BACK...with some news!

You remember the short story competition I told you about in my last post? We are a team of 20 kids, and each had to submit a story. Well, I wrote one and my English teacher liked it so much that we planned to convert it into a 5 minute movie and send it in for a movie making competition. We had the cast, production team, director, camera man (all amateurs) and everything else ready, but the problem was...the movie had to be shot at somebody's apartment, we needed uncles and aunties to play the older characters (nobody was willing) and professional help for handling the cameras and do the choreographing. And we had to do all this in just 1 day!

You can go to youtube.com and type 'Ordinatrix' (the name of our competition) in the search bar. The first three-four videos won prizes last year in the same competition. I have my story visualized in a similar manner, but it's impractical to start shooting when there's so little time left. The last date is Monday; Sunday is reserved for editing and special effects. So even if I change my mind and start directing this thing, I have just the next 24 hours. And mind you, perfecting one scene takes around 2 hours. We do not have guidance from any teacher or expert, it's just us - 14 year old kids.

There have been many ego hassles between the team members as well, because everybody wants to direct their own story. I helped my best friend in the rehearsals for her movie even though my own script wasn't ready, but she didn't give a hoot about mine. So the politics is another reason why I want to back out. It will be a lot of headache and time waste for many others as well, and we don't even know if the hard work will pay....

Looking at the brighter side, our movie (only if selected among the top ten) will be shown in PVR Cinemas all over Delhi, and the entire school will be invited to watch it.

So you tell me....fast....to shoot or not to shoot??!

~ a thoughtful jan.

(P.S. I went to a Science model exhibition in a nearby school today, had lotsa fun and made many new friends (and bunked school.Yays!) 'Twas interesting, but the kids presenting the models didn't know a thing. We had a nice time torturing them with stupid questions and acting extra inquisitive and interested! ;) )

Saawariya - Boredom Unlimited

On the ninth of November, while Diwali celebrations were in full swing, my mind decided to plunge into an ocean of neon light darkness - I bought tickets to SAAWARIYA.
Here's a glance at my mental status as I struggled through three hours of endless night, thirsting for sunlight at the end of the tunnel......

As the reel begins to roll, we're ceremoniously introduced to Bhansalipur, where roads lead nowhere, and the Eiffel tower stands next to the Big Ben.Then, there's a market place right next to a Venice-style lake, and people (it's a women dominated society and our hero is the only male visible) use the London bridge to ask for a cup of dahi next door.Sheesh! Who the heck would like to live here, even if it's "The City of Dreams"?!

Bhansali probably took himself too seriously. Except the music, he goofs up almost everywhere. Even his actress, gigglaciously pretty, shatters the heart-wrenching silence of judaai scenes by breaking into a series of irritating, ear-splitting giggles, or with stupidiotic dialogues like,"Ok, Bye!".

Next, I seriously have a complaint against this extravagant use of neon lights.Oh mannn, the entire movie was shot in the night!! Is this Antarctica or something, where we have 6 months day and 6 months night??!!!

Well, probably since it was so 'dark', Saawariyaa never saw light at the box office.

I still experience terrifying Saawariyaa nightmares.

Hoping u were spared,
jan

JBJ did'nt make me jhoom at all!

I went to a movie on saturday nite after ages.....only cuz it was really hyped about. it was, as u might have guessed, jhoom barabar jhoom.

CAST : a dimpled 'pretty' zinta, a bhatinda da chokra (yawn!), a tall street singer sporting a pirates inspired hairdo, a curly haired nerd, and a former miss world failing miserably by trying to be 'genuinely' and irritatingly french.

STORY: they probly didnt have a scriptwriter, cuz thr was no story at all! just a couple of 'meant to be funny' incidents. and i didnt hear a single laugh in the theatre.

director's view point : to make a movie for the genX. (what the hell? even genZ wunt wanna watch such rubbish!)

bigB's role : बीच- बीच में आसमान से टपको, नाचो, बोर करो, और भाग जाओ! although it was verrrrrrrrrrrry repetitive, i must say this was what i luvd best।

so if ur going to see this movie, DONT! take a step bkwards, and head straight towards home, and heave a sigh of relief that ur Rs.150 are still in ur pocket, not down the drain!

still hoping i might get to jhoom,
jan