Book Review : Mrs Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna

Such a breezy and fun entertainer this book is. Unlike Twinkle's movies, of-course. ;) A fun idea it is to peep into her semi-fictional world. Because, well, if you love Bollywood - you would surely be interested in 'an ex-star married to a superstar's life!?

Have read only a few of Tina's columns, most of which are about current affairs. This book, is pretty different from those and thankfully, written in a very light manner. Making you go LOL at almost every page. Even there were some lines so hilarious, I really had to try hiding my laugh thinking what my co-traveler (in bus) would think.

Read it, because it won't harm your much time. And yes, God Blues You.

Highway : Thoughts overflow

Tu Kuja was haunting my mind since two days. Couldn't get over it unless hearing it on headphones. With all those electronic 'noise' thrown in. Yes, the reason why I love the track so much is because of that electronic treatment ARR has given to it. And for which, people often criticized it. But for me, the sound creates more mysterious atmosphere. More 'black' 'dark' and 'unknown' element it adds. There are two ways to enjoy this track - close your eyes trying to get away from everything. Or open your eyes, while traveling, sitting at window and look at visuals passing thru it.

The exact way to enjoy whole soundtrack of Highway, is like that. I just did it for umpteenth time. And that's why I am penning this down, without any purpose. Just as my mind felt about the songs, getting immersed yet again in this journey of sound. Highway.

Who knows, if Tu Kuja, initially, wouldn't have designed like this? Can anyone confirm, if it was actually made a qawwali as we heard on radio in the movie. May be, that sounded out of place to the director for the situation he wanted this song to be played to. So enter the mysterious version, for a scene where Veera is running away from reality, towards unknown.

That one track, isn't alone inspired by the visuals. Almost all of them, tells the same tale. Moving on to next, the one which got least accolades, for having more 'pop' sound.  Maahi Ve is another one, which takes you on a journey. Passing trees, one by one, as the 'clap' sound goes in the song. Another song, almost bordering on structure of Phir se udd chala. With no fixed lines to repeat. (agree, its not, but). It ends very unusually. But by that time, you already have lump in your throat, by the lyrics and the violins in the last para.

Sooha saha, again, an emotional journey. Scenes in the movie, are put in flickering motion. Coming and going in seconds, from the past of Mahabir. By the time song reaches its climax, and Veera starts singing - Toota Tara sa... for the broken Mahabir. You can't help, and tears well up in your eyes. Visuals of Veera consoling Mahabir come up in front of eyes, when Mahabir totally breaks down, right before the climax. And Veera consoles him like a mother would. Aching pain the scene had, that reflects in a song, that comes way earlier in the movie.

The the playlist moved to ARR's version of Patakha Guddi, which unlike the 'happy' sound of the former version, has its soul more inclined towards devotion. Devotion, towards the one you love. From the silent scattered continued beats, it goes to the height, of belonging-ness, in terms of music - with hard rock portion, gradually coming down. With faint sounds of a dafli. And near conclusion, offering one's self completely to the 'Saaiya'. You hear more faint sounds, almost silent, of 'manjeera', repeating at certain intervals. A symbol of devotion-literally.

And after all this ride into unknown, emotional, physical, devotional peak, and back on soil. Implosive Silence cools down everything. But not for so long. The longing sound remains inside. Like heart beats. Increasing gradually. And then, bass increases, but not outwards. Inwards it takes you. Just like the name of the track. Implosion - of thoughts, of things squeezing you inside. Without shouting outside, without letting anyone else hear you. The one, that makes more devastating effect than an explosion.

Book Review : Gaata Rahe Mera Dil:50 Classic Hindi Film Songs

It used to irk me a lot every time when someone argued 'Gaane to humare/puraane zamaane mein the, aaj kal ke gaane mein woh baat nahi'. (Great songs were in our times/old times, today's songs lack that thing). I always begged to differ, as each generation, each decade has their own share of awesome as well as dreadful soundtracks. But after reading this, my belief proved wrong. Yes, there were bad soundtracks in those times too, but the good ones were so great, from each aspect, and having shelf life so long, it continues to mesmerize us even today.

Balaji Vittal and Anirudha Bhattacharjee's second book, Gaata Rahe Mera Dil tells the tale of 53 such albums (yes, and not just one song from each album), that makes you floored by the detailing and research. Efforts to gather the information, are at remarkable level, that makes you revisit all the songs with totally different perspective. For example, even the simple melody of Yeh raat bheegi bheegi, gave me goosebumps at the lines 'Iss raat ki jhagmag mein, main dhoondh rahi hoon apne ko'. Or some albums which I avoided to listen, just because I love 'well arranged' sound more, when I put on my headphones; are on repeat mode now in my phone. All this because now I know what is the story behind them.

Of course, there are portions, which were difficult for an average 'admirer' of music like me. Like the Komal Ni, Soft Dha and other information about the structure of the songs like chords and coda. But that, makes one want to learn how these things work.

Yes, the list is SDB, RDB heavy. But path breaking, their music was as everyone agrees. Manna Dey has major chunk when talking about male voice, and Lata of course, as female one. But still there are talks of voices like Vani Jairam, Minmini, Bhupinder Singh - rightfully done.

This is one book, you can't afford to miss, if like me, you proclaim yourself a 'music lover'. The only side effect is - this will make your 'To play' list quite longer. And you will miss listening to recent albums, well, though there is nothing to lose in doing so.

Off topic : So I read in this sequence, books that were linked with each other : Conversations with Waheeda Rehman > Sun Mere Bandhu Re:The music journey of SDBurman > The Guide > Romancing with Life by Dev Anand > Gaata Rahe Mera Dil. Phew, now its time to break the link. Though I so want to read Meena Kumari's life account, written by Vinod Mehta, but that can wait. Now its time for a fiction.

Book Review : Romancing with Life by Dev Anand

Always a fan of his works; his style, songs and his movies. Don't know why it took so long that I made this book stay on the shelf. It's a wonderful, often dreamy account of a star shining bright on his own in the very first galaxy of Indian cinema. Knowing no one in the industry Dev Saab's is a story no less than a fairy tale. (wonder what would be the writing material for today's stars when the trend of 'you launch my son I'll launch your new movie').

From the lights and shades of black and white era, to the musical of early seventies to the one after another non-stop failures produced by Navketan. Dev Saab honestly puts it down like no other star has done till date in India.

Of course there are dull moments, and those in larger quantity in last almost 150 pages when he keeps on boasting about the honors he was receiving and the political connections. As everyone's review points out. After the Zeenat chapter, things get boring. But still there are chapters like the shooting of Love at Times Square and his Lahore bus journey, which holds your attention.

I wish he could have written more about working with his two most effective partners on screen : SD Burman and Waheedaji. That would have made this more intriguing. However, for a fan like me, even this is more than enough. Evergreen as he is, the life account is a suitable for the aura he still has, even after his departure.