Mangal Pandey and Shubha Mudgal

I went to the brethren this weekend to cook, and ended up seeing the blockbuster movie The Rising:Mangal Pandey (*ing Aamir Khan dir:Ketan Mehta) and then Shubha Mudgal performing Sufi-Mystic music on Sunday.

I am a huge Aamir fan. And I like Ketan Mehta (loved Sardar - the biopic about Sardar Vallabhai Patel - advisor to Gandhi and fellow shrewd Gujju). So I figured, given the fact that this is Aamir's first film in four years (after Lagaan), it would be something worth checking out. Man, was I wrong. The film is a blend of distorted historical facts, anachronisms and (the worst -gasp!) a horrible attempt by Rani Mukerjee to do the mujra!
Lets talk about mujras first - a mujra, for those less informed, is a dance which courtesans perform in their kothi, or brothel. Courtesans in early India were like Geishas - they were raised separate from society, in the kothi, and were taught to entertain a man in any and every way possible - dancing, singing, looking good etc. The mujra, is a dance performed by a courtesan in front of a group of men. Based on this mujra, the men would bid for the courtesan with the madam.
Coming back to the movie - the mujra that Rani Mukerjee performed was soo bad that I actually had to watch the mujras from Devdas, Umrao Jaan and Paakeezah (3 briliant films about courtesans) to reel from the after effects of Rani Mukerjees attempts. It was like a lame ass Bollywood adulterated dance bar routine!! And the movie - so anachronistic and stereotypical (with fire eaters and fakirs sleeping on thorns) - I'm surprised that someone like Aamir was behind it. The research was shoddy, the editing was horrible, and the entire cast was in their own world. Even Aamir, whom I used to consider one of the Gods of Bollywood, has fallen after this film. He has the standard 'strong-silent-brooding-type' expression all through the movie, so much to the extent that you don't know when he's really angry, or if its just a fly on his nose!
And why characters like those of Amisha Patel and Rani Mukerjee were introduced is beyond my comprehension. Man, it was such a let-down.
Shame on you Aamir and Ketan. How could you....?

The concert by Shubha Mudgal(famous Indian classical/pop artist), however, was definitely worth it. I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had a better understanding of classical Indian music, but nevertheless - she is a phenomenal singer. She sang from the lyrics of famous Sufi poets like Paltudas, Aamir Khusrao and Muffazar Ali- and honestly, it's a pity I didn't pick this stuff up while I was young - because the lyrics and the tunes are so emotional that they hit you straight in the soul!