I am an unabashed snob when it comes to mainstream Bollywood. Over glamourised, hyper sensitised, uber glitzed, super hyped, mega indulgent, self celebratory, self congratulatory and overall crock of copycat crap.
Its still 'I am a disco dancer' but with a lot more money, better production values, slicker marketing and wealthier audiences.
The golden age of Bollywood has long since been lost. Its demise is best mapped perhaps 1) by the crappier roles played by my hero Dilip Kumar as he got older 2) the labelling of great films under the 'art film' genre 3) the obscenely increasing wealth of the lead characters. Amitabh probably needs a motorbike to cross from one side of his living room to the other in his next movie.
The cinema of Bangladesh never had to aspire to Bollywood. Unbelieveable riches abounded at home - Satyajit Ray, Suchitra Sen and Utham Kumar, so many others. It is not our rejection of Bollywood that has cost us dearly. It is our rejection of our own better self and our indulgence of our worst side that has doomed us. We are reduced to films about weeping mothers and in laws and all kinds of trivial tripe.
If anything was to be had from the golden age of Bollywood it was its irreverence for the establishment, its free portrayal of corrupt politcians and the righteous rebellion of the downtrodden.
You want the truth baby?
AL and BNP would never have allowed such films.
--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, Robin Khundkar <rkhundkar@...> wrote:
>
> If vulgarity or its promotion was a crime in Bangladesh, I am willing to bet many of the bigwigs of the political, military, business and religious establishment including a few of the commentariat on this list would face some sort of fine or imprisonment. Sbrabnti who writes in the rag publshed by that great pinnacle of sobriety and good sense Salauddin Chowdhury needs to have her/his head examined.
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> This is no way an endorsement of Sharukh's show in Dhaka, which I have not seen nor plan to unless it drops on my lap. On the otherhand, I have seen several of his movies (some excellent & others not so good at ) and interviews unlike some of the pompous gents on this list who I believe appear to be proponents of reverse snobbery. Incidently, when I was younger I too wouldnt be caught dead seeing an Hindi cinema but managed to sneak a few peaks when no one was looking and rather enjoyed it . closing doors to the outside world has not done us much good. Check out some of the fine productions of Dhaliwood.
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> An excellent documentary on Sharukh Khan by the UK based film scholar Nasreen Munni Kabeer is called "The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan". Check it out.
>
>
> From: qrahman@... [Add to Address Book]
> To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Shahrukh Khan's vulgar show in Bangladesh
> Date: Dec 20, 2010 5:38 AM
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> I was not impressed by Shahrukh's show in Dhaka. However I think Srabanti should not blame Shahrukh. It is Mr. Swapan Chowdhury of Antar Showbiz who went after money. In many instances insulted our culture and people. There are people in tax department who should look into the tax issue. People paid good money to see the show and I do not see any reason why our government has to give up revenue for such "Commercial" show. I am not against commercial shows {Albeit it is not my cup of tea}, it should not have been mixed up with anything else.
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> Shahrukh did not pretend to do an art show. It was clear to all of us what this show was all about and my people paid big money for it. Some bona fide idiots were given "opportunities" to act like idiots in front of millions of people.
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> It was a mess. It did not add anything to "brand" Bangladesh. It was not even a good show. We have many talented artists in west bengal and Bangladesh. These people are capable to delight their bangla speaking audience.
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> Delhi's Shahkurh turned out to be a "Delhi ka laddu" for my people. :-D
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Isha Khan bdmailer@...
> Sent: Sat, Dec 18, 2010 12:00 pm
> Subject: [ALOCHONA] Shahrukh Khan's vulgar show in Bangladesh
>
>
>
> Shahrukh Khan's vulgar show in Bangladesh
>
> by Srabanti Majumder
> December 12, 2010
> People call him 'King Khan of Bollywood'! I would rather call him 'King of vulgarity'. The way he appeared in front of roughly 25,000 people at Dhaka's Army Stadium on December 10, 2010, which was also watched LIVE by millions of TV spectators, as Bangladeshi channel Boishakhi got this show on their LIVE broadcast, most of the time, the elders in the family were feeling so uncomfortable, when half nude Russian girls were exhibiting exposed bodies to public in the name of dancing. And of course, I felt ashamed for those Bangladeshi flop actresses like Shimla, who went at the Army Stadium wearing a Western type dress, almost exposing her body. I am sure; she wanted to get into the attention of Shahrukh Khan, hoping he would pick her up for any of his future shows anywhere in the world, where Shahrukh would love to lead the role of ring-master of a group of mere porn-star category performers.
> And, Shahrukh Khan has shown his highest audacity to Bangladesh by uttering Bangla slang repeatedly while on the dais, which very clearly showed that this man has no respect for the host country, that brought him with huge amount of money [US$ 200,000]. During the month of liberation, Shahrukh Khan was trying to impose Hindi or English language on proud Bangladeshis. This was another huge audacity of this man.
> Now let us look through the gross irregularities both by Shahrukh Khan and the local organizer of the event - Antar Showbiz:
> 1. To justify the reason, Swapan Chowdhury of Antar Showbiz repeatedly told Bangladeshi media that, Shahrukh Khan will vote for Sunderban during this visit and make an appeal to the world for voting in favor of Sunderban, which is the largest mangrove forest in the world. But, in reality, Shahrukh did nothing! This was a clear blackmailing attempt of Swapan Chowdhury, for which he should be definitely punished.
> 2. Swapan Chowdhury made public promises by calling press conference that, two sculptures of Shahrukh made by two poor rural students [both Hindus] in Bangladesh would be put on auction and the entire money received from the auction would be donated for education of these two poor brothers. On the day of the event, these two poor boys were waiting at the green-room of the dais for hours hoping Shahrukh Khan will do something in their favor and put the sculptures in auction. But, in reality, instead of doing that, the Bollywood Khan very shamelessly took both the sculptures with him as 'gift' without paying even a single bucks to the boys. The event organizer also did not pay anything. This was a huge deception both by Shahrukh and his organizers.
> 3. The organizers paid Valued Added Tax to the Bangladesh government for 15,000 spectators at the Army Stadium, while it was later even confessed by Swapan Chowdhury that, more than 27,000 tickets were sold.
> 4. Shahrukh Khan alone received US$ 200,000 for the show, while another significant amount of money was paid to other members of the team. Antar Showbiz mostly smuggled the amount through illegal means, which is a serious crime under Money Laundering Act of Bangladesh.
> 5. Indecent things took place at Dhaka's hotels, where the team members of Shahrukh Khan were housed [those females, especially Russian girls], who were reportedly engaged in illicit activities with the locals. It may be mentioned here that, most of the Russian girls, who accompanied the entourage of Khan are suspected to be sex-workers in Mumbai.
> 6. Shahrukh Khan violated Bangladeshi law by smoking in public in presence of TV cameras. Should he be even able doing this in India? No way! But, Shahrukh Khan did this, rather intentionally to show to Bangladeshi authorities that, he gives a damn to them.
> 7. Shahrukh Khan was allowed to use the VVIP terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. After checking facts, it is proved that, he does not enjoy any such privilege in any of the countries in the world, including his own country รข€" India. It is a natural question as to why Bangladeshi government allowed Shahrukh Khan to use the VVIP terminal, when there were a number of VIP terminals at the airport? Who is the people showing over-enthusiasm in this matter?
> The entire issue of this event should be immediately investigated for the sake of dignity of Bangladesh. Event organizer Swapan Chowdhury should be questioned for such series of illegal activities, including semi-nude show in the country during the month of liberation.
> http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1168/shahrukh-khan-vulgar-show-in-bangladesh
>
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