Wichaar web cast posted this interview with Pakistani literary critic Dr Manzur Ejaz about his recollections of Munir Niazi a must watch for all Pakistanis and all poetry lovers Dr. Ejaz speaks in Punjabi about Munir Niazi's poetic craft, his diction and his overall personality. Since YouTube is banned in Pakistan, I have uploaded this interview here so that Pakistanis living in Pakistan may watch and enjoy it. Kudos to Wichaar web cast for a great job in popularizing Punjabi poetry... both modern and classical Punjabi poetry !!
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Talat's Cinema Notes - Watch Basu Bhattacharya's Art Film "Anubhav" at Na-ee Manzil ... Na-ee Raahein !!
I have always been a great fan of Basu Bhattacharya (1934-1997), especially his classic 1971 Urdu Art Film "Anubhav" (Experience) which became the first of his Film Trilogy showcasing marital discord and dysfunctional marriages (Anubhav 1971, Avishkar 1973, Griha Pravesh 1979 ).
Excerpt from Wikipedia's page about the movie Anubhav (Experience):
Anubhav (English: Experience; Hindi: अनुभव) is a 1971 Hindi film by noted director Basu Bhattacharya, which stars Sanjeev Kumar, Tanuja Samarth and Dinesh Thakur as leads. The film was the first part of Basu Battacharya's introspective trilogy on marital discord in an urban setting, which included Avishkaar (1973) and Griha Pravesh (1979); and went on to win the 1972 National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film and started a trend later picked even by the mainstream cinema.[1] The film Anubhav is also remembered for playback singer, Geeta Dutt's finest songs composed by music director Kanu Roy and mesmerizing lyrics by the legendary Indian Urdu Song Writer Gulzar, for songs including
Mayree JaaN!! Mujhay Jaa Naa Kaho Mayree JaaN!
(capital N denotes the nasal 'n' sound or "Noon Ghunna" )
Koee Chupkay Say Aa-kay and
Mayraa Dil Jo Mayraa Hotaa [2]
Manna Dey's riveting song "Phir kaheeN koee Phool Khilaa"
Excerpt from Wikipedia's page about Basu Bhattacharya:
Basu Bhattacharya (1934–1997) was a Hindi film director,[2][3] most famous for his 1966 film Teesri Kasam, starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman (based on a short story - "Maare Gaye Gulfam" by Phanishwar Nath 'Renu'), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1967; he also produced Sparsh in 1985 starring Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah, which won the Filmfare Best Movie Award and the most famous box office hit and critically acclaimed film directed by him remains Avishkaar starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore which received five stars in Bollywood Guide "Collections"[4] and Rajesh Khanna received Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1975. In 1981 he was a member of the jury at the 12th Moscow International Film Festival.[5]
He started his career in 1958 by assisting, Bimal Roy in films like, Madhumati and Sujata and later married, Bimal Roy's daughter, Rinki Bhattacharya, much to Bimal Roy's disapproval. This created a rift between him and his mentor.[6][7] The couple had a son Aditya Bhattacharya (director), and two daughters: Chimmu and Anwesha Arya (a writer). Later after much domestic abuse, his wife Rinki moved out in 1983, and the couple formally divorced in 1990. Rinki went on to write an anthology on Domestic Violence in India, titled, Behind Closed Doors – Domestic Violence in India and became a successful writer, columnist and documentary filmmaker.[8]
Anubhav Part-3
Anubhav Part-4:
Anubhav Part-5:
Anubhav Part-6:
Anubhav Part-7:
Anubhav Part-8:
Anubhav Part-9:
Anubhav Part-10:
Anubhav Part-11:
Anubhav Part-12:
Anubhav Part-13:
Excerpt from Wikipedia's page about the movie Anubhav (Experience):
Anubhav (English: Experience; Hindi: अनुभव) is a 1971 Hindi film by noted director Basu Bhattacharya, which stars Sanjeev Kumar, Tanuja Samarth and Dinesh Thakur as leads. The film was the first part of Basu Battacharya's introspective trilogy on marital discord in an urban setting, which included Avishkaar (1973) and Griha Pravesh (1979); and went on to win the 1972 National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film and started a trend later picked even by the mainstream cinema.[1] The film Anubhav is also remembered for playback singer, Geeta Dutt's finest songs composed by music director Kanu Roy and mesmerizing lyrics by the legendary Indian Urdu Song Writer Gulzar, for songs including
Mayree JaaN!! Mujhay Jaa Naa Kaho Mayree JaaN!
(capital N denotes the nasal 'n' sound or "Noon Ghunna" )
Koee Chupkay Say Aa-kay and
Mayraa Dil Jo Mayraa Hotaa [2]
Manna Dey's riveting song "Phir kaheeN koee Phool Khilaa"
Excerpt from Wikipedia's page about Basu Bhattacharya:
Basu Bhattacharya (1934–1997) was a Hindi film director,[2][3] most famous for his 1966 film Teesri Kasam, starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman (based on a short story - "Maare Gaye Gulfam" by Phanishwar Nath 'Renu'), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in 1967; he also produced Sparsh in 1985 starring Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah, which won the Filmfare Best Movie Award and the most famous box office hit and critically acclaimed film directed by him remains Avishkaar starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore which received five stars in Bollywood Guide "Collections"[4] and Rajesh Khanna received Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1975. In 1981 he was a member of the jury at the 12th Moscow International Film Festival.[5]
He started his career in 1958 by assisting, Bimal Roy in films like, Madhumati and Sujata and later married, Bimal Roy's daughter, Rinki Bhattacharya, much to Bimal Roy's disapproval. This created a rift between him and his mentor.[6][7] The couple had a son Aditya Bhattacharya (director), and two daughters: Chimmu and Anwesha Arya (a writer). Later after much domestic abuse, his wife Rinki moved out in 1983, and the couple formally divorced in 1990. Rinki went on to write an anthology on Domestic Violence in India, titled, Behind Closed Doors – Domestic Violence in India and became a successful writer, columnist and documentary filmmaker.[8]
Anubhav Part-1
Anubhav Part-2
Anubhav Part-3
Anubhav Part-4:
Anubhav Part-5:
Anubhav Part-6:
Anubhav Part-8:
Anubhav Part-9:
Anubhav Part-10:
Anubhav Part-11:
Anubhav Part-12:
Anubhav Part-13:
Friday, October 18, 2013
Talat's Cinema Notes - Agnes Varda and Susan Sontag Interview 1969
Agnes Varda, an avant-garde French Art Film Director, who made the shocking and controversial art film "Vagabond" depicting the predicament of a young homeless woman, her attempts to fit in to modern day society and her ultimate failure to do so is shown being interviewed here on American Television in 1969 along with Susan Sontag, another brilliant writer and film maker . . . a rare interview.
Talat's Cinema Notes - Sagar Sarhadi Interview: Art Film "Baazaar" and Spreading Urdu in India
Sagar Sarhadi, a Screenplay Writer and Playwright who wrote the screenplay for the Indian Parallel Cinema Art film "Baazaar" starring Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil as well as "Bhagat Singh Kee Vaapsee" and many other plays, speaks in favor of appreciating and spreading the Urdu language in modern day India. Terrific Interview in two parts.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Talat's Cinema Notes - Chinese Art Film Chungking Express starring Hong Kong Diva Faye Wong!
Watch Chungking Express by clicking on the embedded link here.
Chungking Express is a Chinese Art Film that I enjoyed particularly because of the short monologues that the main character in this movie (a Hong Kong Policeman) engages in while puttering about lonesomely in his empty apartment once his girlfriend (an air hostess) has dumped him and he is not sure whether he is still in love with her or should he make an effort to move on with his life. The monologues with his bathroom soap and bath towel were really funny yet poignant!!
Chungking Express stars two leading actors of the Hong Kong movie industry... the girl's part is played by Faye Wong, a particularly talented Diva-like actress who made this role her own by deftly combining meaning silences and facial expressions with improvised dialogue to create an unforgettable modern day heroine . . . a young mischievous but endearing woman who works in a Fast Food restaurant.
Talat's Cinema Notes - Jim Jarmusch's American Art Film "Stranger than Paradise"
As a PhD student in the U.S. in the mid-80s to the early 90s, I was exposed to many Art films . . . among these were movies by Jim Jarmusch.
Jim Jarmusch uses a light touch (unlike Tarantino !!) in telling his stories.
Watch "Stranger than Paradise" by clicking on the link embedded here.
I particularly like Jarmusch's film "Stranger than Paradise" . . . it has a lightly sketched plot, sparse dialogue and the emphasis is on the actors' body language and facial expressions, so that one becomes visually immersed in the story-telling experience. Simply wonderful.
Jim Jarmusch uses a light touch (unlike Tarantino !!) in telling his stories.
Watch "Stranger than Paradise" by clicking on the link embedded here.
I particularly like Jarmusch's film "Stranger than Paradise" . . . it has a lightly sketched plot, sparse dialogue and the emphasis is on the actors' body language and facial expressions, so that one becomes visually immersed in the story-telling experience. Simply wonderful.
Talat's Cinema Notes - Urdu Art Film "Paar" (The Crossing") starring Naseeruddin Shah Shabana Azmi Om Puri
Paar (translation: "The Crossing ") is a 1984 Hindi movie based on a short story by Samaresh Bose and directed by Goutam Ghose. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri. Naseeruddin Shah won a Volpi Cup for his role as Naurangia.
When the landlord of a small Indian village sends his goons to attack and kill the school teacher, trouble erupts and destroys Naurangia's little universe and he ends up becoming a fugitive from the law. The movie Paar follows Naurangia as the story unfolds.
Watch the movie "Paar" by clicking the link embedded here.
When the landlord of a small Indian village sends his goons to attack and kill the school teacher, trouble erupts and destroys Naurangia's little universe and he ends up becoming a fugitive from the law. The movie Paar follows Naurangia as the story unfolds.
Watch the movie "Paar" by clicking the link embedded here.
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