They can't all be masterpieces

I don't want to dwell too much on the hot mess that is MF Husain's Gaja Gamini.  I have not spared the movie in my new review on Filmi Geek, and you can go read it over there.

Here at Sounds Like Power, the focus is on Shabana Azmi.  I can only guess that it is respect for MF Husain that led her (and other actors of similar stature) to sign on to this project.  I wonder if she had seen the script or understood Husain's so-called vision.  The movie is regressive, objectifying claptrap masquerading unconvincingly as feminist empowerment.  It's utter nonsense. 

However, it is only two hours long, is full of Madhuri Dixit looking gorgeous, has some very nice music, and is probably worth sitting through for the Shabana Azmi completist (if there happens to be another such in the world, besides myself).  After all, Shabana ca. 2000 may be the most gorgeous Shabana there is.

 

Sigh.  Shabana ji gets to carry a lantern and look fierce with Farida Jalal.

And, she gets to display some delightfully WTFish costuming while delivering the film's torturous final speech.

So, all right.  It's not as painful as Son of the Pink Panther, which this devoted fan also sat through in the name of Shabana-pyaar.  But it comes with stern, graphic warnings:  This film may induce the flinging of items at the screen accompanied by plaintive wails of "Why, Shabana ji, why?"

Janam din mubarak ho! Plus, Hira aur patthar (1977)

It's that time of year again, when Sounds Like Power issues a very, very warm happy birthday greeting to Shabana Azmi.

Don't be bashful, Shabana ji!  We love your smile.  

Shabana Azmi is the sine qua non of my love for Hindi movies and all the amazing events and people that have entered my life since I started learning about them.  So apart from my respect and admiration, I also owe her my gratitude for all of that.  Here is a piece I wrote in 2008, explaining how that happened.

Here's wishing Shabana Azmi a peaceful day and a joyful, productive year.

***

The above screencapture is from the 1977 film Hira aur patthar, a fairly forgettable masala film starring Shabana ji opposite her girlhood idol, Shashi Kapoor.  I've posted a comprehensive review of the movie on Filmi Geek.  Here on SLP, though, we take a narrower view.

It's safe to say that Shabana ji is fairly wasted in this movie.  It's not quite as tragic a waste of talent as Amar Akbar Anthony, but she does get much to do here besides fretting and flitting.  And let's face it, for all her copious gifts, Shabana Azmi was never much of a flitter.

She does give good sari, though.  And so, on to the gratuitous screencaptures.

 Even then, best eyes in all of Hindi movies.

 This is a dream sequence, which is why she's dressed so oddly.

Prettiest sequence in the film, from a song, which I will post as a Shabana-gaana another day.

There is a bit of an opportunity for nautanki before the movie is over.

Shashi's tears revive her.  How romantic!

 

Stills from Midnight's Children

Salman Rushdie has posted stills from Deepa Mehta's upcoming adaptation of his book Midnight's Children to an album on Facebook.

Looking great!  I'm pleased at the thought of Shabana ji working with Deepa Mehta again ... cautiously optimistic about this one.

Apne paraye (1980) - review and gratuitous screencaps

I finally finished my review of Basu Chatterjee's 1980 movie Apne paraye - you can read the review on Filmi Geek. I was somewhat disappointed with the movie but Shabana Azmi's performance was one of its strong points. Her expression was able to add nuance to her characterization that was missing from the dialog alone.

Here at Sounds Like Power, though, we are all about the pretty. And so here are some gratuitous screen captures from the film, for your enjoyment!
















One thing that seems to be true of Basu Chatterjee - he (well, his costume designers) seem to love draping Shabana ji in an endless parade of gorgeous saris. I once tried to count all the different saris in Swami - I lost count around 14, all vibrant and lovely with wonderful detail work. Apne paraye offers almost that many. Sartorially, at least, the movie does not disappoint!

Janam din mubarak ho, Shabana ji

"... tu jiye hazaaron saal, yeh meri hai arzoo! "

Real life reared its head in an ugly way for me the last few days, so I did not have time to plan and execute a special post for Shabana ji's 61st birthday.

According to this report, she spent a lovely day in Khandala with her family. I wish her many, many more such celebrations.

And check out this slideshow from IBN chronicling some of her iconic roles. I especially liked this one from City of Joy, which I haven't yet seen.



I'm pretty sure that four of the pictures in IBN's slideshow are screen captures that I collected myself and have posted here over the years. Delighted to see others enjoying them!

I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but the next Hindi movie I plan to watch is Basu Chatterjee's Apne paraye, starring Shabana ji and Amol Palekar. I'll report back soon ...

Gratuitous screencaps: Main Azaad hoon (1989)

Marbs and Sally aced the trivia question I posted the other day: the two movies that Javed Akhtar wrote and Shabana Azmi starred in were Jhoothi shaan and the subject of today's gratuitous screencaps, Main Azaad hoon.

Main Azaad hoon is, to my knowledge, the only movie in which Shabana Azmi starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan. It was a pretty good movie - I have a half-written review which will be posted at Filmi Geek some time in the next couple of days. Until then, here are the screencaps.



















(I doctored that one - the print I watched had dreadful color in some scenes)

First look at Sorry Bhai

Glamsham has a little piece about Onir's Sorry Bhai, in which Shabana Azmi is again paired with Boman Irani. It includes the first still I've seen from the film, reproduced above. There is still no release date, though the article says "next year." I was hoping for a fall 2008 release.

Gratuitous screencaps: Chor Sipahee (1977)

Here are some adorable screencaps from another film I haven't seen, Chor sipahee. You can read what Beth, who provided the screencappy goodness, has to say about the film here. It seems Shabana Azmi did not have an enormous part - but she did ride a motorcycle.



The outfit is questionable, the hair is interesting:





Tawaif routine, with Shashi Kapoor for company:





Glam, and quite lovely:



Listening carefully with Vinod Khanna:



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