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Let's get one thing straight: You haven't watched anything so opulent, so magnificent like this in a long, long time on the Hindi screen. It's not just body beautiful, but there's soul as well.

It requires courage, prowess, patience, aptitude, knowledge, passion and of course, loads of currency to attempt a movie like JODHAA AKBAR. But more than anything else, it requires your firm belief in the subject, the belief to attempt a historical when historicals are considered an absolute no-no in the industry, the belief to spend almost Rs. 40 crores in a film that could go either ways.

Only when you're convinced yourself can you convince millions of moviegoers. And convinced you are after watching JODHAA AKBAR, a film of epic proportions.

Now let's clear a few misconceptions pertaining to the film…

* It's blasphemous to compare MUGHAL-E-AZAM and JODHAA AKBAR. While MUGHAL-E-AZAM was primarily about the legendary romance between Salim and Anarkali, a subject that has been attempted quite a few times on the Hindi screen before, JODHAA AKBAR is about the relationship that the young Akbar shared with Jodhaa.


* A lot has been said and written about its length [3.20 hours]. Does the viewer of today have the patience to watch a really lengthy film in today's times? But once into JODHAA AKBAR, the sequence of events, the drama, the romance, the war… every aspect keeps you mesmerized. Oh yes, the length does pinch you at one crucial point [second hour, which is relatively shorter], when a song breaks out. Otherwise, the 3 + hours are very well spent.


* When you watch historicals like MUGHAL-E-AZAM and RAZIA SULTAN, the usage of chaste Urdu is difficult to comprehend at times. Not here! The language is simplified - Akbar speaks in Urdu, Jodhaa in Hindi - and it's easy to decipher.

As a cinematic experience, it would be wrong to compare JODHAA AKBAR to any of Ashutosh Gowariker's previous endeavors. Why, it would be erroneous to compare the film with any film ever made before in this genre. This one stands out and stands out the tallest.

To sum up, JODHAA AKBAR leaves you spellbound, enthralled, entranced and awestruck. Ashutosh Gowariker makes the legendary characters come alive on screen. Take a bow, Ashu!

Set in the sixteenth century, JODHAA AKBAR is a love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa. Little did Akbar [Hrithik Roshan] know that when he married Jodhaa [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan], he would be embarking upon a new journey -- the journey of true love.

The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer [Kulbhushan Kharbanda], Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar's biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of this defiant princess.

One of the prime reasons why JODHAA AKBAR works is because the present-day viewer is unaware of the romance between Akbar and Jodhaa. Sure, we all know of Akbar as a great emperor, but the love story makes for a refreshing subject. And the execution of a number of sequences makes JODHAA AKBAR extremely special.

Some instances:
* The war sequence at the very outset. You realize the scale and magnitude of the film at the very beginning.
* Hrithik taming an out-of-control elephant. It's hair-raising.
* The two pre-conditions set by Jodhaa, before her marriage to Akbar. Very interesting.
* The confrontation between Ila Arun and Ash at the kitchen, when Ash decides to make the meal herself.
* The immediate sequence, when Ash is asked to taste the food herself by Ila before she's about to serve the food to the Emperor and his associates. Once done, Hrithik demanding that he be served the meal from the same platter that Jodhaa had used.
* The intermission point, which sows the seeds of a misunderstanding between Hrithik and Ash.
* Post-interval, Hrithik returning to Amer to get Ash back to Agra and the welcome ceremony by his mother-in-law [Suhasini Mulay].
* The sword fight the very next morning, between Hrithik and Ash.
* The 'Azeem-o-Shaan Shahenshah' track, when the entire kingdom hails Hrithik.
* The fight in the climax [reminds you of the fight between Brad Pitt and Eric Bana in TROY].
Amazing moments indeed…

Ashutosh Gowariker knows that historicals have to be simplified while narrating on celluloid so that the moviegoer is able to grasp and comprehend the plotline and the sequence of events. Thankfully, JODHAA AKBAR is not in the least difficult to decipher. Gowariker's handling of the subject deserves the highest praise, for it's not everyday that you come across a film like JODHAA AKBAR.

A.R. Rahman's music is not the type that you take to instantly, but yes, it gels beautifully with the mood of the film. 'Azeem-o-Shaan Shahenshah' and 'Jashn-e-Bahara' are the best tracks in terms of tune. In terms of choreography, 'Azeem-o-Shaan Shahenshah' is awe-inspiring, while the execution of 'Khwaja Mere Khwaja' is outstanding. Rahman's background score is simply extra-ordinary.

There's no room for dullness in Haider Ali and Gowariker's screenplay. The writing is tight, the drama keeps you hooked and the romantic track is wonderful. The film also talks of secularism, an issue so vital in today's times. K.P. Saxena's dialogues are amazing. At places, soaked in acid. The writer comes up with several gems, yet again. Kiran Deohans' cinematography matches international standards. The movement of camera at various places, especially in the battlefield, is breath-taking. Also, the D.O.P. captures the grandeur to the fullest. The production design [Nitin Chandrakant Desai] is, again, awesome. Recreating the bygone era requires not just money, but also the vision and Desai proves his supremacy yet again.

Be it the war sequences or the sword fights or general action, Ravi Dewan's contribution to the film is incredible. Especially noteworthy is the fight between Hrithik and Nikitin Dheer in the climax. It's simply outstanding! Editing [Ballu Saluja] is perfect, although the romantic song between Hrithik and Ash can be shortened in the second hour. The costumes [Neeta Lulla] as also the jewelry also deserve special mention.

JODHAA AKBAR also works because of the right casting. It's difficult to imagine anyone else in the role of Emperor Akbar. Hrithik seems born to play this role and he enacts it with such precision, such flourish, such confidence that it leaves you asking for more. A mind-boggling performance without doubt!

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is superb. Oh yes, she looks ethereal -- a compliment she has heard a trillion times before. What's new in that? But watch her emote in this film. You realize the amazing talent that has hitherto not been tapped by any movie maker. A flawless performance indeed!

JODHAA AKBAR has a host of characters, but the ones whom you carry home, besides Hrithik and Ash, are Sonu Sood [excellent], Nikitin Dheer [fantastic], Ila Arun [electrifying; her finest work so far], Punam S. Sinha [graceful], Kulbhushan Kharbanda [perfect], Raza Murad [effective] and Rajesh Vivek [good]. Amitabh Bachchan's rich barritone voice adds lustre to the magnum opus.

On the whole, JODHAA AKBAR is, without a shred of doubt, a brilliant film in all respects. This historical has all it takes to prove the first blockbuster of 2008. Very strongly recommended!

Rama Rama Kya Hai Dramaaa Review

Comedies are the flavor of the season and RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA follows the rules and guidelines earnestly. But let's not mistaken this film to be an offshoot of PARTNER and WELCOME. The idea is to recreate the Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee kind of cinema by handling a serious topic [marital problems] in a humorous format.

Although the topic it touches is serious in nature, debutante director S. Chandrakant weaves humor in the plot so that the goings-on don't get heavy at any point. Also, you don't really expect the moon from the film, so you aren't disappointed either.

To cut a long story short, RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA isn't a great comedy by any chance. But you continue to smile, not squirm, as the reels unfold!

The story revolves around three married couples -- Prem [Aashish Chowdhary] and Khushi [Amrita Arora], Santosh [Rajpal Yadav] and Shanti [Neha Dhupia] and Mr. and Mrs. Khurana [Anupam Kher and Rati Agnihotri]. Santosh marries Shanti, a small-town girl, and later realizes that Shanti is not the 'perfect wife'. Petty differences start popping up and Santosh starts day-dreaming and imaging other women as his wives.

The marriage of Prem and Khushi is also not smooth-sailing, since Khushi is too demanding as a wife. How the two couples make up in the end forms the crux.

A simple plot with equally simple execution -- that's the right way to sum up RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA. The arguments and tiffs between the newly-married couple [Rajpal, Neha] seem real at times. Also, Rajpal's over-active imagination -- of imagining other's wife as his -- make the goings-on interesting.

On the flip side, the writer hasn't spelt the reasons that put Rajpal and Neha in the war zone. Why are they constantly bickering? The other couple's [Aashish, Amrita] relationship is also not well-developed. Aashish is an excellent husband, but Amrita seeks divorce in the end. It should've been the other way round.

Debutante S. Chandrakant shows a flair for comedies. But he could've done with a tighter script. Siddharth-Suhas' music is a plus point. The songs are easy on the lips. Dialogues are funny at places.

RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA doesn't demand histrionics, so everyone's over the top, in keeping with the mood of the film. Rajpal Yadav is the scene stealer. Neha too acts well. Aashish has a Salman Khan hang-up. He ought to be natural. Amrita Arora gets minimal scope. Anupam Kher and Rati Agnihotri are adequate.

On the whole, RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA is a fair entertainer.

Hijack is an action thriller. The film revolves around Vikram Madan (Shiney Ahuja) who is a ground maintenance officer at the Chandigarh airport. His social life is limited to one friend, Rajeev, who is the Security Chief of the same airport. As luck would have it, the flight in which Vikram’s daughter was traveling to Amritsar from Delhi, is hijacked. A group of six terrorists takes control of the airplane to secure release of Maqsood (KK Raina) who had been captured by the Indian police. The flight is forced to land at Chandigarh airport. The terrorists demand the release of Maqsood and threaten to kill the hostages. The mastermind of this terrorist group is a man named Abdullah who remains a mystery till the end.

Now, Vikram is faced with the dilemma of being the only man who can sneak inside the aircraft to his daughter Priya. Once he sneaks into the aircraft with the help of the airhostess, Saira (Esha Deol), he starts plotting and killing the terrorists one by one. Some innocent passengers too become victims of the gunshots by ruthless terrorists in the process. Somehow, Vikram and Saira manage to save the day.


Cast & Crew
Producer
Dinesh Vijan
Kunal Shivdasani

Director
Kunal Shivdasani

Star Cast
Shiney Ahuja...... Vikram Madan
K K Raina...... Maqsood
Mona Ambegaonkar
Kaveri Jha
Esha Deol...... Sarita

This whole American Airlines debacle has made me think about the true feasibility of flying with my young family at any time in the near (or not-so-near) future. It doesn't sound very appetizing - especially when your child has a severe peanut allergy.

I mean, if these airlines don't even have their wiring up-to-date, how the heck can I expect them to provide a "peanut-free zone" on their plane?? It's pretty scary.

My family has not flown a lot but when we have, it's been pretty disappointing to see the way food allergies are handled (or more accurately, not handled). We've always told the booking agent about our daughter's peanut allergy and been given the line "yeah, yeah, we know all about peanut allergies, we don't serve peanuts, it's not a problem." This was American Airlines, BTW.

So then we get on board. American does not serve peanuts. But it does have "snack packs" available that DO contain other nuts. Also, on one flight, peanuts were encrusted along the sides of our assigned seats , so I had a little clean-up job to do. Once we were up in the air, I heard a mother turn to her young son and say "I brought your special peanuts." I wanted to turn around and say "Lady, let me tell you what you can do with your special peanuts." But a mid-air fracas is not what I was after. People on airplanes LOVE peanuts. They love them. As my 2nd grader would say "They love them so much they want to marry them."

In doing some research for a "flying with food allergies" article, I came across a Southwest Airlines message board devoted to people's favorite peanuts served on Southwest. (Incidentally, most passengers vote for the honey roasted.)

You would not have believed the comments posted in response to passengers who had family members with nut allergies. One smartmouth said that peanut-allergic people need to charter private flights and "not make our lives a living hell."

A living hell?? Really. Just because you don't get peanuts for a few hours? Well, there's proof that everything really IS relative.

I know that I need to do a better job of making sure that we have a "peanut-free" portion of the plane to sit in. Clearly, I need to make a nuisance of myself with every ticket agent, flight attendant, etc.. But I have to say, are people fearing terrorism more while in flight, or the loss of their precious peanuts?? I wonder.

I mean, come on, even baseball stadiums are offering peanut-free zones now, in some cases, or offering "Peanut-Free" day at the ballpark. And these are BASEBALL stadiums. Every 7th inning they sing: "buy me some PEANUTS and cracker jack." And yet, they're willing to be flexible!!

There is no corresponding "peanut" song for airlines, of course. If airlines did have a song, may I volunteer to write it? How about "Give me some peanuts and cracker jack, then I'll have something to do while I sit for hours on the tarmac...." Or something like that.

How have others handled flying with food allergies? If you have some tips to share, I'd appreciate it.

My own are: bring Clorox Wipes for wiping down the seats. Ask to board early so that you can remove any peanut residue left over from previous flights. Talk to every airline staff member you see in order to make sure you get a peanut-free zone. Lastly, bring earplugs so you don't have to listen to your fellow passengers complain that they are being unfairly "peanut-deprived."

Am I smarter than a 2nd grader? I realized to my chagrin, that this Mom might need to be "schooled" on a few points. Not too long ago, I learned quite a few things from my daughter when she described a recent peanut-free table experience. I could definitely take a few tips on keeping my cool from my kid.

According to what my daughter tells me, she gets questioned pretty frequently by her friends and classmates about her severe allergy to nuts. This is especially true when she is sitting at the "peanut-free" table with non-allergic kids. (And hey, for the record, I'm glad they're with her. That means they weren't "packing peanuts" that day.) Naturally, conversation sometimes turns to the ins and outs of being a "peanut-free" kid.

The questions are normal, but they don't necessarily thrill me, especially when kids ask things like "Will you die from your allergy?" She gets asked this fairly often and she always answers "I could, but I won't." I really hate that my 8-year-old even has intimations on her own mortality but I'm glad she is confident that she will be OK. Still, I wish sometimes I were there to help buffer these questions.

Turns out I don't need to be there. This child has it covered, even when the questions get a bit more unecessary. For example, late last week some kids wanted explicit details about what symptoms my daughter would exhibit if she were having an allergic reaction. Not that this is bad, either. If everyone knows, they can help my daughter if she needs it.

My daughter described some of the symptoms of a severe food allergy reaction, including facial swelling. Unfortunately, everyone thought this was a hoot. (I'm sure they were having cartoon-like visions of what would happen, I'm not saying they meant her any harm.)

When I told my daughter that she could offer to change the subject if her friends' questions bothered her, she said "They are only concerned about me. They don't mean anything."

Wow, I thought. She didn't inherit this laid-back approach from me. Personally, I really don't like it when people question me when I don't want to be questioned (especially if the interrogator is my mother) and I'm not sure I would have been as calm in my daughter's situation.

Then, one of the girls started holding up all kinds of non-food objects (dollar bills, pencils) and asking my daughter if she were allergic to those. Apparently the other kid was looking for laughs but from my perspective, of course, it's not too funny.

I waited to hear how my daughter handled the teasing. You can bet that I felt like flying out of my chair and giving the other kid a piece of my mind. The Mother Bear instinct kicked in, big time. I couldn't help it.

My daughter said "Oh, I just laughed it off. I pretended it was funny. But I didn't feel like talking much anymore."

My heart twisted in my chest at her last remark, but I felt incredibly proud of her reaction. I'm going to try that the next time someone says something silly or offensive to me. Pretend it's funny. Laugh it off. Why not? Life is too short to debate the small stuff, especially when someone is just trying to get your goat.

Bottom line: Just when you think you're running this mothering show, the kids turn it all upside down on you. Am I smarter than a 2nd grader? Maybe not, but I'm getting there. I think.

I just came across a great magazine so I thought I'd give it a shout out here. It's called Living Without and it's a publication geared towards people with food allergies and sensitivities.

The home page says that the magazine is now celebrating its 10th anniversary. That's no surprise, since the incidence of food allergies really started to explode at about that time.

I can't believe I never had heard of this before and as soon as I get moved into my new place I'm ordering a subscription. In the meantime, I'm going to try to get my hands on a copy.

It looks like the 'zine is not yet available most stores, but you can order it online. Hopefully it will be more widely available soon. I've seen "Diabetic Living" at the supermarket checkout line, so hopefully Living Without won't be far behind.

Kudos to the editors for creating such a great resource for people with food allergies! Thank you.

Today I opened the Chicago Tribune's "Tempo" section as I like to do with my morning coffee. I flipped to the advice column "Ask Amy" as I do most days. And there it was: Miss Amy got snarky about food allergies. She's snarky about a lot of things, but I wasn't going to take this one lying down, since she seems very biased against food-allergic folks.

Here's the gist: A food-allergic adult wanted advice about how to deflect frequent commentary and needling from their co-workers about their food allergy. The writer mentioned that they even felt uncomfortable dining with their co-workers because people were always questioning them about what they were eating.

A fair concern, right? If you have food allergies or a child who does, you know what this writer means. As BC would say, you feel their pain. You've been through it yourself and would probably be interested in reading what an "outside party" has to say.

Don't get your hopes up. Amy's "helpful" (a-hem) response? "Clearly your food allergies are making you grumpy and extra sensitive," she told the food-allergic letter writer. She also told them that they needed an "extra helping of graciousness." As I said, I read her column often and she's been kinder in her responses to advice-seekers who have done, shall we say, a lot worse things than the food-allergic letter writer described.

Amy also told the writer that their "nightmare" (yes, I think she's being sarcastic) will stop if they keep their food allergy "private." When I read this, I thought, Oh, no she didn't.

Keeping their condition "private" is about the worse thing a severely allergic person can do. Others (including co-workers) should know to call 911 if they recognize allergic symptoms in an adult and keeping it "private" is detrimental (usually) to a food-allergic person's health. Should people with a bee sting allergy keep it "private?" How about people with asthma? Or any severe medical problem that could present strong symptoms?

Well, if the French Roast I was drinking at the time wasn't enough of a wake-up aid, Amy's comments certainly did get my blood rolling (and boiling) this a.m.

You may be saying to yourself: Who cares what Amy thinks? But here's the thing: she's got a national readership via her syndicated column. It stinks when someone with that kind of forum treats food allergies with such derision.

If you would like to read the letter/response in its entirety, go to this link.