Starring Tabu, Hema, Milind Somand.



Bhagmati (2005)
Directed by
Ashok Kaul

Writing credits
Ashok Kaul



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Genre: Animation / Drama

Plot Outline: A contemporary young woman who visits some historical place realizes that she and her boyfriend were Bhagmati and Qutb Shah in their previous life.

User Rating: awaiting 5 votes.

Credited cast:
Tabu .... Bhagmati
Milind Soman .... Prince Quli Qutb Shah
Somayajulu J.V.
Hema Malini .... Special Appearance (Dance)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Somayajulu
(more)

Runtime: 160 min
Country: India
Language: Hindi / Urdu
Color: Color

Trivia: Bollywood's first movie with more than half its screen runtime being animated. (more)


BHAGMATI





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Hema Malini shakes a leg in Bhagmati

By IndiaFM News Bureau, July 15th 2005 - 1700 hrs IST


Get over item numbers, opening numbers and various other bhel puri of songs you've seen on the big screen so far. Zee Telefilms Bhagmati - Queen of fortunes, India's largest animated film dishes out a unique song featuring Hema Malini with the animated characters.

Bhagmati is based on the immortal love story of Hyderabad prince Muhammad Shah and beautiful dancer Bhagmati. Tabu and Milind Soman play the lead roles, while Mahima Chaudhary lends her voice to the animated version of the character Bhagmati.

Bhaggmati - Fusion of animation and reality
By PTI
Aug 24, 2005, 03:04

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Ever thought of Lion king and Amitabh Bachchan coming together in one film?

Come 26 August, and a new dimension would be added to Indian Cinema with the release of Bhaggmati, the queen of fortunes, the first Indian film which would see real life characters interacting with their animated colleagues.

Based on the love story of Prince Qutab Quli Shah of Golconda and local lass Bhaggmati, the film has "real characters talk, sing and dance with animated characters", says Ashish Kaul, the marketing and distribution head of the film being made by Zee Network.

The film being directed by Major Ashok Kaul casts Milind Soman, Tabu, Hema Malini besides a host of animated characters. Tabu plays the role of a student of Archaeology who visits Golconda fort to undertake research on the lives of Qutab Quli Shah and Bhaggmati. In course of her stay there she meets Milind Soman, who is a descendent of the Qutab Shahi dynasty.

"As she goes through her research, her interpretation of the findings about the lives of these characters find their expression through animation," says Kaul.

Made with a budget of Rs 5 crore, Bhaggmati also has song and dances picturised on animated characters. Vishal Bharadwaj of Maachis fame has composed the music.

"The film has been made entirely with the help of Indian technology and expertise. The fact that 110 people worked tirelessly for over three years without any international technology is the USP of Bhaggmati," he says.

Zee Institute of Creative Arts (ZICA), the animation wing of Zee which has prepared the animations claims that the quality of animation is as good as Walt Disney and Steven Speilberg productions. "ZICA has created the animations at a cost much lesser than Hollywood," says Kaul. An entirely animated Shiv Tandava is a major attraction.

Kaul also says that the premier objective of making Bhaggmati is to showcase Indian animation to the world. "We are planning to release this film in different languages all over the world. The international release of the Hindi version is slated two weeks after the nation wide release this friday."


"We are also hoping to attract more business from all over the world with the making of this film," he says.

Though ZICA has already worked for European animation channels such as Mondo and Mallard, this film is expected to attract the attention of many other animation companies world over.

While the commercial success of Bhaggmati cannot be ascertained, it is sure that the release of this film would pave the way for many similar experiments in Indian cinema in the days to come.


© Copyright 2005 by MusicIndiaOnLine.com

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Bhaggmati: Good concept wasted

Merril Diniz | August 26, 2005 17:08 IST


I had expectations of Bhaggmati: The Queen Of Fortunes.

A marriage of live action and animation sounded exciting, path-breaking. Besides, the film featured an award-winning, Tabu and our very own Indian Greek God, Milind Soman (Both incidentally share a birthday, November 4).

Tabu, an archaeology student, is fascinated by a love story of yore -- the tale of Bhaggmati and Prince Qutab Quli Shah of Golconda, who fell hopelessly in love (fairytale style) and married despite the odds.




Tabu begins her quest -- research on the story of Bhaggmati under the mentorship of an eccentric professor. Her urges her to restrategise her bookish approach, and rather listen, to really experience a slice of history.

She visits the remains of a fort, once occupied by Bhaggmati and her Prince, in the hope of 'listening' to the past. Meanwhile, the professor plays cupid and introduces her to fellow-student Aseem (Soman), a descendent of the Qutab Shahi dynasty.

Aseem pursues her romantically, while she starts 'experiencing' the life and times of Bhaggmati. Cut to the animation and the fate of Bhaggmati and her prince. And so on and so forth.

Now, the lowdown on the actual execution.

We got a spot of world-class animation at the start of the film, and waited in gleeful anticipation for more world-class animation. Alas, that was not to be. And it was nothing less than an act of will to sit through two hours and 40 minutes of corny dialogue, tacky direction and… surprise, surprise, some god-awful, bottom-of-the-rung, low-quality animation.

Many staged a walkout half way through the film and every time the prince affectionately addressed his bride as 'Bhaag', all we wanted to do was just that -- flee!

Bhaggmati's animated character could give Barbie and Pamela Anderson a run for their money. With a bust size that must exceed 40, she oozes sex appeal from every pore, while her beau, resembles a beefcake and sports a deadpan expression, throughout the film. Can those illustrators!

Their first meeting is electric. She's hopping along merrily in the forest, while he is heading back to the palace on horseback. They meet, their pupils dilate, her bosom heaves, there's instant chemistry. Love happens! We get to hear more psychobabble by the lovers, with lines like 'Agar tum meri roshini ho, toh mein aapka suraj.' Suicide!

A word of caution for parents: As the prince romances his princess, her towel slides off, she slips into her bubble bath, to reveal her ample bosom. A parent who until that moment was enjoying a 'family outing' with his little son, bolted for the door, while the little chappie kept twisting head with indignation, to hopefully catch a glimpse of bobbing breasts.

The animation did offer us some respite though; the characters delivered a better performance than their real life counterparts, though it would be unfair to completely blame the latter, as no amount of acting prowess can salvage a terrible script.

The chemistry between Milind Soman and Tabu is zilch. He appears to be thinking of someone else, while stroking her cheek and she looks like she's afraid he's going to bite, during the love screens. Besides, they do not even remotely resemble college students.

But we are soon in for a treat -- a recital by timeless dance diva, Hema Malini. She looked simply ravishing in a deep red costume. Her expressions are so alive and hand movements so graceful, as compared to Tabu's fighter like, stilted moves (besides studies, she dances too).

The worst performance award must go to director Ashol Kaul who plays the professor. Every time he appears onscreen, the audience would burst into a volley of giggles and sometimes, hoots of laughter. He tries to lend profundity to his character as well as a vintage touch, by smoking a pipe, donning a hat, playing the artist and delivering cryptic lines which connect the past and the future, the present and the past and such balderdash.

And there are many songs -- all very harsh on the ears and tedious on the eye.

The final verdict, Bhaggmati is a good concept gone awry, so save yourself the trouble.


rediff

Could not help notice - but thats a pretty curvy looking lady !

Yup courtesy of SUPRESSED HINDI ANIMATION!