Bum Batha Chenmi Rinzi

Yangki saw the movie ad on the local channel and explained us graciously that the movie was being re-screened upon the public demand. And sad enough she couldn’t remember the name of the movie…hehe. She was explaining that the main character was my favorite male actor which meant Tshering Gyeltshen. Well,Tshering Gyeltshen is one Bhutanese actor whose movie we don’t get to see that frequently. But every time he hits the screen, he never fails his audience with his perfect dosage of acting. This movie is no exception.

So we planned this movie, whose name I am sure that both of my friends still cannot tell properly, Bum Batha Chenmi Rinzi, was a 9 PM show at Lugar theatre starring the most popular female star, Tandin Bidha along with Tshegyel (Tshering Gyeltshen) with the veteran actor Ngidup Dorji. The movie comes in an ancient setting, probably during the time when the powerful local chieftains ruled and executed their powers in their locality. Bum Batha Chenmi Rinzi played by Tandin Bidha and Namgay Phuntsho portrayed by Tshegyel are the two lovebirds hit by the powerful Jala Tenzin Drugyal who is no other than actor and singer Ngidup Dorji. Kinzang Dorji who is also one of the veteran actors in the Bhutanese cinema, popularly known for his character of Rangdol (in Rangdol and Yangdon) is seen in this movie as a supporting cast.

Namgay Phuntsho is a poor but hard working young man while Rinzi comes from a well-to-do family in their village. Rinzi and Namgay have been together since their childhood days and when they become of a marriageable age, Rinzi’s parent marries off their daughter to the power local chieftain Jala Tenzin Drugyal who bears no mercy in executing his own right. And the audiences are made to go through the painful departure of Namgay and Rinzi. As the story climbs the climax, the actor’s perfect expressions with unexpected twists bring out the real flavor.

The movie is loaded with lots of heart breaking dialogues and eye-soaring scenes, traditional norms on slaves and slavery trodden under powers, masculinity those days and of course, the melodic voices (especially of Mam Dechen Pem which I loved the most). “Good wins over evil” as the three hour movie has been tagged with a happy ending. It is a sure package of grand entertainment for a weekend with friends and family.

An Oscar For Jackie

Who doesn’t know this legend? He is world famous and everyone loves him. I love him for his dedication and hard work. And it was no big surprise when he received Honorary Oscar Award a few days ago as he completely deserved it. “Standing here is a dream. After 56 years in the film industry, making more than 200 films, breaking so many bones, finally this is mine.” said Jackie while receiving the award. So I want to write about this legendarily legend Jackie Chan as an admiration for his amazing and awesome journey.

 

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan, born on 7^th April 1954 at Victoria Peak, British Hong Kong is a martial artist, actor, film director, producer, stuntman, singer and a philanthropist. In his movies, Chan has his unique style of acrobatic fighting style, perfect comic timing, and innovative stunts performed himself.

Young Jackie

In his childhood days, he was sent to an opera school where he underwent the training in Chinese martial arts. Jackie explains the hardships he went through while at the opera school in most of his interviews. The strict etiquettes formulated by the master imposed him so many painful memories at such vulnerable young age. As narrated, at times the master would pause them during the training session for hours making them stand on one leg. This is unimaginable for me though.

His early ventures into the film industry weren’t successful. His image as a martial artist was merely visible due to the magic Bruce Lee had created before him. If he had to get into the public audience, he had to do something new and better. And that was his perfect comic timing for which the audience massively loved him. The expression he delivers is right on the target. His first major breakthrough was the 1978 film Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow. His next major hit was Drunken Master which set him on the track of success in the action comedy genre. People knew him for his unique style and movies, which made him The Jackie Chan we all know today. He soon made his way to the Hollywood, coming into the international arena and becoming a renowned superstar all over the continents.

Action Hero

Let’s not forget the darker side of his achievement: numerous injurious and accidents while performing his own stunts. If I were him, I would have stopped doing action stunts after the very first injury or accident because I treasure my body and life and very logically everyone does the same. But Jackie’s soul probably originated from somewhere else that wouldn’t stop, even at the cost of his own life. Jackie tops the actors list for undergoing maximum injuries while shooting. And it’s a big wonder that he is scared of pricks and injections at hospital, while at the same time he isn’t bothered about the wounds and fractures. A good number of bones in his body have been broken all due to the stunts he did. He points his finger to almost all parts of his body to show the fractures he had had.

Jackie Chan is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has championed lots of charitable works and causes. He has even pledged to donate half of his assets to a charity upon his death to help those in need. He founded Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation in 1988, which offers scholarship and helps Hong Kong’s young people and provide aid to victims of natural disasters.

It was 23 years ago, when he saw an Oscar at Sylvester Stallone’s house and decided to have one for himself one day. And today, he proudly made it to Oscar.

Kudos to you Mr. Chan, for having the Hollywood’s top accolade shinning in your hands.

The Dance of Noblemen and Charming Ladies (Pholey Moley Cham)

In those childhood days, we were least bothered to ask the significance of witnessing any kind of mask dance. Now that I attended a tsechu after so many years, I share here a very entertaining story of the dance of Noblemen (Pholey) and Charming Ladies (Moley). It is meant to portray the love and jealousy that naturally exists between couples. Pholey are considered the most handsome men and moley, the most beautiful women and are adorned with so many colorful costumes.

Pholey Moley Cham at Thimphu Tsechu

 Interestingly, the story originates from my favorite epic of Chogyal Norzang. The epic is about an extraordinarily gorgeous lady, Yidthrokma who was the daughter of the Driza spirit king. She was captured by a hunter in the forest and as a sign of respect for his king, the hunter presented Yidthrokma to his King Norzang who already had 500 queens. Yidthrokma was not only beautiful physically but at heart too and so she gained the maximum love and attention from King Norzang and everyone in the palace. This made the other queens develop hatred and jealousy for her. It is not soon when the other queens along with the palace priest conspire against Yidthrokma. The priest tells King Norzang’s father Norchen that he can foresee a war coming for the kingdom and for that the enemies should be defeated before time. King Norchen commands his son Norzang to go for the war. As commanded King Norzang goes for the war leaving Yidthrokma behind. In the epic, Yidthrokma manages to escape the furious queens’ conspiracy to kill her and she returns back to her father in the absence of King Norzang. When the King arrives from the war, he directly goes in search of Yidthrokma upon knowing the situation that happened in his absence and return back only with his Yidthrokma after undergoing so many hardships. King Norzang wins his love victoriously.

But in the dance of Noblemen and charming ladies, (Pholey Moley) it is portrayed that when the king arrives from the war, he was informed that Yidthrokma had affair with other men, which makes the king jealous and cut her nose. Later on a physician helps her recover the loss of the nose. Two noblemen play the characters of King Norzang and his father Norchen and the two females are their queens. And we even witness agay and angay (Grandfather and grandmother) which conveys the message of everlasting love between couples.

The lengthy dance demonstrates the passions associated with love, attachment, infighting and jealousy and it incorporates lots of funny acts by the agay and angay along with our very own atsaras.

All for Love

February 14 has come, calling the whole world in the celebrations of the very LOVE. I am sure most of the valentines have turned romantic in an unusual way and are busy planning on candle light dinners, gifts, flowers or surprises for their lovely partners. So firstly I wish every beautiful couple a very Happy Valentines’ Day. May your love grow day by day!!

During my childhood, a day came which I cannot forget as my friends laughed horribly at my face when I curiously wished them, “Happy Valentines’ Day”. I blushed into red cheeks upon knowing that it was the day for the lovers. And since then I never wished anyone on this particular day…haha. But then I have learnt few years back that this day is not solely for lovers. Without a valentine, I too can celebrate this special day with my loved ones as it was all about love. And today, I am going to celebrate the victory of love with the review of two romantic fantasy movies I watched few weeks ago. It was my roomie Yangki who suggested me the following two movies of Hollywood because I know that she has a great taste in movies.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Isn’t it a curious feeling when we think to age in reverse order? Our life will be completely different then.  Here is a movie starring the superstar Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button who ages in reverse order. He is born as a very old man and so his father abandons him near a nursing home where he is taken care of by a lady named Queenie. He later meets Daisy (Cate Blanchet) who is his love interest.  As they advance in age, they become good friends and develop the special bonding. Benjamin ascends in his looks as he become younger every day where as Daisy travels the opposite direction as a normal person. Circumstances aren’t that favorable for them to live together but after several years of staying away from each other, they finally meet and live together.  Daisy delivers a baby girl named Caroline and then the climax… (Their situation is completely different than other ordinary couples. So the story takes an interesting turn here. Must watch if you haven’t)

The age of Adaline

How we all wish not to grow old? But once we are born, our aging process starts ultimately and no one has ever succeeded in fighting our age. Here is a movie which shows the darker side of not aging. The movie stars Blake Lively as Adaline who stops aging after she encounters a deadly car accident at the age of 29. Once dead, she is brought back to life when the lightning of very high voltage strikes and defibrillates her heart, restoring circulation immediately. From then on wards her body stops aging and she lives her 107 years with various identities and shifting from one city to another. After so many decades it happens that she fall in love in with man called Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman). Adaline knows that she cannot have a normal love life with Ellis but she can hardly confess him the truth that she confronts with her past. Ellis takes her home to meet his parents where Ellis’ dad, William (Harison Ford) recognizes her at the very first sight as Adaline. (Ellis know Adaline by her fake name Jenny) But she covers up immediately by saying that Adaline was her mother and she passed away few years ago. We are soon taken to a flashback where Adaline and William (while young like Adaline) were once deeply in love with each other but she abandoned him knowing the unreliable future she had. It is not so soon that William comes to know that Jenny is the Adaline he knew years before as he notices the scar on her hand which was stitched by him in those days while they were together. He confronts her directly and… (Climax)

I am keeping both the stories at the climax point because I really enjoyed watching it and it’s not good to spoil the fun if someone is planning to watch it…hehe. But let me say this much that both the movies have a happy ending.

The central themes on these movies were Love portrayed through various heart-melting scenes and dialogues nesting understanding and affection for the other person though they know that the situation is not going to be normal and smooth. This is love undoubtedly where risks is as minute as a dust particle in front of giant love.

Cheers to all the people who dare to love!!!