Ok just the other day I gave up on Hindi cinema after watching Dhoom 3 and internally throwing up and complaining about it here, but Ajeeb Dastaans gave me so much hope!
Specifically: khilauna and geeli pucchi
KONKONA SEN SHARMA. Holy shit, and the script, holy shit. I feel like it was one of few films Iβve seen where the character/story arc is given full closure in a very thoughtful and witty way. Beautiful gray space, none of that preachy Bollywood cinema. HUGE SHOUTOUT to also NEERAJ GHAYWAN (director on masaan and sacred games). This man deserves govt sponsorship to direct whatever film he wants. He really should be more famous than KJO.
I want to avoid giving spoilers here, but really want to discuss in the comments. What did yβall think? Of these two shorts, especially the ending of khilauna?
The story with Konkona and Aditi is getting so much praise β and I think itβs a powerful story. Lord knows Iβm starved for seeing desi women kiss in sarees.
But sweet god the casting. The story is so close to being self aware (ie the point that Dalit women are kept from positions they rightfully deserve) but then castes an βupperβ caste straight actor to play a lesbian Dalit woman π€¦π½ββοΈ
Please go do yourself a favor and watch this drama. Itβs amazing!!! The first 8-9 episodes feel like your typical drama. But then on it became the BEST drama I have ever seen. Sanam Baloch earned my respect as an actress and I have never given it to any other Pakistani Actor or Actress.
All India Radio started broadcasting Hindi film songs only in 1957 and even then there was heavy censorship. A word from here to there and the song was banned.
There were a few people appointed to decide which song will play and which not. Once a Bada Saheb, for reasons known only to him, thought that the song 'Sheesha-e-Dil Itna Na Uchhalo..', from the same film, is not suitable for Indian audience. So he ordered the clerk to put 'Not Approved' sticker on the vinyl record.
Now, in those days the vinyl records played at 78 rpm and there were only two songs on one record, one on each side. The record having 'Sheesha-e-Dil..' had 'Ajeeb Dastaan..' on the other side. The clerk, by mistake, put the sticker on 'Ajeeb Dastaan..' side.
No one cared. No one dared to question anyone. While 'Sheesha-e-Dil..' continued to play on AIR, 'Ajeeb Dastasn..' stayed banned. People could listen to it only on Radio Ceylon, the Sri Lankan radio service that had an amazing signal which could reach as far as North and North Eastern India.
'Ajeeb Dastaan..' has some personal stories attached to it as well. But wo sab phir kabhie..
Found the below link from a twitter thread, but unfortunately as much as I'd like to believe my Urdu comprehension is getting better I have no hope of reading this for a while at least. I want to read it sooner rather than later to get acquainted with the settings/themes/plot devices/style; so something that conveys that well (perhaps at the expense of something else I guess) would be best.
https://archive.org/details/Dastan-E-AmeerHamzaUrdu/page/n55/mode/2up
Basically give me your best English translations, the more enjoyable the read the better as long as it doesn't get the Rumi treatment.
What are some songs similar to the Dastaan OST by Sohail Haider?
Soncha ki ek dastaan likh du, Tumhare liye sara aasman rakh du. Prem ka naya aayam gadhne ko, apni aukat ka kan kan parakh du.
I know lots of sikhs had an outrage against this movie and I couldn't find it anywhere online but some have claimed to watch it?
