Love from a friend I have yet to meet!

Today I got a parcel in the mail--from India! From a sweet young lady who I have only met via email and the online knitting group Ravelry. We befriended each other over a discussion of crochet and Hindi films! She lives in Chennai, and wondered if I had viewed any Tamil films. Well we got talking--she asked if she could send me anything I have had difficulty finding--well a movie for which I have been dying to see since it's release. Taare Zameena Par--which was Aamir Khan's directorial debut-I had been listening to the music for ages, and hoping it would soon be released her in the US. Well, to make a long and annoying story short-Disney picked up the world wide distribution rights to this movie. I was anxious, knowing how Disney tends to 'homogenize' everything it touches, I was afraid that Disney would make a mess of the distribution. Disney announced it would be released in March of 2009-then they delayed it to September! I read on the Disney website that they were also going to release with the original subtitled film, a DUBBED verison! Sacraledge! As a fan of Hindi Cinema and Bollywood in general, most of us who love the films find no problems dealing with subtitles. I was apalled that Disney had planned to not only delay release but to also dub it. I asked my online friend if she could easily find a copy of TZP, with subtitles (and playable in US)--she said--oh yes! I was in heaven!
Well her parcel arrived today! Not only did she send the movie, and 2 lovely dupatta that I will treasure-as I treasure a necklace sent me by a penpal in India when I was in Junior High school--she also included several treasures I had not expected!!
First off were 2 issues of People magazine--you say People, hah, I can get that here! Bash I say, these are the Indian versions-great filmy gossip and one had a cover interview with Shahrukh Khan!! Then I found a mug with SRK's 'mug' on it!! Well, after just seeing this image and jumping up and down--I did not even remove it from the box while out at the post office. I rushed home, emailed her my great thanks--she asked if I liked the personal touch her fiancee had put together!? I ran, looked at the mug-and lo and behold-SRK is wearing a tshirt that says Bollyenabler! Now I am forever famous, and forever close to the star I love! Hey, now I am beginning to sound like some crazy teenage fan! If you all knew how hard it is to feel this passion for Bollywood here in the USA! You enjoy the news items that say Anupaum Kher has signed to do a Woody Allen film(one I may have to go see, even though I do not find Woody that entertaining!). Thank you once again ms crochetress--your gift will be treasured. Now, to find the perfect thing to send in return-there is no way I can top the kindness sent me from far away

Bollytheraphy!!

I find that Bollywood helps me through alot of things! When people talk about going to expensive psychotherapy--spending thousands of dollars to talk through their problems with an overpaid listener--I just grin and hum a Bollytune! When my spirits lag, the world overwhelms, I feel totally stressed--a movie, a song, a book about my favorite Bollywood theme will cure me in no time! My son and I went to see the Star Trek film on Mother's Day, we are both dire hard Trekkers--me since the original series, and my son can recall the day that The Next Generation premiered! We enjoyed our outing and the film as well. I am of the ilk that we stay until the last credit-all those people worked hard and need to be recognized. As we were leaving the theatre-I asked gee where is the rest of the movie as well as the item number! I find that when I watch Hollywood movies do not take the time to build a story, they end the tale when you are just getting involved with the characters and rooting for the underdog. That is why I love Bollywood--the story keeps you intranced, you understand the motivation and the story gets finished. Talking with one of my Bollyconverts and I were discussing the same topic, we both feel that Hollywood could learn an awful lot from Bollywood actors, directors and films on the whole--India really knows how to tell stories. India has been telling stories for as long as man has listened--not only does Hinduism have the oldest written religious texts, but many of the myths are old if not older. Man has always loved stories--the longer the better. This is why Bollywood will probably out do and outlast Hollywood--this current strike by distributors and producers which has put a halt to new releases--let us pray for the end to the strike and a collection of new interesting Bollywood stories to make us laugh, cry, worry, forget, and all out enjoy! Namaste to all.

Paheli Pick Me Up

It has been a hectic, tired week! Most mornings I needed something peppier than NPR to keep me awake at work. I have listened to various soundtracks to get me there. I had begun to watch Luck by Chance, but the tiny, odd fonted subtitles made my eyes go crossed. The yarn store was kind of slow today, and I got to listen, at rather high volume, many of my favorite soundtracks! Ghanjini, Swades, and Paheli on the way home. This dreary Saturday needed a color boost! Son was off with friends after taking the MTEL exam, so I did not need to inflict this movie on him for yet another time. Paheli is a Rajasthani folktale--of a lonely bride that awakens the heart of a ghost. The ghost takes the form of her husband--who has left on a 5 year business trip for his father. The ghost admits to the young bride who he is, and she keeps his secret. Their love grows as her real husband--in a far off city--begins to miss his wife he had yet to know. The ghost and the bride's love takes root, the household is happy, prosperous--lost honor is returned, lost husbands return. When the bride is ready to deliver the child of the love she has for the ghost--the true husband returns!
This movie is colorful, joyous and reassuring! It makes you believe in love once again. This movie also helps you to realize that Hindi films can make a story based on Indian tales--Hindi film is not the step-child of Hollywood. Many films reflect the values, ideas, and ideals that are India--stories told to children of all ages.
This movie will cheer any dark, dreary day and make you wish to go find your true love--and hope that you can find your soulmate that you will be with for seven lifetimes.