Song of the Day (Southern Sundays Edition)--Konjum Mainakkale

Konjum Mainakkale 

Film:  Kandukondain Kandukondain (I Have Found It)
Starring:  Tabu, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abbas, Mammootty, Ajith, Pooja Batra
Music by:  AR Rahman

Lest anyone think that Indian cinema is all about the big brash Bollywood hits, on Sundays I'll be headed south for the Song of the Day feature.  Konjum Mainakkale is the opening song from the Tamil film "Kandukondain Kandukondain," which is an entertaining take on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.  Featuring Aishwarya Rai in one of her earlier roles, the film also stars the gorgeous Tabu (Chandni Bar, The Namesake, Cheeni Kum), Abbas, Mammootty, and one of my favorites, Ajith.  The film is beautiful and all of the songs (save the title song "Kandukondain Kandukondain") are stunning.  Be sure to also check out "Yenna Solla Poigirai."

Lyrics:

konjum mainaakkalae konjum mainaakkalae en kural kaettu onru koodungal (2)
ada inrae varavaendum en dheepaavali pandigai
inrae varavaendum en dheepaavali pandigai
naalai verum kanavu adhil nallennam varum
naam nattadhae roajaa enrae pookkanum

konjum mainaakkalae konjum mainaakkalae en kural kaettu onru koodungal

pagalil oru vennilaa...
pagalil oru vennilaa vandhaal paavamaa
iravil oru vaanavil vandhaal kutramaa
vidai sol sol sol manasukkul jal jal jal (2)
konjam aasai konjam kanavu ivai illaamal vaazhkkaiyaa
nooru kanavugal kandaalae aaru kanavugal palikkaadhoa
kanavae kai saera vaa

konjum mainaakkalae konjum mainaakkalae en kural kaettu onru koodungal

en paeraich cholliyae kuyilgal koovattum
enakkaetra maadhiri paruvam maarattum
baradham dham dham manadukkuL daam doom dim (2)
poongaatrae konjam kizhiththu engal muga vaervai poakkidum
naalai enbadhu kadavuLukku irRu enbadhu manidharukku
vaazhvae vaazhbavarkku

konjum mainaakkalae konjum mainaakkalae en kural kaettu onru koodungal
ada inrae varavaendum en dheepaavali pandigai
inrae varavaendum en dheepaavali pandigai
naalai verum kanavu adhil nallennam varum
naam nattadhae roajaa enrae pookkanum

Isn't My Husband So Handsome?

Isn't my husband so handsome?  I don't care how awkwardly he dances or what anyone thinks of his acting, my love for Abhishek Bachchan is eternal.  <3 <3 <3

Gossip Roundup--Dec 11

Priyanka Chopra at Miss World
Priyanka Chopra, a Miss World winner in 2000, has jetted off to Johannesburg, South Africa to serve as a judge for this year's pageant.  The 2009 Miss World Pageant begins December 12.

As an aside, I get that Priyanka is a former winner and that it isn't unusual to have past title-holders come back to judge, but is it possible for maybe one day to go by where Priyanka doesn't try to further peg herself into the "fashionista" slot?  Now not only are all of her roles in the fashionable-fashiony-fashion designer vein, but her real life is too?  Please please expand a bit Priyanka.  Please.

Aishwarya Rai to Star Opposite Ben Kingsley

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been cast opposite Ben Kingsley in the 2011 release "Taj Mahal."  Kingsley, an Academy Award winner for the 1982 hit film Gandhi, in which he portrayed the title character, will play Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who ruled Northern India in the 17th century.  Aishwarya naturally has been cast as his wife, the beautiful Mumtaz Mahal, for whom Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal.  (Interestingly, Sir Ben's real-life wife has been cast as the Emperor's first wife, Khandari Begum.) Kingsley's own production team is helming the $30 million project, with shooting scheduled to begin in July. 

Irrfan Khan Too Shy to Dance?

In this installment of "news that makes me love Irrfan Khan even more than I already do," it seems that Irrfan was too shy to film his dance sequence in front of co-star Kangna Ranaut.  He had to ask the director to get her to leave before he could bring himself to pull off the moves.  How sweet!

Song of the Day--Tere Bina (Guru)

Tere Bina

Film: Guru
Starring: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Madhavan, Vidya Balan
Music by: AR Rahman

If I had to make a list of the top-5 most romantic Hindi songs, Tere Bina would be on it.  The picturization is absolutely perfect; the choreography is alternately sweet and teasing, and Aishwarya looks absolutely adorable in this.  Her facial expressions range from childlike and bemused (and who wouldn't be bemused at Abhi's awkward-yet-cute dancing?) to adoring.  I have to admit I've never cared much for her, but the devastated and hurt look in her eyes as she stares at her husband over the train tracks at the beginning of the song?  That won me over.  The emotion she conveyed in that simple look blew me away.  Mani Ratnam certainly knows how to bring out her best performances.  Abhishek is, of course and as always, divine.

As soon as this movie came out I said to myself that if I ever deigned to get married, it would be to a person who is as moved by this song as I am.  So boys, keep that in mind.

Song of the Day--Radha Kaise Na Jale (Lagaan)

Radha Kaise Na Jale
Film:  Lagaan
Starring:  Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne, Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Music by:  AR Rahman


This is one of the most beautiful (and beautifully choreographed) numbers I've seen in any Indian film.  Lagaan, which I'll review in length later, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2002, where it sadly lost out to No Man's Land.  In this scene, Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) and Gauri (Gracy Singh) enact the love story between Radha and Krishna, which plays against their real-life love triangle; Gauri is in love with Bhuvan but fears his eyes may have wandered to the pretty English woman (Elizabeth, played by Rachel Shelley) who has come to the aid of the villagers.  'Radha Kaise Na Jale' translates to 'how can Radha not be jealous?'

(Side note:  fans of Showtime's "The L Word" will recognize Rachel Shelley as the conniving Helena Peabody.)

Lyrics:

Madhuban mein jo Kanhaiya kisi gopi se mile
Kabhi muskaaye, kabhi chhede, kabhi baat kare
Radha kaise na jale, Radha kaise na jale
Aag tan mann mein lage
Radha kaise na jale, Radha kaise na jale

Madhuban mein bhale Kaanha kisi gopi se mile
Mann mein to Radha ke hi prem ke hain phool khile
Kis liye Radha jale, kis liye Radha jale
Bina soche samjhe
Kis liye Radha jale, kis liye Radha jale

(O, gopiyaan taarein hain, chaand hai Radha
Phir kyoon hai usko biswaas aadha) - 2

Kaanhaji ka jo sadaa idhar udhar dhyaan rahe
Radha bechaari ko phir apne pe kya maan rahe

Gopiyaan aani jaani hain, Radha to mann ki rani hai - 2
Saanjh sakhaare, Jamna kinaare
Radha Radha hi Kaanha pukaare

Oye hoye, oye hoye
Baahon ke haar jo daale koi Kaanha ke gale
Radha kaise na jale, Radha kaise na jale
Aag tan mann mein lage
Radha kaise na jale, Radha kaise na jale

Mann mein hai Radhe ko Kaanha jo basaaye
To Kaanha kaahe ko usse na bataaye

Prem ki apni alag boli, alag bhaasa hai
Baat nainon se ho Kaanha ki yahi aasa hai

(Kaanha ke yeh jo naina hain
Chheene gopiyon ke chaina hain) - 2
Mili najariya, hui baawariya
Gori gori si koi gujariya

Kaanha ka pyaar kisi gopi ke mann mein jo pale
Kis liye Radha jale, Radha jale, Radha jale

Radha kaise na jale
Kis liye Radha jale
Radha kaise na jale
Kis liye Radha jale, kis liye Radha jale
Radha kaise na jale
Kis liye Radha jale, kis liye Radha jale
Aah, aah, aah, aah...
Radha kaise na jale - 3