Jai's Diary: Adieu to Ram Laxman

Jai's Diary: Adieu to Ram Laxman: Today, the world bid adieu to one of the most prolific music composers of our times - Vijay Patil, who composed popular music under the name of Ram...

Adieu to Ram Laxman

Today, the world bid adieu to one of the most prolific music composers of our times - Vijay Patil, who composed popular music under the name of Ram Laxman . Vijay Patil along with his partner Surendra Hendre, started composing under name of Ram Laxman in 1975 for Dada Kondke. 'Pandu Hawaldar' was the debut film of both Dada as well as Ram Laxman which was a silver jubilee. Despite composing extensively for Dada Kondke, Ram Laxman never stuck to a camp. Even after the death of Hendre in 1976, Vijay Patil stuck to the name Ram Laxman and continued composing in Marathi and Hindi . In Hindi his remarkable contributions undoubtedly come in late nineties with Rajshri's blockbuster and Salman Khans debut film 'Maine Pyar Kiya' (1990) whose music is popular even today and created a history at the box office, followed by ;Pathhar ke Phool' again a Salman starrer and debut film of Raveena Tandon. The musical graph of Ram Laxman touched the peak with Rajshri's 'Hum Apke Hain Kaun ? 'a Salman- Madhuri starrer whose box office collections and popularity broke all records. Ram Laxman's association with Rajshri would continue with Salman Starrer ' Hum Saath Saath Hain' whose music again became very popular. Overall, Ram Laxmans music contributed greatly to careers of super stars like Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit launching careers of Salman Khan and Raveena Tandon as well as the legendary Dada Kondke. 

Who can forget the melodious rendition as 'Gunche lage Hain Kehne' by Shailendra Singh in Mithun Chakraborty starrer 'Tarana' or 'Sultana Sultana' by Usha Mangeshkar in the same film. Some of Ram Laxman's noteworthy music went un noticed due to the failure of the films at the box office but his musical score therein remains one of Ram Laxman's  finest works in his career - like Mahesh Bhatt's 'Saatva Aasman' which starred Pooja Bhatt and Vivek Mushran . Nearly all numbers in the film are memorable - be it  'Tum Kya Mile Jaaneja ' or ' Where is the time to hate' which also remain Latajis remarkable renditions in the early nineties or Poornima's 'Tum Tum ho ke nahin'. Another film that boasts Ram Laxmans memorable music in 90s is suspense thriller '100 days' again a Madhuri starrer that boasts peppy numbers like 'Lele Dil ', a duet of Lataji with Amit Kumar, performed on screen by Javed Jaffri and Madhuri Dixit with and romantic numbers like ' Sun Beliya' by late S P Balasubramaniam. Then there's a Rishi Kapoor - Manisha Koirala starrer ' Anmol' that released alongside 'Deewana' in 1993 but failed at box office but had a lilting Lataji Number ' Bataon tum kaun ho ' that reminds you of 'Jab Jab Phool Khile' s ' Yeh Samaa '. Vijay Patil could virtually play any instruments and his strength in composition was his precision to figure out the range in which a particular song should be composed to bring out the best of the play back singer . No wonder then Lataji  sounded seventeen when she sang 'Dil Deewana' in 'Maine Pyar Kiya' for Bhagyashree Patwardhan when Lataji was seventy one and naughty at eighty in 'Hum Aapke Hain Kauns' 'Didi tera dewar deewana' for Madhuri! While the Hindi world scenario remained pre-occupied with Lata and Ashaji, some music directors composed specifically for Usha Mangeshkarji and had special liking for her singing . Prominent amount them were Rajesh Roshan, Jaidev and RD Burman as also Ram Laxman . Some of Ushaji's memorable numbers like Sultana Sultana came from Ram Laxman as also songs from Dada Kondkes 'Pandu Hawaldar' or his hindi flick ' Aage ki soch' or 'jhaalya tinhi saanja' from Dada Kondkes marathi flick ' Tumcha Amcha Jamla' also debut film of Anjana Mumtaz. A striking feature of ram Laxmans music was also excellent use of rythms especially for Dada Kondke films be it song like ' aage ki soch' or ' dhagala lagli kal' by Mahendra kapoor and Usha Mageshkar from a Dada Kondke film ' Bot laavin tithe Gudgulya' (1978) which rocked discotheques in late nineties or softer rythms as in Pathar ke Phool which reminds one of late sixties or more specifically O. P. Nayyars music.

Overall, we lost a musical gem, a legend today. Vijay Patil had spiritual inclination and followed the Nagkanya cult. It may not be a mere coincidence that he passed away just a few days after her holiness Gururani Nagkanya Yogini (Nargis ) passed away. Rest in Peace Vijay Patil aka Ram Laxman.( 1942-2021). Your music shall forever remain with us.

Bhushan Sarmalkar , 23.05.2021.

Happy New Year  !👍

   
    The Hindu new year of Shalivahan Calender began yesterday on Chaitra Padva, known as Gudhi Padva in Maharashtra. But this year, like last year, it was largely overshadowed by the gloom cast by the dark clouds of a pandemic on the near future. The times aren't exactly good . We all have lost someone near or dear or atleast an acquaintance to this pandemic that seems to be recurring in form of waves. But then this is the time of new year , a time when the blossoms of the spring take shape of fruits. The time of plenty. So, lets then  offer prayers, collectively, in remembrance of those near and dear ones or acquaintances or the poor souls who lost their lives to the pandemic that cut short their journeys of their aspirations, their pursuits to leave the mortal world, so that they may rest in peace and shine in our memories like eternal stars, as  also for the well being of those who are  still holding their ground against the havoc unleashed by  the dreaded virus and others who are struggling feebly to come to terms with the loss of their near and dear ones, with a hope that the prayers may bear fruits and the dark clouds of gloom may disappear . On the New Years Eve, here's wishing you all 'A Very Happy New Year' , Have Good Health so that you may prosper ! I know there are tears waiting to trickle down at the corners of the eyes of many of us . But the greater concern is the hope, that at times, seem to stand on the threshold limits . Please don't let that hope die ! Successes never come decorated on a platters . Each success story is a story of triumph of the undying spirit over adversities . So, lets do our bit towards helping those risking their lives and attempting to script a success story - a story of triumph in the world wide war against a pandemic . Stay safe ! Take care !

JAI, Mumbai, 15.04.2021.

Taimur to Dangal

Recently star couple Kareena and Saif Ali Khan Pataudi became parents of a baby boy whom they named Taimur. What followed was an eruption of reactions on the social media circuit. While some ridiculed the couple for naming the baby after the notorious Uzbek raider who raided North India during the 14^th century and unleashed a spat of plundering and killings that has no parallels in the history of India. A popular liberal opinion that did the rounds on social circuit was of the tune that it was a personal issue and people need not interfere in it. Not long ago did the same liberals play mute spectators to vandals pulling down a show of Marathi play ‘Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoy’ by Pradeep Dalvi, vandalizing the theatre that showcased it, notwithstanding the appeal of the makers to view the show before jumping to conclusions just because the title carried the name of Nathuram Godse the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi what was unleashed on the Brahmins of Pune, where Nathuram Godse belonged, was anything but horrendous. When Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards, whom she refused to be replaced despite security warnings in the wake of Operation Blue Star, the Sikh community had to pay a hefty price to which late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi referred to as an ‘expected’ reaction. Celebrated painter Maqbool Fida Hussain had to withdraw his second movie ‘Meenaxi – A tale of three cities’ due to outrage over a few references that the Muslim clergy found outrageous and blasphemous from Islamic point of view. If the liberals found it quite normal and acceptable then why are they being outraged now? Mohammed Azharuddin landed in deep troubles when he extended his autograph to a brand of shoes.Muslims were outraged for his putting the name of Prophet on shoes. It was his autograph, his pen but not a single liberal felt it that way then. Muslims on social media alleged they were being cornered simply because they were muslims, a minority. But these so called liberal cornered muslims who found Hussains ‘ Meenaxi’ and Azharuddins autograph outrageous never found the fact that Mohammed Ghori and Mohammed of Ghazni carried the prophets name as outrageous neither do they give a call to strip a terrorist, rapist or drug peddler carrying the name Mohammed of his name or to boycott. Instead what we saw was a huge turnout to bid farewell to Yakub Memon who was executed by the Indian Government after a fair trial for his role in 1992 serial bomblasts that killed and maimed hundreds in Mumbai! So is it surprising or illogical that people are outraged that the star couple chose to name their newborn Taimur someone who killed thousands ruthlessly raped and took Indian girls as sex slaves to be sold in central Asian markets at throwaway prices? Despite being a great scholar, musician, statesman and economist besides a great warrior and devoted son and devotee of Lord Shiva no one names his son as Ravana. No one names his son Hiranykashyap despite that fact that he was a great devotee of Lord Brahma. No one names his son as Duryodhana  or Dushasana or Shakuni or for that matter even Pran just because he played villain on screen but in reality was gentleman to the core. Why? Because every parent wishes that if their child is going to be a super success at that hefty cost which humanity can’t bear it’s better to have a mediocre offspring who doesn’t become a burden on the society. True that there are Ram Singhs who raped and committed heinous crimes but that wasn’t what their parent intended when they named him Ram. And yes its an equal crime to name someone Ram, Krishna, Mohammed or Jesus or Yesu or Yohanna or Moses if you can’t assure that he will atleast not do injustice if can’t do justice to the name. But when you name someone as Taimur or Tughlaq or Hitler or Genghiz your intentions are bound to be questioned. What kind of parent would want his son to be a plunderer and rapist? And what kind of person and society would take pride or consider plundering and raping as an achievement a sign of masculinity? Definitely a sick one and same goes true for those who justify it. Imagine if someone named his son Nathuram or someone names his or her daughter Sadhvi Pagya. Will it go down well with these so called liberal? Then how about a public felicitation of Sadhvi Pragya or Nathuram Godse? Well it’s the felicitators money his wish his personal issue what have people got to do about it? If that isn’t okay, then Taimur is equally not okay.

Amisdst all this chaos I went to see Dangal alongwith my family. It gave me a new thought and I am grateful for that. Dangal elevated my thoughts to an altogether different and new heights. Taimur plundered India true but what we are doing is nothing short of splurging of whatever has remained. Amidst this chaos Aamir Khan productions brings you story of man from a distant village in Haryana who dreams to bring laurels for his country within his limited resources and he is unstoppable in his passion. Germans rebuilt Germany that was devastated in the first world war, French and Russians splurged their blood to put things in right place in their respective countries but we what Indians are doing is sheer mockery of nationalism. Sometimes we forget it in regionalism sometimes we lose it to discriminations and many a times to our personal agenda. But when you see a Mahabirsingh who defies all the social norms puts aside all personal agenda and does the unthinkable from putting girls in the wresting arena to fight men to eating what the forbidden and all this for just that one moment of pride when the tricolour flutters in the international arena above the rest to the tune of India’s national anthem. Dangal churns your thoughts and the noble ones emerge victorious. Taimur loses to Dangal and the Indian in you emerges a winner – ofcourse, if there is one!

 - Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai. 27th December 2016 (Tuesday)

‘Ventilator’ – A must-see for every film connoisseur

‘Ventilator’ – No prizes for guessing what the movie is all about. But then the movie is not only about health, hospitals and death. It’s much more than just that. Hrishikesh Mukherjee ‘s timeless masterpiece ‘Anand’ spoke about death as reality that most of us try to evade but Ventilator uses a critical patient counting the last moments of his life to symbolize our dying relationships that we seem to have put on ventilators, to be kept alive as per our conveniences. ‘Ventilator’ depicts this reality very effectively and convincingly. Unlike most of the Marathi cinema that leaves you disturbed ‘Ventilator’ doesn’t. ‘Ventilator’ leaves with a you a lasting message – ‘Avoid being Judgmental!’

 One hundred and sixteen characters played by thespians of Marathi theater and cinema, makes you wonder as to what made them opt for such small roles but eventually they convince you with their strong performances that it would require only them to pull it off so well,being required to deliver such huge range of contrasting emotions in such small time frames. This is more so in case of role of Sukanya Kulkarni. In the initial part of the film, one wonders why some one of her caliber would have opted for such a small role but then as the climax draws to a close one sees the reason as to why Rajesh Mhapuskar, the director, was adamant in having her in the role. No one could have conveyed emotions so strongly,without dialogues to his aid the way Sukanya did. Jitendra Joshi delivers a brilliant performance scaling great heights as the climax of ‘Ventilator’ draws to a close. And definitely his hard work shows. Ashutosh Gowarikar’s performance is equally praiseworthy and convincing. Usha Nadkarni,Swati Chitnis and Viju Khote like Sukanya Kulkarni and Jitendra Joshi deliver a visibly great performance in a minuscule role. Sulbha Arya too baffles you with her performance, especially with her Marathi diction. Deepak Shirke who is usually known for his villainous shades does a complete turnaround with a heart touching role. Rohan- Rohan’s music is good and gels so well with the script that one cannot virtually separate the two much like the commercial entertainment aspect of the film that gels so well with its aesthetics that they become virtually inseparable. The script of ‘Ventilator’ is so strong and lucid that the movie keeps you glued to your seats till the very end and takes you through a range of emotions from ecstasy, to being emotionally charged, to being enlightened.

In terms of Cinematography ‘Ventilator’ is a visual treat. The outdoor cinematography of the song ’Ya re Ya’ leaves you baffled and so do the close ups towards the climax. Full marks to Savita Singh for her brilliant cinematography. The editing of ‘Ventilator’,with so many interwoven stories and characters, poses a huge challenge and the editor, Rameshwar Bhagat,successfully meets these challenges with his polished editing skills.Overall, ‘Ventilator’ is a brilliant production by Purple Pebble Productions, a work that transcends all possible linguistic boundaries and a must-see for every film connoisseur.

 Bhushan Sarmalkar, Mumbai. 08.11.2016.

Ms Ramya, I say Pakistan is a bloody hell !

Every one is entitled to have his or her own opinion however disgusting, hilarious or funny ,. Everyone, including the Defense  Minister. Sadly in this country with a population of 1.2 billion, everyone except the common man enjoys the privilege to have an opinion.  Manohar Parrikar, the current Defense Minister of India looks and behaves like a common man but unlike the later who fears to have his opinion and fears to come out with one even if he has one came out with one only to be slammed by one Ms. Ramya the experienced Kannada actress who knows better and easier ways to crawl into goods books of corridors of power unknown to hardworking Mr Parrikar. Mr Parrikar feels Pakistan is a hell. Ms. Ramya feels it isn’t. Pakistan is very much like India and people there very much like us insists Ms. Ramya. 

Islamic Republic of Pakistan came into being on 14^th August 1947 and comprised of areas of Muslim majority. It was born out of ambitions of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Muslim league to create an Islamic state. India on the other hand chose to be a Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic and a secular state in preference to being ‘ Hindustan’ where equality, freedom and justice would be guaranteed to one and all irrespective of his religious identity to ensure all around progress of one and all. During the partition several elitist  Indian Muslims chose to migrate to Pakistan. The list included actresses like Noorjehan and Suraiyya , Music directors like Ghulam Muhammed only to be termed as ‘ Mohajirs’ whose careers lost its sheen and were doomed in the much fancied Islamic state. On the other hand, Muslims who chose to be a part of Secular India progressed irrespective of their religious identities or their roots whether it was Dilip Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Dev Anand or Raj Kapoor from the past era or an Adnan Sami, Ali Fazal, Ali Zafar, Nusrat Fateh Ali, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ghulam Ali or Atif Aslam of the present era who are accepted and  successful in India despite being  Pakistani. And yet if Ms. Ramya thinks people are same here and there all we can say is she is entitled to her own opinion. However, how can people who chose to be a part of an Islamic Republic be equated with people who chose secular credentials over  religious identities can best be explained by Ms. Ramya. 

Certainly Pakistan is not a hell. Its actually a haven  - a shelter, a refuge for fundamentalists – after all Osama Bin Laden the dreaded Al- Qaeda chief and the world’s most wanted terrorist was found here in Abbotabad. It’s a home to Taliban, Hafiz Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim . In those terms India can seldom equate Pakistan – aleast I cannot recall any notorious criminal having sought refufuge in India for past sixty nine years. Maybe Ms. Ramya can help us with our poor and may be biased memory. India and Pakistan have engaged in wars on three occasion 1965,1971 and 1999. All three wars were a result of Pakistani agressions and it lost all three of them. Violating treaty Pakistan still holds a part of Kashmir – Pakistan occupied Kashmir unlike India. Where’s the equality Ms. Ramya. Are you suggesting that we are equally notorious and have indulged in violations as our ‘havenly’ neighbours. Having said this I would sincerely criticise the call for Ms. Ramya to be charged with sedition. After all we are a Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic and we guarantee our citizens absolute freedom of expression and we are not Pakistan. But then the other side of the coin is Mr Manohar Parrikar is entitled to his opinion as much as Ms Ramya or for that matter any other Indian. If he feels Pakistan is hell it’s his point of view, however, blasphemous, ridiculous or hilarious, and the same should be respected as much as Ms. Ramya’s point of view is expected to be heard and repected.

 Ms. Ramya is quite young and expectedly ignorant of Congress culture of standing by the ruling Government in the matters that concern national pride and integrity as seen during the Kargil war. Openly criticising the Defense Ministers statement over a sensitive and important issue concerning our notorious neighbour may not necessarily go down well with 10 Jamnpath bosses as expected by Ms Ramya and if it does the whole mutation in the Congress Culture may not go down well with the people only to further the woes of Congress in forthcoming elections.

                                                               - Bhushan  Sarmalkar, 

             27 August 2016.

WHAT MAKES 'SAIRAT' A MILESTONE IN THE HISTORY OF FILM MAKING?

AKASH THOSAR AND RINKU RAJGURU IN SAIRAT

 Sairat’ crossed one hundred and fifteen crore mark in its twelve week run – a feat of sorts not only for Marathi cinema but Indian cinema in general being made at cost of a paltry four crores which means profit of a whopping 2000% !.  But the success of ‘Sairat’ isn’t just the money it raked in or the number of weeks it ran in theaters but the appeal it had. What makes ‘Sairat’ a milestone movie? Late Yash Chopra remarked in one of his interviews that the difference between a block buster and a super hit is that while block buster appeals to all or most of the  sections of the society, a superhit may run for twenty-five weeks and do good business but appeals only to a specific section of the society. Movie Moghul Nasir Hussain who produced ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’ while commenting on the success of the film said that although the film was greatly successful in cities, in the rural areas it was altogether a different story! Sairat’s appeal spans from rural pockets of Sangli and Solapur to Denver and Dubai, leave alone Mumbai. No wonder then that Sairat was declared a blockbuster. Sairat reminds you that amidst rugged life of rural India there are innocent love stories and yes they are equally velvety and dreamy as their urban counterparts and caste-ism is a bitter reality that we conveniently choose to turn our backs to, believing all is well and that the innocence gets crushed beneath the juggernaut of caste based politics under the name of ‘ honour killing’!

Sairat is a great movie that will redefine the art and craft of film making because it conveys you the intensity of love of two souls in their prime without a touching, kissing or any intimate scene with even the marriage registration being followed by pregnancy scene, skipping the conventional ‘first night’ and yet the audience love it, and seem to have no qualms whatsoever about it, on contrary to popular the opinion or rather what is touted to be the popular opinion, proving that you need not use nudity, vulgarity, obscenity or for that matter even intimacy to make a great movie. Infact, only those who don’t have a great story or a great skill of storytelling seem to use it to add a titillating factor to make things work at box office!

AJAY AND ATUL GOGAVALE WITH AT SONY RECORDING STUDIOS, NEW YORK.U.S.A

Sairat has a great musical score. Although ‘Zingat’ is a rage, both ‘Yaad lagla’ and ‘Sairat theme song’ are great numbers picturized equally beautifully – did you ever think that sugarcane fields or banana plantations were romantic places or for that matter the rail wagons that carry crude oil? But Nagraj Manjule shows you the beauty and the romance in them. Recorded in Hollywood’s Sony Studios, first Indian film to do so and to use the symphony, it is a virtual audio treat. It becomes difficult or a pleasant surprise to believe that the emotions of a rural youth tucked in some corner of Maharashtra are conveyed so efficiently by the worlds best instrumentalists who come from diverse backgrounds from all over the world, predominantly the west  and have no inkling of the culture that they are depicting through their renditions! I think that’s the power of music and hats off to the musical duo Ajay- Atul who don’t seem to take any project they work on leaning back and are evidently unassuming. Their range is simply astonishing from Marathi folk to something like ‘ Meri Adhuri Kahani’ or ‘Abhi Mujh mein kahi’ in Agneepath. And yes they are coupled with great lyrics – if you understand the rural Marathi dialect. Last but not the least Sairat’s music unfailingly reminds you of Illaiya Raja’s score.

Far from encouraging the college going youth to fall in love and running away from homes, ‘Sairat’ discourages them by showing them the harsh realities unlike Hindi films that show all unrealistic goody things (as in ‘Love Story’) depicting minute details from difficulties to find place to nap, to having to put up with ogling eyes, to having to go to filthy public toilets which is sufficient to wake them up from their love-dream to the harsh realities of life. And yes the only thing that helps them survive the challenge is infact their education. Rinku seems to tell the audience all the moral things in tits and bits – like chewing tobacco is injurious, so there isn’t a separate need for notification or the handicapped have an identity that’s separate form their disability and they should be known by that and not by their disability. And probably that’s what it means to be educated and college going! It also breaks the conventional norms when it comes to sexes like for example that men need to be tough, fighters and bread earners with Rinku being quite bold and commanding thanks to her background while Akash being timid and submissive getting bashed up - again thanks to his background and upbringing. After eloping Akash has no qualms about managing household chores form cooking to washing while Rinku does what is often touted as a man’s job – earning! Then it defies the zero figure norm for heroines and even the conventional dark men - fair women norm and that too convincingly.

SAIRAT'S BRILLIANT CINEMATOGRAPHY

A huge share Sairat’s success goes to the brilliant cinematography of Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti whether it’s the river dive of Akash Thosar or his diving in the well or the exchange of energies while he passes Rinku while climbing out of the well or the lovers perched on a solitary parched tree in the theme song or the backwaters of Ujani or the temple domes set against the dusky orange sky and not to forget the climax. But above all, the best part of the cinematography is the way it captures the moods of the lovers through the various figures that the birds make as they flock the sky – simply astounding!

AKASH THOSAR

RINKU RAJGURU 

Akash Thosar does a great delivery looking vulnerable all through-out the movie while hats off to Rinku Rajguru who delivers brilliant expressions although she is still in school, little wonder then that she walked away with a special national award. Tanaji Galgunde who plays Pradeep aka ‘Langdya’ or Arbaaz Shaikh who plays Salim or ‘ Salya’ deliver excellent performances despite being first timers. Chhaya Kadam is old member of the Manjule camp and delivers brilliantly in a small role. Overall Sairat is a great and realistic story that you fall in love with whether you stay in Solapur, Mumbai, Denver or Dubai and effectively delivers the message that Caste-ism is blot on the Indian society and its the duty of each citizen to do away with it at a personal level lest we should lose some more innocent lives and innocence to it and if we want a our forth coming generations to live in a truly free society!

AKASH THOSAR AND RINKU RAJGURU IN SAIRAT PERSONIFYING INNOCENCE

- Bhushan Kumarsen Sarmalkar, Mumbai, 22 july 2016.