Posts Tagged ‘cringe’
Book Review: Slumgirl Dreaming
Posted on: September 30, 2009
By Joginder Tuteja, September 30, 2009 – 12:26 IST
‘Slumgirl Dreaming’ is a very well written book. And for a celebrity, who is just a 9 year old, this book could perhaps be the first to come out in India. The girl in question is Rubina Ali, one of the many stars in Slumdog Millionaire who hasn’t quite enjoyed a fairy tale outing. From a poor life in slum to international adulation to charges being put against her father for selling her off to being back in a shanty and barely surviving, Rubina has lived a life which doesn’t quite justify a Cindrella reference.
Yes, she has enjoyed her months of glory but before and after that, this star has lived a slumgirl life that has seen dreams coming her way, though momentarily. ‘Slumgirl Dreaming’ gives a blow by blow account of this spirited girl who narrates her journey over the years, especially her experience of shooting for the film, the film’s Oscar run and life post that.
What actually works a masterstroke for this autobiographical tale is the coming together of writers Anne Berthod and Divya Dugar who interact with Rubina to translate her thought and statements into the printed words. They do well in sticking to Rubina’s innocence and childish antics and tell the world from her point of view rather than bringing to fore what they thought of her as a kid who became a star. So the entire narration of this 175 page book happens with Rubina telling her story and writers merely presenting it to the readers by refining it and smoothening the rough edges.
Anne and Divya do add their bit while keeping the essence of Rubina’s world intact. So while bringing to fore the kid’s point of view, they also get into finer details about the slums, the inhabitants there, the shooting experience, the coming together of an international crew, the wide eyed reactions of all the slum kids who were a part of the shoot, the five star hospitality, the return to India, the adulation, media pressure, a change in outlook of people and finally a regular day in the life of Rubina after coming face to face with the world pre-Slumdog Millionaire.
The thoughts remain intact; it’s just that the emotions are projected clearly to make a connection with the reader.
It is this connection factor that makes ‘Slumgirl Dreaming’a difficult book to keep down. 10 pages into this really handy and comfortable book and you want it finish it in two hours flat. One of the major reasons for this is the simplistic writing which would make even a 10 year old connect with the chapters that follow. In fact the book’s target audience is, as the cliché goes, from 6 to 60, as the story moves ahead in a highly engaging manner with just about everything for everyone.
The book aims (and pretty much succeeds) in ‘not’ romanticizing the episodes in Rubina’s life, whether good, bad or ecstatic. Picture this: When the pages take viewer into the filthy surroundings of a slum, you cringe in your seat, get a bad taste in the mouth but still do not get turned away from checking what is in store next. Credit must go to Rubina here who doesn’t paint a sorry picture of herself and plain and simple explains what this world means to her ever since she was born.
On the other hand, the moments of ecstasy too are kept under the control. Whether it is Rubina’s shooting experience or the Oscar celebrations or the luxurious life that she enjoyed for those few days after the ceremony, you know that it is all going to end soon. Even Rubina is shown to be pretty much in check without allowing her emotions go overboard. It is this fair balance that ‘Slumgirl Dreaming’ maintains throughout its journey which helps in the entire ‘connection’ factor, as highlighted earlier.
Some of the many highlights in the book are:
– What had actually transpired when stories about Rubina’s father willing to sell her off to a Sheikh were making the rounds
– Rubina’s love-hate relationship with another slumkid Azhar
– A middle man cheating her of the money that she was promised for Slumdog Millionaire
– The first audition that just required her to run around the room along with other children
– Her fear for the much famous train scene that actually got canned in a single take
– The actual story behind her real mother coming back to take her custody post Slumdog Millionaire fame
One time and again complains that there are no books worthy enough being written for children today. Well, ‘Slumgirl Dreaming’ could pretty much be a gift for your young ones. And for the elderly who want to explore deeper into the past of Rubina and how she has managed to keep a stable head in spite of a roller coaster ride in the couple of years gone by, ‘Slumgirl Dreaming’ has enough meat in it to grab your attention.
Price: Rs. 195/=
Rating: 
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
Let’s talk about Sex baby!
Posted on: September 30, 2009
BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL: (From top) Stills from Luck By Chance, Kaminey, Love Aaj Kal
DEEPALI DHINGRA Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; September 29, 2009)
Did you cringe with discomfort when a seemingly innocent child woman Isha Sherwani seduced Farhan Akhtar into bed in Luck By Chance? Or, more recently, when a salwar kameez-clad Priyanka Chopra managed to convince a reluctant Shahid Kapoor to have sex with her in Kaminey, by telling him that she knows ‘homescience’ and that it’s ‘safe to do it’? More likely than not, you smiled at their boldness and prepared for more to come. Seduction was a game played by vamps in Bollywood in the 70s and 80s. Much later, lead actresses like Bipasha Basu and Priyanka Chopra were sexually charged in Jism and Aitraaz respectively. But even then, they were the ‘bad girls’. Well, times have changed — even the ‘good’ girls are taking a turn for the ‘bad’ and the audiences are lapping it up!
Watch newcomer Mahie Gill throwing herself in full abandon at Abhay Deol in a mustard field in Dev. D and you’ll know what we’re talking about. Trade analyst Komal Nahta says he isn’t surprised at this change. “Films, after all, are a reflection of today. Girls are proposing to guys, they are using seduction as a tool even in real life. The major composition of the audience comprises youth, so they have to show what the young generation identifies with,” he says. So Kareena Kapoor playfully hands Akshay Kumar her bra in Tashan and Konkona SenSharma suggests a quick bout of love-making to Rahul Bose in Dil Kabaddi before they turn in for the night and Deepika Padukone has no qualms with Saif Ali Khan kissing her full on the mouth in the car in Love Aaj Kal. Agrees Mahie, “Reel life follows real life. Women today are more vocal about their sexual desires than what they were about a decade back. The audience today wants to see characters they can identify with. That’s why the boldness depicted by the newer lot of actresses has been accepted.”
According to film director Onir, a growing section of audiences in urban centres are accepting this change. “Independent working women watch these films with their male friends and colleagues who treat them as equals and therefore, accept their portrayal on screen as well,” he says. Also, the younger generation of filmmakers who have grown up seeing women as friends and colleagues, are showing female characters as they are, says Onir.
deepali.dhingra@timesgroup.com
Akshay Kumar is scared of…
Posted on: September 8, 2009
MARK MANUEL Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; September 7, 2009)
Before putting his contestants through hell, Akshay attempted every stunt himself, and once convinced that they were all achievable… and by women, he invited the contestants to give it their best shot. But, after wrestling crocodiles, jumping from one plane to another and eating snakes… did he think they would stop screaming at a cockroach, lizard or rat? “These women have learned there’s nothing they can’t handle anymore. Men aren’t such a necessity, I’m afraid, us guys are going have to work a lot harder to impress our women now for sure. When all those housewives see these young pretty models dipping there heads into a box of screaming cockroaches and swimming with crocodiles, and coming out alive and feeling proud and amazed at their bravery, I know it will make them think twice before they scream for their husbands. It’s all about spreading the awareness that even if it scares you… try and conquer one thing a day that frightens you.”
And he is right, contestants of the first season have told Akshay that, yes, by appearing on Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi last year and facing their fears… they are now better women. “Once you’ve been on the show, there’s no going back into your shells. I’ve met many of my last year’s contestants at functions, on aeroplanes, in films. Their lives are hectic, but they’ll never forget how hard and how cold and how life-changing their experience was with me. It’s something you’ll never loose… The rest of their lives is going to be easy compared to what they endured on last year’s show.” But in his book, action is not all about conquering fears. “Some people love it, they live off danger, fear is like food for some of them. For me there are some stunts I’d love to do everyday, but there are some I would never wish to do again no matter how much you wanted to pay me. Action is an ‘art’ it’s not a fear. If we were all taught to jump out of planes as children, we wouldn’t be scared to do it now, would we? But like this show proves, there is nothing to fear in life apart from fear itself…” And, there’s one little secret of Akshay’s that Bruna Abdullah, Sushma Reddy, Carol Gracias, Jesse Randhawa, Mandira Bedi, Nauheed Cyrusi, Rosa Catalano, Rupali Ganguly, Sonika Kaliraman, Shonali Nagrani, Pia Trivedi, Shveta Salve and Anoushka Manchanda — his 13 lovely women on the show, ought to know. The fear that the Action King of Bollywood has not been able to overcome. “I can’t stand the Merry-Go-Round or the Spinning Tea Cups at a fun fair,” revealed Akshay. “I know it sounds lame, but hey, I never said I was ‘SuperMan’. My whole life I’ve made sure I’m the one standing with the bags so everyone else in my family can go on that ride (even my son doesn’t know this about me yet). But I just can’t stand spinning round and round and round, I don’t understand the excitement of that ride, it makes me cringe!” Well, there you are…
Fenil and Bollywood 