Well, just as we were recovering from the super success of the Tongues of Fire Festival – London was ablaze with the glory of Abhishek, Jaya Bachchan, Om Puri, Shyam Benegal and the gracious Sharmila Tagore and Soha Ali Khan – it was time to get our party gear on for the Asian Music Awards held at the Royal Festival Hall.
The great and good of the British Asian Music Industry gyrated in all their glory – Jay Sean, Mumzy, Jaz Dhamy, Malkit Singh, Imran Khan to name a few. But the one person that stole the show was the Bollytastic Sophie Chaudhary. She hosted and performed with true Bollywood style and sizzled on stage. London born Sophie is probably one of the only NRI’s who has single handily carved a niche for herself in Bolly La La Land – and her new album rocks!
It’s been a quiet week release wise – nothing! MNIK is still making waves – but the big buzz is all about Vivek Oberoi’s Prince – everyone is raving about the soundtrack – it’s on constant replay wherever you go – especially in the cars of the boy racers in the Asian areas! Hope the film lives up to expectations. Other forthcoming movies on our Bolly Radar are Saadiyan – introducing Shatrughan Sinha’s son Luv with Rishi, Hema AND Rekha; Sajid Khan’s Houseful; Arshad Warsi’s Hum Tum or Ghost with the gorgeous Dia Mirza– the film was shot in Newcastle of all places. Dia is so sweet and we have big expectations for this film. Apart from acting and promising to cook us her signature Hydreabdi Biryani next time we are in Mumbai, Diya is passionate about saving the Tiger. She is horrified as are we that there are only 1400 Tigers left in India. The Ritesh – Jacqueline starrer Jaane Kahan Se Aayin Hai that takes marrying an Alien to another level!
Hooked up with the ever-deprecating music maestro A R Rahman at his London studios- he was here for the premiere of Andrew Lloyd ‘s new musical – Love Never Dies – a sequel to the phenomenal Phantom of the Opera. AR is one of the most unassuming guys we have ever met – his humility is touching and told us all about his early days of struggle to recording with Barbara Streisand and Celine Dion for the Haiti Charity single. We took him by surprise when we told him one of our favourite tracks is ‘Oh Bhavre’ -from the Sanjay Dutt, Urmilla starrer Daud. Asha Bhosle and Yesudas on vocals – it’s one of his favourites too!
Our Raj&Pablo’s Rewind In Time is Kalpana Lajmi’s breathtaking Rudali. Dimple Kapadia won both the Filmfare and National Award for this movie, which also stars Raj Babar, Rakhee and the late Amjad Khan in one of his last performances. Dimple plays a lower caste woman who falls in love with the local Zamindar’s son. She’s married to an alcoholic with a mentally feeble son. It follows her trials and tribulations and she is eventually reunited with her wayward mother, Rakhee who transforms her life in a way, which is totally unexpected.
The film is not your usual run of the mill over sentimental movies and packs a punch. Dimple is simply superb. And Bhupen Hazarika’s music is ethereal. Lata Mangeshkar ‘s ‘Dil Hum Hum Kare’ and Asha Bhosle ‘s ‘Samay Oh Dhere Chale’ are stand out tracks. But be warned, watch this with a box of tissues at hand- you will cry buckets!
Check out this gorgeous vid of ‘Dil Hum Hum Kare’:
Till next week,
Love Us Love Bollywood
Raj&Pablo xx
