Worship the Queen?

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After a long time I saw a film that blew my mind. I am still to figure out whether I liked the film so much because I was in a state of semi-depression or the film is exceptionally good but nonetheless, I loved the film.

I saw the film a second time not only because I wanted to experience the joyride once again but also I wanted to understand that what it was about the film that was working so well for me.

The film breaks away from all the ‘Indian’ ideas and impositions that I have never agreed with –

1)Your life ends and you are supposed to be ashamed of yourself and live a life of anonymity and shame never showing your face in public again and be happy ever again if your fiancé cancels the wedding just a day before you were to get married.

2) Its only ‘hippies’ and ‘crazy people’ who want to go out, travel and see the world. ‘Good’ people only get married at the ‘right age’, raise children and stay at home.

3) Don’t follow everything your heart says as most of the time it’s only going to lead you to the wrong way.

Contrary to all the beliefs, the protagonist of the film enjoys her life, goes out to travel and see the world, follows what her heart says and still keeps her values and ethics intact and has a hell lot of fun!

The film also throws at you some very strong clichés when you think, ‘Ah! I know, she is going to get arrested for drug trafficking and now the story is going to take a turn’. Or ‘Ah! Now her passport is gonna get stolen and now she would be stuck here and now the story would start’ or ‘Yes! She is going to fall in love with him and now the story is going to take a new turn.’ But each time you are proven wrong. It’s very well done. The film has a very good graph of energy as it rises and falls and gets you tapping your feet many times.

The performances by each and every cast member (including the international cast) are brilliant but Kangna Ranaut (I think this is her best performance ever), Rajkumar Rao, Jeffrey Chee Eng Ho (Taka) and Marco Canadea are Simply outstanding. The writing is flawless and direction is magical. (Vikas Bhal, Chaitally Parmar, Parveez Sheikh – Screenplay, Avnita Dutt and Kangna Ranaut – Dialogues and Vikas Bhal – Direction.)

I liked the film so much that I can watch it again – anyone interested?

Thank God Even Crazy Dreams Come True!

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There are some people for whom, we believe, we can only dream about. They seem so perfect and distant, just like God, that we feel that we can never really get in touch with them. But as strange as it may be, at times, such dreams come true and our mind is boggled with excitement and happiness. For me, yesterday one such dream came true. If you were born in India or Pakistan around the 1980’s, then you must have heard of (or been crazy about) Shehnaz Sheikh. And if this is the first time you are hearing her name ;then my dear friend, you have missed out on something really, really wonderful – God does not create such beautiful faces very often. As a kid, I had grown up watching and admiring her TV shows. It was almost after 20 since I last saw her on TV that I unexpectedly met her sister-in-law, who herself was a TV actress and a stand-up comedian, unexpectedly at a party in Jaipur. When she told me that she was related to Shehnaz Sheikh, I really, really had to shut myself up and control myself from jumping and screaming with excitement.  Instantly, I got an urge to get in touch with her and felt that this was the closest I would ever get to her. I wanted to send her my greetings. I wanted to let her know how she has affected my life and been a part of it without even having the slightest idea about it. I was carrying a copy of my book, Paperback Dreams at that time and I hastily put a note for her on it and gave it to her sister-in-law who was really very kind to agree to deliver my present to her. And yesterday, just like that, I got an email from THE SHEHNAZ SHEIKH herself thanking me for the book I had sent. This was, by far, the most surreal moment of my life ever! An actor from Pakistan, whom I had worshiped as a kid and could have never, ever imagined would ever get in touch with, sent me a mail herself!!! (Yes, in India we worship actors like that.) Who says crazy dreams do not come true! Shehnaz Sheikh, you are really very kind and I can never, ever, thank you enough!!!