Naxalism for Dummies

Prakash Jha returns with yet another political thriller, but this time, the product lacks steam. Chakravyuh, based on the naxalite activities in central India is a dilute potion which offers no deep perspective from any vantage point on an issue of large concern in today’s scenario.

The exterior composition of the plot loosely resembles James Cameron’s Avatar, save for the high end 3D graphics and the blue creatures, and ends in a tragedy. Adil Khan (Arjun Rampal) is a police officer who is posted in Nandighat in order to put an end to the armed rebellion that is preventing the Government’s steel project led by a huge business corporation. Nandighat is the proverbial Pandora in Jha’s film and the naxals are the Na’vis. In order to gain access to their plans, Adil plants his close friend, Kabir (Abhay Deol), among the naxals. However, as one can guess, once Kabir gets into the “chakravyuh”, he sees the other side of story – the injustice, oppression and exploitation that the tribals have gone through. He has a change of heart and joins the movement extensively. This is conclusive proof to state that the plot structure has Avatar written all over it.

The film explores the themes of political lobbying, corporate bullying, henpecked police force, oppression of the weak and the poor, naxalism, Salva Judum’s terror, armed rebellion and a lot more. But in an attempt to incorporate all of this, the script fails to significantly establish any of the above. What we get to see is a fleeting glimpse of all of this and are expected to take one-off incidents as the general truth.

The screenplay is unimaginative and in-your-face. After a point, one gets fed up of the deliberate spoon feeding of ideologies and moral side-taking. At several points, one feels as if the scenes are loosely tied together and have abrupt ends. After Gangaajal, Apaharan and Rajneeti, we are used to a certain style of cinema from Prakash Jha where he delves into an issue of socio-political significance and brings the drama on screen radically simplifying it for the masses. Chakravyuh, however, is a step too far in dumbing down a particular issue. The only people who would find this film intriguing are those who have never read a newspaper in the past few years and those who have absolutely no idea about Naxalism and Naxalite activities in the country.

In terms of the artistes’ performances, the film is a mélange of good actors being cast in insignificant roles and bad actors trying hard to make you hate them even more. Abhay Deol and forests don’t go really well together, however, he does quite a convincing job. Om Puri, like Naseeruddin Shah in Rajneeti, appears for a couple of scenes at the start and you begin to fear that was it for him; but he returns in the final third for a couple of important sequences. Arjun Rampal’s Adil Khan keeps you guessing what the prevalent emotion is; for, his face is perpetually angry, or constipated. Esha Gupta (Adil’s wife) cannot act if her life depended on it and her tight little flattering Police uniform resembles that of a stripper more than a real cop. Anjali Patil – who plays Juhi is the only positive talking point of the film. In her role as the secondary chief of the movement, she shows great potential as an actor in an otherwise two dimensional role.

Chakravyuh has all the elements of a Prakash Jha film, except intrigue. An unnecessary item number with Sameera Reddy, a tribal dance number with imprecise costumes and poorly crafted action sequences – this film is a letdown of sorts. With archetypal characters representing various institutions, Chakravyuh is merely a Guide for Dummies. Watch it if you don’t mind an inaccurate beginners’ lesson in Naxalism.

Rating: 1 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 27, 2012

5 Films: Bad Boys of Bollywood

Mogambo, Mr. India (1987)

The megalomaniac from Shekhar Kapoor's classic is perhaps the most feared and most loved bad man among cinema lovers in the country. With his grand plans to destroy the country, his private army and eerie den; Mogambo causes ripples not only among kids but among adults too. 'Mogambo khush hua' is not only a catch phrase in the movie, but has cultural connotations in contemporary India as well. Amrish Puri in one of his career-defining roles as the super-villain, assimilates the quirkiness and evil like he was never meant to do anything else. And like every bad-ass super-villain, you are relieved at the sight of his death.

Langda Tyagi, Omkara (2006)

Saif Ali Khan's Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bhardwaj's adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello, Omkara, is perhaps the most memorable negative roles in Indian cinema's recent history. Langda Tyagi is the character of Iago from the original play, and in its spirit is a character that personifies envy. His ruthlessness and hunger for power compel him to snatch control, which he feels is rightfully his. He devices a plan to destroy Omi, his superior, and Kesu Firangi, who was chosen as the Bahubali instead of Langda. The great Shakespearen tragedy has been adequately Indianised and Langda Tyagi is an unforgettable ferocious man who is responsible for the destruction of several lives, including his own.

Kancha Cheena, Agneepath (1990)

Although the film's highlight is Vijay Dinanath Chauhan's struggle for justice; Danny Denzongpa's Kancha Cheena is, in one way, the central character of the film. Mukul Anand's Agneepath, which takes inspiration from Harivansh Rai Bachchan's namesake poem, talks of a man's life as a journey through a path of fire. In the movie, Kancha is the aforementioned path of fire. A man who lacks moral bondage and is willing to go to any depth to have his way, Kancha is the ultimate bad guy. Vijay goes through a tremendous ordeal to finally defeat the monster and liberates Mandwa, his village, at the cost of his life. Kancha is a rigid demon that can only be killed by bringing out the worst of your demons – your will to destroy him slowly turns you into a monster too.

Subedaar, Mirch Masala (1987)

He may be a low profile villain, but the gauntlet of his evil deeds equals, if not supersedes, any of the others on the list. Naseeruddin Shah plays Subedaar – a haughty and cruel man in a position of power. The film, set in a small village in India during the British Raj, is about Sonbai (Smita Patil) who is one of the women oppressed and exploited by the Subedaar's might. He's a greedy, narcissistic, inconsiderate womaniser whose wrongdoings are more than one can count. Finally, when it all becomes intolerable, Sonbai and her associates, who are producers of chilli powder, ambush the Subedaar with fistfuls of chilli powder and he wails in pain. Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala intrigues, disturbs but later satisfies all the viewers.

Gabbar Singh, Sholay (1975)

Any list of villains in the world would be incomplete without the name of Gabbar Singh on it. Ramesh Sippy's Sholay gave Indian cinema a lot, and Amjad Khan's Gabbar was its foremost contribution. Beta, so jaa warna Gabbar aa jayega... Yeh haath humko de de Thakur... Kitne aadmi the?... Tera kya hoga Kaalia?... Ab goli kha... Kya laga tha? Sardar khus hoga? Sabbasi dega?...And a man who lived by his simple philosophy – Jo darr gaya, samjho mar gaya. The lesser said about this legendary character, the better. And in the hearts of every Indian, who at some point of time in his life cites Sholay, Gabbar will always remain immortal.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 26, 2012

Don't Try This At Home

Jumping turnstiles, dodging speeding cars, avoiding an open cab door at high velocity; this could have easily been called Adrenaline Rush and sadly, it's just that and nothing more. David Koepp's Premium Rush a rampant expression of urban aggression made specifically with teenage adventure junkies in mind.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Wilee (like the Coyote) who is a bicycle messenger in New York City. His fearless attitude and principles that bikes are meant to be rode without gears and brakes make him a mundane daredevil who is willing to risk his life for as little as delivering a message on time. But one day, a regular delivery turns nasty as Wilee is being chased across the streets of Manhattan in a matter of life and death. However, the plot that binds the story line and intertwines with the high tension action sequences is pretty dull. The causality and relevance of the events that get Wilee involved in the matter at hand are fairly crude and predictable.

The director loosely incorporates the Chinese underworld's nexus of getting illegal immigrants into the United States in his story, and does so very superficially. A subject that is extremely intricate and serious has been reduced to a sub plot that simply falls into place thanks to a bunch of kids jumping around on cycles. But however far-fetched the story, Premium Rush scores its points in what it is genuinely meant to be – a bunch of adrenaline junkies jumping around on bicycles.

On that count, the film is a great view. Most of the action sequences are designed intricately and executed with perfection. The specialized treatment in some scenes, where Wilee foresees the outcomes at certain points in the middle of the traffic, is hair raising and exhilarating. In terms of performances, Gordon-Levitt is pretty convincing as a young daredevil and is adorable as a little hero. The tiny street rat like boy hustling through buildings and fast moving vehicles of the city makes you root for him. The rest of the cast, though, are just bodies that ride bicycles. A little emotional element and a bit of romance come as breathers between scenes that showcase outright action but add nothing to the thrill nor to the narrative.

As it can be inferred from everything said above, the film is indeed a mindless entertainer. And although it is wrong to judge the film for its depth, it suffers in totality when you do look at it. But the fast paced chase sequences and bicycle races, that make you feel like something just brushed past you at 60 miles an hour, can render you incapable of processing the logic. If you are watching this energy filled film, just sit back and enjoy the breeze. And make sure you warn your kids against trying the stunts at home.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Subtle Thrills

Based on a true event from recent history, Ben Affleck's Argo chronicles an undercover CIA operation which was unheard of by the people of the world until a decade ago. The film is precise, accurate and has a no-nonsense approach in telling a story that reinforces the old saying that truth is stranger than fiction.

The film begins in 1979 when Iranian revolutionaries invade the US embassy and take several Americans hostage. However, six of them manage to escape and find refuge at the official residence of the Canadian ambassador to Iran. The group, hunted extensively by the revolutionaries, only have a limited time before they are found, tried and executed. Meanwhile, in the US, the government and CIA are planning an escape route. After a few ridiculous suggestions, they decide to go through a rather uncanny and astounding plan put forth by exfiltration expert Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck). He proposes a plan that involves making a bogus Canadian film to be shot in Iran and the six refugees to pretend as the film's pre-production crew. Tony invents a rich, foolproof backstory with a little help from his friends in Hollywood and sets off for the suicide mission.

 

What works for Argo, named after the fake movie that the operation is built upon, is its tight screenplay. It welcomes you into its premise from the first moment, where the history of Iran and its ties with the US are explained through an illustrated storyboard and then, it pulls you right into the action as the file footage intersperses with the film's footage. And before you know it, the embassy is ransacked. The well-crafted scenes leave no room for irrationality and thanks to the subtle treatment, there are no traces of over-dramatising an event, that is thrilling on paper itself.

Ben Affleck is wonderful in his part as Tony Mendez. Alan Arkin and John Goodman as Lester Siegel and John Chambers respectively, provide the comic breathers required in an otherwise engaging narrative. Tate Donovan, Clea DuVall, Scoot McNairy, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham and Kerry Bish portray the six American refugees and contribute well to build up that almost makes you want to scream for help.

For a mainstream action thriller, Argo excels uninhibitedly and is perhaps one of the better films made this year. Impeccable performances that flavour up a soup of intense scenarios and the unflinching attention to detail in recreating a period, only enhance the aroma. All in all, Argo is a brilliant pot of fresh and juicy ingredients kept on fire. Eat it while it's still hot.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

  

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 20, 2012 

5 Films: Where Women Protagonists Are Embodiments of Durga

Kill Bill (2003) 

 

This Quentin Tarantino classic is a quintessential film based on the theme of revenge. Beginning with the famous Klingon proverb from Star Trek - Revenge is a dish best served cold; the film is a detailed account of Beatrix’s revenge written exclusively in blood. Beatrix seeks revenge from all the members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad and their leader Bill. Her main motive is the apparent death of her child for which she holds them responsible. Tarantino, in his uninhibited portrayal of violence and bloodshed makes one thing very clear – when it comes to her children, a mother can muster up enough strength to overpower whatever it is that she faces.

Mother India (1957)

 

Mehboob Khan’s interpretation of a mother in post-independence India strongly derives from socialist and communist ideologies. Nargis plays Radha, a poverty ridden woman who bears with natural calamities and social discomforts alike to raise her two sons – Ramu (Rajendra Kumar) and Birju (Sunil Dutt). Birju grows up with a violent streak but Ramu is composed. Birju becomes a bandit after being outcast by the villagers and plots revenge. He kills the evil money lender Sukhilala and takes his daughter, when finally; Radha decides to stop him by killing him herself. Perhaps one of the greatest Indian films, Mother India shows a struggle and a story of a mother who always does the right thing.

Juno (2007)

 

 A critically acclaimed independent film, nominated for the academy award, Juno is a simple story of a teenager, Juno McGuff, who finds herself at a crossroad in life, a little pre-maturely. This Ellen Page starrer Jason Reitman film is a comedy drama about how a teenager confronts predicaments of life that she is too young to face. The way she decides to deal with her unplanned pregnancy and the changes that consequently happen in her life make it a brilliant coming-of-age film. Juno is essentially a story of a mother who is still a child at heart and the film depicts the characters journey from innocence lost to innocence restored.

Postmaster (1961) 

 Made as a part of the Teen Kanya trilogy along with Monihara and Samapti, Postmaster is one of Satyajit Ray’s most influential works. Based on Rabindranath Tagore’s short story, the film tells the story of a postmaster Nandalal, who has been placed in the village for a brief time dreams of returning to Calcutta, but while he is here, he decides to teach his caretaker, Ratan, how to read and write. Ratan, on the other hand, tends to him when he falls sick and serves him well. However, when Nandalal leaves, he leaves Ratan heartbroken and doesn’t realise how attached she had gotten to him. He offers her money for her service but she feels offended. Postmaster, therefore, is a simple story of a complex relation between Nandalal and Ratan who is his mother, sister, friend and sole companion.

Kahaani (2012)

 

Using Durga as a primary metaphor for the protagonist, Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani is a twisted thriller about a woman who seeks justice. Vidya Balan plays Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant software engineer from London, who comes to Calcutta in search of her missing husband. In the middle of convoluted stories, suspicious people and the crowd due to the festival, Vidya has a task ahead of her. Being chased by an assassin, being used by cops as a decoy and all other odds stacked against her, Vidya’s focus is clear and she will have her justice. Kahaani is a suspense film, no doubt, but at its heart, it is a tale of a woman’s love for her husband and her will power to do justice to those who did him wrong.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 18, 2012

The Prodigal Son: An Interview with Umesh Kulkarni

The renowned young director from Pune, known for his critically acclaimed films like Valu, Vihir, Deool; Umesh Kulkarni now has another feather in his cap. Chosen as a jury member for a segment at the 14th Mumbai Film Festival organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI), Umesh will be judging short films made by young filmmakers from Mumbai. The segment titled Dimensions Mumbai is a platform for young filmmakers from Mumbai, below the age of 25, to make short films that are five minutes or less in duration and depict some aspect of life in Mumbai.

Umesh, himself a film student, having learnt film direction from FTII, has had an eventful journey from being a film student to being a jury at the festival. Reminiscing his student days, he says, “My first appearance at a big film festival was in Germany, when my second year Dialogue Exercise film was selected for the festival in Munich. Those days, film festivals were exciting places to be at.” As a student, “…the interaction with fellow participants and with great filmmakers was a great learning experience. The exchange of ideas and the overall atmosphere was tremendous,” he adds. Umesh’s Diploma film Girni has won many a laurels and has been appreciated by critics and the audience alike.

A still from Umesh's Diploma film - Girni

The first time Umesh was invited as a jury member, was at the Kerala Short Film Festival, two years ago. He keenly observes the difference in the role he has to play as a judge, as against that of a student. He says, “I personally don’t like to judge someone else’s work, so I avoid that kind of an undertaking. But when I am given that task, it is crucial to do it correctly.” He adds, “As a judge, you have to watch the films differently. You have to see what the idea is, how it is being shown, what treatment it has received and the overall presentation.” Umesh, who will be judging the short films at MAMI’s Mumbai Film Festival that takes off on October 18, will be joined by actor Sanjay Suri, filmmaker and theatre actress Gitanjali Rao and filmmaker Reema Kagti. “Getting to interact with the other jury members is crucial. The personal preferences and biases that creep in need to be avoided and objectivity is very necessary,” adds Umesh.

A still from the critically acclaimed Valu

Short film, as a form, is at a very nascent in India and a much-closed group of people are actually aware of this medium. “What people do not understand is that it is a form of expression in itself. Awareness about the medium is very minimal. If you tell someone you are making a short film, they ask whether it’s a documentary,” says Umesh. He further adds, “Short films provide a very different avenue for expression. Telling your story in a crisp form is an art in itself and it gives an opportunity to experiment,” he says. For a better future of this medium, Umesh suggests TV channels should take up some initiative and set up slots to screen some short films and make the audience familiar with the same.

A still from National Award winning Deool

Umesh also talks about the ease with which films can be made today. With digitization, the availability of the equipment for making a film has become very easy, but has making good films also become easy? “There is definitely a rise in the amount of content but the quality is seen only in a few of them. Just having the equipment is not enough, its optimum use is what makes a good filmmaker,” Umesh responds. “Understanding the importance of every single shot that you take is very crucial. There shouldn’t be wastage of footage, just because one can afford it now. But that comes with discipline and more than that, an understanding of space, time and a fair understanding of editing,” he suggests.

Apart from Umesh, who is a part of the jury, his production, Pune 52 is also being screened at the festival in the India Gold segment. The segment has films from some other Pune-based filmmakers too. This perhaps is the beginning of an era that would bring the golden age of Pune cinema back to the city, with the prodigal son leading the charge.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 18, 2012

Un-cut version

Twelfth on Thirteenth: An Interview with Atul Kumar

Known as the greatest playwright and poet of the English language, William Shakespeare's works have been a muse to every author, playwright, filmmaker and actor to walk the planet. His plays form the spine of the texts that constitute the syllabus of English literature in school and most of his works are performed over and over again, in some form or the other. Shakespeare adaptations and renditions are a cluttered space, but breaking the clutter is a Hindi play based on The Bard's renowned comedy -- The Twelfth Night.

Directed by Atul Kumar, Piya Behrupiya is a translation of Shakespeare's twisted love story. Having tried his hand at Hamlet and King Lear, this is Atul's first Shakespearean comedy. "We have done a lot of Shakespeare's works in the past. Our adaptation of King Lear, titled Nothing Like Lear, has had tremendous response. We wanted to try our hand at comedy so we picked Twelfth Night," Atul says. According to him, "Its plot is like a classical bollywood drama where A loves B, B loves C, and unrequited love makes people resort to extreme measures."

Atul believes that the essence of Shakespeare lies in its adaptations that are done by various people at various times. "Shakespeare's themes are universal. Therefore, the essence and emphasis differs from who is adapting the work and in what context," he says. He also adds, "Every time someone performs a Shakespearean play, something new comes up in it. That is the brilliance of his work and that's what makes it timeless -- the fact that it keeps churning out newer dimensions to look at it."

 

Unlike most plays based on the work of the literary genius, Piya Behrupiya is only a literal translation of the original play. There are no additions or alterations and even the names of the characters have been retained from the original script. "Amitosh Nagpal, who translated the play, has done an excellent job in maintaining the message from the original play. But at the same time, he has Indianised the plot in such a way that one will not say it was written by a British author."

The play will be staged in the city tonight and Atul is confident that the play will be well received by the Pune audience. He says, "Audience in Pune is not new to our work. We have performed here before, and people have loved us." The theatre tradition of the city is rich, no doubt, but Atul and his troupe want to take this play to the smaller towns of Maharashtra too. The stories written nearly half a millennium ago continue to spread widely transcending the boundaries of language and culture.

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 13, 2012

Taken For A Ride

It was made very clear in the first part that Liam Neeson's ex-CIA character Bryan Mills can take on any number of men and fight against all odds and emerge victorious. To put it lightly, Oliver Megaton's Taken 2 is an Ek Tha Tiger for the English-speaking audience.

The film begins where it left off in the first, the father of one of Kim's kidnappers seeks revenge from the man who murdered him. And once that premise is established, it becomes pretty clear what course the plot will follow. Murad Krasniqi (the vengeful father) plans to abduct Bryan's family and then kill them before his eyes. However, they only succeed in capturing Bryan and his ex-wife Lenore, while their daughter Kim manages to escape. The ex-CIA agent communicates with his daughter via sophisticated gadgets and guides her to help him save them.

The one-man army formula isn't new to Indian audience, therefore, it becomes extremely predictable what is going to happen. The only question that the film can answer, is how? But as it turns out, the 75-minute long answer to that question is mind-numbingly obvious and stale. The bad guys' bullets just can't find the target and the protagonist's punches are good enough to knock out the secondary henchmen. Oh grow up! Apart from a clumsy chase sequence towards the end, where Kim drives the car having failed her driving test back home twice, none of the action scenes cause any ripple.

Luc Besson who has made a career out of writing action films, disappoints with the story. It simply looks like a desperate attempt to make a decent film into a franchise, but frankly, Taken doesn't have it in its theme to become a series. Liam Neeson's screen presence and dialogue delivery is what the 95 minutes revolve around, but besides that, it's an outright yawn fest.

Taken 2 is dull,unimaginative and there is absolutely nothing that you take back with you after you've seen it. Not a single memorable dialogue, not a single exciting visual - absolutely nothing. And the only thing you identify with is Liam Neeson's last lines to the villain, "I'm tired of all this." Yes, Liam, we all are.

Rating: 1 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 14, 2012

A Twisted Tale

A futuristic action-thriller that will keep you guessing till the very end, Rian Johnson's Looper is a fresh attempt at creating drama out of time-travel. Set in 2044, the film revolves around the new-age gangsters and mob that use the illegal technology of travelling through time to commit crimes of the present in the past.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Joe, a hired assassin whose job is to simply kill the targets sent by the future mob and dispose off their bodies in a time when those people don't even exist. But life gets complicated for the Looper, what Joe and his likes are referred to as, when he realises that the mob has decided to end his loop and sent future Joe (Bruce Willis) to die at his own hands.

Now, it is quite obvious that a premise as complex as time-travel tends to indulge you in its plausibility but the director does a great job in making you focus on the plot and the story, instead of pondering on the mechanical details and loopholes in the execution of the fantastic theme. All the doubts with respect to the plot are answered in the first 15-20 minutes and once you have bought into the premise, the journey of the character keeps you glued to your seat through the remainder of the film. The narrative moves at a brisk pace, boldly slowing down at places to dig deeper into the characters' lives and motives, which works very well.

The editing pattern is a little difficult to get used to initially, but as the theme settles, you get a hang of the events. The cinematography is pretty generic for the genre and the background score is as good as absent. A tight story executed with precision and brought on screen with extreme perfection, Rian Johnson has done a great job.

Although it is an outright futuristic action film, Johnson spends adequate time in exploring the universal themes of existence, love, loss and sacrifice. All in all, the Future You will be thankful if you saw this film, and the Past You will have made a great choice by watching it. Get it?

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 14, 2012

Inquilaab Zindabaad!

There is a plethora of stories related to India's freedom struggle, so is the number of heroes that this struggle has given rise to. But our history books focused on a handful of those stories and our film industry too has, until recently, stuck to the history books. However, Debabrata Pain's Chittagong is a refreshing change in the genre of patriotic films and to some extent, sets high standards for filmmaking in the future.

Based on a true story, Chittagong is a first-hand account of teenage rebel Jhunku Roy who was a part of the Chittagong uprising in the 1930s. Jhunku belongs to a wealthy family and has prospects of studying abroad, but is simultaneously involved with a group of youngsters led by Master Da (Manoj Bajpai). His dilemma is resolved when one of the boys is killed by an inhumane British officer. However, he finds it hard to blend into the rigorous lifestyle, but later fits in. But the revolt begins to fall apart, as most higher-ups are either captured or killed. Jhunku continues the struggle years later, after his release from prison, and leads a peasant revolt by himself.

What makes the film stand out from other accounts of glory is the way the content is handled. While not revering the martyrs and revolutionaries for what they mean in today's world, the film delves into their lives at that time and shows the characters for what they are as people. Every single character that is important to the narrative is well-crafted and none of them appear like two-dimensional cutouts. The art direction on a tight budget is commendable, as making a period drama requires tremendous caution. To add to visual authenticity, the cinematography (Eric Zimmerman) and visual tones transport you back to the 1930s and its simplicity holds your attention.

With an ensemble cast that includes the likes of Manoj Bajpai, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Jaideep Ahlawat among others, the performances are measured and accurate in terms of intensity. Delzad Hiwale, who plays the young Jhunku, does a tremendous job acting along side the industry's finest artists. The supporting cast, being handpicked, has also raised the overall standards of this film.

The background score is a little repetitive in the larger picture, but the soundtrack by Shankar-Ehasaan-Loy and Johnny Wilson, just like the film, travel from the maker's heart straight into the audience's heart. The reason Chittagong rises above good films and becomes something better, is Debabrata Pain's direction. The focus and vision he must have had while making this film is evident in every single scene of this film.

But as they say, filmmakers only make good films. A great film is what the audience makes of it. And in a week where nearly a dozen films have released, Chittagong deserves to stand taller than most others.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 13, 2012

Mediocreum Averagemum

National Award winning director Sachin Kundalkar steps into the magnificent realm of Hindi films with a film that promised to entertain the living hell out of you. But amidst all the expectations set by the film's promotions, the whacky songs and the wakda propaganda, Aiyyaa ends up being a damp squib.

Aiyyaa is a fantastic tale of a Maharashtrian girl, Meenakshi Deshpande, who is torn between two worlds – her dream world in which she is a fancy celebrity and is madly in love with an artist, Surya (Prithviraj); and in the other, she's a daughter in a mundane, middle-class Marathi family. She lives with her parents, grandmother and a younger brother and always dreams of running away with the love of her life and be free. The film extravagantly tries to explore the fascinating world of this girl as her dreams and realities begin to intertwine. But the amplified treatment and ridiculous extravagance is overdone and absolutely stops being amusing after the first hour.

Rani sticks out like a sore thumb with her awkward and heavily accented Hindi, just like Sridevi's Shashi from a week ago. The rest of the cast blends well as a unit, but the content doesn't allow them to prosper due to being marginalized as secondary characters. Playwright Satish Alekar plays Meenakshi's father while Nirmiti Sawant plays her mother. Both stick to their natural styles of acting and bring freshness to what is otherwise a very cliched narrative.

Inconsistency in the degree of madness is the reason for Aiyyaa's failure to impress. As a romantic comedy, it offers something different, but because of the over-cooked performances and discrepancies in the flow of scenes, you gradually begin to see it as a mindless comedy and that is where it goes wrong. The scene construction and plot leave you wondering how to feel and you end up choosing to feel confused.

The promise of delivering something Wakda is fulfilled only by the music. Sava Dollar and Dreamum Wakeupum have already caused a ripple in the charts and Amit Trivedi's music is the only binding agent in the film. Sneha Khanwalkar's What To Do, a raunchy number filled with double entendres, filmed on Amey Wagh (Nana, Meenakshi's brother) and Anita Date (Maina, Meenakshi's colleague), cracks you up and no matter how unnecessary it may seem, it is something you will take back with you.

Besides that, there is nothing so crucial that needs to be discussed. Maybe Aiyyaa is a film that collapsed under its own expectations and maybe it's wrong to go into a cinema hall with expectations. But on its own, the film has its moments and is fairly average amusement.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5

Publsihed in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 13, 2012

5 Films: That Showcases The Life of a Rockstar

Pink Floyd -- The Wall (1982)

Based on Pink Floyd's album The Wall, this Alan Parker film takes a peek into the twisted life of a rockstar. The film tells the story of troubled singer Pink, who has had a vexed existence. Smothered by his mother's love in the childhood, harassed by teachers at school for writing poems, cheated by the girl he was in love with; Pink begins to cut himself off and builds a wall. The vivid metaphor is quite graphical and a hair-raising interpretation of Roger Walters' lyrics from epic songs like Comfortably Numb and Another Brick In The Wall. The film is exactly what the insides of a rockstar's mind looks like.

The Doors (1991)

A sudden rise to fame, a million hardcore fans, a horrid personal life, the inevitable downfall and an early death - the live fast, die-hard attitude that rockstars are made of. The Doors is Oliver Stone's homage to the popular American rock band by the same name and also a biopic of its lead singer and America's favourite poet - Jim Morrison. Val Kilmer plays Jim in the film and has done most of his own singing. And be it die hard fans or Morrison's former band-mates, it was impossible to believe that it isn't actually the electric poet on screen. An outright tragedy based on true events, this film is a great documentation of a rockstar's life.

A Hard Day's Night (1964)

Based on the life of perhaps the biggest rock band in the history, A Hard Day's Night is a light-hearted depiction of one day in the life of The Beatles. With actual band members playing themselves, this Richard Lester film takes a look at a day when the band are in their home town to perform for a TV broadcast. From evading crazy fans and howling girls to taking care of Paul's odd grandfather to Ringo going missing, the film narrates quite an eventful day. Or something rockstars like to call Just Another Day In My Life.

Amadeus (1984)

Legendary filmmaker Milos Forman brings a story of revenge, defeat and disappointment. A story of a rockstar from a different era - the 18th century. Amadeus narrates the life of the whimsical genius Mozart, told by his secret rival Antonio Salieri. He saw Mozart differently - a vulgar, undeserving lesser mortal incapable of serving the Lord through his music. The film focuses on Salieri feeling cheated by god himself for not bestowing the gift of music upon him instead of giving it in abundance to an arrogant rapscallion. Salieri is confined to an asylum where he outlives Mozart but eventually dies in the shadow of his greatness.

Marley (2012)

Get up, stand up; stand up for your rights, he said it, and the people believed him. Bob Marley was more than just a singer or a performer or a rockstar. He was the proverbial Prophet who gave strength to the oppressed and gave them belief to seek redemption. Marley, by Kevin McDonald, is a documentary that journeys through the life of this musical prophet focusing on his personal life, his music, his legacy and the impact he had on the minds of millions of people all over the world. Combining archival footage of the legend with interviews from the people close to him.


Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 12, 2012

Going For The Kill

Every once in a while, there comes an action film that takes the audience by storm -- like Pulp Fiction did at its time or something No Country For Old Men did recently. Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly is one of those landmark films that will be talked about years from now.

The film cuts to the chase right from the start and there is no time wasted in introducing the characters which are pivotal to the story. But as the story progresses, the audience gets trapped in the action that surrounds them, thanks to the characters. The story revolves around Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt), a professional enforcer, who has been hired by some corporate higher-ups to investigate a felony that occurred at a mob-protected poker game. But through the events that follow, the director paints a painfully realist picture of the ugly face behind the corporate mask of America.

A lot of credit has to be given to the overall treatment, which dishes out a cold-blooded, brutal, violent and at times distasteful ambience and makes the film unique and electrifying. The dialogues in particular and the scenes in general provide a take-that-in-your-face account of the gory details of America's under belly at a time when the country was on the fringe of promised change. The story is also lined with audio-visual footage of Obama's pre-election presidential campaign- the promises and the policies that are now vague reminders of the failure the past 4 years have been.

What adds value to the gripping plot are the background score and the out-of-the-box cinematography. Slow country and jazz music juxtaposed with unimaginably violent visuals are a great combination. The cinematography is very unlike American films and reminds you, in flashes, of Requiem For a Dream.

The dialogues and screenplay only amplifies the coldness of the plot. In the last scene, Jackie says to the man who hired him, a line that sums up the entire film. Referring to Obama's famous speech he says, "He's tryin' to tell me we live in a community? Hell no. I live in America. America..is not a country, it's a business. Now give me my f***in' money!"

For the average audience fed on the Die Hards and Terminators, Killing Them Softly might be a little too uneventful to keep their attention. But, in the larger picture, the film is a treat to watch for all Brad Pitt fans and fans of good cinema. Not only is this film a great action thriller, it is an intelligent critique on the times in which we live.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 6, 2012

Comeback Vomeback

Sridevi makes her much-awaited comeback and unlike the long list of disappointing comebacks, English Vinglish has substance to match Sridevi's style. Gauri Shinde's maiden venture is a heart warming tale of, what can only be called, the woman next door.

The film tells the story of a Pune-based housewife, Shashi Godbole who is a homemaker and a mother of two kids -- a son and a daughter in her teens. Embarrassed by her inability to comprehend English, tired of being ridiculed by her husband as someone who's "born to make laddus" and being constantly taunted by her daughter at home, she enrolls herself in a crash course to learn English while in New York for her niece's wedding.

For what it is meant to be, English Vinglish is a little too in-your-face. In putting the point across, the subtlety of existence of a housewife appears lost. Some of the instances in the film which lead to Shashi feeling hurt feel a little melodramatic, contradictory to her grin-and-bear attitude. The English classes Shashi joins are a consortium of racial stereotypes -- a Mexican nanny, a Pakistani cab driver, a South Indian software developer and a professor. The class also includes a French chef (Mehdi Nebbou) who falls for Shashi, and over time restores her self esteem.

But just as the film reaches its crucial final third, it picks up pace and saves itself from what could have been a huge narrative mess. Shashi proves her point to her family and fulfills all responsibilities of a good wife and mother. But more than what happens in the end, the film scores its points in how it happens. It leaves you satisfied with the way things turned out for Shashi, without having broken any hearts, well, except maybe a French one.

Sridevi's portrayal of a Maharashtrian woman falls short definitely, but the Punjabisation of a Marathi wedding song compensates for the same. The rest of the cast play secondary roles to her and do their job well. With exceptions to a few smart-ass punchlines which the film could have done without, it is a great viewing experience. The first-time director shows she has a story to tell, and knows how to too.

To sum it all up, English Vinglish is a great entertainer and a good-spirited boost for a woman tired of the mundane in her life. And as for Sridevi, who is, without doubts, the epicenter of this film; bhagwaan aisa comeback sabko de.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 6, 2012