Jaidev – The Underrated Genius

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn B. Retrospective - Looking Back, Best Of Lists, Legendary Artists, Soulful SongsLeave a comment

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There is only one way to describe the immortal music composer Jaidev – The underrated genius! For an artist whose entry into films was as a child artist, he induction as a composer happened as an assistant to stalwarts like Ali Akbar Khan and then Sachin Dev Burman. His first break as a music composer came in the year 1955, and over the next thirty plus years that he was active in, he score music for just over forty hindi films. And yet, he was the first music composer to be recognized with three national awards. That is the musical prowess of the man, who turned everything he touched to gold, and he didn’t need any big banner films to get attention and be heard.

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When Rafi Saab sang for S.D. Burman, Magic happened!

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn B. Retrospective - Looking Back, Best Of Lists, Legendary Artists, Soulful Songs1 Comment

If one has to talk about the finest music composer and the finest singer that Hindi cinema ever had, one has to talk about Sachin Dev Burman and Mohammad Rafi.

So, what else could be a more musical way to remember the two legends but recalling some of the best music that this duo created, melodious to the core, displaying a range of emotions that is mind boggling!

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JUDGEMENTALL HAI KYA : Does Not Raise Itself Above Judgement

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn A. Reviews, Hindi Movie ReviewsLeave a comment

Bobby Batliwala Grewal in Judgementall Hai Kya is almost like a reel embodiment of the real life actor trying to make a statement – “Don’t judge me with my on the surface psychic and narcissistic behaviour, I can often see things that you can’t, and all you need is the right perspective to sense what is more dangerous around.”

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A.R. Rahman – The Divine Connection

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn B. Retrospective - Looking Back, Best Of Lists, Legendary Artists, Soulful SongsLeave a comment

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A.R. Rahman is a musical revolution – and that is not saying anything new about him. Amongst the best music directors that India ever had, his music stands apart in the way he brought in fusion between traditional Indian classical music with electronic music, influences of world music. There is a very unique sound of his music that one can recognize just by listening to his songs, and all the national and international awards under his belt, or the legendary nicknames he has been given deservingly recognize his genius, his divine blessings.

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VIRUS : When cinema is at its best!

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn A. Reviews, Regional Movie ReviewsLeave a comment

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Aashiq Abu‘s Malayalam film VIRUS is definitely one of the best Indian films of 2019 and is a masterclass in screen writing by Muhsin Parari, Sharfu and Suhas. Playing out like a gripping medical thriller, the film keeps its humane soul intact on how a group of very brave individuals come together to fight and control the deadly nipah virus attack in the state of Kerala. It is an outstanding story of survival in the face of a catastrophe, where humanity and hope triumphs over every medical, political, or any other obstacle. Compassion can be an overpowering strength, and Virus ensures that it does not deviate from that tonality at any time.

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2019 Emmy Nominations : It is a game alright!

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn Awards and Nominations, C. Talking PointLeave a comment

So Emmy’s 2019 nominations are out, and even after the pretty disastrous final season of Game of Thrones, it still manages to secure a whopping 32 nominations!

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2019 Mid-Year Checkpoint – Bangla Films

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn B. Retrospective - Looking Back, Best Of Lists, Yearly roundupsLeave a comment

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Continuing with the mid-year checkpoint discussion, here is taking a pause to look at the Bangla films of 2019. Personally, I think it has been a pretty good year for Bangla Films in 2019 so far and has been a big turnaround since last couple of years. There have been quite a few good films that made their mark, and the good thing was that we got to see a lot of promising new talent coming up with the best of the year. There were also films in relevant and refreshing themes, modern in treatment with a lot of soul. We still had some biggies that were disappointing, but then which year won’t have that in the mix.

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2019 Mid-Year Checkpoint – Hindi Films

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn B. Retrospective - Looking Back, Best Of Lists, Yearly roundupsLeave a comment

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As the first half of 2019 is over now, it is a good time to take a pause and retrospect at what Hindi cinema had to offer so far for us this year. Overall, it has been a mixed bag year of a few brilliant films and a huge bunch of average and poor films so far.

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ARTICLE 15 : When Change Begins with Each of Us

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn A. Reviews, Hindi Movie ReviewsLeave a comment

In one of the most impactful scenes of Article 15, Anubhav Sinha wants to expose the caste hierarchy deeply rooted within the system even amongst the protectors of law of our country. Most of them are not corrupt police officers per say, but they are just conditioned in a way since birth – so unconsciously aware not just of their castes, but even of the subdivisions within the highest and lowest stratas of that hierarchy. This is the team who have switched themselves off to a part of India that co-exists with them, but they turn a blind eye to ‘their‘ life and death problems, even without realising that their own life will become a dumpster without ‘their‘ help. This non-chalance and convulated thinking is baffling for their privileged and idealistic officer, and his extreme frustration shows up as he is at a loss of where to start cleaning the mess from. This is the India that has become.

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Top 30 Pancham Albums – Ranked!

On By Jayashree ChakravartiIn B. Retrospective - Looking Back, Best Of Lists, Legendary Artists, Remembrance - Special DaysLeave a comment

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PANCHAM, the true successor of the genius of Sachin Dev Burman, was no less a magician by himself. The man who broke every conventional barrier through his music, and composed music that was way ahead of his time. He was at his sublime best when he was dealing with pure unadulterated melody unlike his more popular jazzy work. 60’s first felt the fire power of his music, the glorious 70’s and most of 80’s thrived with his golden compositions; and even when he was written off in 90’s, he created some of his finest work completely pushed against the wall. Challenging the status quo of every singer, he provided the flight beneath their wings for them to soar new heights, and with that his eternal music found its unbound skies as well. Too many classics, too many game changers, and then the trailblazer was suddenly gone too soon.

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