It's Valentine's Day Special | Editor's Pen

First, thanks for giving warm response to Between Breaths. We think that this time we will have a good number of entries. The show time would be grand. Please spread the word.

For long we have been planning to bring out a Valentine’s Day special. So, here we go…

Love is an interesting emotion. When you love someone, you feel like owning her (or him). It’s not bullish. It’s something you feel very normal. Though, it might be a serious breach of private space, smeared in the potion of love, you don’t care. Problems may or may not arise; but that’s definitely a story. In a contrasting situation, you give your love too much space. Even that can become a problem… and another great story. Space or no space, love is bound to have problems. That’s why there are so many love stories…

When someone ask me what’s love for me… I say, its defined by Casablanca and refined by Just Ada. What’s love for you?? Tell me. I am hearing…

Love,

Sujoy Ghosh

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind | Critique

Rating- 4 Stars

What will happen if two lovers would have had their first meeting in different setting? Will they still fall in love?

If they do fall in love will they have the same fights or different ones?

In my opinion(read interpretation), above things forms the central core of ‘Eternal Sunshine…’. Yes, there is a love story involved. Yes, there is a slight sci-fi angle that never overpowers the plot. Yes, there is question of morality regarding the memory erasing idea. It is a delight to understand the whole story of as it shuttles between present and past.

Kate Winslet is adorable as the girl with changing hairstyles and difficult attitudes. Jim Carrey proves once again that he has acting chops enough to portray any role. Kirsten Dunst, as the nurse madly in love with her doctor, is superb. All the characters are relatable and hence heartbreaking for what they are going through.

Sequence where Jim Carrey is trying hard to resist erasing memory of Kate by burying it in other memories is hilarious and heart breaking at the same time.

The morbid cinematography helps set the feel of film right; screenplay layered and great. The movie has taught me that, even if a love relation doesn’t last, irrespective of fight that happen, we still have cherished moments which make every ordeal in love worth it.

PS- The colored hair of the girl friend in ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the world’ to me seem to be inspired from ‘Eternal Sunshine …’

Written by Ali Naqvi

Yeh Saali Zindagi Movie Review | The Critique

Rating-3 stars

Before watching Yeh Saali Zindagi I was wondering what could be rationale of releasing the movie near Valentine Day.

Now I get it. It is pretty much a love story, or love stories if you will. Stories of Irrfan Khan-Chitrangadha Singh and Arunoday Singh- Aditi Rao Hydari. Irrfan-Chitrangadha track is major plot in the film and plays out well. Both being great actors have credibly performed their roles but they could have been utilized better.

Next comes the surprise package. Love and hate story of married couple Arunoday Singh- Aditi Rao Hydari, and it has more fire than any screen chemistry I have seen recently. They fight, she slaps him every 15 minutes, he kisses her just about anywhere and they make passionate love. Smoldering chemistry I say!

Sudhir Mishra has made a better film with Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi but this one is pretty good too. It actually took me by surprise, with all the black humor and so many twists and turns. The thing is that with so much happening in the movie it still manages to entertain audiences and.

If audiences cheer in cinema is any sign then the movie will be a hit for sure.  Movie caught most of the theater in collective laughter at least 15-20 times and that is more than most comedies these days. So if you’re too stressed out, give the movie a shot and my guess is you’ll come out smiling.

PS- would have rated it better had movie utilized talents of Irrfan and Chitrangadha better.

PPS- If you are wary of abuses stay away but if you can bear them you’ll just love this film.

Written by Ali Naqvi

Chhoti Si Baat | Valentine's Day Special Review | Critique

You want to say ‘I Love You’ but you can’t say it. Why? The fear of rejection stops you. Her good friend outsmarts you in almost every fashion. You see yourself in mirror and find yourself shrinking into a piece of door-mat, at everybody’s disposal. Atleast one third of the world would admit undergoing similar situation. Another one-third would never accept for the fear of being ridiculed. No wonder, a large number of people loved this movie when it came to theatres and even after that on VCR, VHS, CDs and cable television. Basu Chatterjee’s one of the finest work, ‘Chhoti Si Baat’ is a magical experience.

Arun (Amol Palekar) is a simpleton who lacks self-confidence. He happens to see Prabha (Vidya Sinha) and falls in love with her. Due to official connection, they happen to talk and Arun sees this as a golden opportunity. But all efforts to convince himself are thwarted by arrival of a smart colleague of Prabha, Nagesh (Asrani). Frustrated and dejected Arun seeks solution at the doors of astrologers, gurus etc. One day he reads about Colonel Julius Nagendranath Wilfred Singh (Ashok Kumar) who grooms people. Colonel develops affection for him for his simple ways and decides to help him. But the task is really difficult. Can tortoise match the hare this time?

CSB is a very sweet and at times mushy movie. Expressions overshadow dialogues and all four main actors gave amazing performances. Music complements the story well. ‘Na Jaane Kyun’ epitomes the emotions of a girl who misses her secret lover. Another memorable song, ‘Janeman Janeman’ is peppy and crisp. Direction is too good. Basu Chatterjee’s work has the sensibility and simplicity of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. He keeps the laughter quotient low and smile quotient very high. The characters are simple and very much like us.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Amitabh-Rekha | Axed Reel Romances In Bollywood - Part 1 | Under Lens

Silsila… dubbed as semi-autobiographical account of one of the most comfortable on-screen couple of Indian Cinema. However it was not the case. There was much debate and discussion in magazines about this movie because it had three actors, two of them married and two of them allegedly in an extra-marital relationship. Amitabh and Rekha never worked together.

Amitabh and Jaya married after Zanzeer. Though much in love; there were obscure speculations about this couple. Then came Rekha. Sparks flew between two actors who looked brilliant together on screen. Amitabh never looked so good on-screen with any of his leading lady. Not even Parveen Babi. There was certainly something magical about this pair.

Picture this: Movie, Muqaddar Ka Sikander. A heart-broken Amitabh (Sikander) comes to her place for some solace. She finds a real man in him. A person who is at her door steps not to see her sensual performance, but to heal his own heart. She fells in love with him. Interestingly, Sikander has no such feelings for her. She is just a good friend who gives him few moments of peace. He is in love with another lady…

Amitabh and Rekha starred together in numerous movies. Most of them became big time hits and it was pretty natural for gossip magazines to fill their pages with stories involving the hot couple. Their chemistry simply set screen on fire and the rumors started becoming believable. They never accepted any relation between them. But at the prime of their career, they decided (definitely not officially) not to work together (maybe they were fine with it but nobody offered them anything good; I am not buying this) after epic Silsila.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh