‘I have been on Calendar, but never on time’ – Marilyn Monroe

What is that charm that has kept Marilyn Monroe still trending even decades after her death? Why is James Dean still idolized even after working in three movies? No one immortalized Batman’s villain – Joker better than Heath Ledger. Heath Ledger is first actor to receive academy award posthumously for his role in movie – The Dark Knight. Did Hollywood actress Natalie Wood really died of drowning? Or was it a planned murder? The mystery around Natalie’s death still continues to haunt Hollywood. This compilation article is a tribute to the departed movie actors and actresses from Hollywood and Indian cinema that died too soon and left an indelible mark through their unconventional performance.

1) Heath Ledger – Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Joker overshadowed even Batman in Christopher Nolan’s movie – The Dark Knight. He surpassed even actor Jack Nicholson who earlier played Joker in 1989 movie – Batman. His unconventional performance in movies like ‘The Monster’s ball’ and ‘The Brokeback Mountain’ got him noticed. What remained etched in my mind was his role as young patriot in Mel Gibson’s movie – The Patriot. He played the role of Mel Gibson’s son in the movie who revolts against Britishers but is tragically killed in post-interval. Even his portrayal as the outlaw ‘Ned Kelly’ was memorable. His untimely death due to drug overdose in January 2008 sent shock waves in world of Hollywood. Actor Christian Bale received the award on behalf of Heath. Heath immortalized himself in the league of great talent like James Dean.

2) James Dean –

A rebellious actor who still lives in hearts of his fans, movie lovers and aspiring actors through his performance, James Dean carved a niche for himself in a short period of his career. His passion for cars, poetry set him apart from other stereotype Hollywood actors. What made his stand out from the crowd was his movie – Rebel without a cause. He flaunted his rebellious nature which quite closer to his role. His traumatic childhood, his struggling years in Hollywood and his untimely death in car accident made him a legend. Had he survived, James would have re-written history in Hollywood. Actor James Franco had played role of James Dean in the biopic which was based on this rebellious actor.

3) Natalie Wood – I was unaware of actress Natalie Wood till I got to know about her while researching on Marilyn Monroe on Youtube video. Like Marilyn, even Natalie’s death is shrouded in mystery. Till date it is not clear whether she died of drowning or anyone actually killed her. Her husband Robert Wagner was the most suspected person in Natalie Wood’s death case. Did he actually kill her? Her childhood was not a happier one. She had started working as a child star in movies like Miracle on 34th Street and went on to become a big Hollywood star in movies like ‘West Side Story’, ‘From here to eternity’ and ‘Rebel without a cause’ opposite James Dean. Her untimely and mysterious death in 1981 shocked Hollywood. To know more about her, do watch the documentary movie – Natalie Wood: What remains behind.

4) Bruce Lee – Bruce Lee became synonymous with martial arts and continues to inspire countless action movie fans through his movies – Enter the dragon, Game of death, The Big Boss and Way of the dragon. He created a legacy for himself and a way for several upcoming stars like Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chow Yun Fat. I can’t forget the day when his movie – Enter the dragon had premiered as series on Doordarshan Channel. There was a thrill to watch him on TV screen. It was the time of early 90’s when satellite channels were yet to be launched in India. His movie – Game of Death was one of my personal favorites. Lee had died untimely while filming ‘Game of death’. Director Robert Clouse completed the movie using a look alike of Lee and some of the scenes filmed by Lee. His rise as a Hongkong action star to his journey as a popular Hollywood star appears like a fairy tale. It was his hardwork, dedication, devotion to martial arts that made him a legend. His death due to swelling in brain in 1973 shocked not only Hongkong movie industry, but also Hollywood.

5) Brittany Murphy – Brittany Murphy shot to fame with movie Clueless (1995) which was a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel – Emma. Brittany went on to feature in several movies which include ‘Just Married’ and ‘Don’t say a word’. Her acting career was tragically cut short due to her untimely death in 2009.

6) Marilyn Monroe – She was a timeless diva. She trended in Hollywood during her lifetime and inspired a million actresses. Her death still remains a mystery. Was her death due to overdose of sleeping pills or did anyone kill her? A victim of scandal, conspiracy, Monroe lived a depressed life in childhood and that depression followed her even during her stardom. I have written several stories on Monroe, but every time I research on her, the mystery around her legend deepens.

Whether it is Hollywood or Indian cinema, stardom comes at heavy price. A celebrity is in fear of been constantly watched, written and discussed about his personal life. Some celebs aren’t able to cope up with stardom. Some die due to insecurity, professional failure and failed relationships. The list is endless. Even in their short lifetime, they left a mark of their talent in world of cinema. This article is a tribute to the faded stars who sparkled for a short time, but brightened the world with their performance.

When it comes to making biopics, no one makes it better than Hollywood. Indian film makers make biopics only to en-cash their pockets. There is neither any heart nor soul in Bollywood biopics. While researching info on a celebrity, I stumbled upon the biography of James Dean, the 50’s heartthrob and an Academy award nominee who created a benchmark in acting with movies like Rebel without a cause, Giant and East of Eden. He starred in only 3 movies. His stardom was tragically cut short by his untimely death due to car accident on September 30th 1955. Had he survived the car crash, he would have set new milestones.

Dean is only the star who is idolized, worshipped and looked upon as inspiration even several years after his death. The 2001 biographical TV movie captures the intimate moments happened in life of the rebellious actor James Byron Dean. His troubled childhood, his tensed relationship with his father, his affairs, struggles, stardom and his untimely death are vastly researched and presented in the biopic. James Franco who portrays Dean on the screen not only physically resembles the character, but also lives the role through his powerful performance. The movie begins with narration of James Dean where he recounts his early childhood and his efforts to win the heart of his father who neglects him. After his mother’s death, James is sent to live with his uncle and aunt in Fairmount.

As James grows up, he aspires to become an actor. His realistic performance helps him bag a role in Broadway and Television movie. Happy with his progress in acting career, he longs to meet his estranged father, but only to discover a cold approach. It is irony that James’ father Winton never encouraged his son in any stage of life. James Dean kept his personal troubles ahead to focus on his movie career that catapulted him to stardom. His passion for cars and bikes was infectious. He had numerous affairs which include a failed relationship with actress Pier Angeli. Pier Angeli’s mother never approved the relationship of James with her daughter. It was been said that James Dean was bi-sexual. The 2001 biopic doesn’t shed any light on this dark side of Dean. The biopic does highlight his relationship with Christine White, a struggling actress who supported Dean during his struggling days. Despite the box-office success, prestigious contracts with studios and a lavish lifestyle, Dean is unhappy that he can’t win the heart of his father. It is later revealed that James was not the biological son of Wanton, but a child born from the affair of his mother with other man. The biopic ends on a tragic note when James Dean dies in car crash. Dean’s untimely death shocks the whole Hollywood, creating an emptiness which cannot be filled by any artist.

I was blown away by this heart-touching biopic on the Hollywood’s biggest star whose rebelliousness won him many accolades and praises. To prepare for the role of James Dean, actor James Franco started smoking cigarettes and brought the mannerisms of the late actor in this biopic. What brought me to tears was the scene where James Dean literally cries to win the heart of his father. Sadly, James’ father realized his son’s love only after his death.

Only few actors could capture the rebellious nature of James Dean and later actor Heath Ledger was one of them. In a short span, Heath had made Hollywood take up notice of his works with movies like Monster’s ball, Brokeback Mountain, The Patriot and his academy award winning role as the Joker in the Nolan’s movie – The Dark Knight. Unfortunately, Ledger passed away in 2008 due to overdose of drugs.

James Dean (2001) biopic premiered on TNT channel in August 2001, earning praises for Franco’s portrayal. If you are a fan of James Dean, I highly recommend watching this emotional biopic on the Hollywood’s most loved actor.

‘I am vengeance’

Gotham’s protector – The Dark knight is back!! The Batman has returned to take on new adversaries. Only this time, Batman fans will see Twilight actor ‘Robert Pattinson’ donning the Bat-mask to save Gotham city from new evil forces. 2005 saw the rise of a completely new Batman with touch of realism. Actor Christian Bale changed the perception of people towards Batman with his new avatar as Gotham’s detective in Dark Knight Trilogy.

Christopher Nolan’s vision of Batman was more edgy, darker, hard-hitting and raw. DC’s 2021 Batman promises to take dark knight’s heroic journey to next level as he will be seen coming face to face with new forces of evil – The Riddler and The Penguin. Along with Riddler and Penguin, the Cat-woman is too making her presence in this upcoming Batman movie. The trailer of Batman (2021) will see Bruce Wayne/Batman in a very different look. I can’t wait to see how Robert Pattinson takes Batman movie franchise to next level with his performance. There is also a curiosity to see actor Colin Farrel return as Penguin in this upcoming super hero movie.

Beware Gotham’s villains!! Batman is back!!

In summer of 2001, I was introduced to the world of Charles Dickens’ writings through his book – David Copperfield. The novel was etched in my mind for eternity. Later on, I read some of his notable books – Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and A Tale of two cities. Each book was his is a treat to literature lovers. Recently I finished up reading ‘Great Expectations’ again. What a great novel!! The story may sound old-fashioned, but it was relevant to today’s times. It is story of a poor blacksmith named Pip who is suddenly given an opportunity to study in London and fulfill his expectations. Pip is unaware of his benefactor until his past comes back to haunt him. It is also a story of Pip’s unrequited love for Estella, a cold hearted girl who only insults him. The book ‘Great Expectations’ was very ahead of times. The fascination of wealth, aristocracy and lavish life corrupts a person to such an extent that he loses his consciousness in the pursuit of fulfilling his expectations.

Even ‘Oliver Twist’ highlighted the suffering of an orphan in the streets of London. It is story of a little kid named Oliver Twist who is subjected to harsh treatment and compelled to rob, pick-pocket and break house by gang of smugglers. It is Oliver’s journey to know about his identity and his inheritance that makes reading the book a joyful treat. ‘Oliver Twist’ was adapted countless times, recently was the 2005 movie adaptation, directed by Roman Polanski. Through his novel – Oliver Twist, Dickens exposed the crime lurking in society and how innocent children are forced to beg, pick-pocket and loot houses. His other works – David Copperfield, Nicholas Nickleby and A Tale of two cities are matured readings filled with memorable characters, sub-plots, back stories and engrossing twists. Whenever I face writer’s block, I seek refuge in Charles Dickens’ books to gain a new perspective in my writing process. It is so sad to know that our Indian teen readers aren’t well acquainted with great writer like Dickens. Their literary knowledge is only limited to Chetan Bhagat’s books or any silly romantic novel.

To understand the pathos, emotions and realities of life, one should definitely read Charles Dickens’ writings. Many of his female protagonists were based on his real life mistress – Nelly Tarnan. Nelly Ternan was younger than Dickens. His love life remained guarded a well-kept secret till his death. His affair with Nelly was a subject of a biography movie titled – The Invisible woman. It is been said that Dickens’ wife never showed her likeness towards Dickens’ literary ambitions. It was the Young Nelly who shared her interests of reading with old Dickens.

I am keen to explore more of his books in coming times to bring out refinement in my writings. Thanks Dickens for inspiring me to writing this blog post.

Behind the mask of a vigilante, there is a common man who fights with his inner demons. Batman doesn’t possess any super powers or magical prowess to fight the criminals. He relies on his human abilities – an investigative mind, powerful physique, martial arts and art to stay invisible even in the crowds of thousands. I relate a lot to this night detective cum superhero who lives in seclusion, but keeps an eye on every movement happening in the world.

He is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire businessman by day and a protector by night. A resident of a fictional Gotham city, Bruce Wayne swears to seek vengeance against the crime empire which claimed the lives of his parents. Little Bruce’s parents are robbed and murdered in dark of night by a petty robber. As Bruce grows, he vows to become a vigilante against the criminals by adapting an alter-ego: The Batman who will instill a fear in minds of the criminals. The 2005 batman movie: Batman begins changed the perception of people towards a super hero. Like every human, even a superhero is vulnerable to emotions like fear. The opening scene of Batman Begins movie introduces us to little Bruce Wayne falling in a well due to fear of bats. He is so terrified of the presence of the nocturnal bird that he gets nightmares. It is that same fear that he channelizes to make it his own strength. He designs his own bat costume, gets a special bat vehicle built to take down on many villains like Penguin, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Bane and the hysterical psycho villain – The Joker. Actor Christian Bale gave a different approach to Batman’s portrayal by making him appear real, brooding and vulnerable to emotions of fear. Bruce fails in every attempt during his early attempts of becoming dark knight. With every fall, he rises back to take down on all the gangsters, crime societies lurking in the city. It was the visionary illustrator and writer Bill Finger who gave wings to his creation Batman through his imagination. Sadly, Batman’s creator Bill Finger never got the due for his creativity and died unsung. Bill Finger may not have got his due, but he gave the world a timeless and fearless superhero who still continues to inspire world through comics and movies.

A new Batman movie is in production. After Christian Bale, Actor Robert Pattinson will be seen as the dark knight, ready to take on new mastermind criminals – The Riddler and the Penguin. The two minute trailer of Batman (2021) gave a dark glimpse at Robert Pattinson as Batman. There is a high anticipation related to this new Batman movie and one wonders how Robert Pattinson will justify his role as the dark knight.

On the personal note as a writer, I too faced lots of low phase during my career, confronting criticisms, discouragement and layoffs. But why do we fall? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up. Do let me know which superhero inspires you and why?

Natalie Wood is an unheard name to Indian movie audience. She was a Hollywood legend who rose to success by working as a child star to her ascent as a highly in demand star of 1950’s. Today Bollywood’s young actresses throw so many tantrums after one hit movie. They presume themselves to be Goddess of cinema. On contrary, Hollywood artists are humble, hard-working and dedicated and Natalie Wood belonged to that league.

I stumbled upon Natalie Wood’s life, career and her untimely death while researching on an article related to Marilyn Monroe, the timeless diva of Hollywood. After publishing my story on Monroe, I learnt a lot about Natalie Wood’s difficult childhood, her heartbreaking relationship, her disturbed marital life and the stardom that tormented her. A gypsy woman had once predicted that Natalie would be successful movie star, but may lose her life due to drowning.

After learning about the prediction, Natalie’s mother became too much over-protective and controlled her life. It is been said it was her mother who pushed little Natalie into movie business. She was never allowed to play with other kids like a normal child. Since Natalie’s father made a meager earning, little Natalie was the bread earner of the family. Natalie Wood was not her actual name. Her actual name was Natalia Nikolaevna Zakharenko. Fondly called as Natasha, Natalia went on to become a child star in classics like ‘Miracle on 34th Street’, ‘Tomorrow is forever’ and several other movies.

Natalie’s mother was so obsessed with movie career of her daughter that she never allowed her daughter to mingle with male friends. According to sources, Natalie was forced to have a break up with a boy named Jimmy with whom she vowed to marry during her teen days. Her first crush, the boy Jimmy committed suicide by shooting herself. Jimmy’s death shook Natalie to such an extent that she shut herself in her room for a week. In later days, Natalie focused on her movie career to work as a full-fledged actress. Her breakthrough role earned her both fame and recognition in movie – Rebel Without a cause opposite the 50’s heartthrob James Dean. She became a close friend of James Dean during the filming of movie. Sadly, James Dean didn’t live to see the movie. His untimely death in car crash was a big blow to Hollywood. Natalie not only lost a great co-star, but also a great friend and confidante in James Dean.

Natalie’s name was linked to many Hollywood biggies including Elvis Priesley. Her personal life was equally stormy as her screen life. During her struggling days in Hollywood, Natalie is been said to be raped by a big Hollywood actor in a hotel. That incident was one of the tragic episodes in life of Natalie. She never revealed the name of the molester in public as she was too feared to mess with a Hollywood top notch actor. In Feb 2020, it was been disclosed that it was actor Kirk Douglas (father of actor Michael Douglas) who had molested Natalie. On death of Kirk Douglas in Feb 2020, it was been trending on a social networking site that it was Kirk who was the molester.

Though Hollywood gave her fame, success, money, it couldn’t give back her childhood innocence. Natalie won Oscar nomination thrice for her notable performances.

Mysterious death on November 29, 1981: Her fear for water remained a phobia and a nightmare throughout her life. The prophecy came true when Natalie drowned during a boat trip on a personal yacht. How did she drown? Did anyone pushed her in water? Why did Natalie get into water? Was Natalie murdered? Prior to drowning, Natalie had a big quarrel with her husband Robert Wagner. How could Natalie die when there were so many people on boat? Didn’t anyone hear her scream? Her body was discovered one day later. There are many speculations that it was her husband Robert who had drowned Natalie. The case of Natalie’s death was reopened in 2012, but nothing concrete conclusion came out of it. Like Marilyn Monroe’s mysterious death due to sleeping pills, Natalie too died a mysterious death due to drowning. Natalie’s life would have been a happy one had she not been a star. As predicted, she made a big fortune as actor, but lost the best years of childhood.

The inspiration to write this biography blog post came to me while I was penning a memoir on the Hollywood actor James Dean. This memoir on Natalie Wood is a sequel or follow-up story connected to 50’s Hollywood legends like Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.

To know more about Natalie Wood, I would highly recommend watching the biopic : The mystery of Natalie Wood and the documentary – What remains behind.

There is always a common man behind the creation of superhero. Superhero is not the one who fights super villains, lifts airplanes and saves the world. It exists only in movies. Chadwick Boseman was the real hero who pushed his boundaries and gave a powerful performance as Black Panther, the marvel super hero in movies: Civil war, Black Panther, Infinity war and End Game. Despite suffering from colon cancer, he continued to give his best shot as a powerful hero on screen. Off screen too, he was a hero. He morally supported several cancer patients by spending time with them in hospitals.

I know very less of him. I had seen very few scenes of his as Black Panther, the prince of Wakanda in Marvel movies. He left a mark in my mind as a great superhero.

His death has left emptiness in minds of his fans and Marvel movies. As we cannot imagine any actor playing Wolverine better than Hugh Jackman, we cannot think of any other actor as Black Panther. He may be replaced in later Marvel movies as Black Panther, but who can bring a larger than life appeal to the role. His death on 28th August 2020 is definitely going to be a big shock to super hero movie lovers. From Gal Gadot to Chris Evans, every paid a tribute to him on Twitter. After Christopher Reeve, it is Chadwick Boseman who will be worshipped and remembered as a true super hero in real life. Heroes never die. They live on forever.

Natalie Wood is regarded as one of the talented actress who ruled Hollywood in 50’s and 60’s era with her performance, beauty and elegance. She was only actress who gave a stiff competition to Hollywood sensation Marilyn Monroe. In personal life, Marilyn Monroe was a mentor like figure for Natalie during her struggling days.

The 2004 Biographical TV movie (mini-series of two parts) chronicles the life of Natalie Wood: her childhood, her rise to stardom, personal affairs, broken marriages and mysterious death due to drowning. Based on the books written on Natalie Wood, the TV movie has a nostalgic feel to it. Actress Justine Waddell portrays Natalie in the biopic. Though Justine doesn’t resemble Natalie, she succeeds to capture the mannerisms, grace and elegance of the late actress.

What connected me with the biopic was the disturbing childhood days of little Natalie and how she was forced into stardom by her dominating and overpowering mother Maria. According to a prophecy, Natalie would gain fame, money as an actress, but would die accidentally due to drowning. Her mother used to feed the fear of dark water in mind of Little Natalie and force her to act in movies. The movie sheds a light on intimate events happened in life of Natalie: her teenage crush, her rapport with actor James Dean, a traumatic molestation, her wedding with Robert Wagner, her link ups and the unsolved mystery of her drowning. It was a delight to see Natalie’s relation with James Dean during the filming of movie – Rebel without a cause. James Dean and Marilyn’s characters have very small roles in the movie.

If James Dean had a stressful relation with his father, Natalie was traumatized by her mother. Natalie was deprived of her childhood days that should have been joyful. Natalie was victim of parental tyranny. As Natalie matured as successful actress, she didn’t allow her mother to control her life. The climax ends on a tragic note when Natalie accidentally falls in the dark water due a weekend off. Unknowingly, Natalie falls off from her yacht and pulled by the currents of the freezing water. Despite yelling for help, no one cares to notices her. Natalie died due to drowning on 29th November 1981.

Unlike the Bollywood biopics on Indian actresses like ‘Dirty Picture’ and ‘Heroine’, this Hollywood TV movie is sincere in its portrayal about Natalie’s life as an actress.
Natalie Wood was graceful and reminded me of Bollywood yesteryear actresses like Sadhna, Saira Banu and Babita.

To know more about her, do watch her documentary movie – What remains behind and her notable movies – The West Side Story and Rebel without a cause.

Bollywood is never short of inspiration. For Bollywood, inspiration means ctrl c +ctrl v. Dozens of Bollywood movies were unofficial copies of Hollywood flicks. From Dil Diya Dard liya (remake of Wuthering heights) to Sholay (Seven Samurais), Bollywood has presented the stories with their desi copyrights. Here is my list of the Hollywood movies that were remade into Bollywood flicks.

10) Dil Diya Dard Liya – This classic movie starring Dilip Kumar and Waheeda Rehman was desi adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic novel – Wuthering heights. Dilip Kumar played the role of Heathcliffe while Waheeda Rehman played the role of Catherine. The movie climax had a happy ending while the original novel had a tragic climax. Dil Diya Dard Liya was one of the best movies in the career of Dilip Kumar.

9) Sholay – The most successful remake of Akira Kurosawa’s classic – The Seven Samurais, G.P.Sippy’s Sholay became a milestone in filmmaking. Directed by Ramesh Sippy, Sholay was epic in every department. Amjad Khan’s epic role as dacoit Gabbar Singh made him a star overnight. From Sambha, Kaalia to Basanti, Thakur and Jai-Veeru, every role was a legend in itself. What stayed in my mind was the role of Jai played by Amitabh who takes a bullet on himself to save his buddy Veeru played by Dharmendra. Akira Kurosawa’s classic was again remade into China Gate which featured a bunch of war veterans pitted against a dread dacoit – Jagira played by Mukesh Tiwari. In my opinion, Jagira was scarier than Gabbar.

8) Karz – Karz was an unofficial remake of Hollywood classic – The Reincarnation of Peter Proud. Rishi Kapoor played the role of Monty, a pop singer who sees visuals of a man getting thrashed to death by a woman. Monty later discovers he was Ravi Verma in his previous birth who was killed by his own wife. Thus begins the vengeance of Monty to avenge his death and search for his long lost mother and sister. Karz was the movie that introduced me to the concept of reincarnation. It was one of my favorite movies that I watched countless times.

7) Ghulam – The 1998 Aamir Khan starrer – Ghulam was remake of Marlon Brando’s movie – On the waterfront. I count this movie as Aamir Khan’s best role of his career. A good for nothing boxer Sidhu decides to rebel against a gang lord Ronnie and seeks justice for an honest union leader who is killed by Ronnie’s henchmen. This movie re-launched Rani Mukherjee and made her an overnight star.
‘Aati Kya Khandala’ was a huge blockbuster song that was top in every music chart.
Even the 80’s movie – Kabzaa starring Sanjay Dutt was inspired by On the waterfront.

6) Dharmatma – If Hollywood had Don Vito Corleone, Bollywood had its own desi Godfather Dharmatma. Dharmatma was the Hollywood remake of Francis Ford Coppola’s gangster movie – The Godfather. Actor Premnath played the role of desi Godfather – Dharmatma while Feroz Khan played the role of Michael Corleone portrayed by Al Pacino. Filled with typical Bollywood songs, emotions and drama, Dharmatma was a huge blockbuster in career of Feroz Khan. Even the Aamir’s delayed movie – Aatank hi Aatank was a scene to scene remake of Godfather.

7) Baazigar – Baazigar changed the typical conventions of Bollywood filmy formula and introduced an anti-hero Shahrukh Khan who throws his heroine from a building. Such plot was really unacceptable for Indian audiences. Never before had a hero killed his own love interest. A remake of ‘A Kiss before dying’, Baazigar established Shahrukh Khan as the biggest star in Bollywood. A vengeance thriller packed with drama, action and chilling suspense, Baazigar is undoubtedly the best remake that surpasses even the original.

6) Fitoor – The 2016 Bollywood romantic flick was a weak adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic book – Great Expectations. Featuring Aditya Roy Kapur and Katrina Kaif in the lead role, Fitoor was story of love and expectations. The backdrop of story was set in Kashmir. Ajay Devgan played the role of a secret benefactor of Aditya Roy Kapur. The movie didn’t succeed as our Indian audiences were too immature to understand the literary ideas of Charles Dickens.

5) Daraar – The 1996 thriller was remake of Julia Robert’s movie – Sleeping with the enemy. Juhi Chawla played the role of oppressed wife who is tormented by her psychotic and highly possessive husband played by Arbaaz Khan. She escapes from her horrible marital life and starts a new life. Little does she realize that her past is chasing her in form of her husband who has returned to haunt her for worse. Agnisakshi and Daraar were based on ‘Sleeping with the enemy’. Among these two movies, Daraar captures the thrill of the original. Arbaaz’s performance as the psychotic and over caring husband was award winning. Nevertheless this is the best remake of Sleeping with the enemy.

4) Gumnaam – This late 60’s Bollywood suspense flick was a huge blockbuster in its time. Based on Agatha Christie’s mystery novel – And there were none, this was a gripping suspense where a group of unknown strangers start getting killed on an isolated island. The Bollywood remake was nowhere closer to the psychological thriller novel. It was stuffed with all the nonsense item numbers, silly comedies, romantic tracks and predictable climax.

Though it was a successful suspense flick, it couldn’t capture the thrilling spirit of Agatha’s writings.

3) Ek Ajnabee – This 2005 action movie starring Amitabh Bachchan was a scene to scene remake of 2004 Hollywood movie – Man on fire starring the talented Denzel Washington. There was no originality in this movie as the writers copied all the scenes from ‘Man on fire’. Though Ek Ajnabee was a decent action drama, it lacked the edge that Denzel Washington brought on screen. Based on Kidnappings, Man on fire was an intense emotional drama that revolves around a hired bodyguard who decides to track down all the kidnappers who have kidnapped his master’s daughter.

2) Naina – When Bollywood directors are jobless, they either watch Korean horror movies or a south Indian movie to get them back to work. The 2005 supernatural movie – Naina is an unofficial remake of Hongkong-Singaporean movie ‘The Eye’.

A visually impaired girl Naina undergoes corneal transplant only to see ghostly visions and horrifying future incidents. Why is Naina seeing ghostly visions? Who is the mysterious eye donor? How is the mysterious eye donor connected to Naina?
Naina was equally scary as the original. Though the Hollywood movie – The Eye also based on the same movie was less scary, Jessica Alba’s performance was sincere as the visually impaired girl. Urmila Matondkar played the role of visually impaired girl in the Bollywood remake – Naina.

1) Aashiqui 2 – This 2013 musical romantic blockbuster was remake of 1937 Hollywood classic movie – A star is born. An alcoholic, fading singer Rahul Jaykar mentors a struggling singer Aarohi and falls in love with her.

Though Aarohi becomes a successful singer, Rahul starts losing his stardom due to excessive alcoholism. The movie ends on a tragic note. One of the best tragic romances, Aashiqui 2 was equally successful as its first part. Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper is working on the new remake of ‘A star is born’ along with Lady Gaga in the lead role. This new remake is scheduled for a 2018 release.

Hope you all will like my list of these Bollywood flicks that were remakes of the Hollywood movies. I will soon be coming up with my next list of Bollywood movies that were remakes of Hollywood flicks.

Everyone loves to hear stories. There is an emotional connection and involvement to it. Treat your blog post like a blockbuster Hollywood movie. Don’t call it an article. Articles are only meant to inform, provide facts in a newspaper style. If you want to share good information, include a story within your write up to create an emotional bond with your audience. It works that way. In my journey and experiences as a blogger, I realized that audiences weren’t interested to read a technical article. They wanted stories!! So to share my ideas or thoughts, I had to interweave a story within the write-up to make the narration easy and relatable. Whether it is writing a travelogue, review, historical facts or about a personality, characters and storyline had to be created so that the goal of conveying information is accomplished. Youtube videos are really effective to compose a blog post. (I will be writing a separate blog post on how videos can effective for blog writing)

Read a lot to write a lot. On the personal front, a writer should write at least 100 books a year. Sounds tough!! At least aim to read 10 books a year. Well noted writers read at least 8 to 10 books a month. Reading is like a fuel to your writing process. Unless you read, you can’t be able to justify your thoughts. Ideas can’t expand without reading and researching. To write on Hercules, it is very essential to read Greek mythology. While I was writing on Hollywood actor James Dean, I watched his biopic to know the person behind the legend. I couldn’t write on James Dean until I could tell his story – his struggles, his stardom and his untimely death in car crash. At the end of the day, people love reading stories.

Don’t restrict yourself just as a blogger. Tell stories, inform and entertain. Stories will help you gain followers.

Be a story-teller !!

‘There’s something wrong with Esther’ – Tagline of movie ‘The Orphan’

Psychological thriller/horror movies have their own audience. Movies like Psycho, Primal Fear, The Good son, A Kiss before dying had a gripping plot with shocking climax. Even Bollywood movie ‘Darr’, a romantic thriller about a psychotic one side lover’s menace was inspired by some Hollywood thrillers. It explored the dark side of love. But what shocked me was the 2009 psychological thriller movie – The Orphan. While watching a crime show on TV, I noticed that there was a case where a small kid shows violent tempers and maturity of a 30 years old man. The plot of the crime show resembled to Hollywood movie – Orphan. It was a deja vu effect. ‘

Orphan gives you a glimpse at the dark and sinister side of childhood innocence. Devastated by the death of their third child, a couple adopts a girl named ‘Esther’ so that she could give a company to their children. Without verifying her past records and her family background, The Coleman family – Kate and John welcome Esther as their new family member. Though intelligent, cute and smart, Esther shows too much maturity that surprises the couple. Slowly, Esther starts showing the dark side of her nature. When John and Kate discover the shocking past life of Esther, it is too late. Esther not only kills the sister of the orphanage, but also murders John when he comes to know about the true identity of Esther. Is Kate and her children the next target?

Esther’s identity comes as a shocking blow when it is revealed that she is middle aged woman of 33 years suffering from hormonal disorder which has impacted her physical growth in terms of height. Will Kate protect her children from this serial killer woman – Esther? Orphan is a glimpse at the darker and psychopath side of innocence. If you love psychological thrillers, then ‘Orphan’ is a must watch. Isabelle Fuhrman’s performance as Esther will give you scary goosebumps. Esther’s character will remind you of movies like ‘Misery’, ‘Shattered’, ‘Fatal attraction’, ‘The hand that rocks the cradle’ and ‘Single White female’.

Dreaming of becoming a blog writer? Think again. Writing is not any Tom, Dick and Harry’s job. Writing is a fusion of research, creativity, imagination, analysis and hard work. A good write-up is result of countless rejections, re-writes, edits and reviews. If you have the guts to face rejections, criticisms, then welcome to world of writing. Here are some facts to consider when you start writing blog.

1) No one will read your blog – It is a hard hitting fact – Brutal yet true. Out of 100%, only 1% of web audience actually read. Rest of the 99% audience is only interested in reading Whatsapp status, jokes, gossips and Tweets. Unless you are a Bollywood celebrity or a best-selling writer, no one will notice your blog. If you are sharing your blog post, share it only the people who are hardcore readers. Sad fact is that even your friends won’t read your write ups. They may read the blog post for first time and give their comments. But next time, they won’t even click on the link to read your blog post.

2) Write without expectations – If you are expecting million followers and comments for your blog, then you will be disappointed. Write without zero expectations. Don’t expect comments, feedbacks or praises. It takes decades to get one comment. During my initial days as a blog writer, it took me good 3 years to get comments and followers. There were neither followers nor comments. I wrote to express my ideas, thoughts through my stories.

3) Keep reading & writing – There are times when you will fall short of ideas and inspirations. You won’t be able to write even for weeks and months. In that period, focus your mind on reading. More you read, more you write. Keep on writing until your ideas start flowing on your word document.

4) Don’t give up writing – There will be time when you will feel like giving up writing. Lack of positive feedback and encouragement sometimes demoralizes even a celebrated writer. Author Stephen King was depressed at one moment and planned to give up writing. Writer Sylvia Plath’s writing faced several depressive rejections. Write for yourself. No matter what the situations, don’t give up writing.

5) Disconnect from people – To focus on your writing, it is essential to take a break from your social circle both online and offline. Whatsapp alerts, messengers, Tweets are distractive. Keep your smart phone or tablet away to concentrate on your story or article.

Writing is a creative work. One needs to pour out his soul, heart and mind into his work. It takes years to get your writing work recognized. If you are mentally prepared for the setbacks, no one can stop you.

Welcome to world of writing.

Theatre was his first love. Despite getting movie offers at height of stardom, he left cinema to return to stage. His mood swings and temper was difficult to tolerate. At one point, he was jobless. Not a single theatre producer or director wanted to work with him. He was the one who brought the glory of theatre back to form. Yet he died lonely in his dark days. He was Dr Kashinath Ghanekar – the first and only superstar of Marathi theatre (rangbhoomi).

His biopic – Aani..Dr Kashinath Ghanekar (2018) ignited a new spark in my mind to write on the golden days of Marathi theatre and the rise and fall of the great legend: Kashinath Ghanekar. Yet something was missing in my write up on this great artist. I wanted to know who really he was – A flawed artist or a great theatre legend. Like every human, he had his own flaws. He was insecure, alcoholic and bit eccentric. Due to his restless spirits, it was difficult for theatre directors and writers to work with him. A dentist by profession, Dr Kashinath Ghanekar started his struggle as actor in theatre as a prompter. Dr Kashinath Ghanekar’s father never approved of his love for acting and theatre. Though Dr Kashinath Ghanekar was at his height of success in theatre world, he couldn’t win the admiration of his father till the last breath of his life.

In 50’s and 60’s, acting work wasn’t looked up as a noble profession by well-cultured families. It was the era of late 60’s when Bollywood movies had taken nation by storm. Marathi Rangbhoomi (theatre) was suffering a setback. There was not a single actor who could breathe a new life in the stage plays. At this juncture, Dr Kashinath Ghanekar’s play – ‘Raigada jevha jaag yete’ pulled theatre lovers back to stage plays. His role as Chattrapati Sambhaji sent patriotic goosebumps in minds of audience. Ticket counters were always houseful. People crowded literally to shake hands with him. There was euphoria, craze and adulation for him. Dr Kashinath Ghanekar was on top of the world. He had his own era. But his success was shortlived. His glorious days were over.

It is been said that a fanatic fan used to give threatening call to him. The fan couldn’t see his hero succumb to alcohol and fall midway during performance. Dr Kashinath Ghanekar literally went to depression when he discovered that his fan had committed suicide. He had lost one of his dearest fans.

His addiction to alcohol, his rivalry with contemporary actors like Dr Shriram Lagoo and his arrogant behavior with his co-actors were his major flaws that brought an abrupt end to his career as an actor. Marathi theatre was changing. But Kashinath was still stuck in glory of his old days. He couldn’t adapt himself to the changing dynamics of theatre. Even the theatre association wasn’t ready to cast him in his plays. It was only Kashinath’s friend Prabhakar Panshikar who stood by him.

He wanted to make a comeback. Sadly, he died broken-hearted due to cardiac arrest during his tour to Amravati. Had he survived, Dr Kashinath Ghanekar would have taken Marathi theatre to next level. No one recognized his worth except his second wife – Mrs Kanchan Ghanekar. Her book – Nath Ha Maaza is a memoir cum biography which gives a glimpse at the intimate moments and events occurred in life of late Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar. Even the biopic ‘Aani Dr Kashinath Ghanekar’ was based on ‘Nath Ha Maza’.

Even today the theatre audiences remember Dr Kashinath Ghanekar for his iconic role as ‘Lalya’ in the longest running play ‘Ashrunchi Jhale Phule’. It was role of ‘Lalya’ that made him a household name in world of theatre. His notable works include the successful plays – ‘Garambhica Bapu’, ‘Anandi Gopal’ and ‘Raigadala Jevha Jaag Yete’. I had seen some of his movies – ‘Paathlag’, ‘Ha Khel Savlyancha’ during my childhood days. It took me several decades to know about his legendary legacy in the biopic – Aani Dr Kashinath Ghanekar.

Even today’s Bollywood superstars like Akshay Kumar, Shahrukh Khan don’t enjoy that fan following like Dr Kashinath Ghanekar did. Today Dr Kashinath Ghanekar may be forgotten, but his legacy lives on through his plays and movies. This write up is reminiscence of old days of Marathi theatre and artists who dedicated themselves to the craft. Through this blog post, I wanted to pay homage to the legendary artist Dr Kashinath Ghanekar whom the theatre fraternity always misquoted.

To know more about Dr Kashinath Ghanekar’s legacy, I highly recommend the book – Nath Ha Maza penned by his wife Mrs Kanchan Ghanekar.

Witness the new face of horror this November. Laxmmi bomb is a upcoming horror flick starring Akshay Kumar and Kiara advani in leading roles. Remake of South horror blockbuster – Kanchana, laxmmi bomb is story of an avenging apparition named laxmmi who possesses the protagonist to seek avenge on her enemies who deceptively killed her. Who is laxmmi? What are her intentions? What is the mystery behind her past? In the original movie, the role of ghost was played by south star Sarath Kumar. Who will be playing the role of laxmmi in this remake?

Laxmmi bomb promises comedy, drama and scary chills. This movie will be Akshay Kumar’s second horror comedy after the success of 2007 movie – bhool bhoolaiya. Initially scheduled to hit the big screens, this horror flick will be releasing on Disney plus hotstar. If you loved watching horror flicks like ‘the conjuring’; ‘the nun’ then laxmmi bomb will definitely a scary treat.

World hails Arjuna as the finest archer from the epic poem Mahabharata penned by Sage Ved Vyasa. I don’t agree with it. Apart from Arjuna, there were many unsung great archers in the Mahabharata who never got the due they deserved. Any guesses? It was Karna. More skilled in welding arrows and bow, Karna was only the contender who could defeat Arjuna. Blessed with armour and earrings by God Surya, he was abandoned at birth by his mother Kunti. Labeled as an outcast, Karna never got the respect he truly deserved for. His legends are retold by various writers, poets and filmmakers through medium of novels, scriptures, poems, movies and TV Series. Was Karna a villain or a hero? Karna’s saga got a fresh re-telling with the mythological novel – Karna’s wife: The Outcast’s queen penned by author Kavita Kane. Told from the perspective of Uruvi, Karna’s wife; this mythology is glance at the saga of Mahabharata’s great warrior who was flawed but yet respected as a hero by the mythology readers.

Who was Helen? – A Spartan beauty whose unfaithfulness triggered a war or a woman who never found true love. Termed as a ‘face that launched a thousand ships’, Helen, a woman suppressed under an unhappy marriage found solace and love in a young prince named Paris. She is so smitten by his charm that she escapes from unfortunate marriage to elope with Paris to city of Troy. Is it crime to follow one’s heart? Helen follows her heart, leaving behind the morals to run away with a stranger little realizing that her one reckless decision will trigger a war. Helen is compared to Draupadi, the mythological figure whose rage triggered the Kurukshetra war between Pandavas and Kauravas. Homer’s Illiad is a highly read epic whose popularity equals Ved Vyasa’s Mahabharata. The Greek warriors in Homer’s Illiad are similar to Mahabharata’s heroes. They fight for honour, pride and glory.

When Helen’s husband discovers that his beautiful wife has eloped with a young prince from Troy, he appoints Achilles, an immortal warrior to declare a war on city of Troy and bring back Helen. Helen’s love life with Paris is short-lived in Troy. Achilles not destroys city of Troy, but also kills Hector, the elder brother of Paris in a duel. Indirectly, Helen becomes the cause of death of several people of Troy which includes Paris’ father Priam. After destruction of Troy, Helen escaped with Paris.  According to mythology researchers, Helen returned back to her husband after the death of Paris. A bewitching beauty of Sparta, Helen’s life is immortalized in mythology and history as a cursed beauty whose presence only brought destruction.
The infidelity of Helen was so shocking that her husband waged a 10 years’ war against Troy. The war came to be known as Trojan War.

 Great warriors like Hector, Achilles and Patroclus lost their lives in this Trojan War. Achilles is often compared to warriors like Karna and Duryodhana who were invisible. If Karna was blessed with armour and earrings, Achilles was bathed in divine waters as an infant by his mother. Unfortunately, his heel remained vulnerable to mortal wounds. Paris killed Achilles by shooting an arrow in his heels which claimed the life of this great Greek warrior. Unknowingly, somewhere Helen was responsible for death of Achilles and Patroclus. (Achilles and Patroclus were gay lovers)

The fate of Helen was similar to Draupadi. Only circumstances were different. If Draupadi sought for honour, Helen desired for true love. Their presence triggered a bloody battle. Draupadi lost her sons after the battle of Kurukshetra while Helen’s love Paris was later killed. Helen is sometimes termed as a whore whose passionate infatuation cost the lives of several warriors in Trojan War. Whether she was a controversial or a cursed beauty, the subject is matter of debate. As per my views, Helen was a beauty who dared to follow her heart.

To know more about Helen of Troy, I recommend reading Homer’s epic poem – Illiad and watch the 2004 war movie – ‘Troy’ based on Trojan War. Hollywood actress Diane Kruger played the role of Helen in the epic motion picture while Brad Pitt portrayed warrior Achilles on big screen.

Author Daphne Du Maurier’s classic gothic romance – Rebecca is adapted for new generation readers and movie viewers. Scheduled to release this October on Netflix, Rebecca boasts of a stellar cast – Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas.

Lily James stars as the unnamed narrator who is married off to a widower Maxim De Winter, an aristocratic heir who can’t run away from his past. Despite the social differences in their lives, the young woman and Maxim De Winter fall for each other and get married. The trouble in their love nest begins when the narrator moves off with her husband to his mansion which is controlled by a mysterious looking house keeper named Miss Denvers. Mrs De Winter, as the narrator can be addressed is often compared to Rebecca, her husband’s first wife who died in mysterious circumstances.  Miss Denvers doesn’t miss a single change to ridicule and compare the new Mrs De Winter to Rebecca who was more stylish, sophisticated and socially active person in parties and events. As the narrator starts to piece together the missing clues to the haunted past of Rebecca, she discovers that Rebecca didn’t die. She was killed. And the killer is none other than her husband Maxim De Winter. As Maxim confesses to killing Rebecca, the protagonist/narrator must figure out what circumstances lead for Maxim to take such dire steps. Was Rebecca unfaithful? Why the shadow of Rebecca still lurks in their lives? What are Miss Denvers’ intentions? Will Maxim succeed to free of himself from the haunting memories of Rebecca? To discover the mind puzzling revelations, you have to watch the upcoming Netflix movie – Rebecca this October.

Author Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca is a romance novel with touch of gothic, suspense, thrill, mystery and supernatural elements. Though there is nothing like ghostly presence in the book, the mention of Rebecca keeps hovering in mind of reader every time he turns the page. Even though Rebecca is dead in the novel, her presence is felt throughout the pages. How the narrator succeeds to free her husband from the memories of Rebecca forms the crux of story. I had read Rebecca long back in 2009 and it remained etched in mind for long time. If you love reading thrillers like ‘Gone Girl’, ‘Woman in White’, ‘The girl on the train’, then you cannot miss Rebecca. Author Daphne Du Maurier was way ahead of time in creating suspense novels with touch of gothic. Rebecca is fusion of romance and psychological thriller. Daphne Du Maurier plays mind games with readers’ mind through the scenes and situations. She weaved the same magic in her best-selling mystery novel – My Cousin Rachel. Hollywood director Alfred Hitchcock adapted Rebecca for big screen starring Laurence Olivier as Maxim De Winter. Even the 2008 Bollywood movie – Anamika was an unofficial remake of Rebecca. The 2020 movie adaptation of Rebecca promises great star cast, gripping storyline, captivating sequences and a haunting soundtrack that will keep you on edge of seat.

Netflix’s much acclaimed biopic series – Crown based on life of queen Elizabeth is taking new turns and events with arrival of new characters – especially the much hyped entry of Princess Diana.

How will princess Diana’s arrival in royal house as the daughter in law set a new course of sensation events – the wedding of Diana and Charles, their divorce and Diana’s shocking death due to paparazzi. The teaser of Crown season 4 has generated lot of curiosity among the audience who are keen to catch a glimpse of Princess Diana in the series.

Scheduled to stream this November on Netflix, Crown season 4’s episodes will be more engrossing. Now a biopic on Princess Diana has been announced and the role will be helmed by Twilight actress Kirsten Stewart. The biopic is titled – Spencer and it is interesting to see how Kirsten will portray Diana. Through the season 4 of crown on Netflix, the memories of Princess Diana will be refreshed on screen.

Forget the avengers. Ignore the Justice League heroes. Mike Banning is the real action hero who saves the day. James Bond, Ethan Hunt and John Mc Clane – What is common in these guys? They manage to save the day. Now a new name is adding to list of kick-ass heroes – Mike Banning the action hero from movies – Olympus has fallen & London has fallen. He is head of security guard to President of United States of America and will risk even his life to protect nation from terrorists attack. Actor Gerard Butler lives the role convincingly as Mike Banning the no-nonsense marine whose first priority is safety of President of United States. If you love fast-paced action flicks – then I highly recommend ‘London has fallen’.

This action flick is a fusion of Zero Dark Thirty and Die Hard. The action is pure fun. The plot of the movie moves around the premises of White house in both parts – 1 and 2. In ‘London has fallen’, White House’ security head Mike is summoned on an urgent duty to accompany President of America to London for a funeral meeting of U.K’s minister. Mike leaves behind his pregnant wife behind to ensure maximum safety for President. Little does Mike realize that a surprise terrorist attack has been planned to target the ministers of several nation attending the funeral. A series of terrorist attack take place at London. Now it is up to Mike to protect the President of United States from a terrorist organization before it is too late. An adrenaline rush will fill your mind as you watch the thrilling chase sequences, action moments and a suspenseful plot. Mike has to trust his instincts if he has to protect President because every person is a mole or a spy of the enemies. How Mike succeeds to save the day forms the crux of the movie. I thoroughly loved Butler’s performance as Mike Banning who wears heart on his sleeve to protect his nation. Aaron Heckhart, Morgan Freeman and Angela Bassett are great in supporting roles.

If you love action packed espionage movies, ‘London has fallen’ is a popcorn treat. There are many political thrillers with action packed scenes which include ‘Air force one’, ‘White House Down’, ‘The Jackal’ and ‘The Vantage Point’. I am keen to watch – Olympus has fallen & Angel has fallen in this action-packed movie trilogy.

‘I am half human, half God’ – excerpt from the book

Did Harappa city ever existed? Is it a matter of imagination? Did Aryans really invade the Indus valley? Why did Britishers wiped out the existence of Indus valley civilization?

Harappa: Curse of the blood river holds key to the secret hidden under the debris of forgotten time. Unfortunately, the back history of Harappa is filled with so many intriguing stories that one cannot resist the temptation to know more about the culture, lifestyle, and temples existing during those times. Though I had learnt about Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro cities during Indus valley civilization, our school teachers never motivated us to know more about the back history of the people living in that era. If you loved movies like Mummy, National Treasure, Indiana Jones, then Harappa Trilogy is sure going to be an adventurous treat to your mind and eyes.

 This is one of the best fantasy/mythology books I thoroughly enjoyed since Immortals of Meluha. The story shuffles between two timelines – present day and the Harappa age. The story has two protagonists – Vivasvan Pujari and Vidyut Shastri. Vidyut Shastri, a Noida-based CEO of a security company is urgently summoned to meet his 108 years old great grandfather Dwarka Shastri who is on his death bed. Vidyut flies off to Banaras, his hometown to connect with his long lost blood relative – Dwarka Shastri. While in Harappa, Vivasvan Pujari, a highly respected personality becomes a victim of treachery, deceit hatched by his own brother-in-law Chandradhar and his wife Priyamvada. As Vidyut meets his great grandfather, he discovers he is the prophesied Devta and he possesses the same divine powers like his ancestor Vivasvan Pujari. Vidyut is unaware that an assassin has been hired by a Mafioso to kill him. A life threatening attempt is also made on Vidyut by an assassin, but Vidyut’s grandfather succeeds in saving the life of Vidyut. The novel ends on a cliff hanger note when Vidyut realizes that he is none other than Vivasvan Pujari, the devta of Harappa who is reborn again. Is Vidyut the prophesied Devta? What happened to Vivasvan Pujari? How is Vidyut’s life linked to Harappa civilization? To know the story of Vidyut and Harappa’s mysterious civilization, you have to read Harappa: Curse of the blood river written by author Vineet Bajpai.

This book is a refreshing read in mythology/history/adventure genre. Every page is filled with racy sequences, historical trivia and well sketched characters. If you love historical adventure stuffed with mythology elements, Harappa is a literary treat.