Ali's Notes

Jai Hind,
Jai Hind

I saw some songs from Manoj Kumar's Jai Hind and I knew Manoj Kumar the complete filmmaker (writer, producer, director, editor and totally involved in every moment in the making of his film) had not lost his touch at the art of making women look gorgeous, making women look like women and not like the mannequins and dolls with springs in their backs and no feelings in the words spoken like robots on the move. All the three women in Manoj Kumar's film, Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala and Shilpa Shirodkar must be very happy or atleast should be very happy (I know it is very difficult to make women happy, especially when it comes to telling them how good they look or how good they are). They are working in a Manoj Kumar film for the first time. I once heard Manisha wonder whether Manoj Kumar would work the same magic that he had worked with all his heroines in the past. I think one look at herself in the film and Manisha will find her answer. She looks like she has not looked in a very long time. Raveena is not only dashing but also very rivetting, a woman you'd love to see again, and again. And the biggest surprise is Shilpa Shirodkar, the actress who has been neglected by all the filmmakers who have made films with her. Not one of them has made Shilpa look the way she looks in Manoj's film. She makes you wonder what wonders Manoj could have worked with her if she had met him some time ago, when she was younger, when she was still not wasted in all those `B' and `C' grade films which only exploited her body, used it as a source of tittilation, used her body as an object to give the front-benchers the cheap thrills they lasciviously look for. Shilpa looks young, Shilpa acts well and is competition for Raveena and Manisha. The women not only look good, they also have very meaningful roles according to Manoj Kumar.

Talking about his women in Jai Hind Manoj Kumar says: "I have always treated women with respect. I have never stooped to make them look sexy or vulgar or do or say things which will maul or demean the woman in them. My heroines are always a part of the story. They are not there just for their glamour or sex appeal. They are there because of the script's demands. I can never dare do injustice to my women."

Working with a man like Manoj Kumar is an experience for any actress. I know these three women who have worked with him for the first time have realised the difference. We will know more when we see the film, a genuine Manoj Kumar film after a long time, a film made by Manoj Kumar, the genuine Mr Bharat, the born admirer of beautiful women of India.

Dr Chopra
fights back

WHO says miracles are not possible in this age of Pokhran and other miracles of science. And if there is one field in which the maximum miracles are worked it is in the man made field of medicine.

Take the case of Dr Chopra. The last time he was in all kinds of trouble with his once enviable and ever energetic body. Now just last week I went to see him and it was almost like the good old days when the body and the mind were at peace with one another, thanks be to God. And just as I was about to leave he reminded me that there was some misunderstanding on my part. He said he was in his office most of the time working. It was only when he had that nasty fall and broke his ribs that he just could not attend office. Otherwise he was "present" on all working days. And ever since he has come back after the extensive repairs of the broken ribs BR Films has gone into double the action in every field. The leader who is a miracle shows the way. That's why BR Films is what BR FIlms is for more than fifty years. My misunderstanding was like a little crime. How can I wish a man I respect so much to be in any kind of trouble, any anguish.

And yes, at eighty plus and all the pluses and minuses in life BR is all set to start work on Baagbaan, the most ambitious film to be made by a man who has lived all his life fulfiling ambitions.

Fight it out, friends

IT's a great feeling to see our stars entering Parliament House with their best smiles on their faces, dressed in their best starched saris (Jayaprada and Shabana Azmi) and Shatru's designer dhoti kurta and jacket and Vinod Khanna, easily the most dashing Member of Parliament today and our villain turned VIP, Raj Babbar.

They are all so good, so different from all the lousy, clumsy, coarse, paan-chewing and spitting loud mouthed MPs we have been seeing for the last five decades. But what about their intentions, their ambitions, their desires, their determination to raise their voices in the House of Parliament they belong to? I hope they just don't go there and become seat numbers. They must not go there and sit as dummies who are only wanted as decoration pieces, as mannequins and dolls cut out of plaster of Paris. They must not raise their hands like robots, toys manipulated by "toy masters". They must realise their responsibilities. They must realise the expectations people who have sent them to Parliament have from them. They must realise that they have been blessed with the opportunity and the privilege to raise their hand, to serve their people, to contribute to the debates and arguments that can change the destiny of our country. At no time have there so many MPs from the film industry. They can do so much and they must. And they must never forget the problems of the industry which have made them what they are today. They must make a joint and gigantic effort to see that they are not cowed down, that they are not taken for granted, that they are not taken as male dolls and female dolls whose keys are in the hands of a group of devils out to divide, to destroy, to disillusion, to disintegrate this great country. I would not care for what they did if I didn't care for my country.