caught me unawares..

zara tasveer se tu, nikal ke saamne aa..

meri mehbooba..

Heard this song from Pardes today after ages. And it has never ever made more sense :)

..magar kab na jaane, ye barsaat hogi,

mera dil hai pyaasa, mera dil akela..
zara tasveer se tu, nikal ke saamne aa..
meri mehbooba..

As they say, be positive ;)

rehna tu, hai jaisa tu..

Sublime trance.

That's the state I've been in ever since I loaded my iPod with the music of AR Rehman's latest offering, Dilli 6 (yeah, I refuse to call it Delhi 6, Dilli sounds soo much more in character).

Over the years, waiting for a Rehman soundtrack has become an event in itself. Forget the movie, the stars, the directors, the banner - nothing else matters. It is only about the man and his music. Just like it has always been. Simple, unassuming, pure and genius.

With Dilli 6, the expectations are a plenty too. Teaming up once again with Prasoon Joshi, the man who's becoming synonmous with understated and uncomplicated poetry (not lyrics) and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, the man whose cinematic vision and sensibilities provide scope for an enchanting musical score, ARR does a splendid job one more time. Here's a low down of what I think of each offering

tumhre bhavan mein - think a late summer evening in an old semi-dilapidated, dusty, cramped up temple, the only light being the amber glow of the flickering diyas. Add about 12-15 middle aged women, sitting on the ground, huddled together, heads covered with their dupattas or the pallu of their sarees, hands joined and eyes closed in prayer, humming this one in chorus, revering one of the incarnations of maata raani. tumre bhavan mein conjures up these images everytime I listen to it. Marvellous. Especially, the way there is no rhythm used in the song, not even clapping of the hands - there's only strains of the taanpura and a constant "ting" of the mandir ghanti. Very very nice.

bhor bhaye - can't remember the last time when a classical song of such nature was included in a mainstream OST. Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khaan saab wields his magic, but the massive surprise package in this song is the way Shreya Ghosal holds her own against the big wig. She is fantastic! This one's for the connoisseurs.

dilli 6 - the title track - funk personified. madness personified. Here's Delhi's anthem for the 2010 Commonwealth games. A brilliant ode to the capital city, the title track has everything going for it. From the husky singing, to the foot-tapping rhythm that changes tempo just when you don't expect it to, to Blaaze's fantastic rap, to the words that bring a smile on your lips - "ye shehar nahin mehfil hai.." - I mean, could you better encapsulate the spirit of the city in a single sentence? I think not :)

basti hai mastaano ki dilli, dilli...

gali hai deewano ki dilli, (six)

ye dilli hai mere yaar,

bas ishq mohabbat pyaar..

masakalli - What the hell does this word mean? Literal meaning aside, in the context of this song, it just means masti! Full on masti! I mean, when was the last time you heard a singer have sooooo much fun with a song? Mohit Chahuan goes absolutely all out with his singing, backed by ARR himself on the chorus, a wicked tune, brilliant orchestrization and the result is a phataka of a song. Just can't help smiling to this one. Get ready for a few Best Male Playback awards next year for sure. This one's a sure shot winner. And from the promos, if Sonam Kapoor's latka jhatkas are anything to go by, the video is gonna be kick-ass too.

genda phool - one word, hooked. Absolutely hooked. You really will be. Rekha Bhardwaj's vocals are sheer magic. And her first collaboration with Rehman turns out to be truly memorable. Though not a proper song-song per se, this one is more a musical narration of what a married lady goes through in her sasuraal - saas, devar, nanand, et al. The piece starts of with a very traditional sound to it, but the way a funky electric guitar bass & rhythm kicks in just at the right time, the song just takes an altogether different turn. I just keep nodding my head & smiling through the 2.50 minutes duration of the song. Endless loop material, this one.

kaala bandar - is a pretty unique experiment. With the tune, the rhythm, the words (especially), the pacing of the song, the styles and the singing too - an amalgamation of various Rehman songs and sounds we've heard in the past. As soon we start comparing it with a particular song from the past, the song changes gears and we are left scratching our brains all over again. I like the kaala bandar metaphor in the song being used for our material pursuits and sins- this should make for interesting viewing on screen. Looking forward to seeing how Mehra uses this in the narrative.

dil gira dafatan - well, this seems to be the quintessential Rehman number. One that grows on your after several multiple hearings. Hasn't grown on me as yet, but I sure will give it another trip. Maybe its too complex and nuanced for my musical sensibilities. Well, another hear won't do that much harm, will it? :)

arziyaan (maula, maula) - what can I really write about a song that says

daraarein daararein hain maathe pe maula,
marammat muqadar ki kar do maula...

This is sublime trance at its very best. Kailash Kher and Javed Ali team up to give us one of the best (and subdued) qawaallis of late. Just a simple harmonium based tune accompanied by clapping of hands and a tabla-dholak based rhythm, maula mere maula is enchantingly & mesmerizingly beautiful. The words are simple and very very profound too (Joshi, take a bow brother) -

jab teri gali aaya, sach tabhi nazar aaya,
mujhe mein hi wo khushbu thi, jis se tune milwaaya...

And the fact that ARR doesn't sing this one makes it completely different from piya haaji ali and khwaaja mere khwaaja...Brilliant stuff this from ARR. He really is blessed as they say.

rehna tu, hai jaisa tu - save the best for the last as they say. This one's perhaps the best of the lot. Prasoon Joshi outdoes himself with the words and Rehman's singing does perfect justice to the poetry. Off late, Rehman seems to be finding his long-lost jazz roots (like the title track in Jaane Tu) - though this one falls in the same overall genre, it is totally different from what we've heard before. Here, Rehman falls back upon what I think is one his biggest strengths as a composer - his very unique style of using chorus singers. Just listen to the song and you'll know what I mean. More than the tune, the singing or the composition, what touches you most is the soul of the song, the basic idea of accepting someone just the way they are. Nothing more. Nothing less.

rehna tu, hai jaisa tu..
thoda sa dard tu, thoda sukoon...
rehna tuuuuuu, hai jaisa tu..
dheema dheema jhonka, ya fir junoon....
thoda sa resham, tu humdum, thoda sa khurdura,
kabhi to ad jaa, ya lad jaa, ya khushbu se bhara..
tujhe badalna naa chaahon, ratti bhar bhi sanam,
bina sajaawat, milaawat, naa zyaada na hi kamm...
tujhe chaahon...jaisa hai tuuu..
mujhe teri baarish mein bheegna hai, ghul jaana hai..
tujhe chaahon, jaisa hai tu..
mujhe teri lapat mein jalna, raakh ho jaana hai...

Though the obvious reference is to a loved one, I couldn't help notice the way the basic idea applies to one's motherland as well. To India. How much ever we would want things in India to change, we still wouldn't want the basic nature of India to remain intact just the way it is - the warmth, the bigheartedness, the love, the spirit!!

Rehman - really, rehna tu, hai jaisa tu...

After being enchanted with the music the way I am and given Mehra's cinematic reputation after Rang De Basanti, Dilli 6 sure deserves a 3-hour drive up to Seattle to watch ARR's music gel with the brilliant visuals on the big screen.

The countdown to Feb 21 begins.

living upto my DNA

Of all the things passed down from one generation to another, food, I believe is the most ever-lasting of the lot. Each family kitchen has a peculiar taste to it, one that is acquired over years and years of preparing the same delicacies, recipes changing hands, everyone adding that a little bit of their individual touch to it, but none that over-rides or drastically changes the underlying taste. Now that would be considered sacrilege.

Being born into a family of food aficionados, over the years, food, I mean good food, holds a special place in our lives. The palate has been exceptionally lucky to have tasted the best of so many different cuisines and tastes. Food, is just not meant to satiate hunger. It is meant to enthrall the taste buds, the senses and eventually touch your soul. As the saying goes, pet bhi bhare, aur dil bhi.

Sunday lunches in most homes are when the special delicacies are brought to the table. And being born into a Sindhi family, amidst every other lip smacking delicacy Sindhi cuisine has to offer, that special place on the Sunday afternoon lunch table unarguably has to go to the absolutely one of its kind tamaate besan ji kadhi - the tomato besan kadhi. Add steaming white rice, crisp fried aalo took and sweet boondhi to the mix - and that is as close to culinary Nirvana as you can get. And I've been very fortunate to have attained such salvation almost every second Sunday at home. Home! Those really were the days :)

As I was picking my fortnightly groceries at the supermarket the other day, the red ripe tomatoes caught my fancy. Though they were not on my list, I still carefully started picking the best of the lot. And from absolutely no where, I uttered to my friend, "yaar is Sunday kadhi banaate hain" - to which he suspiciously arched his eyebrows, like he usually does and replied, "uske liye itne tamaatar kyon chahiye?"

Aah, the uninitiated, I thought. Thinks that kadhi is perhaps just of the besan or dahi kadhi variety.

"Tune Sindhi tamaatar kadhi nahin khaayi kabhi kya?"

"Tamaatar ki kadhi banti hai??"

And I knew it. The time had come. As if the Divine was almost hand-holding me to take the next step in my cooking escapades. The besan tamaatar ji kadhi was irresistibly calling out to me.

As much as I am a fan of experimental cooking, throwing in masalas which don't 'belong' to a particular dish, changing the consistency of the gravy and what have you, there are some things that you just don't tamper with. Especially if it is the most revered item from your cuisine and you're trying it for the first time :)

So after confirming the recipe from Maa thrice this morning over web chat and actually typing every little detail into a hurriedly put together text file on my desktop, I was ready.

And little did I know that Maa's blessing, tastes and jaado would actually fly all the way from Bombay and sneak into the kadhi steaming in my kitchen. When I scaringly lifted the lid after letting it simmer for 20-25 minutes, the fragrance and taste that hit my nostrils almost transported me back to Bombay. Its been almost a year since I've been home and here I was relishing the khusbhoo of tamaatar kadhi after such a long time. That too, in my kitchen!!! Wohoooooo. My joy knew no bounds. I was like a 5 year old kid, jumping around in the kitchen.



And when I hesitatingly took that first sip and bit into a moist piece of bhindi, I was almost in tears. It had turned out better than my wildest imagination.

A few years back, cooking by myself, for myself, was almost an unthinkable prospect. And here, I was making tamaatar kadhi of all things and it had turned out lipsmackingly fantastic. Life, I tell you, doesn't ever cease to surprise :)

And my friend who had come over to dinner and had helped me along the way, was spellbound too. Watching him relish every morsel only added to the fantastic experience.

I called Maa as I was at the dining table. I just had to share the moment with her. And her voice told me how proud she was, hearing me rave about my first kadhi experience.



The evening of Saturday, Jan 10, 2009 eventually turned out to be when my cooking came of age and my life in the kitchen turned another corner. It would never be the same again. And the fact that it was just the right time for Sunday lunch to be served back at home is just not a mere coincidence. Some things, as I said, are just not meant to be tampered with :)

Maa, I miss you all the more today :)

Ending the year on the right note...

As they say, save the best for the last. It certainly does apply to the year gone by.

In the wee hours of the morning of the 31st, main to phir se maama ban gaya! Minal (my sister) and Yogesh (a dear dear friend) were blessed with a baby girl.

Swar, the right note- what an apt name!

What a fantabulous way to end 2008 and start 2009. Happy New Year to all of you out there. May peace and prosperity prevail in the times to come.

Cheers.

Ghajini was killed

Find him. Kill him.

Revenge! Mr. Murgadoss, I want revenge! You've murdered Ghajini. Brutally.

Now I know why the usually reclusive Aamir went crazy with the publicity campaign of this movie. It simply wouldn't have survived otherwise. As it is, there always is a keen anticipation for the annual (now a carefully worked out pattern) Aamir Khan movie. Add to that a super-duper hyped massive publicity campaign. Get Aamir on the airwaves to talk about anything and everything, even if it is something as stupid & banal as look-look-I-pumped-iron-for-18-months-every-single-day.

I mean, come on. You expect some more class from Aamir. Over the years, for good reason, Aamir has become synonymous with quality cinema - right from QSQT to TZP, his resume sparkles with some absolute gems. Agreed, there were duds too, but the sincerity of the effort was always there. The reason why a particular movie was being made was genuine, 9 times out of 10. Mangal Pandey was a disaster, but Aamir gave 4 years of his absolute prime to the movie. Such was the effort.

Ghajini, am afraid, is a big, big blot on an otherwise impressive resume.

The intention here clearly seems to be to only pure commercial success. While that's a fair deal in its own place and the movie has clearly managed to achieve that goal, seeing Aamir jump on the bandwagon is a little hard to digest. And kinda sad too. 

The movie has no consistent graph, the characters are massively poorly sketched, the loopholes are of the glaring-in-your-face variety (lets not even get talking about these) and overall, the movie just fails to grip you as a viewer. You don't even feeling like rooting for the protagonist or don't care if the villain gets bumped off in the end - both these qualities darned essential for the so called 'masala action' movie genre Ghajini claims to be a part of.

The romance is wafer-thin. Absolute zero chemistry between Aamir and Asin, who for some reason is a tone or two louder than the scene demands. Maybe the director asked her to continue in the same vein, as she did in the Tamil version of the movie. Mr Murgadoss, when you remake a movie in Hindi, it isn't just about changing the dialogues to a different language, the characters also need to be reworked to adapt to the new audience you are trying to cater to. Lessons learnt the hard way, I guess.

And then there's Ghajini - the baddie. For a movie that places so much importance on the titular bad guy, the choice of the actor had to be absolutely spot on. And they choose Pradeep Rawat? He's the same guy who played Sultan in the brilliant Sarfarosh and the Teja, the sardar fast-bowler in Lagaan - while he is a fine actor in such bit and piece roles, to say that he is simply miscast in and as Ghajini would be an understatement.

For a role that is supposed to justify Aamir beefing up to eight pack abs and transforming into a man possessed, the movie demanded a villain who could induce the kind aura and wrath that Ghajini is supposed to. If I were to think of casting this one, a few names that come to mind - the first name that springs up is Irrfan Khan, perhaps a KK Menon could work too, Nana Patekar too would be a decent choice I guess. Or how about choosing another mainstream A-list actor - say an Ajay Devgan? Or bring back a forgotten actor - Ashish Vidyarthi, where art thou? 

Or if you really wanted this to be a good v/s bad quintessential Hindi movie, just go back to the old tried, tested and spectacular 'bad man' himself, Gulshan Grover? 

But not Pradeep Rawat man. No way. And also, like Asin's character, I think Ghajini's character should also have been plotted differently. The loud, gold-chain-hanging-around-his-neck, white trousers-and-shoes-to-match look just doesn't work. Ends up looking more like a caricature than a goon. And what's with the totally out of place UP-Bihar accent? Sheesh.

And how can I forget the perfectionist himself? Mr. Khan, as much as your dedication to the craft is tremendously commendable, do you really think this role demanded sculpting a body like you have? Alas, the movie just doesn't end up doing justice to the blood and sweat you've dripped by the bucketfuls in the gym. 

While Aamir's acting is pretty decent, we've been accustomed to expect much more. Stories of his total involvement in all departments of the movie are legendary and perhaps that's why, Ghajini's failure on the character, script and screenplay level hit me real hard. 

After watching this movie, I couldn't help you-tubing for the Tamil counterpart. And while I just watched about 10-12 minutes of the same, that movie appeared so much more gripping. I guess mainly because the Surya-Asin jodi seemed so much real. This role clearly needed a younger actor - Hrithik, perhaps? John, well, maybe not? May be a brooding Abhishek? Or a toned-up Imran Khan for all you know! Who knows, the movie could have just worked.

Another thing that stood out was how well lit the Tamil shots were as compared to Ravi Chandran's work for the Hindi version. The cinematography is perhaps over-done, with too much emphasis on dark, grey and dull shots to convey the movie's tone. The background score too appeared more in-sync with the visuals in the Tamil version.

Reasons aside, Ghajini, as a complete package, just didn't work for me. At the end the movie, I had to really pinch myself to believe that this was supposed to be the most awaited movie of the year! What a letdown man, what a let down.. 

 

I guess I will have to watch a Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Sarfarosh or an Andaz Apna Apna (all so-called masala flicks in their own right, mind you) to cleanse my system & reinstate my belief in Aamir Khan, the actor. Ghajini has dented that with the blow of an iron-rod.

Sameer's Stars - 1 on 5.

D. It is written

It is written - it certainly is. Bloody-well brilliantly written, at that.

The screenplay of Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is certainly deserving of the above accolade. And much more than that - an Academy honor, perhaps?

Well, Oscar mania aside, Slumdog is a superb motion picture. Right from its riveting screenplay, to wonderfully cast non-actors, a terrific soundtrack (that man Rehman, at it again), exquisite camerawork and above all, a throbbing, passionate soul that bares itself to you so splendidly, that as a viewer, you sometimes find a lump go down your throat. Really, you couldn't ask for more. This is as wholesome a cinematic experience as it gets.

I haven't read Vikas Swarup's QnA to decide how much of it has been translated onto the screen, but I know for a fact that the movie has perhaps taken the written text to an altogether different level. But to give credit to Vikas, the basic premise of the story is a sure shot winner. Clearly inspired by hours of being glued to the telly watching AB and SRK dole out KBC magic, Vikas seems to have struck gold with the story idea - what if, each and every question posed to you on that hot-seat was interlinked with your life in some manner, the answers to which are a slice of your own freaking life. As if every moment of your living life has been a prep for these very set of questions. It is all written, as they say.

More than the story, the beauty lies in the execution. The editing pattern, though predictable after a point of time - cutting to the flashback story for every question that Anil Kapoor, the quiz show host (the actor clearly enjoying himself), or Irrfan Khan, the police inspector (almost sleepwalking through his part as if he were a veteran of such cinema) poses - still does work very well. It keeps you on the edge of your seat through the entire duration of the movie - a rare feat these days.

Some of the scenes just grab you by the scruff of your collar and shake you up so bad with the starkness and realism, that you cringe in your seat. I can't remember the last time when I had to close my eyes and look down in the darkness of the theatre to let a scene pass by. Slumdog did that to me. Shook me out of my confines. One of my friends was in tears. I thought there was a real danger of her running out of the theatre, sobbing inconsolably, but thankfully, she pulled through. God bless butter popcorn.

And then there are scenes, that please you to such an extent that you find yourself smiling loudly (not that ha ha ha kinda laugh) and clapping your hands, cheering for the onscreen protagonist. Like the kids playing a game of cricket on the outskirts of the airport's runway being chased by two portly policemen, Or Jamaal dropping a towering catch distracted by the roar of plane taking off, Or when a young Jamaal starts narrating a fictional story of how the Taj was built, Or when in the middle of the most brutal scene in the movie, the lil Jamaal suddenly stops after starting "darshan do ghanshyam" and with almost apologetic sincerity on his face demands his remuneration - "sorry sir, professional no?"

The acting, by almost everyone, is top grade. But I think the clear winners were the three kids who played Jamaal, Latika and Salim. Such endearing emotions & screen presence, that it leaves you no option but to really feel & root for their story as if you were watching a documentary based on their real life stories. Dev Patel is another actor who stands out. Fantastic portrayal of such complex emotions. Has that amazing air of determined underdog confidence about him. You can almost feel the air emanating from his nostrils, one deep breath after another, as his life asks him questions that no game show could ever match. He certainly is an actor to look out for in the future. Hopefully he won't fall into that cliched genre of playing ABCD characters, caught between the eternal battle of lifestyle v/s values, living in the US of A. He seems much more capable than that.

And then there's AR Rehman. From the opening strains of "o saaya" accompanying the title credits to the bouyancy of Sukhwinder's "jai ho" at the finale, ARR is in top form. Make way for the Golden Globe and perhaps the Grammy too. Also credited for the magical background score, Rahman the whizkid, directly transports you from your seat to the middle of the nail-biting, sweat and blood dripping action. Utter genius.

On the technical front, Slumdog is an amalgamation of some fine work - the cinematography has that almost hand-held feel to it, perfectly playing the fly-on-the-wall, never trying to overpower the story. The editing is razor sharp, with 1-2 second closeup cuts that just let you peep into the emotion and leave you gasping for more. The production designer would have had a nightmare of a job on this one, with almost over 50-60% of the movie shot on almost-impossible-to-shoot-without-a-mishap outdoors locations across the country. But whoever has done the job, has done it fantastically - you should really be proud of this one.

Danny Boyle, the director, has managed to capture the underbelly of Bombay as if he was born and brought up in this city. He masterfully captures the core lessons the city of Bombay teaches its inhabitants - street smartness, survival of the fittest, that money - like or it not - does make the world go around, the man with the gun has the final word & adaptability, without losing that solitary ray of eternal hope, in the most adverse of circumstances. Slumdog Millionaire is a fine tribute to Bombay - the most magical city on this planet!

I was supposed to go home this December and couldn't due to some logisitcal reasons, but Slumdog ensured that for those 2 hours, I was magic-carpeted from Portland to Bombay. In the middle of it all - the chaos, the crowds, the cacophony. Kudos to that magical quality of well crafted cinema :)

And finally, as the folks at MasterCard have been framing it over the years -

A large tub of butter popcorn - $6
Cocktails for three - $30
Watching fantastic cinema with friends on a beautiful snowy Friday evening, for free, courtesy gift tickets from inane dentist referrals - literally, priceless!

main dardi, rab rab kardi...

I feel sorry for you YashRaj, I really really do.

The harder you try, the harder you fall. The more you try to be "with it", the further behind you trail.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi is living proof of that. What did you guys set out to make? And did you folks actually keep awake through all the trails before release? Or didn't you guys actually see this one before unleashing it on us all?

The movie has no grammar, no consistent pitch. Nothing. Heck, it is not even remotely entertaining. Just a badly put together idea, which I guess Aditya came up with while watching Nach Baliye reruns in his plush office.

Truth be told, it is a very average movie, at best. Just about average. And for that too, you should thank SRK, the character. Or as he's known in this movie, Surinder Sahni. He's the only one your heart reaches out to in some scenes. That's about it - the rest of the movie is pretty banal.

Especially, the lead female character, Taani. I mean, what is she upto? What does she really want? Does she even understand what marriage means? Two days after her eventful wedding to Sahni, she tells Sahni, that she will never be able to love him. But she will try to be a good wife. Whatever that means! I guess making egg toast in the morning and packing lunch in a yellow tiffin pretty much seals the deal for her. I mean, hello!! What age is she living in?

And when the Raj (Arrrrggghhh!) character tries to get close to her during their dance practice sessions, she very coolly lets him. Romps around the city on his motorbike in pouring rain, shares golgappas, chides him for flirting with her - all of this, without even mentioning to him even once that she is married. She maybe doesn't consider it a big enough part of her life anyways.

The characterization is pathetic. Not once do I as an audience feel for her. Or for what she feels. Anushka does a decent job, looks nice in salwar suits, dances well too. But it ends there. With such an ill-written role, there isn't much she could have done.

And coming to good ol' Raj - why, I mean guys, why? Why does your definition of cool always have to be Raj? Or Rahul? Or watever! But sorry to disappoint you, this dude isn't cool by any stretch of imagination. What was this character supposed to be - a suave cool dude or an irritating jerk? Even if you guys didn't think through, he turns out to be pretty much the latter. Annoying has a new name - Raj.

And Suri, though a nice warm character, isn't far in the stupidity game either. I mean, a guy doesn't understand what "macho" means, but keeps ranting sexy all the time in his other pseudo-trying-to-be-cool-actually-a-pain-in-the-butt avtaar, Raj. Have some consistency guys, please?? Else, don't make cinema.

To give credit where its due, some scenes, mostly all featuring the Suri character do bring a smile on you face. That's coz SRK packs in loads of earnest emotions and a wee bit of helplessness into the character. Your hurt does go out to him. But such moments are few and far in between.

And Aditya, oh my dear Aditya! What is wrong with you son? People might say that you are still in your DDLJ hangover, but if that truly were the case, you'd have made a decent movie at least. Not this excuse-of-a-movie. What happened to your sense of story, screenplay, characterization and most of all - music? DDLJ's music is still a must have on any iPod, but the less said about your song selection in RNBDJ, the better. Not one song stands out. Sad, very sad. Even technically, the movie is plain average. The sets, dances, nothing is worthy of a mention.

And what about those in-house references? In one or two movies, a lil bit of in-house humor looks cheeky. But that's it. Why stretch it like this? Everything from DDLJ, DTPH and even Dhoom (holy mother of God!) is referenced.

This marriages are made in heaven idea (or by the rab, as they would've liked to call it), if handled maturely and sensitively could have yielded some touching cinema, but you guys have squandered the chance big time. And how. Forget Sahni's love story, they would have done better with the Almighty penning down the story of the movie for starters.

So the most dependable trick in the bag - the Aditya-SRK combo has fallen flat has well. Now what YashRaj, now what? I suggest going back to the drawing board, getting a new fresh crew, in all departments, and really really taking a closer look at the kinda cinema you guys chose to put your emblem on. There's enough talent out there, waiting for that once chance. You folks can now reinvent yourselves, coz honestly, the time has come. It really really has.

DDLJ was 14 years back. A lot of water has flown under the bridge since then. Grow up, Aditya, grow up. Coz you know what, the audience has.

We would have loved to remember you as the man who gave us DDLJ. But with Mohabbatein and now this one, you're making the task extremely difficult for us.

Oye rab, Aditya nu samajh de thodi!