Nutan mania
I've decided to become a full-fledged promoter of Nutan! Below you'll find pictures of her I've collected since I've started watching films with her. For those who are fed up with her, you can go here (for example!)
Practical Info
About me
I'm a French lover of Indian cinema, but I'm also interested in literature, science, art, and reflection in general. This blog will reflect these tastes more or less!
Categories
- letstalkaboutbollywood (47)
- film reviews (93)
- practical info (1)
- Book reviews (18)
- miscellaneous (3)
- Trip to India (8)
Nutan photos
Bolly blogs I visit
- Greta's Memsaabstory
- Madhulika's Dustedoff
- Bollyviewer's Old is gold
- Sharmi's old films and me
- Bollywooddeewana
- Carla's blog Filmigeek
- Beth loves Bollywood
- A2line's Bollyblog
- Amodini's movie reviews
- Anu's conversations over chai
- Daddy's girl's Dharmendra praise blog
- The fabulous Pitu
- Harvey's blog
- Satyam's blog
- Shweta's Apni EA Company
- Julie and Jenny's Diablog
- Post-punk CC
- Nida's Bitten by Bollywood
- Sanni's So they dance
- Stephen 's Bollywood banter
- Blissful Nirvana
- Maria's Filmiholic
- Philip Lutgendorf 's fil-ums
- Darshit's dunkdaft
- Ajnabi's Paisa Vasool - or not
- Shell's Bollyworld
- The BollywoodFan
- Alan's Bellevue to Bollywood
- Pessimisissimo's Exotic entertainment
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Latest posts
- Their hands can see: Sparsh
- Peepli live: long live the media!
- Subarnarekha, Ritwick Ghatak's ode to Life
- Chhalia, Nutan's contribution to the Indo-pakistani peace process
- Mera Naam Joker: too big? Too much?
- Kanchanjungha, the moment of revelation
- Dhobi ghat, looking for a new centre
- Yeh raate, yeh mausam
- Ram teri Ganga maili, RK's last opus
- Abhijan, a remarkable moral fable
Archives
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- janvier 2007 (5)
Mercredi 30 janvier 2008
3
30
/01
/Jan
/2008
00:28
Mulk Raj Anand’s small fiction volume « Untouchable », which dates back to 1935, evokes the life of a young sweeper called Bakha, through the description of a day’s happenings, from the morning when, only half awake, and after a cold night (due to his love of British clothes, he despises ordinary sleeping rags), he has to rush to clean the latrines before anybody can use them, down to the evening throng that he joins in the nearby city, where a rally in support of Gandhi has been organised. In between, we follow him and his thoughts, and we are made to understand the joys and frustrations of his dalit condition. Joys, because he is a young and strong lad, whose lively and gentle nature […]
Jeudi 17 janvier 2008
4
17
/01
/Jan
/2008
15:41
Of Arundhati Roy’s very personal novel, no doubt much has been said. In the edition that I have, reviews have been put on the first pages, celebrating its magic, its mystery, its powerful rhythm, its innovative structure. Well, I must say I was slow at accepting all this as true [1]. But I couldn’t escape the vivid lavish texture. Story? I asked. But style, Sure. While I was reading the novel, I kept marvelling at some of the “tour de force” crafted by the young authoress (when I say young, it’s because the novel is her first, and so far only one). I relished in her language, an amazingly versatile tool under her pen, that is almost like a living organism, a glowing dough that she can […]
Lundi 7 janvier 2008
1
07
/01
/Jan
/2008
10:52
Those who have read this blog for some time know that I had loved Monsoon wedding, that little gem of a film, and well, I’ve recently watched Salaam Bombay and The Namesake, along with Mira Nair’s 1985 documentary on women strippers, Indian Cabaret: all this made me wonder: what sort of woman is Mira Nair? Looking though websites about her, one is rapidly confronted with a few that show her very much at ease in public, expressing herself with an intelligence and a strength that are a real treat. “So that’s where it all comes from”, I thought. “It” for me meant a combination of qualities rarely seen in Indian cinema (and rewarded by many international awards). First of course, an […]
Mercredi 19 décembre 2007
3
19
/12
/Déc
/2007
20:40
Another classic ! Raj Kapoor (actor and director) and Nargis are once again at the top of their art, and create a masterful, a superb story of love and temptation, of self-deception and redemption. Not only is the story a moving and profound parable on ambition and success, but the way the film is done is inventive, touching, funny, symbolical… It has everything. These black and white movies had the cardinal virtue of presenting moral issues in a contrast that our modern pictures cannot rival. Were B & W directors conscious that they had one foot further in Art? And wouldn’t you say the realism of colours and digital rendition tends to blur the ethical questions? I particularly […]
Mardi 11 décembre 2007
2
11
/12
/Déc
/2007
22:31
Rakesh Mehra’s cult movie left me in two minds. I certainly appreciated the fact that for Indians in today’s society, something urgent and drastic has to be done if the democracy must move away from the scourge of corruption and nepotism. We’ll come back to that. But somehow I was a little annoyed by the systematic parallel made between the young Delhi students and the XXth century Freedom fighters. I don’t criticise it in principle, but I thought that the nail was hammered down too far. To the point that the modern corruption fighters were deprived of some of their freedom, perhaps, and the film became somewhat a demonstration. Anyway, I liked the film’s pretext, the arrival of […]
Jeudi 6 décembre 2007
4
06
/12
/Déc
/2007
22:50
Let's start by saying I don’t like Aamir Khan. I don’t like him because he’s bossy, because he’s arrogant, because he’s superior. Somehow I never feel at ease with him. He makes me tense; he obliges me to rise to his level, whereas I prefer actors who descend to my level. I have the feeling that I’m always asked to notice how good he is. Perhaps this is due to his reputation: he’s famous for concentrating on one film at a time, refusing scenarios that don’t have any content, involving himself in his roles totally, and even if this attitude should normally speak in his favour, it still doesn’t work. He’s too elitist, probably, too proud. And the fact that this superiority goes along with […]
Lundi 26 novembre 2007
1
26
/11
/Nov
/2007
11:28
At the bottom of page 511 [1] of Rohinton Mistry’s novel “A Fine Balance”, one can read the sentence: “the lives of the poor are rich with symbols”. One might just as well say: the book of the poor, not forgetting the fact that the book is indeed about the poor, who remain poor throughout, even if their lives is made richer by symbols. But this 600 page volume enriches us with more than symbols; this is what I would like to speak about. The story would be very long to tell in detail, but here it is in the broad outlines: 4 people from varying origins converge in a Mumbai flat in the mid-70s, and learn to live together and appreciate one another: Dina Dalal, a head-strong, middle-class […]
Vendredi 16 novembre 2007
5
16
/11
/Nov
/2007
00:03
Here’s an unassumingly important little film. Shonali Bose's Amu is a kind of a detective-story, with young Indian expat Kajju coming back to the country she’d left when she was 3, and discovering about her past. We follow her as she little by little unearth facts about herself and about her foster family, along with a history lesson, situated around the time of the 1984 Indira Gandhi assassination riots (See what the author says about them here: www.wsws.org/articles/2005/oct2005/bose-o06.shtml). What’s artistically very pleasant about Amu is the film’s realism - New Delhi, its crowds, its noisy streets, its colourful atmosphere (somehow I come out of the film bathed in that soft […]
Mardi 13 novembre 2007
2
13
/11
/Nov
/2007
23:54
I would like to start this review by quoting what IMdB user nmainkar has said here. It’s so well said that I can’t parallel it: Deewaar is, in one word, taut. From start to end, the movie is unrelentingly tense, tight, somber and serious but the seriousness of the film works for two vital reasons: the absolutely amazing, scorching and explosive under-acting by Amitabh Bachchan; and the screenplay and dialogs by Salim-Javed. To say that Amitabh has acted really well in Deewaar is like saying Niagara Falls is a really big waterfall: it misses the enormity of the fact by several million gallons. To lovers of true cinematic acting (and yes, there are some such fans even in Bollywood), […]
Mercredi 7 novembre 2007
3
07
/11
/Nov
/2007
22:52
Suniel Shetty will remain for me the rescuer of certain boring films such as Umrao Jaan and Main hoon na. Thanks to him, I have found an interest in those poor productions. Watching him cast his back eye and his disdainful sneer has more than often thrilled me, and I want to seize the opportunity to thank him for that. You probably know that his career has not been one of many successes; critics mention that something like 21 out of the 28 or so films in which he’s played a central part have been flops. I daresay it can’t always have been his fault! For here’s my impression about Sunil: he’s certainly capitalised too much on his burly looks, his piercing flashy eyes, his threatening […]
Jeudi 1 novembre 2007
4
01
/11
/Nov
/2007
18:19
I was wondering whether I should « do » something for Ash’s birthday… Well, as you can see, I am, in spite of misgivings coming from … various parts. Looking for something to say, I have watched some videos again, and… there! I thought that if you didn’t know it, you would be pleased to watch her interview with Simi Garewal. It’s not very recent, but it’s very good. Okay, my main misgiving came from the fear that I would appear too partial, too silly in my interest for Aishwarya Rai. Well look, watching this interview again more than half reconciled me with myself. Even though she’s self-conscious in front of Simi, even though the interviews are probably very prepared, even though she’s […]
Samedi 27 octobre 2007
6
27
/10
/Oct
/2007
12:20
I am thrilled to say a few words about Madhuri Dixit. And not only because we are in an expectant Madhuri-comes-back period, with Aaja Nachle in the wings. Ever since I saw her in Devdas, where she outshines Ash Rai (well, a few more words on this later), I never think about her without that special feeling: what a woman, what charm, what femininity. She has something of Meryl Streep, a tinge of Monica Bellucci, even of Sophia Loren! (below, with the hat, wouldn't you say?) Or perhaps it’s the other way round: these immortal beautiful faces remind us of Madhuri?! Do you remember Sudhir Mishra’s Dharavi? She is the “Dreamgirl” in that film: well that’s it, part of her is in that realm, […]
Mercredi 17 octobre 2007
3
17
/10
/Oct
/2007
23:44
Film after film, I have learnt to rejoice when they feature this delightful comedian, Anupam Kher. He went at first unnoticed, in the shadows, at the back. He was part of the sets. Then role after role, I remember I started smiling to myself: hey, it’s that same funny guy once again! His name was easy to memorize, his face even more. Of course, he’s a very prolific actor (he’s also been a director, once, and a producer) who has, to date, played in 269 films (here's the Imbd list) (1), even though he’s only 52 (what energy!) I’ve seen that in 1992, he appeared in no less than 22 movies! And I have seen him in only 14! But I think he’s more than a numerical phenomenon. Here’s why. Anupam […]
Mardi 9 octobre 2007
2
09
/10
/Oct
/2007
00:52
Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa (thirsty) is so consistently lauded that it’s rather daunting to start talking about it. All the reviews I’ve read about it were superlative. Everybody says what a landmark it has been, what wonderful music it displays, what poetry it exudes… One person (Vishakh) does mention nevertheless that the film « does show its age »: and I would say, indeed it does (1) I don’t intend to debunk the opus, but for me it wasn’t a marvel from beginning to end. Certain passages were too conspicuous, too obviously effect-searching, and the mood was too often the same, apart from the comic-relief scenes with Jhony Walkar which are nicely done. I also have to underline the poor quality […]
Jeudi 27 septembre 2007
4
27
/09
/Sep
/2007
23:59
Hi everybody, I'm interrupting my comments of personal stuff to let you know of A2line's initiative, a very nice selection of songs from various authors, her favourite pieces, all directly available a click away. If I were you, I'd go and have a look! (her website is in French, but come on, English is not the ONLY medium...) http://bollyblog-films.blogspot.com/ cheers to all, yves