dangermousie | Bollywood glee! (Reply)

Finished Aaja Nachle, a movie about a woman returning to her small town after many years abroad, and trying to save a performance venue and put on a production. It wasn't that great (though it wasn't bad either) but two things about it were wonderful: (1) seeing Madhuri Dixit again; and (2)Konkona Sen Sharma and Kunal Kapoor playing two people cast as Laila and Majnun in Madhuri's take on the famous story. They have such lovely chemistry - they should make more movies together (they have saved an atrocious "noble hooker yay" movie for me before) plus seeing the play performed was a huge highlight.

So, I bring you caps from my favorite scene - the production put on by Madhuri which is the famous legend of Laila and Majnun, the star-crossed lovers (played by KKS and KK). It was very very lovely.

But first off, Madhuri:

Kunal Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma in "real life"

The performance of Majnun & Laila:

After the performance. Awwww.

Also, I don't know how, but I somehow totally missed that Mani Ratnam's next movie, starring Abhishek and Aiswarya is a modern take on the Ramayana! Only in his version, Sita and Ravana have a thing???? In fact it's supposed to be a romantic movie! (I think Aish is playing Sita and Abhi Ravana). OMG. Isn't it sorta like having Jesus get it on with Mary Magdalene - i.e. pretty controversial? Mmmmm. This is going to be SO GOOOOOD (I have yet to see a Mani movie that I didn't utterly love) but I think some theaters are going to get trashed (I read they cut out a lovemaking scene because they didn't want to be controversial which made me LOL as I think Sita/Ravana is plenty controversial on its own). Unless the info is wrong and Abhi is playing Ram, in which case theaters are safe but I will enjoy the movie just as well.

ETA: Nope, checked it, and Abhi is Ravana. And apparently his character's sister kills herself as result of being offended by Aish's husband so he kidnaps her as revenge but they fall in love? Ravana/Sita. *boggle boggle boggle* Though presumably he doesn't have nine heads in this version. I am so excited because I think Abhi's performance in Yuva was his very best, and that was in a Mani Ratnam movie and he also played a violent abusive thug in dyfunctional love with a woman - I hated his character and couldn't take my eyes off him. So if this is half as good, I'll be in heaven.

Also, Govinda is Hanuman. I do not have enough glee in the whole world for this. (Vikram, a Tamil star I am not familiar with is Ram, but is playing Ravana in the Tamil-language version they are shooting simultaneously? That is super awesome).