The Great Shakespearean Quest.

I cannot wait to get started on The Great Shakespearean Quest, that I have so bravely undertaken. If any of you, read Julia Quinn, and have read Dancing At Midnight, you know what I am talking about. I just have a few other novels to finish before I start on with this, a few of Aunt Jane's also. I am excited about Mansfield Park, but not so much about Sense and Sensibility, owing to a dear friend. She couldn't stand the novel and has tried her very best to dissuade me, and believe me when I say she can be very persuasive. But I, of strong mettle did not yield.
So, about the Quest, well I've always wanted to read Shakespeare but haven't really gotten around to it. In school we read only two complete and unabridged plays. Julius Caesar and Richard II. Loved the former, of course who doesn't? And about the later well, It was a text forced on us, The class wanted to read Shaw's Pygmalion but the staff did not agree. So we took on the task grudgingly, but although I thought Richard II was a complete boor I enjoyed reading the play.
I remember how well I had grown to know the play JC, I could recite the text as well as I can the lyrics of Strange and Beautiful. I knew exactly how many "But, Brutus is an honourable man" were there in Antony's speech. My favourites were Antony and Cassius. I loved Cassius because no matter how sly, no matter how shallow, no matter how self centered, he never once pretended to be anything but himself. Especially to himself. And, Antony of course because he was the quintessential friend. He loved Caesar for whatever he may be, and took it on himself to revenge the blood of his friend. But Brutus, he simply lived under a misconception. He thought himself to be a good friend, a noble person, a but in truth he failed to be all. I found him to be of weak mettle, easily swayed and dishonest with himself. And that is putting it mildly. I think everybody was a little heart broke when Caesar said "Et tu, Brute then fall Caesar" and gave up trying to fight for life.
Anyway, the point was that I loved reading Shakespeare, and want to resume the habit. So following the path of Arabella Blydon, the protagonist of the JQ novel I spoke about, I decided to undertake the Quest.

Apparently, Caesar was struck 23 bloody times, but it was only when Brutus stuck him that he died. That swine, sorry but I detest Brutus.

The, too famous, balcony scene is Romeo and Juliet. Romeo must be in to gymming and weights and stuff man.

The Mercy Speech in the Merchant of Venice. I love Portia! I think she invented noteworthy arguments!

Anyone who knows me, will easily guess that I chose "Romeo and Juliet" to be the first play to read, but the version I prefer, is currently not available. So I settled for the "Merchant of Venice". I had read the abridged version in school, and loved the famous Mercy speech. But now the compulsive me remains unsatisfied. There are too many plays to be read and I possibly can't chose the order according to my whims and fancies. It's too messy. I need an order, so either I could go alphabetically or chronologically or by genre. Do you have an idea I could use?
Also, I found this. And I shall be, hopefully, studying in London then, so I will not miss it for the world!!
Eloisa James, one of my favourite historical authors is also a Shakespeare Prof. and she adviced me to see as many movies I can see, in her words, "Shakespeare was meant to be seen, not read" True, that.
I have never seen theatre, and so I am pretty excited about the whole thing. Talent behind a camera is one thing, talent without a retake is quite another. I can hardly wait to get started!
And, you have to see this.

Although I have my doubts if pink would be Shakespeare's preferred colour.

Aisha

I have been super excited about the movie "Aisha" ever since I got to know that it is to be an adaptation of Aunt Jane's Emma, and that none other than the charismatic and the very very sexy Abhay Deol was to play Mr Knightley. And, contrary to most reviews and opinions, I wasn't disappointed. When I go for a movie, I am not looking for anything but entertainment. Weather that be from serious questioning cinema, a mindless comedy, chick flick, a rom-com, I have no qualms. Though I do love the classic Bollywood formula of singing and dancing with a heavy dose of melodrama the most, I am happy to take whatever I get as long as I get thoroughly entertained!

Aisha, was in and out a chick flick, but unlike most movies of this genre, this one did not sideline the men (read : ample Deol footing, so happiness) However, they could not do this, seeing as it was after all about match making or shall I say mismatching. Sonam Kapoor, is Aisha, who does not believe in not meddling. Living in elite South Delhi, is the much loved daughter of a widowed father, and the woman of the house as her elder sister is married off. She believes that she has a penchant for matchmaking, as one effort resulted in wedding bells. She also believes , with good intent, that everybody's business is her business. Arjun (Deol) begs to differ. He is brother-in-law to Aisha's sister, as well as being a favourite with her father. A suave, designer dressing, New York return investment banker. He see's Aisha as someone with a lot of potential who wastes it on her meddlesome quests. He never fails to point this out and reprimand her whenever needed and often when not needed. And then there is the gang (for a lack of a better word). Her quirky, sarcastic, very hot best friend Pinky Bose (Ira Dubey) She lives to throw caution at the winds, and insults at people's face. Never bitten, Never shy. She knows what she is and most importantly what she's not. And loyal to the core. The Harriett here is Shefali Thakkur (Amrita Puri) who comes from the back and beyond and begins to idolise Aisha. She is Aisha's project of the month, and Aisha's word is law for her. Then there are some other men who prance around , moving the plot but not this blog post. Matters not, because there is not much originality in the script, save for Ira Dubey who I did not find in the book. So obviously, a good original script is not what stuck with me, and neither is the movie a good adaptation, a good movie but not a good adaptation. It's almost a scene to scene copy, so anyone who has read the book or seen Clueless will know without a doubt what is to come.

But Aisha scores in almost every other dimension. The OST is a hit, though the choreography is a miss. I dare you to survive, gal mithi mithi bol, without bursting into peals of hysterical laughter. Good, fun song though. The dialogues are very much in line with the whole chick flick, uber elite Delhi, witty, sarcastic, humorous theme.

The character sketches, the director draws are definitely a big strength for the movie! Aisha, as in Emma, is a constant surprise. You love her, dislike her, admire her, and wish to reprimand her. But she does not leave you feeling sour, Cause she's what we all are. Human and very real. But one question, you cannot help asking is that, wy isn't se interested in boys herself? The sketching of all the characters, has been done brilliantly down to the last minute detail. You feel like, you know them. You can relate with them, you want to chill with them! Arjun, like his inspiration, Mr Knightley is a very sorted, very fearless person, but I found this inspiration of Knightley to be more realistic. You can see his reasons for criticizing Aisha, He is hard on her, but but it upsets him that both of them are upset with each other. But in the book, sometimes I found Mr Knightley doing exactly with Emma, what she did with Harriett. Just the style was different.

The clothes and accessories, oh please don't get me started!! Love, love, love. Maybe lust too.

What with my new love for all things yellow (excluding nail paint, that will never happen) I adored the strapless dress. And it did wonders for Sonam. She is anyway a very classy, stylish person to begin with, so she had just the right attitude and panache needed. Also loved the white and red hearts dress, with the heart shaped cut at the back! Moschino, I would think. The makeup, not on the face, actual tangible bottles, looked delicious. I need to devour L'Oreal soon.

A word for Ira Dubey, though I am not fond of such over the top dressing usually, she did wonders for the pieces! I absolutely loved her!

And now for the cast, Sonam for once satisfied me! She did a good job, we always knew she looked good, now we know that she can act! Abhay Deol, needless to say was fabulous. I cannot imagine another Arjun, but then I am a devoted fan. Oh, you can tell?Also, the chemistry between Abhay and Sonam was amazing! Being the eternal ( you might prefer the word hopeless) romantic that I am, I hope these too get together in real life!

But Amrita Puri, was the one who exceeded all expectations and stole the show! She was fabulous, very natural effortless acting. Very graceful. And I found her to be quite pretty too!

So all in all, I came out satisfied wanting too see more of the debutant director, Rajshree Ojha's work. Good times, so, good movie.

Oh, and I loved the last scene!

Of Fitzwilliam's, Bennet's and Mushy Quotations.

" I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation.It is too long ago.I was in the middle before I knew I had begun."

"You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you"

This quote gives me goosebumps, makes my knees weak. There have been much more elaborate declarations of love, in history, in literature and even in popular culture, but there is something about this quote. How in one sentence it captures more, expresses more. I do not know what I wish for more, that I could write like that, or I could be blessed enough to have it told to me.