navraas: Movie review of award winning Gujarati movie Dhh (...

navraas: Movie review of award winning Gujarati movie Dhh (...:   -Movie review of award winning Gujarati movie Dhh (ઢ) (Available on NETFLIX) Written by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting Oct 12, 2020 Dhh(ઢ),...

Movie review of award winning Gujarati movie Dhh (ઢ) (Available on NETFLIX) Written by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting Oct 12, 2020

 -Movie review of award winning Gujarati movie Dhh (ઢ) (Available on NETFLIX) Written by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting Oct 12, 2020

Dhh(ઢ), A Gujarati film, though is designated as a Children’s movie, is in fact a movie for all ages.

Manish Saini and Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s story and Manish Saini’s direction made me think that a new age of good quality, realistic, no-nonsense movies without CHAPLUSHI filled NATAKIYA language has arrived in Gujarati films.

The plot’s treatment ( MAAVJAT) demands real appreciation ( DAAD MAAGI LE’ CHHE)!

All children acted absolutely mature! The dialog deliveries by all children reflect how a typical child would talk in Gujarat.

Director deserves most praise for Dadaji’s way of speaking and playing with kids. Dadaji’a role by Archan Trivedi reflects how a good Dadaji would befriend grandchildren! While watching, every adult would wish to have had such a friend grandpa. Archan Trivedi speaks in with a typical average adult tone and slang.

The magician’s role is very critical in the movie; however, there was no need to have Naseeruddin Shah play the role of a magician. Any other decent Gujarati actor could have done the same justice to this important role. The director might have casted Naseeruddin Shah for the name recognition and validation. Same goes for

the Hindi teacher’s role casted to Brijendra Kala could have been offered to any other Gujarati actor.

Schools lack motivational approach to teaching. Also, the system, teachers, and parents belittle kids who have learning and focusing challenges. But Dadaji’s magic worked!

A truly NIRMAL-ANAND! Movie! I give 10/10

-Movie review of award winning Gujarati movie Dhh (ઢ)(Available on NETFLIX) Written by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting Oct 12, 2020

 Video games? Online gaming? Violent games online with guns and explosives? Forget it!

In my dreams I still play all these: no-cost, fun guaranteed, healthy, non-toxic, psychologically and physically enhancing, timeless, and most friendly games... WO KAZAK KI KASHTI...WO BARISH KA.. PAANI!

Most innocent pleasures and joys of life!

https://www.facebook.com/smbhatt108/videos/2726949534194633/?t=31

Minor Annoyance of Social Media: Written by Vijay Bhatt for Navraas blog Aug 6, 2020

Minor Annoyance of Social Media: Written by Vijay Bhatt

One thing about Social Media (WhatsApp, FB, Email, Instagram, Twitter) based -Music, -Entertainment, -Motivational speeches, -Advise, -Spiritual discourses, -Political discussions etc. is ONE WAY PUSHED without us asking for it!!!. 

One friend sends me clips daily -Initially, I was excited and had patience to watch-listen to the video clips and respond. He was happy I was happy. 
But The story does not end there...Eventually, he was sending at least 10 posts daily. So, I simply open it and close and delete.  So getting two green check-marks ( WhatsApp), or 'Seen'  on FB etc.. would respect him for sending and satisfy my friend's ego that I read something he recommended. 

But The story does not end there... Sometimes he calls me randomly, and  quiz me on clips he had forwarded as if I am preparing for an examination.

But The story does not end there... he asked me that he had mistakenly deleted the post he had sent me, he wants it back so he can forward it to some others. I told him I had deleted it. He was annoyed that I did not respect his efforts of forwarding posts. I had to say sorry for no fault of mine. 

But The story does not end there... he now sends me the posts on my Email, my FB message,  and my WhatsApp accounts so I do not lose it, in case he needs it in future!!! No escape from social media!!

Minor Annoyance of Social Media: Written by Vijay Bhatt for Navraas blog Aug 6, 2020

Brief Intro: Avinash Vyas-A legend of Gujarati Sangeet: by Vijay Bhatt

July 18, 2020

Brief Intro: Avinash Vyas-A legend of Gujarati Sangeet: by Vijay Bhatt Gujarati Translation: ગુડ મોર્નિંગ મિત્રો: વિચાર્યું કે ચાલો ગુજરાતના સૌથી પ્રખ્યાત સાંસ્કૃતિક ચિહ્ન, ગીત-સંગીતની દંતકથા સમા, - શ્રી અવિનાશ વ્યાસ વિશે વાત કરીએ!

અવિનાશ વ્યાસ- કોઈ તેમને અવિનાશ ભાઈ કહે છે, કોઈ તેમને અવિનાશ વ્યાસ, મુ.શ્રીરાસબિહારી દેસાઈ તેમને 'ભાઈ' કહેતા. હું તેમને ગુજરાતી સંગીતના ભીષ્મપિતામહ કહું છું જેમણે ગુજરાતને તેના પોતાનાં ગીતો ગાતા કર્યાં. અલબત્ત ગુજરાતમાં લોકગીત અને લોક-સંગીતનો મોટો વારસો છે. અવિનાશ વ્યાસના સમય પહેલાં ગુજરાતમાં ઐતિહાસિક, આધ્યાત્મિક, લોકગીત, કાવ્યો, અને ગીતો પણ હતાં. ગુજરાતમાં પરંપરાગત રાસ, ગરબા, દુહા, ચરણ ગીત, આખ્યાન, છપ્પા, સંત વાણી, ધાર્મિક ગીતોના સંગીતની પરંપરા હતી જ. લોકો મૉટે ભાગે લોક સંગીત ગાતાં. ગુજરાતમાં ખૂબ જ ઓછા ગીતો હતાં જે સમકાલીન શહેરી સંસ્કૃતિને (મોડર્ન અર્બન) પણ ( રિફ્લેક્ટ) પ્રતિબિંબિત કરે (બિન-લોકગીત, બિન-ગ્રામીણ). . અવિનાશ વ્યાસે ગુજરાતી સંગીતમાંએ કડી ઉમેરી.

અવિનાશ વ્યાસે 11000 થી વધુ (હા, અગિયાર હજાર ) ગીતો લખ્યાં અને તેનું સ્વરાન્કન કર્યું. તે પણ બધીજ ગીત-સંગીતની શૈલીમાં - જેમ કે ગરબા, રાસ, નૃત્યનાટિકાનાં ગીતો, લગ્નનાં ગીતો, ફિલ્મી ગીતો, ગઝલ, વાર્તા કે પ્રસંગને અનુરૂપ ગીતો અને ભજનો. અને હા, તેમણે લખ્યાં અને તેને સંગીતીય રૂપ (કમ્પોઝ) આપી અને રેકોર્ડ કર્યાં.

તેમની ઘણી રચનાઓની સીધી નકલ હિન્દી ફિલ્મના સંગીત દિગ્દર્શકોએ કરી. ઉદાહરણ તરીકે, તેણે લખ્યું અને કંપોઝ કર્યું- "તમે થોડા થોડા તાવ વરણાગી ઓ ભાભી તમે ... " . આ ટ્યુનની સીધી નકલ ".. બેડે અરમાન સે રખ્ખા હૈ બલમ તેરી કસમ.." ના ટયુનમાં ચોરી કરવામાં આવી. તાજેતરનું પોપ્યુલર હિન્દી ફિલ્મનું ગીત - "છોગાળા તારા ." . .તે તેમના ગીત રંગલો જામ્યો.... પર આધારિત છે.

તેમના મોટાભાગના ગરબા નવરાત્રી દરમિયાન ગવાય છે. ઘણાને ખબર નથી હોતી કે તેઓ અવિનાશ ભાઈના છે. આંતરરાષ્ટ્રીય સ્તરે 'વૈષ્ણવ જનતો' પછી એમનું "માડી તારું કંકુ" આઇકોનિક ગુજરાતી ગીત બની ગયું છે. હાલના મોટાભાગના ગુજરાતી ગાયકો અવિનાશ ભાઈના ગીતો પોતાના કાર્યક્રમોમાં ગાય જ છે, અને લોકો ને ખુબ ગમે છે . ભજન ગાયકો તેમનું ' - ધૂણી રે ધખાવી ગાતા હોય છે ' ... તેમનું - 'હુ તુ તુ...' એક અનોખું કબડ્ડી રમત ગીત છે!

અગાઉના ગુજરાતી કવિઓ જેમ કે કવિ દયારામ અને ગુજરાતી લોક-સંગીતનો વગેરેનો અવિનાશ ભાઈના ગીય-સંગીત પર પ્રભાવ છે.

તેમના ગીત-સંગીતની મહાન પરંપરાની મશાલ તેમના શિષ્ય પદ્મ શ્રી પુરુષોત્તમ ઉપાધ્યાય અને તેમના પુત્ર 'શ્રી ગૌરાંગ વ્યાસ અને તેમના શિષ્યો દ્વારા ચાલુ છે. તમામ ગુજરાતી સંગીતકારો અને ગાયકોને માટે અવિનાશ વ્યાસ એક આધારભૂત પ્રેરણા છે અને રહેશે. એમનો કલાત્મક વારસો અને સાંસ્કૃતિક યોગદાન કાયમ માટે ચાલુ રહેશે.

તેમના ગીતોની અને લોકગીતોની મેડલી ગુજરાતી ગાયકો ગાય છે તેનો આનંદ લઈએ! Please Click on the following Youtube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwPOafKZB-s

July 18, 2020 Brief Intro: Avinash Vyas-A legend of Gujarati Sangeet: by Vijay Bhatt
Good morning friends:
Thought let us share talk about the most prolific cultural icon, especially a geet-sangeet legend  of Gujarat - Shri Avinash Vyas.

Avinash Vyas- some call him Avinash bhai, Shri RasBihari Desai used to call him ‘Bhai’.  I call him a person who made Gujarat sing - its own 'Gujarati Geet'. – Bhisham Pitamaha of Gujarati Sangeet.

Of course Gujarat has a great heritage of Lok-geet and Lok-sangeet. Gujarat had traditional raas, garba, duha, charann geet, akyaan, chhappa, Sant vaani, religious songs, and many other traditional flavor of music. Gujarat had very few of its own contemporary geet-sangeet which reflect urban culture (of non-folk, non-tribal, non-rural). Avinash Vyas introduced that piece in Gujarati music genre. 

It is documented that Avinash Vyas has written and composed more than 11000 (yes eleven thousand plus) songs! The genre of those lyrics and music include garba, raas, ballet dance songs, wedding songs,film songs, gazals, situational songs, and bhajans. Yes, he wrote and composed and recorded.

Many of his compositions were directly copied by Hindi film music directors. For example, he wrote and composed- TAME' THODA THODA THAV VARNNAGI O BHABI TAME... This composition is literally stolen in the melody of BADE ARMAAN SE RAKKHA HE BALAM TERI KASAM... Even recent popular Hindi movie song - CHOGAALAA TAARA...is based on his song RANGLO JAMYO.

Most of his Garba are sung during Navratri. Many are not aware that they are by Avinash bhai.  His MAADI TAARU KANKU has become internationally iconic Gujarati song next to Narsinh’s VAISHNAV JANATO. Most of the current Gujarati singers usually include Avinash bhai's songs in their concerts to get most claps. Most bhajan singers sing his DHUNI RE DHAKHAAVI... and do not attribute or know  that it is written and composed by Avinash Vyas. His Hu Tu Tu is a unique Kabbadi sports song! 

His lyrics has influence of Gujarati lok-sangeet,  Gujarati poets,  likes of  Kavi Dayaraam and others. The  torch of his great musical traditions is continued by his protege' Padma Shri Purushottam Upadhyay, and his son Shri Gaurang Vyas and their students.  Avinash bhai has influenced and inspired all Gujarati musicians and singers. His legacy will continue forever in different manifestations as it happens with all legendary artistic and cultural contributions. 

Let us enjoy a medley of mix of his songs and other Gujarati lok-geet!
Please Click on the following Youtube link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwPOafKZB-s

Celebrity culture

EDITORIAL: July 13, 2020; By Vijay Bhatt
We have sincere empathy for all victims of corona virus.

Having said that , I am really surprised by super hype about some celebrities Covid-19 positive..also getting hourly updates that the celebrities went to bed, celebrities had breakfast....honestly to no fault of celebrities.

My eyebrows were raised more when people started high praise for the celebrities for praising the real hero in real life-- health care workers!! The!

People are PRAISING the celebrities for PRAISING the hero..!!
is like-
Cricket commentator is more praised for praising the batsman who hits a six !
"Salute to Harsha Bhogle for complimenting Kohli for his double century"

Let us objectively review -what is the contribution of these celebrities in our daily well being or to the humanity.
Who are more valuable to humanity? Entertainers or life saving hero? IMHO, I chose the latter!

I think that our emotional priorities are out of sequence!!

Let us care more for those who are not cared for...make a point to share twitter/FB/ Instagram updates about real world hero and our under privileged brothers and sisters who cannot afford a VIP room in top notch hospital.

Let us pray that God Bless and save all human beings irrespective of their status! especially those who are less privileged. -Vijay Bhatt

Maa- the indescribable! Written for Blog Posting by Vijay Bhatt on Mother’s Day, 2020

Maa- the indescribable!
Written for Blog Posting by Vijay Bhatt on Mother’s Day, 2020

Maa - is indescribable! Still let us talk about it!
'Maa' - is a word that is phonetically common for mother in almost all languages and civilizations, for a reason.
For an infant it is the first and easiest sound to create, because this sound of 'Ma' is simply created by opening two lips without any effort! By opening two lips an infant for the first time sucks it’s mother's milk and at that very instant intuitively feels the mother’s warmth, protection, unconditional love, unconditional affection, and ultimate care. That is why Maa is indescribable!

This sound of Ma was learned by the brain before even it developed any cognitive or language faculties. That is why the word Maa is indescribable! It is easier than the easiest. How can you describe something easier than the easiest?!

Speaking of the sound 'M’, it has great significance in Creation as described in every religion. Hindu- 'auM', Christian-aMen, Muslims AMin.

Even if you do not attempt to open two lips, you can create an M sound without any effort! Just try humming! That is why Maa is indescribable!

Making a list of what she did for me is equivalent to counting stars! A full life time will not be enough to finish counting!

Maa is prayed, Maa is felt, is loved, is to be blessed by, and to be grateful for our being- our existence!
Maa! Today I do not want to write anything more about you but simply say - We are grateful that you were, you are, and you will be. You are the reason - we are!
Keep me Blessed!
Written for Blog Posting by Vijay Bhatt on Mother’s Day, 2020

Tribute to Pandit Ravi Shankar on his death anniversary:

Tribute to Pandit Ravi Shankar on his death anniversary:
(Born: April 7, 1920, Varanasi, India Died: December 11, 2012, La Jolla, CA)- Written by Vijay Bhatt, Dec 2019 Blog posting.

A legend never dies. For most westerners, Sitar and Ravi Shankar were synonyms since 1950s. We find thousands of artists, actors, performers, and spiritual gurus visiting US and western world these days. In 1956-57, more than sixty years ago a classy ( pun intended) classical artist toured US and Europe and became a permanent fixture as a cultural icon and a life long ambassador of Indian music, culture and art in the West.

It took guts, faith, and a strong conviction in being an Indian carrying water for Indian classical music and art in the Western world which knew India only as a mystic place of snake charmers and elephant Gods.

To successfully articulate intricacies of Indian classical music to the dominant western culture where Beatles and Beethoven were ruling music lovers' hearts is Pt. Ravi Shankar’s singular achievement which rightly deserved BHARAT RATNA, the highest civilian award in India, let alone his superlative musical abilities and exceptional mastery on his life long shadow- his Sitar. Those fortunate artists who have accompanied him and those of us who have listened to him perform, all say that he had a unique combination of riyaaz acquired performance perfection and was blessed with divinely creativity.

Pandit ji, as he was known as, will always be in the air as TARAF sound( resonating sound -automatically generated by the sympathetic strings on Sitar) where ever Sitar is played!
- Vijay Bhatt Dec19 Blog posting.

An Apolitical and an ‘uninformed about the facts and realities on the ground' - Written by Vijay Bhatt on Republic Day of India Jan 26, 2020. For Blog posting January 2020

My salute to the flag of India by:

'An Apolitical and an ‘uninformed about the facts and realities on the ground' - Written by Vijay Bhatt on Republic Day of India Jan 26, 2020. For Blog posting January 2020

India I left you decades ago, a harmonious and non-prosperous, a technologically backward and innocent, and a less productive and less controversial, poor but strong, loving, and emotional.

With barely one black rotary phone in my town, let alone multiple mobiles in two pockets of street vendors.

Oh dear we still communicated, meaningfully, with understanding, and that too without any Whatsapp!

From the new land, I wished the best for India, to send technology, money, some of good western values, and an attitude that made the West enhance human productivity.

Wished back home gets the tech, the tools, and the comforts!

On ‘My sleep numbered mattress’, in my sleep, in dreamy nights, danced on the beats of dandia, leaked on sweets of Diwali, and got wet of Holi colors! Woke up with teary nostalgia.

Decades passed, my motherland has almost all that I had wished she has; amenities, gadgets, knowledge, positive attitudes, and comforts for some and a lot more than when I had left her with.

But I still have hope, faith, and dreams:

-though all have mobile phones, for a DIAL-OGUE?

- instead of one channel Doordarshan, and now hundreds of truth telling 'Breaking News' channels, for real news.

-instead of more cars and than roads for a non-bumpy ride!

-instead of talks about more trees masks on the nose to go away.

-even though world’s best possible medical treatment available to a few lucky ones, the unfortunate and for new born to survive in Rajasthan

-the Not loved on Valentine’s Day celebrations, to find affection.

-Literacy rate will to go up though ‘ International schools are for rich, and other schools snatch donations for kids' admissions.

-to read and preserve more 'mother tongue', though local language schools closing.

I want the innocence, the peace, the trust, and the harmony that I left behind.

Ye Mobile bhi lelo, ye Whatsapp bhi lelo, Magar muzko lautado Kandhe Se Kandha Milake' Wo Triranga Jhanda Vandan sab ke sath, Jhul Mila Ke! Sab ke saath Pyaar se!

( take away my mobile phones and my Whatsapp and give back the salute the flag Triranga with togetherness)

I do have a hope, I have a faith I have a dream

- Written by Vijay Bhatt onRepublic Day of India Jan 26, 2020. For Blog posting January 2020.

Review of Hindi Film Dirshyam: Written by Vijay Bhatt for Happy New Year! 2020 Blogpost

Review of Hindi Film Dirshyam:

Written by Vijay Bhatt for Happy New Year! 2020 Blogpost

Tired after an event-filled Christmas-New Year break on the first Saturday of 2020 evening, a million dollar question arose- what to do tonight? It is as if we arrived at the boarding area hours earlier! Our friends invited to watch Dirshyam in their newly built home theatre.

We cannot thank them enough for enriching our precious Saturday evening with such gripping and entertaining thriller with somewhat dark genre I have ever watched!

One of the few best Bollywood movies I have watched recently! I highly recommend.

Drishyam by writer Upendra Sidhaye and director Nishikant Kamat is a Hindi version of Jeethu Joseph’s 2013 Malayalam thriller of the same name, remade first in Tamil ( Papanasam, again directed by Joseph). The original roots of the plot and story is from a Japanese novel written by Keigo Higashino. So the movie has previous avatar! I have not seen or read any previous ones. In this review I will not reveal anything that will take away your thunder and thrill.

-The plot is around a simple 4th grade educated cable TV businessman Vijay( Ajay Devgan) living in Goa area with his wife Nandini(Shriya Saran), teenage daughter Anju(Ishita Dutta), and younger daughter Anu(Mrunal Jadhav). When Anju goes on a school camp she was staked, and was secretly videotaped while she was taking a shower, by a bully teen boy Sam(Rishab Chadha). Sam was the only son of a powerful Inspector General of Police Meera Deshmukh(Tabu). Upon return from camp, Sam shows Anju her showering video and tries to blackmail her for sexual favors. Sam visited Anju’s home when her father Vijay was away. Anju and her mom Nandini confronted Sam in self defense and hit a rod which kills Sam. Scared and frantic daughter-mom buried Sam in the yard while the little girl Anu also witnessed. When the Vijay returns home finds out and strategizes for alibis to protect his girls and wife.

The gripping story starts now. Every moment after this is quite capturing. After few days whole police department starts searching for IGP's missing son Sam.The twist and turns and how a simple 4th grade educated man plans and strategizes to create alibis.

-Some lengthier scenes almost tested my patience to my own excitement. All cast acted very well. The mother (Nandini) of the teenager girl (Anju) looks much younger for a mother of a a teenager, but her beautiful looks is a good excuse for such minor technicality in casting.

The movie also points to the typical shortcomings of the police departments in India.

-Ajay Devgan’s (as Vijay) tough stern demeanor did justice to project as protective family man even if he is just a 4th grade educated layman, without crossing in to becoming a typical Bollywood protagonist.

-Tabu’s (a tough IGP and an emotional mother) expressions were Tabu’s! A very mature actress just fits the role. It is a tough challenge for an actor to project image to inflict on viewers two opposite sentiments simultaneously, one of hate and of sympathy, which to her credit Tabu met brilliantly!

-As Shreya Saran is a beautiful woman, but director rightly decided not to expose her glamour. She acted aptly for her role.

- Both girls acted very well especially Mrunal ( Anu) the younger one acted as a frightened girl superbly.

-The scenes of police beating may be too much for some to handle, caution and discretion is warned.

-The writer has not changed the plot much from the original. The director could have shortened the movie by twenty minutes but the plot itself is so magnetic that viewers may lose the sense of time while watching.

-Cinematography deserves credit for lighting throughout the movie. All in-door shots have bright and clear lighting without any filters or shades unlike most Bollywood movies. Typically filtered lighting creates subtle subconscious bias in viewer's mind and enhances the scene. Also, cinematographer used Goa's landscape to the advantage to create non-urban set-up, which is unique in thriller. Most thrillers have a lot of visual and lighting impact. Here the director took a successful risk and got more marks!

-With a fear of counter arguments for my exaggerated ranking (e.g., A Wednesday), I still rank this as probably the best Hindi thriller I have watched.

-If you have 160 minutes to get an intense ride and excitement, go for it! (I give it 9+ out of 10)

(Drishyam is available on Netflix)

Review of Hindi Film Dirshyam: Written by Vijay Bhatt for Happy New Year! 2020 Blogpost

(Repost)Remembering The Unforgettable! Jagjit Singh on his Birthday! Written by Vijay Bhatt: (repost) for Feb 8, 2020 Blog posting.

Remembering The Unforgettable! Jagjit Singh on his Birthday!
Written by Vijay Bhatt: (repost) for Feb 8, 2020 Blog posting.

Remembering one and only Jagjit Singh on his Birthday! He learned classical and performed classical at young age in college. Won prizes. Then re-invented world of Gazals..! His choice of Gazal ( lyrics/poetry) had a great insight. His uniqueness was that he touched hearts of legends like Pt. Jasraj ji and Lataji, and at the same time he was so near and dear to millions of regular music lovers who do not understand intricacies of music. Many great musicians appeal to only elite music lovers who know music. Common people always have hard time relating to the music of some our great legends artists.
Jagjit Singh was a bridge between top quality classical based music and popular ( including Bollywood) music. Jagjit ji proved that Bollywood music is not the only music that can be made popular.
His prominence in non-filmy music rose since release of his and Chitraji's album - 'The Unforgettable'. To-date, in my humble opinion, his the best album is 'The Unforgettable'. This album had all the ingredients of being truly unforgettable ( pun intended!).

Later on, his another remarkable work is his compositions and singing ( with Chitraji as well) for series 'Ghalib' (written-directed by Gulzar).

If I have to choose another one, I will also choose his album 'Come Alive with Jagiit and Chitra Singh'. This was his experiment with creating an album as if it is being performed live in front of audience. In fact it was a studio recording with fake audience noise. Nevertheless, each composition was fantastic with unique 'Jagjit signature'. One unique set of Gazals he had in this album was set of two gazals 'HUM RADIF', meaning both Gazals have similar RADIF (RADIF means rhyme of last word of each line of Gazal). He and Chitra ji sang alternatively each (sher) line of each gazal. There were some jokes also in this album in between two Gazals.

Later, in my opinion, his gazals music compositions, though very good, had a slow-medium lullaby type LAYA (speed). This slower LAYA was not found in his earlier albums. Instead, his earlier albums were more upbeat. His slower rhythm of 4 beats slower Kaharva Taal style rhythm-THEKA) stayed consistent in all his all albums. In music world many call ( unofficially) this beats / THEKA as Jagjit Taal.

Since personal tragedy in life of losing their son, Chitraji stopped singing altogether. Like Tagore's poem Ekla Cholo Re, he continued his musical journey by himself. Apparently, his music grew even slower in rhythm, but soothing, and at times selection of his lyrics were sad. One cannot blame him for what he went through!. Still his later music had/has equal appeal regardless of the somber moods, but not as much as his earlier ones!

As his tribute to his predecessors in film music he launched a live performance in front of (real live) audience of many celebrities and cut an album of that performance and called it - ' Close to my Heart'. It is a unique album. Similar to Lata ji's 'Shraddhanjali'. He sang some of the greatest old melodies of Talat, Mukesh, Rafi, Lata, in his own ANDAZ ( own style). A worth listening to album.

List of his remarkable albums is a very long one, however, one must give him all credit for transforming Gazal genre from a Mogul or only Urdu canvas to main stream Hindustani/Indian/ Modern music which can be understood and enjoyed by people who are not well verse in Urdu language. He is almost the first musician singer to have used Spanish Guittar, Santoor, and piano in Gazal singing. He poured pure Hindi Kavita ( like Kagaz ki Kasti) and many more in to Gazal genre.

Some of his compositions are as popular as Indian National anthem! ( with little exaggeration- I would say!)

Jagjit ji, the songs which touched your lips have become immortal ( HOTO SE CHHU leeya TUM ne wo GEET AMAR...ho gaya). Pranam to such a musical genius Jagjit Singh ji!'
Remembering The Unforgettable- Jagjit Singh: written by: Vijay Bhatt: (repost) for Feb 8, 2020 Blog posting.

Maha Shivaratri: Written by Vijay Bhatt for Blog Post Feb 2020

Maha Shivaratri: Written by Vijay Bhatt for Blog Post Feb 2020

Tonight is Maha Shivaratri. Shiva is the ultimate artist! Shiva symbolizes the cosmic dance of creation and cosmic dance of ultimate destruction- Tandava!.

Each musical note ( a frequency) is the smallest manifestation of creation. Why? Because at the beginning of The Universe-BRAMHAND, the first was a sound, a swar, a note, a bang, a pure divine sound! A sound wave, a frequency, which then created another frequency, and within few seconds the Universe as we know it was created billions of years ago! Shiva holds a drum called DAMARU in his right hand. This drum symbolizes the most precise rhythm and speed with which the universe has been moving in its fixed orbits with divine rhythm which we cannot even perceive!

His upper hand holds fire AGNI to symbolize destruction.

Lord Shiva is also our NATRAJ!

The ultimate NATA ! The king of swar, taal, nritya, abhinaya, natya, ( pitch, rhythm, dance, acting, and drama) - the ultimate supreme artist!

Shiva is also the well being of all, the welfare for all.

Shiva is considered to be the one who is the easiest of all manifestations of God to please!

BHOLE SHANKAR! He gets pleased with single ABHISHEK of water!

Also Shiva’s Mahamrutunjaya shloka gives NIRVANA at death and at destruction!

We all art and music lovers, and all human beings, pray to lord shiva and ask NATRAJ to inspire our art of living in harmony with his divine blessings!

Om Namah Shivay!

Maha Shivaratri: Written by Vijay Bhatt for Blog Post Feb 2020

Review of Hindi movie: Sir Written by Vijay Bhatt on March 13, 2020 for March 2020 Blog postings:

Amid weeks of roller coaster ride about Corona virus, last night picked up, by default, the first movie I could. An Amazon movie-Sir (produced in 2018). Writer/Director Rohena Gera, who did documentary stints, and this is her feature film debut, which brings a great promise!

The plot is about a forbidden romantic relationship between a

non-attractive, smart, and motivated, live-in maid, Ratna (Tilotama Shome) and her master, a handsome young rich single man, Ashwin (Vivek Gomber)

The director and the screenplay both have done a great job depicting cultural and class incompatibilities between India's rich( a boss) and lower working class ( a live-in maid), even though there is strong emotional connection between them.

Showing wearing bangles while going to wok and removing while going back to village is good direction portraying pathetic plight of young widows. Also, good piece of direction is to keep the wedding gifts in to the maid room! It can be interpreted in many ways! Subtle interactions between Ratna and Ashwin with very crisp dialogues by her is good acting and direction.

Non glamorous but naturally effective acting by Tilotama Shome as Ratna, the maid, reminded me of - at par and in the class of - late Smita Patil. Her acting on the terrace, standing with him, was that of a different Ratna than the one before! Good actor!

As a slight side reference, I thought of 2019 Oscar winning acclaimed movie Roma, for the dedication and sincerity of live-in maid.

Good photography of common areas of Mumbai, Clothing markets, tailoring world.

I am glad that director has successfully restrained from making this an Indian chick-flick.

Happy to see one more good Women Centric Hindi movie!

I enjoyed thoroughly. Score: Tilotama Shome 10. Director: 9.5. Vivek Gomber 9 .

Review of Hindi movie: Sir

Written by Vijay Bhatt on March 13, 2020 for March 2020 Blog postings:

On confinement at home! March 21, 2020 For blogpost by Vijay Bhatt

On confinement at home! March 21, 2020 For blogpost by Vijay Bhatt

Dear friends: We are passing through unprecedented times. No one has any such experience before. We are all confined to our homes with limited movements and interactions with outside world.

Today, we did something unique! To experience togetherness, feel that we are with others who are in the same boat, there are others who would say what we say and listen to what we have to say, almost like a support group-

Several of us, a group of close friends, decided to meet on a conference call at 4:00 PM. Our spouses also joined. We each got couple of minutes to give updates of our daily lives. How much we exercise, how long we meditate, which movies we watch till wee hours, what creative food we make to keep life interesting, What home improvement projects we do. What are our kids doing. How to cope with loneliness. What are our goals for next 5 days before we meet again on the phone as a group.

We learned how easily we get annoyed spending criminally(!)more time with our spouses than we normally do.

We also reminded ourselves that when we were going out or we were newly wed, we had dreamed of spending unlimited amount of time together. Now is the time nature gave us such opportunity!

We have time to catch-up decades of time we wasted on freeways, at offices, at work, and travel.

Let us 're-invent' our union as a couple or as a family!

Let us not waste this golden opportunity to know your spouse, kids, and family whom we thought you know, but now it is time to 'live with them' and enjoy their company.

Every cloud has a silver lining!

Let us be safe and keep others safe!

On confinement at home! March 21, 2020 For blogpost by Vijay Bhatt

Flavor of words' uniqueness in each language

For Micro-Blog Posting April 15, 2020 by Vijay Bhatt:

Today I was trying musically compose a beautiful poem and tried to explain to a friend on the phone its meaning. After a few minutes of futile attempts to clearly convey the meaning, it clearly occurred to me that - some words cannot be translated with the same intensity and integrity of original language and writer's intent. The same feelings cannot always transcend from one language to another.

So, I decided to challenge my friends with a question ( to keep them busy ha ha!) Use your creativity and knowledge of multiple languages you know. List a unique word in one language which you think cannot perfectly transcend and translated with the exact same sensitivity, intensity, intent, and integrity in to another language.

This is not a quiz, just a linguistic aerobics. There is no perfect answer. Just a brainstorming session.

Please share such words. in your mother language, one in Hindi, and one English.

For example: I start with a word in Gujarati which I do not think can be translated in any other language perfectly. For example in Gujarati I love word ‘ લાગણી’ ( LAAGANNI simple meaning feelings, but it has much deeper and different flavors than just feelings). Similarly, Hindi, word - प्रज्ञा , in English word 'anecdotal'. I think each of these words are best used in their own native language. Other languages may not have EXACT EQUIVALENT word for these words. Go ahead and list words.
Note: I am actually appreciating uniqueness of each language, that each language has its own flavor and strength.

For Micro-Blog Posting April 15, 2020 by Vijay Bhatt

Review of LalooLaLdot com(the movie 2016): Written by: Vijay Bhatt for Microblog ( April 20 2020)

Review of LalooLaLdot com(the movie 2016):

Written by: Vijay Bhatt for Microblog ( April 20 2020)

77 minutes 2016: A parallel cinema. the film directed by Khalid Ahmed, Starring Faysal Qureshi, Natasha Portress, Aimen Iqbal, Shabbira Channa, and Ali Gul Mallah

(Source: You will need to search online or on IPTV)

Story of an Australian lady came to rural Pakistan- Sindh's town Thar, searching for her Pakistani husband whom she loves a lot!. Most rural officials not knowing English and not knowing how to handle sent her to the only person in area knowing some words of English- Laloo. Also, Laloo is a selfless, kind social worker helping almost everyone even though he has no resources or money.

The story artistically depicts innocence of rural life. How sincerely helping to find the missing man affects his own relationship with his fiancee, mother, and society. ( Not going to reveal more)

The director seems to have very brilliantly narrated without making things obvious! Putting an analytical microscope, the blind mother's character in itself, is great sub tale!. Her understanding of how she is being lied to about the money orders coming from her son (dead), and her sixth sense to locate the missing man both reflect her as a typical intuitive, nice, and wise old rural elders.

The sociological aspects about trust, help, and fidelity are shown with just-right artistic discretion!

Last sentence of the film reflects consistency in writing and directing.

It was well spent 77 minutes at 2:00 AM on Sunday night!

Written by: Vijay Bhatt for Microblog ( April 20 2020)

Review of short film: The Violin Player: Review by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting May 5, 2020

Review of short film: The Violin Player: Review by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting May 5, 2020

Available on NETFLIX, English subtitles, Time 72 Minutes

Screen Play and Direction Bauddhayan Mukherji

Bauddhayan Mukherji presented superb cinematography of streets, railway station, trains, in Mumbai’s typical natural lighting, depicting lower middle class musician’s living conditions, living in crowded multi-story nests of habitation ( chal). It focuses around a poor artist couple where protagonist working in music industry as an orchestra violinist, and his wife also in similar industry.

For a struggling orchestra violin player, to play solo is as much important as for an actor getting a lead role! For an artist first love is art and life’s sad realities are compromise for art!

-Acting in the role of an orchestra violin player, Ritwick Chakraborty, very convincingly poses as a depressed, struggling, and also a delighted artist when got to play solo. His expressions in the most critical situation, reflect internal conflicts between his art and his realities.

- Adil Hussain’s acting in the role of a stern and calm film maker, becomes a challenge to the viewers’ guess work, for not seeing any expressions, let alone any hint or indication of what is he up to. A mature actor!

- On the railway station, the distant non- verbal interaction , only through eyes, between the violin player and this film maker, is good acting and direction.

-The whole environment on the railway station is very natural and classy cinematography of true life on Mumbai local railway stations.

-There is a minor scene, in the train, the violinist gives money to singing beggars. No one else offered. Good direction here to show the artists sympathy for other artists’ plight.This sympathy connects the end as well.

-Some other good direction points are that he keeps on trying to connect with his wife but the phone is off.

-Early on, beating of cockroach is a viewer pre-conditioning by director for the last few scenes. Good direction.

-At the end, the director offers few view points. It is up to us to pick and interpret on our own. Good challenge!

The movie may feel slow to some initially, but surely not when it ends. Patience is always a virtue, even as a viewer!

At the end there is this most profound quote by Pablo Picasso:

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”

Score: A 10+ for a parallel cinema. You will love it!

Review of short film: The Violin Player: Review by Vijay Bhatt for Blog posting May 5, 2020