OMG - this is my kind of cinema

2012 has shelled out some of the best that Bollywood has offered in recent years. Kahaani, Paan Singh Tomar, Vicky Donor, Gangs of Wasseypur 1 and 2, Barfi and now OMG - it's been wonderful going back to theaters again. Surprisingly, I've not added the top grossers like Ek Tha Tiger, Rowdy Rathore, Agneepath, Housefull 2 etc to this list and I've no regrets about it.

If I think about it, I find some common connections in these movies. There are characters that are inherent part of story line or in most cases the story is about the character. And there are other characters that support these main anchors and still are not just the props to be displayed in the background. For every Frodo there are Sam, Merry, Pippin and Gandalf who make Frodo what he is. Each one has a story of his own and is complete in himself, still does more than just being himself.
And mind you, they are not the Ranveer, Priyanka, Akshay, Manoj we know from bollywood. They are puppets that writer and director would have imagined when they thought of these movies.

Their theme is so nicely set in a time and place that makes you travel along with the storyline and live it to the fullest. I have never been to Chambal, Wasseypur, Shimla or Kolkata, have lived for a very small time in Delhi and Mumbai, still feel a lot more attached to them knowing there is so much joy in every bit people live there.

Then there is music that goes not just in background, but along the storyline. If 2011 was about Rockstar, 2012 has lot more of amazing Indian music in different forms - from Usha Uthup and Amitabh in Kahaani, Ayushman in Vicky Donor to Kailash Kher in OMG - the songs that we've heard are not the regular crooning your hear in Hindi cinema these days. Moora is refreshing and so is Paani da rang. And my playlist is filled with some amazing new things now.

All in all, I'm happy. Really happy. For once, I don't have to look upto foreign films for a refreshing movie watching experience. Hope to see more of it in coming times.

Musical End Of An Year

2011 has been mix kind of year. It saw the good, the bad and the ugly of my life (not necessarily in that particular order). But jo hua so hua. Ab to time hai aage ki aur dekhne ka and hoping for the best. And what better way to expect good things in life than to listen to some of the most beautiful music the whole day of 31st Dec. The Dewarists, Agnee and Raghu Dixit - you have made my day today.
Looking forward to an amazing year ahead.

Mind Without Fear

First season of The Dewarists started with this beautiful composition called Mind Without Fear by Vishal Shekhar & Imogen Heap. This show was telecasted sometime in October. For some reason, I just could not catch up on it in spite seeing lots of tweets and fb updates from my friends. And I will always curse myself for this. It was Xmas week that I finally got the chance to see this show and thus started my journey with The Dewarists. 

I am bowled over by the show. Mind Without Fear is right there on the top of my charts (and by that I mean it is the only song in my playlist now). And this is not the only song that has done it. Every episode is an experience in itself. It's not just the music, or the visual treat that the show has provided in the background, or the inspiring stories that artists share with us or the beautiful host. It's the entire experience of seeing something as beautiful as music created, that makes me fall in love with this show. It shows how feeling flow from our hearts & soul to get transformed into reality. It's this purity that inspires. 

Coke Studio has done something similar to me in past. I love Coke Studio not just for the music it offers me but also the way it gave us that music. The artists are not just performing on that stage. They are living their music. They are enjoying every moment they are there and we get to live with them in those moments. The camera is up and close to their face. We can read their eyes, we can cherish their smile [remember Jal Pari by Atif Aslam in Season 2]. It's this closeness that makes us believe in their efforts. The Dewarists does the same thing and takes us even closer where the artists actually talk about what is going through their mind and heart. Amazing camera work and storytelling efforts by the team. I'm on a spree right now and will finish watching all the episodes of this season before this blog posts become visible to the world.

Don't forget to call me when you read this post. My new ringtone is the theme song from Dewarists and it gives me one more reason to worship Raghu Dixit's music.

Bitter Sweet Symphony

One of our most loyal companions are our playlists. They grow up with us reflecting every change in our taste and likes. Whatever the mood, they are generally the perfect reflection of it.
And most important of them, they can take us back and fro in time.
I just heard the song Bitter Sweet Symphony from Verve and it took me on a time travel. Bangalore, the hangar, all the gala time we had there and what not - so many memories came flashing.
Add to that list songs from Lucky Ali, Euphoria, Bryan Adams, Floyd, Coldplay, Oliver Shanti & Friends, Karunesh, Jal, Rockstart etc and I've almost prepared myself to write my autobiography.
It's good to be reliving your own life.

Don't know if its appropriate or not, but I feel I am loving these lyrics at this moment.

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Trying to make ends meet
You're a slave to money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
where all the veins meet yeah

No change, I can't change
I can't change, I can't change
But I'm here in my mind
I am here in my mind
But I'm a million different people
from one day to the next
I can't change my mind
No, no, no, no, no, no, no,no,no,no,no,no(fading away)

Well I never pray
But tonight I'm on my knees yeah
I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now
But the airways are clean and there's nobody singing to me now

No change, I can't change
I can't change, I can't change
But I'm here in my mind
I am here in my mind
And I'm a million different people
from one day to the next
I can't change my mind
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
I can't change
I can't change it

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life
Trying to make ends meet
Trying to find some money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places
where all the veins meet yeah

You know I can't change, I can't change
I can't change, I can't change
But I'm here in my mind
I am here in my mind
And I'm a million different people
from one day to the next
I can't change my mind
No, no, no, no, no

I can't change my mind
no, no, no, no, no,
I can't change
Can't change my body,
no, no, no

I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
Been down
Ever been down
Ever been down
Ever been down
Ever been down
That you've ever been down
That you've ever been down

there is a song for every occasion

I finished reading "Anything for you ma'm" by Tushar Raheja a couple of days back. I liked the book because it is a simple and nice read. I picked up one idea from the book and that is 'there is a song for every occasion...' Indeed it is the case in my life too. Some of these songs got hard-coded in my memory. These are songs that remind me of some of the most special moments of my life. Every time I hear them now, they remind me of a time that is preserved well in my memories. Here is a compilation of some of those gems.

1. Heaven by Bryan Adams: I first heard this song in one of the meeting cum parties during Rotaract Club (of RVCE) days. It just stuck to my mind for weeks. It's a reminder for me today of the golden days of my college life. I owe a lot of the time that I spent there in the company of my Rotaract gang. It's my dedication to the same.

2. Free falling by Tom Petty: My first venture into adventure. Bungee jumping in Bangalore. I did not know how it would feel before I jumped. I climbed the stage, released my hand, bent forward and told the volunteer to release me. There was a free fall and before I could realize anything I was hanging from a rope. The adrenaline rush was over in just 5-10 seconds. Still throughout this experience there was one song that kept playing inside me. Free Falling indeed was the song for this occasion.

3. Pal by KK: Well, this one is not difficult to imagine. For every single person who has gone through a college or hostel farewell, this is the song. It makes you smile; it brings tears in your eyes. It's a song that you will singalong with your friends no matter how bad a singer you are. It's my memories of the farewell from Indore, RVCE, Bangalore, IIMA and don't know how many other such occasions.

4. Clock by Coldplay & Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve - Those were the days when Joyesh blessed us with his company. Endless loops and piles of clothes in the room. Joyesh sitting on top of everything. These are some moments you have to experience to really enjoy them. I was really lucky enough to have them. I really mean it.

5. All good things come to an end by Nelly Furtardo - This was the only song that was playing in my mind when I boarded the Lufthansa flight for Mumbai at Paris Airport.EuroTrip is an unforgettable part of my life. It came to an end that day. I can and will go to Europ again. But it will be never be the same.

6. Ain't no mountain high enough - Aditya got us addicted to the movie Remember the Titans. This song from the soundtrack of the movie will always play whenever I think of the monster of the computer monitor that Aditya had in hostel and where we had our share of many Hollywood classics.

7. Havana by Kenny G - They had come as exchange student to RVCE. One of those Chinese student practiced for this song the whole night when we were fighting rains to get venue for Vybhav ready. We actually pulled it off. So did that guy who played the song with unmatchable enthusiasm on the Vybhav stage. That Vybhav was an experience in itself. Thank God we did it. And we really did it well.

Continues...

Endless Loop

Joyesh, my neighbor in RVCE hostel and then later room mate at the-hangar, has a peculiar habit of putting one song in his media player play-list and playing it in loop for days and nights.From Clocks to Bitter Sweet Symphony, we heard a variety of songs. And we liked them. I started liking them. It's one peculiar thing about music for me. If I hear some song again and again, I end up liking it in most cases. It's the effort to listen to something repetitively, that defines my song selection.

Endless loops defined my music choice. And now I am part of an endless loop. Of highs and lows. 'Such is life,' anybody would say. Stuck in an endless travel is a life full of choices. Every decision I am making is having a long term implication now. How and when it became like this? I was never needed to bother when I bunked my school for a day or two. I decided to runaway from home and landed in Bangalore to do my engineering. Nobody asked me anything. And I did not bother anyone.

Today when I look around, I see a web of restrictions holding me hostage in a world of limitations. A world where my choices are not just mine. Atleast their implications are not. I cannot remain isolated too. I am stuck. Floyd's 'Comfortably Numb' is what I can think of now. Incidentally that song got added to my list because of an endless loop too.

Fix You by Coldplay

When you try your best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
And I

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.

My Music

My new laptop does not have my music. Music that I have grown listening to. Music that has been part of my life for so long. I realized it today that it has been a big mistake on my part. Music keeps you going. It's the link between the different phases of life that you are going through. Today when I listened to AICHA by Outlandish, I realized what I have been missing. It brought so many good memories with it. So nice and so easy way to go back to the old times. I am liking it.

So all you Coldplay, Enya, Rahman, Karunesh, Lucky Ali, Oliver Shanti, Indian Ocean songs on my old laptop, you are coming back to life.

We are going to rock it again.

Like ever.

It's all about dreams

ps: Raghu Dixit's music is very fresh (the album is old, just that I heard it now). Check out his full album call The Raghu Dixit project. You will surely enjoy most of the songs.

He is back

Lucky Ali is back...
With a new album XSUIE...
I have not heard the full songs yet  but listening to the previews I can tell you they are good.
Gosh... I can not believe it.

Thanks Saurabh for the info and link. :D

Dil to baccha hai jee

Simply superb. It proves what magic can good lyrics do to a song. This song is so much hummable despite the poetic feel. Hats off the team behind it.

ps: Even other songs from the movie including the remixes are very good. Do give them a shot.

Pure Music

Lucky Ali is back. In my playlists that is. :)

So will be Bryan Adams in a day or two. Heaven and I am waiting hold the same significance in my life as Nahi rakhta dil mein and O sanam. Difference is in the point in time. College vs high school. Both part of my development years.
There are some nice memories associated with these songs.

Anoop and me started listening to Lucky Ali at almost the same time. 12th class - the time of IIT, Roorkee, BITS, MP-PET, KCET and what not. Whenever we got tired we listened to Lucky Ali. We shared lyrics and enjoyed them word by word. I think for the first time I started thinking about things beyond as they appeared. My formative years had started.

Many of you would be amazed to know that I heard Summer of 69 for the first time after reaching my engineering college. In hostel, everyone knew the lyrics by heart and here I was listening to the song for the first time. It took me quite some time to understand the song and its spirit. Still, Bryan Adams had not replaced Lucky Ali. Sometime in 3rd year I heard Heaven and I'm Waiting. And they caught my attention. I heard them again and again. I don't know why. Bryan Adams still did not become my favorite. I liked some of his songs though. In fact, many of them. I guess it was language that kept me from becoming his fan. My mind and heart thought in Hindi I guess. And thus the distance.

Post engineering, I resorted my mind and heart's dilemma by starting to listen to Fusion and Zen music. Enigma, Enya, Oliver Shanti and others. Instrumentals. Pure Music. I don't feel any distance now. Music is universal for me now.

आज से पहले

आज से पहले आज से ज़्यादा
कुशी आज तक नहीं मिली
इतनी सुहानी ऐसी मीठी
घड़ी आज तक नहीं मिली
आज से पहले आज से ज़्यादा...

इस को संजोग कहें या किस्मत का लेखा
हम जो अचानक मिले हैं
मन चाहे साथी पाकर हम सब के चहरे
देखो तो कैसे खिले हैं
तकदीरों को जोड़ दे ऐसे
किन्हीं तकदीरों को जोड़ दे ऐसे
लड़ी आज तक नहीं मिली
आज से पहले आज से ज़्यादा...

सपना ओ जाए पूरा, जो हमने देखा
ये मेरे दिल की दुआ हाय
ये पल जो बीत रहें हैं इन के नशे में
दिल मेरा गाने लगा हाय
इसी कुशी को धूंध रहे थे
हम इसी कुशी को धूंध रहे थे
यही आज तक नहीं मिली
आज से पहले आज से ज़्यादा...

- From the movie Chitchor.

Jukebox

1. Sa Trincha
2. It's been a while - Stained
3. Wakeup - Rage against the machine - (The Matrix OST)
4. Aint no mountain high enough
5. Lonely - Akon
6. Every breath you take
7. Fabric/Aaja savariya [Come to me, my beloved] - (Monsoon Wedding)
8. Faith - The sunsent lounge orchestra
9. Offsprin
10. Aint no mountain high enough
11. Simarik - Tarkan
12. Shakalaka baby - A.R. Rahman - (Bombay Dreams OST)
13. Hallowed be thy name - Cradle of filth
14. Mozart symphony
15. Free Falling - Tom Petty
16. Careless whisper - George Michael
17. Fuse box
18. Youth of the nation - P.O.D.
19. Ghosts - MJ
20. Blue - Eiffel 65
21. Du Hast
22. Ya ghali
23. Soak up the sun
24. Another day in paradise
25. Bitter sweet symphony
26. Lost in space theme
27. Come undone - Duran Duran
28. Take it easy
29. Iris
30. Losing my religion - R.E.M.

ps: I spent my saturday night listening to these songs. :D

O Goriya Re...

Yesterday Naina got me into a nostalgic mode. For over an hour we discussed some of the old songs from the time of Chupke Chupke, Chitchor, Nadiya Ke Paar. What an era it was!!! Soothing music, poetic lyrics topped with velvety voice. In today's Kala Bandar and Mohabbat Hai Mirchi world, we hardly get to cherish this ultimate combo.

ps: My network admin will be cursing me for youtubing so much last night. :D Finally I downloaded two Yesudas Albums from LAN and now I am on my own. :D

The day we met over coffee

And finally I got the song I was looking for so long. It's called "The day we met over coffee" from the album Aquarian Moon by Osunlade

It's 6:30 am and am enjoying the morning chill. There has been a sudden drop in temperature in last few days. I have a sensor in my body that is very efficient in catching such changes. The among of sneezing I do in a day is directly proportional to the delta temperature that was observed in morning. :)

Chaos is just a day away. Watching Pandit Hariprasad Chourasia performing live will be an experience in itself. Motherjane and Mohit Chouhan are lined up too, so the next few days are going to be a 'rock'ing. And then there is a hasya kavi sammelan. I am really looking forward to that. If anyone of you coming to this side of country and plan to drop in to chaos, do let me know.

Mausam and Escape

Listen to this song called "Mausam and Escape" in Slumdog Millionaire OST. Rahman's magic strikes a note that you will remember for a long time.

I'm asking why

I was childish and unfair
To you, my only friend
I regret, but now it's too late

I can't show you any more
The things I've learned from you
Cause life just took you away

I'm asking why I'm asking why
Nobody gives an answer
I'm just asking why

But someday we'll meet again
And I'll ask you

I'll ask you why
Why it has to be like this
I'm asking you why
Please give me an answer

Many years and stupid fights
Till we accept to see
How it was and it'll always be

Why it has to be like this
Why we don't realize
Why we're too blind to see the one
Who's always on our side

I'm asking why
I'm asking why
Nobody gives an answer
I'm just asking why

Just tell me why
Why it has to be like this
That the good ones disappear
I'm asking you why

I'm asking why I'm asking why
Nobody gives an answer
I'm just asking why

I'm asking why

ps: Enigma rocks. Bangalore ke din yaad dila diye... :)

jaane tu... continued

Tu Bole Glass Adha Khaali,
Mein Boloon Adha Bhara

Mein Boloon Kithna Saara,
Tu Bole Zara Zara

Mein Boloon Din Hai To,
Tu Bole Raath Nahin

Baath To Wahin Hai Na,
Bas Wahin Baath Nahin

Baath To Hai Bas Yahin Hai,
Meri Baath Hai Bas

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

Tu Soche Yeh Zindagi Yeh Na Badlegi Kabhi
Mein Sochoon Sab Badaltha Hai, Yeh Na Badle Kabhi
Mein Socho Sirf Tu, Mera Koi Aur Nahin
Tu Soche Mein Hoon Tera, Bas Tera Koi Aur Nahin
Koi Aur Ho Ya Na Ho, Tu Hai Bas Mein Hoon

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

Jaane Tu Jaane Tu Yeh Jaane Na
Maane Tu Maane Tu Yeh Maane Na

ps: Rahman rocks...

Earth Song

One more nice one. Listened to it for first time while traveling to Wayanad. Another one of those tune that refuse to leave your head once u hear them.
Nice lyrics too.



I never put any efforts to hear MJ's music. I think after listening to Earth Song and Heal the World, I am going to do it now. :)