Delhi 6: A Journey Within

Rakeyesh Mehra’s third film Delhi 6: The Journey Within. The movie captures the fears, aspirations and needs of normal, everyday Indians. Oscar nominated AR Rahman scored the music for the film, and as usual the songs were outstanding.

Delhi 6 is an interesting movie that unfolds in a slow and unhurried pace and is set against a complex background and backdrop. The movie unfolds almost like a play. A lot of time is spent in weaving that backdrop and background and I suspect that might not appeal to the audience especially for those who might be looking for a fast paced movie from Rakeyesh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti. His message in Delhi 6 and about “the journey within” might be a little too subtle this time around when compared to his previous film RDB, which was a spirited film with a gripping storyline that appealed to the younger audience. Delhi 6 with its slow pace allows you to reflect on what the director is trying to communicate through his story or ensemble as he put it. The metaphor of “kala bhandar” runs throughout the movie. The ingenious use of the “black monkey” metaphor sharply highlights that bit of cruelty, that animal instinct, that primordial fear… call it what you want… but it is that bundle of emotions opposite to love that exists in all of us. Those black emotions are literally a heart beat away and can spark off into a wildfire and become destructive element with the manipulation of our emotions When we see the world through our prejudiced lenses we see a different world and that is one of the subtle messages of the movie. But, on the other hand if we can see a world through love, empathy and understanding we might see a whole different world and might not jump to conclusions. Easy to preach but difficult to practice.

The second half of the movie is especially gripping and there is a lesson in there for all of us on how our emotions can be easily manipulated when it comes to religion. It was unnerving to witness how swiftly our black emotions are quick to surface. I don’t want to give the plot away, but when you see the movie you will understand what I am trying to say. The movie depicts that chaos and provides a vibrant spectrum of modern day India that straddles both the traditional and the emerging global culture. What better way to portray this new India and its goals and aspirations than setting the movie in the walled city of Old Delhi? This is what the director had to say about the movie and India in an interview in NDTV: “So it is a country which has found its balance in its chaos, in a kind of spectrum of a movie, you can only just touch and go and reflect these issues which makes the film very very vibrant, very colorful in the sense not in bright colors but emotional colors here.”

PS: Don’t go with an expectation of RDB kinda. Well edited & soothing background scores…

Spolier: The entire movie is around NOOR (sung by Amitabh), is as:
Zareee zaree mein usi ka noor hai
Jhak khud mein woh na tujhse door hai
Ishq hai usse to sab se ishq kar
Ishq hai usse
Tu sab se ishq kar
Is ibadat ka yehi dastoor hai
Is mein us mein aur us mein hai wohi
Is mein us mein aur us mein hai wohi
Yaar mera har taraf bharpur hai ..

Slumdog Millionaire

What type of film is this?
a) An inspirational underdog story
b) A traumatic look at the life of a Mumbai street child
c) An heroic romance interrupted by tragedy and victory, or
d) An touching crime drama centered upon bitter sibling rivalry.

Whether you go to the movies to be thrilled, terrified, delighted, inspired, or simply entertained, Slumdog Millionaire does not let you down. It’s truly a remarkable tale of hope, love, and profound adversity. As the detective reviews a videotape of Jamal’s appearance on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, the out of control “slumdog” tells the story of how he came to know the answer to each question in dramatic detail. Each answer is a journey unto itself — sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes humorous — and the further we travel, the more we become invested in the characters. Through it all, we come to understand just what a decent person Jamal (Dev Patel) truly is, and why his romance with Latika (Freida Pinto) seemed doomed from the moment they first met.

Hyper-saturated, glowingly granular photography stills by Anthony Dod Mantle’s and Chris Dickens editing…. all of which are splendidly held together by Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman’s bright score, an energizing mixture of Eastern and Western musical feelings. A great movie is something more than the sum total of all its parts, and here, the rudiments all come together to form a feature that speaks a universal form of optimism that isn’t likely to get lost in translation, no matter where it screens, or who is watching.

Go watch it!!!

Rock On ***

After all the hype around Farhan Akhtar’s acting debut and the fantastic music album, Rock On!! Does not live up to expectations.

When you’re watching the movie, at some point of time you always wonder if this is a more serious version of Dil Chahta Hai. Heavily inspired by DCH and possibly Jhankaar Beats, the movie is about an rock band which reaches its success, breaks up and then get back together ten years into the future and performs their last live gig together.

The script does have its gaping holes which include the fight between Arjun Rampal and Farhan Akhtar (which leads to the breakup of the band), the manner in which Farhan runs away after the band breaks away and why his ex-girlfriend appears out of nowhere to be present at a launch party ten years after he ran away.

But, what saves the movie are the characters involved and their perfect portrayal by the stars.

Farhan emerges well with confidence and does justice to the role of Aditya Shroff. He makes good use of his husky and rough voice not just for the fantastic vocals but also in some very good dialogue delivery.

Prachi Desai is fantastic. Debbie (Shabana Goswami) stole a great amount of the show. This girl made me crazy J… Makes me go back into my long forgotten days. She’s awesome. Purab Kohli is the sole ‘entertainment’ in the movie with his sporadic jokes. Kenny unfortunately takes the limelight only thanks to his tumour. But, its Arjun Rampal who steals the show with an absolutely flawless performance of a true musician.

The music is great and possibly what holds the entire theme together so efficiently. To conclude, a very slow paced movie with a great ending (although it might be a bit cliche) but definitely worth a watch. I’ll give it 3 out of 5 stars. 1 for the music, 1 for Farhan and Arjun and 1 full point for a fantastic ending.

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Its funnee that am writing this post, been 2 years since the launch of this movie.
But yes, this movie deeply touched me.

I came across this fantastic quote on a blog which is supposed to be the lesson one learns after watching KANK.

Keep looking for someone you love… even if it means marrying people on the way.

I had avoided the movie like the plague but the lesson rocks, indeed.

Overall not bad probably because I had expected worse. Watch the movie atleast once. A sensitive topic handled well with care. The actors do full justice to their respective roles. If you still don’t like it then atleast you will be humming ‘Rock and Roll Soniye’. But I am yet to make up my mind on the baseline theme – Is it right to continue with something that you don’t love or leave it to follow your heart? It would just equally mean to decide between carrying the burden of an unsuccessful relationship or breaking free and letting go. I am thinking about it and looking for answers – should find them someday, soon.

KUNG FU PANDA!!!

Man I am jealous of CGI filmmakers. They can put the cameras anywhere, under crank and over crank at will. This movie is so beautifully shot and executed.  Every joke is nailed and every single fight sequence is so effortlessly captured and lit. It’s not fair.  Those of bound by physics and the realities of shooting can only hope to mimic what these guys are truly capable of. I remember when Toy Story came out lo these many years ago.  I saw it twice that day.  Good story and pioneering.

Kung Fu Panda

It features Po; the Panda. Po is a lowly waiter in a noodle restaurant in ancient China and he loves Kung Fu. Unfortunately he is so fat, can’t expect him to be a real kung fu fighter…
But he has been unexpectedly been recognized as the Dragon Warrior of the prophesy! The most interesting part was Master Shifu trains Po…. and using the only motivational tool that works on him: FOOD.

Kung Fu Panda ends up being a funny (not outright hilarious), exciting, well animated and beautiful to look at movie that both kids and yes, even adults will enjoy. Some poor voice casting and a few character left without being fleshed out much didn’t become major distractions to enjoying the movie. Could have taken or left Jack Black as the lead voice… but he didn’t detract from the film in anyway. It’s no Pixar film… but very good nonetheless. Overall I give Kung Fu Panda a 7.5 out of 10.

Sorry to be so random, but seriously, go see Kung Fu Panda.

The Positive Change That is Round the Corner?

What makes this film to be called as a unique way of saying the same thing but with a touch of true soul in it? Pakistani Director Shoaib Mansoor has to take a courageous step to combat for the Muslims fundamentals who are getting masked under biasing since after 9/11.

Centered on the basics of Islam, the film showcased the truth and has given a chance to think properly. In short it is working like an eye-opener. “Khuda Kay Liye” also pictures what the contemporary Muslim fundamentals means in Pakistan. The movie is not loud, it is ‘pleasantly’ melodramatic and it has ‘decent’ production values that go too well with the subject.

The film tells its story through two families. A Pakistani Muslim, married outside faith and living with a white woman, is perturbed by the thought of his daughter planning to marry a white Christian. On the other side of the world, in Pakistan, a progressive Pakistani family gets worried when their younger son stops singing and starts to grow his beard.

The story covers many significant territories important from the perspective of any discussion around Islam and western perception of it. The two brothers who are the main protagonists provide a glaring contrast-one who travels to USA to study music and younger one who goes hiding in Afghanistan to support the cause of intolerant Islam.

Climax of the film sees an argument between Maulana Wali (played  by Naseeruddin Shah) and Mullah Tahiri. Naseeruddin’s role of Maulana tired to show how the real basics of Quran got misinterpreted to youngsters and force them to kill the petals to eat the dirt nails of society i.e. boycott culture, music, women. It highlights how Muslim were treated the only elements of the terrorism in the society. But the truth lies in the act of Naseer’s acting which made the golden flair in the storyline of the film.

Naseeruddin Shah, playing the liberal Maulana Wali was expected to give a superb performance and he doesn’t disappoint. He gets to deliver the best dialogues- ‘deen me dadhi hai, dadhi me deen nahi’ (Religion encompasses the beard, not vice versa) or ‘haraam ki kamai jeb me rakhkar, halal ghosht ki dukaan dhoondhte hain’ (People look for Halal meat shops with inappropriate earnings in their pocket.).

Director Shoaib Mansoor excels in raising a bold issue, the issue of the utter confusion in the minds of Muslims about adjusting to the times, while still holding on to their Muslim identity that has been under threat post 9/11. Whether a Muslim girl can marry a non-Muslim? Whether music is ‘haram’ in Islam? Is keeping a beard compulsory for the followers of Islam? The questions are many and Khuda ke liye raises and almost answers all of them in a hard hitting manner. More importantly, all through this journey, it remains an entertaining mainstream film containing all the aspects of a well researched documentary.

However, the only negation what I could see is  that the director makes words and arguments heard and characters often shout to ensure that you listen.

The film ends at the 2 notes:
1) Mary gets back to Afghani village where she’s held hostage and starts her classroom.
2) Competition for the microphone between the two… Sarmad (who was brainwashed by the radical mullah for jihad but is back to a “normal life”) and Shershah (a disciple the radical Maulana) competing for the Azaan.

Atlast! The film is a must watch for all the people of any age group. It just tells the spirit of ones devotion for his country and his native hood. It’s not for Muslims but for humanity.

The positive change that is about to begin…

First things first…we didn’t come out of the theatre. And most importantly, it kept us and 120 audiences glued to the theatre screen for good three hours. Good movie. Go watch it.

When do we Children Grow up for Parents?

… never

In the context, below is a beautiful dialogue from “Finding Nemo”  (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266543). The scene is when Nemo’s dad is swimming with the turtles in the East Australian Ocean Current (EAC) to reach Sydney to search & rescue Nemo. The big turtle talks to Nemo’s dad about their kiddo-turtles hatching out, growing up, being on their own and he ‘letting them go’ after that. Nemo’s dad was very protective and over-caring about Nemo till he gets lost.

{Nemo’s dad is respectfully called Jellyman by all turtles since he fights off jelly fishes, deep in the ocean, while searching for Nemo}

(DT = Daddy Turtle, ND =Nemo’s Dad)
DT: (speaking to his son) Curl away my son. ( speaking to Nemo’s Dad[ND] ) Its awesome, Jellyman.
The little dudes are just eggs.
We leave ‘em on a beach to hatch…
and then, coo-coo-cachoo…
They find their way back to the big ol’ blue (the ocean).
ND (surprised): All by themselves?
DT: Yeah.
ND: But Dude, how do you know when they’re ready.
DT: Well, you (parents!) never really know. But when they know, you’ll know, you know? Ha!

I totally love the spirit of the last sentence and his ‘ha’ expression for obvious reasons

Tare Zameen Par… this title is apt!

Charming & Classy. Beautifully composed and elegant direction. Aamir delivers his first baby with élan.

How can one not love a movie about children crafted with utmost compassion – children with special needs at that? But, is that the only reason I liked Tare Zameen Par? Maybe – maybe not. What I know for sure is that a strong one-line story is narrated extremely charmingly. It is truly uplifting when spirit wins and yet, it is not all about the spirit of winning.

Tare Zameer Par is about a child who suffers because no one around him recognizes that he is a slow learner. The beauty of the narration is that the message applies to all children – learning disability or not. How can creativity not deserve a place in academics? It also points a very subtle finger at how we build conformation in our system right at the roots.

The pace of the first half gives you time to think of normal children who are just not academically inclined. The resolution in the second half, however, comes by too quickly compared to the trauma shown earlier. But, I guess, if the point is to show that difficulties can be overcome, you don’t necessarily want to show how difficult it is to overcome them.

About at post-interval, Ishaan said a line which made me realize that he hadn’t said a line in the last hour or so. There I was feeling sorry for Ishaan, feeling like yelling at someone to give him a big hug while I fought this lump in my throat that had been there for the longest time. All this based solely on Ishaan’s expressions and body language!

Cheers to the director for taking this decision and potraying with brilliant confidence. And, finally we have a dialogue writer who knows when not to give the actors a helping hand. There are a couple of verbose, preachy scenes. But, they made the point because they were well written.

Aamir Khan’s entry into the movie seemed over-the-top and forced, mainly because it was in absolute contrast with the tone of the movie thus far. But after a little while you realize that you can’t distinguish between the actor/director Aamir Khan and his character Nikhumb. They are both fighting the same cause. Passionately the other characters serve their purpose as caricatures – stereotypical father, loving mother, understanding sibling, ruthless teacher, and jeering peers.

No matter who or what the focus of the camera is, the love it feels towards its subjects shows in each frame. And, in turn, you fall in love with what you see on screen. Compositions, lighting, angles, colors all work successfully together to engross you and very often to enchant you.

The songs too contribute to the narrative. The lyrics are sheer poetry. I know-I know, that’s what they are supposed to be, but can’t remember the last time lyrics brought me to tears. “mein kabhi batlaata nahi” kept me speechless (and we all know how difficult that is!). The beautifully crafted song MAA just tore me apart… the moment still lingers well within me.

Yes, in here melodrama exists. The side-characters transform for no apparent reason. The climax is exaggerated and is as unrealistic as it could get. However, the aim is to show not reality of life but reality of the condition that this child suffers from. Once you get that, you pardon the make-up a mother is wearing at 6am while doing her chores. And anyway, most of this is towards the end, by which time you are willing to forgive. Because, above all else, it makes you think.

When did we grow up? When along the way did we forget what it felt like to be yelled at, to be put down, to be ridiculed? And why did we choose the next generation for revenge? Will we recognize the child in us that is struggling to get out? Will the sensation that the lump in the throat created, stay after the credits roll?

Its a movie for everyone… teachers & parents specially…

Loins of Punjab Presents

It is so funny that it even makes fun of itself. Everything about the movie is hilarious an absolute laugh riot. It’s about a “Desi Idol” contest which apparently is _not_ a rip-off of hundreds of music contests out there today. The only catch being that it’s open for all the South-East Asian in America. Amazing bunch of characters the script writer has cooked up. I just loved the hip-hop/bhangra surd duo and their “Khoon-karaba” number. Loins of Punjab is a must-must watch.

The movie deals with a host of characters trying to win a contest called ‘Desi Idol’, presented by you-know-who!

There is a socialite who is status-conscious and wants to win badly – she even has a guru to teach her ‘Chura liya hai tumne’, with special comments like “try to make your voice sound a little sexier”.

The angry young gay bhangra rapper is a too kewl…. i went rolling to his khoon kharaba number. He and his partner in his act is also his life partner – an African-American-bhangra-rapping sidekick.

Then there is a Gujarati singer who is always accompanied by her family wherever she goes, and they take decisions for her always.

There is an aspiring Indian actress who acts like she knows Hindi, but actually doesn’t.

There is a business analyst who is always looking at the world through numbers, but also has a passion for singing.

And, finally, there is the American who loves India and has learnt a few songs to perform here.

These characters come together to create havoc on the screen. The performances are impeccable, the situations hilarious, and the dialogues mind-blowing. Manish Acharya’s direction requires special mention. He has taken adequate potshots at contemporary trends and fads. At the same time, you never get the feeling of “oh no, not that scene again”. This movie transcends your normal idea of a comedy and leaves you with a side-splitting pain because of all the laughter.

A short and funny movie, you should watch. Loved it !

Bheja Fry

Last week got a chance to watch this movie on our local cable channel….. Beleive meeee… is a freakin hilarious movie…. hats off to Vinay Pathak’s acting talent.. am sure this movie has done enuf justice to this chap.

From the first scene when he is introduced in the bus, his presumptions on the co-passengers — stretching over them, engaging them in uncomfortable conversations — to the way he removes the scrap book from the plastic cover making sounds of plastic creasing all the way is excellent.

The movie stands out due to its script. However, it could have been made much more crisp. The scenes where Pathak is not there are so low-energy that you almost doze off. The editors ought to have used their scissors more often. Still, a different movie — and a comedy movie after a long time which dares to be different and gets it right!

Oh, and if you watch it at a time when your bheja is really fried, it is a superlative therapeutic.

GO GO GO …. Unfry your bheja!