Kayva's Diary(2009)

No, I haven't seen this, but my hopes of patiently waiting for the DVD to get marked down to $4.99 have been dashed. When I read this review I thought, "OMG! So-bad-it's-good territory!" Any review that suggests I might need "intensive therapy" for being interested in "screechy women, catfights, [and] painfully happy families" makes me wanna rush out and watch the movie, just to see how awful it really is. But then I read this review and I was like, "Oh, it's a remake of The Hand That Rocks The Cradle." I thought that film sucked, mainly because of my irrational dislike for Rebecca DeMornay. I'm in no hurry to watch the Tollywood version, even if it does star Charmi.

Then again, it does star Charmi, and the last movie of hers I saw was Nee Thodu Kavali, and that was a few months ago. (I might have to watch it again, just to refresh my memory.) Even if her acting isn't up to par, she's still an improvement over whatsherface. Maybe there's hope after all, especially if I can find it online first; that way, I'll know for certain whether or not I want to spend even $4.99 on it.

Prema Katha(1999)

Or, "The Things You Discover When You're Looking For Something Totally Different".

I was trying to find songs and/or scenes from Miss Julie Prema Katha, the Telugu remake of the Malayalam film Chattakari(see previous post) and stumbled across songs from this movie. As soon as I saw the words "Antara Mali", I figured this must be the Telugu flick that was mentioned in an old online article about her. What's more, right at the 1:17 mark of "Nee Kosam Nireekshana" I thought, "Hey, I've seen that expression before!" It turns out that shot was used for the cover of the DVD, which is currently in stock. I may order it since it's only $4.99.

Another song: "Devudu Karunisthadani". She appears heavier compared to the lean, toned physique she had in Road and Naach. And the thick makeup and colored lenses don't really suit her.

A mostly instrumental tune until 2:50. Antara's dubbing artist sounds familiar. I think she's dubbed for Jyothika and maybe Ileana, and quite possibly for Trisha and/or Asin.

Chattakkari(1974)

Seeing yesteryear actress Lakshmi in Chintakayala Ravi reminded me of this film. I wish I had been able to watch it when it was available online. I became interested in it after learning that the 2006 Kannada movie Julie was one of the three remakes of this. (The Hindi Julie and the Telugu Miss Julie Prema Katha were the other two, with Lakshmi reprising her role in both.) Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be commercially available on even VCD :(

The "Julie, I Love You" song from this movie used to be on YouTube, but has since been removed. I managed to find these songs, however: "Mantha Sameeranil Ozhuki", "Narayanaya Nama", "Yuvakkale Yuvathikale".

I know that Sridevi plays Lakshmi's kid sister in the Hindi version, and the Lakshmi-Sridevi combo should be enough to convince me to get it, but I'd rather watch the original first. I might break down and buy Julie, though, if I feel like I'll be retirement age before Chattakkari gets released on VCD or DVD.

Kasam Kali Ki(1991)

As soon as I spied Anita Raj on the cover I immediately hopped on Google to find additional information about this film. Unfortunately, I can't find anything. Not a plot summary, not a review, not a YouTube video, nothing. It must've slipped way under the radar when it was released to be such a non-entity on the 'net. I have a feeling this is one of those movies that sat on the shelf for years before it finally--and very briefly--saw the light of day.

I sort of want to order it just for the slapdash cover art and multilingual subtitles, but I'm afraid that I'll wind up disappointed with my purchase :(

I wonder if the song I watched last night is from this film since it features three of the people on the cover(Anita, Raj Babbar, and Shakti Kapoor).

SFR: Parveen Babi

I know I overuse the word "gorgeous", but she was gorgeous. I haven't seen any of her movies--well, I watched bits of Jaani Dost, but only the parts with Sridevi. I wish I knew where to begin. Deewar, perhaps? Or maybe Suhaag, or Razia Sultan?









She and Shashi look like a good onscreen pair

But of course

Anthu Inthu Preethi Banthu(2008)

While I'm on the subject of remakes, I suddenly remembered this Kannada remake of Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule. It's not yet available on DVD, but anytamil has the VCD listed, and since it stars Ramya/Divya, I will have to add it to my "may order at a later date" list.

At the moment, I have nothing else to say about this one. If/when I buy the VCD, I'll edit this post. Until then, here are the songs I found on YouTube: "Minugu Minugu", "Nee Chumu Chumu", "O Baby O Baby", "Modala Sala".

Snehana Preetina(2007)

The VCD has been listed on anytamil for ages, yet whenever I try to add it to my shopping cart I get a "movkan01514vcd could not be added" error message. The link for the DVD works, but I'm afraid that if I order it, it will show up on bhavanidvd a couple of months later. And while it stars the lovely Sindhu Tolani and Lakshmi Rai, the main reason I want it is because of the "Sakku Sakku Saku" song with Jennifer Kotwal. (0:28 - 1:24 is my favorite part. I love the tattered outfit she's wearing.)

I read that this is a remake of Ishq, which I haven't seen. Although I usually like to watch the original version of a remake, just to see how it compares, in this instance, I'll take a pass on the Hindi movie and stick with the Kannada one(if I decide to get it, that is).

Vaseegara(2003)

Try as I might, I just can't get into this movie. Every time I attempt to watch it, I get bored after a few minutes and direct my attention elsewhere. Jumping ahead to the second half doesn't help either. I doubt the fact that it's a remake has anything to do with my disinterest. Maybe some of it has to do with my not liking Vijay and Sneha as a romantic pair. Visually speaking, I don't think they make a good match.

Perhaps this is one of those films where I have to buy and watch the DVD before I begin to appreciate it. **shrug**

On a positive note, I like how the songs are picturised. Too bad I didn't view the movie long enough to get to any of them: "Oru Thadavai Solvaaiya", "Poopola Theepola", "Venaam Venaam", "Nenjam Oru Murai".

Kaun? Kaise?(1983)

I stumbled across this title while trying to figure out which movie this song is from(and if anyone reading this knows, please tell).

I want to see this solely for the awesome picturisations of the "Main Bhi Hoon Yahan", "Kyon Kaise Hua", and "Main Akela Aur Dilber" songs. I read here that it was a flop, but that doesn't deter me. While I'm not a Mithun fan, I figure watching him play a detective trying to solve a murder could be entertaining in a "so-bad-it's-good" kind of way. And Anita Raj looks so gorgeous in the first song that I seriously want to weep. Oh, how I long for the early eighties! Anyway...

The VCD is available from Induna. One day, I might have to actually place an order with them, seeing how they seem to have a decent selection of older Hindi films on VCD.

NFR: Sana Khan(again), Lakshmi Rai, and Vijayalakshmi

I was surfing YouTube and came across these clips from Vijay TV's "Challenge With Simbu" Diwali special last year. Sana's segments in part one are from 3:29 - 5:00 and 6:27 - 8:23.

I think Lakshmi looks gorgeous. I love her eyes, her lips, and her nose. Vijayalakshmi isn't bad, either. I think she kinda resembles Priyamani(link to YouTube interview).



More clips:
Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

NFR: Sana Khan

I was reading an old interview with Sana Khan and it mentioned that she appeared in commercials with Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar, so I did a search on YouTube and here they are:

Fair & Handsome ad with Shah Rukh Khan
She's at 0:06 - 0:07, 0:16 - 0:19, and 0:41 - 0:44



Xbox 360 ad with Akshay Kumar
She's at 0:14 - 0:23 and 0:37 - 0:49



Just for the record, I neither endorse nor support fairness creams. I think they're stupid and a waste of time and money. I posted the video solely because Sana is in it.

Preminchu Priya(1997)

Just as I figured, this is the dubbed Telugu version of Pagaivan. Shortly after I popped it into my DVD player I thought, "This is the best $2.99 I've spent!" Not because the film is a cinematic piece of art but because A) I didn't have to plunk down $20 for a custom VCD of the Tamil original and B) the picture quality is relatively better than what I usually see on these kinds of cheapie DVDs. Also, it's the sort of brain-dead entertainment I usually like. As I get older, I find that movies that don't require me to think, or even pay close attention, are often my best bet. When I was younger and even more irritatingly pretentious, I would've scoffed at something like this. But now, I embrace it and thank god for bhavanidvd's $2.99 section.

I'm convinced I've seen this movie before. Well, not this particular flick, but the "poor-kidnapper-and-rich-kidnappee-fall-in-love" storyline feels awfully familiar. Perhaps I'm thinking of Excess Baggage, but I don't think so.

Anjala Zhaveri does the glam doll thing very well. I still think she looks better with glasses, though. Facially, she reminds of a Hollywood actress and I'm going slightly nutso trying to think of who. And as a non sequitur, let me add that the scene where she receives a blood transfusion reminds me of the one in Dum, where Rakshita donated blood to an injured Simbu.

I find Sathyraj disturbingly appealing. He's not a looker; whenever he appears onscreen I think, "Slack-jawed yokel". But at the same time, I know that he could get it. I'm not gonna lie, or pretend otherwise. He could totally talk me into it. There's just something about him that has a strange hold over me.

Parts of "Ohh My Butterfly Neeyae" and "Raajanae Yuvaraajanae" were obviously "inspired by" Mariah Carey's "Dreamlover" and Miami Sound Machine's "Rhythm's Gonna Get You"(two of my least favorite songs, btw). The saving grace of "Raajanae Yuvaraajanae" is that the picturisation reminds me of Rakshak's "Sundara Sundara", particularly when Anjala is dancing on the rocks.

Unrelated: I wish bhavani had the dubbed Telugu version of Kalloori Vasal(and preferably for only $2.99). The 2-in-1 DVD I recently ordered had another feature instead. **wail** As much as I like Ajith, I cringe at the thought of paying $20 for a custom VCD. I think I'll have to amuse myself by watching the songs on YouTube.

Short takes, pt.11.

AKA "Possible 'oldies but goodies' I stumbled across while browsing Nehaflix".

Hum Bhi Insan Hain(1948) - I feel like I'm missing out by not watching more movies from the 40s and 50s. I must be getting like my dad and longing for "the good ol' days" of black and white films.

Badal(1951) - I thought about ordering this for Madhubala, but then I remembered the other movies I ordered that I haven't yet gotten around to watching. (Howrah Bridge, Mr. & Mrs. 55, and Jaali Note, in case you're wondering.)

Bahar(1951) - For some weird reason I feel like I should watch at least one of Vyjayantimala's movies.

Shama Parwana(1954) - I know nothing about Shammi Kapoor, but I like the shot of Suraiya on the DVD cover.

Railway Platform(1955) - **shrug** The title is almost intriguing enough for me to want to take a look-see.

Paying Guest(1957) - I immediately thought of the just-released Paying Guest(s) with Sayali Bhagat, Riya Sen, Neha Dhupia(?), and some actors I'm too lazy to remember or Google. This version stars Dev Anand and Nutan.

Dulha Dulhan(1964) - Sadhana and Babita were cousins, right? Sadhana was no slouch, but I think Babs was prettier.

Anari(1975) - I'm not a Shashi fan, but I thought he was nice-looking in his youth. Sharmila Tagore was and still is hot, IMO.

Vaanmathi(1996)

I think I liked Vaanmathi(Swathi) better when she was being bitchy and playing pranks on Krishna(Ajith). Even though I'm used to heroines doing an about-face after the hero rescues them from imminent danger(in this instance, getting molested by goons), for reasons unknown, I found Vaanmathi's 180° turn a bit of a let-down. While she did retain some of her feistiness, like here:



And here:




For the most part, she was like this:



Except when dealing with her mother who, of course, was opposed to the union but not suprisingly, also had a change of heart in the end.

Aside from that, I liked the movie. It's the kind of mindless, predictable fare that's usually in constant rotation in my DVD player. And, it has AJITH, who made me squeal in delight when he did this(as well as a few other things, haha):





Even with the standard poofy hair and moustache, I think Ajith SO CHOOTE!




Unrelated: Can I tell you how disappointed I am that Pavithra isn't in stock? Ajith looked so young and cute in that film, I seriously wished I were the actress playing his girlfriend. (Cuteness. More cuteness. Even more cute.) And, on a non-shallow note, I thought it was a good movie, aside from Vadivelu's "comedy" that I wished I'd had the power to remove. **sigh, eye roll**

Hum Bhi Insaan Hain(1989)

I am in love with the "Yaar Tera" song. It is so beautiful. The picturisation makes me feel strangely sad and nostalgic. I also get a sense of déjà vu while watching it, like I've seen/heard a similar song in another movie, but I can't remember the name of either the song or the film.

I also like "Jab Ladka Sharmayega". Neelam is such a cutie. And she can look sensuous, too, as evidenced in the "Baadal Hain Barsaate Hain" song. I adore this girl. She's one of my latest obsessions :)

I haven't watched the entire movie, I've just been jumping around to certain parts. But I liked the aforementioned songs so much, I wanted to do a brief post about them.

Villain(2002)

Is Villain equally or more self-aggrandizing than some of Ajith's other movies? Hmmmm...I lean towards "more", but I think I'll have to watch ALL of his films before I can give a definite answer ;) Ha, ha. I'm not really serious. Yeah, it was a wee bit eyeroll-worthy at times, but for the most part, I was amused by Ajith's frequent winking at the camera, the bus stop antics of his female stans, and the "Everybody wants to be mine/Everybody thinks I'm so fine" in the "Hello, Hello" song. And, as a bit of a stan myself, I found him quite hot and sexy, even with the undereye bags and tummy bulge.

Ajith plays twin brothers, Shiva and Vishnu. Shiva is a bus conductor who moonlights as one of those noble thieves who steal from shady rich folks in order to help the unfortunate. In this case, the recipients of the stolen loot are the physically handicapped, one of whom is his sibling Vishnu. The flashback episode reveals how Vishnu became disabled, but I purposely skipped past it because I had a feeling it was similar to the one in Aalavandhan(i.e. necessary, but overly long).

Meena and Kiran Rathod were on hand to provide glamour and warm bodies for the duets. I thought Meena, in spite of her overly made-up appearance, was the prettier of the two. I wish Ajith had chose her instead of Kiran, especially since he and Meena appeared to have better chemistry in this flick than in Anandha Poongatrae. I wish I could've gotten some decent caps of Meena, but none of the ones I managed to grab were post-worthy :(

Speaking of caps:




Product placement







Winkedy, wink, wink


Oh hai, guess whose birthday?





I'm the one in white. (Just kidding :P)





Phallic symbolism, anyone?



**sigh** If only.

SFR: Hazel Crowney

She's in a T-Series commercial at the beginning of the Man Ka Meet DVD. I don't know why I felt the urge to make and post these caps, but here they are:

Raja(2002)

One of the reasons I've been trying to convince myself to buy this is because of Raasi/Manthra's item number(which is dumb, because I can just watch it on YouTube). The other reason is because of the Ajith-Jyothika pairing, even though Ajith looks aged and bloated, and Jo, while very pretty in her intro scene, looks not-so-great in the songs. And, judging from the parts I've watched online, they don't share a lot of screen time, either. Still, there's a part of me that thinks I "should" get it, just because it's an Ajith movie. However, I have a feeling that if I do, I'll hate myself in the morning.

ETA 07/14/09: This is why I liked Raja:









I LOVED the smooching scenes with Ajith and Priyanka Trivedi. I thought they were hilarious and hot. I adore Jo, but I preferred the Ajith-Priyanka pairing and wish they had remained together. I was seriously sad when her character got bumped off, because I felt she was the best part of the movie. In fact, I wish the entire film had revolved around just the Raja-Priya-Priya mistaken identity love triangle. Sonu Sood was a wasted character. He was only there because of the "need" for a villain. It was so anticlimatic to watch him get defeated in the end. And I wasn't feeling Ajith's sudden change of heart towards Jo. In my rewritten scenario, after saving her from Sonu, he gently turns her down and continues to pine for Priyanka.

Priyanka. She rocked in her role. She totally stole the show from Jyothika. But as a nod to Jo, I'll say that I thought she looked pretty, and I enjoyed watching her haze Priyanka.