‘Jab We Met’ hits US Network IFC
Posted on August 8, 2009
Filed Under Guest Columnist, MOVIES | Leave a Comment
By E. Nina Rothe
“These days Bollywood is everywhere! And what is even greater, for someone like me who’s been repeating the “Indian cinema is GREAT” refrain ad nauseam, is the quality of the films being shown. Gone are the days of those high pitched voices which turned everyone West of Jamnagar off to the songs, and long forgotten are the wet sari scenes and dancing around the trees. Instead, Western audiences are being treated to some deep and divine entertainment, nothing short of the fabulously legendary US musicals of the Thirties and Forties.
This past June, the Museum of Modern Art in NYC showed some modern breakthrough films in their ‘The New India’ cinematic exhibit, including ‘A Wednesday’, ‘Firaaq’, ‘Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!’ and personal favorite ‘Luck By Chance‘. In theaters around the world, the month of August sizzles with new releases: ‘Kaminey‘ by Vishal Bhardwaj – a pulp dark comedy, double identity gangster movie with a title most Hindi speakers feel self-conscious uttering out loud – ‘Sikandar‘ by Piyush Jha, a poignant film set in volatile Kashmir which deals with the consequences of a teenager finding a lost gun on his way to school and ‘Love Aaj Kal’ by Imtiaz Ali – a modern love story of missed opportunities and the difficult choice we sometimes must make between our lives and our hearts.
Which brings me to Imtiaz Ali’s previous film, a cinematic masterpiece that changed the landscape of Indian cinema, quite literally. In fact, I personally credit Ali with having banged the door wide open for productions to begin shooting their lavish musical numbers right in India! Throughout ‘Jab We Met‘ (which means ‘When We Met’) locations in Punjab, Bombay and Himachal Pradesh are the stars of the film, even more than the handsome Shahid Kapur and the perkily adorable Kareena Kapoor – no relation… OK, the two dated for a while, it’s all very old news now and that’s the extent of their connection.
But back to the locations. With all of Imtiaz Ali’s films India is IN, it’s cool, it’s always the place to be. Switzerland’s grassy mountain tops are never in sight, and cities around the world, such as London and San Francisco are good for only two things: making money and getting confused. It’s a message that really sinks in after viewing his films and perhaps he has tapped into a unique thread that can transform Bollywood and make it bigger than Hollywood, even in the West.
In the days when my parents were children, they watched the Musicals of the times to dream of that faraway land named America. My Mom from the cinema halls of Napoli and Dad in the various movie theaters of European towns traveled during Grandfather’s escape from Germany. They watched, separately and without any connection, the same films of hope and a magical place where everyone felt at home. So, the appeal of the musical has long been around and when I hear someone say things like “Aw, those Indian films are all about song and dance. They have no story and no depth” I think they are deeply misinformed. Indian cinema is what cinema was born to be: ESCAPISM. And it is escapism at its best, with lavish costumes, great production numbers and stars we all want to be or date!
Why watch ‘Jab We Met’ this Sunday, August 9th on IFC? Because it is a great love story, a wonderful journey through India and a fantastic inspiration to be exactly who we are, but to the max. The costumes – Kareena’s are by Manish Malhotra and to be drooled over, truly – the people, the feelings and the songs are guaranteed to take you to a place where troubles just don’t have the space to exist.
Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Jab We Met’ is presented as part of the Independent Film Channel’s “Wake Up To Bollywood” series and is made possible by their collaboration with digital media distributing giant Saavn. Remember to only watch and listen to legally obtained films and songs. It’s bad karma to download media illegally. Three words: Don’t do it!
Images courtesy of IFC, Eros Entertainment, Saavn and Cine Vision
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Contact Nina here,
Email: nina@theajnabee.com
Websites:Â http://theajnabee.com/
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Nina with Amitabh and Aish-Mme Tussaud's
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