Who gives India the right to complain about racial discrimination?

The whole country along with the bunch of celebrities and intellectuals are busy condemning Australians making racial attacks. wow... we stand united. Oh wait... let me show you something.



--
On 12th June a Manipuri girl, Helinah, her brother Ashe and cousin T. Veine was physically assaulted by her landlady in Naraina Village in Delhi. She was called a Nepali prostitute, dog eater and a characterless girl. She was locked up by the landlady and it was only when the police arrived the she was rescued.
When the Naga Students Union got involved and exerted enough pressuere on the police the landlady was arrested on 13th June. She was however released soon after as the sections under which she was charged were really weak.

But Helinah is a wanted to fight for justice, not only for herself but also for many others like her who face racial discrimination in places like Delhi. She has teamed up with CNN-IBN to highlight the issue and inspire others to fight back.

On 16th June with the CNN-IBN crew she went to question her ex-landlord. She and the crew was threatened by the locals who were residing there. Things became quite tense and it was only when the cops came that she and the crew could come out of the area. Even the local municipal councilor who's a woman sided with the mob and the landlord and blamed North-Eastern people for what's happening to them.


WATCH HELENA'S FIGHTBACK ON CNN-IBN, SAT - 9:30PM AND SUNDAY - 5:30 PM, SHOW NAME - CITIZEN JOURNALIST
--



Now tell me who gave Indians the right to complain. I guess it high time rest of India learns 'Jinke ghar sheeshe ke hote hai woh kisi aur ke ghar me patthar nahi mara karte'.

The North East has been and is continued to be treated like a shit hole. Who is standing up?

I still maintain - Mumbai get attacked everyone takes notice. North East gets raped for 50 years no one bats an eye lid. I rather QUIT INDIA!

read more...

Paying Guest: Hilarious

Not really pleased that I continue to miss my byline in my reviews because of snags in the new uploading tool at AOL. Due to the problem the person who uploads the story seems to be getting the byline. And that’s not a very pleasing thought for anyone who works hard. L

In any case I will paste the entire review for Paying Guests here too.

Direct Link: AOL.in

Cast: Shreyas Talpade, Jaaved Jaaferi, Vatsal Sheth, Aashish Chowdhary, Johnny Lever, Neha Dhupia, Celina Jaitley, Sayali Bhagat, Riya Sen, Chunkey Panday, Inder Kumar, Delnaz Paul, Paintel

Director: Paritossh Painter

Producer: Raju Farooqui

Music: Sajid-Wajid

Long back in 1957 there was a movie called ‘Paying Guest’ starring Dev Anand. Though it too started on the lines of a guy in need of an accommodation, it turns into a thriller after that. Years later in 1966, Hrishikesh Mukherjee came up with a movie about four young guys in a metropolis who resort to playing married couples to get a shelter. The movie was called ‘Biwi Aur Makaan’ and the original story was written by Sailesh Dey (writer of ‘Golmaal’) which was adapted by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Another movie ‘Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi’ was made in Marathi in 1988 by well-known actor Sachin with a similar storyline. Paritosh Painter’s ‘Paying Guests’ is clearly inspired. It however does admit officially that it is based on a play called ‘Paying Guest’.

The film is a story of four guys who need a place to stay in Pattaya, Thailand. With no options remaining, they decide to play couples and get an accommodation owned by an Indian family. Bhavesh (Shreyas) turns into Karisma who is Paritosh’s (Aashish Chowdhary) wife and Parag (Javed Jaaferi) turns in as Kareena who is Jai’s (Vatsal Sheth) wife. There is enough room for comedy with every guy being penniless and also having his own love life. The girls - Neha Dhupia, Celina Jaitley, Sayali Bhagat, Riya Sen - don’t have much of a role but they do serve to the chaos. Plus, there is also an evil brother to Ballu (Johnny Lever) played by Chunkey Panday and a local don played by Inder Kumar (remember him?). And Paritosh cooks it well enough to bring out a dish which will serve as a laughter medicine for the entire duration of the movie. He in fact shows that he is brilliant with comic dialogues and ‘Dhamaal’ was not just one off. There are some dialogues that will keep you laughing even after you leave the theatre.

The timing of the release, ie. shortly after Shiney Ahuja’s arrest for allegedly raping his house maid, is ironic as all through the movie Chunkey Panday’s character makes statements on how much he likes the ‘Kaam wali bai’, thus evoking laughter.

However, there is enough slack in the script. For one, the locations are used without a purpose. It beats me why they decided to set the film in Pattaya when they could have easily made it in aamchi Mumbai. Guess the pre recession boom made producers take strange decisions. Plus, the second half of the movie loses out on humour as the writer tries to bring in the evil and good under one roof. It somehow does not fall in the way it should have to keep the humour alive from the first half. This happens when you are too stuck on making people laugh rather than telling the story. Another thing that’s difficult to digest is how most people in Thailand speak Hindi!

And how can we forget the ultimate desperate attempt – the Mughle Azam! Stage plays seems to be an all-time favourite with Bollywood writers who want to create chaos towards the end. Here too they use the technique which was used to brilliant effect in ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’. It does not work as well here though.

Technically the film looks clean with good editing and cinematography. The music is a complete spoilsport when it comes to the pace of the film. But it is good otherwise. ‘Jack and Jill’ number is already topping charts and it is something people may find themselves humming in the theatres.

‘Paying Guests’ is pulled on performances. Shreyas Talpade is superb as a woman. He gets every expression right. Javed Jaafery does not look as appealing as a woman but his performance cannot be overlooked. Aashish Chowdhary does well and so does Vatsal Sheth. Neha Dhupia is good among girls. Riya and Celina are yet to learn the art of being natural. Delnaz Paul and Johnny Lever deserve a mention.

Overall, ‘Paying Guests’ is not a great film. It has enough loopholes. But if you are willing to leave your brains away for a while and are hoping to catch a laugh riot, this one is your best bet right now. It does have some of the best dialogues in a long time. Paritosh Painter has worked enough to ensure that. ‘Paying Guests’, in a word, is HILARIOUS!

By - Noyon Jyoti Parasara

read more...

Depressions, school friends and one-liners!

Ever noticed how your wit improves when you are depressed? I don’t know if that works for you but I think I get at whacky and sarcastic best when I am at heights of depression. Probably because that is the time when I am not jumping around and not hyper! That’s also incidentally the time I write best. I remember when I broke up for the first time I even write some poems. I still prefer to hide them but they were reasonably better than my regular attempts.

One of the latest rounds of anger which simultaneously led to a bout of depression was on Sunday. I have been extremely unhappy about the way things have been at work and it just hit me hard on Sunday. Hard enough for me to decide that I will quit. It is a tough decision to make but I decided I will move ahead and not take anymore shit. And as I was sitting, mailing people I know for help I found this old friend of mine online. School friends are always great ways to get out of bad moods. You talk about girls, bad jobs and even hot teachers once upon a time.

The subsequent chat with the friend not only cooled me down but I also got some cool one-liners. Rare ones from me. Not much of a speaker… so I thought I would paste the chat for you guys and check if it brings about a smile or two. I am hoping that statements at the end of the chat would make my effort worth it. What is also interesting about the chat is the contrast between optimism and cynicism. My friend has switched jobs and country to be happy. While he says he is happier than what he was while working in Bangkok I am still curious. Let me know what you think.

Noyon: hero hiralal

Siddharth: hey. ki khobor?

Noyon: How’s u?

Siddharth: Good. You working today also?

Noyon: No, job hunting

Sidharthe: Why?

Noyon: Quitting… so!

Siddharth: What about your last job?

Ok. You looking in Mumbai?

Noyon: Anywhere and anything

Siddharth: C’mon... Don’t worry you will get a good one

Noyon: :) hopefully

Siddharth: Don’t join for sake of joining

Noyon: Money my friend. All I need now is money. Job satisfaction is a myth

Siddharth: Money will follow... just follow your dreams. Don’t compromise.

Noyon: Dreams are best as dreams trust me...

Siddharth: well maybe... but for me it’s more important den food

Noyon: :) lucky

Siddharth: Dream on until your dreams some true... if needed take another birth...

Noyon: I rather die easy

Siddharth: then better die dreaming. Don’t worry you are a talented guy... you will do well. I read your articles. You got talent. Wait for the right time.

Good things come to those who wait.

Noyon: :)

Siddharth: Why don’t you try in direction. Maybe assistant director...

Noyon: that’s worse. You will never get paid

Siddharth: Well I know... but if u r interested in it... it will good for you later...

Noyon: no re. You slog for five years at 6k per month and after that you will 35 yr old. What’s the use?

Siddharth: I don’t mind waiting for 50 years if at least I get an Oscar

Noyon: that will never happen. For that you have to be a politician and not a film maker hehe

Siddharth: Most of the things happen for the first time... that’s how history is created

Noyon: History is almost always created when someone loses making mistakes... and the winner has no clue! :D geeeeez.. i am good with one liners :D

Siddharth: even if u don’t make it big... at least you can write a book about your struggles an mint money. lol

Noyon: haha

Siddharth: don’t worry everything will be fine… just have fun

Noyon: :)

Siddharth: It’s your life... And money has no right to spoil it. Look out its a beautiful Sunday evening. Go and enjoy.

Noyon: :) good evening.. tc

Siddharth: You can't get back your today again.

Noyon: yeah

Siddharth: so any girlfriends?

Noyon: loads

Siddharth: lucky u...

Noyon: bullshit… I am turning gay. hahahah

Siddharth: lol.. Well den u won’t have any problem getting a job... lol

Noyon: haha

Siddharth: Where are you now?

Noyon: I stay in office

Siddharth: Yeah you told me

Siddharth: What’s your food for your ego?

Noyon: haha I dont need to feed it!

read more...

Zor Lagaa Ke... Haiya! - A good children’s film

by Noyon Jyoti Parasara

Originally published by AOL India

Cast: Mithun Chakraborty, Gulshan Grover, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ashwin Chitale, Hardik Thakkar, Ayesha Kaduskar, Ritwik Tyagi, Meghan Jadhav, Riya Sen

Director: Girish Girija Joshi

Producer: Basant Talreja & Kartikeya Talreja

Music: Bapi-Tutul

Rating: ***

Just last week we were talking about children’s films made in India rarely appealing to children, and how directors more often than not fall for pleasing the adult audience as well through the same film. Looks like debutant director Girish Girija Joshi has been taking note of all such shortfalls. And it’s quite a pleasant surprise that his maiden effort not only shows him capable of handling emotions well, but also telling a story in quite a likeable way. In ‘Zor Lagaa Ke… Haiya!’ (ZLKH) he gives us a light and beautiful children’s film which is also relatable to adults.

The specialty about ZLKH is that it has kids behaving like kids. They crack innocent jokes, play like children, are scared of the roadside beggar and have school assignments to take care of. In fact the whole story starts with their plan to get one up on the beggar who ate their cake! And since they are scared of him, they plan to keep an eye on him till the appropriate time. For this they decide to make a tree house.

The film is essentially about a tree and how the five kids fight for it against all odds. And they are helped by the same beggar who they refer to as Raavan (Mithun Chakraborty). Karan, Priya, Laddu, Ritesh want to steal the beggar’s bag where he hides his ‘weapons’. Hence they plan a tree house to keep an eye on him. Ram, the child of a construction labourer, helps them make the house, and in the process becomes a member of the team. However, soon the children get close to Raavan when they understand he is harmless. But there is a new threat. Bakshi (Gulshan Grover), a builder who wants to cut the concerned tree so that he can make an entrance to his building complex from that direction.

What’s interesting about the way the story has been dealt with is the fact that while the director keeps to the central point of the tree, he also cleverly gets in some other social concerns. For example the uncertainty of life and shelter for a construction labourer (Ram expresses that he wants to be an architect and not a labourer when he grows up), the mentality of people that ‘felling one more tree is not going to mean much’ etc. are brought out convincingly and yet they do not eat into the basic story.

Performances by the kids are enjoyable. Hardik Thakkar, Ayesha Kaduskar, Ritwik Tyagi, Meghan Jadhav are impressive as Laddu, Priya, Ritesh and Karan respectively. Particularly impressive is Ashwin Chitale who plays the labourer’s child, Ram. He returns to screen after wowing the audience some years back with the awarding-winning Marathi film ‘Shwaas’, which was chosen as the Indian Oscar entry over ‘Swades’ in 2004. Mithun and Gulshan Grover are delightful while Mahesh Manjrekar carries on with his well-known comic timing. Riya Sen has just two scenes and about five lines of dialogues.

Overall, I would recommend ‘Zor Lagaa Ke Haiyaa!’ for children as well as adults. For adults because at some level we are also a party to the massive tree cutting expeditions that are wrecking havoc on the environment. Over 20000 trees are cut in India alone every year. It’s time we get aware of the importance of saving at least one tree at a time.

PS: Amitabh Bachchan does the narration and speaks for the tree!

read more...

Creating ruckus in Bollywood

I am pasting two of my recent interviews. They are with the same girl Claudia Ciesla. Interesting girl! But why I am posting here is because it was fun doing a follow-up interview to my own interview. And she seems to be the girl of the moment.

The first one does not have my byline as AOL messed up on it. The second one – published in Masala.com does. Hope you like it.

Courtesy: AOL India

Claudia Ciesla - Interview

chandagohrani

aol

Last Updated: May 26,2009 16:44:15

German model-singer Claudia Ciesla was almost an unknown name in India till a couple of weeks back. But now, even the most cut off person seems to know something about the so-called ‘Salman Khan’s latest muse’. Interestingly, she does not intend to be limited as just that. The girl who is in Cannes right now, promoting her Bengali film ‘10:10’, just met and charmed Abhishek Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan as well and now says she would like to date Aamir Khan, even as she refuses to talk about Salman Khan! In an email interview right from Cannes, she tells us more:

You just did an Indian movie called ‘Karma – Crime, Passion and Reincarnation’. Could you tell us a bit about it?
It's a film about reincarnation and I'm playing the character of Linda, a young German woman who lived 30 years ago. Linda spent some months as a hippie in India and she had a romance with a rich Indian. This romance had an unhappy end. And after a lot of confusions and troubles, Linda finally gets murdered. Now, 30 years later, Anna, the reincarnation of Linda, comes to India and has visions. Through these visions the murder of Linda is finally solved.

How do you fit into an Indian film?
I feel I fit perfectly. Till now I did three Indian films and always played a foreign girl. I have also done many photo shoots with Indian fashion designers and in typical Indian make-up. In fact a lot of people in India told I look very Indian. Besides that, I can assimilate and I can be a chameleon! I love to play different roles... I can even play an alien! I think Indian film biz is getting more and more international and I am sure more international faces will be needed in the future.

What made you come to India in the first place?
An invitation from producer Vivek Singhania to play a role in the film ‘Karma’ brought me to India. That was in January 2008. The film will be released in India very soon. It’s a wonderful film and please keep the fingers crossed that people like it.

Are there any other Indian films that you are currently working on? Are you looking at regional language films too?
Yes. I actually have three offers from Mumbai and I have signed a contract for a new film. I also have offers from Bengali, Punjabi, Bihari and Tamil filmmakers as well.

You had recently done a photo shoot in traditional Indian attire. Was that part of any film?
No. That was a fashion shoot for saris and lehengas in Mumbai with designer Umair Zafar.

Which is your favourite Indian movie? How much of Hindi do you understand and can speak?
‘Singh Is Kinng’! I can understand a few words of Hindi. Scripts of all films that I have done till now were in English text. But if necessary, I will sit and learn Hindi. And I’m sure with strong motivation we can start talking in Hindi within eight weeks.

We hear you will also be working on a couple of music videos in India. And also that some international stars will be a part of that particular album. Could you tell us more?
Sorry. All contracts and talks are confidential. If the producers want to reveal anything it is okay. I cannot.

What are you in Cannes for?
I am in Cannes with Morpheus Entertainment, Mumbai. They are here to promote several of their films. One of them is Mafia-comedy called ‘10:10’ where I play a German journalist.

You seem to be enjoying at Cannes. We saw your photographs with Abhishek Bachchan there. Did you know about him from before? How did you guys meet?
I met him at the inaugural event for the Indian Pavilion in Cannes. He is a very friendly guy.

Have you met his wife Aishwarya Rai yet?
No.

You seem to be getting mentioned with all the right people. Currently everyone is talking about you being Salman Khan’s latest muse.
I promised Salman that I’d not talk about this. If others do and know about it, fine.

Could you tell us something about the meeting?
No. I’m really not interested in getting Salman angry at me!

Did you actually talk about your aims of becoming as big as Katrina Kaif in Bollywood?
There are many rumours going on. I also met KK (Katrina Kaif) and she is a wonderful person. Sometimes friends talk more than it’s necessary. I think KK and I are very different and we cannot be compared. There should be place for all kinds of actors in the Indian cinema world.

Any romantic inclinations?
Oh! I am a very romantic girl, but inclinations? That’s a matter of definition!

Aren’t you worried about being linked to some star?
As long as it is positive and not hurting anybody, it’s okay. But I am not interested in creating any kind of scandal. I have met many other big stars and directors in India, Germany and the US like Morgan Freeman, Kid Rock, Danny Glover and others, but I have never made a scandal out of it.

Who all from the Indian film industry have you met so far and how has been the general attitude to you as a foreigner who is trying out Indian films?
I have met some nice people from the film industry like Salman Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Vikram Bhatt, Ketan Anand, Subhash Ghai, Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik Roshan, Ashok Amritraj, Vijay Mallya...my experience has been very positive and everybody told me to go ahead. It is surly not a cakewalk in Bollywood, but I’m very bull headed.

Are you single and ready to mingle?
Yes single and I enjoy being single. I am not much interested to mingle. Most men are too possessive and I need free space and time for my career and education. But one never knows what happens when Mr Perfect is crossing my way.

Who would be your dream date from Bollywood?
Maybe Aamir Khan.

--

Courtesy: Masala.com

If Abhishek wants to ruin my career I wish him luck: Claudia Ciesla

By Noyon Jyoti Parasara

If you love Bollywood, then you would know that Claudia Ciesla is very much the lady of the moment. While the German Playboy babe is currently being called Salman Khan’s latest muse, she was also in news because of her meeting with Abhishek Bachchan during the recent Cannes Film Festival and his subsequent denial about knowing her at all!

While some call her the latest import of Bollywood, some look at her as a fame-hungry model trying to generate the extra mile of publicity by adding her name to various celebs she has met. And from what she tells us and the pictures we got to see, the list surely is pretty impressive.

Subhash Ghai, Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik Roshan, Ashok Amritraj, Vijay Mallya, Vikram Bhatt and Ketan Anand are some of the names that she mentions meeting and also shares photographs with us as proof.

She also adds that every one of them has been encouraging and has asked her to go ahead with her career in Bollywood.

Excerpts from our conversation:

Salman Khan said you even visited his home and met his parents? Are there any sparks of romance from any side? What really happened?

We just met as friends. Salman is a wonderful person.

Did he also promise you a role in one of his next films?

No. He gave me a lot of good advice about the Bollywood film business, but he didn’t promise anything. He was always very nice, a real gentleman and very correct.

There is talk about an international music album that you would be doing in India along with some musicians from India and stars from abroad. Will you be part of it as a model or are you involved musically?

I’m not allowed to talk about this. This is all confidential and things have not been finalised yet. The producer may give you the information, but I cannot.

Could you tell us about the film that you said you have signed in Bollywood? What about the other films?

No, sorry…I cannot talk about that too. In all the contracts there are confidentiality clauses. I will only talk when a shoot is finished or when the producer will allow me to.

How was Cannes?

Great! I was invited to many VIP parties and met some wonderful people from Bollywood and other important people from India.

Reports say Abhishek Bachchan failed to recollect you and was later upset about your nude photographs over the internet. What exactly happened in Cannes between you two?

Even I was shocked about those reports and also about the wrong information that there were nude photographs of me over the net.

It is just not true as I have never in my life done any nude photographs!

Three-four years back I did do a couple of topless photo shoots for a very prestigious magazine and for one of the biggest European newspapers. And these were very aesthetic shots. I don’t think that was a crime.

There is a huge difference between nude and topless. Nude is completely naked while topless is just without a top but with bottom covered.

Across Europe and in many countries around the world, you will find girls sunbathing topless on beaches and by pools and this is considered a normal thing. It is not being nude or naked! Being nude or naked is quite a different thing and is considered a public nuisance.

Besides, a lot of celebrities, models and actresses all over the world, including India, have done such topless photographs when they were younger. So if Abhishek was upset because he saw nude photographs of me, he probably mixed me up with somebody else.

Also, he claimed he never met me. How can you recognise a person who you never met? He might not really remember and that’s not an issue. But we have met for sure. We just said hello, did a handshake and that was it. He was alone, without his wife.

I never claimed that Abhishek is my friend. It was a two-minute long meeting. It’s always possible that celebs don’t remember everyone they greet at parties. Even I don’t remember everyone I met at the parties in Cannes either. But it is not nice to spread false information and destroy a person and a career.

By the way, I have also done a lot of photo shoots in India during fashion shows for designers and for papers like The Telegraph, The Times of India and Society magazine. In Europe I have done promotions for the biggest companies like Moschen-Bayern, Zsport Annah Roxxah, Orangedental, Jacuzzi Whirlpools, Pille and Oktoberfest.

Your publicist says there is some kind of hate campaign against you.

I was told by several friends in Indian media, who are credible journalists, that these stories have been done by a journalist known to be extremely close to Abhishek Bachchan. And yes, this seems to be a hate campaign against me. But it’s ok. If he, as one of the biggest stars in India, is happy to destroy the career of a young girl, I wish him good luck and good karma!

You had said earlier that you would like to date Aamir Khan. You didn’t mention Salman Khan!

I think Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, as well as Abhishek Bachchan and SRK are excellent actors. I met Salman Khan before and I found that he is a very warm and friendly person with a heart of gold. But I am young and I am curious, and I would like to talk with many nice persons from the business.

Your film ‘Karma - Crime, Passion and Reincarnation’ is releasing soon. Tell us about it.

It's a film about reincarnation and I'm playing a young German woman called Linda who lived 30 years ago. She had spent some months in India, had a romance with a rich Indian, which ended unhappily. After some confusions and trouble, Linda finally is murdered. Thirty years later, the reincarnation of Linda comes to India and has visions through which Linda’s murderer is found.

You were in Cannes for another movie though…

I was there for a Bengali movie called ‘10:10’ in which I play a German journalist. It’s a mafia comedy.

What made you come to India in the first place?

I had first come here on an invitation from Vivek Singhania, Indian producer of ‘Karma’. That was in January 2008.

Lastly, are you single?

Yes, I am single and enjoy staying single. I am not interested in a relationship right now as most men are too possessive and I need free space and time in life for my career and education. However, you never know when Mr. Perfect would cross my way!

read more...