Om

There is a numbness that takes over your senses after a brief dose of the "comedies" that are coming out of Bollywood. These days I restrict myself to watching just the promos. But even that was not acceptable to Rahul Rawail and he unleased upon us the trailer of his film Buddha Mar gaya and later Victoria No. 203. No, this state of 'beyond numbness' does not come from the story line , nor the standards of acting, neither the song and dance. It was the presence of Om puri, which was the most upsetting.

Om Puri... one of the most talented actors in the world today, graduated from NSD and FTII in the 70's and started his career with some of the most memorable films produced by the film Industry, Ghasi Ram Kotwal, Bhumika, Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan. And then came Aakrosh, Sparsh, Ardh Satya, Jane bhi do yaron, Paar, Party, Holi the list is endless. Check out IMDB entry of him, by the end of 2008 he would have acted in 173 films.

The 90's was a fallow period for Om, as it was for many in an industry. He reinvented himself with the City of Joy in ‘92 and started to shift west wards. He has a number of British and American films. Apart from the many National awards he won he was also awarded the OBE(honorary) in 2004 for his services to the British film industry.

Now just consider the films that he has been lately associated with

Victoria No 203
Buddha Mar gaya
Fool and Final
Baabul
A titsy bitsy role in Don and RDB.
Kisna
Kyun ho gaya na

Why? Is it that he has become a lesser actor? Or his choice of role has changed drastically? When Naseeruddin Shah was asked why he didn't cast Om in his film, Naseer had said that the film could not Justify an actor like Om. So could it be just this that we no longer make films that can justify the presence of an actor like Om? In which scenario what is he expected to do but to appear in Victoria No. 203?

These days there is a buzz going around … new wave in cinema is on its way… just around the corner, well within our reach. So before the back slapping begins just one question Boys...Can the new Wave Justify an actor like Om?

It was difficult finding a apt recipe for this post, so I am stealing one from an on going reserach work on 'Mathurs'. The recipe is about 200 years old and has been an integral part of Holi celebrations among the Mathurs of Delhi.

Here goes...

Kaleji and Gurde Kapure:

Ingredients:

1. Kalegi/gurde kapoore - I kg

2. 3 large onions (chopped finely & fried golden brown)

3. 3 large tomato (either grinded or pureed)

4. 3 -4 large spoons of cooking oil

5. 1 1/2 large garlic bulb [paste]

6. 1 piece of ginger [ paste]

7. ½ tsp turmeric powder

8. ¾ tsp red chilli powder

9. Salt to taste

10. 2 tsp Kasturi Methi

11. 1½ tsp coriander powder

12. 7 cloves

13. 1 cinnamon stick

14. 8-10 black pepper seeds

15. 3-4 illachi large and small

Method:

Wash Kalegi well and keep it aside in a deep pan for 1/2 hour after adding salt to it.

Put oil in a Pressure cooker add fried onion, garlic and ginger paste, tomato paste/ puree, coriander powder, salt, chilli powder, kasturi methi,turmeric powder and fry well on slow fire till oil gets separated

Meanwhile wash the Kalegi again and add it to the gravy. Add crushed cloves, blackpepper and Cardamom. Cook the preparation on a slow fire till all water in it evaporates and the Kaleji has been bhunoed.

Then add little water (little means little) and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook the kaleji till it is fully done. If one opening the cooker you discover some left over water please to dry it before you eat.