I am obsessed with Bollywood and therefore, anything that I write, will either be completely based or remotely related to Hindi films or the actors who comprise them. Needless to say, I did not miss the Filmfare Awards (The Indian Oscars) on television while switching channels to catch glimpses of Koffee with Karan where Karan was in conversation with the not so completely dull Sanjay Leela Bhansali and not so interesting Mallika Sherawat (she really disappointed me..I thought there would be fireworks and she gave me dim candlelight instead...I knew she would try to hog attention by saying some honest sounding utterly silly things to win that coffee hamper or whatever it is that the girlie KJ gives out but it was getting lame after a while. She tried to look diverse but it all seemed made up in the end!)
Anyway, this post is not about her nor is it about the fat and stupid Karan Johar, who while making friends with important people, often forgets to make a good film. But the thing that I wanted to talk about and have been having some strong feelings about is the Filmfare awards function. I cannot claim to have watched any of the awards shows this year, because I never really got to know which one was being telecast when and on which of the milions of channels. God! sometimes channel surfing can also be draining! Since we are so spoilt for choice, I would get distracted with a great movie or a good song or an interesting advertisement or may be even a South Indian onscreen couple dancing in colour coordinated costumes and never really get to the film awards in the process.
But I could not miss the Filmfare awards in toto and did catch parts of it and may I say that the show was predictable and shocking at the same time, in more ways than one. Firstly, Shahrukh Khan has completely lost it and now with some live audience interaction, he is ready to jump off the sanity cliff. While I liked the Hrithik Roshan Krish jokes, the fun he poked at Aamir Khan and Amar Singh was completely uncalled for. I think part of what he said about facing a genuine threat from younger actors is very true and was reflecting in his brutally honest and funny take on them. I hated what he told Amar Singh about staring at that model type girl..aap ki aankhon mein darindapan jhalak rahin thi?
Anyway, this post is not about her nor is it about the fat and stupid Karan Johar, who while making friends with important people, often forgets to make a good film. But the thing that I wanted to talk about and have been having some strong feelings about is the Filmfare awards function. I cannot claim to have watched any of the awards shows this year, because I never really got to know which one was being telecast when and on which of the milions of channels. God! sometimes channel surfing can also be draining! Since we are so spoilt for choice, I would get distracted with a great movie or a good song or an interesting advertisement or may be even a South Indian onscreen couple dancing in colour coordinated costumes and never really get to the film awards in the process.
But I could not miss the Filmfare awards in toto and did catch parts of it and may I say that the show was predictable and shocking at the same time, in more ways than one. Firstly, Shahrukh Khan has completely lost it and now with some live audience interaction, he is ready to jump off the sanity cliff. While I liked the Hrithik Roshan Krish jokes, the fun he poked at Aamir Khan and Amar Singh was completely uncalled for. I think part of what he said about facing a genuine threat from younger actors is very true and was reflecting in his brutally honest and funny take on them. I hated what he told Amar Singh about staring at that model type girl..aap ki aankhon mein darindapan jhalak rahin thi?
I couldn't believe he said that for a few seconds and I bet so didn't he. He seemed embarassed after saying that and although Amar Singh was laughing it off, you could feel the tension in the air and SRK, you better watch your mouth before he kicks your ass!
Please note that the awards function was being held at the Yashraj Studios this time and boy, were we shocked to see Karan Johar, SRK, Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta hosting the show and may be, it will be relevant to mention here that the fantastic four are/ were an inseparable part of the Chopra camp. To diagress, in India you will find film studios and production houses named directly after their proprietors. For every Miramax, there is a Yashraj Films and for every Paramount, there is a RK Films or Govinda Arts (ok..this I just made up). May be, Steven Spielberg can get a leaf out of our book and call Dreamworks, Steve's Studio or something.
Please note that the awards function was being held at the Yashraj Studios this time and boy, were we shocked to see Karan Johar, SRK, Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta hosting the show and may be, it will be relevant to mention here that the fantastic four are/ were an inseparable part of the Chopra camp. To diagress, in India you will find film studios and production houses named directly after their proprietors. For every Miramax, there is a Yashraj Films and for every Paramount, there is a RK Films or Govinda Arts (ok..this I just made up). May be, Steven Spielberg can get a leaf out of our book and call Dreamworks, Steve's Studio or something.
Another rather disgusting attempt at publicity was pulled off by what we now call the first family of Bollywood- the Bachchans. This family just does not seem to get enough of themselves, on screen and off screen. They pulled off a gig (yes, it did look like one) that seemed totally out of a Barjatiya/Johar/Yash Chopra movie. Dame Jaya Bachchan (who I used to admire as an actress and respected as a very dignified lady) was being presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, from guess who? her husband. This was preceded by Ash presenting an award to Abhishek. I think they just have to award the Bachchans every year. With Sweta Bachchan joining the television industry as an anchor, may be Filmfare will start awards in the television category as well from next year. Who knows? The kind of power these guys wield is amazing! Anyway, that day forward, I lost respect for Jaya Bachchan and her sense of dignity because of the following reasons:
1. She said that she was offered the award earlier but refused. I thought the reason was because she thought she was too young to be awarded this honour. But no, the woman actually said that she thinks this year was a good time to accept this award because she was becoming mom-in-law for the second time..a) I did not know becoming mom-in-law was such an exhilarating feeling, not when you son is marrying Aishwarya Rai and (b) What's that got to do with the award? One never really understands the ways of the rich and the famous!
2. Then, she went on to explain the way she felt about Ash. This was the stuff media fodder is made of. She is a girl (redefine girl for me please..I like the concept of being a girl even in my 30s..it's a liberating feeling for someone my age, especially when young kids are already calling me auntie!) with great values and a great smile. Is that why you like her? Common, you've gotta have more reason for getting your son hitched! Ok..I donot like Aishwarya Rai and was completely disgusted by her tears at this point and this whole show of sudden affection towards her. To the Bachchans- at least, keep some details private. I agree you guys are important, but this is too much information and please remember, the last time you spoke about your son's wedding, you spoke too soon! :)
3. To me, she sounded as a victim of male patriarchy, that sadly Mr. AB represents. The way he spoke about his wife-the actress, had nothing to do with her superb acting talent but how she sacrificed it all for him and the two gifts (his children, of course ) she had given him.. It stank! It was all about she was a girl with great values and that he had to marry her!
Anyway, this was the lowdown on the Filmfare awards. Next, I also watched the Oscars. Oscars on the other hand, are getting very mellow and a tad boring than earlier. Winners are cutting short their speeches and if you are Forest Whitaker, you are completely at a loss of words, even after sweeping all major awards this year. Losers are not doing their fake loser smiles anymore and if you are Leo Decaprio, you are fine with it because you are so young and if you are Peter O'Toole, well you are eight nominations old and still counting...so many good performances in one lifetime, may be, thats your Oscar! Al Gore has become unbelievably fat for some reason. Clint Eastwood is making too many good movies. American Idol losers (or those who were voted out by the audience but I am still sure it is better than Indian Idol, where rewarding the undeserving is the rule!) are winning Oscars....Jennifer Hudson has a great great voice! Martin Scorcese finally won but may be, for the wrong movie..The Departed is not his best work and definitely, not the best movie of this year but the academy differs..May be, the idea was to finally reward him this year and he deserves to be honoured. Liked his speech..too rushed, too slurred and very Italian American! Helen Mirren's speech was the shortest and sweetest this year. Ellen Degeneres..some good jokes here and there..loved the part when Steven Spielberg was clicking her picture with Clint Eastwood and it's always good to see a woman host such a big event! Cate Blanchett was looking the loveliest of them all and so was Kate Winslet (when will she have her Oscar moment?). The men, they all looked the same, in their tuxedo suits! They should really turn to Bollywood for some fashion inspiration. We may be outrageous but at least, we never run out of entertainment, which the Oscars did!
Anyway, there ends my rant. Till the film awards next year, here's Ipshita signing off!
