Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities
Encyclopedia
Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities (or Meenaxi) is a 2004 Hindi film directed by M.F. Husain and starring Tabu
, Kunal Kapoor
and Raghuvir Yadav
. The film centers on Hyderabad novelist Nawab, (Yadav), who is suffering from writers block. After five years and no stories, Nawab comes across an unconventional muse, Meenaxi (Tabu). The three cities referred to in the title of the film are , Hyderabad, Jaisalmer
and Prague
. The film features an acclaimed score and soundtrack
by A.R.Rahman.
It is semi-autobiographical in some respects. There are allusions to Husain's own experiences with his muse, Madhuri Dixit
, with whom he made his previous film, Gaja Gamini
(2000).
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
, Kunal Kapoor
Kunal Kapoor
Kunal Kapoor is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi cinema.-Career:Kapoor began his career as an assistant director on the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Aks. He began his acting career training under theatre legend Barry John. He continued his theatre career with Motley, a theater group run by...
and Raghuvir Yadav
Raghuvir Yadav
Raghubir Yadav is a two-time International Award winner Indian stage, film and television actor, music composer, singer and set designer.-Biography:...
. The film centers on Hyderabad novelist Nawab, (Yadav), who is suffering from writers block. After five years and no stories, Nawab comes across an unconventional muse, Meenaxi (Tabu). The three cities referred to in the title of the film are , Hyderabad, Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer
Jaysalmer , nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain...
and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. The film features an acclaimed score and soundtrack
Meenaxi (soundtrack)
Meenaxi is the soundtrack to the 2004 bollywood film Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities, directed by famous artist M. F. Husain and starring starring Tabu, Kunal Kapoor and Raghuvir Yadav. A.R. Rahman is the music director of this film. Rahat Indori, M. F. Husain, and Sukhwinder Singh were the lyricists...
by A.R.Rahman.
It is semi-autobiographical in some respects. There are allusions to Husain's own experiences with his muse, Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri Dixit is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Hindi films. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses and most accomplished dancers. She appeared in numerous commercially successful films and was recognised for several of...
, with whom he made his previous film, Gaja Gamini
Gaja Gamini
Gaja Gamini is an 2000 Indian film written and directed by M.F. Husain and is his ode to womanhood and his muse of the time, Madhuri Dixit, who stars as the lead in the film....
(2000).
Synopsis
Nawab, a popular Hyderabadi novelist, is suffering from a classic case of writer's block. Five years have passed, and stories of substance seem to have dried up. Then, almost providentially, Nawab comes across a young woman named Meenaxi. She's enigmatic and individualistic - and not quite willing to perform the part of a passive muse. But that doesn't deter a rejuvenated Nawab from giving her different personae - she can be the mysterious perfume trader of Hyderabad, the exotic desert bloom of Jaisalmer, the orphaned Maria of Prague. Inexorably, she consolidates her command over the novelist. She dismisses his renewed attempts at writing as insubstantial and hackneyed, plunging him into a state of deeper despair. She is scathingly critical about his story and is amused by one of his characters, the lovelorn and awkward Kaameshwar. Finally, as Nawab strives on a new page all over again, Meenaxi comments that perhaps the book is in vain. In any case, it is much too late. The writer must survive and live, if he can, without her support, inspiration and criticism.Cast
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
- Meenaxi - Kunal KapoorKunal KapoorKunal Kapoor is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi cinema.-Career:Kapoor began his career as an assistant director on the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Aks. He began his acting career training under theatre legend Barry John. He continued his theatre career with Motley, a theater group run by...
- Kameshwar Mathur - Raghuvir YadavRaghuvir YadavRaghubir Yadav is a two-time International Award winner Indian stage, film and television actor, music composer, singer and set designer.-Biography:...
- Nawab - Nadira BabbarNadira BabbarNadira Babbar is an Indian theatre actress, director and an actress in Hindi cinema, who is the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2001. A leading name in Indian theatre, Nadira founded a Mumbai-based theatre group called Ekjute, a known name in Hindi theatre in 1981...
- Khala / Masi
Crew
- Art Direction: Sharmishta Roy
- Costume Design: Raisa Husain, Reima Husain, Ashley Rebello
- Choreography: Vaibhavi MerchantVaibhavi MerchantVaibhavi Merchant is a well-known Bollywood dance choreographer, the granddaughter of pioneering choreographer Shri B. Hiralal, her maternal grandfather. She is the younger sister of Shruti Merchant.-Career:...
, Remo, Pappu-Maalu, Ileana Citaristi - Line Producer: Chetan Motiwalla
Withdrawal of movie
The movie was withdrawn from the theatres in the same week as its launch after some Muslim Ulemas protested against it. The reason was that the song Noor-Un-Ala from the movie used Qur'an verses honoring the God as its lyrics which was used in honoring the lead actress.Awards
- 2005: Screen Awards
- Best CinematographyZee Cine Award for Best CinematographyThe Zee Cine Award Best Cinematography is a technical award.The winners are listed below:--External links:*...
: Santosh SivanSantosh SivanSantosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....
- Best Cinematography
- 2005: Zee Cine AwardsZee Cine AwardsThe Zee Cine Awards or "ZCA" for short is an awards ceremony for the Hindi film industry. It was first held in 1998 in Mumbai. Since then, it has gained substantial popularity as a notable awards ceremony to the Indian population as well as to the viewers of Zee Network.In 2004, the ZCA went...
- Best Art Direction: Sharmishta Roy
- Best Cinematography: Santosh SivanSantosh SivanSantosh Sivan is an Indian cinematographer, film director, and producer who has worked in Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, and Hindi cinema....