Khuda Gawaah

1993

The news of Amitabh Bachchan retiring from cinema was in the air. Every movie was like Sachin Tendulkar’s innings in 2013. A year ago I saw Hum. One of my all-time favorite movies ever. Then came Khuda Gawaah.

The movie was good, or so it seemed then. The only thing I remember was my uncle saying “Bachchanwa ne pachchaas hajaar ki shewani pehni hai us gaane mein..”. I watch the song, the sherwaani seemed worthy of pachchaas hajaar. Then I forget the movie.

The only thing I remember about that movie was Badshah Khan riding a horse in the climax. And Benazir chanting “Woh aayega..woh aayega..”.

21 years later..

I started watching Khuda Gawah on youtube. And to my surprise I watched the whole three hours and thirteen minutes of it. It was more nostalgia than anything else that kept me through those tormenting three hours. And of course, Amitabh Bachchan. But then came the climax.

In the words of Yoda, “One of the epic-est climax ever seen, I have”. The sight of Badshah Khan riding the horse brought back those years when Salman Khan - the manliest of all the Khans - was a lover boy. This is what a Khan is. This is what a Khan should be.

The songs were majestic. And I don’t know how Sridevi pulled a Benazir. Danny was, well, Danny. But Bachchan saab, this is why the world fell in love with you – angry man (young or old notwithstanding). Mallika Sherawat was right only once in her life when she said that Amitabh Bachchan running is the sexiest thing ever. Well, Amitabh Bachchan riding is the most majestic thing ever.

What a climax. Man, what a climax.

    

The cast of Expendables

I have been very much inspired by this movie. The childhood dream of watching all the action heroes together coming to reality was too much for me. This is a perfect example of a shitty story saved by the megastar cast. It proves that old-timers like Arnold, Sly, Bruce, Dolph, Chuck, JCVD can still kick ass. The good news is that E2 has managed to gather the A-list of all-time action-movie stars; the bad news is that as a result, whether or not you liked the original Expendables, E2 will be far from the best action flick in which the dudes in the film have starred. (Okay, except maybe Dolph.) 

So I was thinking of the best, ass-kicking action movies these guys have individually worked in. and I came up with these.

Sylvester Stallone

Rocky: It’s the best underdog movie. Both on and behind the camera. I heard that it was written by a nobody named Sylvester Stallone and the makers were not keen on his insistence to do the lead role himself. They finally relented, and the world was treated to the story of a goofy simpleton and middling club fighter Rocky Balboa who stumbles into an unlikely chance to fight the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed. Rocky doesn’t win, but he goes the distance (15 rounds) with Creed after participating in the best training montage ever put on film.

Runners up: First Blood. When a small town dictatorial sheriff messes with a peace-loving but troubled war veteran, things start to get messy for the police. The action takes some time to come but it’s worth the wait.

Arnold Schwarzenneger

Predator: there are so many Arnie movies that picking up from them is a difficult task. My favorite is Predator. It triumphs over Judgment Day because of its cast. it does an awesome job characterizing the bunch of misfit soldiers. Then there is the arm-wresting match. The special effects were wonderful for those times and hold up today also.

Runners up: Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Period.

Bruce Willis

Die Hard: Termed as the greatest action movie ever made. Bruised, battered, shoeless, and bleeding out, John McClane goes all Thor lightening on terrorists at the Nakatomi Plaza. The movie has a tight script, a classic bad guy in Hans Gruber — for a long amount of time the best action-movie villain before being bettered by the Joker in Dark Knight — and just the right amount of humor.

Runners up: Pulp Fiction. In spite of all the blood and gore, it’s hard to call Pulp Fiction an action movie. It’s a cult classic nonetheless.

Jason Statham

Having starred in numerous action movies in a non-central role, Statham got his chance in The Transporter. One thing that this movie teaches us – never open another person’s mail. Unless you dig asian chicks.

Runners up: Crank. The sheer pace of this movie blows me off.

Jet Li

Lethal Weapon IV: I can’t remember the names of most of his movies. The first time I saw him was in this one. Most of the time he remains quite, in the background. But when he explodes, reminds us of a certain chap called Bruce Lee.

Runners up: Romeo Must Die.

Dolph Lundgren

Rocky IV: Definitely. The process of “acting” takes a backseat in his movies. That’s why I think Rocky IV was tailor-made for him. It was as if Rocky Balboa was fighting The Terminator. But the defeat in the climax reminds us that he’s human.

Runners up: The Expendables. Let’s be frank, he hasn’t worked in very many good movies.

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Bloodsport: Bloodsport is Van Damme at his finest. It’s full of badass training and fighting montages, and Ogre from Revenge of the Nerds plays JCVD’s sidekick. What else could you possibly want in a 80s action flick?

Runners up: Hard Target, is not director John Woo’s finest work, but there is a scene in which JCVD, sporting a mullet, a terrible creole accent, and Wilford Brimley as a sidekick, punches out a snake. That’s right — he punches. out. a. snake. 

Chuck Norris

Way of the Dragon: Not more than 15 minutes was his total screen time in this movie. But there was this all time greatest duel in the end. Probably the only time he lost. Unlike Rajnikant.

Last action heroes

I watched Expendables 2 some weeks ago. It was evident that the script was as strong as any recent Sallu Bhai movie, but it was as entertaining as any recent Sallu Bhai movie. People like me, who grew up in 80s and 90s, on a steady diet of Rambos and Rockys and Terminators and Die Hards, will know what it feels like to watch Norris, Willis, Stallone and Schwarzenegger standing side by side, guns blazing in their hands and killing bad guys.

But then after watching this movie, some thoughts ran in my mind. What if Bollywood made this movie? With our greatest action heroes (and I am not talking about the Jaani Dushman ensemble)? What will it look like? More importantly, what will it feel like? I tried to make a list.

Dara Singh

He’s the Gandalf of Bollywood action heroes. Looked menacing right up until his very last movie. But his most memorable role still remains Hanuman in the iconic TV show Ramayan. Just like Prithviraj Kapoor and his Zin-e-Ilaahi, it’s hard to imagine anybody else in this role.

Dharamendra

No list of action heroes is complete without “the” man who threatens to feast on the blood of his enemies. The only man who could be macho even in a skirt. It was he, who co-created the dhai kilo ka haath.

Anil Kapoor

Dude, he killed Mogambo. Not to mention the assorted bunch of thugs he’s routinely tackled with, plus the umpteen number of times he has played a deranged bhai. All machismo, all the way.

Jackie Shroff

If there was one person from Bollywood who could have played the role of James Bond, it was he. Gaand, Maushichi Gaand. The most suave of all the action heroes.

Sunjay Dutt

A gun never looks better and more at home than in his hands. The favorite bhai of Bollywood. The original bad boy.

The Deol

Hundred kilos men flung ten feet up in the air and pin-wheeling with just one punch. Uprooting a hand-pump from the ground like plucking a flower. Hundreds of men maa-behened with that hand-pump. An entire battalion of Pakistani army, equipped with tanks and helicopters defeated by a rickety old truck. If there is one man who can make you believe it’s possible, it’s our sunny paaji.   

Akshay Kumar

Veeru Devgun once said, “If I can think it, he can do it.” Nowadays, he lets his comedy provide the kicks. But beware, he can still slap you with his feet.

Salman Khan

There is not a single gym in the whole country which does not have a poster of Salman Khan. The laws of physics are scared of him. That’s why they don’t apply themselves when he’s around. He does not have a lion-like roar like sunny paaji, he just takes off his shirt. And all hell breaks loose. In the movie and in the movie hall.

The Bachchan

No biceps, no chest, no abs, no roar. Then why is he the greatest action hero? It’s the eyes, and the voice, and hell yes, the attitude. That’s why Deewar – which made the angry young man – has only one fight scene, and is still considered as one of the greatest action movies. That’s why the look he gives in Sarkar, while sipping his tea, can put any roaring Tara Singh to mute.

There are many more here. Ajay Devgn started of brilliantly with his two bikes, but became an “actor” later on. He’s trying to come back to old ways. Sunil Shetty, with his O-mouth and bulging biceps was a sight to behold. Hritik looks good while performing action sequences but to me they look like dance steps. Aamir Khan is overpowered by his brain – whether it’s a sharp-minded cop in Sarfarosh or a fifteen-minute-minded bauna shaitan in Ghajini.

There are two more people I omitted – Rajnikanth, because he’s not really Bollywood. And Mithunda – out of sheer respect.

These people are more ferocious and magnanimous than the Schwarzeneggers and Stallones because of the more deadly villains out here – a post on whom I plan to write shortly.

My favorite movies: Mughal-e-Azam

It took eleven hours to watch this movie. Every scene was played twice, and sometimes thrice.

When you haven’t seen a very popular movie, you always wonder what all the hoopla is about. Every now and then I would watch a movie and wonder who the hell are Salim and Anarkali? Akbar’s son was Jehangir – according to class VIII history book (ICSE certified) for crying out loud.

Then the day arrived. Dad bought VCD (yes, it was that late) of Mughal-e-Azam – three VCDs actually, since DVD was yet to be invented. It was sometime in March 2001, the next day was my Chemistry exam and I was seeing benzene rings instead of those irritating worm-like strands every time I closed my eyes. I put the CD in the player deciding to take a half hour break. Ten minutes later, I heard this:

“Insaaf ke is mukaddas taraazu ki kasam, zindagi mein ek baar Akbar se jo bhi maangogi….ataa kiya jayega..”

I shook my head like a dog after an unwanted bath. What the fuck did he just say?  I paused the movie, went to the phone, called my cousin Peeyush and told him to come home right now. We both shared the passion for music and were starting to realize that songs have lyrics too. We were in the process of migrating from “Oonchi hai building..” and “Chalti hai kya nau se baarah..” to Kishore and Rafi oldies - hence my decision to call him and invite him to watch the movie together. For me, the fun of appreciating something, movies for example, doubles with a partner. And Peeyush was the ideal one. His “O bhaisaab..!!” and “Ye kya bola bh*****d..??” like anecdotes may lack lateral thinking but pack a punch with the same impact as Sunny paaji’s dhai kilo ka haath.

So when after a mind-blowing qawwali, Salim offers flowers to Bahaar and says to Anarkali,

“…tumhare hisse mein ye kaante aaye hain..” (Peeyush: “Kya chutiyapa hai..”)

And Anarkali replies,

“Zahe-naseeb…kaanto ko murjhaane ka khauf nahi hota...”, even the anecdotes were silenced.

To call this movie successful would be like calling Sachin Tendulkar a successful batsman. It just doesn’t do justice. It’s a cult classic (which, incidentally, is the highest rating I have for movies). However, to achieve such success (and rating from me), there cannot be just one or a couple of contributing factors. There has to be many, which I would like to list below.

The grandeur: Dad always said about Mughal-e-Azam that K. Asif’s greatest regret was that he didn’t make the whole movie in Technicolor. The first thing that came to mind was that he was right. The grandeur of the sets was unmatchable, and probably still is. The sheesh mahal can anytime give the titanic a run for its money. Simply said, you will just have to see it to believe it.

The cast: Because I saw this movie so late in my life, I had the chance to see different actors play the role of Akbar in various movies and tele-series, and some were actually impressive – like Vikram Gokhale in the TV series Akbar Birbal. After watching Prithviraj Kapoor, they all seemed laughable. How can you even imagine any other actor portraying that role? You literally start to shit bricks when you see him catch Salim and Anarkali red-handed.

Dilip Kumar is, well, Dilip Kumar. It was difficult for the first few minutes to watch him playing the role of a youngster (having not watched his earlier movies). The challenge was – it was not only the role of a crowned-prince, it was more a role of a dissatisfied son who, after so many years, still carried a pinch of grudge towards his father for sending him to battles as punishment instead of having a dad-to-son talk.

And o you beautiful Madhubala. A thousand Marilyns fade before you. She was the reason. If you ever, ever get a chance to see beyond her face, see her eyes. They are full of mischief in “Mohe panghat pe..”, innocent in “Teri mehfil mein..”, defiant in “Pyar kiya to darna kya..” and blank in “Mohabbat ki jhoothi kahaani..”. I rest my case.

THAT scene: Even when she closes her eyes. Damn it. People debate about the most erotic scene in the movies. Ladies and gentlemen, forget Basic Instinct, I give you Salim, Anarkali…and the feather.

The lines: Right from a one-word “Takhliya..” to the entire dialogue of Salim and Anarkali –

“Meri aankhon se mere khwaab na chheeniye shahzade..main mar jaaungi..”

- every line in this movie was poetry. For me, this was the real highlight. That’s why it took such a long time to watch it. Check this out, a meesenger comes to the court bearing news from Salim and asks permission to read the message. Akbar could have said something like “Go ahead dude..” or a simple “Padho..”, but hell no. What, instead, he says is,

“Ba-aawaaze-buland padha jaye..”. Damn. Another rewind.

1. Akbar: “Insaaf ke is mukaddas taraazu ki kasam, zindagi mein ek baar Akbar se jo bhi maangogi….ataa kiya jayega..”

2. Anarkali: “Zahe-naseeb…kaanto ko murjhaane ka khauf nahi hota..”

3. Salim: “Mohabbat jo chhup ke ki jaaye, wo aiyyashi hai..”

4. Anarkali: “Shahenshah ki inn behisaab baksheeshon ke badle ek kaneez Jallaluddin Mohammed Akbar ko apna khoon muaf karti hai...”

5. Akbar: “Tumhari maujoodgi naafarmaani ki daleel hai..”

6. Jodha: ”Ye hindustan koi tumhara dil nahi..koi laundi jispe huqumat kare..”

    Salim: ”To mera dil bhi koi aapka hindustan nahi..jispe aap huqumat karein..”

7. Akbar: ”Agar aisa hua, to Salim tujhe marne nahi dega, aur hum, Anarkali, tujhe jeene nahi denge..”

8. Salim: "Be-khauf hokar kaho. Kabhi kabhi daave dilchasp bhi hua karte hain.." 


9. Anarkali: "Unke huzoor mein tamannaayein bhi gustaakh nai ho paati.."

Classic. Cult classic.

UP-B and Bollywood

UP-B stands for Uttar Pradesh – Bihar. The badlands. Too often associated with lawlessness and corruption. For many outsiders, looking at these states with unjustified superiority, UP-B symbolizes a state of mind that has no use for the discreet veneer of democracy that hides the ugliness of corruption in their own states.

No wonder Bollywood has ignored, if not completely avoided, these states as settings of its stories. In the bygone era, UP-B was always the preferred setting for movies with rural background and stories – be it Ganga Jamuna or Do Beegha Zameen. Both these films belong to the golden age of hindi cinema – a time when UP-B was home of some of the most brilliant minds in the country.

Despite the neglect caused by Bollywood and the rest of the country, some really outstanding movies were made about or in these regions. Well aware of my biases, I always arrange these lists, if possible, chronologically.

1. Nadiya Ke Paar

My dad used to tell me the story about when this movie was released. Villagers from surrounding as well as far-off villages use to come in their carts and camp outside Maya cinema hall for a week or even ten days out. Just to queue up outside the ticket window and somehow manage to get them. Take that, Potterfans. This movie defines simplicity. Version 2.0 became the most successful hindi movie ever.

2. Bandit Queen

Brutal. The story, the lines, the lass, the lads, the land. For a pampered sixteen year old like me, it was more hard-hitting than today’s fuel prices. Although, a lot of questions were raised about the intentions of Shekhar Kapur, especially by Arundhati Roy, it doesn’t chip away the facts.

3. Shool

Another uncompromising story set in a small Bihar town. If Bihar is a byword for lawlessness, this total disregard for law and its enforcers is represented at its worst in a small town cowering under the heel of the local politician. Into this den of iniquity walks the upright, uptight, short-tempered Inspector Samar Pratap Singh (Manoj Bajpai in a towering performance where rage and sensitivity are finely balanced). The confrontation between the law upholder and the maniacal law-breaker unfolds like a series of well-placed time bombs. The script was tight, eminently plausible, except for the climax. If E. Nivas had opted for a muted ending, Shool would be in a class of its own - at the top.

4. Gangajal

Based on the infamous Bhagalpur blinding cases, Gangajal confronts us with a moral dilemma. What should you, as a police officer, do when you are thwarted at every step by a) politicians, b) gundas c) social workers or d) all of the above, while performing your duty? Should you bow your head, hunch your shoulders and accept the reality? Or you turn into vigilantes and render your own justice? Shehenshah style. Or Gangajal style.

5. Bunty Aur Babli

Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Bareilly, Bulandshahr, Varanasi. This movie is like a kaleidoscope of Uttar Pradesh. Romance, comedy, action se bharpoor. And of course, the greatest item number ever made.

6. Sehar

Out of complete boredom, I went to watch this movie without having a clue about the story. There was a criminal who was maintained by politicians of UP. His name was Shri Prakash Shukla. The film is based on how some dedicated policemen gave their lives away in trying to crackdown this guy. Having grown up in UP at the time when Shri Prakash shukla stole regional headlines, I was able to relate to the film totally. This is a tribute to those film makers who subtract flamboyancy from the narrative of the film based on real life incidents. All this was secondary. This movie had me at the first line: “Ye kahaani shuru hoti hai Gorakhpur se…”  

7. Apaharan

No one in Bollywood knows Bihar better than Prakash Jha. He seems to have intimate knowledge and the despairing rage of a commentator who can see the terrible history of his state with surprising objectivity. After the Gangajal revolution, he now examines the prevalence of and the reasons and justification for another peculiarly Bihari industry: kidnapping for ransom. There are no easy answers. It is perhaps enough to pose the questions.

8. Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh

Take a look at Indian society. Look closely at our hang-ups with marriage : caste, creed, gender, height, color, weight, wealth etc. Into this prejudicial society introduce a short, plain, unassuming man, and his tall, beautiful, vivacious wife. And let the fireworks begin. Although every member of the cast was brilliant, it was Rajpal Yadav who takes the cake. It was stunning to see him play the part of Lucknow University librarian to perfection. The language, the lines, the mannerisms, the articulation, and most importantly, the Lakhnawi tehzeeb and sharaafat – to exact proportions.

9. Omkara

Five years since the release, this movie still retains the same freshness. That’s Vishal Bhardwaj for you. Or, may be, William Shakespeare. Othello cannot have a different adaptation – from an Venetian general to a western UP baahubali. Cast is fantastic. Devgn is arresting. Saif undoubtedly steals the show. Dobrial was the film’s finding. Even Bipasha makes it work (yeah, wonders never cease).

10. Ishqiya

Again, Gorakhpur. But this story could have taken place anywhere. Then again, what better place to portray lawlessness than eastern UP? Like Popeye's simplistic philosophy, "I yam what I yam", Ishqiya tells it like it is - no judging. The brilliance of this movie lies in its crackling dialogs which throw up so many little gems it’s hard to pick just one, and the superlative performances by its cast. It is a delight to see Naseeuddin Shah in a meaty role, awe-inspiring to watch Vidya Balan con two cons and fun to see a very un-Circiut Arshad Warsi.

11. Ishaqzaade

This is one of those movies which portray a serious issue with such an uncanny ease it seems innocent. Not on the same level as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron or Peepli [Live], this movie packs a punch with its story (tighter than Jeetendra’s pants), speed (faster than his jumps) and Parineeti Chopra. The hero, according to my wife, was lost somewhere behind his beard.

There are many more movies – Hazaaron Khwaishen Aisi, Mrityudand, for example, worth mentioning here, but don’t get the space (yeah, like it’s coveted *eye roll*) because I haven’t had the honor to watch them.

UP-B is such a beautiful place, looking out from your train window, you can easily see that any field can host a DDLJ scene, the green pastures can give an equal fight to the Scottish countryside, and don’t get me started on the rivers and lakes. But they are still neglected because of many reasons – poor infrastructure, corruption, crime to name a few.

But every now and then a movie comes which tells a story about these parts. And whenever it does, whatever the story, I smile.    

My favorite movies: DDLJ

1995

We were in a music store. It was the time when you gave the shopkeeper a list of songs and he taped it on an empty cassette for you. Dad was here to order for a bunch of those. The owner of the shop (a sardar) knew Dad and his taste of music well enough to assemble a bunch of “readymade” cassettes of hindi movies/oldies to ponder upon. Sardarji resembled a saree salesman when he did this, handling cassettes as a saree salesman handles a saree – a poetic flow in his actions.

There was this cassette of a movie called Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge which earned the most praise from him.

Sardarji: “Bhaiya ye le jaiye…bahut badhiya gaane hain..”

Dad: “Achchha!”

Sardarji: “Arre hum bata rahe hain aapko…jitney log le gaye hain, sab taareef kar rahe hain humse yahaan laut ke..” (It actually used to happen at that time)

Dad: “De do yaar…sun lenge. Lekin ye do tho cassettwa hamara kal tak banaa dena.”

I don’t remember if I ever got the chance to listen to it.

There was a buzz in town (read school) when that movie was released. The few lucky ones who have watched the movie in the first weekend wore a smug smile on their faces, telling everybody who would listen (apparently everyone wanted to listen) that the movie was absolutely amazing – and that was the most toned-down version of all the reviews. My curiosity grew and I started pestering Dad to take us to this movie. As the number of people (who’ve seen this movie) grew, so did my pestering. My anxiety and jealousy grew as the seen-it people started using the abbreviated name – DDLJ – as if there was a kinship between them which I didn’t.

Eventually, Dad’s curiosity got the better of him and he decided that enough is enough. We finally went to the cinema next Saturday – eight weeks after it was released. There was still a huge crowd at the ticket counter. I don’t know how, it seemed impossible that we’ll get any tickets, but he returned after five minutes with tickets in his hand.

The movie didn’t seem to be “absolutely amazing” while I watched. In the interval Dad gave his usual on-the-spot one-line verdict, “Abhi tak to achchhi hai…”. After the interval, it was even better. Raj Malhotra had an impossible task in front of him. Convincing a hard-assed father to go back on his zubaan, betray his bachpan ka yaar, and give his daughter’s hand to a shmuck who stole beer from his shop. He did it, thanks to the last minute enlightenment of his father-in-law-to-be.

I obviously reviewed the movie in my head, as a fourteen year old would. There was comedy. There was all that friendship and romance gyaan. And there was some action in the end. A good movie.

What I was not ready for was the after-movie effects. There was another movie running inside my head with the same storyline but where I was the hero.

Insane me: “Maine to soch liya hai…agar apni bhi girlfriend ho kabhi to main bhi aisi hi nautanki karunga.”

Sane me: “Kya??…matlab??….bakwaas!!…”

Insane me: “Matlab…agar apne saath bhi kabhi aisa hua…”

Sane me: “Kya pagla wagla gaye ho kya..?? Aisa kabhi hota hai asli life mein…”

Nevertheless, I was not able to stop myself from dreaming about that movie, with the little modification I thought of earlier.

Next day, I told my friend, “DDLJ dekhi? It’s absolutely amazing!!” I had a smug smile on my face.

2012

While searching for another movie on the net, I came across a torrent for an HD print of DDLJ. My mouth watering, I started to download the movie. This time, it was eight days after the download that I watched the movie. I am thirty-one now – my thought process is now (allegedly) mature. I found some parts to be very 90s-ish but most of them were as refreshing as the first time. Also, I was able to discover the reasons behind this movie’s enormous fame.

DDLJ blatantly refused to follow the clichés. Be it Raj Malhotra – who has no regards for his sanity (Who the hell pees in a church? And then tells his bharatiya-sanskari God-fearing lady friend?), steals beer from an old man’s shop or fails his exams and gets congratulated by his pops (Dad gave me a don’t-you-dare look afterwards when we were talking about it). Or be it the seriously WTF-ing last scene where Amrish Puri, wearing his famous eyes-bulging-out-like surface-to-air-missiles-ready-to-fire expression, tells his daughter to go live her life with the tamboora-player.

But the real reason, in my opinion, was hope. It doesn’t matter how rich Raj Malhotra was, he represented all those utterly common guys who fail their exams or who steal samosa from canteen or pee on the walls of girls’ hostel. If he can get a girl, why can’t they?

For the girls (girlie girls), it was a paradigm shift that love may not and need not be at first sight. For some, and this goes on for many more SRK characters, it was refreshing to see a hero who is not perfect and omniscient, who makes mistakes, but does the right thing at the right time. In short, a normal person.

For me, I loved the way two unknown persons, start on a wrong note, become friends, realize the importance of each other in their lives, and eventually fall in love.

I finished the movie. There was a smug smile on my face.      

Books and Movies

If you count the number of movies that have been based on books, number one, either you are insane or you have absolutely no work at your job and, number two, you are going to spend a lot of time doing this activity – such is the huge number.

It’s not difficult to understand why – books have been around centuries (or millennia) before the movies. Also, people like to see their imagination taking shape – we always wondered what Hogwarts looked like or how magnificent the city of Gondor is. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Most of them are utterly forgettable (remember Bride and Prejudice?), but some are true masterpieces. Chronologically (strictly), I want to list some of those movies which have had a lasting impression on me.

The Godfather

I remember the aghast, torn look on my cousin’s face when I told him that I’ve read the Godfather and it’s a brilliant book. “Kya bakwaas kar rahe ho…wo book nai..granth hai…granth!!” were his exact words. A friend of mine, who was a die-hard fan of Amitabh Bachchan, tells me one day, “Abe bachchanwa to nakal karta hai…Al Pacino ki…Godfather dekho…samajh mein aa jayega”. Two of the several millions who are mesmerized by this phenomenon. The story of an underworld don and his family, their relationships interwoven with tactics, deceit, loyalty and politics of this highly flammable and violent world. The metamorphosis and rise of a simple all-American man to a don. The book captivates you, you refuse to let it down, you want to finish it then and there. The movie, fascinating – classic. And Al Pacino, you do wonder if bachchanwa really tries to imitate him.

The impact: When you see all those gangsters, wearing a suit, and a hat, and a muffler over the neck, and a cigar or pipe in mouth, and a gruffy voice, it all came from Don Vito Corleone.

The moment: Michael goes to hospital to visit his father, notices that the police security is absent, and realizes the conspiracy to assassinate his father (again). He stands in front of the hospital with an aide. The tension you feel while reading or watching is tangible. Also, you can feel his helplessness when the corrupt police officer punches him and the relief when his family’s consigliere arrives with private guards.

The line: “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

Harry Potter Series

An orphan living with his aunt and uncle, who treat him like a street dog, is unaware that he is the most famous boy in the world…and he’s a wizard. What follows is history. JK Rowling would never have realized that this imaginary kid and his world will start a following that will be bigger than the Star Wars and the James Bonds…combined. Those seven books, and eight movies, fascinated the whole world for more than a decade. There are many things, in favor of this series, which make a difference, which make it stand apart. The imagination of the author – Hogwarts, Quidditch, or the brilliant characterizations which enable you to practically know what the particular character is thinking, or the progressive change in the language of the books or the direction of the movies keeping the age of the fans in mind. But the thing that really clinches it is really simple. The secret world of magic. Wizards and witches. Harry, Hermione and Ron. Quidditch. Albus Percivel Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. And ofcourse, Hogwarts.

The impact: A whole generation brainwashed.

The moment: There are many. Harry accidently freeing a python on his cousin, his first Quidditch match, His first encounter which Voldemort, Dumbledore’s death. Or maybe the climax, where he explains and proves Tom Riddle a moron, which the movie desperately failed to show us.

The line: "EXPECTO…PATRONUM..!!!" 

Lord of the Rings

Watching the first movie was a disappointment. Brilliant though it was, I absolutely hated waiting for sequels. It was in college when I realized the fan following this series had. Curiosity got the better of me when a local multiplex announced the screening of the whole saga upon the release of the final part, and I watched all the three movies in one go. I remember having trouble coming to terms with the real world when I got out of the multiplex – the buses, the cars, the McDonalds. Not a single horse in sight? Not a single sword glinting?

To say that the movies were grand is an understatement. No words can describe them. You have to actually watch them to understand the innocence of the Shire, the beauty of Rivendell, the dearth of Mordor, the power of the Rohirrim, or the grandeur of Gondor. I rest my case.

The impact: Short-lived. Like coming to terms with the normal world after coming out of the cinema.

The moment: The charge of the Rohirrim. Whether at Helm’s Deep or at Gondor. You can feel your mouth hanging open.

The line: "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to."

The Bourne Series

Robert Ludlum has an obsession with details. That may be the reason why his books are evidently so long. So long that it took three movies to cover a single book. The books are perceptional – some may describe them as great works, some may shrug, and some may dub them as just an average spy novel stuff. But the movies are pure gold. For those who haven’t read the books beforehand (like myself), it’s an experience. You start with nil, just like the protagonist, who is suffering from amnesia, and you learn along with him as he learns things about himself, all alone. The USP, according to me, is how, through simple tactics, diversions and tricks, one man – the fact that he is the most lethal assassin in the world notwithstanding – takes on the might of the CIA. A few years ago, in the era of the Schwarzeneggers and the Stallones, this would have been deemed impossible.

The impact: Almost ended the era of larger-than-life action heroes. Jason Bourne was one of the first action characters who actually were confused, erratic and afraid at times. Machine guns were no longer the only option.

The moment: The scene in The Bourne Ultimatum where he directs a journalist over cell phone and helps him dodge more than a dozen government agents at a crowded Liverpool station. Mind blowing.

The lines: Bourne: "I’ll talk to someone I know. There was a girl in Paris, Nicky."

Landy: "What if I can't find her?"
Bourne: "It's easy. She's standing right next to you."      

Sarkar

I had a lot of respect for RGV (in those days), so I restrained myself from cursing him to make a remake of the Godfather. After watching the movie, I was stunned. From Frame One, where we see a yellow and black auto rickshaw framed artfully between barbed wire, the movie begins with a hapless man going to meet Sarkar, in search of retribution for his raped daughter. As he walks down the compellingly shot, dark hallways in the fantastically chosen old mansion, we sit rapt with attention, looking at a Godfather recreation - the story of Bonasera, and how Don Corleone got him vengeance. Sarkar does the same, and very interestingly. It's the same plot, but Ramu does it entirely his way. Supported by absolutely brilliant acting by the Bachchans and Kay Kay Menon, this masterpiece of a movie creates pure magic.

The impact:  Resurrected Bachchan Jr. He had Dhoom under his belt, but now everybody knew that he can act.

The moment: In jail, Sarkar and Shankar are sitting, Sarkar asks Shankar to go back to America, Shankar declines. Hardly anything is spoken between the two, but the eyes say everything…intense.

The line: “Mujhe jo sahi lagta hai wo main karta hoon…fir chahe wo samaaj ke khilaaf ho…police, kanoon ke khilaf ho…bhagwaan ke khilaaf ho…ya fir poore system ke khilaaf kyun na ho...” 

The Twilight Saga

Just when you thought that Harry Potter cannot have any competition, another book casts a spell on the whole world through its forbidden love story. Teenagers, specially the fairer sex, went swooning over this romance. One can see the appeal – a perfectly ordinary girl, falls in love with a vampire, who looks like a Greek god, behaves like a perfect gentleman, and speaks English in such a way the Queen of England would be proud of. This is every girl’s dream, and every boy’s if you vice-versa it. The obvious notwithstanding, it’s a joy to read and watch them and experience the true undying love they both have for each other. The unconditional surrender of Edward to Bella’s longing and desperation – instead of reading, you want to jump inside the story. Messer’s Mills and Boon – time to pack up?

The impact: Huge. I remember the situation with Shahrukh Khan in the late 90s – the girls adored him, the guys hated him (or pretended to hate him even if they liked him) for precisely that, and his guts. It’s the same with Twilight; the guys hate it because the girls love it. Though most of them secretly read it to takes tips from Edward Cullen.     

The lines:

5. It was a colossal tribute to his face that it kept my eyes away from his body.

4. Bella: "How old are you?"

    Edward: "Seventeen."

    Bella: "How long have you been seventeen?"

    Edward: "A while."

3. Her existence alone was excuse enough to justify the creation of the entire world.

2. Edward: "So the lion fell in love with the lamb."

    Bella: "What a stupid lamb."

    Edward: "What a sick, masochistic lion."          

1. I don’t…have the strength…to stay away from you anymore.

There are other movies, which should be in the list. But I may not have watched them, or may not remember them, or may not have liked them, but certainly don’t care about them. These six have a special place in my heart, because apart from the purpose of entertainment, I have learnt something or the other from each one. Shrewdness from Don Corleone, friendship from Harry, Ron, Hermione and the hobbits, giving second chances from Albus Dumbledore, hope from Gandalf, and love, unconditional, eternal love, from Edward and Bella.