Mausam Soundtrack

After a lot of waiting, the Mausam soundtrack is finally here. I've been pretty excited for it, because Mausam is the sort of movie that just begs to have amazing music. The list of singers also makes for a pretty impressive mix. However, in terms of the tracklist itself, I have to say that I'm seriously missing a Mohit Chauhan song. I absolutely love the Pritam-Mohit combo (Tum Se Hi; Yeh Dooriyan), and was looking forward to one on this soundtrack as well. Also, the absence of a female voice doesn't seem right - no solos, but no duets either (if you don't count that short bit in Sajh Dhaj Ke). Wasn't Shreya supposed to sing for this soundtrack - what happened there?


Anyway, onto the actual album...

+ I absolutely love the music for Rabba - it's the same background score we heard during the promo, and it is just lovely. It has that light and airy feel to it, which goes really well with Shahid Mallya's mildly deep voice. The Rahat Fateh Ali Khan version is also really nice, but I'm not sure which is my favourite yet - maybe Shahid Mallya's wins, but only by a little.

+ I immediately took a liking to Sajh Dhaj Ke when I first saw the TV promo - and the actual song delivers even more. Mika gave it his all, and how! Such a fun song; makes you want to jump up and start dancing right there. The original is definitely my favourite, but the Tigerstyle remixes (Desi; Club) are also good for dance floors.

+ Ik Tu Hi Tu Hi - this song, my God! It has such a haunting feel to it, that give-you-goosebumps type. How melancholic. This is my favourite track on the album, but the problem is that I can't decide which version I like more - every time I listen to one version, I think I like it the best, but then I switch to another version and I'm confused again. Really, really good track, this one - done well and differently by all the singers. All three versions will be on repeat for a very long time.

+ Poore Se Zara Sa Kam Hai is also really nice. I love that Rashid Khan croons for the first minute without any background music; he has such a powerful voice and that allows it to come through.

+ Aag Lage Us Aag Ko is reminiscent of Dhol Baaje. Good track, but I haven't listened to it much - it's getting overshadowed by the rest.

+ Another good dance number is Mallo Malli, but I still prefer Sajh Dhaj Ke, easily. Still, this version and the remixes are the type that can grow on you quickly.

+ Irshad Kamil's lyrics are just lovely:

tera shehar jo peeche choot raha

kuch andar andar toot raha

•  

bin tere hum toh poore se zara sa kam hai

• 
  

ab dil chahe khamoshi ke hothon pe mein likh doon

pyaari si baatein kayi

• 
  

kaanch pe chalna aanch mein jalna
jitne bhi dard hai maaye seh na sake yeh jindari

Overall, it is a beautiful soundtrack - great composition by Pritam, and amazing lyrics and singing to accompany it. It has that rustic feel to it, which I think fits in really well with the vibe of the movie. Now I'm looking forward to seeing how each song is picturised; hopefully more video promos are forthcoming.


My picks: Ik Tu Hi Tu Hi, Sajh Dhaj Ke, Rabba. 


What do you think of the album? What's your favourite track from it?

Mausam Trailer Launch

Today I had the extreme good fortune of being able to go to the Mausam trailer launch! It was an experience unlike any other and I'm still spazzing about it because I finally got to see Shahid Kapoor! :) Not only that, but Mausam is a film most of us have been waiting over a year for - so it was really quite surreal to be able to see scenes from it on the big screen.

First, for the promo - the background music is lovely, the cinematography is beautiful... but what I love most about it is the "feel" of the film. It has that very timeless and romantic feel, but more than that, you get that it's going to be an intense movie and is more than your usual love story. I wish we got to hear some of the songs from the movie, but no matter - something more to look forward to. :)

As for the entire experience - I got there, walked in and saw that all the media had set up. I ended up getting a seat in the third row, on the side of the auditorium. This was totally by luck, as the centre seats were reserved for guests and therefore no one was allowed to sit there. So most of the other non-media people got seats behind the cameras, and I am really SO thankful that no one asked me to move and that I could keep my seat. :)

I got my first glimpse of Shahid as he and Sonam were waiting by the door to enter the auditorium. I started freaking out right there, haha. Then he came in, waved to the fans and said that he wants to say a special thank you to ShahidOnline, and mentioned that they call themselves "Mausambees" so he knows he has really juicy fans. ;) Then they proceeded to the actual Q&A session; I'm not going to give out details of the Q&As because I bet that video will be up on BollywoodHungama soon and it's really fun to watch. And it was a LOT of fun; Shahid and Sonam had great chemistry between them and it seemed like they really had bonded during the shoot. Shahid was very witty with his answers; I especially liked his response to the Kareena-Priyanka-Sonam question. :) He seemed very comfortable throughout the entire thing, and that was great to see.

Then they wrapped up and got ready to leave. The photographers swamped them for more photos, and I weaseled my way into that group (I don't even know how) and walked right up to him and said, "Shahid, I'm from ShahidOnline." He stopped and smiled then. :) I told him I have something to give him on behalf of everyone at SO, and handed him the card.

He saw it and said, "Oh, wow... you guys are rockstars!" I asked if I could get a picture with him and he said yes. I was looking around for someone to give my phone to, and he said, "Give me, I'll take it." I didn't realize my camera was zoomed in, so that picture didn't turn out very well. He started leaving then, and I quietly said, "Oh, I didn't get it..." Somehow he heard, came back and said, "Let's take another one." :DDD And we did! And that one turned out fabulously, and I am ON TOP OF THE WORLD.

Of course the second one is a better pic, but I have a soft spot for the first one - he took it, our grins are huge, his head is resting against mine! :D

VERY, VERY, VERY happy! Clearly. I still almost can't believe it. :)))

Happy birthday, Shahid: 30 Reasons I Love Him

If you know me at all, you know I'm a huge Shahid Kapoor fan. Huuuge. I remember liking him from the first time I watched Ishq Vishk - he was cute, a good actor, and had that distinct 'star-like' quality about him. After that, his movies came and went, but I hadn't watched all of them... then came Vivah. He completely won me over with his performance. Not only was he talented, but he oozed sincerity - he was incredibly likable. Jab We Met just cemented my opinion. After that, I started YouTubing him - I watched his interviews and appearances on talk shows and I was bowled over. He came across sensible, humble, and very mature. That's when I decided I liked Shahid the Person far more than I liked Shahid the Actor - which is saying something, since I believe he's one of the most talented actors in Bollywood today.

On February 25th, Shahid celebrates his 30th birthday. It's a big milestone, no doubt, so to join in on the celebrations, I give to you a list of 30 reasons I love Shahid Kapoor! ;)

30 Reasons I Love Shahid Kapoor

1. He’s a subtle actor. His real talent lies in those small nuances, those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, and that makes for highly natural acting. He adds so much to a scene that we as an audience may not take explicit notice of, and I think that’s where great talent lies: it’s not overt and showy, it blends in perfectly.

2. He’s a highly intelligent actor and seems to be able to ‘feel’ out a scene very well. One example: Anushka Sharma said during the shooting of Badmaash Company that in one scene, she and Shahid were walking down a street and talking, but Shahid found something ‘missing’ in the scene. He asked for it to be reshot with them eating watermelons, thus giving them something to do with their hands. The thing about such a scene is that you do not realize what the watermelon adds to it until you think of the scene without it—something does seem to be missing.

3. He has a great work ethic. Several of Shahid’s directors and co-actors have praised his ability to be so focused and dedicated; he really does seem to give his all to a film (case-in-point: taking a year off to work on his dad’s film, Mausam).

4. He’s an unbelievable dancer. I don’t even think I need to say anything more about this—just take a look at his Michael Jackson tribute, and you’ll see!

5. He’s extremely good-looking. Oh come on, you didn’t think I’d make a list and not include this, did you? I mean, just look at him! *dreamy sigh*

6. He has a very mature attitude about his career. In many interviews he has said that he doesn't lament a failure too long and he doesn't take the success of a film to his head. I think this is such a healthy attitude to have, because success and failure (especially in an industry such as Bollywood) comes and goes.

7. He’s very sincere. He comes across as extremely straight-forward in all his interviews. And he says it himself all the time: “keep it real.”

8. He’s extremely devoted to his spiritual beliefs, which I admire above all else. Being someone who places great importance on body building, it must be difficult to not eat meat to get that kind of protein. And being someone from the Bollywood industry who has to attend many parties and whatnot, it must be difficult not to drink. But he does neither and is serious about it—I admire his resilience to not ‘give in’ to the trappings of Bollywood and to remain firm in his beliefs.

9. He’s really humble – it never seems like his success goes to his head; he seems as down-to-earth as always.

10. His philosophical tweets always put a smile on my face!

 

11. He actually drinks his coffee when on talk shows. I dunno, I find that extremely endearing, since most people tend to ignore it entirely! :P

12. He’s really sweet to his fans – he took time out to talk to me on the phone even though I think we were disturbing him! He was really nice about it, though, and wished me well. (I’m posting this story again soon for those of you who haven’t heard it yet.)

13. He’s a total family man, and there is something really endearing about that. He’s always talking about his father, and the Twitter conversations between him and Ishaan (his brother) are always so cute!

14. Whenever he’s shooting, he tends to post pictures of his surroundings – it’s so interactive and makes us feel like we’re there! ;)

15. His eye-wrinkling grin makes my heart happy.

I'm grinning like an idiot now too!

16. He’s a great host. His hosting stints on SSA 2010 and 2011 had me in splits. Also, he and Shahrukh Khan make a great team—when are we seeing them in a movie together?!

17. He’s surprisingly good at mimicry. He was hilarious and spot-on in his imitation of Aamir Khan during SSA 2010.

18. He made replacing the ‘s’ in sentences with an ‘f’ cool – itf the new hotteft thing to do!

19. He is the first actor in the world to fly an F16. How awesome is that?!

20. He looks hawt in a suit…

21. … and in a uniform…

MY HARRY!!! <3

22. … and even more so in a kurta-pyjama!

23. He looks adorable when he makes the peace sign while posing for photos!

24. He sounds feckfy when he speaks Punjabi! “Big deal – tenu ki farak penda hai?” “Correct – menu ki farak penda hai?!”

25. He usually ends the day with a “shabbakhair” tweet – how fweet! (That rhymed? :P)

26. On the ‘shabbakhair’ note: how cute is it when he uses the word ‘neeni’?! :P

27. He always sends sweet messages to ShahidOnline.net, his biggest fanclub.

28. He’s actually pretty funny – not only does he act out comedic roles with ease, but he also posts funny lines on Twitter!

Read from the bottom-up!

29. He’s an all-out good guy at heart, the kind of guy you just want to take home… yet he has a bit of that “bad boy” edge (his bike, anyone?) that’s so appealing!

30. And the final reason why I love Shahid Kapoor: he brought to me the lovely #Shanatics, some truly special girls (and guys!) who have made Twitter a better place to be. :) Love you all!


Okay, so there you have it—30 reasons! Feel free to share your own reasons in the comments, so that we can celebrate our favourite badmaash’s birthday in style!

Happy birthday, Sasha! :)

Bollywood Characters I'd Marry - Part One

Here's a bit of an embarrassing fact: I'm a big sap at heart and I completely eat up the idea of a Bollywood romance; you're very likely to find me staring googly-eyed at those Bollywood scenes that others may call cliché and cringe at. For this reason, I've always maintained that Bollywood has ruined my chances of finding the 'perfect' guy, simply because it has raised the standards so high that I can't ever imagine someone meeting them (waiting to be proven wrong, btw). I know we all have our fictional crushes--mine can perhaps be contained in a book the size of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix--so I'm doing it Bollywood-style on this blog and telling you about the characters I'd marry in a heartbeat (in no particular order). I'm splitting this up in two posts, because apparently I can get really ramble-y when talking about the characters I love. ;)

The All-Out Good Guy
These are the complete good guys. Sincere, lovable, and always doing the right thing.

Aditya Kashyap (Shahid Kapoor; Jab We Met)

There's something undeniably appealing about a quiet, brooding guy who seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders--you inexplicably want to fix things for him. But then there's something more appealing about the guy when he snaps out of it and you discover that beneath all the sulking, there's a guy who is fun, loves to sing, and is genuinely good. And good he is--which other kind of guy would travel across India to accompany a girl home just because it is apparently his fault that she missed her train? And which guy would help the girl (whom he has fallen in love with) run away from her home and into the arms of another man? Which guy would then track down the girl after finding out that all's not well with her, bring joy back into her life, reunite her with her family, and then still try to patch things up between her and her estranged lover? Only an all-out good guy, that's for sure. As Geet rightly says in the movie: "Tumhare upar koi bhi ladki flat ho sakti hai." ("Any girl would fall for you.") 


Prem (Shahid Kapoor; Vivah)

This character is almost single-handedly responsible for me falling in love with Shahid Kapoor. There's nothing to not like about this guy: he's got that endearing innocence, he's charmingly awkward, he tries to accept Poonam's completely traditional ways even if he doesn't understand it all the time, he studied Literature (*swoon*), aaand he doesn't turn his back on her even when tragedy strikes. Perfection.

The Urbane Gentleman

The smooth, sophisticated, smart guys.

Kabir (Rahul Khanna; Wake Up Sid)

I see a lot of myself in Aisha (Konkona Sen Sharma's character in Wake Up Sid), but the one thing I would have done differently is pick Kabir over Sid. He's suave, smart, an editor (brb, dyinggg), and incredibly good-looking. Sorry, Sid, as much as I love you, your immature self doesn't hold a candle to the amazingness that is Kabir. Of course, what adds to my adoration of this character is that Kabir seems very similar to what Rahul Khanna is actually like, so my affection for Rahul Khanna transcends into this character. But either way, Kabir managed to win my heart--and I'd even be willing to tolerate all that jazz, just for him! :D

Arjun Burman (Abhay Deol; Aisha)

People the world over are in love with Mr Knightly--how could I possibly resist a Bollywood-ized version of this well-loved character? Arjun is the perfect mix of snide and kind, the guy who tells it as it is--and has the ability to bring larger-than-life Aisha down a peg or two--but is still undeniably gentle in doing so. Add to that his confidence, sophistication, and dimples, and you've got me swooning. To top it all off, he confesses his love for Aisha in true Bollywood fashion: by climbing up a ladder to her window! And you expected me to resist this guy? Pffft, as if. 

Okay, that's enough of the guys for now. Part two is coming soon and features four more of the Bollywood characters I'd love to marry. Till then, share your list with me! ;)

Valentine's Day: Celebrity Round-up

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Hope you all have big plans for today, even if it's only sitting in front of the TV with your favourite chick flick and a tub of Ben & Jerry's (okay, maybe that's just my plan...). Maybe it's because I have such lame V-Day plans myself, but I really like hearing about what other people are doing for Valentine's Day. And since this blog is totally filmi, I'm giving you a quick rundown of what B-Town has to say about Valentine's Day!


Aftab Shivdasani: i dont have a valentine.. anyone interested? lol

Ummmm... *crickets*...


Devika Bhagat: This V-day I cherish stuff my exes left behind- momo steamer, copy of Kitchen Confidential,comfy boxers,35mm manual,tripod, thanka painting.

 THAT'S the spirit, girlie!

Ajay Devgn: Happy Valentine’s Day. Do we need to single out one day to celebrate love?

Alright, so this age-old argument about whether we need just one day to celebrate love annoys the heck out of me. No, of course we don't need just one day to celebrate love--but what's the harm in having a day dedicated to it? It's supposed to be fun, stop reading too much into it!

Shahid Kapoor: "I'm waiting to fall in love, completely and hopelessly." Credit: Roshmila Bhattacharya; Hindustan Times.

Ummm, Shahid... main hoon na!

Preity Zinta: Happy Valentines Day ! 4 those in love, enjoy it, live it breath it! Nothing compares to being in love.. It makes the world go around! Ting! 4 da heartbroken "A beautiful photo is made frm a negative in a dark room!" Let go of da past & heal urself so u can move on! Love awaits u. 4 da cynics, "Men r like toilets, either occupied or full of shit !" U will have 2 go thru the frogs in order 2 find ur prince ;-). He ! He!

Well, she sure covered all ends of the spectrum, didn't she? But I won't lie, that "occupied or full of shit" theory does hold some weight...

Uday Chopra: Happy Valentines day..if u have someone to love then make sure u show it. If u dont, then keep Love in ur heart and u will never be alone

Real advice. Thank you, Uday!

Rahul Khanna: "The only thing I enjoy about Valentine's Day is the irony that it has the same initials as what I'm sure many have contracted as a result of it." Credit: Malini Agarwal; www.missmalini.com

I would comment on this, but then I'd just go off on a tangent about how much I love Rahul Khanna and his writing and the fact that there are very few people in the world who use words the way he does... so, I'd better stop...

Shilpa Shetty: Happy Valentines day to all.Last min surprise by Hubby,so in romantic Venice:)Loving it. There goes my diet! Pizzas and Gelatos yummmmmeeee!

Well, I know I would love a guy who considered Venice just a "last minute surprise." Enjoy it, Shilpa! The rest of us can only dream...


That's all for today! Hope you guys have/had (depending on your time zone!) a wonderful Valentine's Day. :)

Week-in-Review: Feb 7th-12th

Let's take a quick look at some entertainment headlines that have been making the news this week:

+ Priyanka Chopra to play the lead in Dhoom 3? The rumors about Dhoom 3's casting have been doing the rounds--we've heard about Deepika, Katrina, and even Freida Pinto. YRF apparently still maintains that the casting for the female lead has not yet started, so for now rumors will remain rumors and we'll have to wait to see which leading lady makes it to the top. Who are you rooting for?

+ The team of Band Baaja Baaraat reuintes! YRF has a new film in the pipeline titled Ladies V/S Ricky Bahl. What's interesting about this movie is that it features the same cast and crew as Band Baaja Baaraat! Let's hope this team strikes gold a second time around--I know I'm pretty excited for it!

+ Shahid Kapoor co-pilots F-16 aircraft! (video). Shahid Kapoor has reportedly undergone a month of training and a vigorous medical check-up to qualify to fly the F-16 aircraft. He is the first actor in the world to fly the F-16, and is doing so for his upcoming movie Mausam, in which he plays an Air Force pilot.

+ Madhuri wants to invite SRK, Salman and Aamir to dinner. At the launch of a food channel, Madhuri Dixit revealed who she would like on the guest-list of her dinner party: none other than the three Khans themselves, Shahrukh, Salman, and Aamir! Phew, lofty ambitions, Madhuri! I have only one question: how do I get myself on that guest-list?

+  Akshay Kumar to play Dawood Ibrahim in OUATIM sequel. This sequel features a new cast--both Ajay and Emraan won't make it to the film--and perhaps a new plot entirely. I'm actually pretty excited for this sequel since I found Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai highly interesting, and I'd love to see what they come up with this time around. Also, since this film is supposed to be more "action/thriller" than drama, it looks like Khiladi Kumar will fit right in!


Tweetly Roundup
What tweeters are saying about this week's news stories:

Look forward to seeing you in dhoom 3 .. whenever it is decided, may it be you.. @priyankachopra coz w/ action movies, no 1 comes close 2 U - @Last_Clarion

title of the movie is Ladies vs Ricky Bahl. i guess the storyline would similar to Ranbir's #BachnaAeHasenoo. - @i_Jefin

@yrfmovies already super-excited for Ricky Bahl guys! what a team, maneesh, ranveer, devika, habib and of course adi. - @btownbangles

@shahidkapoor I don't think any person except YOU could make flying F-16 look SO frigging hawt and cool all at the same time ;D - @Vaashini

JUST SAW @shahidkapoor ON STAR NEWS GETTING READY TO FLY THE F16!!!! :D He looked hawwwwwt! <3 - @Pari_Twilight

I wish Ekta Kapoor does not make a sequel of OUATIM. Traitors like Dawood should not be glamorized. - @rajendravijay