Sunday, July 13, 2008

Jaane Tu... ya jaane na..

A word of caution before you begin reading this post. This is supposed to be kind of (mind you… ‘kind of’) a movie review. Still, if you haven’t yet seen the movie, and don’t want to lose the thrill of watching it as if watching it for the first time, then I earnestly suggest, kindly stray off from this page. Because being an amateur movie-review writer, I possess this utmost capacity to give away not only the gross stuff, but also the minute details which is perhaps the sole charisma of this movie. I am one of those bunch of jerks, who love to read the ending of a book just after prologue, or for that matter, narrate the ending of a novel first and with greatest fervor, to the person who commits the blunder of asking me how I liked the book I last read… J

Okay, so may be this kind of an introduction, rather warning, is relevant only for a suspense thriller and not as typical love story. Not that the movie at hand, Jaane Tu.. has got any damn element of unpredictability in it. From the beginning to the end it is anything but erratic. Nevertheless, the humor factor appeals to you much more when spontaneous and impulsive. Just for instance, the story begins with the main female protagonist (Genelia as Aditi) all devastated and forlorn because of someone’s death, and the main male protagonist (Imran Khan as Jai) consoling her to his best; only to realize a little later that it was just a pet cat that died. No offence meant here, but I am too insensitive as far as pets go and have never had one either. So I might not be knowing how one feels when a pet dies. Yet, the hue and cry created over the death wasn’t really worth it, which is why it emerged out to be a pretty funny scene. Also I apologize for giving away this bit of detail, but as I said, I love screwing it up for those unfortunate ones who haven’t watched a movie before I have. Not that I don’t give them ample time!!

Anyways coming back to the point, respite all new actors and respite being a typical love story, I don’t know why the movie touched my heart so much. Perhaps, its because of how it has featured every tit-bit of life pretty realistically and to the grass-root level. Some incredible bit of acting by the actors with nothing too overtly flashy or stereotypical. The rich kids weren’t really spoilt brats, neither were the poor kids objects of empathy. Apart from that the best part is, some parts are funny, some emotional, and some totally idiotic; yet the movie is capable of holding your attention throughout without failing even for a speck.

The first half has got songs like every 5-10 minutes. Even then, I never quite got bored seeing the bunch of college friends dancing ecstatically to the tunes of ‘Pappu can’t dance saala’ or Aditi’s friends cajoling her to uplift her mood with ‘Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi’. Though at times I must say, Genelia gets into your nerves with her untimely giggles or frowns and her ‘sometimes-too-irritating’ dialogue delivery.

What appealed to me most was the character of Imran Khan (Jai) in the movie. A perfect chocolate boy with innocence dripping from his eyes, as far as his looks and acting go. Even otherwise, he has been portrayed as the perfect ‘sweet-neighbourhood-boy’ who believes in non-violence. And yet is a man enough to get his temper rising at appropriate times. Rest of the times, he retains his composure and is busy helping others do so too. Not a macho-man types, rather a flawless gentleman, who takes care of his widowed mother with as much conviction and compassion as he does for his friends. One who can control any ‘going-out-of-hand’ situation with the play of his fingertips. To cut the whole story short, he made me marvel over and over again- “Gosh!! He is the kind of guy any girl could fall for!!” And to add to the warmth of his persona… the innocent pair of dark eyes and the mischievous yet flamboyant smile!

Even the co-actors of this movie are spick and span in terms of featuring the kind of character they were meant to be. While one is more of sissy kinds, the other keeps whining at the least of things, the third one always carries this smile on her face inspite of being a total tubelight. The fourth is the only sensible one of the lot. Reminded me of F.R.I.E.N.D.S to a huge extent. A totally ‘committed-to-each-other’ group.

All in all, the movie is too mushy a love story to handle for the young crowd! Plus a must watch. Won’t be any exaggeration to say that throughout the movie I was either smiling, or laughing, or exclaiming-‘Aww!! How cute!!’ And now apart from applauding the movie, do acknowledge this review too. Cuz I think I have done a pretty decent job writing this; that is if you pardon the initial bit of nuisance. Okay, a little too elongated for a movie-review; but digressing from the main story is one of my genetic virtues. Can’t really do anything to help it!!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

In love...Am I??

It’s bizarre, how sometimes just one beckon of a hand, or flash of a smile, or just a gaze of those deep black eyes on you, can steal your heart. Weirder still, how you can grow so fond of someone in a matter of three weeks, while for others even three years might seem to be less. It is then that I wonder… ‘In love…am I??’ Mind and destiny at times would play some such deceiving games with you that you are left totally bewildered- unsure of what it is that you want from life, what it is you want to give in return…

There have been many times when I have felt myself lonely and abandoned even amongst a crowd, merely due to the absence of that special one. There have also been times when with him, I have felt the constant urge to cuddle upto him and get lost into a world of our own- where amidst all the hullabaloo would be nothing but serenity…where no one would be there to filth the purity that prevails…where ‘love’ would be the only language spoken around… Again, the priceless question pops into my mind- ‘In love… Am I??’

Once again, when I grab onto my thoughts and let it wander into oblivion, I can’t help but marvel at the miracles that love plays in one’s life: going to bed with the memories of the day spent with him; waking up with anticipation, with butterflies in the stomach as to what lays in store ahead; blushing at his very mention; singing only his praises to your friends….
Finding excuses to be with him, to talk to him, to guide him when the stubborn child within overpowers his real self, to let him guide you when the stubborn child within you overpowers your mellowness….
To keep a track of even the slightest developments in his life; to wish you could always be there to share his joys and sorrows; to be the first one to applaud him on his achievements and comfort him on his failures….
To restrain the urge to just stare and stare at that genuine, yet vivacious smile when he is chattering away to glory, till his eyes meet yours and you are forced to take them off him; to keep a count of all the nice things he has ever said to you, to do anything and everything merely to grab his attention….
To wish he is also going through the same phase as yours; to wish only if you could muster courage to go up to him and confess your feelings… And lastly to pick up a pen and put down everything in black and white, with the last hope that an article would create the wonders that you yourself couldn’t, of conveying your feelings to him. Because deep down you know you are too timid to say something stupid, and spoil whatever little you have with him now….

Often I have felt like he is the stupidest creature on earth; at the same time as mature and thoughtful as one can ever be. He knows the best of tactics to bring a smile onto my face when I am feeling blue, also how to tackle my sudden mood swings. ‘In love… Am I??’ It becomes inevitable for me to ask myself one third time. A meek voice inside me snaps back, “Look how beautiful life has become for you all of a sudden… Look how lost you are day in and day out in your own thoughts… You still ask if you in love?? Of course you are… You coward… But is there anything you can really do about it??”
I shudder at how my own self mocks me, tempts me to do something dim-witted!! Once again I am torn between two sides of my own self, frantic and desperate that some magical being… may be some angel would descend to earth and guide me out of this bafflement.

Yet, despite this false hope, somewhere in my heart I doubt that perhaps my love is one-sided, that perhaps I am as inconspicuous as a bee to him, that he thinks of someone else the way I think of him, that there isn’t really something I can do about it after all!!
Often when I let myself rock to the tunes of some soft romantic song, all my thoughts zero down to him. But then the apprehension, that the same song might be reminding him of someone else makes me delirious with pain. Nothing hurts like knowing your love doesn’t love you back!

Nevertheless, coming to think of it, how many people in this world actually get their love? Out of millions and zillions of matches, the probability of the person you fantasize as your own, loving you back is simply too meager, or at least so mathematics claims. Look around yourself and you will find hundreds of broken hearts, thousands of futile crushes and ten thousands of betrayals. Everyone is ready with his own story of how he/she lost his/her love. That’s possibly the sole earthly consolation I can ever shoulder to my anguished heart. I know I too have broken several hearts; at times, against my own wish. Fate has its own ways of playing tit-for-tat.

Now, even if this article doesn’t serve its purpose… I know I am timid, but not weak. I will surely get over this with time. Only that I don’t want to… I hope destiny bestows him with the best of everything…
And I also sincerely hope, that none of you would ever choose such a flimsy way of conveying your feelings to your love like I just did. And in worst case if you have to, you’d at least make it a bit more apparent, so that instead of wondering if you are talking of him or some one else, he could confidently take a step forward and ask you out… if of course he wants to after all!!