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July 13, 2006
Eight days a week
FILM
After four years away, Kajol makes a welcome return to films with Fanaa. The movie is also director Kunal Kohli’s follow-up to his super successful Hum Tum and joining him and Kajol is superstar Aamir Khan, himself coming off the box-office blockbuster Rang De Basanti. Behind the whole project is YashRaj films, the most powerful production house in Mollywood at the moment. The result – a monster hit at the box-office – should then, perhaps, come as no surprise.
But does the movie itself stand up? Not quite. It’s not the disaster that some critics are making it out to be but it is certainly a disappointment. The first half of the movie – when blind Kashmiri girl Zooni (Kajol) travels to Delhi with a college girl troupe and meets local tour guide Rehan Khan (Aamir Khan) –– overplays the romance card. In fact, “overplays” might be an understatement –– it practically shoves it down our throat and not convincingly at that either. There are plenty of eye-rolling moments with Kiron Kher, playing Kajol’s mother, certainly not helping matters. Kher is one of those actors who when good is very, very good but when she’s bad she’s terrible.
However, half way through the movie shifts gears abruptly and turns into a hi-tech thriller (I don’t want to give too much away here so I won’t say more than that). I didn’t mind because I liked the plot twist and the second half is certainly more bearable than the first. But the second half is also Ken Follet’s terrific espionage novel Eye Of The Needle (also made into a ho-hum film with Donald Sutherland) done Hindi-style. And the novel is so much better that there’s really no comparison.
Aamir Khan and Kajol are very good and can’t really be faulted. Rishi Kapoor as Kajol’s father does his bit and Tabu is on hand too though she doesn’t have that much to do. The music by Jatin-Lalit is serviceable with only one song really standing out. The real problem is with the ham-handed script and the many moments which pepper the movie – including its second half – that defy complete logic.— Khusro Mumtaz
OR
The legend of the romance of an English knight and an Irish princess gets the Hollywood treatment in Tristan & Isolde. Brothers Ridley and Tony Scott have for years tried to have this movie made, and finally get a chance to do so but are on hand only as producers and have handed over the directorial reins to Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, The Count of Monte Cristo), no stranger to medieval swashbucklers.
The script removes the magical elements of the legend – there is no magical love potion around this time – and the more grounded ambience, the political intrigues and the well-done action scenes work to the film’s advantage. The pace of the movie, however, borders on the glacial and the main romance between Tristan (James Franco) and Isolde (Sophia Myles) often comes across as nothing more than sophomoric. Franco walks around looking perpetually on the verge of tears and Myles is nothing more than Kate Winslet-lite. However, Rufus Sewell as King Marke, the third part of the triangle (Tristan and Isolde’s story certainly influenced the Arthurian legends which followed later) fares better. The movie itself is – at best - nothing more than a semi-decent television film.—K.M.
SINGLE
Veteran rocker Tom Petty is all set to release his new heartbreaker of an album titled Highway Companion on July 25. Petty is well loved for his classic hits including I Won’t Back Down and Free Fallin’ and for being part of the popular legends band Traveling Wilburys (Handle With Care).
This will be Petty’s first album without his band The Heartbreakers since 1994’s Wildflowers and fans have been eagerly awaiting its release. To whet the appetite of fans, lead single Saving Grace off the new CD has been made available via digital download and can be streamed from Petty’s website .
The track commences with a blues style intro that crescendos into a rock shuffle full of guitar, bass, drum and organ. There is base alternative vibe driving the track but it is Petty’s laid-back vocals that really make this song.
The theme is also a perfect complement to the new album as the lyrics revolve around lonely travels. Petty begins the journey with words reflective of his wisdom and experience: I’m passing sleeping cities/Fading by degrees/Not believing all I see to be so. However, it is the timeless, haunting chorus that makes this track stand out with the artist stating, You keep running for another place/To find that saving grace.
A rock-and-roll song with a “John Lee Hooker beat,” Saving Grace is the answer to Petty’s fans’ prayers. The song provides no solutions but it reminds us of how easy it is to let life pass you by while you travel down a lonely path.— T. U. Dawood
ALBUM
After last year’s smash hit film Walk the Line, the late Johnny Cash is better known and more popular than ever. Even after his death in 2003 at age 71, the accolades have kept coming and his label has released posthumously a new album titled American V: A Hundred Highways. The fifth collaboration between Cash and producer Rick Rubin, this CD is both reflective and full of unexpected depths.
Although this disc was recorded as Cash’s health deteriorated and after the death of his beloved wife June Carter Cash, it is more uplifting than American I-IV. There is much on love, separation and reunion and even the mercy of the Lord.
Cash also covers death but even then he manages to avoid being morose. In fact, there is an innate peace and acceptance in these tracks in particular, almost as though through this last album Cash was saying goodbye before he passed away, but it was a happy farewell.
Many of the singles seem to have dual meanings – both earthly and that of beyond – and this is even reflected in their titles: Further On (Up the Road), On the Evening Train and I’m Free of the Chain Gang Now.
A Hundred Highways may be Cash’s official swan song, but it’s unlikely this will be the last we’ll hear of this legend. Although this CD apparently features the last song that the artist ever wrote and recorded, there could be more posthumous albums and box-sets forthcoming. —T. U. D
CONCERT
After performing at John Lennon’s 25th Memorial at Capitol Records in Hollywood, where he also lit the first of the 25 candles, and debuting his first album, Earthiotic...songs from a one room palace, TEE-M (Tariq Mirza) is back in Karachi. He will be giving a solo acoustic performance at Purple Haze on July 15 at 9pm. For information contact 0302-210-6899.
DRAWING CLASSES
Sabir Nazar will be conducting drawing classes for the students of fine Arts, Graphics and Architecture at Oriental College of Arts, Lahore from July 1-31. Contact: sbirnazar@hotmail.com. Courtesy:
www.danka.com.pk.
LECTURE
Ahmed Javed will give a lecture on Post Modernism at Model Town Library, Lahore on July 13 at 6pm. This is the second of two parts of this lecture.
Courtesy: www.danka.com.pk.
OR
Greenwich University and Shakespeare Association of Pakistan are organising a lecture on Shakespeare and the Arabs: A Syrian Encounter by H.E. Riad Ismat, Ambassador, Syrian Arab Republic on July 13 (today) at 6pm at Greenwich University, Karachi.—A.S.
COOKING
Cooking classes on ‘Nutrition Re-education’ are being conducted by an Indian nutritionist in Karachi from July 18-21. For details contact 03008244476, 03022556654 and 03002138570.—A.S.
LAUNCHING CEREMONY
Product launching programme with a novelty by P&G is taking place at Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi on July 14 at 8pm.
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