Faridoon Shahryar's Blog


Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Temptation Of Expectations

Noisy rain
Shouts at
The demure trees;
Clouds are
Flooded with anger
Or maybe
Helplessness
Of the unknown;
Affection trickles
In Abundance
Smiles flow
In rivulets
Of care and compassion;
Hatred is sorrow
Grief is transient,
Surprises are
Like fashion,
They keep coming in
Fresh forms;
Sweet words
Can be smeared
With poison,
Stark cautions
May have a
Positive world-view.

Life is
Not a Discovery,
It is a constant
Realisation, of
How good
You can be
If you can resist
The temptation
Of 'Expectations'.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

June Update: Pathbreaking Films Of 2010

The definition of Pathbreaking cinema for me is the category of films that pushes the envelope in terms of the story idea, the director's aim is not merely to maximise profits by inserting gimmicks and items but to present a radical new thought. And yes the technical sheen of the film and the performances also take a pathbreaking film to a new level. No, I don't confuse it with 'Art' cinema. A pathbreaking film can be one of the biggest hits of the year as well.

In the year 2010 so far three films merit the label of 'Pathbreaking cinema'. First one is 'My Name Is Khan'. For, Karan Johar dared to break out of his comfort zone and present a wonderful new world of Rizvan Khan. It tried to break the stereotyping of people based on religion, culture, cast and race. All the actors played their part very well and the technical nuances of the film were wonderful. Shahrukh Khan ended up superbly enacting a role that is an anti-thesis of the traditional 'hero' roles that he has mostly been associated with (barring a Chak De India or Swades).

'Well Done Abba' saw Boman Irani touching new heights as an actor. An upmarket Parsi guy playing a Hyderabadi Muslim from a lower strata of the society with such finesse was nothing short of brilliant. Minissha Lamba pitched in with a very fine performance as well. Writing of the film was first rate throughout. And it establishes my strong belief that good writers inspire great cinema. More than anything else.

'Love Sex Aur Dhokha' for me is the best film of the year so far. The film doesn't depend on big stars. It shows the strength of a wonderful script woven in style. Dibakar Banerji is a mindblowing director. Eagerly awaiting his next.

In the forthcoming days a few of the films, which I feel may prove to be pathbreaking are the following:

Lamhaa: Rajat Dholakia is a director who doesn't seem to be coloured by the commercial mayhem of movie making. His last film 'Parzania' has been widely applauded. And when you see the promos of 'Lamhaa' you get to see a raw power and unmitigated energy that reeks of honesty. Shooting a film in Kashmir must have been one hell of a task. Music is refreshing and the camera work looks super.

Peepli Live: If Aamir Khan can give one year of his life after delivering the biggest hit of his career to promoting his productions, the films must be worth it. 'Peepli Live', directed by journalist turned filmmaker Anusha Rizvi, has already been lauded at international festivals. Khan has devised a strategy with which he shall be releasing the film in European countries as well. Those who've seen the film, say even though it doesn't have recognised faces, it's an entertaining film with a strong message. I predict it will also do well at the Box Office.

Dhobi Ghaat: Directed by Kiran Rao, 'Dhobi Ghaat' stars Aamir, Prateik Babbar and two girls. Argentinian composer Gustavo is composing music and its the only film of the year where Aamir, the actor will be toasted by the audience. There's speculation that the recent Ad shot by Aamir in a village bumkin garb is the starting point for his 'Dhobi Ghaat' promotions. Not much is known about the film. But yes, both the Critics and the Trade guys are sure that this one will be one of the movies to watch out for in 2010.

Udaan: This UTV and Anurag Kashyap production has earned laurels at Cannes and its young director Vikramaditya Motwane is being hailed by the industry as the next-big-find. Promos of this film have been generating a lot of curiosity. It seems like a film that is both entertaining as well as critically sound in all the departments. Moreover, no known names which means its banking on a good story, wonderful direction and innovative promotions.

Guzaarish: Sanjay Leela Bhansali teaming up with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan. Obviously, its a ready made commercial hot property. But with Bhansali's penchant for the Artistic, 'Guzaarish' is eagerly anticipated for a fresh story, execution and solid performances.

Saat Khoon Maaf: This may well be the once-in-a-lifetime role for Priyanka Chopra with all the disguises and shades of her character in the film. It's a Vishal Bharadwaj film and the man is a powerhouse of talent. Rest assured, the music will be timeless. Also there are some outstanding male actors in the film. as well. Definitely a film that can be trend setting for sure.

Do you agree with my choices? Do you have a few more films that you think can qualify for 'Pathbreaking Films of 2010'. Do share your thoughts, opinions and names.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

"I Love the monsoons": Karisma Kapoor

This interview is from a press release that I received and has not been conducted by me. Hope it makes the Karisma Kapoor fans happy who is celebrating her birthday tomorrow.

“For the Kapoor clan, the spell of rain brings in another reason for celebration at home”, says Karisma Kapoor

Come monsoons, witness the environment paint itself in beautiful hues of green, blue and grey, personifying nature’s beauty to the fullest. But monsoon is a season that breeds water borne diseases as well. It is thus crucial that we maintain our body resistance by boosting immunity levels and drinking and eating healthy foods. For instance, oily pakodas can be replaced by healthy alternatives such as fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts like almonds, while the intake of water can be increased by having healthy juices instead of plain water.

Here’s a sneak peek into how our superstars enjoy the rains, while being at their healthiest best:

We spoke with Bollywood Actress, Karisma Kapoor who loves the monsoons. Being raised in Mumbai, Karisma is used to extremities of weather! Here’s what she had to say about the monsoons and her way of enjoying the rains:

Q. What’s the one thing you love the most about monsoon?
A. I love the monsoons! The rains give me a feeling of purity. They cleanse nature, while adding that freshness to the trees making everything look and feel innately beautiful. Whenever it rains, Samaira just runs out and enjoys it by getting drenched. The happiness and thrill on my daughter’s face just amazes me everytime!

Q. What do you miss the most while watching the showers?
A. Nothing. I just pray that monsoons always show their beautiful side, rather than a catastrophic one. I love the sound of thundering clouds and enjoy sipping a hot drink with health snack like almonds. Pakoras sound good, but are a strict no-no for me on health grounds.

Q. How do you like to spend your day when it’s raining heavily?
A. Normally, I prefer to stay back at my home during heavy rains. I love to sit near the window or watch a good movie lying on the couch with my family while munching on a handful of almonds.

Q. Which dish do you cherish eating?
A. If it’s raining heavily then I like to eat anything that is hot with my cup of tea. My family loves eating salad made with fresh vegetables tossed with fresh fruits and almonds and every day before my daughter leaves for school she insists that I give her a handful of almonds. I am happy as almonds are the perfect choice to give her the essential energy and stamina during the sluggish monsoon season.

I make it a point to increase the intake of Vitamin E in my diet since the rainy season is also the time when our skin behaves a little bizarre and is often unbalanced. Hence, it’s extremely important to take care of my skin by eating the right kind of food during this season in order to look fresh and beautiful



The rains are considered to be one of nature's best gifts to mankind. After the first showers, nature seems to be at its best —they all come alive, fresh and full of life. No matter how tense, upset or sad you may be, the monsoon rains have the ability to take away all your sadness and boost up your mood. Not to forget the health aspect, one can make it a joyful experience by following a healthy and nutrition packed diet as monsoons bring with them a refreshing coolness which pacifies the mind, body, and soul.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Who Is The Best Actress Of 1990s?

The response to the poll for best actress for 1990s was very good. The results are given below. You must also check out this Bollywood Hungama video on the actresses of 1990s. I would like to state that the results given below are the preference of people who are following me on twitter and need not be the general trend in the twitter world

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/broadband/video/Special-Features/53ZKmO6/3/Vintage-Touch-Top-Actresses-Of-1990s.html




Kajol: 48
Madhuri Dixit: 36
Karisma Kapoor: 19
Juhi Chawla: 12
Rani Mukherjee: 12
Sridevi: 4
Manisha Koirala: 6
Raveena Tandon: 1
Divya Bharti: 1
Aishwarya Rai: 1
Shilpa Shetty: 1


Here are a few of the opinions of some of the fans about their favourite stars:

1) rock_suv

@Faridoon_S obviously manisha koirala I still yearn for some actress to set the screen in fire with roles like 1942 bombay khamoshi dil se

2) KarismaK_FC

@Faridoon_S Of course KARISMA KAPOOR. She has delivered fantastic performances and ruled the 90s with the maximum of hits!

3) Lazzzzybug

@Faridoon_S My fav is Karisma. there is inocence and mystery in her personality which appeal to me.

4)Bellaranig

@faridoon_S My favorite is Madhuri dixit the Dhak Dhak girl!!! Nobody beats her in Kala and Nritya. She has everything rolled into one ;)

5) kajol1975

@Faridoon_S love is beautiful, love is pain, love is sadness, love is kajol the best of all kajol queen of bollywood 4ever

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Who's The Favourite Twitter Celebrity?

It happened one night. Or rather, it happened day before when I woke up very early morning and had this urge to check up twitter on blackberry. In fact, I had woken up with this idea of putting up a poll of Favourite Celebrity on twitter. Generally I just check the tweets and go back to sleep but then I thought why not put up this poll right now. The moment I did, there was herculean activity all around me and tweets started flying. It continued for over 24 hrs as fans urged others to stand up for their favourite stars. Here are the results. But I must add, that these results are reflective of people who are following me and need not be the general trend in the twitter world. I have personally tabulated all the votes with care and precision to the best of my ability.

Salman Khan: 106
Shahrukh Khan: 81
Shahid Kapoor: 71
Vivek Oberoi: 39
Priyanka Chopra: 25
Hrithik Roshan: 26
Amitabh Bachchan: 15
Abhishek Bachchan: 15
Anupam Kher: 7
Rahul Khanna: 11
Sonam Kapoor: 4
Celina Jaitley: 5
Mahesh Bhatt: 3
Imran Khan: 5
Arjun Rampal: 4
Boman Irani: 4
Akshay Kumar: 3
Kunal Kapoor: 2
Bipasha Basu: 2

There were a few more celebrities who got a single or maybe two votes and I haven't mentioned them here to avoid clutter. Yes, obviously I haven't included myself (even though there were several votes for me) as I would rather bring you the Info rather than celebrate myself. One guy whom I will start following after this poll is Rahul Khanna as there is an overwhelming number of you guys who seem to be loving his funny tweets. Find below, a few of your tweets describing why you like a particular celebrity:

1) rube80 @Faridoon_S Although my fav celeb on Twitter is Salman Khan but my fav indian Twitter user is Mahesh Bhatt! A fearless wise n honest man!

2) SRKismyAngel

@Faridoon_S SRK. He comes everyday & actually chats w/us. He showers us w/his unconditional love & makes our lives beautiful beyond belief.

3) zany82

@Faridoon_S my fav celeb on twitter is salmankhan coz he doesn't suck up 2 anyone like other celeb do he tell like it's we his fan luv him

4) @Cadburylove said:

@Faridoon_S *Disclaimer* - Only read when you have time, because it is a bit lengthy .... We have the finest actors in the showbiz industry and I like certain people's performances over others. For eg, I like SRK/Aamir/Abishek/Priyanka/Deepika. However I just happened to 'click' with Shahid. Now I am compelled to say why I am Shahid's fan. That is something that will cross all borders. I cannot merely express my love and admiration for him in 140 words or even 14000 words for that matter. But here goes my 2cents.

Shahid is amazing, thoughtful and his answers are always filled with honesty and yet at the same time are diplomatic. He can take contructive crtisicm and use it to for the better. His dedication and focus during his work is worth admiring. He is true to all his beliefs and values he stand. He is such an influential figure to all and has a great emotional depth within him.I used to think what was that made me turn into such a big fanatic. His humility, his dynamic dancing skills or his incredible performance which he manages to surpass at every level? - It was all that, but also how he manages to stay grounded and his unconditional love to his friends and family was probably what set him apart.

To reach in a successful position in showbiz, It takes endurance, it takes dedication, and it comes with failures along the journey. Many give up, many let go. But he didn’t. He chose to persevere. Even after achieving that goal, he dared to challenge himself more. He knew he had the potential. Kaminey was his second birth as an actor. It takes a lot of courage to risk the familiar sense of security and to embrace something new. But he did it.

In saying all this, don't think I am blindly stating that Shahid is perfect. He's human, he would make mistakes. Magar by taking those mistakes and turning it into a learning experience - He earned my respect =)

5) shakolan

@Faridoon_S How much times do I have to vote for SRK??? Count it 1000000times for him! ;o)))) SRK is my fav twitter, Im here coz of him

6) Supritha sunshine_sup

@Faridoon_S It should defi be our Desi Girl Priyanka Chopra!!!!!! Joined in here just for her :))

7) PRERNAHRFAN

@Faridoon_S HRITHIK ROSHAN-A TRU SUPERSTAR .. his honest face.. his puree heart.. his dedication towards his work... AAH HE IS A SUPERSTAR

8) UditaMadan

@Faridoon_S My fave tweet celeb would definitely have to be Vivek Oberoi, because, he really respects his fans & makes them feel special too

I had a lot of fun doing this poll. Hope you enjoyed it as well. We shall repeat this poll maybe three months down the line. If you have suggestions for polls that you'd want me to do, feel free to let me know about them. Cheers!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Why Its Nice To Say 'Thanks'?

Well, here's a small conversation that I had with my friend here:

wow, wat logic man RT @Srk_Fan25 @Faridoon_S Everyone is actor in this world..everyone has diff roles and goals..Yes thats make u a Celeberity.. :-D

Srk_Fan25

@Faridoon_S..Should i say thanx or not?? cause sometimes it feels like "saying thanx to someone is like aapne koi ehsaan kiya ho "..

Now, I would like to narrate a small story that has helped me a lot in life. And makes a lot of sense. Why is it important to say 'Thanks'? Well, once upon a time, famous English writer Rudyard Kipling (the guy who wrote 'IF') met up with a journalist in a party. The journalist said, "Mr Kipling, I've heard that your words are precious and each word that you speak is worth 100 Pounds. So, here is a 100 Pounds note, please give me a word that's worth it." Rudyard Kipling smiled, gently took the 100 Pound note from the journalist, put it in his pocket, looked up, smiled and said: "Thanks".

If you say Thanks to anyone it is not as if someone has done a favour to you. It's a gracious acknowledgment that cements your bond further. Saying 'thanks' or 'sorry' is a sign of good manners and makes you amiable and likable. Nothing wrong with that. Isn't it!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Salubrious Virginity

Coquettish rain
Making love to
Salubrious virginity,
Tea leaves
Brewing merrily,
Many a cups
Are not enough
To satiate
The thirst
For warm creativity.

Tree leaves
Near my window,
Are like the
Serene Violins
Teased by the
Rainy austerity
Of woodwinds.

The Air Conditioner
Is finally off,
The sweat has
Drizzled away
With cloud's tears
In copious rivulets.

There's a new reason
To celebrate life,
There should always
Be an excuse
To celebrate life
And just have some fun.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Comforting Fire Of Responsible Love

As she slipped
Her little fingers
In my hands
I felt stronger,
The touch of trust
Like the
Snow white innocence
Gently lit up
The comforting fire
Of responsible love
Child is father
Of the man
Is a realisation
That dawns
With experience;
The soft smile
Heals insecurities
A cozy snuggle
Bolsters energies
Unsolicited advice
Smeared with wisdom
Crackling chirpiness
A swimming pool of happiness
Embracing your sickness
Without a whimper
A glass of water
When you need it the most
If there's true love
Its Her...
May God bless her!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Life River Hurries Leisurely

Murmurs of cocophony
Are music to ears
Gossip, laughs and bitchiness,
Lush green happiness;
A smiling cup of tea
Life river hurries leisurely;
Distant love,
A hint of Hurt..
Silence sighs in discomfort
Eager, resilient sea waves,
An ambiguous night,
An aimless journey
An ambitious confidence;
Togetherness...
Aching for proximity
Elusiveness still lingers
Longingly...

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Clock Of Harmony

Empty rooms don't talk
They just keep staring
Back at you;
Memories play games
Oscillating between
Unpleasant pleasantness;
A chair...forever
Laid back,
Always welcoming;
Desktop eyes
Shine with glee
Defying the
Air Conditioned
Darkness.
Google with its
Over generousness,
Induces half intelligence;
Twitter birds
Chirp merrily
While a few
Croak disenchantment.

A room full of opinions
Puts the house in order;
It's a new world
That has invented
A new clock of harmony;
Loneliness isn't a curse,
Maybe its an opportunity
To rediscover yourself.