Filmy-India

Reader - when words fail to say it all......

2009-04-10T03:31:00.000-07:00

There are films you love and films you loathe! And there are some which leave an indelible mark in your memory. You are left shaken by the immense power of an idea. My recent watch Reader is one such film. No wonder Kate Winslet won an Oscar for her role of a Nazi prison guard in the film. Based on a German novel of the same name, the film is a journey of love. A teenage boy falls in love with a women twice his age. He is too naive to understand the implications of this emotion and is unaware of the impact it will have on his life forever. We are suddenly made to feel that love is purely an abstract emotion. A force which has the power to completely change the way we live or act. There are these physical strings which pulls two people together. But, how do we let go of the invisible (read emotional) currents, which have the potential to make / break you? Micheal Berg's feelings for Hanna breaks him. He is unable to have a stable relationship with any one else. And Hanna's ultimate act of suicide, only adds to the emotional blizzard that Michael experiences. Kudos to the Director for making me a part of the lead character's turmoil. I almost experienced the tragedy first hand!

Emotional Atyachar worth taking!

2009-04-10T03:09:00.000-07:00

Let me talk about Anurag Kashyap's Dev.D which i watched recently. It was a pleasant surprise to watch a realistic film, inspired and adapted from a pretty nihilistic story. The tale of lost love and the protagonist's fall from normalcy to becoming an alchoholic and his untimely demise is given a new twist. Here Dev Das ( played convincingly by Abhay Deol) is a man who makes his own choices. It is he who decides to let go of Paro. External forces are downplayed. I think today when the urban youth has all the freedom to take his / her decision, it is but natural to let go of the society-is-the-biggest-villain kind of a mindset. The lead actresses were a refreshing break and played their parts amazingly well. A must watch for all. I guess we are all amazzed at Kashyap's versatality. Who can expect that a man who does a Black Friday for his first full length feature film, will throw all caution to the wind and come up with a Dev.D! Kashyap your "emotional atyachar" is worth taking!

Jodha- Akbar Love in a different era!

2008-02-13T20:30:00.000-08:00

Jodha-Akbar, the love story of the greatest Mughal emperor and the Rajput princess is lined up for release. Ashutosh Gowarikar is back and so is Aishwarya Rai after her brief sabbatical, courtesy marriage to one of the most in-demand bachelors in India. The film has several pluses, one the very beautiful cast(both Aishwarya and Hrithik are the 2 most good looking people in Bollywood). Then there is the music by the King of Background score AR Rahman. This is a period film and hence the audience will judge this historic love story based on the authenticity shown in every department of film-making. The matrimonial alliance of the Mughal kings was one of the tools of the used to tame the unruly Rajputs and bond with them. This was a political measure and had no romantic implications whatsoever. It will be interesting to see , how the director convinces the audience that a marriage of convenience can actually lead to love and romance in a century where battles and wars did most of the talking.

2008-02-02T00:54:00.000-08:00

Have you seen The Break up?
It has Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn in the lead. It is such a treat to watch a couple bickering about the real issues in life. The difference in perspective of a man and a woman and how this difference can lead to miscommunication and to the ultimate outcome which is the collective nightmare of a man and a woman in love-the break up!

2008-01-07T00:08:00.000-08:00

The new year 2008 has begun. Bollywood is playing it safe by concentrating on comedies. To start with there is Welcome which is an attempt at slap stick comedy. What's your take on Welcome ?

Guru- Impossible or I M Possible?

2007-12-29T00:25:00.000-08:00

The purpose of cinema is also to inspire. Guru realizes this purpose. Mani Ratnam’s directorial venture with Abishek Bachhan and Aishwarya Rai Bachhan in the lead tells the saga of a school drop out who dreams and dares to achieve. The Ambani similarity only leads to increased viewer ship. For Abishek Bachhan this could simply be the role of a lifetime. Aishwarya moves beyond her wooden self and attempts to act. She succeeds in parts, especially as the older wife of the successful industrialist whose grit and determination at the time of his crisis, puts him back on the winning track. Rahman’s music is at its soulful best.

Jab we met-A fresh breeze of love

2007-12-29T00:03:00.000-08:00

The usual girl-meets-boy story is given a new twist by making the boy suicidal and the girl, a blabbering angel. JWM connects with the audience because it has a little bit of you and me in every situation it entails.The humour is contemporary and urbane. Kareena does complete justice to the role of an almost naive, bubbly,optimistic Sikhini. Shaheed is at his career best as the brooding,depressed Industrialist who nurtures a grudge against his family.The turn around of these two protagonists is handled in a very mature fashion.
The film stands out for its refreshing take on the age-old story of love and romance between two very unusual people,forced to come together during a train journey.

Black Friday- the day that shook Mumbai

2007-12-28T22:40:00.000-08:00

Anurag Kashyap’s Black Friday was an attempt at remembering the brutal Mumbai blasts and the mass massacre which shook the entire nation and for the first time made the term Underworld or Dawood Ibrahim a part of our daily lingo. This film based on the book written by S.Hussain Zaidi makes you sit up and take notice of this powerful portrayal of the tragic truth. The 1993 blasts, the conspiracy, the reason behind the conspiracy and the journey of the conspirators are all dealt at length in this film. The cat and the mouse chase of the police and the underworld are so human that you can almost feel the angst of the characters. The actors in the film (and that includes the entire crew) be it Tiger Memon(Pawan Malhotra), Badshah(Aditya Shrivastava)or the ACP(KayKay) do not act. But, become the part. The D- day when Mumbai was caught unawares is the single most powerful scene in the movie. You are suddenly reminded of the Hiroshima- Nagasaki blasts(that shook Japan during the Second World War) and a mixture of emotions surfaces in your mind, all capable of shaking your very being. This is a film which leaves you feeling empty and disturbed. And that is why it scores.

Chak De –India can win too!

2007-12-28T02:20:00.000-08:00

"Chak De" is a tale of women hockey players in India who go through the trials and tribulations of the game, with a helping hand from their coach (played by Sharukh Khan ) to find victory at the end. The film is special for two reasons-one, it deals with the theme of hockey, that too women's hockey for the first time in Indian cinema and two, (this is commercially most important) for the presence of SRK. And essentially in that order. The hockey players who in this case are an interesting concoction of professional actors and trained hockey players perform with consummate ease. The strong regional sentiments and the ultimate lesson of playing for the nation is a lesson for the Sports Selection Committees in India. The lack of support for the national sport from people in power , the state and the major business giants is the sad truth depicted in the film. I think this film marks the end of unrealistic cinema with its departure from showing victory, any how. The scene where the girls lose despite their fight till the end with the men's team for an entry into the World Cup is a definite example. SRK as the coach Kabir Khan is believable in bits and halves. The indomitable aura of the superstar is visible in a few scenes, where simply acting could have been enough.
All in all, a film made with good intention. At least for now we will certainly see beyond the Tendulkars and Dravids.

Taare Zameen Par-childhood lessons

2007-12-28T01:49:00.000-08:00

If you are wondering whether you are going to watch this movie or not.Take my word, go and watch it. This is the best your country has reached in terms of movie making. The story of a Dyslexic child told with such sensitivity is reason enough to spend your money and time for this Amir Khan's baby. TZP is not a children's film. It is the story of your childhood and mine. There are several parts in this movie ,where you recognize yourself all too well. You realize that the so- called mistakes of your child hood could well be mistakes or even strokes of genius.You come out of the theatre, a much informed individual. What more, you also feel a certain sense of freedom,as this film liberates you and helps you believe that dreams are to be nourished to give shape to something beautiful.For those parents who want their children to compete in this ruthless, competitive world TZP tells you that the Einstein's and the Vinci's or even the Abishek Bacchan's were not brilliant or in some cases even above average in their childhood.
TZP is my pick of the week. Watch it if you want to connect with yourself once more,without the worldly interference.

Bheja Fry -laugh along, laugh aloud

2007-12-28T01:38:00.000-08:00

Rajat Kapoor and Vinay Pathak with their superb timing make this film a one-and-a -half hour(shorter in duration compared to standard Hindi films) laughter club experience where you are left with aching jaws. The story of a self-assured yet insecure husband who brings in an idiot every week-end to entertain his friends finds himself on the other side of the gun, as the idiot turns out to be a naïve and messy income tax official with a passion for singing. What follows next is a funny sequence of events which somehow puts the arrogant man at the mercy of this very idiot,who becomes his only hope to bring his wife back. All of this happen in a single room and in the course of a night. The other characters only add fuel to the fire. Bheja Fry is the best Bollywood reached this year in terms of situational comedy.

Johnny Gaddar- A story of a gang outwitted by its smartest member

2007-12-28T01:30:00.000-08:00

This film directed by the relatively unknown Director Sriram Raghavan was a delight to watch. The story of five smugglers caught in a chase to earn a substantial sum of money is dealt in a style that is fast paced and intelligent. The lead character of Vicky (aka Johnny Gaddar)is brought to life by the superb histrionic skills of Neil Nitin Mukesh. The other members of the gang- the aging ,in-love with his wife Dharmendra ,the hen –pecked ,gambling-addict husband played by the brilliant Vinay Pathak only serve as icing to the cake. My pick of the lot would undoubtedly be the wily, over confident Shardul who is unable to see the flowering romance between his wife (Rimi Sen) and the smart and handsome Vicky. Zakir Hussain if you have trouble remembering was impressive in “Ab tak Chappan”and in a bit role in “Sarkar”. The fans of Quentin Tarantino can rejoice. Now, you have a home-grown Raghavan. The Hindi film industry is evolving with its style of story –telling and well –etched –out characters and Johnny Gaddar is a positive start.

Namesake-the woes of having an unique name

2007-12-28T01:26:00.000-08:00

This is not commercial Hindi cinema and there is no effort to sell. Namesake is an attempt at doing justice to the novel penned by Jhumpa Lahiri for the expatriates who still want to come back to the country they left behind long ago. The emotions of a man whose miraculous escape from death makes him name his son Gogol. And the son’s anger and weariness at having being named so forms the crux of the film. The wife and the mother of the two is the only bridging gap between these two people(from two different generations) who are unable to communicate and connect despite sharing the same space. If you have not watched it, the reason to do so is undoubtedly the compelling acting prowess of the lead actors. Irfan Khan as Mr. Ganguly , Taboo as Mrs. Ashima Ganguly and Kal Penn as Gogol make the job easier for Mira Nair(director) and leave an indelible mark in the minds of the cine- goer.

Life in a metro – A look at life in Mumbai

2007-12-28T00:36:00.000-08:00

The reason why I loved this film was simply because the characters become more important than the stories told. This speaks volumes about the acting skills of the different characters played by a talented ensemble cast. Monty(Irfan Khan), the middle aged unmarried man looking for a prospect to marry meets the 30 year-old virgin and their journey together through tears and laughter makes you love them, and their take on life. Dharmendra and Nafisa Ali’s story was a much-awaited change in terms of love being only for the youth. Sharman Joshi was brilliant in parts, whereas Kangana proved again that she is an actress to look forward to in the coming years. Pritam’s music literally becomes a part of the movie ,and unobtrusively carries the story forward. Anurag Basu is certainly one of my favorite directors this year, and his clever choice of actors to tell this story of Mumbaikars succeeds without question.