Movie Marathon
23 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
in Indian Movies, Movie Review Tags: Bollywood, Film Review, Irfan Khan, Kahaani, London Paris New York, Movies released in 2012, Paan Singh Tomar, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vidya Balan
After a very long time in my life, I saw 3 movies in the same week and on three consecutive days!
Paan Singh Tomar
Its not an animated film with a “toon-hero”. It is based on a real life person, but I am not sure if it can be termed a biographical picture. Paan Singh was an international athlete and a real sportsman. He joined the army, and was told (as a joke) that if he trained with the army sports team, he would get unlimited food. What started as a quest for unlimited food, became Paan Singh’s passion in life. From there, he becomes a rebel (a dacoit) who lives in the valley and executes abduction of rich villagers in that area for the furtherance of his gang. Paan Singh trained his gang in the military style. As to why he stumbles into the darkness of the valleys, is a question that is best answered by the film.
I have no words to describe Irfan Khan, except that he is what an ideal actor is. When I watched the promos for the film, I wondered how this scrawny, tall, tired looking man would fit into the roll of an athlete and thereafter an athletic dacoit. But, he was marvelous in the film. Irfan Khan melts away and all you can see is Paan Singh. My recollection of Irfan Khan is that of the unassuming father in “The Namesake”. But now, he is also Paan Singh. He manages with great ease to speak the language of the villagers residing in that area of Uttar Pradesh / Madhya Pradesh.
It would be unkind to not talk of the brilliant script, screenplay and direction in the movie. Tigmanshu Dhulia’s vision strikes one as refreshing and unique and yet so simple. The villages, the attire, the language spoken, are all set in the 1970s. In fact, there is a marked change in the setting of the movie used for Paan Singh’s early life and later.
The entire effort is laudable. A great Indian movie. A must watch.
(I do not wish to rate it, as there not enough stars.)
Kahaani
That is exactly what it is. A story. This story is set in Calcutta. Vidya Balan plays “Bidya” Bagchi. A pregnant woman in search of her missing husband. It is a thriller.
After ages, Hindi cinema has managed to produce a worthwhile thriller. The movie is actually gripping, (though you are seated comfortably in your seats) while not being a nail biting thriller. The cast is very well chosen. All the Bengali actors have done a wonderful job. Vidya Balan is of course on her way to collect some more awards next year, unless she does another movie which fares better or is more acclaimed.
The story is of an NRI woman who is on a hunt to discover her husband, intertwined with some twists, as Bidya is trying to figure out who her husband really is. By now most people have heard the suspense. So I will not kill it further.
Its a must watch and can be seen with kids with parental guidance.
Rating: *****
London Paris New York
Boy meets girl. On a flight to London. Obviously girl misses her connecting flight and decides to spend the rest of her “free” day with the stranger who is so obviously hitting on her. Predictably, boy is head over heels and girl is coy. Yet, they kiss while parting in the hope of meeting in 6 months. Do I need to mention that they won’t write or call each other in the mean time?
So far so obvious. Then several years later, they again meet in Paris where the simple girl has turned into some sort of 1950s Hollywood prototype, presumably more at ease with her sexuality than a few years ago (when she was the coy girl going to New York for the first time). No prizes for guessing. Yes, yes, they do it. She suddenly remembers how she felt let down by this superficial jerk several years ago and decides to leave him (to avenge her anger/betrayal). How this avenges her, I did not understand! Isn’t it perfect for the guy – girl sleeps with boy (and instead of him dumping her) she dumps him. Score!
Then several years later, he again finds her in New York and meets up with her on the eve of her wedding. No frenzy, no panic. The bride was reading a magazine and spends the night out with her one time lover – on the eve of her wedding. Predictably they kiss. However, unpredictably that’s all they do and end up falling asleep until morning, till the girl almost misses her wedding. It then dawns on her, she will be late for her wedding! Wow! The boy then screams at her, calling her names and tells her not to marry whoever she is going to marry. Girl slaps boy!
Guess what. Boy goes in search of her again! Blah! Happily ever after.
The reason I took the pains to sketch out this rubbish, is only so no one else wastes 1 hr 40 mins of their time.
I feel sorry for the actors, who are both definitely talented (in today’s market) but have dug their own grave with this movie.
(Do you need a rating after the above description?)
PAAR – STORY ART
06 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in India, Indian Movies, Movie Review, Movies, philosophy Tags: 1984 Award winning movie, Hindi Movie, Naeeruddin Shah, Paar, Shabana Azmi
This is a Hindi movie set in then contemporary India – the year I was born.
The most common perception is that this movie is about the struggles in Bihar of labourers i.e. farm labourers. The labourers peacefully demanded higher wages. The landlord (played by Utpal Dutt) had political aspirations that failed, thanks to a candidate of the lower caste who won the election. There is a benevolent school teacher who helps the labourers think and educates them about the minimum wages fixed by the government. Of course, the landlord would not even pay the labourers the minimum wages due.
The labourers in keeping with the school teachers’ instructions are not violent and make quiet demands, go on strike etc. Losing the election is the last straw on the camel’s back for the land lord. His son decides to get rid of school teacher and kills him in a road accident.
Our protagonist (Nseeruddin Shah) is enraged by the death of his mentor and chooses to kill the landlord’s son. After this all hell breaks loose. The landlord is set to kill all youngsters in the village who may have caused the death of his son. People are murdered within the village temple. Its a gory bloodbath.
Politicians and the government offer some support at the time. Om Puri, plays the village mukhiya (head of the village) and narrates most of the story leading to the blood bath.
So Narangiya and his wife escape from this mayhem and reach the house of the benevolent school teacher’s wife. She gives them some money and an address of a friend to whom they are referred. The friend sends them to Calcutta to work in a jute mill factory.
The rest of the movie revolves around Narangiya and his wife’s struggle to cope with the huge monstrous city that Calcutta is. There is no job in the jute mill and many labourers are out of jobs. Finally they get a job worth Rs. 20 (which was a lot of money in those days) after commission. They need to get some pigs about 3 dozens across the river. The entire struggle of getting the pigs across is the essence of Paar. Paar literally means crossing or across in Hindi.
Throughout the movie, the wife is pregnant and thinks this time she will lose her child. But the movie ends on a happy note. They get Rs. 20 and some tips. The baby is alive. Everyone is happy.
Paar – also has a philosophical meaning. “Nadiya paar” literally means deliverance by God. A literal depiction of symbolism. All actors are brilliant.The cinematography is bleak to match with the reality of the persons the story revolves around. Many of the scenes are shot in darkness and in silhouettes. Even Calcutta is shown as seen from the perception of Mrs. and Mr. Narangiya.
On the whole a worthwhile experience. It was 2 hours well spent.
Leaving Home – A Music Workshop
12 Apr 2010 3 Comments
in Movie Review, Movies, Music, Uncategorized Tags: Documentary, Indian Ocean, Indian Rock Band, Leaving Home, Maa Rewa, Movie Review
This is a documentary on the struggle and creation of the Indian rock band – Indian Ocean. It was a 15 year long struggle. A band of nobodies, a band of somebodies. Creators.
The movie is a biographical depiction of 4 lives. The narration is simple and non-dramatic. The filmmaker clearly adores Indian Ocean and does not believe in slowly introducing the subject. It is a movie about music; it is a movie about music makers – four guys , namely, Ashmeek, Rahul, Amit and Sushmit. These guys are your regular next door boys whose passion for music and creation of music glued them together. Each of them has some or the other unique talent which helps the group moving forward.
While watching the movie, the audience is not beaten to death with the fact that Indian Ocean was rejected and turned down by most music recording companies. It was subtly reinforced at different junctures in the movie. Of course, there was a struggle trudging uphill for these boys. But that is not the main theme of the movie.
The movie is brilliantly divided into 4 parts. Each part depicts the contribution of one guy and his individual struggle. As the story progresses one sees how destiny brings the 4 of them together. The last one to join the band, the drummer, Amit, is actually a guitar player. He is most versatile. He plays the flute, he plays the keyboard and helps in the recording of their songs.
Of course, Ashmeek is immediately my favourite, a tabla player who is also the group’s vocalist. Sushmit with his pointed determination towards creation of music comes across as the one who has brought this group together. And finally the most lovable Rahul. He has been the composer and singer of one my favourite numbers – Maa Rewa. Maa Rewa is song that simple villagers sing in the honour of the river Narmada.
This group has uniquely managed to convert simple folk songs, Kabir’s couplets and such other poetry into vibrant, moving music. The music is their heart, the music is their mind and the music runs through their veins. Their respective families accept that they could not have supported them in the beginning.
The movie is mostly shot in their workshop – that’s right. The place where they create music. They sit together and just play, listen to each other, play more and stop when they feel they have found the right tune/rift. Then they improvise on that rift. No song is passed until all four of them have given their assent. Democracy in music. The fact that they have been able to create only 30 songs over the last 19 years (approved by all of them) is evidence of the tediousness with which they work on their music. It also tells you the level of frustration they may face when not being able to hit perfection.
While we are transported into the world of music, it is impossible not to be drawn by the synergy that one can see on screen. It is only hard to imagine, that if on screen we can see so much synergy, what the level of oneness would be in reality. At the same time, there is honesty in their music and their creation. The audience is exposed to constructive criticism by one group member of another.
Unfortunately, they lost their voice last December.
On the whole, the movie leaves you jealous and aspiring and hoping to achieve the bliss that these individuals have achieved. If you love Indian Ocean, you must watch it.
Alice in Wonderland
29 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in Movie Review, Movies Tags: Alice, Alice in Wonderland, Johnny Depp, Lewis Carrol, Mad Hatter
For those who loved little Alice, the grown up Alice would seem like she lacks character, energy and like she is awfully pale. The movie is of course very well made. Johnny Depp is brilliant as the Mad Hatter. Anne Hathway is funny as the white queen, though personally I though the red queen was more fun.
It was refreshing to watch a movie with caterpillars and vanishing cats after a long day at work. Definitely the plot is entertaining, though predictable. The effects were also very good. My personal favorite is the Cheshire Cat.
The movie was replete with symbolism. I liked particularly the depiction of the red queen as the mindless bureaucracy of today. Her policies were mind numbing and demanded the impossible. Also, the survivors today are those who metamorphose themselves to become unified with the government’s notion of “what is good”.
I particular liked the satire brought out through the red queen’s mannerisms. How she uses the flamingo and the mole for her entertainment. The rest of the plot like I said was totally predictable. But definitely a good sunday afternoon watch.
If you wish to take your kids, I think you should but only after first making them read the original Lewis Carrol version.
Paa… A Story
19 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
in Movie Review Tags: Hindi Movie, Paa, R. Balki
At an age when melodrama has replaced the drama in cinema, where cliches are the norm, R. Balki has made a movie that is truly unforgettable. Its not really a movie as it is a tale being told. A tale about a boy who through a genetic disorder which makes his body age a lot faster than his real age. At 13 years, the boy had aged to 80 years and his organs were failing him one by one.
A story about a boy discovering his father. The boy – Auro – finding out that the Member of Parliament who he had become friendly with, was his father, while spending time with him, has the courage to not tell him the truth. A mother who fights all odds to raise her child outside of marriage. A grandmother, a pillar of strength who accepts her daughters pregnancy out of wedlock and makes it her life’s mission to make life easy for her daughter.
In all this, is the man who is a young politician, who immediately admits his mistakes and wants to make amends.
The tale is refreshingly told in that Auro’s classmates seem to accept him completely and love him for who he is. Their childishness has limitations but in their own way they make Auro their friend and make him feel as though he is one among them.
Balki has shown you that a perfect world is not only possible, it is also real. This world is beautiful and so are the people in this world.
Though the movie is tragic, we came back with smiles on our faces. The tragedy was inevitable, but Auro’s world – lovely.
