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Kaufman is sweating like crazy now. Valerie is quiet for a moment - from "Adaptation".
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As we have done in the past, this year too we are trying to source the scripts of some of the best films of the year. As most of you know, the scripts of Hollywood films are easily available online, even the unreleased ones. But we don’t have any such database of Hindi or Indian films. So that has been the primary reason for this initiative. And it has been possible only because some of the screenwriters and filmmakers have been very supportive about it. It’s only for educational purpose and much like the spirit of the blog, is a complete non-commercial exercise.
Yashraj Films produced 2 kickass films this year – Kanu Behl’s Titli and Sharat Katariya’s Dum Laga Ke Haisha.
Titli was one of the best debuts of the year. Violent, brutal, of people on the fringes whom we hardly notice otherwise, and a family film unlike any, at least in bollywood. And still, at its core, there’s a beautiful love story about two doomed people who can’t escape their fate and are forced to be together. With some excellent performances by its ensemble cast, this is what an assured debut looks like.
Film : Titli
Director : Kanu Behl
Writer : Kanu Behl and Sharat Katariya
The other film is Sharat Katariya’s Dum Laga Ke Haisha. Interestingly, Sharat also co-wrote Titli. A over-weight lead actress is a strict no in bollywood. Sharat turned it into a novetly factor for his film. Dipped in Kumar Sanu’s 90s nostalgia and flavours of small town’s lazy life, it felt like riding a time machine while you kept smiling at the love story of the unlikely lead pair.
Film : Dum Laga Ke Haisha
Director : Sharat Katariya
Writer : Sharat Katariya
Here’s the script of Sharat Kataria’s Dum Laga Ke Haisha. Like other scripts we have shared, this one is also a pre-shooting draft. Some scenes here are missing from the film and a couple of scenes in the film are missing from this script. Especially one scene I loved while reading (the very first scene!) is not in the final-cut of the film. One of the most fun scripts to read this year, in my opinion – Varun Grover
Here is a list of songs and albums that kept us hooked to film music, in the order we heard them, beginning from the oldest all the way down to the latest.
Dil-e-Nadaan (Hawaizaada) – Ayushmann Khurrana draws extreme opinions for his singing, and, I am the last one to like his work. Still, I was pleasantly surprised at his contemporary tribute to Ghalib’s classic. In Dil-e-nadaan, Shweta Subram and Ayushmann were fluid and the result was quite hummable . The song was released in January, and it continues to be in my playlist. The slight guitar riff in the background of ‘humko unse’ is what the rush of first love feels like. The entire album was actually quite good!
Jee Karda (Badlapur) – The trailer gave me an inkling to wait for the song that has the lionhearted guitar riff. Truth be told, I was underwhelmed by the album but this song is what I felt defined the tone of the film. Divya kumar is what Sukhwinder Singh used to be. More often than not, his presence in a song means the song would be good. For me, the guitar riff of the year…badass!
Dum Laga Ke Haisha (Album) – The music of DLKH is a case study in sticking to the feel of the subject without compromising on anything. While Rahul Ram, Kumar Sanu and Sadhna Sargam were reasons enough to hear the album on the repeat, Moh moh ke dhaage gets my vote. I like the Monali Thakur version better. Delicate, unbelievably sweet and durable! Kudos to a certain Mr. Anu Malik! I don’t know why I kept on thinking about the music of ‘Mrityudand’ while listening to this album, in a good way that is.
Kya karein (NH10) – I became a fan of Rachel Varghese on the first hearing of Kya karein from NH10. Savera Mehta & Ayush Shrestha kept the sinking feel of the song with a harmony like treatment, and I absolutely loved the way the song ends, abruptly. Haunting, heartbreaking, and so beautiful!
Chori chori (Hunterrr) – While I am still a proud lover of the title song of Hunterr, this song grew quietly on repeated listening for the simplicity of composition and emotive singing by Sona and Arijit Singh. Isn’t it reassuring to hear Arijit in a song that isn’t filled with ‘made-to-order-for-Arijit’ long taans?
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (Album) – Having the courage to have such varied contemporary genres in a film album itself is so crazy, and add to the fact that the film was based in 1940s, you get what I call the definitive album of the year! The album was filled with right amount of hysteria, melody, joie de vivre, and sensuous sparks. I don’t think we will have a better album than this for a long time, not only in terms of music but how the music came together in accentuating the feel of the film as a whole.
Journey Song (Piku) – I like the way Anupam Roy has made his debut in Bollywood with Piku. The entire album is musically light and lyrically rich. While it was tough for me to pick between ‘Bezubaan’ and this song, I picked the journey song because it is such a happy song and that bangla in between by Shreya Ghoshal is so charming, it nearly took me to ‘Learn Bengali in one week’ course coaching!
Dhadaam dhadaam (Bombay Velvet) – No other song this year can be called ‘Majestic’. In dhadaam dhadaam, Neeti Mohan has done what our people up north refer to as ‘Kaleja nikaal ke rakh dena’. Marvelous composition, excellent music arrangement got almost overlooked thanks to Neeti. The regular forceful rhythm of the composition is addictive to say the least. It would be wrong to call this a swan song for someone as promising as Neeti, but i feel this song would take some getting to be surpassed. Magnificence and pain in equal measure. Take a bow, Neeti and Amit Trivedi!
Mann Kasturi(Masaan) – is a song that will outlive us all. Future generations would keep coming back to the song to get the meaning of life. I don’t think anyone else could have done justice to the cogent lyrics than Indian ocean and talking of Indian Ocean, my senses swirl like a lattu every time I hear Rahul ram in the song. These are the kind of songs which, when we grow old would be a reference point to the ‘music of our times was so good’ argument.
O saathi mere (Tanu Weds Manu Returns) – The song that was too good for the film, and I say this because this is a song that would have worked wonders had it been included in the film and film’s promotion. Sonu Nigam has gone choosy in picking up his songs, but if he wants to give us songs like this, I have no problems with that. The layered composition and easy lyrics just needed the gayaki of Sonu nigam to capture our imagination, and boy, did the song did just that or what!
Bhor bhayo (Bezubaan Ishq) – Osman Mir wasn’t a new name to come across, thanks to my mum who played some of his songs over last few years and insisted that I like him because he was singing in Morari bapu’s baithaks. Anyway, in a film like Bezubaan Ishq, catching his name in the credit was intriguing and once you hear his powerful voice with the magical flute in the minimal music arrangement that adorns this song, you will know why he is one of the most exciting voices we have. Hope he gets noticed a lot and goes mainstream.
Sapna jahan (Brothers) – A film as inconsequential and boring as Brothers had one good thing, and that was this song. Neeti Mohan and Sonu Nigam gave us a very 90-ish Jatin-Llalit-sque dreamy song with Ajay-Atul’s signature splendour. The lullaby like treatment of the stanzas is a super touch. Sonu Nigam, please sing more!
Insaaf insaaf insaaf hoga (Talvar) – I didn’t know Arooj Aftab. I heard ‘Insaaf Insaaf’ from Talvar, and now I cannot wait for her next outing. Trust Gulzar-Vishal to come up with a song that gives us hope in a prejudiced backdrop of our logical society. Arooj’s voice gave newness to pain. I don’t think this song was talked about as much as it should have been, because here is a song that lifts the feel and leaves that sense of loss we can all empathize with if we just look around.
Tamasha (Album) – I couldn’t find anything ‘Level-ARR-outstanding’ about the album but it did give us four good songs, and for the same, it deserves a mention. Parade de la bastille is breezy, Wat wat wat is a riot, and so is Heer to badi sad hai. What surprised post-viewing the film was the ‘Agar tum saath ho’ song. I pretty much like it the way I used to like it before watching the film. I disliked the fact that the ‘composed-to-be-liked-after-watching-the-film soundtrack’ forgot to make good use of the moans in ‘wat wat wat’ 🙂
There is a lot to look forward to in 2016, and we hope there is more innovation than routine, more melody than soulless grandeur, more masti than item number driven chutiyapa.
What are your favorites? Comment section is all yours.
(Disclaimer – One of the editors of the blog was part of Talvar. Two of the contributors of this blog were part of Masaan. Also, fuck disclaimers)
You can hear the playlist here
Now that the ‘rewind’ is done, allow me to share the ‘other’ list that consists of songs which might not get you RT’s and endorsements from thinkers, but they are amazing when you play them and sing in your car, bathroom or any other place you think you are alone 🙂
In no particular order, here we go!
Chittiyan kalaiyan – (Roy) – If there were an award for wasting a song by badly filming it (and there were way too many this year), this song would win it hands down! Kanika kapoor can make you dance just by reading out daily newspaper and if you give her a tune that has 1990s ‘dance music’ touch, you are asking for a murderous dance song and this was it!
Hunterr 303 – Nothing and absolutely nothing can cause the same level of ‘let’s dance banjo’ mood like Bappi lahiri’s voice in a new film song treated with junk food level of sinfulness. This song had everything going for it especially the backup vocals and Bappi ‘cowboy’ lahiri giving it like only he can! Insanely enjoyable!
Tera happy budday (ABCD2) – Yet another party song by Sachin Jigar where they took a conventional song and twisted it. In this case, it worked and the ‘saarey bolo’ chants…heeeehaw!
Banno tera swagger (Tanu weds Manu returns) – Mix of Rajasthani folk, sprinkled with intelligent choice of english words and treated with punjabi craziness..I say Winner!!!
Guddu Rangeela title song – While I love the ‘jagrata’ treatment and excellent word choice in ‘Mata ka email’, I keep going back to the title song of the film. I cannot get enough of Amit Trivedi’s yodel and his mischievous singing!
Hogi Kranti (Bangistan) – Never before sarcasm and repressed anger sounded better. Kudos on the lyrics!
Afghan jalebi (Phantom) – Asrar is amazing as we have already mentioned so earlier and this year he took the ‘dhaasu’ film dance song to another level with this belter of a track…Still addictive…Still infectious!
Neeli bullet ( Main aur Charles) – With so many ‘nouveau riche’ making laddakh trips on it, we feel bullet the bike, deserved a song and it was long overdue (much before the ‘nouveau riche’ were born, to be precise). Lyrics might be a bit cringeworthy at times but my word the hook!
Neendein khul jaati hain (Hate story 3) – Yes! Hate story 3! Kanika Kapoor being herself in a naughty song with Mika singing so clearly that you can actually understand every single word…Junky tune and it works!
And here is the playlist…Let’s hear your favourites we have missed!
Disclaimer – All the editors of the blog have sometime or the other danced a bit (in public or alone) on one or more songs mentioned above 🙂
Indian Express recently did a feature on the new Censor Board. They interviewed all the Board members on films, violence & sex in films and other such related stuff. It’s difficult to imagine from which stone age they picked up these fossils who will now censor and certify the films. Except Dr Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, everyone’s IQ seems to be the same. Click here to read the feature.
Today the news is out that the Censor Board had asked the makers of Dum Laga Ke Haisha to mute the word “lesbian”. Ghanta, haramipana, haram ke pille and haramkhor words have also been replaced (see the image).
Well, nothing surprising there. But “lesbian”? What’s wrong with the word? or in what context is it wrong? We called up one of the Board members who was against it and we got to know the exact scene.
When the female lawyer is consoling Sandhya at the court and touches her face lovingly, her younger brother says – ‘Mummy…didi lesbian toh na hoti jaari..‘ Mummy says ‘Ye kya hota hai?‘ and then the brother says ‘Bade shehron ki bimaari hai..‘
Aing! The “L” word. What’s so scary there? Since it was shot in such a way that the makers could not mute the word, so they had to remove the entire dialogue.
Will someone please enlighten us what was so wrong with “lesbian” or its context in the scene?
After a long time, a sexy love story.
I wish to share the joy I felt seeing The Dum Laga Ke Haisha race as a metaphor for sexual love.
Of course throughout the film, sex has been spoken about – real sex, real problems and some harsh realities.
Hurtful things have been said, like
“Let alone making love, I do not even feel like touching her, a man who had to be in the same bed as her would know what hell means.”
The narrative allows her to give him a (well-deserved) slap.
He has said hurtful things and she has borne the rejection.
There can be nothing worse for a woman to hear that the man she loves has spoken so derogatorily about her.
She has been hurt and angry.
She has slapped him in anger.
He has slapped her back in anger, in retaliation.
In guilt?
In love?
What love, we may ask
“S&M?” We may sneer with the shallow labelling that people who think they know all about sex fall back upon?
Yes, we know the terms and we throw them around in our endless conversations about sex, which we are so busy having that we have forgotten how once, just in the way that is contained in those two slaps, we felt hate and love all mixed up.
We fight for the right to depict sex in our films, our writing.
We think of twisted narratives, and explicit scenes which will prove us bold.
And while we sexualize every story, every argument, a seemingly simple story not only speaks bravely about sex without using a single expletive, and without vulgar visuals, in an evocative way makes us feel the sexual love. Kya aisi hi filmein hai jisse kranti aayegi?
I congratulate (and envy) the writer of Dum Laga Ke Haisha.
To the race.
It is flagged off by a singer whose fan Prem has been all his life.
Unsuccessful, loser Prem.
Taunted and laughed at for his one obsession.
All he did was listen to the voice of a distant singer.
Today, when for once, he has dared to take on a challenge, when he needs it most, his idol is there.
Not any machine here, but Prem’s Deus himself- in person.
But that is another story, another one of those many nice things in this film.
The race- yes, first they have to be convinced to participate.
Bua knocks on the door.
Come in, they answer- of course –for they are not together- that is emphasized.
Bua enters the room.
Nain Tara Bua has something to say.
Death has forced her to leave behind, finally, a dead marriage.
The one-sided marriage that she had bitterly kept alive, and yet not lived.
She comes to the couple not with advice from someone who has made partnerships a success, but as someone who knows what it is to be alone.
She has been alone, and perhaps that is why she knows the importance of being together.
She comes as a person who has nothing.
Perhaps that is why she says -When you have nothing to lose, why not dosomething which is not aimed at winning?
For its own sake.
Why not do something together?
For each other? She asks.
From this point the Dum Laga Ke Haisha race is a metaphor for sexual love.
Beautiful sexual love. Beautiful it is and am not going to spoil the subtlety of it by drawing parallels to any acts so to speak.
Let us just go through the various stages of the race and feel it in our hearts.
The race begins. This couple has not, unlike the others practiced.
She encourages him, tries to erase his fears – why are you so afraid, she asks.
Initially, they are awkward, a little slower than the rest. Then slowly, establishing comfort with each other, they dare to go faster.
She knows his weaknesses and advises him accordingly.
While the other couples are making a beeline for the finish, we see Sandhya gently instructing him.
Not to rush over the obstacles. Put both feet in one tyre, then taking time, go to the next one. This takes longer, but he obeys her gentle instructions and sure enough, even as others stumble and fall, our couple makes their way across.
Finally what makes them eligible to compete for the last lap is the fall in a muddy puddle.
The competitor couple falls too. The competitor couple who roughly pick themselves up, in a hurry to make a beeline again.
Sandhya and Prem take the time to look at each other, even laugh at each other first, then at each of their own selves, and finally at themselves as Us.
Most important is the fact that we see that of the competing pair, the girl is injured, but paying no heed to this, her husband pulls her and literally drags her to achieving the end.
Prem on the other hand has asked Sandhya whether she is okay – her well being is more important to him than setting the record.
They are concerned about each other, laugh together and then run together. We already know who will win.
The screenplay too has won – has succeeded in being sensual while telling a simple story, has succeeded in being feminist while telling ‘just a ‘ love story.
The most beautiful , triumphant finale comes while they have to come out of this fall, this puddle.
She emerges stronger – as she has in the narrative.
She is stronger and holds out her hand.
Again, as I said, let us not disturb the subtlety of this fine writing, so I am not mentioning their earlier discussion on prepositions.
He is still struggling and she holds out her hand , and with an expression of utter pleasure – pride and pleasure on his face, Prem allows himself to be supported out of the obstacle .
And they are off on their way.
Together now, but for that crucial moment, much to his happiness, she has clearly, been on top.
– Nadi Palshikar
(An MBBS doctor by training, Nadi has done screenplay writing course at FTII, is currently doing Gender Studies at Pune University, and is a published author. Sutak is her first novel.)
Like us, if you have been playing the song Moh Moh Ke Dhaage from Dum Laga Ke Haisha in non-stop loop, and love to sing along, here’s something you will like – the full lyrics of the song which includes 2 unused antaras. The music is by Anu Malik and lyrics are by apna Varun Grover.
Moh Moh Ke Dhaage
VOCALS : PAPON (Male version) and MONALI THAKUR (Female version)
SONG ARRANGED AND PRODUCED : HITESH MODAK
GUITAR : ADITYA BENIA
FLUTE : NAVEEN KUMAR
SHEHNAI : OMKAR DHUMAL
And here’s Varun Grover’s note about the song – why and how –
शरत कटारिया की लिखी स्क्रिप्ट ही इतनी दमदार थी कि शुरू में ही समझ आ गया था गाने लिखने में बहुत मज़ा आएगा। सबसे ज़्यादा मज़ा वैसे सामूहिक विवाह वाली सिचुएशन पे ‘सुन्दर सुशील’ लिखने में आया जिसमें बचपन से पढ़े हुए ढेर सारे मेट्रिमोनियल इश्तेहारों का ज्ञान काम आया, लेकिन म्युज़िकली देखें तो सबसे भारी सिचुएशन यही वाली थी। प्रेम रूठा हुआ सा है, बिना खाना खाए अपने ससुराल से निकला है नयी दुल्हन को लेकर, और दोनों के बीच तनातनी सी है। ऐसे में, रात को स्कूटर पर जाते-जाते दोनों को पहली बार साथ एक सफर पे जाने का मौका मिल रहा है। शरत चाहता था यहाँ एक क्लासिकल गीत आये। अनु मालिक साब ने बहुत सी धुनें सुनायीं और हम सबको करीबन सब अच्छी लग रहीं थीं लेकिन एकदम (अनु जी के लफ़्ज़ों में) ‘ठाँ कर के लग जाए’ जैसी नहीं मिल रही थी। फिर एक दिन अनु जी ने ये वाली सुनाई जिसे सुनते ही सब कूद पड़े। गज़ब कम्पोज़ीशन, जो अन्तरे में जा के और निखर जाता है।
गाने में सफर, रात, प्यार और गुस्सा, सब है इसलिए लिखते वक्त ध्यान दिया कि ऐसी उपमाएं हों जो थोड़ी डिस्फ़ंक्शनल हों। उलझे, गिरह, तेरी झूठी बातें वगैरह। और क्यूंकि सफर का फील देना था इसलिए शब्दों को रिपीट किया – मोह-मोह, रोम-रोम, टोह-टोह। रिपीटीशन से एक स्विंग सा आता है गीत में, जैसे स्कूटर के पीछे बैठने से आता है।
मुखड़ा
ये मोह मोह के धागे,
तेरी उँगलियों से जा उलझे,
कोई टोहटोह ना लागे
किस तरह गिरहा ये सुलझे।
है रोम रोम इक तारा,
है रोम रोम इक तारा,
जो बादलों में से गुज़रे।
अन्तरा १
तू होगा ज़रा पागल
तूने मुझको है चुना
कैसे तूने अनकहा,
तूने अनकहा, सब सुना।
तू दिन सा है, मैं रात,
आ ना दोनों,
मिल जाएँ शामों की तरह।
अन्तरा २
के ऐसा बेपरवाह मन पहले तो ना था
चिट्ठियों को जैसे मिल गया,
जैसे इक नया सा पता
के ऐसा बेपरवाह मन पहले तो ना था।
खाली राहें, हम आँख मूंदे जाएँ,
पहुंचें कहीं तो बेवजह।
(मोनाली ठाकुर वाले वर्ज़न में अलग अन्तरा)
अन्तरा ३
के तेरी झूठी बातें मैं सारी मान लूँ,
आँखों से तेरे सच सभी,
सब कुछ अभी जान लूँ।
के तेरी झूठी बातें मैं सारी मान लूँ।
तेज़ है धारा,
बहते से हम आवारा,
आ थम के सांसें लें यहां।
And two unused antaras for Moh Moh Ke Dhaage:
आ ऐसे भर जाएँ रहे खाली ना जगह
घोल दें इक सांस में आ सारा फासला
कि ऐसे भर जाएँ रहे खाली ना जगह
झील किनारे
आजा ना खेल बिछा लें,
और जोड़ें साड़ी कौड़ियाँ।
***********
कि जैसे पानी का इक मीठा सा कुआँ
हाथ जो तू थाम ले, तो छंट चलेगा धुआँ
कि मिला पानी का इक मीठा सा कुआँ।
झूठ कहानी
तेरी है सारी मानी
तू भी इशारा सुन ज़रा।
If you can’t read Hindi, click here to go to Varun’s site to read it in Roman. Also, it has the lyrics of rest of the songs.
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 