Welcome to Desiwood

Re: # 88

Dear Kulhari-jee,

We can`t allow this to go on. How can you not see Hindi movies? LOL Jokes apart, there are some great things happening on the hindi movie front. Good stories, strong scripts, some excellent acting - not all hindi movies are bad, you know. Besides, Hindi movies in English aren`t horrible. Most of us talk that way, right? Take a look at this forum, and you will see what I mean. If you can get your hands on them, watch Iqbal, Maqbool, Dil Chahta Hai, Sarkar. And `Let`s Talk` and `Being Cyrus` , though in English, are both excellent movies. Let me be accurate. I haven`t seen the last one, but friends of mine who have are raving about it.
Amrita, c`mon, we need to seriously educate this guy about Hindi movies. Add some of the more recent ones that were decent, for heaven`s sake. WjSM, what about you? Can`t think of any thing in your snob-brigade of movies that will educate poor Kulharee-ji? :-))

Re: # 87

Pari Ji… I would never dare do that, even in my dreams. I had so much fun in this discussion (to be very honest, my exposure to Hindi movies finished at around Bejo Bavara… no seriously, by the time Amithabh’s earlier movies, Rajesh Khana’s stint ended, and I moved to England to attend college (this was early 80s) I hadn’t followed Bollywood developments since then, but I have always had serious interest in Hindustani Sangeet. I have absolutely no idea about the newer stuff you guys are talking about (I would never watch a Hindi Movie done in English – to me it is like watching a Hindi Movie done in English). Bring me Barsat, Tesri Kasm (paan khayo siyaN hamaro, saNwali soritya hont Lal Lal), Mera Naam Joker, and all the other amazing pre-80 Bollywood, and I am all yours. I am sorry that I hadn’t kept up with recent Hindi cinema, but I will always be uptodate with the 350-800 year old Hindustani stuff, the older it is and the more rhythmic complexity it offers, the happier I am. Bring me a Raga my friends.

Re: # 83 tp #86

Hi Childruns, I is back from the land of the dead - or do I mean `dying`? Never the matter- it is one and the same. I have spent the weekend sniffling, throwing up, not to mention other unmentionable things. And then, WjSM (stands for Warrier-ji etc etc), I drag myself off my death bed to read your gratuitous insults. Pray let me remind you that you and Kulharee-ji, not to mention you, Amrita, were responsible for driving off that poor bachchu. Now if only I had been there...... ( I hope you have taken note of my tone of utter self-righteousness.)


Amrita, I agree with you. Classical music is not my thing. If I can even appreciate it today, I have to thank my parents for insisting that I learn Carnatic music (it is de rigeur in my community) and my guruji for putting up with my caterwauling for seven, or is it eight years? I am happier and more interested in films and film music. I would like to be able to appreciate it though. SOme of my earliest memories are that of waking up to MS` Suprabhatam. Ahh.. the peace of the early morning. Now I listen to utter chaos from outside my house. :-)

WjSM, caught 15 Park Avenue - didn`t like it much. Was too strident, the rape scenes were unnecessary and to agree to a point Amrita made earlier on , the English is too stilted. No one, and I mean no one, talks like that, for heaven`s sake. Heard good things about Being Cyrus. have to see if I can watch it over the weekend. Have to find some poor bakra to come with me. Hate watching movies alone.

Kulharee-ji , looks like WjSM and you are trying to drive Amrita and me away from this forum. I notice you and the above mentioned are dealing privately now???

Poor us. Amrita, let us start off a new discussion and leave these guys behind. Will serve them right, methinks.

Saw Hari Putar and the Goblet of fire yesterday. Dumbledore thinks he is Gandalf still. No Indian movie till the weekend. Pirated 15 Park Avenue DVD was rejected by DVD player. Must get rid of Sony and get a $40 Blockbuster play all.

my only acquaintance with carnatic music is from south indian bhajans such as those sung by MS. movies on the other hand, i know about.

Re: # 83

Pari Ji and Ustad Warrier Ji, one of the most memorable concerts that I saw was about 2 years ago that was Karnatic and Hindustani merged into one, was by Laxmi Shankar on Double Violin, accompanied by Ustad Zakir Ji on Tabla and Vikku Vanayakrim on Ghatam,

Vikku is a class act and one of my favorite musicians who likes to take risks.

And the other reason it was a memorable concert is because I took my father along and he remembers it to this day.


Ustad Ji.. I will email you tonight from home.

Dear Tinksji
You will notice that the last interact from any other than the four of us was young jay1 who fled for more insulting venues. It seems that he was aware of your coming and decided to flee. So I shall lay the blame at your door, instead of my somnambulising posts. I promise not to be rude. The rest of the folks have gone AWOL because to misquote, politics makes good bedfellows.
Ams,
One should never indulge on a weekday. Zeemax sent me a poem to show me the evils of my ways. Its called The Perfect High. Rise and shine.

Regarding music, as I mentioned I`ve had no formal training so I depend only on my ears. I like carnatic music too though I got into it later than Hindustani. The late Maharajpuram Santanam was always great to listen to. I also have a very nice collection of 6 CD`s labelled An anthology of South Indian music, by L and Viji Subramaniam.
Some years ago in the midst of a job interview I was asked what I would really like to do. I said I`d like to traipse all over India, recording folk songs from various places. Luckily the interviewers did not find that funny. Should have also said collect various recipes from places. So many traditional dishes dying for lack of time to cook them.

dis childruns is awake ... but just. :( koi chai lao.

Re: # 77 and #80

Kulharee-ji . Welcome back. Glad to know you enjoyed the concert. Listening to you and Warrier-ji is an education in itself. I am more of a Carnatic music afficianoado myself, though I do enjoy listening to Hindustani. The problem is that not knowing anything about it, it is difficult to enjoy its finer nuances like you and Warrier-ji seem to do. I am in need of serious education in that respect. Anyway, as Warrier-ji said, lucky you to be able to go to concerts. I have forgotten the last time I went to a live one. You should go down on bended knees and thank your wife for such a wonderful birthday present. BTW, Happy Birthday, whether belated or in advance. Please come back to discuss the concert in more detail. It is very interesting.

Warrier-ji Saadu Maharaj, saadar pranam. The one day I oversleep and am rushing off in case I am late, you write such mean things. Serves you right if Amrita and I do not surface any more on this forum. The others seem to have either got bored or fought their way out. LOL.
BTW, haven`t seen Amrita for some time either? Hallooo?

Kul (Kool)
As I told Tinks, forget the Ji business. I haven`t earned that much respect. -))) Besides it takes longer to type.
Right. I await your mail.
Looks like we have scared off all the othe people. Or put them to sleep.
Wakey Wakey children.

S

Re: # 78

So sorry Sadanand ji (dba Warrier Ji). I misspelled my email.. it is Kulharee@yahoo (not hotmail). I will email you soon.

Re: # 77
Kulharee
Call me Sadanand. I have forbidden the resident fairy on chowk to call me warrier ji , so she`s been calling me other names. I am sorely vexed. -)
Glad to know that you had a wonderful time. My email is sadanand_warrieratyahoo.com. I shall send email to your hotmail account.
Malkauns is such a lovely raga. I like Desh too but Malkauns is my particular favourite. It lends itself nicely to the serious and light hearted so well.
Did you know in Massachusetts we have a group called Natraj. They play jazz and it is based on Indian syncopation and melodic influences. The main person plays the soprano saxophone. His name is Phil Scarff and he used to work with me in Lucent. He is married to an Indian and he plays Hindustani music. Once we had an Indian/Chinese night in Lucent and I asked him to play Hamsadhwani and Yaman Kalyan. There was no accompaniment but it was very nice.
In India we have an artiste called Kadri Gopalnath who plays Carnatic music on the tenor saxophone. I used to have tapes of his. I do not have a CD.
Rupak and Jhapt taals are ones that I`ve always liked.
And now you will be seeing Zakir and Ustad Sultan Khan. Lucky. You should ask Ustad Sultan Khan to play Marwa. It is one of my favourite Ragas.
Waiting for more.

Re: # 76

Warrie Ji… I am busy at work this morning..i will surely write about the concert in more detail later, as I am meeting with Samir Ji on Sunday for a whole one hour (my wife had booked me 4 individual sessions with 2 of the best Tabla players in the world, as a birthday present). The concert was awesome. Steve Ji is phenomenal (I have always respected him and his works).. he has spent some 30 years studying Hindustani and it shows when he plays, he is also an acclaimed soprano saxophonist and is classically trained.. so there were hints of his effort to rub it in - a little bit of Mozart into Hindustani (only a tiny bit).. he played 2 Ragas, first was a version of Malkuns, on which Samir Ji accompanied him on Tabla in Drut (drut is “fast” for those who don’t know) Tintaal. It was an hour version of a regularly 3-4 hour raga (from Midnight to 4am). The second was what he called Rag Desh (it was just a Multani Madhya) with Samirji in Rupak and Iktaal. Again just fantastic. There were hints of Pundit Ragunath Ji’s influence all over the place. Specially, when Steve tried ‘suspending’ notes (like Miles Davis).

Then Steve ji concluded with a small piece.

I enjoyed it, and my friend who came with me enjoyed it too.

Meanwhile, if you can e-mail me at Kulhareeathotmail… I have a Frieda Khanum’s album that I would like to share with you, until I get you what you are looking for.

My next concert to attend is Ustad Zakir Ji and Ustad Sultan Khan in may. That will be fun..and I can’t wait.

1.5 ma looks feasible now.
Kulharee do not forget to let us know how the concert went.

Tinks, Ams
Did either of you ever read a book called ``Village by the Sea`` by Anita Desai. I often thought it would make a very nice childrens film.
I would like to see Halo.

Re: # 74

Typical American Chukli Patti

Did you add Nargis in Mother India? She brings up dem two buggers and shoots one of em. Even Raat Aur Din was okay.
Waheeda Rehman in Khamoshi. There are some more that I cannot get right now. Am working on some thingie so brain is fixed around 1.5 mA.

I daren`t ask - what exactly is a TACP? :-)

Tara Deshpande is an idiot - too much attitude. Actually so does Rahul Bose - have attitude, I mean. But great talent makes you want to forgive the man. Tara, on the other hand, has no such saving graces.

I have seen Train to Pakistan. Great movie. Often thought Rajit Kapoor was one helluva underated actor. I remember seeing him as Feluda on TV.

With reference to an earlier post by Amrita on strong women roles in early Indian cinema - Nutan in Bandini and Sujata, Meena Kumari in Ek Hi Raasta, Waheeda Rehman in Guide, Suchitra Sen in Aandhi, Sharmila Tagore in Mausam and Amar Prem,Smita Patil in Mirch Masala, Shabana in Arth Hema Malini in Lal Pathar, Jennifer Kendall in 36 Chowringhee Lane - they all come to mind. In today`s films, I can think of Madhuri Dikshit (Mrityudand) Raveena Tandon in Satta, Tabu in Astitva and Chandni Bar, Rekha in Ijazat, (an absolute gem of a movie) etc

Care to add any more to the list?