Fall TV Returns!!!!

FINALLY....FALL TV IS BACK...


All this time it was semi-back with all the political stuff going on, but now that we know who our next US PRESIDENT is going to be (WOOHOO PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA), we in which I mean by MY DVR AND I, can resume to watching TV!!!!

The shows I'm hooked on to this fall are:

Dancing with the Stars
Samantha Who?
Two and a Half Men
Eli Stone
Private Practice
Top Chef
Ugly Betty
Grey's Anatomy
Project Runway
Random Bravo TV Reality shows (i.e. Flipping Out, Kathy Griffin on the D-List, Millionaire Matchmaker)

sad to say goodbye to the following shows:-

Cashmere Mafia
Big Shots
Notes from the Underbelly

What are you guys on???

I know I never caught on the House, Madmen, Brothers and Sisters, 24, or Lost....i will one day... what can I say I'm an ABC and Bravo TV Junkie...

Though I do like My Boys on TBS...but then again that's Summer TV


Maybe I'll let you convince me but I think I watch enough TV already now...Don't you think?

The Unheard Voices Tour Hits NEW YORK!

Sorry guys for not blogging sooner. With Eid passing us (Eid Mubarak By the way!!!) I've been genuinely tied up with something VERY EXCITING...and I'm even more excited to share "the goods" with you...

This is what I have been working on...Dont know why the color is distorted

Drishtipat, a human rights organization for Bangladesh, partners with highly acclaimed Musical Maestro Arnob and his band friends for a worldwide concert to raise funds for its humanitarian projects.

Sponsored by the NEW YORK chapter of DRISHTIPAT, please come and be mesmerized by the talents of:

- ARNOB
- DHRUBO
- NAZRUL
- JIBON
- ANDREW
- NAZIA

and Opening Act by RUPOM (Brothers In Madness) and UPOL!

When: Saturday 25th October, 2008
Time: 8pm
Where: Peter Norton Symphony Space at 95th Street
2537 Broadway, New York NY

Tickets: $ 25 (general admission); $ 20 (students).

TICKETS ARE OFFICIALLY ON SALE!!! THEY ARE AVAILABLE AT

http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/2744

OR
Symphony Space Box Office: 212.864.5400
Jackson Heights: Disco Recording 718.639.8217
Jamaica: Somoy Boi Bichitra 917.603.8966

For group sales and any further information, Send us an email:
info@newyork.drishtipat.org

For details about this multi-city tour, please visit:
http://www.drishtipat.org/concert2008/

Official Site: http://www.drishtipat.org/concert2008/

less

No Questions Asked! I want you all there showing your support!!!!


To Donate:http://drishtipat.org/newyork/

Our Concert Promo!

Hardcore Omnivore Prowls!

So a friend of mine has decided that she is going to be a vegetarian for a month. Just to test it out and understand the concept of being a vegetarian. Not for any political reasons or anything....and all I can say is hats off to her! She is 10 days till the end of the month and have slipped twice! Not bad I say. If I were around her, I'd surely run after her with a steak in a fork. I mean come on! What are friends for?

So as you know Ramadan started about 2 weeks ago and honestly I've always noticed that not only I but everyone gains more weight during Ramadan than other times. I guess its the daytime starvation that leads to sundown gorging! So in my efforts to maintain the level of pounds and more so lose some, I went on the gm diet. A diet that guarantees 10-17 lbs of weight loss in 7 days. Not bad!

So day 1 was all fruits. Woke up for sehri and had a bowl of watermelon. for iftar i had more watermelon and strawberries.

Day 2 was all about vegetables, starting off with a baked potato. fine went quite well.

Day 3 was all about fruits and vegetables but no potato nor any bananas. at this point i had already lost 7 lbs...VERY HAPPY!!!!

Come day 4 it was all about bananas and milk and mind you in addition to this diet i decided that i was strong enough to fast as well...

so during iftar i had my bananas and milk and kept on thinking i cant wait for day 5 and its my EID!!! Day 5 is MEAT DAY and all you can eat MEAT!!!!! WOOOHOOO....it was only during sehri while chatting with family that i realized what a meatitarian i was....Not only did i eat the meat i probably devoured an entire farm of cows and chickens....Okay I'm OVER EXAGGERATING. but it sure felt like it....i could not get over the taste of it!!!

so this led me to think, how on earth is my fellow friend (also a meatitarian) is doing this challenge? i can't even last 4 days and she's doing this for a month!?!?! She's Nuts! Correction...All vegetarians are nuts! So the theories of being a vegetarian, apart from the group who are due to religion, you know the ones who don't eat meat because animals have feelings or its inhuman is total bull...

Think about it, when a crocodile, tiger, lion, shark rip you apart for dinner, do you think they stop to think that hmmm eating you is going to hurt your feelings!! It's part of a food chain dammit!!! circle of life. whatever it's called!!!

So to all you vegetarians out there...YOU'RE really missing out!!! Hey i love my veggies... Brussels Sprouts are mmmm good!!! but so are all the other meats.

P.S.- if i ever were to be a vegetarian, I'm sure I'd probably die on day 2 but to think what would be the last meat i would give up then it would surely be Chicken and fish would probably the first to go! I know...some Bengali I am!

You're walking down the street, minding your own business. Wind blowing in to your hair (or not) and you stop to cross the street anxiously waiting to see the green man that will let you walk because you are running late for yet another meeting (business or pleasure). The walk sign turns on you start crossing the street and right then and there you spot someone and luck has it, they have spotted you too. You both smile walking towards each other while in your mind, you have already shared passionate kisses, married the person, had their kids, and have grown old together. In that split second you have lived an entire lifetime. You come back to reality and although you both have checked each other out and smiled, you walk passed each other, you smile even more and think...Right, wake up! This incident has made you smile for let's say another 10 mins and then you go back to your life still rushing.

Apparently cats have the most of 9 lives....Who said, I just lived my 1057th and some lives....

A Jihad for Love by Parvez Sharma

Earlier Today, I received an email about a movie screening in DC. Initially, I disregarded it because it was showing in dc and I live in NY. but in the back of my mind, I felt like I had heard something about this movie and well the title was interesting so I clicked on the email anyway instead of sending it straight to the trash.

Intrigue was the first thing on my mind. Finally someone who has the courage to produce a film about homosexuality and Islam. Islam teaches us that all are equals and we are all brothers and sisters. So then why do we disregard homosexuals? Just because I am straight shouldn't mean that I'm a better person and that I deserve more respect. All should be equal. And besides shouldn't religion be to one its own?

I really have much more to say but if I decide to perfectly articulate myself and then post this post then it's just going to take forever!!! So as I get my words together, please check out the trailer and an interview with the director. And let's start a dialogue about how we can bring justice to all and actually mean it.

A Jihad For Love Trailer


Interview with the Director

Ramadan Kareem!

The years go by so fast that it's simply scary! I can't believe that Ramadan is here already! Didn't we just celebrate Eid a little while ago? Anyway, now that it is back, Here's to wishing all of you Ramadan Kareem and May the blessings of Allah shower on you and your family on this auspicious and holy month!!

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong)." (Al-Baqarah 2:185)

"O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)" (Al-Baqarah 2:183)

Carded at 27!

This past weekend, I was attending yet another family trip and this time we went to Atlantic City. Can I just say that AC is one of the ugliest towns in the US. I seriously felt like I was going to be gambling in the projects. Couple of streets down from the casinos were probably the projects....You know, the ones beyond the ultimate gamblers' last resort of "We buy Gold for Cash" Stores....So anyway, we got there drove around, picked Caesar's Palace as our parking lot and set out to walk towards the boardwalk. Came out of the lot and were of course lost and was trying to figure out which way was the ocean. Atlantic Ocean. Of course, the first person we asked turned out to be a Bengali, because we are freakin' EVERYWHERE! And the next person we asked turned out to be an Arab. So pretty much we covered both home countries and managed to finally to see the Atlantic Ocean, walk along the Boardwalk, and come to our final destination for the time being, Trump Palace where we were going to play and lose all our money in the cheap slot machines.

Long story short, after playing an entire hour and a half and asking hotel officials numerous times different questions, right as we were about to leave, I was stopped. Why? Can I see your id? The guy had a walkie-talkie and goes, we have a possible minor on the floor! WHATT??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I could not stop laughing my ass off, and for some reason he didn't think it was funny! Come on! How can you not????

I whipped out my id and said,"I'll gladly give you my id" he looked at me twice..."WHAT?? you're 27? I'm sorry, Miss. We have a strict policy of not allowing anyone under the age of 21." Signalled his walkie-talkie and says,"It's a negative" and appologizes and walks away!

So after losing the 20 dollars i gambled which at one point brought it up to 50 but didn't react to, I was carded!!! Woohoo....I look under 21!

Mr Trump Palace Officer, You made my day and the trip of course!

The Unavailable Stalker

Religiously, EVERYDAY, roughly around noonish and again around 8ish, I've been getting a call from an unavailable number where the phone rings for the first 2 rings and sends it to my phone as a missed call...The person in question, whoever is ringing me, has yet to leave me a voice message or a txt, or just a plain call from a regular number. Now as much as I enjoy screening calls (NOT), I need to know who this moron is that makes me run to my phone only to be a blank call...So whoever you are, will you just bother to leave me a msg or better yet, wait for me to answer the damn phone?

Thanks!

Rumors of upcoming Dancing With the Stars Season Line Up!

Here's the full list:

• Former 'N Syncer Lance Bass; pro partner Lacey Schwimmer

• Keeping Up With the Kardashians star and socialite/boutique owner Kim Kardashian; pro partner Mark Ballas

• Grammy winner Toni Braxton, who just cut her Vegas show short due to heart problems; pro partner Alec Mazo

• Retired NFL defensive lineman Warren Sapp; pro partner Kym Johnson

• Toast of Beijing and one-half of Team USA's two-time Olympic gold medalist beach volleyball team, Misty May-Treanor; pro partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy

• All My Children's resident daytime diva Susan Lucci; pro partner Tony Dovolani

• Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito; pro partner Karina Smirnoff

• Rock Star host and onetime E! personality Brooke Burke; pro partner Derek Hough

• Gold medalist sprinter for Team USA in the Athens and Sydney Olympics Maurice Greene; pro partner Cheryl Burke

• Up-and-coming Disney tween heartthrob and Hannah Montana costar Cody Linley; pro partner Julianne Hough

• Sitcom utility player Ted McGinley (Hope & Faith, Sports Night, Married…With Children); pro partner Inna Brayer

• Veteran Oscar-winning actress and recent Roast of Bob Saget scene-stealer Cloris Leachman; pro partner Corky Ballas

• Comedian Jeffrey Ross, this year's heir apparent to Adam Carolla's entertaining yet uncoordinated mantle; pro partner Edyta Sliwinska Kardashian has already handicapped herself, calling in to Good Morning America today to confirm that she was rushed to a New York emergency room Sunday night after slicing her foot open on a broken mirror in her hotel room. But she will go on with the show.

or so they say....Let's see what happens...Stay Tuned!

Today, for a brief moment I felt really happy. I was talking to my pasty white friend from one of the boondocks of the Midwest and I was sharing with him how recently I've been listening to a lot romantic music. Romantic Hindi songs to be in particular. As he diligently listened to me yap about how Urdu poetry is above and beyond because honestly speaking, a. I'm probably the only sheer entertainment he gets other than the local bar and b. doesn't have much clue about the rest of the world let alone what happens in New York City. (How did I manage to be his friend? We both wonder from time to time!) So as I was explaining to him, the song Man ki Lagan from the movie Paap came played on my Itunes. My heart and mouth stopped...I know...quite the difficult task.

Instantly, I felt relaxed and he asked if everything was ok...I told him about the song how it calms me and moments later, I shared the song with him. The dimwit of course seconds later after hearing said the song wasn't in English...Quel suprise! As I translated the song to him, he commented on how truly deep this song was and even he started to like it and that probably there aren't that many English songs that share the poetic level. This reaction led me to send a few more tunes that were soon to be appreciated by a non desi. Although this whole incident may seem minuscule or insignificant to many others but right then there I felt a pang of satisfaction where I taught someone something about our regional culture. And of course, I couldn't help but share this moment with you...

Other songs that i shared were

Teri Ore - Singh Is Kinng
O Re Piya - Aaja Nachle
Jiya Dhadak - Kalyug
Aaoge Jab - Jab We Met
Baahon Ke Darmiyaan - Khamoshi
Kate Nahi Raat - 99.9FM
Jaan Meri Jaa Rahi - Lucky




Here is a taste of the song (i did try to find the best recording i could)

"The Unforgettable" Concert

It all began one night when I was surfing through crap TV. The screen went black and I wondered if something happened to my satellite and nanoseconds later, the Unforgettable Tour sign came on...
Earlier that day, I heard some rumors that there was going to be a concert soon but I didn't think much of it because the summer time is big around that. Deep down, I was curious so watched along and lo and behold, it was THE AMITABH BACHCHAN! He was coming to NEW YORK! of course along with him was his clan, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwariya - the new buy one get second one 50% off and third free deal, but who cares!! AMITABH was coming! Immediately the phones started ringing the instant messages started flourishing-call it the Barso Re Megha style. Within seconds 9 of us had been set to go to the show! Sulekha.com and Mr. Bharat Jotwani himself helped us get the seats we wanted and WE WERE SET TO SEE THE MAN on the 15th of August 2008!

Weeks came by, and the gossipy dialogue amongst friends were exchanged...You know, what we were going to wear yaddi yaddi yada.. Friends from Maryland and Boston were coming so apart from the show, what we will be doing for the rest of the weekend and the whole shebang. The planning was on full shebang!

The day finally arrived, one batch arrived at 130, the next at 4pm (after battling 2 hrs of traffic), one friend was meeting us straight at Nassau Coliseum, and the final leg, my loving father were to arrive at 6pm where we would pick him from the station. And that's when it all began!

Few moments before we were going to get my father from the train station, another friend called out of concern that there was a tornado watch warning for Westchester. We were soo consumed in getting ready that neither of us noticed what was going on beyond our windows. But nonetheless without thinking anything my mother and aunt left to pick up my father at 6 on the dot. 6:15 rolled by and still no sign of my mother, aunt or my father. I called to find out what was going on because the train is only a 4-min drive from my house. Apparently, he hadn't arrived as of yet. Call Waiting Blinking! I clicked on and it was my father...The storm had smacked a tree on to train tracks and the train is waiting to the tree to be moved. Doesn't know which train station they are near. So subsequently I called my mother to let her know to just come home because it's going to be a while, which it sure was. Finally dad reached home at 6:45 and was summoned to hurry up, change, eat something so we could still leave by 7 as planned. Little did we know what we had ahead of us!


So finally we all packed in the car at 7:05pm (great timing considering we aimed to leave by 7) and off we were to Hutchinson River Parkway South. We drove about 2 miles towards where the road splits, one going towards Queens and Long Island, where we needed to go, and the other to New Jersey and Manhattan and lo and behold, there is back to back traffic on every effing highway out of Scarsdale due to Bronx River overflowing hence blocked all roads. Here I had my friend waiting for us at the concert and we were no where near the theater... We kept on going back and forth trying different routes...but everything was closed. after 2 hrs of trying hard we almost gave up of not going to the concert but for some reason we decided to try one last time... Yes watching Abhishekh dance with his dad on stage was still in the cards for us. We barely made the show at 1030pm, two and a half hours later but just on time for Amitabh to make his presence for the very first time on stage that night..

What a man!!!!! Seriously there is no actor in today's time that can even come close to him to be at par with him...Maybe Aamir can be somewhat close but not really. Shahrukh can keep on trying but he will never be as amazing as AMITABH BACHCHAN. The moment he started dancing to Jahan Teri Ye Nazar Hai, the whole crowd was dancing along with him. Every person whether it be the Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles reliving their newlywed years or us kids who would dance with our parents on their toes to these dance numbers!!! Even kids today were on their toes dancing with the 64+ year old man! It was the best...

What was even better was when he read the monologue from Agneepath remembering his mother...it was one moment when everyone was dancing and the next moment crying along with him as he read the lines...Fabulous!!!

Abhishekh, Aishwariya, Preity and Ritiesh equally did a great job and were quite enjoyable but it was all of a sudden when you could literally hear everyone's heart pumping...in anticipation...it was the moment when none other than Madhuri came on stage. What a beauty...Being a straight woman, even I fell in love with her....Not only can the woman dance but she looks awesome!!! Even today. I remember seeing her on stage when i was a kid in Dubai but when I saw her that night...it was a different ball game all together...

They say Aishwariya is gorgeous..and she is no doubt but in all honesty, no one can even come near Madhuri's beauty and simplicity... I'm sorry all Ash fans! This concert made a point that old is gold and will never be unforgettable!!!

So after all these heart pumping numbers that not only reminded me of my childhood, we all came home starving yet fully satisfied with whomever we went to see the concert for, regardless of all the things we had to go through just to get there....

Excercising My First Right as an American

Khauwar Dol - The Food Blog

So my friends and I have started a food/recipe blog where we focus on food basically. Recipes galore and have plans of posting Restaurant Reviews et bla bla bla...
check it out and give us some feedback!

http://khauwardol.blogspot.com

Hope you enjoy it! Till my next post, which will be later TONIGHT!!!

The Grass is always greener on the other side..

I was just thinking the other day why this saying is soo true? When you walk around long enough, there are some of the things you usually get to overhear....

"Their lawn is better looking than ours...."

"I wish I was married.." vs. "I wish I was single again.."

"I wish I had bigger boobs.." vs. "I wish I had smaller boobs, I can't wear a lot of the clothes you can!!" (I actually overheard this very conversation when I was on the train going into the city to meet a few friends...but you know...these aren't uncommon wishes)

"Why can't I find someone?" (Again on the train (not the same train ride though), but the interesting part was that a few moments before a not soo cute but decent guy was trying to hit on her and she said NO WAY IN HELL....ok maybe not those exact words but it was the basic gist) I think I may have written a post about this very incident before...seems familiar yet very vague.

But seriously, why is it that we are never happy with what we have....What is it with the constant craving for having what others have. Why is it that we always fall for the societal pressure of looking good, or at least what we think the society accepts?

This may sound slightly far fetched or maybe not, but is it because the whole world suffers from some form of lack of confidence which can be molded into a form of fear of failure? If I don't have the best looking ____(fill in the blanks)_______, then I'm a failure?

In a way, I can see how certain standards can be effective such that it gives you guidance in life but who has the right to set those standards? What's with this "I'm better than you" syndrome? I'm probably rambling and not making in sense, but it's something that's been on my mind for a while and just thought I would just point it out.
You're probably just as confused as to what I'm talking about but deep down I feel that you know what I mean. Dammit!!! Why is the grass greener on the other side!!!?!!?!

any thoughts or ideas?

The Move

It's been almost over 2 years that I have been telling my friends that I will be moving to UAE at the end of year. But of course due to certain circumstances, I've have had to postpone my move and it's come to a point that I've changed my moving dates soo many times that it's almost become a joke. But now that it is official that I am moving in September, I've been going through soo many mixed emotions that I don't know what to even say. Of course, I am excited to the T that I'm going back home and going to be amongst all my childhood friends. I can't wait to relive my old lifestyle which is going to be heightened because i will be earning now and well will have far more liberties than I did then. Will no longer have to sneak to the mall when our parents were off to the Dubai which at most had a few clothing stores and an arcade store...haha....we were such innocent little goons. if only we had mobile phones then.

But as I write this post, I figured I should tribute this one to all the things I'm going to miss about New York.
(1) The friends, of course....after living here for a good 14 years, I've developed some great friendships that i will cherish till the end.
(2) Random singing hangout sessions till the wee hours of the morning. Although, I'm sure a few of my UAE friends are musically talented, but I'm truly going to miss the jamming sessions with actual musicians who are quite well known in the scene and not only that but who are really passionate about their music. What can I say...it's just a different feeling all together..
(3) High-Speed Internet...do I even need to explain this further??? lol actually...its not just high speed Internet. I would also include the ability to visit any site i want. Last time i was there, they freakin' blocked something as random as Naseeb. Like what's soo inappropriate about that site, besides it being where all a bunch a hypocrites mingle-the so-called religious freaks but have affairs behind their spouses' backs.....
(4) MY HOUSE.....(MY HOUSE IS A VERY VERY FINE HOUSE..) I'm not going to say much because my house deserves a post in itself and I don't want to start pouring out tears...Not ready yet...
(5) Being able to get everywhere by the subway, especially when there is too much traffic.
(6) The quintessential New Yorkers that are only found in New York. I swear there is that eccentric breed that can't be found anywhere....not even in another US State....

There are soo many other things I'm going to miss about New York but right now, for some reason, I can't continue. I'm not really choking up....just the fact about thinking about the move is making me all overwhelmed.....(the packing...the change....u know....dream coming to reality...the whole shebang)

Anyways.....so here's to a new life ahead filled with new challenges and excitement.

Hello Bloggers!

Aaah it feels soo good to blog again!! Where did I disappear to really???Anyway, as you can see that even though I'm back, I've written about bollywood, which sort of is a half-assed attempt of coming back to blogging.. but hey something is better than nothing right?

anyway just to let u know that even though it is slightly related to bollywood, it would be nice for you guys to know that a few of my family members, ( family according to my dearest mother) have started blogging as well..

Aamir Khan's Blog is at http://www.aamirkhan.com/blog.htm

Amitabh Bachchan's Blog is at http://blogs.bigadda.com/ab/

The Love of my life, Salman Khan's Blog is at http://duskadum.blogspot.com/

Please check those out as I slowly return in the full blogswing!

The Kids of K.A.P.P.S.T.H.

I don't know if it's my maternal instincts that are coming out, but the kids on the Indian version of "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" titled "Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?", are absolutely adorable!!!

Girls, NO, I'm not talking about Shahrukh Khan being the kid who is cute! For those of you who don't know, he is the host of the show that airs on Star Plus. The actual 5th graders of the show are just absolutely adorable.

My fave is Dheirya Sorecha. (on your right) He is like a mini archie character...Every single time I see him on TV giggling away while sitting down and his scrawny little legs unable to reach the floor makes me want to hug him and tickle him even more...I don't know how to correctly translate this in English but every time I see this kid, 'amar atoo maaya laagey, je pichita ki asholey kichu parbe?!!" The translation will probably come to me later...so until then all my bangali friends can help me/you out.

Another cutie-patootie is this one...Sriporna Ghoshal! Her soundless laugh is just too cute and hilarious. She is very bubbly and is a complete chatterbox. The way she just runs up to the podium and smiles you want to just squeeze her cheeks!



The other three are equally adorable. We have Shreya Sharma, who is probably the smartest of the lot. When you see her, she looks like a polite little cute girl. And those of you who have seen the movie Makdee or Iqbal she looks a lot like the girl in those movies. Can't remember her name. Oh Right, Shweta Prasad..(Don't you just love Google...heehee!)


Anubhav Motilal!...Every time I see this kid, i instantly get the instinct that is the naughtiest of the lot! literally! every time he dances on stage with full force and vigor it's just too cute! Look at his pic... doesn't he look like he planning some notorious pranks on ppl!?! If there ever is a Hindi version of Home Alone, he would definitely be the ideal candidate!

Last but definitely not least!!! The most innocent child of crew is Milanjeet Singh Bhatti! He is innocent and naive that whenever he is picked he says the cutest things ever! It's not that he is dumb or anything he just get confused in his own confusion and makes the cutest mistakes!

So here are the adorable kids of Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain! 5 cutie-patooties of Indian silver screen. Some of them are going to be featured in upcoming movies so when you see them definitely cheer them on. But if you ever get a chance, do check them out on Star Plus at 9pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and see why i think they are absolute gems!

You can find out more about them on the Paanchvi Pass site

TaaRe ZaMeeN PaR

This year, yes part of me is still in 2007, we aka Bollywood lovers were lucky enough to see "creative" work by every Khan. Shahrukh with Om Shanti Om and Chakde India, Salman with Partner, Salaam-E-Ishq, Marigold, Saawariya, Saif with Tara Rum Pum, Eklavya, Nehle Pe Dehla and then all three of them together in Om Shanti Om. Wait, wait, wait....Don't worry, I haven't forgotten one of the bigger Khans. I don't mean bigger physically but bigger as in with talent. Yes! It is none other than our near and dear Aamir Khan. As many of us are addicted to his films not only because they are entertaining but because they are always DIFFERENT, shall we be politically correct and use the proper term; HATKE!"....literally. From Rang De Basanti, Lagaan, Mangal Pandey. Dil Chahta Hai , Sarfarosh, even as old as Andaaz Apna Apna, he is now back with a bang called
Taare Zameen Par!

Boys and Girls!!! THIS IS A MUST SEE MOVIE..NO Questions asked! A total tearjerker! It is a movie that wakes our South Asian parents up who constantly like to live in the world of denial! It's been forever that a majority of our South Asian parents like to ignore the fact that maybe their child may have a problem. Maybe because it shows a shortcoming on themselves that the child has this "problem" because they may suffer from it or the way they are nurturing their child is wrong...Who likes to be at wrong? Anybody? Of course NOT! All this while as they battle it themselves, they forget that it is the child that needs the help and attention. This has been a cycle for generations now. I see it in my own surroundings. I don't know if I feel sad about it or actually pity them but it surely does make me angry that the child is getting "ignored and not letting them to their potential". Oh well, Apart from that let's get to reviewing this fab movie!

The Story... If you think of it, it is quite simple. In a nutshell, it is about a child who suffers from a learning disability, Dyslexia, and how he is able to overcome this struggle of being considered "not normal" via the help of a teacher who himself experienced the same hurdle. The movie starts beautifully depicting how an average person, whether if it is a parent or a teacher, who is not familiar with such things as "learning disabilities", call it ignorance if you must, ill-treat the child and believe that the child is pulling a tantrum of not wanting to learn and not considering a mere possibility that their child may be retarded. Confusing learning disabilities to being mentally challenged is one of the biggest misconceptions I think there is out there. First and foremost, it is not the same thing. A child with a learning disability does not mean that they are not intelligent. There are many people who suffer from a learning disability are far intelligent than an average person, Albert Einstein being one of them.

Now I'm not saying that all parents are like that. There are some amazing parents out there that really take a step forward to accepting what their children have to offer to the world, which is the world in itself! However, it is about time that parents acknowledge that instead of worrying about the societal pressures or norms, accept the fact that your child needs help and that you need to give it to him or her. The movie aesthetically shows how a teacher, who suffered from the same disabilities help the child, slowly but surely overcome and succeed!!!

The Music...Brilliance to the T! Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have really done it this time! The songs of the year definitely has to go to Maa and the title track Taare Zameen Par both written by Prasoon Joshi and sung by Shankar Mahadevan himself. The lyrics and the melody of these songs are perfect marriages that every time you hear them, they just touch your heart and force you to cry. The others are equally entertaining but probably not as memorable as these two are!

The Directorial Debut of Aamir Khan...People may think I may be over exaggerating but in reality i don't really care because Aamir, YOU ARE A GENIUS! Not only have you been able to extract the perfect emotions from every character, the execution of every aspect of this movie has been brill! literally...Even though, TZP is his first film as a director, the entire movie clearly shows that he is one person who truly knows his craft! I truly would bow down and continuously clap for such a fantastic movie!
Darsheel Safary...Anything I say to praise this kid will not be enough. His innocence and sincerity to the role made him be the character, almost to the point that you couldn't decipher if he was acting or he actually is the kid in the film. He truly deserves an award for this film...and i cant wait for his future films.

Updated Note: Although this movie has been out for a long time and it has taken me this long to post, it still is a fab movie and all of you who still haven't seen it must go watch it!

Happy New Year

Wishing all my readers a very happy new year! May the new year bring you more joy than the previous years.

As a new year's resolution, I plan to write more for you guys. Fingers crossed, hoping to keep my resolutions this year!

With lots of love
Dazzlingsitar!!!