Category: Watch

Categories
Watch

‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ trailer

We missed seeing the classic Shahrukh Khan spreading-his-arms trick. Everything else is, well, to put it mildly, just about meh.
by The Diarist

Within a day of it being uploaded on Youtube, the trailor of Yash Chopra’s forthcoming film Jab Tak Hai Jaan had garnered 15,533 likes.

We mean, come on!

It’s not like this is about to be very revolutionary in terms of plot and treatment. There’s Shahrukh Khan, romancing two women (both really, really younger than him) and looking quite the dude on a bike with fuzz on his face. We think he needs to put on some weight first, but it was nice to see him after a long while. We have, naturally, blanked out the disaster that was Ra.One. As far as we are concerned, that film did not happen to us at all. *suppresses shudder*

 

Interestingly, nobody in the entire trailor says a single line of dialogue, while Shahrukhbhai mouths off some lovely lines throughout. We were very thrilled with this development. We will probably watch this film with a heavy heart when it releases on November 13, owing mostly to leading lady Katrina Kaif’s presence in it. And while nothing can be done about her being in the actual film, we are about to throw a party over the joyful blessing of not having to hear her say a word in Hindi at least in the promo. May we reiterate at this point that apart from admitting she is really pretty, we have always been flummoxed by the blankness of her on-screen presence?

We’re guessing that in the film, Shahrukh uncle gets jilted by one girl and shacks up with another, the another being Anushka Sharma. We like Anushka a lot, especially how tall she is, and the fact that she is probably playing a news cameraperson (considering how Shahrukh leaps out at her while something explodes just behind them. She is seen holding a camera, which was how we guessed her probable profession.) Meanwhile, Katrina prances about all over the promo looking gorgeous and showing off a pair of toned legs.

Nothing about this promo surprised or stunned us. Well, except for the soundtrack, which is the handiwork of A R Rahman. If we didn’t know who the composer was, we would have guessed Salim Suleiman. Yes, that is a broad hint.

All in all, not being diehard Shahrukh Khan or Yash Chopra fans, we were left cold by this one. We’re not expecting much from the film, either. And no, we’re not ending this piece with a contrived Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, because we think the film’s title is stupid.

The Diarist is a film junkie, and if you’re reading this, chances are you are too. If you’ve noticed a  new promo or film worth checking out, write to The Diarist at thediarist@themetrognome.in.

 

Categories
Watch

The ‘Talaash’ trailer

Aamir Khan always hugs his projects close to his chest (and probably locks them in his bank vault before release). So it’s nice to see a trailer that actually makes the wait for his next film slightly worthwhile

by The Diarist/ thediarist@themetrognome.in

At the very start, let us say that we liked this promo. No, it’s not a very slick one or anything, but it gives away just enough to hook you.

 

It was also nice to know that Aamir plays a not-so-young (or scrupulous) cop in this one, though we still think he’s a little tiny to convincingly look the part. Also, his moustache enters the room before he does. However, this film seems to be a crime thriller, or at least a serious police drama, so we’re guessing that these obvious anomalies will be forgotten a few minutes into the storytelling.

A film actor’s speeding car crashes into the sea, and obviously, by the time the car is fished out, the man is dead. But is this really an accident? Meanwhile, there are other characters in the background – call girl/escort Rosy (played by Kareena Kapoor, hinting that she can help with the case and then canoodling with the inspector in a hotel room), the inspector’s wife (Rani Mukerji in seen-before victim mould. She plays the wronged wife, from what we gather) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who obviously knows something about the case.

We are still a wee bit apprehensive about booking tickets for this film when it releases on November 13, because director Reema Kagti’s first outing, Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., is a film we still haven’t understood. Of course, Aamir would weed out any ambiguities or elements that displease him in the film, so we’re betting on his sense (read: constant butting into every aspect of the film’s creation) to take this one home safe.

May we add that after the blitzkrieg of Heroine’s promotions, we were thoroughly sick of seeing Kareena’s face, albeit for a few moments only. A similar hailstorm of promotions was not planned around Aiyya, so Rani Mukerji still engaged us. Aamir did not really engage, but at least he’ll have worked hard on the role. What we want to see is Nawaz playing a strong character, on par with Aamir’s (yes, surely we jest) and how his role plays out in the face of all the others.

All in all, we’ll go watch this one with a little trepidation. We hope we won’t be disappointed.

The Diarist is a film junkie, and if you’re reading this, chances are you are too. If you’ve noticed a  new promo or film worth checking out, write to The Diarist at thediarist@themetrognome.in.

 

 

Categories
Watch

A (c)ode to music

QR Codes have been in use since 1994, but Indian television used them for the first time ever this month.

by Prashant Shankarnarayan | prashant@themetrognome.in

They are on websites, newspapers, tattoos, cornfields and even graves. QR Codes have become ubiquitous since their invention in 1994, but strangely, barring a few exceptions, television has often refused to touch them. And quintessentially, Indian television too has delayed using these codes in its programmes.

But hopefully, that will change post leading music channel 9XM’s successful adaptation of QR Codes on their latest music video,  Taal Pranaam, which released during the Ganpati festivities this year. The Ganesh Chaturthi special video featured Taufiq Qureshi’s band Mumbai Stamp, that explores new rhythmic horizons using trash material like bins, tin boxes, cans and buckets. The QR code on the song is directly linked to the band’s YouTube page.

Considering that it had never been tried by an Indian channel till then, 9XM had its apprehensions about pasting the QR Code on the song but repeated successful tests encouraged them to go ahead with it. This innovation might not stop the debate on whether QR codes are apt for television or not but for now, Indian television has taken that one step forward in further integrating art with technology. The video was shot in-house by the channel and directed by Sunder Venketraman, content head, and it appeared as ‘9XM features Mumbai Stamp’ performing a specially-composed song for Ganesh Chaturthi.

How it works for TV

– The QR code appears on the screen throughout the music video.

– Hold your smartphone in front of the QR code and it will direct you to 9XM’s You Tube page.

(QR code scanners are easily available for downloads free of cost.)

What it did

The QR Code was used 226 times in 10 days, way better than it was expected to do. Said Amar Tidke, senior vice-president and head of content, 9X Media Group, “What we wanted to do was to make the video more accessible and viral through technology, and reach out further to people on this festive occasion.” It did that, what with the video being aired regularly throughout the duration of the festival for 12 days. The video was also heavily promoted across the group’s digital communities.

Prashant Shankarnarayan was a part of the team at 9XM that conceptualised the idea.

Exit mobile version