On a lighter note

It feels weird to abruptly switch gears and go from talking about Al-Qaeda to movies, but A-Q already gets more attention -- and legitimacy -- than they deserve, so I'm going to talk about the movies.

This weekend, I finished watching one of my favorite Hindi movies, Guide. This is just one of those films I've always adored, and even though I've seen it several times prior to this weekend, this is the first time I really understood what was going on. It's a more complex storyline than most Bollywood pictures, and a good chunk of the movie is in flashback -- which I never realized until now -- but I've always been struck by the lead actors and oh that musical score. I love Waheeda Rehman's youthful exuberance as she dances in the temple -- barefoot! -- in Aaj Phir Jeene ki Tamanna Hai. It's the ultimate sign of freedom -- she doesn't care what society thinks, she just wants to be herself. My other favorite song is the ballad, Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, with the lovely scenary and possibly in that song, both Dev Anand and Rehman are in full bloom. I also like that the usual conventions of Bollywood films are turned upside down in this movie and the ending isn't typical whatsoever in that the hero, Raju, dies.

Dev Anand's Raju is complex and flawed; he starts off as a good guy and then gets drunk -- literally -- on success as Rehman's Nalini/Rosie's career takes off. In the ultimate act of redemption, he sacrifices himself to end a drought for a starving village. That he dies in Nalini's arms is about as romantic an ending as this film is going to give. In a typical Bollywood film, he would miraculously rise from his deathbed, proclaim his love for Nalini, and then they would dance off into the sunset together. The ending also takes on a spiritual and philosophical bent as Raju gets closer and closer to death and in the process, exorcises his own demons.

I understand I've probably spoiled the movie now for anyone who wants to see it, but it is over 40 years old (g) and yes, it has its cinematic and storytelling weakenesses. That being said it's an amazing film, and really, just that one scene of Rehman in her sky blue sari, running through the temple, with Lata Mangeshkar's voice soaring (surely in its heydey -- the only other Mangeshkar song I think is more perfect than Aaj Phir Jeene... is Khabi Khabi from the film of the same name) is worth the 3 hour viewing time.