The Movies

Jayesh Bhai Jordaar

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

Jayesh Bhai Jordaar deserves a jordaar, jaw dislodging lafa (Gujju speak for thappad) on its banal, insensitive handling of a horrible, cruel, practice and the violence and misogyny women face every day.

They decided to make a film about a cause- female infanticide. They figured they wanted to keep it light…..and ended up trivialising a very serious issue into a nonsensical farce. What started out (not very promisingly) as the struggle of a spineless Jayesh trying to save his wife from a seventh(!) abortion, ended up on the note of the importance of exchanging “pappies”(Hindi speak for kisses) and being polite.

The elders blithely discuss snuffing out life as if it’s a diseased organ. Reminiscent of the worse kind of 80’s cinema, the naaris are either hard as stone or abla as hell-their idea of a support group is to huddle in the night and cry.

The sarpanch’s idea of solving eve-teasing is to blame the fragrance of soap used by women tantalising the men, so the women are no longer permitted to use soap!

The attempts at showing the husband as supportive and modern are thinner than toilet paper. The only time he actually makes sense is when he threatens to cut off the family jewels if his wife is not spared. After 6 abortions, it’s the very least he can do. And yes- frequently, women do ACTUALLY want to cut the family jewels off –get some peace.

There are utterly stupid scenes where Jayesh has to hit his wife because miles away, said wife’s brother is hitting Jayesh’s sister.

A pathetic attempt at messaging is about a village in Haryana with no women and those wrestlers pledging to protect women and give them a safe haven.

And these are just some of the things spectacularly wrong with this drivel. All the attempts at positive messaging fall woefully short.

The only accurate depiction is the woman being hunted to be killed- yes that’s pretty much how it would feel to have your baby aborted. How it feels to be hit. How it feels to be teased.

Really Aditya Chopra? YRF? Ranveer Singh? Boman Irani? Ratna Pathak Shah? This is what you make in this century? No, your messaging is NOT clear. It’s botched up, insensitive, hollow and you have probably caused more damage than good.

Disappointing. Sick.

Gulabo Sitabo-June 2020

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

A slow, rueful film about how human beings with their short sighted grasping, acquisitive ways, give more credence to things and not people. Loot and not love on their minds. 


The patriarchal mindset of men is there in all its connivance and absolute disregard for the lady of the house, what women want and can do to leave the menfolk stunned is spelt out rather well too. While we laugh at the protagonists, somewhere we also realise just what pitiful human beings they are and how many like them abound all across our acquaintance.

Mirza Chunnan Nawab is a money grubbing, tight fisted, annoyingly eccentric not owner of Fatima Mahal-that being Fatima herself-his Begum,senior to him by 17 years. She married Mirza for the love of her childhood home and let goes of her sweetheart or does she?She seems to live in a time when Pandit Nehru could be called upon to set things right (I wish I could too!) but is cannier than that. 


The dilapidated mansion also houses a set of tenants who pay a paltry sum for living there in the decaying grandeur of a humongous haveli. Some also don’t pay-Baankey being one of them. Forced to drop out of school to run the family biz, viz an atta chakki, he has since paid to educate his 3 sisters. He has the money. He’s just cheap.
Mirza and he share a hate hate, snide remark exchange kind of relationship where there is absolutely no hidden love, caring or tenderness at all. And it is this which in fact sets in motion a series of events where the haveli slips away… 


A fight over a broken toilet wall has them gathered at the police station for the curmudgeonly Mirza locks up all the other available ‘paikhanas” till Baankey repairs the wall he kicked and broke while waiting for his turn for a longish time. 
They are overheard by officialdom from  Archaeology who sets about trying to acquire it with superficial honesty and promises to the tenants but deceit and dhokha in reality.Parallely, Mirza appoints a lawyer to get the pesky tenants out and that turns into a tangled decision of selling the haveli.Again  some shady moves by a friend of Mirza and the lawyer and a realtor called Munmun Ji which rather delighted me as it is my pet name. 

All of this, I remind you, for a house neither has any claim to whatsoever. 

So the parallel tracks of acquisition run, with scenes, dialogues and thoughts which are a very real but pathetic commentary on how  awfully mean and small minded human nature is. 


One gets a little tired of watching the balls lobbing from one side to another predictably, when matters come to a head and there is a stand-off -interrupted 
by the real spanner in the works delivered by Fatima Begum-Fatto and that sort of makes the somnolent watch worth it. The warring parties are gobsmacked, empty handed  and eventually-it good old love that wins.

The warring parties  also remain unchanged and irredeemable I might add.

The film is set in Lucknow which was for me a personal delight. 

The cast has all acted very well. The UP way of talking and terminology are  fully and naturally there across the spectrum. But the story could be set anywhere for what it portrays. Amitabh Bacchan as Mirza is as annoying and irritating as is required. His short-sighted, face full of nose look helped his role. After so many decades, he is expected to act well.

Ayushhmann Khurrana as Baankey is natural as always. Vijay Raaz as Archaeology wale Shukla Ji is his understated self as is Brijender Kala as Christopher Clark, Lawyer will fit seamlessly into the setting, if it were real. The absolute darling of the show however, is the elegant and loveable Farrukh Jafar– Fatima Begum. From a generation whose language and speech are like a soothing, fragrant balm on the brashness in our words today, she packs quite a punch and with swag!

The songs play on  in the background but I listened to them all separately because they state the essence of the story. Shantanu Moitra’s has given the music.

“Kya leke aayo jag mein kya leke jaayega
Kya leke aayo jag mein kya leke jaayega o bandhu”  

One life -make it about people, not things, your haveli won’t accompany you to the next world and it’s never to late to start afresh.

Oh and don’t mess with the female of the species. 🙂

Shoojit Sircar has his casting and settings perfect. The film is an enjoyable enough one watch but no major connects, lumps in throat, misty eyes or even laugh out loud moments. This is nowhere close to Vicky Donor, Madras Cafe or Piku. But many shades better than October.

And watch most of us will- it’s new, it’s at home and it’s Bollywood.Do tell me what you feel , after you do, ok?

PS-Who are Gulabo-Sitabo? TheBetter India tells us-https://www.thebetterindia.com/229930/amazon-prime-gulabo-sitabo-real-story-ayushmann-khurrana-amitabh-bachchan-uttar-pradesh-say143/?fbclid=IwAR1CFjznyES0xd1y9Bf5N6BQ2ajbZS7U_dK_s0cZ-CXAMLyYUPM6BAvP4qo

Basu Chatterjee-The Khatta Meetha of Life

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

Basu Chatterjee passed away today. He was 93. Those of us who grew up in the 70s and 80s will have watched some if not all of his films.  Simply narrated and enacted , they managed to convey the  most profound  messages about life, love and relationships without  hysterical dramatics and insane hair dos.

There was however song and some dance –very good that too and almost everybody will have swayed , sung along gustily with and/or danced to

“उठे सबके कदम,  तरा रम-पम-पम

अजी ऐसे गीत गाया करो

कभी खुशी कभी ग़म,  तरा रम-पम-पम

हंसों और हंसाया करो

Such good advise!

Amol Palekar’s-Tony and a very wooden Tina Munim’s-Nancy’s sweet love story had them telling each other-Baton Baton Mein…..

न बोले तुम ना मैंने कुछ कहा

मगर न जाने ऐसा क्यों लगा

के धूपमें खिला हैं चाँद, दिन में रात हो गयी

के प्यार की बिना कहे सुने ही बात हो गयी

Love doesn’t need grand declarations…it sort of slips into the conversation and that’s it.

The lyrics from Uthe Sabke Kadam are names of two films in the 2000s!

 

The Choti Si Baat Amol Palekar’s mousy Arun tried telling Vidya Sinha’s Prabha was this….

जानेमन जानेमन तेरे दो नयन

चोरी चोरी लेके गए देखो मेरा मन

जानेमन जानेमन जानेमन

मेरे दो नयन, चोर नहीं सजन

तुमसे ही खोया होगा कहीं तुम्हारा मन

जानेमन जानेमन जानेमन

I know it by heart and sing along every time!

 

As for this sweet and sour life of ours…….

ये जीना है अंगूर का दाना

कुछ कच्चा है कुछ पक्का है

अरे जितना खाया मीठा था

जो हाथ ना आया खट्टा है

ये जीना है …

What better analogy than a grape for how often we fall back on its fermented juice for solace!

Khatta Meetha is a comfort watch. I go back to it every year at least, to get reminded of gentler times. And to sing along with the songs. And to realise yet again, that human relatiosnhips are defined by the bonds between hearts and minds and not by the labels assigned to them by the world.

For so many of us,

थोड़ा है थोड़े की ज़रूरत है

ज़िंदगी फिर भी अहा ख़ूबसूरत है

थोड़ा है थोड़े की ज़रूरत है

ज़रूरत है

has been a realisation in this year of panic and disasters.

 

And finally, this for me, is one of the most romantic songs ever……

रजनीगंधा फूल तुम्हारे, महके यूँ ही जीवन में

यूँ ही महके प्रीत पिया की, मेरे अनुरागी मन में

Because the room seems to get suffused with the delicate fragrance of the flowers and we look forward to receiving a bunch of our don’t we?

As I went through the filmography of forty plus films , I considered mentioning many other films and songs because the simplicity and melody was clearly not limited to the handful above.

But then stuck to these as a tribute and gratitude from me- for me, these films and songs are what make Mr Basu Chatterjee  live on.

Rest In Peace Sir.

 

Article 15

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

“Hum kabhi hari-jan ho jate hain, kabhi bahujan. Bas Jan nahi ban paate.
Ki Jan Gan Man mein hamari bhi ginti ho. ”

Article 15 shows us just how rotten we have become as a society. How power rules supreme and fear controls existence. That caste based privilege is possibly the biggest scourge we are beset with. That what the founding fathers fought for and envisaged as their India -we have over the years disrespected and defiled so repeatedly that it’s crumbled into a grey morass of hate and discrimination.

The story is set in a village and is about a a pair of young girls who disappear, only to be found strung up on a tree. A cover up attempt by the established force and the no nonsense attitude of a new police in-charge follows amidst yeh log, aise log, hum toh inke haath ka khaate bhi nahin etc. We are so involved in being Brahmin, Yadav, Gujjar, Jat, Kayastha, that we have forgotten to be Indians and human.

A conniving lot who look for loopholes to suit our own individual interests, we bribe, we frame, we cover up crimes-all for a fee. And then have the temerity to wave a tricolour and say Bharat Mata Ki Jai–this being our biggest example of desh bhakti. After inflicting blow upon blow to her bruised, injured, agonised soul.Hypocrites to boot as well.

We have in fact, negated pretty much everything a certain MK Gandhi or BR Ambedkar or JL Nehru stood for. I use their names indicatively. The way we are today, steeped in the corrosive fear of religion with all our actions stemming from fear of retribution from God, from the ruling party, from the nearest cop, we are a nation of cowards.A disgrace to those who fought for an Independent India.

Should one not at least aspire to living a brave life?Make brave choices? Do we not owe it somewhere those thousands who got us our freedom selflessly?

As Ayushmann Khurrana’s Ayaan Ranjan says to a smug, corrupt CBI officer with no zameer- Sir, Dilli mein reh kar, kabhi yes sir, yes sir ki jagah ek bar no sir apne bol diya toh zyada se zyada kya hoga -hatya ho jayegi na aapki? Woh ho chuki hai already. Bas aap ko pata nahin hai.

Article 15 should be made compulsory viewing for children and young adults. Even Adults but a whole majority of them are the problem themselves.
As a film, it is a well written, well directed and wonderfully enacted script. A cast of brilliant performers-Ayushmann Khurrana, Manoj Pahwa, my absolute favourites-Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub and Kumud Mishra and an entire bunch of effortless actors have produced a superb film, helmed by Anubhav Sinha.

And no, after watching it (which you must), don’t say this only happens in rural India, this won’t happen to people like us, it’s gone on for centuries-what can we do etc.
If you’re reading this and can understand this, you know what you can do. It’s your choice that makes the difference.

Streaming on Netflix.

Simmba

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

My 2018 year of movies began and ended with similarities- both had Ranveer Singh in them , both ended really late at night and in both, he gave a stellar performance.That was “Padmavat” as the repulsive Khilji. This is ….

“Simmba” is loud, garish in parts, but fun, funny, seriously moving in many ways and a 100% ROI on the absurd amounts we shell out at the movies these days. Of course there’s suspended disbelief-but hey after you see it, think for a moment- do we all not often form bonds of affection without ties of blood? Do we not all come across people who we connect with instantly? And, more seriously, are there not enough instances of one incident changing a person’s life, perspective, persona a 100% forever? And really, would you not just love a swanky SUV to park itself behind you in slow motion, after you had exited it with swag and a carelessly tossed Rayban? I would!

(Singham theme playing in the background, only, instead of the Devgn, it is me emerging from said vehicle.)

The story is straightforward and decently connected and linked but longish in the telling-

Ranveer Singh’s Sangram Bhalerao (Simmba)is a corrupt, cocky yet good hearted policeman. An orphan who learns very quickly that power and money go hand in hand and that a cop has more power than a criminal. Thus he studies by night with a didi who runs a school and sustains by day with minor criminal activities such as selling movie tickets in black etc. His aim is to join the “पोलिस” and rake in the moolah under the table. He joins the force and works wholeheartedly and honestly at being dishonest. A nice guy so tends to make friends quickly. Transferred to a prime station is when he finds love, family and a conscience –the last being Senior Constable Mohile (Ashutosh Rana-awe inspiring actor-Dushman ka villain and good cop, all in one-amazes every time!)who is full of disdain for Simmba and his shenanigans and minces no words in sharing it pithily with him.
The new posting comes with the local mafia – headed by Durva Ranade (Sonu Sood-sadly underexposed actor) and while our man S obviously turns a blind eye to the skulduggery that goes on, he does have strong views on drugs-being against them actually. Durva chappie’s younger brothers run the drug bit and Simmba is not on it. However they use poor orphans as couriers and a young girl who teaches kids at night school (the didi connect) is told this by a mute child. She complains to the cops. However, one night, some kids go missing and she and the mute child toodle off to the pub to look for them. She is discovered, raped and eventually dies; the catalyst for the change in Simmba. He growls. He roars. He attacks. He gets her justice.

Aided and abetted by his force and a group of ladies who run the Good Food company across the thana. The lurve of his life actually owns it and her dad being dead cop who knew a lot about encounters, she does her wee bit too. Shagun she is called (Sara Ali Khan-with potential and her parents’ looks in just the right proportions.)

How does he get justice? Fairly sorted way for our horrendous times. And if you think the point is being over discussed, over preached, over emphasised-if that’s what it takes to make any kind of difference-I’m all for it. Rape IS serious. It’s heinous. It violates. It cripples-the victim, the family, their lives. So yes, if some pontificating goes on from a cinema icon who the youth watch- yay! A message is a message. It needs to be gotten across in all possible ways-dumbed down if necessary.

Watch na. Tell me what you think.

There’s the irony of Durva teaching his son about Mahatma Gandhi. There is also, the dismay in his eyes when he finds out what his brothers have done. His respect for his mother, his eventual nemesis- brought about by the connect Simmba forms with her. There are the one liners which pepper all conversations-spot on for the moment. And yes of course- there are needless comic scenes and some plot holes but don’t quibble so much ok? Life has plot holes ya-this toh is a work of fiction!

Starring some Rohit Shetty film regulars (Ashwini Kalsekar, Vijay Patkar, Ashok Samartha, Uday Tikekar) the film has some Marathi, which gets translated on the spot so no sub-titles needed. Some truly funny jokes and dialogues.A guest appearance by the Golmal stars and a super duper appearance by Bajirao Singham himself (in a less restrained world, I would have whistled and whooped for 3 minutes straight. Had to contain myself with a cheer.)
(Simmba अणि Singham are in the same frame for a scene or two! आता माझी quite a bit सटकली!!A sequel with both will so cool methinks!)

The showstopper is of course Ranveer. He transitions from goofy to groovy to I will goli maaro you in a trice and each is convincing. What amazing talent. There is a scene where he is in on a death and the pathos is palpable. We as audience were hushed and his anguish almost a physical being. Yet, a scene or two earlier, he was saying to the villain-“ Hello, you are my bhai, from another aai”(at which I laughed out loud and long-what a super take on brother from another mother!)
I have remained undecided on whether I like him or not-but what outstanding acting! As he would say in the film repeatedly “mind ij blown”.

The music has two old numbers, rejigged and the rest I don’t really remember. I liked the theme music which has traditional Maharashtrian drums and wind instruments. Rousing and gets the adrenalin pumping.

https://youtu.be/ydJuE59gh-I

Rohit Shetty has had his share of hits and misses. Also has his trademarks-a surfeit of colour, outlandish, over the top dance sequences, gravity defying, slow motion fighting, SUVs in the air- but in all his films, the heart is always firmly in the right place (mine of course goes helter-skelter with Bajirao but that’s a separate story….)

So dekh lo phir- Simmba. End the year on an entertaining note.

simmbasingham

Thugs of Hindostan

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

The thing about movies like Thugs of Hindostan (or Bodyguard, Kick, Dhoom 3, etc) is that the combined effects of a festival release, huge scale of production and popular with the populace star cast, the actual quality of the movie possibly does not really matter. The crowds Will throng the halls and help recover the crores spent in production many times over. There will be good and shades of grey bad and the really god awful evil bad and song and dance and drama and happy endings leaving many hopeful and smiling for a bit at any rate. They may possibly remember nothing of it a day later, but woh teen ghante unse koi nahi chheen sakta.

Yes, movies are my medicine too, (within reason) so I can well believe that three hours of suspended disbelief can have therapeutic properties. So many improbable stories are part of my favourites. Of course, another side effect can be increased Disprin sales or alcohol sales or both.

There of course will be a minority for whom the disbelief is more about the drivel they have witnessed and their own weakness at having succumbed to the lure of yet another mega movie and not used those three hours otherwise. Yet they return to movie after movie in the quest of a good one-I am of that minority too.

So whatever a review says, it TOH Will be a hit. It will bring home lots of bacon for YRF and if some of us will feel “hain, yeh kya tha” type of “bhavna”, refer to sentence on therapy/quest above.

Hind mahasagar ke lootere (Pirates of The Indian Ocean), also known as Thugs of Hindostan is about them British’s acquisitive traits of adding on to their empire. In one such Kingdom in Hindostan, its young princess (Zafira) and her guard (Khuda Baksh Jahaazi-Azad) escaped and set up a clan of “baaghis”-rebels fighting for their freedom.

Azad ne kardi naak me dum (was a pain in the neck), and as pain relief, they secured the services of scheming, lying (yet honest about himself), untrustworthy, slimy as hell Ferangi- an informer, whose only “imaan” was money. He is by the way, the Thug from the title. I paraphrase from Wikipedia-“Thugs were a secret cult of both Hindus and Muslims which worshipped the goddess Kali. They operated as gangs of highway robbers, tricking and later strangling their victims. During the 1830s, the thugs were targeted for eradication by the British”

So Firangi of the expressive eyes and the quick tongue does worm his wily way into Azad’s toli, along with his friend Shanichar. Though not immediately into Zafira’s trust. And somewhere along the way, the wise sayings of Ol’Jahaazi get under his skin. One part did stay with me-

Azad tells Firangi that in every person’s life they get at least one opportunity to rise above themselves, to improve, to grow beyond their capabilities. That opportunity must be seized and acted upon. (I have not found the exact dialogue but I will update it when I do.)

Then follow predictable twists and turns and some age old clichés involving Ravan and good over evil-shevil. An Ekta Kapoor serial type resurrection also features.

Amitabh Bachchan is a huge, lumbering Azad and I don’t think he can act badly if he tried so he’s fine. Aamir Khan is again a well enacted Firangi-a cocky and charming conman. He does “kaminapan” really well….. Zafira-Fatima Sanah Sheikh is wooden and baby faced and Suraiiya-Katrina Kaif is a waste. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as Shanichar also cannot act badly if he tried .The sets are cardboard cut outs which occasionally resemble Gotham in Indian colours. Katrina’s clothes and choreography have the most unsolved suspense- a mystery of which era they are from. One or two actual ferangis also-doing their Angrez log bit quite well. Much of the dialogue is written in English and translated literally though some of Aamir’s is funny.

Indifferent music, the jazba of azaadi not causing any lumps in throat and lots of fighting in s-l-o-w motion.

Thugs of Hindostan. Not great fun. Not blah boring. No yays. Some nays. And the imminent danger of a sequel….

If you watch it, do tell me what you feel.

Thugs-of-Hindostan-all-posters-784x441

Andhadhun 2018

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

When Sriram Raghavan was thinking up Andhadhun, the background song must have been “aao twist karein” (bhoot bangla-song) on a loop. For such a tale of twists and  turns has he churned that he probably needed a map to get it out of his head and onto paper and thereafter celluloid.

Joh hai woh nahin hai … aur joh nahin hai woh, woh kaise ho sakta hai?(chupke chupke –dialogue)

Akash, a blind pianist plays at “Franco’s” and has an admirer in Pramod Sinha, a star from yesteryears. This because Akash plays the songs from his films beautifully. He calls Akash over home as a surprise for his half his age wife, Simi, on their wedding anniversary. The surprise as it happens, is on him and not a pleasant one either. Let’s just say it blows up in his face. Akash, who is not all that he seems, thus witnesses something he couldn’t possibly have and is stuck with a conundrum of to say or not to say.

Yeh kya hua, kaise hua…….ab kya sunaien…..(amar prem-song)

Stuck in this dilemma, his life becomes a maze of lies, deceit, treachery, murder, mayhem and absolute chaos. Rani the cat, Simi, Sofie, Manushi, Surya, Dr. Swami, Inspector Mahendra and the unfortunate Mrs D’Sa are part of the tangled web that is woven with Akash playing an escape room sort of game to get out of it. Doesn’t help that the spider is a Black Widow!

I really cannot say more than this. Go watch it. A perfectly plausible story (well except oa hare-y end), it moves from scene to scene depicting the shades of grey in life, interspersed with pops of colour of humour and even a soupcon of humanity. Sig degrees of separation too! Some scenes, for all their deadly intent are  laugh out loud funny, while others make you catch your breath in surprise. A superb mix of the funnies and the frightening, it doesn’t flag and in true Sriram Raghavan style, keeps you guessing till the end. What is also manages to convey the blind pursuit of riches and opportunistic behaviour that is followed andha dhund-blindly,in a fog of avarice.

Ayushmann Khurrana as Akash is good in his usual simple, spontaneous way with  great comic timing. Anil Dhawan is Pramod Sinha from the past and Tabu is Simi. Absolutely and effortlessly ruthless and funny. Radhika Apte as Sofie-Akash’s almost muse is adequate. Manav Vij as Inspector Mahendra suits his role of more brawn than brains perfectly. The other stellar performer is Zakir Husain as Dr. Swami who plays unprincipled doctor and strict father in one single scene so beautifully that the difference is apparent but not incongruous or unbelievable. He’s a villain through and through and yet there is something good too perhaps.

Wittily written and brilliantly directed, Andhadhun is an entertaining, well made film after ages. And thank god Sriram Raghvan has not lost his touch. I had quite given up after the debacle that was Agent Vinod….but clearly the genius of Johnny Gaddar, Ek Hasina Thi and Badlapur is intact.

Go then. Watch. Then we’ll discuss it scene by scene. Ok? The one with the Scream, and the cover up and also how did he manage that…….oh okok—-no spoilers.

andhadhun1

3 Storeys

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

हम सब कहानियां हैं.हमारी अपनी.दूसरों की.अंजान लोगों की.अपनों की.

किसी भी कहानी का पूरा सच सिर्फ उसके किरदारों को पता होता है. सुनने वाला वही जानता है जो उसे बताया जाता है. दूर से देखने वालों के लिए तो यह सिर्फ उनकी कल्पना की उड़ान होती है. अक्सर, कहानियों की इसी काल्पनिकता में खो कर, कुछ देर के लिए ही सही, हम अपनी कहानी की वास्तविकता से या तो राहत पाते हैं या उसके लिए शुक्रगुज़ार होते हैं.

3 Storeys Mumbai के माया नगर की एक 3 मंज़िली चौल की कहानी है..हर मंज़िल की एक….शुरुआत में साधारण सी, पर अंत होते होते अचंभित करने वाला एक मोड़.

Flory Mendonca के बिगड़े हुए बेटे की कहानी. वह बेटा जो छोटी उम्र में एक हादसे का शिकार हुआ. क्यों, कैसे? और अब Flory मेंडोंसा अपने घर के लिए तीन गुना कीमत क्यों मांग रहीं हैं? और ६ साल में यह पहला खरीदार, उसे दे क्यों रहा है?

Varsha Apte और उसके पियक्कड़ पति की. वह क्यों सेहती है उसकी मार?

Suhail और Malini की प्रेम कहानी. जो सबको दिखती है.पर दोनों की माओं को नहीं सुहाती. बात जात पात की है या…..?

तीनो कहानियां एक सूत्रधार के धागे से बुनी हैं. और उसकी भी एक कहानी है…या फिर वह एक कहानी है ?

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If we go storey wise, right at the top is the cast and crew with their effective execution.

Renuka Shahane as Flory Mendonca-the loving neighbourhood auntie is exceptional. The lapses into the disdainful old lady with the broker are super and she is the epitome of a good Goan Christian. Absolutely un-relatable to the sanskaari Pooja Bhabhi from Hum Aapke Hain Koun or any of her other roles, which have been too far and too few. More please!

Pulkit Samrat channelling Salman Khan in mannerisms and acting and doing a much better job than him! If they get beyond the choc boy looks and muscle-shuscle, the possibilities of an actor within are bright.

Masumeh as Varsha does justice to her beleaguered with a drunkard husband role;While escaping into memories of happiness with her lost love. Tarun Anand is the said drunk and is good enough to be despised thoroughly. And they do equally well in a turnaround…..

Sharman Joshi as Shankar is his usual utterly charming best. I think he’s great actor. Give him an opportunity Bollywood. (Soft spot alert!)

Ankit Rathi and Aisha Ahmed as Suhail and Malini fit the role assigned and don’t over-do it. If anyone reading this, who has seen the movie, can tell me Malini’s mother’s name, I’d be grateful.)

Richa Chadha As Leela…..the utterly oomphy resident of the chawl. Or is she?It is Maya Nagar after all.

The absolute delight for me was the small but very effective role of Ganpat Rao the Cop, played by Himanshu Malik. A very far cry from his other work in the past such as “Tum Bin” and “Khwahish”. Brawny and beefy and totally in love with Leela, he fits the role like a glove. Another one to be given opportunities. Look beyond the handsome face and chiselled body!

All of them ably directed by Arjun Mukerjee, about whom nothing is known at least on the www. If this is indeed his debut then what an excellent one man. Good show and all that.

The second storey would be the stories themselves. Simple enough and executed well thanks to the director and actors. In here, there are stories we have all seen, heard or lived through. I have to admit, I cracked two of them before the movie unfolded to the twist, but that’s just years of using my grey cells. (Immodesty alert!)

The third storey would be the music which is not memorable at all but fits in well with the film I guess. Sorry Clinton Cerejo.

3 Storeys. Please watch.

Padmavat

Posted on by bioscopewalirachna

If Padmavat-thi, then she’s probably wishing she wasn’t .All her strength and all the Rajput principles of valour, fair play and aan, baan and shaan have been undone by their descendants-The Karni Sena.

We’ve all witnessed their cowardly threats, violence and dastardly , unreasonable behaviour-All over sheer conjecture over a possible offence to their “tradition” and sullying the fair queen’s image.

Well congratulations-You’ve done a spectacular job of sullying it yourself and if your courage and bravery involves vandalism and harming children, god save you.

So to Padmavat- A typical, opulent, larger than life Sanjay Leela Bhansali presentation.

Deepika’s Padmavati is beautiful, graceful, steely and gentle in one elegant, jewel laden package. She emotes through her luminous eyes alone to great effect.

Shahid as Maharawal Ratan Singh is restrained, toothsome ,of a sculpted body and always perfectly coiffed. A tad understated though.He does declaim the four points of Rajput valour emphatically and smiles at his Padmavati rather endearingly adoringly.

As does she at him with large limpid eyes and a constant half smile.

(Some chemistry but nowhere close to Ranveer and Deepika’s in Baji Rao Mastani)

His badi rani is Nagmati- whose request for replacement pearls from Singhal ironically leads to Padmavati meeting Ratan Rawal.She literally hunts him down and then nurses him back to health and love blossoms.

And there’s Ranveer’s Alauddin Khilji.An evil, psyhotic, sadistic, power crazy nut job who wants to possess all that is beauteous-whether he’s seen it or not, by mere description he is enamoured. (I wish more people I meet as a sales person were so willing to aquire the wares on mere sales spiel).

He’s done such a super job that one feels revulsed and disgusted with throughout.Kind of dirty to just having seen him.

You know “ghin aatee hai”?

Ratan Rawal marries Padmavati.His advisor in the court casts an improper eye at her and he is banished for this misdeed.Big mistake as it turns out for he seeks revenge via A Khilji.He describes to him Padmavati’s beauty and prophesises that with Padmavati at his side, Alauddin K will rule the world.

Since said Khilji had bumped off his uncle for the kingdom, the idea of ruling the world clearly appealed and crazy coots set towards getting her by mostly foul means.

Two battles, much dialogue, drama , bloodshed later, it ends with RawalRatan dead and Padmavati leading the women to “jauhar”.

Alauddin is left staring enraged at his dream of world supremacy go up in flames barred behind a reinforced metal door.

Seeing Padmavati was denied to him in death as it was in life.

The costumes are well designed and each eco system portrayed well.So all of Khilji’s scenes scream grey-brown, brutal barbarism and the Rajput scapes are gentler beiges and whites but an energetic red showing up valour and sacrifice.

Of the music, the “ghoomar” song is melodious and catchy.The balance is forgettable….well I’ve forgotten it!

An able supporting cast helps the story.

Less impressive than Bajirao Mastani, Padmavat nevertheless merits one watch for sure.

If for nothing else, as support against bullies.