Chak De India, we are the best!

Chak De India…means “Buck Up India or Come On India” - a movie full of inspiration, a movie which makes you feel proud of the company, a movie which teaches you how to fight and win everyone’s heart, a movie which forces you to believe in yourself.

Chak De has shades of failure, anger, hatred, love, passion, leadership, innocence, eagerness to fight back and finally of sportsman spirit. The story of Chak De is of a real-life Indian goal keeper Mir Ranjan Negi.

The Story line starts with a slow pace but then picks up immediately in 30 mins of the start of the movie. Shah Rukh is the coach of a team which consists of 16 girls belonging to different states of the country and who believe that hockey is an individual game and they actually play for their own vestige interests, but Shah Rukh makes them believe that the game is not merely an individuals game but a national game, and that they can win only if they play with the full team spirit and not against each other in rivalry. One by one he starts breaking the ice between the girls and finally reaches his goal to win the world cup.

Second half of Chak De has some excellent locations and sceneries of Australia. You really get the feel of Olympics being held.

This is not much of a song movie, it hardly has any songs. Just the title track is enough for this movie to rock. Dialogue writer of this movie should really win an award; each dialogue is worth listening, and following.

Shah Rukh Khan the lead actor in this movie has done a brilliant job and given an awesome performance. He has played the role of a coach of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team who is preparing to enter the World Cup to compete with other countries.

Through Chak De the producers/director have shown that CRICKET is not the only sport INDIA can do well at, there are other sports too, which no one is interested in and not many citizens are aware of, but if given a try we can really make a difference and win many more gold medals in OLYMPICS for the country and make the country proud.

Chak De is 2.30 minutes long, and is really worth every penny. It is a must watch movie, and do not miss it for anything.

Please comment if you have seen the movie and would like to add more points to it.

-Stella Roy

An offfer not to be miss ever

What would you say when a book on mafia is referred to Management students in various prestige Management institute across the globe as a lesson in excellent management? Imagine millions of youngster getting inspiration from words spoken by a mafia DON. What rationalization can one have when a movie based on a book about mafia is judge to be the greatest movie ever made in history of cinema? None! right?

But this is exactly the effect of THE GODFATHER written by Mario Puzo has on millions of people. The Godfather is nothing less then words of gospel to all the book lovers. There are parents who teach their children the family values by referring to Godfather.

Godfather is primarily about the fight between the five mafia families in New York. The book mainly focuses on one of the family, the Corleone family. The Corleone family is headed by an aging DON who is referred by many as their Godfather. The entire story revolves around him and his youngest son Michael Corleone; and how the Godfather and his son manage to salvage the lost respectability of Corleone family.

The book tells you about the belief that Godfather has; that every man has but one destiny. The Godfather gives you detail insight of how the mafias use to function in early 40s and 50s. All the characteristic of Michael Corleone’s revenge against his family enemies are marvelously captured by Mario Puzo in Godfather. Each and every page of Godfather teaches you something new.

Mario Puzo has created a work of genius. Godfather is his finest work till date. He could never recreate the magic of Godfather with his other books before or after Godfather, though he tried a lot.

There is also a thrilling movie with same name and story that won many Oscars award with Marlon Brando playing the role of Don Corelone and Al Pacino essaying the role of his youngest son Michael.

If you have not read this book yet then believe me you are missing a classic. I would say that it’s truly a masterpiece and must read for every human being. Let us thank Mario Puzo for giving us a gem like Godfather.

Please leave your comments. I love your comments.

-Stella Roy

Some invaluable moments/quotes from the book;

Don Corleone: I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.

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Michael: Some people will pay a lot of money for that information; but then your daughter would lose a father, instead of gaining a husband.

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Cop with Capt. McCluskey outside hospital: The kid's clean Captain, he's a war hero! He's never been mixed up with the rackets...

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Michael: Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured the bandleader, that either his signature or his brains would be on the contract.

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Michael: My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.
Kay Adams (girlfriend): Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don't have men killed.

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Emilio Barzini: [during a meeting with the Five Families] Times have changed. It's not like the Old Days, when we can do anything we want. A refusal is not the act of a friend. If Don Corleone had all the judges, and the politicians in New York, then he must share them, or let us others use them. He must let us draw the water from the well. Certainly he can present a bill for such services; after all... we are not Communists.

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Don Corleone: I never thought you were bad consiglieri(advisor), Tom. I thought Santino was a bad Don, rest in peace.

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Don Corleone: What have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully? If you'd come to me in friendship, then this scum that ruined your daughter would be suffering this very day. And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies, then they would become my enemies. And then they would fear you.
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Kay Adams ( Michael’s wife): Michael, is it true? Did you have Carlo murdered?
Michael: Don't ask me about my business, Kay.

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Tom Hagen: Mr. Woltz, I'm a lawyer, I have not threatened you.
Jack Woltz: I know almost every big lawyer in New York, who the hell are you?
Tom Hagen: I have a special practice. I handle one client (Godfather). Now you have my number. I'll wait for your call. By the way, I admire your pictures very much.

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Michael: You and I are going to move my father to another room, now can you disconnect those tubes so we can move the bed out of here?
Nurse: That is out of the question.
Michael: You know my father? Men are coming here to kill him, now help me, please.
Michael: Pop...Pop, it's me Michael. Shhhh, don't try to speak. There are men who are coming to try to kill you. But I'm with you...I'm with you now...
Don Corleone: (unable to open his mouth, wanted to say) Michael, why should I be worried now? Strange men have come to kill me since I was 12 years old.

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Don Corleone ( Meeting with other Don): I'm a superstitious man, and if some unlucky accident should befall Michael - if he is to be shot in the head by a police officer, or be found hung dead in a jail cell... or if he should be struck by a bolt of lightning - then I'm going to blame some of the people in this room; and then I do not forgive. But with said, I pledge - on the souls of my grandchildren - that I will not be the one to break the peace that we have made today.

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Don Corleone: I never wanted this for you. I work my whole life - I don't apologize - to take care of my family, and I refused to be a fool, dancing on the string held by all those bigshots. I don't apologize - that's my life - but I thought that, that when it was your time, that you would be the one to hold the string. Senator Corleone; Governor Corleone. Well, it wasn't enough time, Michael. It wasn't enough time.
Michael: We'll get there, pop. We'll get there.

Shah Rukh - The King Khan

Time Magazine has called him as probably one of the most recognizable actor in the world. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London has his wax figure along side Prince Charles, the Beckham couple (David & Posh), Amitabh, Saddam Hussein and many other international stars. He is non other then the current Superstar Shah Rukh Khan! King Khan as they all call him has taken the Bollywood by storm since his debut film Deewana in the year 1992. The boy from Hansraj College in Delhi has excelled in almost everything that he has done in movie industry till now. Shah Rukh Khan’s initial days were very tough.He had come to Bombay as any other ordinary man from Delhi, with that passion of becoming a actor one day, he used to stay as paying guest as he had no money to buy room for himself. And today here he is, building a multi storey building for himself and his friends to live together. He started off his career in a TV soap called "Fauji", after which he signed another hit TV serial called 'Circus" - after this serial he gained popularity in the mass and then went on to movies. Since then he has given many hits and has worked with almost all actresses in bollywood (current and some past genre actresses). He started off with the first hit movie "Deewana" later he went on with negative role in movies like "Bazzigar" and "Darr", where he was liked by everyone. Other hits include "Dil To Pagal Hai" with Madhuri Dixit and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hain" with Kajol and Rani and "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna".

 Not to forget the classic "Devdas" and "Paheli". He has been there and done it all. His one characteristic that brought him to where he is today is his believe in “What you do – do it the best and leave it on GOD”. In all he is an amazing actor, a human being despite of all thick and thins he has gone through to reach the top. He will surely rule Bollywood for another 10 years. He really deserves what he has got. Do watch his upcoming movie “Chak De India” which is showcasing HOCKEY the national game of India. Chak De is the first such glamorous movie being made on HOCKEY. Hats off to this guy in trying to do something different and yet winning peoples heart on whatever he does! 

Your comments are most appreciated.

 P.s With so many years passed I found this article that is really an interesting read on Shah Rukh Khan - https://ekhichdi.com/2021/06/26/shah-rukh-khan-king-without-a-voice-and-soul/ 

 -Stella Roy

The five greatest movie of all time

Every Indian has two universal passions a) Indian Movies b) Cricket

I am yet to meet an Indian who doesn’t like any of the two mentions above. I myself like both; movies and cricket. I watch cricket because I feel we are lot better then many other nations, but just that we need to make smart selection. Like millions of other people of India I too believe we can dominate cricketing world. And I like Indian Movies primarily because it has songs and dance sequences unlike Hollywood movies which is totally devoid of songs.

Here in this article I would like to discuss the TOP 5 Indian movies of all time.

5) Mughal-e-Azam >>>>> The magnum opus from Late K Asif. The movie took more then 13 years to complete and what we had after 13 years of hard work from K Asif was a masterpiece. The movie has the legendry Dilip Kumar and Madhubala, the eternal beauty of Indian cinema in role of young prince Salim and Anarkali respectively. In times to come Mughal-e-Azam was to become a benchmark movie in presenting the clash between Son & Father in Indian cinema. Dilip Kumar gave an outstanding performance which was equally matched by Prithiviraj Kapoor and Madhubala. And who can forget the song ‘Pyar kiya to darna kya!’ which still continues to intrigue the nation from time to time.

4) Darr >>>>> Darr? You said Darr? Which movie is this? Is that your question after reading the name of the movie? Well I would be little selfish here for including Darr in top 5. This is my very personal favorite. I must have watch this movie at least more then 50 times by now and each time I see it I am just left with admiration of Shah Rukh Khan acting talent. The movie has Shahrukh playing a role of possessed lover of Juhi Chawla (married to Sunny Deol) Shah Rukh was in early period of his career but after watching the movie it seems that SRK has been into acting for last 50 years. You need to watch the movie to feel the energy and charisma of SRK. Not a single frame in the movie that has SRK is presence is to be miss. Ohh! I need to stop here or I will keep writing about it for lifetime and still not finish praising this gem from Yash Chopra.

3) Deewar >>>>> There is a Good son and there is a bad son and then there is Deewar (wall) of good and evil between them. The film stars Amitabh Bachan as the evil son and Shashi Kapoor (in a role of police inspector) as the good son. The USP of the movie is the story line by Salim-Javed. Deewar was directed by Yash Chopra and I believe he is much better directing action movies rather then directing love story. Amitabh’s role was based on the life of yesteryear Don of Mumbai Haji Mastan. The other thing that made the movie a huge success was Amitabh’s performance as the bad son of Nirupa Roy. Deewar won all the Filmfare awards for the year it was release. This shows it’s quality, considering that even Sholay was release in the same year.

2) Nayagan >>>>> I rarely watch regional language movies but I was forced to watch Nayagan by one of my friend from Tamil Nadu in the year 2002. Few minutes into the movie and I was completely mesmerized. I never knew South Indians movie could be so powerful and enchanting. This was the time I came to knew about Mani Ratnam and Kamal Hassan. The performance of Kamal Hassan as Velu Nayagan, a don from Mumbai slum area is charismatic. Kamal Hassan essayed a character that was far ahead of his age, at least in the second half of the movie. You can fill a chill down your spine the moment you see him on the screen. It got Kamal the National award for best actor. There was seldom a better choice then Kamal Hassan for Nayagan. After Nayagan Mani Ratnam directed many super hits movie but could never recreate the magic of Nayagan again.

1) Mother India >>>>> I don’t think there would be anyone reading this who must have not seen Mother India. If not then you are missing something that is irreplaceable in your life. It’s a landmark chapter in Indian cinema. Imagine what Indian cinema would have been with out Mother India! A piece of art from the great Mehboob Khan still continues to inspire the generations of Indian movie enthusiast even after 50 years of its first show. Mother India portrays the struggle of a poor village girl and her survival along with her two infant sons without her husband/family. Nargis played the title role in the movie. This was right after her break up with Raj Kapoor. With Mother India she proved to the nation that there was more to Nargis then just being associated with Raj. Every generation of actress wants to play the role of Mother India once in her lifetime. Mehboob Khan’s treatment of the theme was astounding. I still cant’ figure out how a illiterate person with very little academic background like Mehboob Khan can come up with such a classic. I Salute Mr. Khan and thank him for providing us with such an institution in the form of Mother India.

This is my choice; I would like to know your opinion and your choice of top 5 movies of all time.

-Stella Roy