First of all - the dedications!
This movie post is in honour of the biggest Bollywood buff I know (well, I know only two and the second had to go slow after having a baby). Happy Birthday Kunal. May there never be a hindi movie which does not get the good fortune of your viewing.
Now the topic. Although this movie was released in 2005, I finally watched it last time I was in Austin. Mainly because I was so desperate to see Kanpur railway station again. People who have not had the fortune to see the Kanpur Railway Station in first hand are missing an important chunk of their "Real India Experience". It is generally accepted that life is meaningless till you see this great "Wonder". I am much obliged to God for twisting my destiny such that my sasuraal is in Kanpur and in laws very much settled there. This effectively means that in addition to enjoying the station many times during the whole marriage process, I will now have the privilege of renewing my acquaintance every time I go to India.
During my last trip, when we went for the marriage, we were 12 adults and 2 children and 25 pieces of luggage (including 16 large suitcases). It was a fun journey from Bombay to Kanpur - after a long time I was travelling with so many people and I love train journeys in India). When we alighted at Kanpur while Jijaji, Abhi (my cousin brother), Sam (my non cousin brother) haggled with the coolies, those of us waiting at the platform got a lot of time to observe all the rudiments. The various types of strong smells would have given a bloodhound an "excitement heart attack". The walk from the platform to the car was very exciting with all of us strategizing on which point would be the safest for our next step. Till now, my brother Abhi (who had to make multiple runs to the station) has nightmares about the back entrance. We still fight about which entrance is strategically better.
Well, I digress. There was another ulterior motive in watching the movie. Back then, someone who was supposed to watch the movie with me actually went with someone else. And when I question it, he said "Maine nahi dekha, Bunty ne dekha". It was a period of intense fights, accusations and everytime I used to get angry about something, I would get the smug answer - "Maine nahi kiya, Bunty ne kiya". I have been very curious about it since then and the mystery was finally resolved when I watched the movie for myself. I must say I liked the concept of dual personality very much. How convinient to be able to separate the blacks and whites so clearly (and thankfully there were no greys) and assign them to two personalities. Multiple personality should NOT be a disorder. It should be a therapy where we can separate whatever we dont like and deal with sadness, depression, heartbreak and all negative things and retain only the positive ones.
Now, when I am living with so many people, I do sometimes wish for being able to become Babli and be really naughty and irresponsible. It would make life so much lighter because the biggest weight we bear is to behave in the way we think our loved ones want us to behave. And don't even think that there are scenarios where people accept you as you are! I am yet to see two people actually accepting each other as they are (but since I am so young, it might just be my inexperience!)
Well, in deference to the date, I will stop philosophizing and leave Mr K to do it over countless drinks!
Happy Birthday once again!
P.S. - I loved the movie. I agree with Shivi - Abhishek Bachhan and Rani Mukherji make a nice pair. And Aishwarya again managed to look wooden.
P.P.S. In order to satisfy my hunger to see Kanpur Railway Station again and again, I am trying to get hold of DVD of Tanu weds Manu. I hope it won't disappoint me.
This movie post is in honour of the biggest Bollywood buff I know (well, I know only two and the second had to go slow after having a baby). Happy Birthday Kunal. May there never be a hindi movie which does not get the good fortune of your viewing.
Now the topic. Although this movie was released in 2005, I finally watched it last time I was in Austin. Mainly because I was so desperate to see Kanpur railway station again. People who have not had the fortune to see the Kanpur Railway Station in first hand are missing an important chunk of their "Real India Experience". It is generally accepted that life is meaningless till you see this great "Wonder". I am much obliged to God for twisting my destiny such that my sasuraal is in Kanpur and in laws very much settled there. This effectively means that in addition to enjoying the station many times during the whole marriage process, I will now have the privilege of renewing my acquaintance every time I go to India.
During my last trip, when we went for the marriage, we were 12 adults and 2 children and 25 pieces of luggage (including 16 large suitcases). It was a fun journey from Bombay to Kanpur - after a long time I was travelling with so many people and I love train journeys in India). When we alighted at Kanpur while Jijaji, Abhi (my cousin brother), Sam (my non cousin brother) haggled with the coolies, those of us waiting at the platform got a lot of time to observe all the rudiments. The various types of strong smells would have given a bloodhound an "excitement heart attack". The walk from the platform to the car was very exciting with all of us strategizing on which point would be the safest for our next step. Till now, my brother Abhi (who had to make multiple runs to the station) has nightmares about the back entrance. We still fight about which entrance is strategically better.
Well, I digress. There was another ulterior motive in watching the movie. Back then, someone who was supposed to watch the movie with me actually went with someone else. And when I question it, he said "Maine nahi dekha, Bunty ne dekha". It was a period of intense fights, accusations and everytime I used to get angry about something, I would get the smug answer - "Maine nahi kiya, Bunty ne kiya". I have been very curious about it since then and the mystery was finally resolved when I watched the movie for myself. I must say I liked the concept of dual personality very much. How convinient to be able to separate the blacks and whites so clearly (and thankfully there were no greys) and assign them to two personalities. Multiple personality should NOT be a disorder. It should be a therapy where we can separate whatever we dont like and deal with sadness, depression, heartbreak and all negative things and retain only the positive ones.
Now, when I am living with so many people, I do sometimes wish for being able to become Babli and be really naughty and irresponsible. It would make life so much lighter because the biggest weight we bear is to behave in the way we think our loved ones want us to behave. And don't even think that there are scenarios where people accept you as you are! I am yet to see two people actually accepting each other as they are (but since I am so young, it might just be my inexperience!)
Well, in deference to the date, I will stop philosophizing and leave Mr K to do it over countless drinks!
Happy Birthday once again!
P.S. - I loved the movie. I agree with Shivi - Abhishek Bachhan and Rani Mukherji make a nice pair. And Aishwarya again managed to look wooden.
P.P.S. In order to satisfy my hunger to see Kanpur Railway Station again and again, I am trying to get hold of DVD of Tanu weds Manu. I hope it won't disappoint me.
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