Vidur’s Open Letter – 7 : To Divya Dutta

Hi Divya ,

It feels nice when a person, who is younger and in fact a student, becomes big enough to be a Chief Guest at the function being held by you. This happened  to me on the day before yesterday. You are much younger to me and a very dear student of mine and came to the institute on Saturday as a Chief Guest at the convocation Ceremony. It was a pleasant surprise to meet you on Saturday evening. I invited you to grace the occasion as Chief Guest for the 9th convocation ceremony of my institute and to my surprise you readily agreed.

It is an 18-year-old relationship. Mr. Nari Hira of STARDUST magazine came with the idea of selecting few talented youngsters from the far away parts of the country to train them at his expense and then dedicate them to the service of the industry. I got the opportunity to train the candidates of first and second STARDUST BATCHES. You were in the first ever batch of STARDUST ACADEMY along with Sonali Bendre and Amarr Upadyay and several other youngsters , who couldn’t make it in the industry despite their valiant efforts.

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After completing the training , I remember the day when you got  your first movie ” ISHQ MEIN JEENA ISHQ MEIN MARNA ” in 1994, though your first released movie was ” SURAKSHA ” in 1995. Out of approximately 60 films of yours , in my opinion you reached the zenith of your career  in 2004, when you appeared in ” VEER ZAARA ” , a Yash Raj Production directed by legendary Yash Chopra himself . Strictly according to my views , you completely overshadowed the two famous leading actors of  ” VEER ZAARA “, Rani Mukherjee and Preity Zinta. You won accolades and many awards for this role in ” VEER ZAARA “. Your portrayal was very satisfying for me and I was proud that I was your trainer once.

Cover via Amazon

Cover via Amazon

After ” VEER ZAARA ” , you again rose to new heights in ” DELHI 6 “. It was a small role but your portrayal was brilliant. I was very happy when I read your tweet that recently you got Best Actor [ Female ] Award for a Punjabi film ” SUKHMANI ” in the first ever Punjabi Film Award.

On Saturday evening , when I saw you , a deluge of sepia toned memories came gushing to my mind . At the time of your training , I was very new in this field. I was inexperienced and frankly speaking a novice. In these 18 years I have matured as a trainer and so are you as an accomplished actor. It speaks volumes that even after attaining dizzying heights of name, fame and success you did not forget me and came to the institute at a short notice. In this cruel and cussed film industry, where successful people have habit of seeing through you , it was heartening to know a person like you , who even after 18 long years refuses to forget me.

You are a wonderful human being and a dear student. May God give you more success in coming years !

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

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Vidur’s Open Letter – 6 : To Ferena Wazeir

Hi Ferena ,

Congratulations for your debut movie “ Sadiyaan ”!

I start my letter with this note in spite of the fact that movie is not well received by the critics. In fact it is panned by them. But critics are also human beings. They have their own pre-conceived notions. They have their prides and prejudices and some times have their egos and biases too. While reviewing “ Sadiyaan ”, they simply ignored you. There is no mention of your name in most of the reviews. Mr. Komal Nahta of “ Film Information ” and Mr. Taran Adarsh of “ bollywoodhungama.com ” and few others did mention you. But that’s it.

It is cruel and cussed on their part and I feel sad for you. Youngsters start their journey with lots of hope and aspirations. It is definitely a tentative and feeble step towards a long and illustrious journey. And every journey, ordinary or great, starts with just one step. If a kid falls after taking the first step, it doesn’t mean end of the world. It doesn’t mean that he/she cannot walk ever or he/she should be crucified for the first fall and be denounced perpetually. A kid’s tumbling down is, in fact, the beginning of an illustrious and glorious journey.

As a trainer I have a very long association with you and I can vouch for your talent and the commitment to the films you choose. I am privy to the fact that you rejected a role in a recent hit made by one of the avant garde film makers of our industry. The film is considered a modern classic and got rave reviews. It was one of the biggest hits of 2009 and the actor, who played the character rejected by you, is a major star now. But you stood by your conviction and chose to do “ Sadiyaan ” instead. If I mention the name of that movie, people will think that you had gone crazy. But since I am privy to the information and know you personally, I know your strength as an artiste and as a human being. You stood by your conviction and never cribbed for your judgement, which now seems to be a wrong one. Don’t ever feel bad for the hostile press, which “ Sadiyaan ” got. Many legends of world cinema and numerous stalwarts of Indian cinema had shaky starts but rose to gigantic heights later on.

You are a thinking actor and I am proud to be associated with you. In fact I got benefited by the association, as you introduced me to the world of Chekhov and Uta Hagen. You introduced me to “ Sushi ” also. I do remember the evenings I spent at your place discussing world cinema over cups of coffee with hazelnuts.

I wrote about you in my earlier blog – “ Kong Poush Of Jammu & Kashmir : Kashmiri, Dogri, Laddakhi Film industry & Me ”, way back on December 12, 2009. But after posting my letter to Luv Sinha, I felt an urge to write to you too.

You are a conscientious and talented actor. “ Sadiyaan ” is just a beginning and not the end. There are so many other heights to scale. Be brave!

Best of luck for your journey ahead ! Blessings !

Vidur

http://www.vidur.co.in

Vidur’s Open Letter – 5 : To Luv Sinha

Hi Luv,

Your film “ Sadiyaan ” released yesterday and as I always do, I started writing my open letter to you. Due to hectic work schedule, I was unable to complete it last night. Today when I woke up in the morning, I was shocked to see extremely hostile and disparaging reviews of your movie. I am dismayed because some of the observations of the critics about you, are unsubstantiated. I know you personally and definitely better than some of the critics.

I remember the first day when you came to meet me regarding acting classes. I assumed that like most of the star-sons, you would prefer one-to-one class with me. I was pleasantly surprised, when you told me that you would love to be in a batch and that you would love to perform in front of a group and learn from making mistakes. When a person is willing to accept his mistakes and is willing to learn from it, I am sure he wants to be a good actor.

You were in batch no. 06 of Kreating Charakters and I must state that you competed our rigorous training diligently and without any protest or displeasure. After completing the training, you signed “ Sadiyaan ” and I was very surprised, when you contacted me again before dubbing. We did protracted and rigorous voice training and when it was completed only then you started dubbing sessions.

This kind of hard work and willingness to work hard is not common. So when a critic says that you seem to be not interested in acting , I can only laugh. Liking or not liking a film depends on one’s mood and perception. Every one is entitled to his own views and ideas. But I must say that barring Mr. Komal Nahta of “ Film Information ”  and few others like , Mr. Taran Adarsh of  ” Bollywoodhungama.com ” , all the reviews are biased in tone and derogatory in nature. These are not film reviews. These are prejudiced, biased and malicious propaganda and personal attacks. Any way, some times these things happen. It happened to legendary Dilip Kumar also at the time of his debut film “ Jwar Bhata ”. Extremely famous and dreaded film journalist of his time Late Babu Rao Patel wrote almost equally humiliating and disparaging things about him in the January 1945 issue of his magazine,  ” FILMINDIA “. The title of his review was – ” The New anaemic Hero  ”. I am quoting him :

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“ Dilip Kumar, the new hero of Bombay Talkies is an anaemic addition to our film artistes. He needs lots of vitamins and a prolonged treatment of proteins before another picture could be risked with him. He looks gaunt and famished and strikes as along ill-treated convict, who has escaped from a jail. His appearance on the screen creates both laughter and disappointment. His acting efforts in this picture amounts to nil ” .

Taken from the book ” DILIP KUMAR – STAR LEGEND OF INDIAN CINEMA  - THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY ” by BUNNY REUBEN ( PAGE – 71 )
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It is now history that Dilip Kumar proved him wrong with his poignant performance in his third film “ Milan ”, a Nitin Bose directed movie in 1946. He rose to dizzy heights of super stardom with his seventh film  ‘ Mela” in 1948 and fortified it with his ninth film “ Shaheed ” , a super hit of its time in 1948 again. What happened after that is now history and folklore of Hindi film industry. Babu Rao Patel had to eat crow and had eggs on his face as he helplessly watched Dilip Kumar defying his predictions with each one of his films. Who knows, this could happen to you too. And I pray to God and believe that this will happen again. And this should happen very soon.

Dilip Kumar won 8 Filmfare awards and was given prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award too. His place in the annals of Hindi films industry is prominently secured. But the same can’t be said about Babu Rao Patel. Do work hard to prove your detractors wrong.

My best wishes are with you.

Regards !

Vidur

http://www.vidur.co.in

Vidur’s Open Letter – 4 : To Amita Pathak

Hi Amita ,

Congratulations and best of luck for your first production “ Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge ? ” As your film releases today, memories of your impeccable behaviour, your hard work as a student, your helping nature and my interaction with you at the time of the launch of your first film “ Haal-E-Dil ” comes to my mind. As I am sitting and writing this blog, a floodgate is slowly being opened and I am completely engulfed and submerged by emotions.

I remember your first day in the class. A reticent girl sitting in the front row near me and watching everything with wide eyes. It took me a while to know that you are Mr. Kumar Mangat’s daughter. And I got this information from others, not directly from you. Never ever you tried to show in the class that you are well entrenched in the industry and that’s why you need special treatment. I found you well-behaved and very down to earth. After completing your training, you got busy with the production work of “ Omkara ” and I lost touch. We came into contact again at the time of your debut film “ Haal-E-Dil ”. You came to me with the script for my suggestions and then got busy with the shooting. You didn’t forget me at the time of the release of your film. I can imagine the pressure you could be in and tremendous mental strain you must be going through, still you remember a nonentity like me and invited me for the all the events of your film. That film has one more student of mine, as one of the leading actor. He saw through me in the party and even though I went and congratulated him, he pretended not to recognize me. When I compare his behaviour with yours, my affection for you grows more. I respect you more as a human being. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so nice to me, when others were not.

Unfortunately “ Haal-E-Dil ” got released and tanked. I don’t know what you felt at the time of the debacle of your debut film. But I am sure of your capacity and capability as an actor. I am not trying to please you, but let me assure you that you are a brilliant actor. But you can’t follow the path of Katrina Kaif or Kareena Kapoor. Your niche is like Konkona Sen Sharma. I am not mentioning Nandita Das, because she works only in art films. While Konkona Sen Sharma works in all kind of films. She was brilliant in “ Mr. & Mrs. Iyer ” as well as “ Wake Up Sid ”. If you wish, you can mold your career on the pattern of Konkona Sen Sharma. Compared to “ Yuvvraaj ”, “ Wake Up Sid ” was any day better. You have now your own production company. So apart from producing films, please try to give a new lease of life to your acting career also. I know you can work wonders.

I started this letter on Friday and completing this on Sunday. It is very satisfying to read in today’s Times Of India that “ Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge ? ” stays at the box office. I am happy for you. And once again wish you all the success in all the future endeavour of yours.

God bless you, Amita ! May you scale dizzying heights of fame and success !

Vidur

http://www.vidur.co.in

Vidur’s Open Letter – 3 : To Lisa Ray

Hi Lisa ,

Yesterday I saw you being interviewed by Barkha Dutt on NDTV 24×7. Gushing winds of memories filled empty corners of my heart and I was swept off my feet. I remember my early days in Mumbai. It was mid 1997. I was working with Fardeen Khan for his debut film “ Prem Aggan ”. One day I was sitting in F. K. International’s office at Lokhandwala, when I got a call from you. From Lokhandwala, It took me some time to reach to your place at Bandra. I still remember your building which was situated in a narrow lane near Mehboob Studio.

13 years have passed, but I must admit that when I saw you, I was stunned by your beauty and elegant personality. To my astonishment, I found you a reticent, reserved and withdrawn person. Our relationship never grew beyond hi and hello. Though I started the training same day but I couldn’t complete it because of your busy and hectic life style. Your continent hopping travel schedule also hampered the process and finally I stopped the training and we parted ways.

It was a brief working relationship. In those days of land line and pager, when Mobile telephony was yet to hit the nation, I had cultivated a habit of sending birthday and new year greeting cards to all my students. I got response from everyone except you. You never ever acknowledged, not even once. I have very cordial and intimate relationship with all of my students. But you are the only exception. I could not cultivate a warm and cordial relationship. I am not complaining but only stating the facts. After doing couple of films you left India and settled in Canada. We lost touch.

After couple of years, I got the news of your disease and I was shattered. Though we had only brief and formal relationship but I have seen you as a person. You were very caring daughter to your paralytic mother. Your devotion and love for your mother is still fresh in my memory. The way you used to feed her and the way you took care of all her needs is exemplary. How could such a loving and caring person be stricken by a life threatening disease? Sometimes I fail to understand judgment of God.

Yesterday when I watched you on NDTV 24×7, all these thoughts and memories immediately came back to me. Your infectious smile is still there and once again I was stunned by your beauty. It was nice to see you again. Your zest for life and your charming personality is intact. It is unaffected by your disease.

May God give you a long life. May your infectious smile and charming personality be there for ever. May you keep on posting your blog, “ The Yellow Diaries ” till the sunset of your normal, natural life. May you be relieved of your pain and suffering.

Amen !!

Vidur

http://www.vidur.co.in

Vidur’s Open Letter – 2 : To Shazahn Padamsee

Hi Shazahn ,

Last night I saw your debut film “ Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year ”. I liked this new flick from Yash Raj Films immensely. Critics, anyway, have given it rave reviews.

I must state that its not a typical Hindi film. Hindi films have their own flavour, their own set rules and their distinctive mass appeal. Typical candy floss and escapist films have ruled Hindi film industry since ages, precisely since the days of the first talkie “ Alamara ”. A new set of avant -garde film makers tried to change the rules with their realistic and issue based Art films. They seemed to be successful for the time being, but eventually they failed miserably. Barring Mr. Shyam Benegal, all those self-proclaimed custodians and flag-bearers of Art films are now dormant and are lying low. Art film movement withered away. It was a case of early, premature and inglorious death.

With the advent of corporate world and with the help of their funds, Hindi film-making rules were once again changed dramatically. New directors started making new age films. All the set norms were broken. Young and well-educated film makers started making new kind of films. They started experimenting. My nomenclature, for these kind of new films, is Unconventional Films. So Hindi film industry now has three sets of films ; Candy Floss Films , Art Films and Unconventional Films. Your film belongs to the last category. In fact Yash Raj Films has unique distinction of producing Candy Floss and Unconventional Films with same zeal, zest and vigour. “ Kabul Express ”, “ Chak De India ” and now “ Rocket Singh-Salesman of the Year ” are Unconventional films from Yash Raj stable. There is no need to list their Candy Floss films, as they are well known.

Some people are panning your film for lack of entertainment value. I fail to fathom their logic and wisdom. Entertainment value is a subjective thing. What could be entertaining for one set of people, could be repulsive for others. And what is boring for others, could be quite hilarious for different set of people. For me your film was very entertaining and engrossing. Kudos to Mr. Jaideep Sahni for excellent and hilarious dialogues and specially for this unique and new subject. As for the director is concerned, my admiration for Mr. Shimit Amin now knows no bounds. He should be feted for his courage of not following established trends and deliberating ignoring the rules and norms of traditional film-making system. His three films “ Ab Tak Chhappan ” , “ Chak De India ” and now “ Rocket Singh- Salesman of the Year ”, bear ample testimony of his courage, conviction and resolve. Mr. Aditya Chopra needs all the praise for producing these path breaking, new-age, Unconventional films, which defy all the logic and logistics of traditional Hindi film-making ways.

My first open letter was addressed to Ranbir Kapoor. In that letter I have made detailed comments on his acting capability and his mastery on characterization. In this film again he delivers a wonderfully immaculate and flawless performance. This is my second letter and here I would like to illustrate some points about your acting ability. I still remember the day, when your legendary father Mr. Alyque Padamsee called me to train you and though, he was not comfortable in Hindi, tried to talk to me in Hindi. It was a wonderful and nice gesture. I won’t be able to forget it ever. I remember my first visit to your place and meeting your illustrious mother, Mrs. Sharon Prabhakar also. She was equally magnanimous. We started class and last night when I was sitting in Fame Adlab Multiplex and was watching your first film, it looked as if everything happened only a day before. It was delight to watch you on screen.

Don’t get disheartened by some media reports that this film got a lackluster opening. Even Kajol in “ Bekhudi ” and Rani Mukherjee in “ Raja Ki Ayegi Barat ” had lackluster beginnings. Dilip Kumar in “ Jwar Bhata ” and Amitabh Bachchan in “ Saat Hindustani ” also had shaky starts. Contrary to some media reports, your film is not a flop. It is not a costly film. Its target audience is in metro cities and not in B or C centers. I had watched “ Vivah ” in the same Fame Multiplex and people were booing it. Still it was one of the biggest hits of that year. Its target audience was in B and C centers. Same way your film is not going to be a hit in B and C centers but it is going to be a profit earning proposition in the metro cities and in the multiplexes. People were laughing and clapping in the Fame Adlab last night. You made a right choice and chose this prestigious Yash Raj flick for your debut film. Your pairing against Ranbir Kapoor is like icing on a cake. Though learned critics ( ? ) are saying that it is a small role as compared to Gauhar Khan, but according to me, you made a right decision and it is a confident debut.

I would love to watch you in many films in future and wish you all the success and glory. May you be the worthy daughter of your legendary and illustrious parents.

Vidur

http://www.vidur.co.in

Vidur’s Open Letter – 1 : To Ranbir Kapoor

Hi Ranbir ,

I saw your film “ Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani ” on November 26 and frankly speaking I was blown out. In all fairness it is an ordinary and routine film. But your performance was extraordinary. In Hindi film industry, there are only few instances of actors performing extraordinarily in an ordinary film. Before telling you about the nuances of your performance and your brilliant characterization, let me remind you about some other ordinary Hindi films, where actors performed extraordinarily :

DILIP KUMAR in “ GOPI ”
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I watched “ Gopi ” in Allahabad. It was first film of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banoo together after their marriage. It was an eagerly awaited film but it got delayed because of Saira Banoo’s illness. When released, it got bumper opening and was a major hit of that year. I went to watch “ Gopi ” with lots of hope and excitement, but frankly speaking I was disappointed. Its story was very ordinary and routine. But Dilip Kumar was extraordinary in that film and his performance is still fresh and permanently etched on my aging wall of memory. His naughty as well as emotional scenes with Om Prakash and Nirupa Roy, who played his brother and bhabhi in the said film, are text book for any actor and student of film acting.

Amitabh Bachchan in “ Sharabi ”
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Amitabh Bachchan’s “ Sharabi ” comes second in the reckoning. An insignificant film in every respect, it is still remembered by the sheer brilliant performance of Amitabh Bachchan. It was huge hit of that year and it has memorable performance of Amitabh Bachchan with Om Prakash, who played his man friday Munshi ji and Pran, who played his father in the said film.

Aamir Khan in “ Ghajini ”
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This film is third in the list. Hoping that I am going to watch a psychological thriller, I watched it with lots of excitement and hope. But I was disappointed because actually it turned out to be a routine revenge drama. We have seen umpteen films where the protagonist avenges his wife’s death and beats the antagonist blue and black. Its only saving grace was Aamir Khan’s brilliant, superlative performance.

These three above mentioned films are going to be remembered only because of the memorable performances of Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan. Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan did above mentioned films when they were almost on the verge of taking retirement from the leading roles and were preparing for their second innings as character artistes . Aamir Khan did “ Ghajini ” when he is in the in the middle of his career. But Ranbir, you did this film when you are only 3 films old.

Romantic comic roles are always difficult to perform and portray. You did all the light scenes brilliantly. And you were equally good or rather brilliant in the scene where you are remembering Your lady love after she departs. “ Chhod na yaar kuchh aur baat karte hain…..”. That drunken scene of yours will always be remembered by all the connoisseurs of Hindi films. I vividly remember drunken scenes of Dilip Kumar in “ Sagina ” and “ Saudagar ” and Amitabh Bachchan in “ Amar Akbar Anthony ” and “ Shakti ”. Aamir Khan will always be remembered for his drunken scene in “ Raaja Hindustani ”. Your drunken scene matches their brilliance.

Towards the end I would like to say something about your dancing skills. After Hritik Roshan’s arrival almost every newcomer started aping his dancing skills. You are the only one who danced in a very different way. All the songs of “ Saawariya ” specially “ jab se tere naina ” are still fresh in my memory. In this film also your dance in “ prem ki naiyya……” Is very different and will always be remembered.

A very strong point in your journey as an actor is the way you work on your characterization. “ Saawariya ”, “ Wake Up Sid ” and now “ Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani ” bear poignant testimony of your ability in this field. “ Saawariya ” was a difficult film to start your journey with. But you accomplished your feat beautifully. I hope you remember a long letter that I wrote to you after attending the premiere of “ Saawariya ”. In that letter I penned my views about your acting skills in general and about “ Saawariya ” in particular in detail. Now instead of writing my thoughts on paper and sending it to you I am jotting down my thoughts on my Black Berry and shall post it on my blog space. This will enable this letter to be shared by many.

You score in your films because you love life and you are keen to experiment with it. I still possess a note which you wrote on a book, which you gave me as a present, while I was working with you at your home prior to the release of your debut film “ Saawariya ”. The book in question is a biography of your legendary grand father Late Raj Kapoor. I am posting that note here. I still have very fond memories of my training lessons which I did with you. But I will write about them later.

Hope to watch you in many more memorable performances in future.

And best of luck for your new Yashraj film “ Rocket Singh – Salesman of the Year ”.

Regards !

Vidur

http://www.vidur.co.in