India Masala
Bollywood and culture in an emerging India
What’s in a name? The truth about “Kaminey”
When a friend went to buy movie tickets for Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Kaminey”, she felt uncomfortable.
She had never before used the word — Hindi slang for ‘scoundrels’ — and was embarrassed to utter it at the ticket counter.
The film, set in Mumbai streets, is a crime thriller about petty desires that turn two brothers against each other.
Director Bhardwaj says the title, though unusual, is apt. He went ahead with “Kaminey” after his mentor, filmmaker and lyricist Gulzar, approved it.
Of Karma, Porn and Osian’s Cinefan
Thou shalt not go to the Osian’s Cinefan film festival expecting each film to be a masterpiece. I learned this the hard way.
Over the years, I have chanced upon several nuggets at Osian’s, an annual feast for fans of cinema in New Delhi. But on the opening day of the 2008 edition, I arrive at the venue in the evening — with no time to decide on what I want to watch. I check the schedule and my eye falls on an unusual title.
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The Wall
