now its time to write something in English so that my friends who do not understand Marathi (there is no Google translator Marathi-English) can feel this New Dawn for Marathi movies.

You can say it started with Shwaas and story continues. That was first time Marathi movie was competing for Academy awards for best foreign films and received National Award. And I am saying this is new dawn because this year also India's official entry for Oscars was Marathi movie "Harishchandrachi Factory". Though its out of competition but still its a recognition on the world cinema level for Marathi movies. This list continues with January released movies like Natarang, Jagva, Shikshanachya Aai cha gho.. and Zenda. Its very rare time when you can see

such variety of movies with such different subjects releasing back to back.

I feel i should talk about all of them - I don't know whether I can write or not - but let's try. Start with Natarang - intense story of an Tamasha (drama) actor. He starts his work wi

th the role of "Nachya" - one who acts like lady. The story flows with his rise - fall and again rise. Every actor acts very nicely and director is successful in shooting village life of Maharashtra in 1960's-70's. This was challenging role for Atul Kulkarni and he does it perfectly.

While talking about challenging roles you should mention Upendra Limaye - national award winner for Jogva. This is story about persons who are left for worshiping god with no other life of their own will. This is again tough subject to make a film about love story between Jagata and Jagatin but direc

tor Rajiv Patil exceeds exceptions and delivers a great film. Not to forget about Upendra - as he wears saree in whole film and acts brilliantly - deserves National Award.

Shikshanachya Aai cha gho.. heart touching story of father who wants his son to concentrate on studies and after one incidence changes his stance against todays teaching process. Yah we have seen this many times as recently in Hindi in "3 idiots" but still its a good thing to do rather than making some mindless comedy and wasting Bharat Jadav.

Yup, and coming again in this post also Zenda. A movie about party workers or you can say youth of Maharashtra who are in dilemma to choose their leader. Every where they are finding same situation - finally leaders are winners and common party member is looser. This is bold attempt to open eyes of youth and tell them to see and think ...

Still there are many movies not to forget Gandh and many more - so I hope one day there will be lots of Indian and International fans who will tell me that they watch Marathi movies and they like it ... !!!

झेंडा

झेंडा - काठीवर लटकवलेले रंगीत कापड - इतकाच अर्थ आहे याचा - की हे आहे प्रतिक - हो आपण सगळ्यांनी नागरिक शास्त्रामध्ये भारताच्या झेंड्याचा अर्थ समजून घेतला असेलच आणि आपल्याला माहिती असेलच की ते रंग काय सांगतात आणि ती चिन्हे काय बोलतात. पण आता एक नाही तर हजार झेंडे झाले आहेत अवती भोवती - जितके लोक तितक्या अस्मिता - तितकी प्रतीके आणि तितकेच झेंडे ...

विठ्ठला कोणता झेंडा घेऊ हाती ... ?

ज्ञानेशवर मेश्राम चा स्वर लागतो आणि आजच्या मराठी तरुणाच्या मनातला प्रश्नच तो हृदयाला भिडवतो. पण खरच हा काही फ़क्त मराठी तरुणाचा प्रश्न आहे का ? मला नाही वाटत - आज काल बरेचसे तरुण मग ते मराठी - तेलुगु किंवा अजुन दुसऱ्या देशातील असोत सगळे कुठल्या तरी झेंड्याच्या शोधात आहेत( जरी इतके झेंडे आहेत आजूबाजूला) अणि तो त्याना मिळत नाहीये - मिळाला तरी दुसऱ्या ओळी प्रमाणे - "आजवर ज्यांची वाहिली पालखी - भलताच त्यांचा देव होता" - त्याना आपला आदर्शच सापडत नाहीये. आणि शेवटी लक्षात येते आहे की सगळे दगडच आहेत - कोणी खरा देव नाहीच.

मला काही अवधूत च्या सिनेमाची जाहिरात नाही करायची .. पण हे मला वाटते की सध्या तरी सामान्य तरुणासमोर काही आदर्श उरला नाही - हा काही टोकाचा निराशावाद नाही - पण आज कालचे आदर्श म्हणजे अंबानी आणि विजय मल्ल्या - पैसे मिळवणे वाईट नाही पण फक्त पैसे मिळवणे हा एकाच उद्देश ठेवणार का जीवनात. राजकारण पूर्वी समाजकारण असायचे म्हणे - मला काही माहिती नाही - मी तरी त्याला एक व्यवसाय म्हणूनच पहिले आहे - एक सामान्य परिस्थितीतील माणूस एका कार्यकालामध्ये एकदम २ गाड्यांचा मालक बनतो - मला कधी कधी नाही समजत. पूर्वीचे लोक काही गोष्टीं मधून भेटतात - साने गुरुजी वगैरे ज्यांनी समाजकारणासाठी आपले सर्वस्व सोडले - पण आहे असा कोणता आदर्श आज - कालच्या कार्यकर्त्यांपुढे ? कोणाला माहिती असेल तर कृपया कळवा ...

आता माझ्या बोलण्यावर बरेच लोक आक्षेप घेतील पण माझ्या डोळ्यासमोर तर हीच परिस्थिती दिसती आहे ... आणि हे सगळ्या जगातच आहे - भारत - चीन - अमेरिका - सगळीकडे तरुण लोक फक्त पैसा सर्वस्व मानून त्याच्या मागे पळताना दिसत आहेत - अर्थात निवड त्यांची आहे - पैसा की आयुष्य - आशावाद इतकाच की एखादा झेंडा पुढे मागे मिळेल आणि तरुणाई जरा कुठल्या तरी मार्गाला लागेल ...

Nostalgic 2 ...

Hi all,

Yup, again with nostalgic term ... but this time different form of entertainment: movies. Actually this is not a movie that was made in our era - actually it is a old one - made in 1967 - producer was evergreen Dev Anand, director was legendary Vijay Anand and music was composed by Super Boss S. D. (yup Boss's father - now don't ask "boss koun tha maloom hai kya").

Every song of this movie was hit - Kishor, Rafi, Lata and Asha - everyone rocked and still rock ! As following tradition of previous post I am giving you guys som

e more hints. "yeh dil na hota bechara", "rula ke gaya sapana mera", "Aasaman ke niche", "Baithe hai kya uske paas", yup, "raat akeli hai" , " dil pukare - aa re aa re" and to name last ," Hoton pe aisi baat". Ha ha - I think there is no need of further hints to all the Hindi movie lovers - they must have guessed the film. For those still not getting it - there is Ashok Kumar - think a movie of Ashok Kumar with Dev Anand.

Screenplay of Vijay Anand, which doesn't give you single moment to think and the suspense with twist, and finally climax in Sikkim. It's Jewel Thief, classic Dev Anand, Vyjayanthimala, Ashok Kumar and supporting Tanuja with Helen. I can't say at that time what was more hit ... but I like all the things songs, story, screenplay and acting on Ashok Kumar.

I think even if you don't understand Hindi, you should watch it once - yup there should be all subtitled prints of Hindi classic available - I think this is different post topic - but yes you should watch it !

Yah, and the new thing from Indian history I just recognized, thanks to the movie, Sikkim was not part of Indian union until 1975. This was a new thing for me. We learned till Hyderabad and Goa freedom struggle but this thing was never mentioned in any book - this gives support to my opinion that they should teach us complete history till the year in which you are studying ....

These topics we will discuss later - till then watch Jewel Thief. Enjoy !!!

Nostalgic ...

Hi ...

Done with finals and I am ready again to post ...

This time again its about television series - but this one you must have watched .. I guess everybody of my age group had watched it .. at least single episode ...

Let me give some clues. Its story about uncle and nephews... butler... nanny... crank pilot (crash master)... scientist who invents even time machines - no time tubs and time teasers ...

Second clue boys with black goggles who will always try to steal uncle's money ... cruel lady magician who is behind uncle's lucky coin ... a rival, who is always making schemes to get richer than uncle ...

Last clue the name of the town was Duckberg ... and uncle's name was Scrooge McDuck ... Yes, you got it right - Ducktales, it was the series that premiered in late 1980's in USA and then spread worldwide, not to mention in India too.

And as a child I was great fan of this series - those days were early days of my life and also Indian open economy days - so we were nearly the first generation you can say which enjoyed actual global stuff ... Hahaha - many multinationals came in India - and most important Disney with its all cartoons ... It was part of our Sunday morning to get up and watch Ducktales - yah that time it was in

Hindi (If I'll get a chance I will still prefer Hindi version). Not just in Hindi, it was dubbed in many languages, Swedish, German, many other European languages and not to forget it was the first Disney show to air in Soviet Republic in Russian.

And I am again watching those episodes - this time all the episodes not letting any one missing ...

So I am Nostalgic ...

Second part of my Nostalgia came from a story book series or magazines which I used to read ... "Chandoba" in Marathi - "Chandamama" in other languages that means The Moon every child's favourite . In recent days only I found the website for it and it had most achieves - not just from my childhood but those are even from 2-3 generations back so if you see for Marathi - they have from 1952.

I am very pleased to see this site: http://www.chandamama.com/ . This have stories in many Indian languages and also in English. You will get loads of stories from all over the world and still you will get the scent of India in it.

Just to mention I found an old story half read and I just completed it - so go ahead and dive in your own nostalgia ...

Please don't forget to write about your comments ...

Hope I will be back soon ... till then I am signing off !!!

Julie and Juia

Hi all,

Bonjour!

You know I am such a lazy person .... this is work that I like and still I am not doing this ... I don't know ... I should find some more time to meet with you ... I will try ...(Hahaha)

Oh I am thinking I am not even a small kid in this blog world because I saw Julie's blog and she started it in 2002 and I am so late ... though there is saying "better late than never". I will give you link of her blog but first some background story ...

Yesterday (Friday eve) I saw movie Julie and Julia (Dir: Nora Ephron) and it's like my 2 favorite things combining together Movie + Cooking ... oh I just can't resist the combination. So I just went and really it was a good movie. Those who want to see something grand, big action movie or highly emotional drama: don't see it. But if you have liked Nora Ephron's previous movies like Sleepless in Seattle or You've got mail then you will like this movie.

This is not a kind of grand movie but Nora connects two stories Julie's story and her 365 day's project and at the same time Julia's story when she was in Paris and how she got her publisher. It's like she wants to connect these two ladies on some points and she has been successful in that. Nora creates two different worlds 1940's France and 2002's NYC easily and joins them with some fine and some cliched connectors (No offence it's my opinion - yah it's my blog)

Ok so without disclosing anything else I will leave you people to see the movie as that's my preference that prefer to watch a movie that you do not know anything about.

Yup - now as I promised earlier here is the link of her blog: http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/2002/08/25.html and you know what is more delightful is to read the comments. Though those comments are new (after release of movie) but really you will come to know about Julia Child and how she was idol once for all those who loved French cooking in US. But still I will guide you that you watch movie first and then go through blog - comments and if you find read books also.

One thing I am not sure about is why people are fascinated with French culinary cooking (I have never tried a French dish) but still I saw lately many series in Japanese and they were inspired by French cooking and then Ratatouille - one of my favorite, is also made with French cooking and not to forget Paris. I would like to search more about it ...

Oh and I liked soundtrack too ... so I am adding widget from Sony - I hope at least some of you will like it ...

Till then - bon appétit !!!