Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Thank you, 2013!

What a spectacular year 2013 has been. Not that I made my first 100cr film, but still, have never felt in such a happier space before. Not that I live inside a cake, but you get the drift, na? All my passwords contain the four letters - R, A, N & I. My days begin with a goofy smile & end with aching finger tips. I am writing films & beginning to get paid (albeit thoda) to do so too! Who knew… Hopefully you'll read about my films in gossip mags sometime next year. (Many duas needed) 

Have an answer to the dreaded question, "arey, tum shaadi kab kar rahey ho?." I used to avoid people who used to ask me such questions. I used to not take such people's calls. I used to feel depressed. Not any more. This question excites me, makes me smile & makes me write even more. As a drunk Aamir Khan said in Mangal Pandey - The Rising, "Ab life mein settle ho jaana maangta." 

I don't throw stones at cats anymore. One of my friends told me, "yaar tu badal gaya hai, have never seen you like this." I don't listen to sad songs anymore. I have stopped watching 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham' altogether. I do, sometimes, listen to the 'Bole chudiyaan' song & do a little gig to it when not sober. I still watch Baghban sometimes & cry like a sissy girl. Somethings don't change. But hey, I haven't renewed my membership of the 'Dukhi Dil Association'.

I am broke most of the time, but I smile proudly as if I have just stepped out of my Audi Q7. I dream of going to Baku (Azerbaijan) & owning The Maserati Quattroporte GTS. I know it is silly, but I know it will happen. Because Rani tells me so. She is such a wonderful person, wonder why she sauntered into my life so late. Better late than never. Can't thank her enough. She makes the best Maggi in the world. The bread-butter-jam that she makes should be made the national breakfast, lunch & dinner.

HAHAHA. Just kidding. She also knows how to boil eggs. I taught her. HAHAHA.

Before she kills me, she makes the BESTESTASTIESTAWESOMEST Peshawari Dal in the world. I can kill for that. I can kick a puppy for that. 

Oh wait, I have stopped doing such nasty things. Sorry, Shaktiman.

Have met some really wonderful people this year… People who I will always love, care for and borrow money from (irrespective of me needing the money or not). Found new confidence in the fact that I can write an entire feature film in less than ten days, I kid you not. I barely thought of myself as a writer; but Rani thinks I write really well. So I write for her. I write for her belief that I can write. Most of my life I only thought the only thing I could do best was - drunk dance to 'Sapne mein milti hai'.

I have stopped 'un-friending' and 'report-spamming' people who don't like the films I love. I have learned to look past them. I just pretend they don't exist. I hope they catch cold. I hope a waiter spits into their soup or something. I know it is not a very good thing to do, par kya bachche ki jaan logy kya? Ek saal mein itna ich milenga. Hope this changes next year.

My first film to hopefully (Again, many duas needed) release stars Sholay, Jhankaar Beats, Satya & Old Monk. That makes me feel very happy. I always wanted my first film to star SRK, but I can live without that. Wonder what kind of reviews my film will get. Hope you kind people in Ramgarh will feel proud and cheer and clap when you see my name on the big screen. Hope Taran Adarsh gives it 3.5 stars. Actually I don't care about Taran and his slimy usool and adarsh.

A 3 star review from Rajeev Masand & Anupama Chopra would make me proud though.

Wonder if you all will  'un-friend' and 'report-spam' me if you don't like my film. Will you give me another chance to prove myself? I don't know about all of you, but Rani will. She loves me, na. Poor girl. HAHAHA.

Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas & a very many Happy New Year! Pray for me, shower me with duas, love and please lend me money when I ask you. HAHAHA.  I am such a cheapskate, na. Hope 2014 changes that about me. I also want to be all rich & classy like all of you. Amen.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Raaste bahut achchey hain...

























A Keyrun Rao original…

Koi dariya mein kyon doobega
Ke jab saahil hi itna pyaara ho
Koi poori azaan kyon suneyga
Ke jab woh hi mera kinaara ho

Raaste bahut achchey hain mere
Manzil ki jaane kisey hai parwaah
Andhere hain mere pairon mein
Yeh kaisi chuni hai maine yeh raah

Kuchh ajnabi aaj mere yaar ho gaye
Thodey se tanha yeh bazaar ho gaye
Anjaani si pyaas ho chali hai toh kya
Lagta hai jaisey hum aaj tere ho gaye

Raaste toh bahut achchey hain mere
Manzil ki jaane kisey hai parwaah
Teri mohabbat ko kya naam doon main
Phir sey hua hoon main aaj gumraah

Teri tarah kho jaata hoon main bhi
Kya main karoon kisi ko ab fariyaad
Lambi raatein reh gayi hain ab toh
Tera pyaar hai bas mujhe kyon yaad

Raaste toh bahut achchey hain mere
Manzil ki jaane kisey hai parwaah
Lamha toota hua ho mera toh kya
Mujhko toh chalni hai teri hi ek raah

Ek saans le, mujh mein aaj tu kho ja
Reh ja mujh mein, kahin ab bas ja
Banjaara hoon main tere qafiley ka
Aaj toh thodi der bas tu hi thehar ja

Raaste toh bahut achchey hain mere
Manzil ki jaane kisey hai parwaah
Bina tere jee raha hoon main tanhaa
Dikha de ab tu hi mujhe ek nayi raah

(Dedicated to Imtiaz Ali's latest film… )


 



Sunday, December 1, 2013

Love you so much that it hurts...




I have no idea or reason to be writing this little piece. The headline just sounded cool so I wrote it. Actually it means a lot to me, hence I wrote it. How much can you love me? You don't even love me. You perhaps think that you do. Most of you pretend that you love me. I don't hold that against you. I love you too. Hahahaha. The word love has become a joke. Or maybe not.

Many of you here on Facebook are married, many of you with kids. One candid question: Do you know what love is? Do you feel love when your wife cooks a meal that is your favourite? Do you feel when a 100-odd people hit the like button on your baby's pictures? When do you feel love? Can you feel it? Can you love your friends as much as the girl in your life? Or vice versa?

I feel love when I watch a film directed by my favourite filmmaker. I feel love when I see a happy child dancing on the street. I feel love when I see Rani happy seeing me eat the stuff she cooked for me. I feel love when I meet random strangers who walk up to me & tell me that they love the shit I write. I feel love when I have Old Monk. I also feel love when I hear a song composed by ARR. It has been inexplicable so far... What is love? I have always wondered.

Rani showed me what love is. When she shot a documentary film about the people who are underprivileged. Rani made me realise that sometimes being underprivileged is a privilege. How can you know happiness when you don't know what is sadness? I love Rani. But that is not even the point. If you have read this far, I assume you have some time to kill. Hahaha!

As Sunrinder Sahni coyly said in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, "Is se zyaada pyaar ki na mujhe aadat hai, na zaroorat hai." What do you think about love. I last felt love when my parents brought me home-made besan ke laddoo. I also felt love when Rani made me Peshawari dal and chawal. This afternoon I had an awesome meal with Dennis, Manoshi and her family. I felt love.

I wonder how people realise when they are in love. Do they even know how much they love each other. Does Dennis love Manoshi more than she loves him? Or is it the vice versa. Why do I love to use 'vice versa'. Why do I love Rani? Why does Vaibhav love Preeti? Why does Preeti love Vaibhav? Why do I love Rani, Vaibhav, Preeti, Manoshi and Dennis? Do I even know them enough to love them? Do they love me?

Am I drunk? Why do I love Old Monk? Why do I love cinema so much? Will cinema love me back too? I know Rani does love me for sure. How much do I love Rani? Is my love enough for her? Will I love her more in the years that follow? How much love is too much? Vaibhav told me that I give him 'coughter' (laugh + cough). Is that even a thing? Are we making up things as we grow?

Dennis & Manoshi have a lovely daughter and I think she madly loves Rani. Their daughter doesn't seem to really love me. Will that make me love her less. I love that little girl. She is a daughter that I would love to have someday. Will I have a daughter? Will i have a son? My mother only wanted to have a daughter. She ended up giving birth to two sons. Despite that, she loves me and my brother, like only she can.

It has been an amazing day, today. I finally told Rani that I loved the documentary film that she made. Rani is really awesome, she has made me Peshawari dal that I would kill for. I would kill for Rani. Will she kill for me? Will Dennis kill for Manoshi? Will Vaibhav kill for Preeti? What does love mean? Will love make you kill? Who will you kill for? I will perhaps kill Gautham V. Menon for making VTV.

Too many questions. Very few answers. Just a realisation that I love Rani. I think she is awesome. I love combing her hair. Is that stupid? I felt love while combing her hair. Who knows love the best? I think I do. Do you know what love is? I felt love when Satya wishes a happy birthday to Vidya. I felt love when I got compliments for my Raanjhanaa review. Is that love? 

WHAT IS LOVE? DO YOU KNOW? I THINK I DO. SHARE YOUR STORY WITH ME.

Jo tujhe jaanta na ho, us se tera naam poochhna, yeh mujhe kya ho gaya?

or

Yaad hai peepal ke jiske ghane saaye they, hum ne gilehri ke jhoothe mattar khaaye they...

           


Friday, November 15, 2013

Ek panna phaad ke phenk dete hain...
















A Keyrun Rao original...

Bas tere liye maine thode qatl kiye
Kuchh lamhe tere liye main jiya
Thoda main tere liye marr gaya
Chand lamhon ko maine maaf kiya

Ek panna phaad ke phenk dete hain
Kya jaane us mein tera bhi kya hua
Hua jo bhi Khuda ne chaaha hoga
Kya tera hua, na jaane kya mera hua

Ek panna toh hai tere-mere beech mein
Thodi shayari maine bhi likhi hui hogi
Kuchh qalaam tere bhi toh rahey hongey
Tujhe mein-mujh mein koi baat rahi hogi

Aao chalo baantein hum kuchh shayariyaan
Tumne bhi ek dastak mujhe kabhi toh di hogi
Muskaan na sahi, chalo aansoo maan loonga
Meri zindagi mein hone ka keemat kya logi?

Bas tere liye maine thode qatl kar diiye
Kuchh lamhe tere liye main ji bhi liya
Tanhaai ke un banjar lamhon mein
Ek tu ne mujhe ek gehra sa saans diya

Ek panna phaad ke phenk dete hain
Kya jaane us mein tera bhi kya hua
Simat bhi ja meri saanson mein ab tu
Kya jaane is zindagi ka ab kya hua




Saturday, November 9, 2013

A slit in my heart

















A Keyrun Rao original

I never really knew what it was to share a meal
Could you please tell me what's the big deal?
I never knew that coffee could smell so special
Tell me what other ailments can it really heal?

When the train left the station, I cried for a while
Without you beside me dunno how can I smile
Come back before I do something so really silly
For you I am gonna walk a few thousand miles

Wish to live so that I can hold you in my arms,
Make you go aww & feel that you were mine
I belong to you just as much as a rose to thorns
When you are around, I have always felt fine

Coming back in a heartbeat is a thing that they say
But I just know that you'll just be too far-far away
I can't wait to see you run back into my longing arms
I can only say for sure that it will be a very happy day

You gave a slit in my heart that I never really wanted
A pain in my soul that I could have ever really managed
You left me when all I really wanted was only you
Tonight here I am left alone just feeling really damaged


Coming back in a heartbeat is a thing that they say
But I just know that you'll just be too far-far away
I only wish to cuddle up, kiss you and be close to you
I don't care if it is really a night or a bloody shiny day!


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Tera haath chhookar…


Happy Birthday, Rani!

Tera haath chhookar 
rooh ko panaah mil gayi
Teri hatheli mein mujhe
Meri khoyi kismet mil gayi
Teri khushbu odh kar chalta hoon Tujh mein bheegta aur jalta hoon Jaane kya ho gaya hai ye mujhko Bas tujh mein hi dooba rehta hoon
Teri hansi sunn kar Meri dhadkan muskaa gayi Tere honton pe maano jaise Mere liye pyaari dua aa gayi
Sota raha main itne saalon tak Kaash yeh neend pehle tooti hoti Khwaabon ko apne jee leta saare Tujh si hi haseen yeh zindagi hoti
Jee karta hai tera haath pakadkar Chalta rahoon saahilon par yun hi Raat hone mein toh abhi waqt hai Gungunaate rahein kuchh yun hi

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Ritesh Batra's response to the FFI letter

Director of 'The Lunchbox' responds to the letter he received from FFI.




Email received from the director's PR agency







Dear Sir, 
I just received your letter. Many industry stalwarts have made comments similar to mine but you sent the letter to me, a debutant filmmaker, but I am honoured and proud to speak for my film and team. If an apology is what you demand, you have it. Both you and the jury have my wholehearted apology. 

There was no intent to hurt anyone, but rather to participate in the vigorous debate that this decision ignited in the public domain. 

I sincerely hope that the annual reactions to our Academy selections from the national press, and this year from even the international press, prompt a new policy for the selection. Sir, please use your good offices to give us a transparent, objective process with a public and not a secret jury. It is a direct and humble request, not a criticism. 

I have moved on from this debate to focus on more productive pursuits and I would encourage everyone to do the same. With much respect for your tough job. 

Ritesh

--

Ritesh Batra

Writer/Director

@riteshbatra on Twitter

http://www.riteshbatra.com

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Aaj bus Old Monk rum hai...

























A Keyrun Rao original

Neendon mein ab khwaab kam hai
Meri ye aankhein phir aaj nam hai
Nasha chadh gaya tere pyaar ka ab
Jaane mujhe kis baat ka gham hai

Ye saali aadat jaane kab chhootegi
Gehri neend ye meri kab tootegi?
Tere saath ki shayad ab lat lag gayi
Jaane tu bhi mujhse kab roothegi?

Ek jaam tere naam ka maine piya
Tere ishq mein kuchh aur din jiya
Mere dil ki daulat mujhko lauta kar
Mujhpe ye mehsaan jaane kyon kiya

Zindagi ka ek gehra kash lagaaya
Tumne mujhe phir se jeena sikhaaya
Aise na jaa mujhe chhod ke tanha
Mera aks bhi toh tune mujhe dikhaaya

Aaj bus Old Monk rum hai saath mere
Tu ab na jaane kahaan kho gayi hai
Nasha toh hai tere pyaar ka mujh par
Lagta hai tu kisi aur ki hi ho gayi hai

Phir mil ja chaahe kisi khwaab mein hi
Ya mere dhundhle koi saaye mein hi
Bas duur na ja tu ab mujhe chhod ke
Rooh bhi tera hai ab mujh mein kahin
 
  

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Dil ka ek kona raushan nahin hota...

A Keyrun Rao original,  just for Rani...














Jo tum na hoti, toh main kya hota
Bina tere main na jaane kya hota
Muskaana toh bada aasaan kaam hai
Andhere mein khoon ke aansoo rota

Tere bina yeh kuchh bhi na hota
Dil ka ek kona raushan nahin hota

Rota hua dekha hai tumne mujhe
Meri khushi tumne mujhe lautayi hai
Banjar si meri is veeraan duniya mein
Tum ne itni saari khush-haali laayi hai

Tere bina yeh kuchh bhi na hota
Dil ka ek kona raushan nahin hota

Tanha rehna toh seekh gaya tha par
Mujhe kuchh achcha nahin lagta tha
Teri nazar se maine dekha khud ko
Ganda mazaak sab kuchh lagta tha

Tere bina yeh kuchh bhi na hota
Dil ka ek kona raushan nahin hota

Ab mujhe bas teri hi ek talab hai
Aaj main yahaan hoon tanha-akela
Ghut raha hoon teri yaadon mein
Tu na jaane kahaan aur kidhar hai
Tere bina yeh kuchh bhi na hota
Dil ka ek kona raushan nahin hota

Bas ek tera intezaar hai mujhko har pal
Phir tujhko chhoo loon mujhe ye aas hai
Aaj toh dariya bhi nigal jaaoonga main
Teri mujhko kyon aaj itni badi pyaas hai 

Tere bina yeh kuchh bhi na hota
Dil ka ek kona raushan nahin hota...


Friday, September 20, 2013

The Lunchbox: A brilliant ode to a city, its citizens & cinema above all!

















First things first: I am feeling damn hungry. It was about 1:00am when I left Juhu PVR after watching Ritesh Batra's The Lunchbox. I was wondering if I could buy 'bhurji pav' somewhere...

*Struggling writer's sob story alert*

Then it struck me that I have just about enough money to last me for the next few days before some more money comes on the table. I picked up half a dozen pav at the Juhu Circle bus depot. Have some eggs at home, so the sudden indulgent thought of having 'bhurji pav' at Andheri station was curbed.

*Sob story over*

Throughout the way back home, I just kept thinking about Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur & Nawazuddin Siddiqui. And of course, Ritesh Batra, The 'Phata Poster Nikla Director' this weekend!

As usual, this isn't a review; just some thoughts that came up in my mind while I was watching The Lunchbox, and some of those that are cropping up, as I sat down to write this.

I LOVE BOMBAY... Just like the gazzillion others who have found themselves in this city. I am sure everybody who has been touched by this city has his or her own unique story to share about this magical city of dreams. The way I feel about The Lunchbox is somewhat similar to the way I felt after watching my namesake's - Dhobi Ghat: The Mumbai Diaries. Ritesh Batra's love for Bombay is perhaps just as pure & unique (if not more), as Kiran Rao and yours truly as well. Having been in this city for all these years, I have encountered so many people from other cities proclaiming their undying love for Bombay. Some from UP-Bihar, a few from MP, a handful from Delhi and Chennai etc.

If I recollect properly, I have inherited my love for Bombay from my dad. He left this city midway through his career with so much hate, that the love he had for it found its way into my heart. My growing up years were spent in a chawl in Tilak Nagar (Chembur) & legend has it that the only person who could make smile when I started bawling was none other than - Chhota Rajan (who just happened to be our next door neighbour & hadn't hit Big Ticket back then). There's something about Bombay that has seeped so deep down in my soul, I can somehow (mostly accurately) tell if your love for this city is for real, or you are just faking it. At this point I feel I am giving away way too much info that I have been saving for my script, so I will stop this here. Apologies.












It was midway through The Lunchbox, and I was standing out smoking with my friend, waiting for the interval to end. I was gobsmacked and just couldn't believe that something like this could be ever written on paper. My friend on the other hand insisted that everything was written. I asked her, how can  you write how should Irrfan / Nawaz / Nimrat react to a certain cue? And what about the unsaid words,  the unwritten lines... She interrupted, saying, "Everything was written - all that was said, unsaid, written or unwritten. To save face, all I could tell her that it was a 'back-handed compliment'. She grinned, knowing very well that she caught me off guard. Girls I tell you... grrrr

It has been over an hour now since I watched The Lunchbox and I still can't get around to believe that the damn thing was scripted. HOW THE F*%$? I would like to believe that some lucky guy with a high-end spy cam just managed to be there, where things were happening & Lord CineIndra, perhaps pissed by the 100cr blockbusters decided to show us mortals how the hell it is all done. No perversion, no cheap gimmickry, no flying Scorpios or dancing lungis. May be Mr Batra was smoking something interesting that arrived from the hills? He doesn't look like one of those tokers that I have had the misfortune of meeting in the recent past. I think Mr Batra is hopelessly in love with Bombay. Way more than me or my namesake, Kiran Rao.

Don't even get me started about the casting of The Lunchbox. It is the stuff indie wet-dreams are made of. Irrfan keeps getting better, and same is the case with Nawazuddin, but Nimrat took the film to some other level of awesomeness. One would sell a kidney or other vital organ just to see Irrfan & Nawaz in a frame, but who knew I would sell my (sell-out) scripts outside Chai Coffi (Versova) for 100 bucks, just so that I can cast her in ONE film that I make, before I say "Pack up" once & for all. Thanks for Nimrat, Mr Batra!

One of the gazzabazzamillizillion portions that stood out in the film was a sequence when they show a 'dabbawala' being shot while he is going about doing his Harvard-approved-US President-certified daily job. I once got into a scuffle in a local train, and years later wanted to shoot that scene for a short film that I was trying to make. I tried a lot, but then eventually gave up. I thought there is NOBODY who can shoot in a crowded train coming to a halt at a station bustling with people. To accomplish that task, either you should be GOD ALMIGHTY himself, or your last name should be Thackeray, or you should be the love-child of RGV and Anurag Kashyap. If none of those, then I guess you HAVE to be Ritesh Batra at the very effing least.

There are many moments in The Lunchbox... so many of them, that you will feel like revisiting the film for, every now and then. Just the way you feel for a dear old friend who always has interesting stories to tell. There are few exchanged glances, some moments of solitude, some moments of catharsis and perhaps the entire spectrum of magical moments that make cinema what it is for us cinema lovers. I am not talking about the lungi dancers, shirtless super-cop lovers and their ilk. I am talking about those of us, who love cinema in its purest form, the way Gods would have perhaps scripted, shot & edited.

Before I call it a day, I leave you with this pic of my past mid-night snack. Jalo salon! :D








 
  

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Rishton ki sale dekhi?

















A Keyrun Rao original

Mujhse mooh mod kar chali gayi
Itna halka hi tha kya apne darmiyaan
Jaane main kyon itna gehra utar gaya
Teri muskaan mein reh gayi meri jaan

Bas chal raha tha apni raah par akela
Rishton ki sale lagi thi wahin kahin
Sab sasta bik raha tha us jagah par
Pairon taley meri phisal gayi zameen

Paak dil toh kisi ko chahiye hi nahin
Kahaan jaaoon ab sochne laga hoon main
Discount ke naam par dhokhe hi hain
Jaane ye baat kyon na samajh paaya main

Aao sab mil kar sale lagaate hain yahaan
Imaan toh shaayad bik chuka hai sab ka
Chalo dil ki baat karte hain kuchh pal
Dekhein sabse sasta dil hai yahaan kiska

Chalte-chalte rishton ki sale dekhi maine
Mere muskaan ki jaane kitni boli lagegi?
Uski baahon mein simta raha kuchh pal
Kya jaane uski keemat kya deni padegi

Bade sale lagte hain mere shehar mein
Sunta hoon sab kuchh bik hi jaata hai
Shaam tak hisaab kitaab kar lete hain
Rooh mein jaane baaqi kya rehta hai?

Rishton ki sale dekhi kya tum ne bhi?
Toote dilon se badboo aati hai mujhko
Phir se jaane kyon log khareed.te hain
Ek ujdi muskaan khareedni hai mujhko

Dekhi hai kya koi ujdi muskaan tumne?
Bataao kitna discount dogey tum humein?
Mujhe lagta tha kya daam lagaayega koi
Bahut khush-fehmi shaayad thi humein...

Monday, September 9, 2013

Mohabbat ke rang hote hain?


A Keyrun Rao original



















Mohabbat ke rang hote hain
Maine tere sang dekhe hain

Khushi ka ek meetha rang
Teri hansi mein dekha hai
Judaai ka gehra laal rang
Tere aansu mein dekha hai

Ek khaara rang gusse ka
Nigalna mushkil hota hai
Saanwla rang aankhon mein
Jalte-bujjhte bhi dekha hai

Mohabbat ke rang hote hain
Maine tere sang dekhe hain

Tera mere saath hone ka
Ek neele aasmaani sa rang
Tujh se khafa ho jaane par
Gehri andheri raat ka rang

Meethi gulaab pankhudi si
Tere pyaare labon ka rang
 Billi ki bhoori aankhon si
Tere galey par til ka rang


Mohabbat ke rang hote hain
Maine tere sang dekhe hain

Monday, September 2, 2013

Khulkar hanste dekha toh jaana
















A Keyrun Rao original

Kaun kehta hai mujhko deewana
Tujhse milkar maine yeh jaana
Hansne ki wajah kaun maange
Koi bataao itna kaun hai siyaana

Khulkar hanste dekha tujhe toh jaana
Itna bura bhi nahin hai ye zamaana

Hanskar toh dekho tum bhi zor se
Aise dost toh milte hain naseeb se
Humraaz kaise banogey tum huzoor
Uski khushi toh dekho tum kareeb se

Rona toh khatam hota nahin kisika
Aaj kisi ko hanste hue bhi dekh lo
Marte ko rehne bhi do qabr mein
Kisi jeete ko muskuraate bhi dekh lo

Khulkar hanste dekha tujhe toh jaana
Itna bura bhi nahin hai ye zamaana

Hansna toh ek daen hai us khuda ka
Roney mein kya rakha hai bataao
Chaand mein tumko paaya hai maine
Taaron ka kya hai yeh hi samjhaao

Kaun kehta hai mujhko deewana
Tujhse milkar hai maine yeh jaana
Jab bhi tujhko hansta hua paata hoon
Mera har gham ban jaata hai begaana

Khulkar hanste dekha tujhe toh jaana
Itna bura bhi nahin hai ye zamaana
Khuda toh tere labon par rehta hai
Yeh baaqi saara ab kya hai fasaana?




Monday, August 26, 2013

Mujh se mila diya...
















A Keyrun Rao original

Bewajah sa hi tha mera sab kuchh
Saansein lena, kishton mein jeena
Paise kamaana, aur kharch ho jaana
Jaane kyon dhadakta tha dil kameena

Teri muskaan mein kuchh mil gaya
Teri aankhon mein sab kho bhi diya
Mujh se mila diya aaj tumne mujhko
Kaise is aks se mujhe tumne mila diya

Kuchh samajhta nahin tha tujhse pehle
Khushi ki khushi nahin, gham bhi nahin
Bas dil dhadakta rehta tha mera har pal
Kambakht wo rukta tha jaane kyon nahin

Anjaana sa akelapan rehta tha mujh mein
Ishq bhi ho chala tha mujhko us tanhaai se
Ab kyon akele mujhse raha hi nahin jaata
Jaise ab bhi tujhko kehna hai kuchh mujh se

Dard chala gaya, zakhm saare bhar gaye ab
Ab toh yaad bhi nahin hai mujhko kuchh bhi
Tere pyaar mein chhupa hua khush hoon
Mera kal mera nahin hai, aaj se toh sab tera hi

Mujh se mila diya aaj tumne mujhko
Jaise kisi ne marte hue ko di ho koi dua
Tujh se milkar ab main itna khush hoon
Ke sab se milkar bhi aaj hi main poora hua

Tere aane ka intezaar rehta hai mujhko bas
Main tujhe kuchh ghadi bhar aur dekh loon
Tere saath mein jee loon main jee bhar kar
Mil jaaye mujh ko bhi bas itna sa hi sukoon

Mujh se mila diya aaj tumne mujhko
Laga ke main jaanta hoon us shaqs ko
Khushi mujh se bhi mili thi kya kabhi
Woh kahaani sunaaoonga main tujhko  

  

Naachne ka mann karta hai...

























A Keyrun Rao original

Itna khush rehta hoon aaj-kal
Jaise lottery lag gayi ho meri
Paagal samajhte hain mujhko
Ki khopdi satak gayi ho meri

Naachne ka mann karta hai ab
Naachna aaye nahin toh kya
Gaane ka mann karta hai ab
Gaana aaye nahin toh bhi kya

Sab kuchh keh deta hoon usko
Kuchh rehta nahin is dil mein
Woh bhi sab kuchh bak deti hai
Milte hi mujhe ek hi saans mein

Ajeeb sa lagta hoon naachta hua
Par ab mujhe koi parwaah nahin
Pagalon sa muskaata rehta hoon
Mera shayad ab koi ilaaj hi nahin

Jalebi ka tukda nigla ho jaise maine
Ya chaand pe kavita likh liya jaise
Tujh se milkar sanwar gaya hoon
Main toh kabhi nahin tha kuchh aise


Naachne ka mann karta hai ab
Ab toh mujhe koi bhi na roko
Pyaar ho chala hai bada gehra
Is raah par mujhe ab tum na toko

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Tujhko kuchh pal sotey dekha...


















A Keyrun Rao original

Kya khwaab mein mili thi tum mujhe
Ya raah par takra gaye they hum
Kaise  dhoondha tha maine tumhe
Jaane kis dagar chal pade they hum

Tujhko kuchh pal sotey dekha maine
Tujh mein kuchh apna sa dekha maine
Teri aankhon mein khwaab they mere
Dhadkan meri mujhe lagi thi kehney

Teri khwaab mein aaj jee kar dekha
Teri muskaan mein khud ko senka
Tere aansuon ko chakh kar dekha
Teri hansi ka chaadar bhi sameta


Tujhko kuchh pal sotey dekha
Tujh bin lagta sab kuchh dhokha
Tujh mein sab kuchh paatey dekha
Bas ek tu hi hai mera yaar anokha

Tujhko maine jagaana bhi chaaha
Meri kya hai tu bataana chaaha
Tu toh so chuki thi gehri neend
Teri saans ko bas sulgaana chaaha


Tujhko kuchh pal maine sotey dekha
Tujh mein kuchh apna sa hi dekha
Teri dhadkan mein main dhadak gaya
Ek teri ore main aakar chamak gaya


Sunday, July 28, 2013

Saaya kisika...














A Keyrun Rao original

Ajnabi sa ek saaya kisi ka
Aaj toot kar gira mujh par
Bada pyaara sa tha toh
Jaane rootha tha kis par

Beeti saari yaadein liye
Jala tha kyon mujh par
Jab bujhi saari yaadein
Ro pada woh mujh par

Roya kuchh main bhi tha
Thodi royi thi woh bhi
Aankhein sooji hui thi
Dard bhi gehra sa toh tha

Us rishte ka saaya tha purana
Zakhm gehra sa tha woh
Aur hans raha tha zamaana
Mushkil tha us yaad ko bhulana

Ajnabi sa ek saaya kisi ka
Aaj toot kar gira mujh par
Kahaani puraani ho chali hai
Chalna hai phir wahi dagar par

Ek rishta dhuan ho gaya toh kya
Naye rishte ki bhi apni jalan hai
Bikhar gaye hum tab toh kya
Ab humein na koi bhi darr hai!

Duniya badal gayi saali













A Keyrun Rao original

Waqt toh aata hai sabhi ka
Aansoo rehte nahin sab din
Muskaan kab tak rehti duur
Khil gaya main bhi aaj ke din

Raet mein neele paani ke jaise
Dikhi tum mujh ko raah mein
Ab bheeg gaya ishq mein tere
Samandar hai tere pyaar mein

Meri duniya badal gayi saali
Andhere mein ho gayi Diwali
Pataakhe phoote mere dil mein
Meri dhadkanein ab bajaaye taali

Chaand mein kyon suraj dikhta hai
Mere sher bhi ab kya tu likhta hai
Teri tareefon ke liye lafz banata hoon
Kyon mujh par ek tu hi chhayi si hai

Har jagah mujhe phool dikhte hain
Manzilein tujh pe aakar rukti hain
Teri raah ka banjaara ban gaya hoon
Itni mohabbat tujhse mujhko kyon hai

Meri toh duniya badal gayi saali
Andhere mein bhi ho gayi Diwali
Mujhe ab bas ek teri hi talab hai
Tera ghoont miley mujhe ek pyaali

Kaisa yeh ujaala sa rehta hai...


A Keyrun Rao original

Bataa kya kahoon tujhe main
Meri likhi ghazal ya koi fasana
Tujhe samajhne laga hoon ab
Pyaar ka yeh lagta hai bahana

Kaisa yeh ujaala sa rehta hai
Jabse tu mujhe apna kehta hai
Tu ab jo bhi mujhe kehta hai
Sab kuchh sachcha hi lagta hai

Koi ek khwaab sach hua ho jaise
Jaane kisi ki dua lagi hai mujh ko
Samaa ja mujh mein tu kuchh aise
Jaise ke ye jahaan mila ho mujh ko

Kaisa yeh ujaala sa rehta hai
Jabse tu mujhe apna kehta hai
Tera hone laga hoon ab main
Ek meetha sukoon sa rehta hai

Dhadkan mein aaj naya taal hai
Kadmon bhi ab uchhaal hai
Har din aankhon mein aansoo they
Badey waqt mein aaya ye saal hai

Kaisa yeh ujaala sa rehta hai
Jabse tu mujhe apna kehta hai
Teri hi panaahon mein mujh ko
Har sawaal ka jawaab dikhta hai

Hawaon ka rukh jaise badal gaya
Aaj lagta hai ke sab hi tham gaya
Is rukey hue pal mein keh doon ye
Tu mili mujhe sab kuchh mil gaya

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Kab socha tha yeh maine...
















A Keyrun Rao original

Khwaab ki tarah aayi woh
Aur bas gayi saanson mein
Kuchh is tarah ke shayad
Khushi ban kar khudi mein

Mithaai pasand nahin usey
Main hi pasand kyon hoon
Poochha toh jaana maine ki
Kadwa toh main bhi hoon

Kab socha tha yeh maine
Ke mujhe bhi koi chaahega
Kab socha tha yeh maine
Ke mera bhi waqt aayega

Uski muskaan hai pyaari
Luta doon ye zindagi saari
Jalogey gar sunogey tum
Pyaari si kahaani humaari

Lagta hai sab tham gaya hai
Saansein meri aur mera lahoo
Bas woh hai mere zehan main
Is se zyaada main kya kahoon

Kab socha tha yeh maine
Ke ek aisi paglil bhi hai
Chaahti hai woh mujhe yun
Mera naya asmaan bhi hai

Sunta hoon usko kuchh der
Kuchh baatein bhi karta hoon
Achchhi lagti hai woh mujhe
Us ke saath hi theharta hoon

Khaana garam hai, aur baatein bhi
Sawaal uske hain, khoya main hoon
Waqt kam hai, par pyaar zyaada hai
Meri nadaani ko bol kya naam doon? 

Friday, July 26, 2013

Tum se mila tha ek din...

















A Keyrun Rao original

Akelepan ki aadat pad si gayi thi
Bartan bhi dhoney laga tha main
Dhuley kapde sookhte nahin they
Kuchh pareshaan ho chala tha main

Tum se mila tha ek din kuchh pal
Baarish toh kahin hui nahin thi
Bheeg gaya tha tere pyaar mein
Kahin kisi ki saazish toh nahin thi

Main toh dhuein se baatein karta
Thoda jee leta aur thoda sa marta
Tujhse baat jab kiya maine toh laga
Main toh tujh se bahut pyaar karta

Tum se mila tha ek din kuchh pal ko
Dhuan toh dekha tha maine bhi us din
Taare toote, khwaab bhi huwe poore
Kya jaane kyon kaise jiya tere bin

Ab toh yeh raat ho gayi kitni andheri
Bina tere kyon mujhe lagey adhoori
Chhoo le mujhe saanson se meri jaan
Jeene ke liye hai bas itna hi hai zaroori

Tum se mila tha ek din kuchh pal
Ek dua maangi thi maine bhi rab se
Jab se hai paaya hai tujhko maine
Laga jaise ki jung ho gaya hai sab se

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Is Anand Gandhi's 'Ship of Theseus' another flash in the pan?

I remember the first time I watched Satya, I had tears in my eyes and a wish; deep down in my heart, to become Satya, as soon as possible. I knew I could never kill people in real life; screw that, I couldn't even wish ill for anybody. Hailing from a South Indian middle-class background, I was pushing my luck, as far as being a 'Satya' kind of 'bhai' was concerned. I might have ended up as Chandu, the bloke who cracks jokes and eventually dies, that too at the most unexpected times.

What about the recently released, Anand Gandhi's 'Ship of Theseus'? Who gives a damn about it? Ship of what? Ship of who? Anand who? Who are you? The questions are never-ending. My fight was different. There was a film that was being shown to a limited audience, that too, at a theater where everybody wasn't invited / welcome. Ship of what again? Another shit film that you are trying to promote, said a few naysayers.

Theseus ka matlab kya hai saale? Chadh gayi tujhe pencho? I faced a lot of questions by my friends, but those who stood for the film that I thought should be watched by everybody, were only my parents. Having been unable to convince my parents to even watch a festival blockbuster like 'Chennai Express', I was losing ground like never before. How would I convince them to spend about Rs. 300/- per ticket to watch a film that had nothing to offer that they had grown up watching?

The keyword was - Kiran Rao. Before my 11th test result, I was Kiran Rao. A few months later, I became some other guy, who my parents hadn't reared. I soon became Keyrun Rao, the same guy, albeit with a different spelling. Also, with a new identity, that of a guy who was disconnected from his roots. 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Ship of Theseus: Three little boats of cinema paradise rolled into one!























First things first: The tickets of Ship of Theseus aren't all that expensive everywhere, at least not after the opening weekend. If you are borderline broke like me, you can still watch the film for Rs. 150/-. If you're too broke, take the bus or walk, skip the drunky session, smoke Four Square & eat vada pav (KFC is unhealthy anyways & PETA will love you for that) for the next few days a la moi. But don't miss SoT, I am not a beggar, am a requester. It's a rare film to come out of our inane blockbuster circus tent.

Second things second: Hawaai firing & immense respect for director Anand Gandhi & the entire gang who made this film, and also those who got it a theatrical release. Special mention for the man who played the monk (Neeraj Kabi), it was surreal to watch him die... almost.

Now a little about the film, its three segments & how I connected with it at various stages in my life.

Years ago, I had a fatal accident. I almost lost my left leg. The doctors were kind and patient, but I was not. I had all kinds of disturbing thoughts in my head. What if I am never able to walk again? My bastard friends had already started calling me 'Langda Tyagi' (Yaar bhi kaminey). To get rid of that negative space  I came back to Bombay with a crutch & limp like Pran saab (may his soul RIP) in Don. Took up a job here and it needed me to take the local train daily. I could never convince myself to get into the dabba meant for the 'handicapped'. Just couldn't. Well meaning Bombay people in the train used to tell me, "Woh dabbe mein jaao na, aapke jaisa log ke liye hai." I did it once and I broke down. Soon after an old man in the same dabba started laughing at me for being a wuss. FML. I love Bombay!

Dissolve

My life philosophy almost changed when a kind friend gifted me a book by Rumi.  It opened the door of an all new world for me. I started believing in most of his sayings, especially those about love & giving. If not for the filmi keeda having bitten my arse so bad,  I might have turned into a full-time wanderer. The most powerful portion of SoT (for me personally) was that of the monk who would have sold his Ferrari, only that he didn't even have a pair of shoes. But he did have a sense of humour, which I totally loved. I could understand why he would rather die than be treated by medicines that were against his school of thought. Just like I would rather not watch a film at all, than watching a pirated copy of it. Whoa! That sounded deep, but I am deep like that; neck deep in shit almost always.  

Dissolve

Like all those in my age group most of our conversations with our parents revolve around marriage. A few years back it was about me not receiving calls from my relatives. The usual chat with my mom was something like this:

Mom: Hey your chacha was trying to reach you the other day for the Durga namaskara pooja, you didn't answer his call.

Me: I had lost my phone, mom.

Mom: Why do you lose your phone when there is a family function to attend?

Me: Awkward silence.

Mom: Did you save some money this month, we have to...

Me: Hello hello... mom, I can't hear you... *click*

These days me & mom have graduated to talking about the kind of marriage I would prefer. While I am all for a quick, no-fuss, sign-the-legal-papers-and-boom-out-to-the-honeymoon type ceremony, my mom wants me to sit for the yagna-havan-feast-burp-Udipi-style arrangement. Instead of feeding 500-odd people who I have met perhaps once, during my thread ceremony, I would rather save that moolah & buy an island near Bora Bora. Thankfully, my mom has given up on me. As long as I marry, she will be happy. Don't even get me started about dad. He still doesn't know what I do for a living. He also doesn't know how to reply to texts to save his life, while my mom is wondering which Tab to buy, so that she can look up girls for me and my kid bro, on Facebook at leisure. FML.

Dissolve

While there is nothing life changing in Ship of Theseus, there is everything that we need to ask ourselves every now & then, with a pinch of salt. While it takes all the segments seriously, it doesn't mind taking a joke at itself. Sample this line from SoT - "Monks are supposed to be celibates, then why is there so much of intellectual masturbation?" It is laced with such gems throughout. Take it seriously or laugh out aloud, it's your life after all. It is really mind boggling that a film like this got made and got a theatrical release too!  I was also very happy to see Rohit sir's name in the end credits. Watch his extended interview here:

"Ship of Theseus tickets are too expensive yaar"






















Looking back, I have never felt sillier about myself when I found myself to be amongst a bunch of people who thought that the ticket of Anand Gandhi's Ship of Theseus was obscenely priced. I even made some wisecrack about how only Aamir & his wife (producer of SoT) will be watching it this weekend. I am so embarrassed about saying such shit, but what to do, I am broke. This post stems from a chat that I was having with my drunky partner and some internal 'khalbali' in 'khopdi ki jhopdi'. No, I still haven't watched the film yet, but I will, as soon as the evil ad agency guy makes me richer by a few hundred rupees.

Just randomly remembered this quote by Shahrukh Khan - "You can deserve me, but you can't afford me."

As of now I can deserve Ship of Theseus, but can't afford it. I am indirectly a part of this film and it is not because the producer Kiran Rao is my namesake. My connect with this film is my recent meeting with its music director Rohit Sharma (fondly known as Rohit sir) and his interview that I did for madaboutmoviez.com Click here for link. It was one of the best interviews I did and received a lot of appreciation from people who I respect a lot. Sadly, that good deed didn't earn me free tickets to watch the film, but what the hell.

Coming back to the point, how expensive is expensive? How do you decide upon the fair value of a ticket? Having always sucked at math, I don't find myself in the position to figure that out. The maximum I have paid for watching a film at the theater is Rs. 4,600. Yes, I watched Gautham Menon's Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya at the theater 23 times, so you do the math. I am stupid, I know and I hate downloading films. As a principle I never watch a film illegally. I buy or borrow DVDs, buy tickets, borrow money to buy tickets, sell my empty beer bottles, write obituaries, and sometimes get to attend special screenings. But piracy -

NO. NEVER. NOT. YOU MOTHERS FATHERS MANNERS THIS? 

Exaggeration apart, the maximum I have spent to watch a film is Rs. 600 - for Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Eklavya, which I totally loved and felt that I got my money's worth. But Eklavya had Amitabh Bachchan & Sanjay Dutt. What does Ship of Theseus have? I know everybody has been raving about watching it and the rest don't give a damn about cinema. Then there are a few crazy SRK fans who are saving money to watch Chennai Express multiple times, despite Rohit Shetty. (Nitin, take that grin off your face.)
  
With Ship of Theseus, I fail to understand the value or muscle that UTV & Kiran Rao have brought to the table that PVR Directors Rare could not. To quote my machcha Sethu, "Ok I know @SOTfilm would never have a mass release& hona bhi nahin chahiye. But it surely deserves more than 6 screens." I would add to that - a ticket price at par with that or perhaps even a little more than the general trash that hits the screens on a regular basis. Screw that, they could have at least released the film in the better half of the month, but alas. I lick my wounds as I type this.

I have put my kidney on Quikr.com and if I get a decent deal I will watch Ship of Theseus one of these days. But I hope some sense prevails and indie film tickets are made accessible to more people, or else we will have to live with more of Rohit Shitty's money-spinning scams. I leave you with the extended interview of Rohit sir, and wish I could charge you 450/- to watch it each time. I know that will not happen in this lifetime and this is the internet, so if nothing, please share the hell outta this post. Thanks.



Love, Magik.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag: Laughs, tears & goosebumps!











If I remember exactly, it was on 13th July, 2001, give or take a few days, when me along with a filmi keeda friend watched Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's directorial debut - Aks. Both of us were mindblown by the badassery of Bachchan saab & Manoj Bajpayee and that rainy night we spent about 3 hours discussing the film, despite the fact that nobody else in the theater that we watched the film in got it. They all hated it. But me & my friend loved it. For weeks we would quote lines from the film to each other while others around us thought that we had lost our marbles. Na koi marta hai, na koi maarta hai; aisa main nahin kehta, tumhaari geeta main likha hai... Aah nostalgia!

But this post is about Mehra's latest offering; a biopic on The Flying Sikh - Milkha Singh. Aptly titled 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', this is undoubtedly one of the best biopics made in this side of the hemisphere. Even those who know the epic story of the sprinter will be pleasantly surprised by the way the makers have chosen to narrate his story. We live in times where an entire generation (or most of it) will get to know of Milkhaji's life and times after watching this inspirational film. At least I knew only things that were a part of the general knowledge portion of our studies, but having watched BMB, I have new found respect for The Man.

The day I first saw the trailer of BMB, I knew it was a winner of a film. The moment I came to know of the special preview, me along with a fellow film fanatic made a sprint for it. From the word go, I was captivated by what was playing out on the screen. Surprisingly, not for one single moment I thought it was Farhan Akhtar essaying the role of Milkha Singh. He had BECOME the character. And then the filmmaker took over with his craft. With a non-linear style of storytelling the biopic sucked me into its universe so much so that I almost didn't mind the asshole beside me (not my friend) who was going on with his live commentary. And then there was a wailing kid. I wanted to kill all of them, but didn't as I was feeling INSIDE the film.

Prasoon Joshi reclaimed his place in the list of 'People I worship' thanks to his magik in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. What a writer & the lyrics are divine too, so double whammy! There were many scenes where my eyes turned moist, but there two scenes that involved Divya Dutta and Pavan Malhotra where I cried like the baby that was crying in the theater when the film began. There is no point in me telling you what happens in the film, you HAVE to watch it for yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if this film is made tax-free and is made a compulsory watch in the next few days.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has god-level art direction, editing (P S Bharathi), cinematography (Binod Pradhan) & divine music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The child artist who plays Milkha junior is a revelation. Mehra's tribute to The Flying Sikh is worth its weight in cinema gold! Full respect to the entire team that created this masterpiece and kudos to Sonam Kapoor for being a part of this film where her screen time is almost as much as Abhay Deol in Raanjhanaa, but she still delivers the goods. Please do watch this film at your earliest possible convenience with you entire family if possible. Take your neighbours and assorted friends to watch it too, but please don't be douchebags and talk during the film. Switch off your mobile phones, sit back and watch the story of a legend of our times unfold & spellbind you.

Pairipauna Mehraji...  

Please remember, zinda hai toh pyaala poora bhar le



Note to self: Likh Keyrun Likh

Monday, July 8, 2013

Lootera: Where love lies, lives & dies















I don't know what is the karmic connection I share with Vikramaditya Motwane, but it is strange how his stories connect with me at some deep personal level. It last happened when I watched his debut film, Udaan;  as it made me revisit my childhood. This time it is love & the way I feel about it, the love as I know it, or at least how I would like it to be felt. As writing about films isn't my way to earn my Old Monk & Classic Milds, I can say what I have to, without caring much about the word count, or what the readers are interested in - the star rating of the review.

As I had said in my Raanjhanaa post, this post also doesn't tell you much about the film. You can only read the thoughts it triggered in my mind & soul. Anyway it is too late for a review, but that's not the point. I have to share this small story with you. Thanks to the internet I happened to interact with a reader of my blog & soon enough after some polite comment exchanges, the conversation became a telephonic one. The reader was oceans away from me, but there was a connect. We used to talk for hours on the phone. It felt just like the way I did when I used to talk to the waves outside Haji Ali.

One fine day when it began to seem like a fragment of my already fertile imagination, I asked the reader if she was for real or was I ready to see a shrink... Well it turned out that she was real & I could save the shrink ka fees for a daru session! Yay!!! All the while I was thinking that all that she said were a bunch of lies. Just like I had lied once. But everything she said was true to the last full stop. Me on the other hand had lied about everything to the girl I thought had fallen in love with. So what if then I was still to grow my first moustache. Varun Shrivastava better known as Ranveer Singh in Lootera brought back those memories.

Another question that I always had, popped up again, thanks to Lootera. Does true love set you free or bind you for good. Pakhi better known as Shotgun Jr or Sonakshi Sinha in Motwane's labour of love brought back that question. Sometimes you fall in love and are tied to it till the end of your life; good, bad or ugly. We can't say when love begins, but we can see when it begins to wear off. But how can love wear off? Was it even love in the first place. The only thing I have seen wear off in my life are my 'sale ka maal' denims. Even my first school crush is permanently etched in my heart, forever.

I am not sure why, but Lootera also reminded me of Kunal Kohli's Fanaa & Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black, in bits. If you've watched the film, you know what I am talking about. If not, please do watch it. In the melee of 100cr blockbusters & quirky black comedy, here's a film that treads its own ground. It takes its own sweet time to establish the background and once that job is done, it takes a beat and bitchslaps a masterpiece (albeit flawed) in your face, that in its own humble way will be remembered by Pakhi, if nobody else... I sure will remember the 'Last Leaf' till I have completed my time in this blasted space!

One more question that I had seems to be partially answered in Lootera. Hear these two songs:

Itti si hasi, itti si khushi (Barfi!)

Saiyyara (Ek Tha Tiger)

The first one says: 'Aadhi aadhi baant le, aaja dil ki ye zameen...'

The second one says: 'Aasmaan, tera mera hua khwaab ki tarah dhuaan dhuaan'

In love, should we share our dil ka space equally, or fully takeover the 'aasmaan' of your lover...

Another strong thought that came up was - how much hurt will one take in the name of love. I am sure many girls I walked out midway through a date, for not liking Sholay / Jhankaar Beats / Satya, or perhaps not appreciating this gem from Company - Tumse kitna pyaar hai, might want to kill me. How much would it take to want to kill someone for being an asshole, but still be forgiving and embrace him / her thanks to the love you have for him / her...

Till I find out my answers, I leave you with this beautiful gem from Lootera...    

Zinda hoon yaar... qaafi hai! Long live the Amit Trivedi-Amitabh Bhattacharya team!



P.S.: Pardon the rhyming headline, occupational hazard you see ;-)

Monday, July 1, 2013

Golgappe khaate hue...

Bheegi si kuchh woh shaam thi,
yaar bhi saath mein they mere
Ek ghaanv sookha hua sa tha
Bhar aaya aaj seene mein mere

Golgappe khaate hue yaad aayi
Ek muskaan khoyi-murjhaayi hui
Ek daastaan bhooli-bisri si koi
Golgappe khaate sharmaati hui

Aaj ki raat phir kuchh geeli si hai
Rooh sehmi aur chot gehri si hai
Dard jaane kahaan hua hai mujhe
Saans kuchh thami phir kyon hai

Kuchh boond gir gaye aaj phir se
Golgappe khaate hue sadkon par
Kuchh yaadon ki papdi thi shayad
Meri yaadon ke us akeli chhat par

Golgappe khaate hue, tum yaad aaye
Badi muddaton baad, kya tum laut aaye
Phoota hua sa tha woh golgappa mera
Kaise itni yaadein saath mein tum laaye

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Moments like these...
















A Keyrun Rao original

It is but a moment
And will never come back
The hope of a lifetime
Caught in its own track

Smiles don't last forever
But this moment surely will
The joy that life has in store
You can see it stand still

There is glee in her eyes
Perhaps a lump in her throat
You can't see much of it
Let's still raise her a toast

She sets off on a new journey
Hoping for an eternal bliss
With the one her heart beats for
Sealed with a sweet little kiss

Moments like these we pine for
Moments like these make us smile
When we look back at our life
Trudging along on our last mile.

A humble dedication to a fabulous picture clicked by a dear friend.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Ek 'Rangrez' type gaana likhna hai yaar...





















Ever since I heard the 'Rangrez mere' song written by Rajshekhar for Aanand L. Rai's Tanu Weds Manu, composed by Krsna, I have wanted to write something on those lines... A humble attempt, if I may...

Ek naya rang dekha tujh mein...
A Keyrun Rao original

Kaali-safed si hi thi yeh zindagi meri
Jab tak tera yeh rang dekha nahin tha
Laal rang se pyaar ho chala tha mujhe
Jab tak tujh mein nahaaya nahin tha

Ek naya rang dekha tujh mein maine
Zindagi se pyaari, zindagi se bhi zinda
Teri aansuon mein bheega tha ek din
Maut se hua tha main us din sharminda

Tere rang mein naha kar dhul gaya hoon
Aansoo dhul gaye mere kuchh is tarah
Ab muskaanon sa rang chadh gaya hai
Tu hi hai ab se mere jeene ki saari wajah

Andherey aasmaan mein taaron ki tarah
Chaashni mein doobi hui jalebi ki tarah
Tere rangon mein ghul gaya hai aashiq
Lambi raat ki ab shaayd hui hai subah

Shaayad teri rang mein rang gaya hoon
Mere rang ka toh kurta bhi nahin hai ab
Teri rooh ka rang chadh gaya hai mujh pe
Tujhse hi jaane mujhe kyon lagey hain sab

Jab tak tera rang maine dekha nahin tha
Laal rang se pyaar ho chala tha mujhe
Ab saare rang tere mil gaye hain aaj
Bataa kyon main itna na chaahoon tujhe

Ghulam ho chala hoon tere saare rangon ka
Mere rang ab bujh se gaye hain aisa lagta hai
Bas tu chhayi rehti hai mere indradhanush mein
Naye rang ban gaye hain, aisa mujhe lagta hai

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Raanjhanaa: Some musings on love lost, found & some just lost forever


Disclaimer: This isn't a review as such, but some musings caused by some old scars that started hurting all over again. To save you time, let me just quickly say, if Aanand L Rai's 'Tanu Weds Manu' brought tears in your eyes, 'Raanjhanaa' will make your heart bleed.

'Raanjhanaa' is for those who believe in eternal old-school-love, longing, tears, slit wrists, sleepless nights, the unsaid and the unspoken, the truth and lies and how true love never ever dies. People die, the love doesn't. Or may be it does these days. Not in the good ol' days when guys would buy musical greeting cards, write poetry or even write love letters with their own blood. I heard recently that a couple broke off their '7 weeks long' relationship on Twitter. Too bad, 'Raanjhanaa' might not work for those bunch of kids.

Coming back to my thoughts, my memories and scars, triggered by this well-told story... 

It was a rainy night. A young guy, punch drunk, had set off on his final journey. Or so he thought. At about 120kmph on the highway all he could see was the smile that made him freeze when he first saw it. A smile that detached him from his entire universe. Everything that he had, family or friends had ceased to exist at that  moment. Call it what you will, but he saw that moment when Kundan sees Zoya for the first time when they were tiny kids with no idea of the world around them.

This happened a month even before our guy had professed undying love to this girl he fell for.

Our guy was having a bad day. A very bad one. He had quit his job, just because his boss wouldn't give him a day off to be there on the birthday of that girl who he loved more than anything or anyone in this world. He re-lived that moment when Kundan forgets about his OWN marriage, just to be there for that girl who left him for somebody who he didn't even know existed.

Friends are forever, love perhaps comes with an expiry date

Things were beginning to get sad and the relationship didn't seem to be heading anywhere. Our guy was at a shady dance bar, being wooed by some random whores for a quick buck. He was almost about to give in to the temptation and that's when his one-time best friend storms into that place, slaps our guy and takes him back home. Our guy expresses his gratitude by slapping his best friend back after being got back home safe minus any sexually transmitted diseases. The character played by Zeeshan (Kundan's best friend) drowned me in the memories of so many such things my best friends did for me (and still continue to do so), despite me being such an a**h**e friend.

Little did our guy know that the magik of love & the love of magik wears off too...

A few years later their relationship was over. The guy was heartbroken and his soul was bruised. He incidentally bumped into the girl he refused to call his 'ex' yet. She was still wearing an earring that he had gifted her, when they were still together. Our guy relived the moment when Kundan was trying to touch Zoya's anklet while she was in the hospital. 

True love comes back, even if it is in the form of another person...

After many years, a decade almost, our guy gets lucky enough to meet a girl as mad as he is; perhaps more. But he was still stuck to the memories of the girl he loved and still refused to call his 'ex'. This time it seemed like the guy was destined for a long relationship. But he still wouldn't open up. The girl kept trying, with the patience of a monk. She kept trying till he finally realized that he was ruining his life for nothing. He thought about this when he saw Bindiya, the character played by Swara Bhaskar, just wouldn't give up on Kundan, despite him being such an idiot.

There is a God up there somewhere, whatever name we give him, he is doing a damn good job.

Today when I watched Raanjhanaa, it was again a rainy night, like the beginning of this post. Thanks to Aanand L Rai's labour of love, I have relived countless memories of the guy I was, guy I knew, the guy I have become and the guy I know that I will be tomorrow. I will stop writing now, as I am feeling emotionally stripped after putting down these thoughts here. The girl who waited patiently for me to get over my ex, is still patiently waiting for me to finish this post, so that we can chat about 'Raanjhanaa' for the rest of the night... or is it day already?

One last question to the director -  

Why did you not let Krsna & Rajshekhar to do the music of Raanjhanaa? Wish you had given them a chance. I was pining for that 'Rangrez mere' moment when I stormed out of the theatre, not being able to control my tears at all. Full respect to ARR sir & the gems he created for your film, but the 'Rangrez mere' moment is still missing... Perhaps in your next film... I hope... I wait...

The rest of y'all in Ramgarh, if you do watch the film, please write in the comments of what you feel about this film. All my love & wishes for Dhanush, Sonam, Zeeshan & Swara, I am sure they will go places once Raanjhanaa finds its real audience & its own space in the universe of eternal love...

Amen.

Love, Magik. 

Monday, May 6, 2013

Maut si zindagi ya zindagi si maut...


A Keyrun Rao original

Tera milna kuchh aisa laga jaise
Maut si zindagi ya zindagi si maut
Zindagi ka khauf toh raha nahin
Na rahi meri maut se mohabbat

Tere saath sab ek sa lagne laga ab
Maano jaise paaya hai maine rab
Ab kisiki talaash nahin hai mujhko
Bachpan sa pak lag raha hai sab

Tujhe dekh kar bas rukna chaaha
Maut si zindagi ya zindagi si maut
Chalte hue thak gaya tha shayad
Teri khushi mein maine sab paaya

Bina tere yeh zindagi maut si lagti thi
Tu jo paas hai toh jannat naseeb hai
Bina tere yeh lambi raah nigal leti thi
Ab toh hamesha muskaan hi rehti hai

Tujh mein maine hai paaya khud ko
Ya shaayad kahin kho diya hai sabko
Maut si zindagi hai ya zindagi si maut
Miloonga jab toh bataoonga us rab ko

Monday, April 8, 2013

Kaisi hai tu...


A Keyrun Rao original

Tujhe gaye zyaada waqt toh nahin hua,
Teri khushboo ab bhi mujh mein hai,
Teri kuchh baatein sunaayi de rahi hain,
Teri rooh ab bhi mujh mein hai kahin

Mujhe ek awaaz de kar dekh toh zara
Teri muskaan se hai mera yeh dil bhara
Jaane kahaan duur chali gayi hai ab tu
Dil mera kyon yeh hai is tarah dara-dara

Jaanta hoon laut aayegi tu jald hi paas mein
Jaane phir kyon hoon aaj itna udaas main
Aisa lagta hai doosre hi kamre mein tu hai
Phir bhi lagta hai sabse tanha hoon aaj main

Aas-paas hi hai kahin aisa mujhe lagta hai
Toh meri rooh aaj kyon itni bhi pyaasi hai
Chhoo hi nahin paa raha hoon tujhe main
Shaayad isliye meri raahein sookhi hui hai

Kaisi hai tu, teri koi bhi khabar hi nahin
Aise kyon lagta hai, tu hai toh yahin kahin
Kaisi hai tu, teri koi bhi khabar hi nahin
Kyon nahin bas jaati mujh mein tu kahin