SCULPTOR and jewellery designer, Amin Gulgee claims he watches all kinds of movies, although he has hardly seen any in the last year. However, his favourite is Kill Bill, a movie he did see recently. As he himself admits, the film is “extremely violent and graphic.” According to Gulgee, he found the film, “Great, and an uplifting experience.”
So how can a violent movie be uplifting, one wonders? Explains the artist, “It’s about a woman seeking revenge for all the wrongs done to her. Paradoxical as it sounds, the violence takes on aesthetic proportions. The film is Quentin Tarantino at his best.”
Another film that Gulgee raves about is Cabaret. Says he, “It is brilliant. As a rule, I am not fond of musicals as I feel you shouldn’t combine the two mediums of expression. But I enjoyed this film a lot. I love the way it is edited and the way the music and the story are integrated.”
Gulgee is also fond of a vintage film called Ordinary People. He recalls having seen it as a kid and claims it made him cry. “I haven’t seen it since, but it left a huge impression on me.”
As for Indian and Pakistani movies, Gulgee admits, “I used to watch them in my youth but haven’t seen them in a long time now. I think Sholay was the last Indian film I have seen.”
Fond of listening to music, Gulgee claims he is just as indiscriminate about the selection he listens to and enjoys all kinds of music. However, he admits that when it comes to preferences, he loves to “listen to Abida Parveen” and had “fallen in love with her” when he heard her live. He is also fond of the band Arian and particularly enjoys their early albums. Gulgee is all praises for Madonna, too, and enthuses “She lives! She’s super! I love all her numbers — from early to recent.”
Also among Gulgee’s favourites is Norah Jones. He is just as fascinated with Portuguese singer Mercedes Souza, whom he describes as “Abida Parveen of the other hemisphere.” He laughs, “My favourite female singers are those with strong voices.” He also enjoys Erykah Badu who has a background in gospel singing. According to Gulgee, “She sings for God.”
As for Indian singers, Gulgee is very clear in his mind as to who he rates as number one. He dotes on Kishore Kumar and raves, “What a voice!” Not surprisingly though, considering that he has a penchant for deep female voices, he claims he doesn’t listen to Lata Mangeshkar.
Amin Gulgee enjoys reading a wide spectrum of fiction. He had been reading “and tremendously enjoying” The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass when this interview took place. Says he, “It is really funny. I love the way the writer throws everything on the reader’s head. You can completely identify with the dwarf and the extraordinary being in extraordinary times. It is an unforgiving look at yourself.”
Another of his favourite books is Hours, which he read last year and found thoroughly enjoyable. Says Gulgee, “It’s an engineer’s book. I love the way the story is constructed. It comes close to describing the Final Solution.”
Some readers may be surprised to know that Gulgee has not only read, but also loves the Harry Potter series. “They are so imaginative and the prose so simple. I think it is extremely difficult to write for children for you have to be so restrained and severe with yourself and yet not appear condescending.”
One of the few books that Gulgee claims to have read over and over again, and enjoyed it as much each time, is Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He describes it as “the ultimate love book”. According to Gulgee, he had read the book so many times that “it was falling apart” and he had to leave pages behind wherever he took the book to read.
FAVOURITE MOVIE: Kill Bill
FAVOURITE MUSIC: All songs rendered by Abida Parveen
SCULPTOR and jewellery designer, Amin Gulgee claims he watches all kinds of movies, although he has hardly seen any in the last year. However, his favourite is Kill Bill, a movie he did see recently. As he himself admits, the film is “extremely violent and graphic.” According to Gulgee, he found the film, “Great, and an uplifting experience.”
