TOP 10 HINDI FILM MAKERS OF THE DECADE

Happy New Year, Hindi Cinema buffs!

As cyberspace gets piled up with "Best 10, 20, 75 or 100 Bollywood films of the decade" lists, the Hindi Cinema Blog has opted for a more personal approach by establishing our list of the TOP 10 FILM MAKERS of Hindi cinema in the last decade. From 2000 to 2010 some of the highest achieving film makers indeed delighted us and we wish to remember them as a new decade opens, hoping that they will continue to make us laugh, cry, jump in our seats and nurture our Hindi film addiction.

Vishal Bhardwaj

Even if this list has been established in no particular order of achievement, Vishal Bhardwaj is still featured at the top for making audiences meet a different type of Indian cinema through his involvement in internationally acclaimed films such as 'Omkara' and 'Ishqiya' (producer) or a widely applauded film by Indian audiences: 'Kaminey'. Vishal also has high reaching musical talent and is known to be an appreciated actor. He seems like an art and cinema powerhouse and we therefore thought he deserved first mention. 

Rajkumar Hirani

The man behind the deep and cheerfully humourous 'Munna Bhai MBBS' and 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' seemingly has a permanent genial muse following him around wherever he goes - some even wonder if Raj Kapoor has not been whispering him film secrets in the ear! He struck gold with a memorable '3 Idiots' in 2009 and audiences are keen to know what values will be skillfully and lightly put across in his next Munna bhai adventure. 

Aamir Khan

The Hindi film industry has never been the same since this ace started challenging it continuously. After acting in several stupendous films in previous decades ('Qayamat se Qayamant tak', 'Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin', 'Sarfarosh', 'JJWS'...), Aamir Khan wooed Indian audiences towards what they were never supposed to have liked in the first place: by producing 'Lagaan', aka a film about Indian villagers playing cricket or directing 'Taare Zameen Par', a film about childhood education with no romance or item numbers! Having won this bet hands down, he proceeded to bring back Mansoor Khan (hurrah!) in order to help cook up the fresh and sweet 'Jaane Tu ya Jaane Na' and then turned into a masala hero with a Tamil style 'Ghajini'. The man who navigates the Hindi film world's pulse with bravado has continued venturing into surprising projects such as producing 'Peepli Live' and 'Dhobi Ghat'.

Yash Chopra

Though sections of the audience have started feeling a bit blasé about certain Yash Raj banner films, we believe the sole 'Veer-Zaara' tale is capable of zooming them up to this top ten list. After having seen filmgoers in various countries watch 'Veer-Zaara' and come out of the cinema with tears in their eyes, exclaiming "what a film!", we believe this film is one of the surest ways to convert an indie or world movie lover to the vast world of classic Hindi cinema. Huge thumbs up!

Anurag Kashyap

Another film maker who keeps pushing the envelope both in the way he directs and in relation to the subjects or narrative style he chooses is Anurag Kashyap. He stirred audiences with 'Dev D' and 'That Girl in Yellow Boots' and wrote the story behind acclaimed 2010 film 'Udaan'. Kashyap sometimes seems like the "enfant terrible" of the Hindi film industry for "showing it as it is" through his storytelling style. International audiences have come to acknowledge his attempts at incorporating groundbreaking realism to Indian cinema.  

Karan Johar

Starry eyed Karan Johar and his company, Dharma Productions, were behind some of the decade's greatest hits or most entertaining film proposals. From the Shah Rukh Khan classic, 'Kal Ho Naa Ho', penned by him and directed by Nikhil Advani, to a most recent 'Wake Up Sid' and 'Kurbaan', Karan Johar has a Midas touch for emotionally grand stories. Though we were in a bit of two minds about 'My Name is Khan' and 'We are Family' we are expecting that Johar will be serving more efficient heart tugging stories soon.  

Sanjay Leela Bhansali

  

One either loves or hates his style. Nevertheless, he is undisputably one of India's most iconic film makers. The man pulls off films that carry rich imagery and  enchanting decors in any type of story. Harshly criticized by several of his peers, Bhansali is still the man who wowed Cannes audiences with Madhuri's and Aishwarya's beauty in 'Devdas', thereby introducing many foreign audiences to Indian cinema.

His latest 'Guzaarish' is also to be watched as much for an interesting plot than for admiring Goa's colonial architecture. Is it a Bhansali film? Sit down, relax and enjoy the visual ride.

Ronnie Screwvala

Even though he may not be considered a film maker per se, the main man of  UTV productions handles a company whose instinct has been changing the panorama of Hindi cinema consistently during the last decade by serving audiences several valuable off-the-beaten-path or niche films: 'Aamir', 'A Wednesday', 'Peepli Live', 'Road, Movie', 'Life in a Metro' or the more popular 'Rang de Basanti'... speaking of which...

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra 

Mehra is in our personal top ten list mainly for 'Rang de Basanti' and for the animated fresco he offered audiences with 'Delhi 6' which, even if it did not garner box office success, is still a film with an interesting statement and beautiful visuals worth viewing if you want to see Delhi through a gifted man's eyes. Mehra is involved in environmental movements and yours truly would love a film on that subject by him if one could throw wishes to the air and watch them come true.

:-) 

Rakesh Roshan

Roshan has enchanted audiences during this past decade, including anyone from children to seniors, with the 'Koi Mil Gaya' and 'Krrish' saga. The magic of  this fantasy tale suited to young and old provided a rollicking good time and is nestled in the hearts of many.

Runners up to this list were Farhan Akhtar for a very fresh 'Dil Chahta Hai' and his stylish remake of  'Don', as well as Ram Gopal Varma for his dark 'Sarkar'. And last but not least, a personal favorite, Kamal Hassan, should be mentioned for contributing a very valuable story to the Hindi film landscape by impressively filming, scripting and acting in 'Hey Ram'.

Do not hesitate to agree or disagree with this list and to give us your very own list of top 10 film makers of the decade in our comments section below.

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IIFA AWARD NOMINATIONS 2010

Taking Bollywood to exotic or faraway lands, this year it is Sri Lanka's turn to host the 11th IIFA awards ceremony during the month of June and the nominations are out for the best films, actors and directors of 2009.

And... the nominees for the main categories are:

Best film category
3 Idiots
Dev D
Kaminey
Paa
Wanted

Best lead actress
Deepika Padukone - Love Aaj Kal
Kareena Kapoor - 3 idiots
Mahie Gill - Dev D
Priyanka Chopra - Kaminey
Vidya Balan - Paa

Best lead actor
Aamir Khan - 3 idiots
Amitabh Bachchan - Paa
Ranbir Kapoor - Wake up Sid!
Saif Ali Khan - Love Aaj Kal
Salman Khan - Wanted
Shahid Kapoor - Kaminey

Best film director
Anurag Kashyap per Dev D
Ayan Mukerji per Wake up Sid!
Imtiaz Ali per Love Aaj Kal
R. Balki per Paa
Rajkumar Hirani - 3 idiots
Vishal Bhardwaj per Kaminey

Best Actor - Comedy
Ajay Devgan - All The Best
Govinda - Life Partner
Johny Lever - De Dana Dan
Omi Vaidya - 3 Idiots
Sanjay Dutt - All The Best

Best Music Composer
Amit Trivedi - Dev D
A.R.Rehman - Delhi 6
Pritam - Love Aaj Kal
Shantanu Moitra - 3 Idiots
Vishal Bharadwaj - Kaminey

Best Lyricist
Amitabh Bhattacharya - Dev D
Gulzar - Kaminey
Irshad Kamil - Love Aaj Kal
Prasoon Joshi - Delhi 6
Swanand Kirkire - 3 Idiots

Discuss your favourites here in the comments section and also vote for them directly at the IIFA official website.

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An International Take on 3 IDIOTS

3 Idiots is Rajkumar Hirani’s newest directorial venture and has become the biggest grosser in the history of Indian cinema in a matter of days after its release. The 3 members of our international film review team at the Hindi Cinema blog have watched the film in each of their respective locations around the world and are eager to give their take on it to you, our readers. Given that they are known to interrupt each other constantly, they have roped in journalist Woogie McFinklestein, correspondent for “Idiots Weekly Magazine”, to try and collect their opinions in the form of a civilized interview. Let us see if he succeeds.

 Warning: This interview contains spoilers.

What was your reaction upon seeing “3 idiots” for the first time?

Joanna: I had the biggest goofy grin on my face!

Aline: You look like that all the time, Joanna.

Joanna: Well, bigger and goofier! I wanted to immediately walk back up to the box office and buy tickets for the next show.

Pushker: I thought: “Brilliant! Enchanting! Lively! Got to go back again!"

Aline: I wanted to shout "I am an Idiot!" and then tell bystanders: "aal izz well, aal izz well" and take pictures of them all with their astonished faces, advising them to chase excellence and make viruses happy.

Did any part of the story make you cry?

Pushker: I don’t cry! What kind of question is this?

Aline: Pushker, weren’t you crying a minute ago screaming “I don’t want to give an interview!”? We had to pull you through that door…

Pushker: That was not me. That must have been Joanna who has a bad hair day.

Joanna: My hair is fine thank you and says hi!

Pushker: Well, to tell you the truth, my heart skipped a few beats and I got a lump in my throat when Raju's mother visits the hospital in her new sari.

Joanna: Honestly, I didn’t cry the first time I saw the film. However, upon second viewing I also cried during the sari scene and when Virus gifts Rancho his pen (gets weepy). See? I am getting emotional all over again, let me find my handkerchief.

Aline: I cried during several scenes and got goosebumps on Joy’s final scene but was mainly moved by the baby delivery one and entirely wept my way through it...

Joanna: Aline, seriously? You didn’t think it was a bit…filmy?

Aline: To me, if the whole film had not worked for me but there was still this one great scene, I would recommend watching the whole film just for that.

Joanna: (Blows her nose) If Rancho was coming at me with that home-made vacuum contraption, I wouldn’t just cry…I’d scream in horror! (Pushker leaves the room).

What made you laugh?

Aline: So many parts of the film were a riot! Rancho’s first appearance, the exam paper mixup and…

Joanna: I loved the scene where Pia (Kareena) compared the names of Gujarati foods to missiles. "Bush just dropped two Dhoklas on Iraq....." That was a great piece of writing and she delivered it well.

Aline: …the machine definition scene and the urn scene will become classics. So many to choose from! It is an extremely well written script. I was also itching to dance to Zoobi Doobi. Such a fun and sweet depiction!

Joanna: I keep getting interrupted, I wasn’t done with my list of fun scenes.

Aline: You interrupted me first.

Pushker: (back in the room, hands a hairbrush to Joanna) Here Joanna. Better hair means better mood.

Now, do you think Aamir Khan was really able to convince the audience to forget his true age?

Pushker: Age? What age? My wife and both my daughters wouldn’t mind going out on a date with him!

Joanna: They aren't the only ones. (Everyone looks at her.) I mean my friend...you don't know her. She lives in Utah.

Aline: Sure, Joanna. We believe you (winks at Pushker.) It was quite something to see Aamir with such an innocent look on his face. Even his voice sounded younger, to such a point that I forgot it was actually him.

Is there one particular scene that…

Joanna: Hey wait, I haven’t answered the question yet!

Well yes, but…

Joanna: Aamir Khan was brilliant. I think a lot of it comes from who he really is at his core. I’m so happy that he still seems to have a deep connection to his inner child.

Fine. So… is there one particular scene that defines the film?

Aline: Apart from all the moments in which Rancho thinks out of the box, which I think was the whole point of the film, I would say the birth scene.

Joanna: Not again! (Leans back against the chair and rolls her eyes.)

Aline: It has all of the power of Rancho's "aal izz well" in it and then... I always marvel at watching a birth, even fictional.

Pushker: That is too sentimental, Aline! I personally feel the scene that made it for me was the “Balatkar” speech. I was falling off my seat with laughter, like the rest of the audience.

Joanna: Silencer! (Laughs)

But guys, for me, it was more of a sequence than a single scene, beginning with the main suicide attempt and ending with a forgiving father. These were to me the crux of the statement that the director was trying to make. It was the lowest of lows, and the highest of highs. What do you think?

Aline: Did he just answer the question for us?

Pushker: It is the “Balatkar” speech yaar, what are you talking about!

Joanna: (upset) Hey Mr. McFinklestein, no offense, but you are here to interview us and now I have no answer because you just took the words right out of my mouth!

Sorry.

Joanna: What sort of an interview is this? I refuse to be a part of it. (storms out of the room.)

(Aline and Pushker shrug)

What other character apart from Rancho stands out in the film?

Pushker and Aline: Chathur!

Aline: And Virus. He was a wonderful creation and it had outstanding work by Boman Irani.

Joanna: (screams from the neighboring room): Rajuuuuu!

Describe the message you took home from "3 Idiots."

Pushker: Much more than a comedy, “3 Idiots” asks questions and gives insight to the basic need of self realization, opening up the human mind and reaching out to the natural instinct of growth.

Aline: How am I ever going to give a better definition than that? This is unfair! (leaves the room, crossing Joanna at the doorway, who was on her way back).

Can you get her (Aline) back here?

Joanna: No. I can’t stand her today.

Pushker: Let her be.

You people keep leaving the room! I am determined to win my challenge of keeping you all together throughout the interview. Go get her! (bangs his fist on the table) Now!

(Pushker leaves his chair and heads to the neighboring room. He reappears grudgingly pulling Aline behind him. Aline is leafing a book).

Aline: I have a quote to summarize the film message! “Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day”!*

Joanna: So which one are you, Aline, stupid or idiot?

Aline: The film also says that we need to fool our hearts to think positive when dealing with difficult situations and people (gives Joanna a dark stare).

Do you want to add anything?

Aline: We all would like to say that Rancho made us think of a grown up Ishaan**… Right guys? And that I found even the background music really good.

Joanna: The film is also very well cast. Everyone including the secondary roles did an excellent job.

Just one last question, how would you rate the film?

Joanna: Ok guys, ready? 1… 2… 3!

All: AAL IZZ WELL!

It seems as if Woogie McFinklestein has succeeded in making these 3 international idiots remain friends during an entire interview (phew!). Check out the video in which they pay homage to the way 3 Idiots was promoted before its release, featuring an incognito Aamir Khan (Rancho) travelling throughout India. Did these three reviewers and budding investigators manage to find him before the film's premiere? Find out here! 

* Original phrase by Samuel Goldwyn.

** The name "Ishaan" makes reference to Ishaan Awasthi, the main character of Aamir Khan's acclaimed film ‘Taare Zameen Par’.

 
Film: 3 Idiots
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor
Producer: Vidu Vinod Chopra
Duration: 2 hours 50 minutes

Rating: 5*

Official Website

Buy Music Album from Itunes store
3 Idiots lyrics translations by Ashu

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SWANAND KIRKIRE SAYS ‘AAL IZZ WELL’!!

A man of many arts, Swanand Kirkire is lyricist, writer, singer and actor. He is behind the freshly delightful song lyrics of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's upcoming release, 3 IDIOTS, starring Aamir Khan, Madhavan and Sharman Joshi. He graciously agreed to tell us more about the songs that are currently winning hearts among film and music buffs across India.

AC: Random question, so what is playing in your Ipod right now?

SK: I am not listening to the 3 Idiots soundtrack obviously because when I was listening to it nobody else was listening to it (laughs). Now the world is listening to it and I am listening to something else like lots of Indian classical music… I am also learning to listen to a lot of Western classical music. Apart from that, my all time favorites are R.D. Burman, Gulzar sahab songs, and that kind of music is well, like… my food!

AC: You have repeatedly worked with Shantanu Moitra and Rajkumar Hirani. Please tell us a bit about what makes you feel comfortable working with them and how you came to be a team.

SK: The association with Shantanu and Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) is old now, with Vinu Vinod Chopra too, for that matter. We really go a long way. I've done four films with them. This is my second film with Raju and my fourth with Vinod Chopra. If you see our filmography, it is me and Shantanu. Lage Raho Munna Bhai we did it with Raju.

We are mostly friends, we're likeminded, we like each other's space… and unlike all the Bollywood "whatever happens" (philosophy) we were involved in this film right from the script level. When (Raju) was writing the script, we were making songs, we were trying to find the sound of the film. So that is how 'Give Me Some Sunshine' came much before he started writing the script. Raju wanted something exclusively for that film and if you listen, all the songs are very musically and lyrically simple. We did not try to make them complicated at all, we wanted to keep them very college like, easy for any college student, just as they play guitar at college and come up with some tunes.

AC: What would you say each of the singers apart from yourself have brought to the 3 Idiots soundtrack?

SK: All are wonderful singers! They brought a lot of things to the soundtrack. See the song 'Jaane Nahin Denge', no one else but Sonu can sing it, no one else. It is a very high and low song, the amount of passion reaches that high and then comes really down also at the same time. Shreya is also an awesome and fantastic singer. Shaan… well I mean their contribution is amazing and takes everything beyond. For a lyricist like me, the biggest moment is to hear (them sing), because we write a song on pen and paper, the music composer sings it with you and a guitar, then it goes to a recording… but the final moment when the singer is singing… that's a magic moment because the singer is transforming (the song) into something else, into a piece of art that becomes complete at that point of time. Sonu and all, they really made me cry.

AC: How would you say the experience of making this soundtrack is fundamentally different from your past soundtracks?

SK: It is very different. If you listen to 'Parineeta' the words are a little more lyrical and Lage Raho Munna Bhai was more Bombay tapori. In 'Khoya Khoya Chand' I was doing much more Urdu poetry because (the movie) was about the 50s or 60s Hindi film industry. That is something that I am trying to achieve in my life: you should change your clothes according to the film or the script. '3 Idiots' songs are very casual and are straight from the heart. There is no ornamentation or poetic smartness. In them if you have to say something you say it, it does not matter if you say it in English, Marathi or whatever. The songs get the point straight with as minimum possible and there is no concern about the language. There is not much decorative poetry but there are philosophy lines in it. 'Aal izz well' is a philosophy.

AC: How did you come up with the 'Aal Izz Well' theme for the title song? Was its fun spelling already a part of the script?

SK: 'Aal izz well' was in the script. It is a big idea of the film itself. Aamir (Khan) says it to everybody, whenever you are going through a bad time… Basically, Raju as a child used to live in a smaller town and there used to be this colonial watchman who used to say 'Aaaaal izzzz well!' in the night. So what used to happen is kids would think 'if all is well, let's go to sleep', and everything was well, you know (laughs). So that is the theory of the film. Whenever you are in a bad time, just tell your heart that 'aal izz well'. It is written as the colloquial pronunciation (proceeds to tutor the foreign interviewer into how to pronounce it properly). Aal izz well!

AC: We know Sharman Joshi's voice is used in 'Give me some Sunshine'. Did the director, producer and/or actors contribute to the soundtrack? How?

SK: The best part about working with Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and everybody is that it is a team effort. We decide on the songs and lyrics. There were contributions from here and there all the time. In 'Give me some sunshine', Shantanu almost wrote all the English part.

AC: Tell us a bit about Sonu's interpretation of your lyrics in "Jaane Nahin Denge".

SK: He is really amazing and he did a great a job. He understood the particular situation in the film and he heard it once and said 'I need some time to prepare'. He took his own time, about half an hour or 45 minutes, locked himself in a dark studio room and asked all of us to go out and then he came in and he sang. Sonu is always like that, he is technically the best singer we've ever had.

AC: Was there any personal experience that inspired you to write 'Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh'?

SK: It came very naturally when they told me the situation (in the film). There are people in your life who live life really beautifully and happily. They do not compromise at any level and just do whatever their heart says is right. They don't follow stupid norms. So I had some people like those in my mind and actually it came very easily to me because I was comparing myself with them. Because of them I became another idiot (laughs).

AC: Are there any new soundtracks in the pipeline?

SK: The 'Paa' soundtrack has released. That was another kind of experience, different songs completely. It is on the market and on the Internet and the film is releasing on the 3^rd of December. There are also two or three other films but it is early to talk about them now.

Interview by Aline Cinehindi in collaboration with JoannaCh

3 IDIOTS releases on 25 December 2009

For more lyrics by Swanand Kirkire, check out the following soundtracks:

Paa

Laaga Chunari Mein Daag

Eklavya: The Royal Guard

Khoya Khoya Chand

Lage Raho Munna Bhai

Jai Santoshi Maa

Sehar

Kal- Yesterday & Tomorrow

Parineeta

Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi

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3 IDIOTS SOUNDTRACK REVIEW

Composer Shantanu Moitra and lyricist Swanand Kirkire (of 'Parineeta' and 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai' fame) are making a comeback with a jovial bang!

Unconventionally entertaining. Authentic. Endearing.

These are expressions that one associates with Rajkumar Hirani's films and currently extend to the 3 Idiots soundtrack. The carefree and down to earth album takes listeners on a journey to merry college days and the memory of friends that matter.

A sunny day kicks off with an early rising rooster and a waking melody in which students express their wonderful philosophy statement: Yes indeed bhaiyya, 'Aal Izz Well'! Guitars and a myriad of percussions join cheerful campus voices repeating a catchy "doom kechiketa yeah" or similar youthfully rhythmic jabber, whistling all your worries away in 4 and a half minutes flat!

(Videos posted here are available in higher quality in Aamir Khan's official Facebook fan page.)

Next comes one of the soundtrack's moments of genius with a sparkling 'Zoobi Doobi', a gypsy-jazz style swing. Sonu's dash accompanies Shreya's pizzazz along with a brass section, strings and accordion. The picturization of this promo song is doing the rounds on the Internet, featuring everyone's dream girl and boy, Kareena Kapoor and Aamir Khan. The tune is likely to stick with you once you happily lap up its upbeat spiral of sweet lyrics and easygoing rhythm.

'Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh' is a soft melody with a slight mantra-like feel that allows its nostalgic lyrics to seep in. Shaan's stirring vocals shine fully in this ode to life-changing friendships that are long gone, making this one of his best tracks up to date.

The remaining two songs may initially surprise a trained listener and non Hindi speakers may want to enjoy them to the fullest by reading the lyrics translations*. The fact is that Hindi film soundtracks tend to often put aside the situational power of their songs, given that the commercial value of the music must guarantee box office success. 3 Idiots is an album with a difference that chooses to place an unconventional bet ("no risk… no brain"!): its tunes sound catchy or moving but remain authentic enough to seamlessly fulfill their cinematic purpose.

A good example of this choice is 'Give Me Some Sunshine'. Soft piano droplets give way to a peppy college anthem that could be sung by any generation of graduates. Unsophisticated vocals, clapping and harmonica notes spruce up the simple chords, making this a perfect song for student parties and sleepless dorm nights with your best friends. Incidental film monologues delivered by Sharman Joshi give the tune its extra feel good quotient.

An almost unrecognizable Sonu Nigam finalizes the album with 'Jaane Nahin Denge', boasting a high command of emotional variations. The instrumentals and his voice echo soft ripples of resolve that intermittently fluctuate into waves of life-infusing arguments. The song's last note leaves the listener in a quiet and sustained bedazzlement.

It then dawns on us that naughty or nice, Christmas will deliver us a soulful and thought provoking film, brilliantly presented in a light and entertaining envelope. Not surprising coming from director Rajkumar Hirani, who has the art and science of blending these elements to create bewitching magical potions.

Get ready to greet Santa Claus saying "Sab thik thak... Aal izz well, chachu!"

Outside links

* Bollywood Hungama video interview with Shantanu Moitra, Swanand Kirkire and Rajkumar Hirani Part 1 and Part 2

* Buzz18's footage of the online 3 Idiots music release

* 3 Idiots official website (music samples in the canteen)

* Pre-release lyrics translations by Ashu and more lyrics translations by TheBollywoodFan.



Album information
Music: Shantanu Moitra
Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire
Singers: Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, Shaan, Swanand Kirkire, Shantanu Moitra, Suraj Jaggan, Sharman Joshi
Label: T-series
Tracks: 7 (5 originals + 2 remixes)
Album release: 09 Nov 2009
Available on Itunes

Film information
Producer: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Starring: Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani, Mona Singh, Parikshit Sahani, Javed Jaffrey

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