A beauty pageant for OiG’s second birthday!

Yes, Old is Gold is exactly two years old, today. I’ve had so much fun in blogland that in the last two years, time just flew past! While the first year was the Year of Discovery (of all the great film-lovers and writers), the last year has been the Year of Fun! I’ve had a ball, discussing movies with all of you who stop by here, and at all my favorite blogs. The highlight of last year was getting to know all of you and meeting some of my favorite bloggers in person. Bolly-blogging zindaabad!!!

An occasion like this calls for a celebration of some sort. Cakes and champagne are so passé. No, I want a party, a BIG one, with lots of beautiful people. How about a beauty pageant? That would be fun, and there would be a parade of beautiful people. Its come to OiG’s attention that there are shocking gender inequalities in the eye-candy department. An injustice that we female bloggers have been doing our best to redress. But its not enough! For true gender equality, male beauty MUST be celebrated more openly, and men MUST be given more credit for their unsung contribution to eye-candy. A beauty pageant for beautiful actors - that is the obvious place to start. So lets have a beauty pageant that rewards beauty and brawn, instead of beauty and brains.

Since this is Old is Gold, we will naturally look to actors of yore. And since the 70s had the biggest compliment of hunks, thats where we'll focus our attention. The panel of judges for this competition is ALL OF YOU! I’ve listed the candidates in my order of preference, and the poll in the right sidebar allows you to pick your own Mr. Bollywood! So lets see who is walking the ramp tonight:

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) – help me complete the story!

Yes, you did read correctly. I’ve seen this movie thrice and realised that each time I’ve been fobbed off with an incomplete tale. The missing part has been bothering me for the last 10 years and I’ve finally decided to do something about it. If Karan Johar wont tell it to the world, I WILL! Before we go any further, though, I should warn you about spoilers. If you are the one person in the world who hasnt yet seen the film (and dont want it to be spoiled for you), now is the time to stop reading. Also:

**********Very long post Alert! Poll Ahead.**********

A quick recap of the story before I point out the missing bits: Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) and Anjali (Kajol) are best friends in college when a new girl in their class, Tina (Rani Mukherjee), upsets the cosmic balance. Tina is everything that Anjali is not – she is feminine while Anjali is tomboyish, she is cute and sexy while Anjali is “one of the guys”. Even more important for Rahul, she never even tries to beat him at basketball, something that Anjali does with ease. It doesnt take Rahul long to fall for Tina. Poor clueless Anjali - it takes Rahul’s practise proposal (yes the jerk actually practices on Anjali for his proposal to Tina!) for her to realise how much she loves Rahul. Too late! Rahul and Tina decide to get married. A heartbroken Anjali leaves college and Rahul-Tina’s lives.

Poll: So which movie should be OiG’s next post?

I have watched a ton of movies in the last few weeks and just cant make up my mind about which one to write up, next. So, how about chipping in with your views and telling me which one you’d like to see next on Old is Gold. Here are the movies:

1.Faraar (1955): The story of an extremist freedom fighter in 1940s India. Its written by the famous Hindi writer Krishan Chander and has Dev Anand and Geeta Bali in the lead.

2.Darling Lili (1970): A spy thriller set in WWI starring Rock Hudson and Julie Andrews.

3.The Last Lear (2007): A movie within a movie, the people involved in making the movie and their lives. Arjun Ramphal, Preity Zinta, Shefali Shetty and Amitabh Bachchan star in Rituparno Ghosh’s beautiful film.

4.Ekti Raat (1956): Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen’s night of confusion and mayhem.

5.Ek Aur Ekk Gyarah (1981): Shashi Kapoor+Vinod Khanna+Zarina Wahab+Neetu Singh=masala romp.

6. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998): Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukherjee in Karan Johar’s romantic blockbuster.

Big B wins hands down!

The votes are in and democracy has once again thrown up a surprise!Amitabh Bachchan may be Bollywood’s most beloved icon and the biggest B on the B(ollywood) circuit, but he seems to have hung on to his youth far too long!

Sorry Dev Saab, the public has spoken and they think that you need to put in a lot more effort into hanging on to your youth. Perhaps in your next film you can play the role of a twenty year old and follow it up with even more youthful characters? You have won so many accolades. Surely the crown of the Evergreen Baadshah wont elude you. In the meantime check out your rival’s unrivalled youth:

Poll: Abhi to main jawaan hoon – choose Bollywood’s “Evergreen” Actor #1

With most of North America embroiled in election fever (Canada had a general election last week and the US presidential poll isnt far off), its time for democracy to make its appearance on Old is Gold. Today readers, we are going to select the “Evergreen” Baadshah of Bollywood!

 

We’re all familiar with the phenomenon of popular stars who continue to act “boyish” inspite of expanding midriffs, receding hairlines and increasing age. Mallika Pukhraj’s famous ghazal Abhi to main jawaan hoon (I am still young) is their motto and they’re sticking with it! Strangely, this phenomenon is confined to male stars and in over 100 years of Indian Cinema, its never spread to the feminine half of the industry! Actors from every decade of Indian cinema have been guilty of refusing to grow old (in their cinematic age) but the late 80s and early 90s are special in that they are overflowing with examples of stubbornly “youthful” superstars!

 

To help you decide who you’d like to crown the Peter Pan of Bollywood, I’ve made a list of the contenders: