Baiscope

Revived and Moved

2008-05-11T18:28:00.002-04:00

I have revived the blog, with promises to update more consistently. Please visit:

http://www.baiscope.com/

Quizlet #1

2005-09-19T17:57:00.000-04:00

What do Amrish Puri, Jalal Agha, Pankaj Kapoor, Supriya Pathak, Neena Gupta, Shreeram Lagoo, Dalip Tahil, Om Puri, Tom Alter, Roshan Seth, Mohan Agashe, Alok Nath, Rohini Hathangadi, Saeed Jaffrey and Alyqee Padamsee have in common besides being well known Film/TV personalities?

They all shared the same screen in this movie. Amazing.

Making a splash in Toronto

2005-09-15T17:53:00.000-04:00

It seems Indian films have been well represented in the Toronto Film Festival 05. The same cannot be said of the upcoming New York Film Festival (not a single Indian film). New York has one of the most vibrant Indian expat communities, and is home to renowned Indian filmmakers like Mira Nair and the late Ismail Merchant. However, our films have not been able to create the same kind of excitement here.

The Lincoln Center did host a film series on Amitabh Bachchan in April. It was obviously a huge hit with the Indian crowds, but failed to make a dent in the mainstream consciousness. Indian movies are regularly shown in the heart of Times Square, but you would be hard pressed to find an American in the crowd. What makes Toronto different from New York?

Mithun bhakt

2005-09-15T14:58:00.000-04:00

Greatbong declares: Mithun = GOD. When his faith faltered, Prabhuji did not leave his side.

On the very first day of shooting for Mithun-da's new movie "Chingari" directed by Kalpana Lajmi, the traditional rape sequence was being picturized between Mithun-da and Sushmita Sen. However Sushmita, who is somewhat of a nag and a pathetic pseudo, left the sets fuming about how Mithun touched her inappropriately during the scene.

Despite the irony of inappropriate fondling during a rape scene, I was distraught. How could Prabhu do this to a girl his daughter's age? I cried myself to sleep and in my dreams, Mithun-da came to me, whispering words of wisdom.

Well actually no.

He said nothing. In my dream, He was standing on a desolate beach with dolorous weather-beaten eyes. He bent down, picked up a fistful of sand, and let it fall through His fingers. I immediately understood what He meant----the ephemeral nature of the human body, ashes to ashes --dust to dust----what is one touch here or there ? It's all Maya. How true.

In the morning I realized that He also may have meant that all He did was touch silicon (ie sand) and not Sushmita Sen, the creature of flesh and bone.

I was born again.

And I am a convert.

I love SP

2005-09-14T16:37:00.000-04:00

I looooove SP Balasubramanyam! Listen to this (till the end) and you will know why :)

(For some reason MIO's player works in IE but not in my FireFox)

KKHH, KKKG.....KANK

2005-08-31T12:41:00.000-04:00

At the launch of his latest film Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna, Karan Johar says

It will be large in canvas and scope and hopefully in emotions. It will be the 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' (K3G) located in the heart and other intangible regions (sic) of the human being. Yes, it's different from my other films.

Which intangible regions? I have intangible regions in my being that I'm unaware of?! Same article:

From the film's controversial title to the atypical theme, "Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna" has been under media and showbiz scrutiny for months.

Really? Atypical theme? You mean it's not a love saga? Controversial title? Even by KJ's standards (previous titles being Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai), it is four words long and has at least two Ks. Please to be explaining, what is the controversy.

It's not a cartoon yaar!

2005-08-26T11:01:00.000-04:00

Ashok Kaul is treading on tricky turf with his new feature film Bhaggmati, which is a combination of live action and animation, a la Who framed Roger Rabit and Space Jam.

"The essence of the film is contained in a line from the film itself: 'Jo beete huey kal ko khojta hai ussey aanewale kal ka abhas ho jata hai. My film looks at life as an unbroken stream of consciousness. The live action is contemporary while the animated portions are period. Bhaggmati is not about reincarnation. In the film, I play with the past and present dimensions. I have argued both are equally alive. Even the Bhagavat Gita and Einstein's Theory of Relativity say the same thing. Our universe is a library of thoughts and actions. Nothing is destroyed. Whatever is and was will remain on this earth. There are two love stories in my film." (read interview here)

Interesting concept, will be curious to see how it pans out. Kaul goes on to explain the reason behind adopting an unusual creative format:

"Why should animation be used only for gags? I wanted to give the genre a new dimension. I was invited to New York University to lecture. One of the students asked why India made 1,000 films and hardly any animation. I decided then I would do the needful. I announced right there that I would make an intense love story rich in culture and nostalgia."

From personal experience, I think the general public in India has some unflexible *preferences* when deciding on which movie to watch. They mostly know what want in a movie, and especially what they don't want, even before stepping into the theater. Any diversion from that is usually unacceptable. Examples of some unfair notions:

Documentaries are boring
If you are watching a Black and White movie, somehow you are not getting your money's worth
Animation = cartoons, so it's for kids

Of course, I will be happiest if Bhaggmati works. When Space Jam came out many years ago, I dragged a few of my buddies along "it's a great concept...c'mon it's not a cartoon for kids, be open minded yaar...you won't regret it". It turned out to be a damp squib. To top that, the theater was empty and even the projection booth operator was surprised anyone showed up. I hope Bhaggmati provides some redemption.

Update: Review by Rediff

Who framed Mangal Pandey?

2005-08-24T16:47:00.000-04:00

There has been a lot of discussion in the media lately about the veracity of the re-construction of Mangal Pandey's story as shown in The Rising. At the forefront has been Rudrangshu Mukherjee, whose latest book challenges the very notion of Mangal Pandey being a freedom fighter. Others have piggy-backed on these and other assertions, and accused the filmmakers of falsifying history. All this is stale news. However, very few people have bothered to address the question: So what?

Sharmistha Gooptu writes for Outlook:

...the larger questions that come to mind having followed these developments of the last week or so are (a) What history and what falsification are we looking at? (b) What kind of responsibility should we at all expect from a film such as Mangal Pandey: the Rising?

[...]

...not being an expert on 1857, my concern is not whether Pandey was a nationalist, or whether he was simply too intoxicated for his own good. My concern is with this understanding of history, which sees no grey areas between "fact" and falsification, or how myth has been integral to the very unfolding of what we understand as history. The Pandey legend is just one such case in point.

[...]

Also, it would seem that those concerned with the film’s depiction of Mangal Pandey as the first nationalist are primarily concerned about the "ordinary" filmgoer, who is, by their definition, without a "proper" sense of history. As one Calcutta intellectual writes, these people will know history from the film, and take home a totally fabricated history. One cannot help but sigh at this very patronizing sentiment, which ignores the very complexities of the viewing process, and the multiple levels at which audiences make meaning in popular cinema.

My take: The filmmakers in this case set out to make a movie on the legend of Mangal Pandey, and not the British interpretation. History by it's very nature is subjective. Any historical film ever made has been accused of embellishment, Schindler's List, Alexander, Bose - The Forgotten Hero, Gandhi, all included. On the other hand, I do expect the filmmaker to uphold the general theme of a character or event. Example: showing Hitler as a humanitarian would be absurd. On that basis, The Rising meets expectation.

Slightly off topic: The exploration of the true nature of a hero, and the origins of his/her ideology pushes a movie beyond the confines of entertainment to becoming truly inspiring. The Rising fails here, and easily falls prey to the tendency of over-simplification and playing to the gallery. On the contrary, The Making of the Mahatma offers a much more subtle look into the transformation of a seemingly ordinary human being into a great soul, and has the potential for provoking constructive thought rather than mere jingoistic fervour.

Earlier post on The Rising: here.

Middle Eastern film festival in NYC

2005-08-10T11:30:00.000-04:00

CinemaEast Film Festival 2005:

ArteEast’s first annual CinemaEast Film Festival, building on five seasons of its popular film series, will be held at the Quad Cinema in New York City, November 4-10, 2005.
Mature and often surprising new talent is thriving amongst Arab, Turkish and Iranian directors, actors and producers, who are challenging existing sociopolitical and artistic traditions with intelligence, ingenuity and humor. The CinemaEast Film Festival will highlight the best of this established and up-and-coming talent, with an emphasis on films that have not yet received widespread recognition due to a lack of international distributors and political sensitivities inherent in many established festivals.

Sounds promising. I have watched several films coming out of Iran, especially by Majid Majidi. Besides the stunning camerawork, what struck me the most was the ability of the filmmakers to convey very humane stories through the simplest of plots. When Zohre and Ali lose a pair of shoes in The Children of Heaven, you find yourself getting involved in their lives completely, with every scene unfolding a new adventure as the poor kids concoct a plan to share the remaining pair of shoes between them as school begins. The vividness of the scenery and the dialogues have an everlasting impact.

If the festival uncovers any talent even close to Majidi, it will have done a great service.

New York local

2005-08-02T11:12:00.000-04:00

A round-up of some M&E related events in the big apple:

Bollywood movies available on cable-ppv. This mostly forgettable list reminds me why I shunned cable long time ago.

Loews State theatre in Times Square is showing Maine Pyar Kyon Kiya and Viruddh (here's a review of the latter by a fellow blogger)

Imaginasian TV and Film in the City launch "Asia Rising: International Shorts and more" on Aug 10th. Download press release here.

Imaginasian hosts the "$5 Film Festival". I can't wait to see Shaolin Soccer, which is part of this festival. After watching Stephen Chow's more recent Kung-fu Hustle, I was found rolling on the pavement outside the theatre, with uncontrollable bouts of laughter. The last time I went that hysterical was during the 14th viewing of Andaz Apna Apna.

They don't write like this no more

2005-07-28T12:06:00.000-04:00

Shehanshah ki inn be-hisaab bakhshishon ke badle mein, yeh kaneez Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar ko apna khoon maaf karti hai

(Anarkali to Akbar: "In return for your Majesty's magnanimous gifts, this slave forgives Jalaluddin Mohammed Akbar for her murder")

- Mughal-e-Azam. Dialogues by: Aman, Ehsan Rizvi, Kamal Amrohi & Vajahat Mirza

Bollywood tidbits

2005-07-28T11:31:00.000-04:00

A good post by Amardeep Singh:

8 Things About Bollywood You May Not Know

Amardeep is a self confessed "amateur (bollywood) fan". There isn't much new here for someone like me who grew up on hindi movies and lived in Mumbai most of his life. An entertaining read nonetheless.

Baiscope movie recommendation #4

2005-07-24T12:02:00.000-04:00

This week: Masala (1991) - Good fortune, bad Karma

The second generation Indian theme has inspired a myriad of movies in recent years like ABCD, American Desi, Bollywood Hollywood, American Chai, etc . Most of them shove their central theme of cultural dislocation and identity crisis in your face, resulting in uni-dimensional characters and un-imaginative love stories. It is natural for film pioneers in second generation Indian community to tackle the identity conundrum, but when you get the 109th version of the same movie, you get a bit tired.

Lost in this recent deluge is the film that started it all, a little known gem from Toronto, Canada by Srinivas Krishna. Synopsis by Rotten Tomatoes:

"Masala", the first feature by actor/director Srinivas Krishna, is a rich and heady mixture of genres and moods. The film's story jumps easily from serious explorations of racism and youthful anomie to witty parodies of such Indian cultural staples as Hinduism and the fantastic Bombay musical.
Krishna, a recovering drug addict who lost his entire family in a plane crash, is released from rehab and heads for his uncle Lalu Bhai's home. Immediately Krishna finds himself in a strange world where old values clash with new, and where the most important Hindu God carries on a sarcastic communication with mortals via the VCR. But even more explosive situations exist: a group of bigots are after Krishna, radical Sikh terrorists rent the basement of Bhai's sari shop, and the government is out to reclaim possession of a rare stamp that has fallen into the hands of Bhai's cousin.
It's a surefire recipe for pandemonium and disaster...

Unlike the more recent movies in this genre, the second-generation-Indian theme tends to inform the larger plot, rather than dominate it. The movie is intelligent and some of the sub-plots are bizarre and hilarious at the same time. Dvd Verdict has a more detailed review.

Baiscope movie recommendation #3

2005-07-13T12:28:00.000-04:00

The events of last week in London reminded me of a relatively small British movie called My Son the Fanatic (1997). The movie correctly and very early on identified the rise of religious fundamentalism in Britain. Reviewed by WSWS:

This collaborative work by Kureishi and Prasad is a moving, often funny, and stubbornly unconventional love story about a Pakistani taxi-driver and a prostitute. Set in the north of England, the backdrop to the story is the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and the growing tensions within a community that borders on the city's red light district at one end and the mosque at the other.

The film stars Om Puri as Parvez, the Pakistani taxi driver, and it is a treat to watch him as always.

Here we have two radically different personalities. Parvez has apparently assimilated himself into western society. Traditional Muslim values have little or no appeal for someone who considers himself "a man of the world". He listens to jazz records, appears to have no time for religion and is a casual drinker.

Farid on the other hand, like many second generation Asian youth, feels like an "unwelcome visitor" to Britain. In one of his first confrontations with his father, Farid angrily tells him that the Police Commissioner father of his fiance could not bear to be in the same room as them. For him, religious fundamentalism seems to offer an alternative to a prejudiced and immoral society.

The parallel between Farid and the three London bombers is hard to miss. The review goes on to point a flaw in the film:

Sadly the film's weakness also resides in its treatment of Islamic fundamentalism. The explanation of its attraction for large numbers of other youth is somewhat shallow.

Here I would disagree with the reviewer. The movie is made from the perspective of the taxi driver who is unable to comprehend the motivations behind his son's radicalization. To him, the Islamic fundamentalists are indeed "frenzied, almost clownish" (sic).

Reviews round-up

2005-07-12T11:04:00.000-04:00

Round up of recent film reviews:

Sarkar & Yakeen - by Rangan Baradwaj
Matrubhoomi - by Chugs and Jabberwock
Hazaaron Khwayishen Aisi - by Mukta
Paheli - by Uma
Paheli & Parineeta - by Rangan Baradwaj

Also, I am beginning to think Mr. Subhash K. Jha gets paid by film wallahs to idolize them in print. Check out his review, or rather unstinting eulogy of Sarkar. Having seen the movie, imho this is definitely not Ramu's "best work" (sic). Not only that, he manages to misinterpret a rather straight-forward narrative:

Into this world comes Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena chief who provides a parallel justice force within Maharashtra to those who cannot afford or obtain justice through official channels.

Thackeray's name is changed to Subhash Nagre. But the power and the socio-political positioning of this fascinating messiah remains unaltered in the movie version of his life.

Subhash Nagre's character (played by Amitabh) has only a superficial resemblance to Thackeray, which should be completely ignored after the first few frames of the movie. Maybe the eulogizing needed to be extended to politicians as well!

Kwik Meal - a New York story

2005-07-10T18:39:00.000-04:00

Inspired by "Taxi Dreams", a PBS documentary, my friend Vikram and I made a short film on a New York City food vendor in 2004.

Synopsis:
There are thousands of food vendors on the streets of New York city, mostly immigrants. They make up an essential part of the landscape, but for the most part remain faceless entities in the hustle-bustle of a busy city.

Kwik Meal brings to the foreground, the story of one such vendor, a Bangladeshi immigrant M. D. Rehman. Why would a professional chef give up a career in fine dining for a life on the streets? What goes into making of the most famous lamb on rice in mid-town Manhattan? Watch Kwik Meal to find out. (Running time: 16 min)

Details:
Title: KWIK MEAL; Year: 2004; Running time: 16 min; Language: English; Country: USA

Credits:
Directed, Produced and Edited by: Rakesh Chaudhary and Vikram Bhat
Interviewer: Vikram Bhat
Cinematographer: Rakesh Chaudhary
Music by: Trilok Gurtu
Special thanks to: Cambridge Community TV
Special thanks to: MD Rehman, his family and the Kwik Meal staff

Baiscope movie recommendation #2

2005-07-05T18:53:00.000-04:00

This week's recommendation: "Let's Talk". This is a breakthrough film at many levels: a unique non-linear film structure, a powerful script, a mind-blowing soundtrack, and Boman Irani's bold entry into the film world. Synopsis (from official site):

Radhika Sareen is pregnant and the baby is not her husband's. If she tells her husband, how will he react? What will he do? The film unspools from Radhika's mind as she imagines her husband's possible reactions to her predicament. The structure of alternative realities borrows from a traditional musical form, the "Thumri", where a single thought is expressed in a multiplicity of moods. While the setting is urban contemporary Mumbai, its exploration of love is based on the enduring myths of Lord Krishna, the eternal lover and his beloved Radha, who represents the eternal seeker. Newcomer Maia Katrak and sensational theatre actor Boman Irani provide riveting performances with a realism and truth unsurpassed in modern Indian cinema.

Although sprinkled with sharp wit and humor, this is a bleak film. After watching it, I recalled the sinking feeling I experienced after watching the Aamir Khan starrer "Raakh", but that is the nature of the film.

A couple of things didn't work for me: the movie is almost entirely about the husband, leaving the wife's character very uni-dimensional. According to the Rediff review:

She complements Irani well but is handicapped by the fact that it is Irani's film all the way.

Secondly, being the first ever Indian movie shot on DV, the visuals are mediocre. From Upper Stall review:

The film has been shot using 2 PD-100 MiniDV cameras. The director claims to have done considerable research on the film, including filming an entire scratch version, doing sample reverse telecines from different labs all over the world, and even writing customized software for post production. But the end result is disheartening. The film is extremely grainy and pixelated and the the look of the film supersedes the fine performances and an engaging story. The camera is obtrusive at times and lighting is totally uncontrolled (burned-out windows, too dark, ineffective use of indoor lights.) Technically the film is too amateurish to qualify as the herald of serious DV filmmaking in India.

All in all, an outstanding and inspiring movie. Did I mention the mind-blowing soundtrack?

The real baiscope wallahs

2005-06-30T14:04:00.000-04:00

Sepia Mutiny blog has a nice post on the travelling cinema of yesteryears, with some nice anecdotes and pictures.

Gujju Rap

2005-06-29T21:36:00.000-04:00

Enjoy.

Hit or Miss?

2005-06-29T17:47:00.000-04:00

Without providing any trade numbers whatsoever, Glamsham conveniently declares whether movies are hit or miss:

The recently released "Parineeta" also seems well on its way to make an important contribution to the box-office bottom line.

Really? "..seems well on it's way.."? According to whom? I still have to stumble accross any trade magazine (at least online) that provides collection numbers for movies released in India. Unfortunately we have to deal with broad generalizations (from same article):

Commercially oriented productions that are not run-of-the-mill entertainers and movies with substance are scoring over mere packaging.

Compare with this.

Baiscope Movie Recommendation #1

2005-06-26T11:57:00.000-04:00

This week's recommendation: Prahar, Nana Patekar's directorial debut. The first half of the movie is a hard hitting look at an Indian Army commando training camp, very reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. The gritty depiction of the gruelling regimen appears very real, mainly because Nana Patekar actually spent time at an army training camp in Pune before writing the script.

The second half of the movie is a Major's attempt to make sense of the civil society, where the black and white rules of the army no longer seem to apply. The Major's need to restore order into his surroundings leads him to take matters into his own hands, and eventually to dementia.

Synopsis (by The Tribune):

NANA PATEKAR’S Prahar spelt out his vision of dispensing justice in a society trapped in a morass of helplessness and indiscipline Maj Chauhan (Nana Patekar) ran a gruelling commando training centre. One of his wards Peter D’Souza lost a leg in an anti-terrorist operation and was discharged from the centre. He took charge of his family’s bakery in Bombay. When he refused to pay protection money to local criminals, he was killed by them. An outraged Maj Chauhan confronted and eliminated the criminals. After trial, the court verdict was that Maj Chauhan had lost his mental equilibrium. He was ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment in a lunatic asylum. Dimple Kapadia and Madhuri Dixit impressed in a deglamourised role, but Nana Patekar stole the thunder as a military Pied Piper.

Highly recommended.

Ashutosh on movies, life and philosophy

2005-06-23T19:19:00.000-04:00

Very few filmmakers have the wherewithal to make entertaining movies and connect with the youth in a positive way. Ashutosh is a rarity, and he is able to simplify his message within the constraints of hindi movie format, and at the same time not come across as condescending. He is also very well spoken. Here's a snippet from an interview series with Rediff:

Q. There is no cynicism and an idealism you project very sensitively in Swades.

A. I am not cynical because I like to look at the positive, brighter aspects and move on. Even in Lagaan (image above), I touched upon it very lightly. We are playing cricket and don't have a 11th player, and Kachra comes in. So we touched upon the most glaring issue in the 1890s -- untouchability. You will be surprised that be it 1893 or 2005, the problem exists in a huge way. In fact, now it has taken violent forms.

If you don't find the film cynical is the reason I have created a village which is very Chandamama (the children's magazine of the 1960s and 1970s), Malgudi Days. In reality if an NRI comes into a village and starts asking questions about how the village structure is, the first thing you get is a lathi on your head.

Check out rest of this enlightening multi-part interview series on Rediff:

1. We don't look back in anger any more
2. Aamir Khan pulled me out of the rut
3. Shahrukh Khan is so obedient as an actor
4. Everything Gandhiji stood for can be made into a film

Shades of Black

2005-06-23T16:58:00.000-04:00

When I saw Black, I quite enjoyed it. I especially liked watching a mainstream actress take on an unconventional role and do her homework. However, I hesitated to conform with the rising popular sentiment that this is one of the greatest Indian movies ever, without being able to explain my dissatisfaction. A friend passed along an interview with filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, in which he articulates my feelings quite well:

"I don't like hamming in films, and it's a film where everybody's hamming, including the cameraman. Everything is setup for effect -- 'look how sensitive I am.'

It's not really a film about the girl who's blind. It's like you make a film about a guy who's lame, then you take the crutches away, then you hit him on the head, and he falls and you point and say, 'look how he's suffering.' When everything is for effect, it becomes boring. As a filmmaker, you start predicting.

For me, it's a very manipulative film. It's always manipulating me to cry. It's asking for too much sympathy, and I don't have that much sympathy to give. It's like emotional blackmail all the time, and I find that very unattractive. Some people might really like it, but it's not for me."

It also doesn't show well on the director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, when he doesn't acknowledge the true inspiration for the movie Hellen Keller, nor does he give credit to the original movie The Miracle Worker.

It's festival time

2005-06-21T17:42:00.000-04:00

The New York Asian Film Festival 2005 is underway. A couple of movies that I have seen and would recommend:

My Brother Nikhil (India) - The description on the site is tad incorrect. This is not really the first Indian movie to touch upon AIDS, but definitely the best one. See earlier post

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (Japan) - I saw this movie a couple of years ago at the Montreal Film Festival, and quite liked it. It is a bitter-sweet love story set in contemporary Japan.

Other promising ones: Arahan, Karaoke Terror, Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, Survive Style 5+, University of Laughs

See you bitches tomorrow

2005-06-20T17:08:00.000-04:00

No, not you. Check out Aunty Gs, a short film by Shetani Film Productions, presented by Badmash, spoofing our everyday Indian American diaspora (is that an Indian word? Nobody else seems to be using it). You immediately get a sense of what's coming with the opening dialogues of the movie, all performed with a straight face:

(In the dining room/kitchen of a typical bay area Indian household)

Uncle: Good morning faithful wife
Aunty: Good morning well providing husband
Uncle: I don't want to be late for my high paying engineering job, so hurry up with my hearty breakfast of puris, chhole, aloo puri, matar paneer, saag paneer, makke ki roti......

After Auntyji attends to the self absorbed piece of work, she sheds the garb of the sati savitri Indian bahu, and proceeds to paint the town red with her fellow bitches. It's awesome!

Bhaago! it's Bunty Aur Babli

2005-06-19T21:46:00.000-04:00

The Upper Stall review for Bunty aur Babli goes

Bunty Aur Babli is a film of missed chances. Look at what the director Shaad Ali Sahgal had going for it – A great cast, the best production house of the country and an extremely strong technical crew. Hence, the disappointment is all the more.

I am usually a cautious guy who waits a week for some unsuspecting friends to get conned by the next bad hindi movie, so they can pass on the good word and I avoid the hassle. However, the catchy song promos, the promise of mast timepass and my soft spot for Rani got the better of me this time and I went headlong for the premier screening at Times Square. The Upper Stall review continiues:

It is that nemesis of the Hindi film, yet again – the script. For a caper film, the screenplay needs to be crackerjack, witty, innovative, fast moving and engrossing -- none of which Bunty Aur Babli is.

I couldn't agree more about this i-wish-i-had-not-wasted-3-hours movie. My one line assessment: B&B is nothing but a revival of the Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja farce.

Rising in august

2005-06-17T13:48:00.000-04:00

It seems like we have to wait a little longer for Aamir Khan's Rising.

Mellow drama

2005-06-16T19:19:00.000-04:00

It's hard to find good reviews of Indian movies, but here's a good one on Parineeta by Amit Varma

Parineeta: the good melodrama

Meet Ray

2005-06-11T11:43:00.000-04:00

Time magazine's list of 100 best films ever, includes legendary Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy (1,2,3). I wonder how many of today's generation have watched even a single Ray film. Having grown up in Mumbai, I can say it's a saddeningly low percentage. I personally watched my first Ray film when I was 24.

Ray's films do not provide the titillation of conventional films, the instant gratification of the senses, the superficial excitement that lasts a superficial second. Ray's films need you to trust the filmmaker and allow him to take you on a journey; a journey that slowly draws you into another world and exhilarates more than just the senses. It's not a tequila shot, but a mysterious wine from a far away land; it takes time to grow on you. You are not watching a film any more, but transcend into a world where you know the characters on a first name basis, you are part of the story, and the experience lingers much beyond the final frame. It's magic!

If you have never seen a Ray film, I urge you not to start with the Apu Trilogy, which requires an already developed taste for the neo-realistic form of cinema. I recommend something more accessible like Ghaire-Baire, Agantuk or even Devi.

jalataa hai badan

2005-06-08T17:25:00.000-04:00

ho ... hAy! jalataa hai badan
pyaas bha.Dakii hai
pyaas bha.Dakii hai sare shaam se jalataa hai badan - 2
ishq se kah do ki le aae kahii.n se saavan
pyaas bha.Dakii hai sare shaam se jalataa hai badan
jalataa hai badan - 2

I have been searching for the lyrics of this song from Razia Sultan, since it happens to be my friend Rajani's pet peeve :-P

On a more serious note, the Internet has provided a unique space for communities to organize information collaboratively, to address social communication needs, or to provide a service; the net effect sometimes is a massive movement which takes the initial effort to a whole new level of relevancy. Some examples: Craigslist, IMDB and Wikipedia.

A decade ago some well meaning individuals managed to create such an event in an effort to create an on-line repository of Hindi movie song lyrics. Before you say woaaa!! let me add that it included lyrics in both roman and Devnagri scripts! Many of the song submissions were made by the general public, and the transliteration to devnagri script was achieved by the ITRANS software written by Anurag Shankar. Check out the database here:

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~navin/india/songs/

However, it seems like the movement came to an abrupt end some time in the late 90's. I wish they could pick it up where it was left off, and continue the noble task.

Finding Aamir

2005-06-06T20:33:00.000-04:00

It's high time for an Aamir Khan movie! It's been long since the last one, even by Aamir's own admission recently in an interview with Shekhar Gupta, due to "personal issues". According to SAWF, there have been some further delays in releasing "The Rising", a movie based on the life of one of the first Indian freedom fighters, Mangal Pandey...

...the Mangal Pandey Memorial Committee in Nagwa, Uttar Pradesh claims to have given the producer a legal notice expressing its opposition to the fact that the film was not shot in Nagwa, the birthplace of Pandey. “The film also features a kiss,” say committee members, “And we oppose this vehemently. We can’t allow a kiss in a film on the martyr’s life.”

This turns from mildly amusing to highly absurd:

...many Pandeys are claiming to be the direct descendants of the martyr and forming organisations to assert their prominence and get the benefits of being associated with the suddenly famous freedom fighter. The fact remains that Mangal Pandey was a bachelor and little or nothing is known about his descendants or family.

I can almost hear Mangal Pandey's moustache turning in his grave. There hasn't been much publicity for the movie, considering it's being touted as the most expensive Indian film ever. Although here's a sneak preview @Rediff.

Sunil Dutt ...most memorable

2005-06-06T18:00:00.000-04:00

Browsing through Sunil Dutt's filmography on IMDB (link) I was struck by the sheer number of forgettable films that he was part of: Daku aur Jawaan, Ram Kasam, Reshma aur Shera, Jai Jwala, Pyaasi Sham and Insaan Jaag Utha to name a few.

Sunil Dutt was not the most gifted of actors, nor was he incredibly good looking. However, it was his endearing personality and screen presence that worked with the general public. His sincerity shone through whatever he did and there are several films that will ensure him a special place in the history of Indian Cinema.

He also had an experimental streak in him: remember the one-man film "Yaadein"? I watched it on Doordarshan many years ago, and would love to get hold of a copy. My favourite Dutt movies:

Mother India (1957)
Yaadein (1964)
Mera Saaya (1966)
Milan (1967)
Padosan (1968)

Article by my favourite film historian Dinesh Raheja: link

Where there's smoke, there's censorship

2005-06-03T13:11:00.000-04:00

The Censor Board chief Sharmila Tagore is quoted in Indian express:

“Instead of actors lighting up on screen, they can chew on a toothpick or a pencil. It is possible to depict a scene without a cigarette and it would have the same desired impact. Smoking (on celluloid) can be avoided,” says the yesteryear actress."

Huh?!! Just what happens to seemingly intelligent actors as soon as they become chief of Censor Board boggles my mind! I fundamentally disagree with censorship, and favor the ratings system in the US. However, I do understand that proper enforcement is key to making the ratings sytem work, and India may not be ready for it. So, in the spirit of censorship, to preserve our young hearts and minds, here is what I would like banned from Indian movies:

Violence: instead of shooting a gun, the actor could point his forefinger at the target and shout 'statue' to have the desired effect. Fight sequences, if they must exist, could involve no physical contact, a la climax scene from Andaz Apna Apna with Shakti and Salman.
Sex: instead of making out shamelessly, the couple could wink at each other repetitively, accompanied by heavy breathing and uninhibited sweating.
Alcohol: instead of drinking from a bottle, the actor could suck his thumb and look sleepy.
Dishonesty: if a character must lie, it could be followed by appropriate consequences: e.g., lengthening of nose followed by a lightening strike.

I am sure the censor board is already thinking along these lines.

My Brother Nikhil

2005-06-01T16:51:00.000-04:00

According to film critic Roger Ebert, there is no such thing as a depressing movie; there are only good movies and bad movies. I couldn't agree more, especially after watching "My Brother Nikhil". There are film makers for whom the sole purpose of making movies is to entertain (David Dhawan, Manmohan Desai) and for others it is just a tool to make soporific social commentary, audience be damned.

Every now and then you find some mavericks like Ram Gopal Varma and Ashutosh Gowarikar, who will take the medium for what it is, i.e. to tell a good story. Onir, the writer/director of "My Brother Nikhil" falls under the last category. Surely the movie deals with tough social and moral issues, but the approach is that of telling a story with sincerity, without being overly melodramatic or preachy. That's hard to do.

Official site
Upperstall reivew
IMDB entry

Kudos to Sanjay Suri, who keeps getting better with each film.