To the Mowgli in all of us

When I was expecting my son last year, there was one piece of advice almost everyone showered on me. To read, listen and watch stuff that the baby would enjoy. As I wondered what shows/movies to watch, the first name that came to my mind was none other than "The Jungle Book"

Every evening, Mr. Hubby and I would leisurely watch Jungle book episodes and I would go back to my childhood.

As all children of the 80's and 90's would agree, Jungle Book had a very important role to play in our childhood. Not even a single child would be seen outdoors at 10am on Sundays as all of them would be glued to their TV sets watching Jungle Book. So much was the craze that once when a classmate of mine got a pencil box with Mowgli printed on it, the entire class went in a frenzy to buy similar pencil box!

What was so special about a simple tale of a jungle, a human baby and animals that it is still engraved in our hearts and minds?

The first thought that comes to my mind is the song, "Jungle Jungle Pataa Chala hai, Chaddi pehenke phool khilaa hai" and the smiling faces of Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, Pappu, Ka and others. I must confess, the title song has such emotional value for me that often when my 9 month old son has trouble falling asleep, I hum this song and rock him to sleep.

Jungle Book is not just a story. It is the story of our lives - of triumphs and failures; of loyalty and deceit; of friendship and animosity; of love and jealousy; of discipline and rebellion. Each character and each scene of Jungle Book resonates the songs of our lives. Perhaps thats why Jungle Book strikes the perfect chord and it was the perfect choice to have fun and at the same time refresh the lessons of life...

There is a Mowgli in all of us -

As a kid, the biggest reason which kept me hooked on to the Jungle Book was Mowgli. I could somehow relate to him on several instances. Like Mowgli, I too had my moments of mischief, fun with friends, rebellion, concern for my loved ones and aggression for anyone who dared to challenge me.

Family & friends

Jungle Book taught me very early in life, the importance of family and friends. Despite being a human, Mowgli was treated no different by his family and friends. Often, when I used to see Mowgli being pampered by his mom Chameli, I too used to become a small child and give my mom a bear hug! It is important to choose friends wisely, for good friends show us the correct path and stand by us in every situation, just like Bagheera, Baloo, Ka and Pappu! If you look around at your friends, you will always find a Bagheera who shows you the right path without being preach; a Baloo who may not be stylish but is the most sincere and sensible; a Ka who knows it all and a Pappu who is your follower!

Break the rules and face the music

Nobody could have taught this better than the Jungle Book. Time and again, we see repercussions of breaking rules of the Jungle. Be it crossing over to the forbidden side of the river, or ignoring the instructions of elders. My mom often made good use of this fact and often used to tell me, "see what happened to Mowgli when he didn't listen to his mom and went to the forbidden part of the Jungle. You too should listen to what mamma says!" and I would nod my head in affirmation. What an age of innocence it was!

Face your fears

Mowgli was the super hero who never shied from taking risks and faced his fears. Fears also remind me of a funny incident. In one of the episodes, I saw Baloo telling Mowgli the Mahamantra of Jungle "Hum ek hee vansh ke hain, tum aur main"(We are no different) and Mowgli successfully uses this mantra to drive away the wild dogs. Once when a stray dog got after me, instead of running away, I decided to use Mowgli's mantra. However, to my surprise, it had no impact on the dog. Fortunately an elderly uncle was passing by who shooed the dog away and saved me the torture of anti rabies shots!

Us before Me

The animals of the jungle were very particular about the safety of the Jungle. When the rivers dried up, all the animals collaborated to share resources and decided not to hunt till the water problem was resolved. Whereas we humans think of serving our individual interests first. I wonder why do we humans forget this lesson in times of crisis.

Loving our environment

I used to be in awe watching Mowgli using climbers to move from tree to tree in no time! While I could not find climbers to try my luck, Mowgli for sure was my inspiration to climb trees. From guava to Jamun to Mango I didn't leave a single tree despite often being attacked by angry red ants peacefully resting in the tree trunks!

As a parent, I feel there cannot be anything better than Jungle Book to teach your child the lessons of life without sounding preachy. I look forward to the day when my son grows up and I can watch Jungle Book with him and share my memories!

I’m blogging about #MyMowgliMemory at BlogAdda.

Jungle Book releases on April 8. Catch the movie and relive your memories! 

Movie – Albela (1951)

Genre – Musical, Comdey

Director – Bhagwan Dada

Duration – 158 minutes

Cast – Geeta Bali, Bhagwan Dada

Music – C. Ramchandra

Written By – Bhagwan Dada

My View

As I write this review, Mr. Hubby gives me a mocking smile. Often my liking for old forgotten Hindi movies earn me the title of an alien from the old generation. But I really wanted to write about this one, and by the end of this post you shall know why.

I discovered this movie few days ago as I was discussing the good old times with Papa when mom used to sing me this lullaby.

Papa was quick to insight me that the same movie also has many famous songs including one of my favourites, Shola Jo Bhadke

This was enough enticement for the movie buff in me and so I decided to watch this movie the same night.

Like all old movies, this one too talks of dreams and aspirations among poverty. Pyarelal (Bhagwan Dada) who lives in a small rented house with his family, eats, sleeps and drinks theatre. So much is his passion for theatre that he even daydreams in his office and gets sacked for lack of seriousness at work. Those were the times when acting and creative pursuits weren’t looked high upon. As expected, he gets thrashed by his father for being a burden on his family. His only pillar of support is his younger sister Bimla who believes in his dreams and encourages him to follow his instinct. But have dreams ever helped counter poverty and hunger? 

Circumstances force Pyarelal to leave the house, leaving a crying mother blessing him success.

The big bad world of showbiz treats Pyarelal like any other struggler is treated – with rejection and disrespect. However, destiny takes him on a different track upon his chance meeting with Asha (Geeta Bali). The simple and clean hearted Pyarelal is able to make his way in Asha’s heart and is soon seen fulfilling his dream of a successful actor.

Amidst all the glitz and glamour, he is reminded one day of his promise to his mother, that he would return home one day when he becomes a successful actor. However, destiny again plays a cruel game. While on one hand, Pyarelal’s family faces a storm of troubles, the theatre company finds it best to keep him away from his poor relatives, else he might not drift away from the world of theatre. Whether Pyare is able to keep his promise to his family and maintain his stardom is for the viewer to watch and find out, but the movie touches you for its sheer simplicity and pain of a common man.

It was also a treat to discover that many songs of this movie are still afresh in our minds as the golden classics.

Trivia

Did you know this movie was the 3^rd highest grosser of 1951? You might also wanna read about Bhagwan Dada who once had a 25 room sea facing bunglow in Juhu and a fleet of 7 luxury cars, one for each day of the week, but died amidst poverty in a Dadar chawl. Albela is the movie he is best known for.

Movie Review – The Path of Zarathustra

Date of Release – September 4, 2015

Genre – Magic Realism

Director – Oorvazi Irani

Duration – 79 minutes

Cast – Oorvazi Irani, Tom Alter, Rushad Rana, Shishir Sharma, Darius Shroff, Firdausi Jussawalla

Music – Vasuda Sharma

Screenplay – Farrukh Dhondy

My View

Ever since I landed up in Mumbai, the mystery behind Zoroastrianism had me intrigued. At work, I met many people with unusual surnames and found out about the religion and its interesting history. However, since it is a very closed community, non Zoroastrians have no access to important aspects like their places of worship, Tower of silence etc.

It was for this mystery and exclusivity that the moment I was invited to the premiere of this unique movie about Zoroastrian faith and religion, my head immediately nodded in affirmation and excitement!

The Path of Zarathustra is a very unique movie, for it gives insights into the community’s faith, religion and challenges faced. The protagonist, Oorvazi (Oorvazi Irani) moves out of her isolated life after her maternal grandfather, Mamavaji (Tom Alter) passes away. However, before closing his eyes to the world, he gifts her a book which he says will help her find her true identity and answers to all her questions and directs her to go and be amongst her people. There is no belief without believers. And thus begins Oorvazi’s quest to find her roots and true identity in a community that is facing the threat of losing its identity due to a fast dwindling race. 

Oorvazi comes to Mumbai to stay with her maternal aunt Sheramasi and cousin Perseus (Rushad Rana), whose eyes still reflect his love for her. As she begins her journey to discover her true self, she discovers many aspects about her religion and in these revelations; she is guided by imaginary characters from historical past of Zoroastrianism such as Mazdak (Darius Shroff), who was executed for his radical ideas, Mani (Firdausi Jussawalla), and Zurvan (Shishir Sharma). Each character uncovers layers of the mystery surrounding the book. However, just when she thinks she has found the keeper of the book, she is told her search is yet to be over.

Whether Oorvazi finally unravels the mystery behind the book is for you to find out by watching the movie. However, as a curious outsider, the movie is an excellent way to know about the community and its beliefs. The movie also boasts of many path breaking moves, such as shooting in a fire temple.

One has to give full marks to the attention given to each detail. Excellent screenplay by celebrated author Farrukh Dhondy has the viewers transported to a different world of mystic every time one plot blends into the other. The dialogues will definitely hover in your mind hours after you walk out of the theatre. As a newbie, Vasuda Sharma’s job to the background score deserves a round of applause as it compliments the flawless cinematography.

One doesn’t come across path breaking movies like The Path of Zarathustra very often. So, whether you are a Zoroastrian or not, go for the movie as it will definitely provoke your thoughts regarding your own roots,

My Rating

4/5

This review is for BlogAdda and SBI Impresario Pvt Ltd. The Path of Zarathustra releases at a theatre near you on September 4, 2015. Check out the movie’s official website www.thepathofzarathustra.com

Bhopal - A Prayer for Rain

30 years gone in vain
Still fresh is their pain
The memories of that unfortunate night
Brings on their face horror n fright
After effects haunt even today
Why have the culprits been let away?

These were the thoughts that immediately struck my mind as I walked out of the theatre after watching the special preview of the movie Bhopal - A prayer for the rain. The incident is very special to me, since it occurred the same year I was born. My dad tells me the next morning, the whole nation woke up to grief and mourning. The number of casualties was rising every hour. Seeing the images of those who suffered, many weren't able to take a single morsel down their throat. My heart bleeds when I think about the plight of the people who suffered that unfortunate night. We Indians respect and worship our jobs as 'anndaata'. So did those people, not knowing that their very own anndaata would not only take their life, but also haunt the generations to come with their sins.

The unfateful night of December 2-3, 1984, when many people embraced sleep to wake up to a new day, one act of negligence made it the last night of their life. Many might have weaved hopes of new beginnings on a new day, when they would go to their work and earn a better livelihood.
But the leak of poisonous gas from the Union Carbide MIC plant poisoned their dreams to death.

Media and the film industry have touched upon this topic many a times. Several documentaries have been made highlighting the legal and political aspects. But, what about the emotional trauma faced by the people who lived that torture that very night?

Last Sunday, me along with team of bloggers were invited by Indiblogger and Rising Star entertainment for a special preview screening of the movie. Having seen umpteen number of documentaries on this subject, I was not hoping for any new aspect that would enlighten me. However, by the end of the movie, I was sobbing my hearts out for the unfortunate ones who suffered at the hands of Union carbide.

The film portrays the event from the eyes of the very people who lived it. Dilip (Rajpal Yadav), a poor rickshaw puller is the protagonist. Like many others around him, he too struggles with poverty, hunger and family responsibilities. The only hope of a better life and escape from hunger is Union Carbide, a multinational company that had set up its MIC pestcide plant in the vicinity. Dilip and others aspire to work with Union Carbide, as they see others wearing their uniforms and earning for their family's happiness. Everyday, many men waited outside the Union Carbide office in the hope of becoming a Carbider one day. What they didnt know was that behind the glitz and glamour of being a Carbider, there was 40 tonnes of poison waiting to annihilate everything around.

While the dirty game of capitalists and selfish political interests continued, innocent people suffered to the hands of negligence. 

Rajpal Yadav as Dilip, does complete justice to the role. Tanishtha Chatterjee plays the supporting wife who can do anything to support her husband.

While i had gone with no expectations, by the end of the movie, I had tears of empathy and I felt like one of the victims.

We all know what happened that night, but the movie is a must watch to know how people actually felt that night.

Bhopal - A Prayer For Rain releases on December 5th.

Movie Review – Pyaasa

Date of Release – February 19, 1957

Genre – Drama, Romance

Director – Guru Dutt

Duration – 146 minutes

Cast – Guru Dutt, Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman, Johnny Walker, Rehman

Music – S.D. Burman

Written By – Abrar Alvi

Lyrics – Sahir Ludhianvi

My View

To mention the word “review” for a movie like “Pyaasa” would not be giving due respect to this masterpiece. Considered one of the greatest movies of Indian cinema, Pyaasa combines love, pain, deceit and the double standards of society with a perfection that hardly any movie has done. It is said that Guru Dutt was a director ahead of his times. And when you watch this movie, you marvel at the thought process of this genius back then in 1957!

The movie, considered by many to be based on real life story of the famous lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi revolves around a young man Vijay (Guru Dutt) who is gifted with the art of poetry. However, in the world of opportunism and malice, his honesty has hardly any takers. So, his talent goes unnoticed and everyone, including his real brothers discard him as a penniless loser. Vijay’s principles and self respect however, are unfazed by hunger and rejection. Harbouring the dream of being published someday, he comes in contact with Mr. Ghosh (Rehman), the owner of a large publishing house.  He is unaware that Rehman is only a selfish man who obliged him to know the secret of his past.

As if rebuke and rejection was not enough for Vijay, destiny plays another cruel game with Vijay. His college sweetheart Meena (Mala Sinha) who had left him to enjoy marital bliss with a well settled Mr. Ghosh comes face to face with him. With old love coming knocking on the door, things get even more complicated with Mr. Ghosh discovering their secret and Vijay losing his job.

When the world uses Vijay for their vested interests, leaving him with pain in return, it is only a prostitute  Gulabo (Waheeda Rehman) who stands by him through thick and thin. Smitten by his poetry and gentleman attitude, Gulabo proves her true love by sacrificing her entire money to fulfil his dream of being published.  Vijay’s poetry does eventually make him a favourite with poetry lovers however, just like the distance between the cup and the lip, Vijay too is unable to get his due credit, thanks to the not so good gestures by Mr. Ghosh, his brothers and some selfish friends. While the publisher makes a killing with Vijay’s poems in print, the real hero is parked away in a mental asylum.

Whether Vijay is able to get his due and whether he finally gets peace in the world of fake promises and double standards is for you to see.

The film has power packed performances by Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha, Rehman and Johny Walker.  Guru Dutt, the king of tragedy and romance conveys such intense emotions effortlessly that you simply relish each and every scene. Waheeda Rehman portrays the transition beautifully from a charming prostitute to the woman seeking true love and respect. Notice both sides in these songs.

Mala Sinha aptly essays the role of a weak and helpless lover who is stuck between the concern for her love and the bindings of the society. Rehman, well known for his negative roles during those times, does full justice to the role of a mean and cunning man who masks his malicious intensions under layers of sophistication.

While I had always thought Johny Walker’s role in the movie was just about the song, Sar Jo Tera Chakraye, I figured that he is used as an SOS vehicle in the story when al the odds are against Vijay. Besides adding the humour quotient, he is credited with bringing an important twist to the story.

While I have heard the songs many a times since I was a kid, I fell in love all over again with them when I saw the movie. The songs are brimming with emotions and I wish we had lyricists and composers like we had back then.

The post would be incomplete without a mention of the lyricist, Sahir Ludhianvi. Though there are no words to describe the beauty with which he has penned down the songs, it is best recommended to listen and reflect upon the message he is trying to give in each song.

Overall, Pyaasa needs no endorsement to prove itself. For those of you who look at old Indian cinema with tinted glasses, such masterpieces are just not to be missed!

Trivia

Did you know the role essayed by Guru Dutt was originally offered to Dilip Kumar, but he declined. Also, Nargis Dutt and Madhubala were offered the roles played by Mala Sinha and Waheeda Rehman respectively. The movie became a major commercial hit.

My Rating

5/5

Movie Review – Mardaani

Date of Release – August 2, 2014

Genre – Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Action

Director – Pradeep Sarkar

Duration – 152 minutes

Cast – Rani Mukerji, Jisshu Sengupta, Tahir Bhasin, Sanjay Taneja

Music - Shantanu Moitra, Karthik Raja

Mardaani, a movie I had been long awaiting for two reasons – First, Rani Mukherjee had lost somewhere post Talash and one only read about her in gossip mills, that too mostly updates about her personal life. A comeback for an actress of her calibre had to be special. And the promos too, accelerated the curiosity!

Secondly, Indian cinema usually takes a very “Jhansi Ki Rani” approach when it comes to female dominated films. Coming from a seasoned director like Pradeep Sarkar, who has mastered the art of serving the perfect feminist story (Parineeta, Laga Chunari Mein Daag), one could expect a film that met the viewer’s expectations.

And true to its name, Mardaani, the movie took the box office by storm. The initial buzz following its release has reached a different level with Mardaani staying afloat vis a vis the others.

Since Singham returns came in a week before, there were comparisons floating around of Mardaani being Lady Singham. But if you watch the movie, the Bengal Tigress roars and impresses you with her seasoned natural acting, superb dialogue delivery and action sequences which no rosy rosy actress trending these days would have been able to manage.

Pradeep Sarkar, weaves a story around the wefts and warps of human trafficking. Shivani Shivaji Roy, an honest and intelligent crime branch officer takes on the mafia when an orphan girl Pyaari, whom she treated like her own daughter falls prey to them. The officer, who believes in becoming a rat to catch a rat, and a snake to catch a snake, takes it upon herself to destroy the Lanka. The rest of the movie sees her manage a rather tough chase to Delhi and unearth the racket, with limited help from the authorities.

One thing I love about Rani is the ease with which she slips into her character, be it her bold avtar in No One killed Jessica; the submissive housewife in Talash, she gets into the skin of the character. So, one shot will see her spearheading her team on a mission to catch a gangster, and the other will show her pounding her love on her niece and an orphan on the street Pyari. You may not see her serving her husband hot chapattis but like a true Indian wife you can see her pained to see her husband in trouble and standing by his side.

The supporting cast has done a decent job, but it’s Rani who steals the show and you can’t help but marvel at yet another flawless performance of the actress!

It was a treat to my eyes to see many familiar locations in Delhi in various scenes – Connaught Place, Lodi Garden etc.

While the film keeps you totally hooked on in the first half, it gets pretty predictable towards the end and Mr. Hubby suggested we move before the ending credits to avoid the rush. But I insisted we stayed till the last scene, for I loved watching the end for Rani’s action sequences and her strong dialogues. (There is frequent use of some censored words too so you might wanna think before your kids wanna go for it).

With such a movie, you cannot hope for romantic or song n dance numbers as they would dilute the flavour of the movie. However, the background score and the theme song resonates the spirit of the movie.

Overall, what a comeback movie for Rani, and if I have to tweak lines of a famous Hindi Poem, it would go like,

“Khoob Ladi Mardani Woh To Filmon Wali Rani Thi..."

Here’s wishing she continues to impress her with her ever evolving acting skills!

My Rating – 4.5/5

Book review – Supertraits of Superstars

Author – Priyanka Sinha Jha

Publisher – Rupa

Pages – 186

Price – Rs 195

Sneak Preview

In this one of a kind book, Priyanka Sinha Jha looks at eleven luminaries from Bollywood, and the attribute that is perhaps most responsible for their success. She details their stories, their struggles, their efforts to overcome setbacks, and what it is about them that made them not just reach the top of their game, but stay there.

My View

I have been a prey of the Bollywood bug since childhood. While my parents wondered how I could memorize all things filmy (and complain memory loss during exams!!!), Mr. Hubby and mom in law have conferred to me the title of “the great filmy Wikipedia”! Needless to say, I am the first one they look upto to validate who’s the name behind a particular song, history and geography of a particular actor, who’s hitched/dating/rumored to be dating whom etc. etc. While the KBC seasons were on, my mom in law had instructed everyone in the family “In case you get selected and face a question on Hindi movies, opt for Phone a friend lifeline, and call Shaivi”.

So, you can understand my excitement when Tales Pensieve sent a book on “Bollywood Superstars” for review. Knowing so much myself about Bollywood, I was curious to know the stuff that I donno yet! And Priyanka’s book lived upto my expectations. To call this book a compilation of masala incidents from the celluloid would be denying the author the due credit of her hard work. For, the book is much more than that.

We all love to gossip about the Bollywood stars, most of it being fragments of someone’s imagination. But, Priyanka has taken painstaking efforts in connecting us with the off screen star persons inside the Bollywood stars we see on screen. The book gives a beautiful account of the hard work and determination (and may more supertraits) of eleven Bollywood superstars(Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Balan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, John Abraham, Ranbir Raj Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar & Salman Khan). After having read the book, I can say I have been introduced to the people I never knew! These are people who take their craft seriously to survive in an industry where new competition comes in every Friday and one has to do the right thing at the right time to remain unfazed in the minds of the audience.

For instance, did you know Amitabh Bachchan’s unfailing punctuality has always given his Directors sleepless nights since they worry about reaching the sets on time themselves? Often been the first one to report on the sets of his films for even morning shifts, he utilized this time to water the plants etc! Shah Rukh Khan repeated a particular action sequence in Ra.One till he got the perfect shot, despite suffering from a knee injury. After Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak released, Aamir Khan would go into the projection room of the Gaiety Galaxy film theatre in Bandra to observe the audience’s reaction during various scenes – one of the many traits that has made him the epitome of perfection and excellence in Bollywood. The strong, determined artist behind the beautiful babe Katrina Kaif – do you know she has been brave enough to offer creative opinion to her Directors even as a newcomer, since one has to take risks to get the returns. While shooting for Rockstar, Ranbir Kapoor spent time with a Jat family and went shopping with them for the jeans he wore in the film, all as a part of understanding the character (Jordan, aka Janardhan, a Jat boy) better. As a newcomer in Bollywood, Aishwarya Rai Bhachchan negotiated her own deals and contracts, pretending that she had a lawyer who was putting down the terms and conditions! The book also tells the story of a skinny, under confident Duggu with a speech problem who worked his way very hard to give us the Hrithik Roshan of Bollywood. Salman Khan’s inherent generosity that he has displayed time and again since childhood.

These and many more incidents have been beautifully captured by Priyanka. Of course, her tryst with media has come in handy, but she too has displayed her craft well – after each chapter, there is a summary of the qualities displayed by the personality on the long road to success. The language is simple and each chapter is decorated with famous anecdotes which make the book a pleasure to read.

After finishing the book, my immediate reaction was “when do I read a sequel to the book?” For a Bollywood crazy person like me, eleven stars are not enough. Farhan Akhtar, Akshay Kumar, Madhuri Dixit…my wishlist is endless! I hope Priyanka comes up with a part-2 soon!

Needless to say, it’s a 100% recommendation from my side, if you share a passion for Bollywood!

About the author

Priyanka Sinha Jha is a journalist who, in her eighteen year-long career, has written on celebrities, films, lifestyle, business and more. She has been a correspondent for publications as varied as Citadel, The Asian Age and Intelligent Investor. At the age of 26, she became the editor of Society, India’s first celebrity magazine, followed by a stint as editor of HT Style and HT Saturday. Currently, she is the editor of Screen, India’s foremost film and entertainment weekly. She has also contributed to Outlook, The Week and Tehelka, and has a regular column in the Indian Express: Play. Between analysing celebrities and earning her daily bread, she likes to travel to unknown destinations, watch films and argue endlessly on egalitarian issues with friends and family. 

The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve.

Cinema that provokes the thought…

Cinema, has a power so strange

It is the wave that brings the change

In thoughts, speech and action

And shows us our society’s reflection

Inspiring us to go off the beaten path

And bring a revolution that makes us stand apart

Since the time the first moving image reflected on the silver screen, cinema has been influencing the society in every way. Be it in the form of youngsters following the latest look of their favourite Bollywood stars, or the people adopting trends from movie stories into their own life.

Though the birth of cinema was for entertainment, yet, time and again, we witness several go getters, who use cinema to give a message to the society to change for good; to move beyond the clichés and chart a new path altogether. These are off beat films that have managed to provoke our thoughts to make a better society –

Mother India

One of the best movies made ever, Mother India showcased the ideal Indian mother to the whole world. It is the story of the mother who brings her children alone amidst the perils of society – poverty, exploitation and illiteracy, to name a few. She may be the selfless mother, who sacrifices her comforts for her children, yet when it comes to principles, she doesn’t bat an eyelid before choosing right over wrong. The movie that gave us the mother who gives the last morsel to her son, yet shoots the same son when he violates the rules of society by abducting the daughter of the village moneylender.

Iqbal

Most of us dream and blame destiny when things don’t go our way. But here is a story of a deaf and dumb Iqbal who, despite his handicap realises his dream of being a cricketer, through hard work and perseverance. The movie did its bit by changing the view of society towards children with special needs and taught us to value the qualities in a person rather than writing him off for his deficiencies.

                                               

Mirch Masala

An award winning movie of the 80s, Mirch Masala shows the strong, fiery side of the Indian woman, just like the title of the movie. The protagonist (played by Smita Patil) teaches us women to be fearless (or Nirbhay) against the vultures hovering in the society. The film showed a new side of Indian beauty to the world, one who could take the oppressors herself to guard her modesty. The last scene where women blind the Subedaar with red chilli powder is a must watch. In today’s times when women’s security has been an issue of concern, we need more women like Sonbai

Filhal

Surrogacy, which till now had been a thing of a taboo, was introduced beautifully to the masses by this movie.  The story of Sia (Sushmita Sen) who fills the emptiness in her friend Reva’s (Tabu) life by being a surrogate mother brought a smile on the faces of numerous childless couples. For the Indian mindset, where blood is thicker than water, this film brought a new message – that surrogacy is no longer a thing to be shy about; and that no bond is more important than the bond of love.

Oh My God

In the times when we have had shocking revelations about god men, here is a movie that underlines the core belief of every religion – that God resides our heart. To the masses who were blinded by God men into superstitions, this movie taught to believe in one’s karma and keep the religion alive in one’s heart without falling prey to superstition. A revolutionary movie of its kind, this one truly walked off the beaten path to open eyes of many.

Movies like these inspire us to think out of the box and take the society to a better tomorrow.

Thanks BlogAdda for giving this opportunity for the film buff me to write about such amazing movies, 

This post is a part of the Miss Lovely Activity in association with BlogAdda.

Miss Lovely, an off-beat film directed by Ashim Ahluwalia is set in the lower depths of Bombay’s “C” grade film industry. It follows the devastating story of two brothers who produce sex horror films in the mid – 1980s. A sordid tale of betrayal and doomed love, the film dives into the lower depths of the Bollywood underground, an audacious cinema with baroque cinemascope compositions, lurid art direction, wild background soundtracks, and gut-wrenching melodrama. Miss Lovely is scheduled for commercial release on 17 January 2014.

You can check the trailer of the film here