Kabir Singh - The violent debate

The trailer had left me squirming and irritated. There is a seemingly out of control alcoholic with anger management issues who seems to maintain his Six packs despite all that guzzling and who consequently falls in love with a demure girl. It did not around any curiosity in me other than to cringe every time the hand smashing into someone’s face was regulated by equally strong base sound of a cargo smashing to the ground.

So I desisted. Then began the self-indignant interviews by the NDTV Anchor, a lot of twitter noise over belittling of the women, a strong bitter interview by the hurt director to one review writer abusing another review writer calling him names for his physicality.

Also noted writer friends on Facebook squabbling over their opposing views. It got me anxious not because I was missing out on possibly an artistic movie whose intentions I probably misunderstood but about the most debated movies in recent times that seems to be overflowing at the box office. Surely some chord struck with the masses and the self-appointed moral cops were worried. Then a friend from the aggrieved section who should have been annoyed was agog over the movie and felt it was to be watched. That got me completely curious. I needed to change my stance of not wanting to watch it.

So I did on the last show of the movie in my town too late to write a review that could matter to anyone.I came out of the theatre with completely mixed feelings. It was a roller coaster of quality. With some great highs and some really pathetic unwanted parts in the storyline. There was a fresh touch to the bohemian love story propped by some superlative acting and yet the story suddenly lapsed into some disgusting overtones of immoral standards of behavior in society.

The argument is that it is a story as told by the director whose vision it is. There are gangster movies, bank robbery movies or even violent love stories that have been prevalent over time. So why does this stand out for persecution.

The answer lies in the recent headlines in our country and I think the movie makers cannot ignore the situation around us and move on ignoring the undeniable fact that the movies can have a copycat impact on impressionable minds in society.

Shahid Kapoor is an alcoholic surgeon (not sure which comes first) who has in his final year at the medical school fallen in love with a demure first year student while all the time sleeping around sometimes even attempting sex at knife point. These are points where the story seems to derail. Not because they show the character as bad but because they show the characters infringement on women safety as comical and turn serious sexual harassment / near rape scenes for raising laughs. When the almost psychotic and sex crazy doctor chases his house maid for breaking a glass it is diminished to a ridiculous comic moment with even a dialogue about maid unions thrown in. It was to me absolutely irrelevant as it did not help to establish the character in anyway.

The hero walking into a class and marking his territory with his new found affection is as unbelievable as it is repulsive. Had there been a reaction of either protest or acceptance by the girl it could have perhaps neutralized the impact and worry of copycat mimics in real life but the movie seems to admire its male protagonist and follows him admiringly as he goes around in a maniacal manner forcing the girl out of class and she follows him inexplicably like a little lamb. IT is never made clear that she admires him secretly but seems to submit to his aggression to buy peace.

It is perhaps the director’s intentional silence at this stage that triggers rage and fear in the watchmen of social morality.

The reason why it cannot be simply ignored as a story and enjoyed thus is because of the dangerous society we live in today. A society where girls big and small are no longer safe in villages or cities. 

Where the abuse is no more restricted to just rape but violence and fatal injuries of the most heinous kinds. Exposure to high speed internet, uncontrolled content on the net has got people ignore the law and not fear it. They seek the pleasures they see on their little screens as a right to be attained with violence if necessary. A mental disease seems viral.

Movies which celebrate such psychotic behavior may help to encourage and reassert the criminal behavior in such elements as movie is seen as a socially acceptable and admired value benchmark for fashion and attitude.

But then why does the movie make a mark with the masses. Because post the first half of psychotic hormone propelled behavior of the hero, the second half actually moves into saner phase and chronicles the pangs of a distressed hero very well and also attempts to put the women in a stronger position as the hero desperately tries to win her back. It is here that the director is in the right bracket and where he makes the movie work for the most part.

Kiara does not make any artistic attempts to act besides sticking to the requirements of the role strictly

But it is Shahid Kapoor who is simply outstanding delivering the dictates of the director with unerring ease and sliding into the role as if born for it. Despite his less than bulky physique he can make you believe that he can bash up people and be really violent. He is very good and probably delivers the best role of his career.

The director Sandeep Reddy knows his art and has a flair for invoking freshness into love scenes or creating possibility of intense drama with a pulse on human interaction and obviously allowing space to his main protagonist to evolve. He does a superior job here than in the Telugu version.

He should perhaps desist from getting annoyed with review writers who he goes after abusing them for their physicality. I do not think Rajeev had any ill intentions other than to artistically review the movie professionally. Anupama made an effort to reach out to him to get his views despite also not really going gung ho over the movie.

There is a middle of the road path that movie makers should tread with Review writers.

Super 30 – Lagaan of Education .

Stories of achieving success against all odds make great stories. Usually there is a noble and brilliant protagonist fallen on bad ways who in a triggering moment decides to pick up a challenge and turn his students/followers/disciples around. There are Hollywood stories galore and closer home there has been Chak De India, Bhag Milkha Bhag, and Mary Kom…all stories of people achieving greatness in the face of harrowing odds.

But Super 30 moves out from the sports field where such stories usually abound to education where a live story continues to create waves in real life in a curious mix of evoking sense of awe and dangerously treading the line of negative feedback due to attacks by alleged vested interest.

A brilliant mathematician born in Bihar yearns to earn fame but is harnessed back by the cruel pull of poverty. The efforts fail in the face of touching efforts by his father who works in a postal department and his admission letter to the University of Cambridge.

Hritik Roshan stripped of all his glamour, completely and sadly devoid of all his exquisite dance moves or action scenes approaches with utter sincerity, the role of the poor mathematician Anand Kumar, who is wallowing in tragic circumstances till he hits jackpot with a local business of training children for IIT. But somewhere his value system catches up with him and he is seized with the need to create a platform for poor but brilliant children who can attempt the IIT entrance and get into the premier institute. A tall task if one looks around at the diligent approach adopted by special classes that train students from a very early age to crack the entrance exams. But then Kumar is no lame duck and evolves ingenious ways to keep the special free classes that he starts for the economically poor class. There is almost a vengeful streak in Kumar to ensure his class succeeds

But before that happens he has to go through a lot of trials and tribulations that includes strong threats from politicians who run educational business establishments and find his free education a serious impediment for their money making.

How Kumar goes about it and continues to this date forms the crux of the movie. You feel a sense of appreciation for Hritik one of our most handsome action heroes who boldly takes on meaningful roles and takes a crack at making honest contribution to cinema.

He is supremely sincere in his efforts here and the story which is exaggerated as are most of these “winning against all odds” stories still holds your attention. True to their journey they also make attempts to expose the “Dhanda” of education.

You cannot but remember Lagaan as the leader of the pack Aamir puts together a bunch with varied skills to counter a skilled rich team. Anand Kumar does it here for education and his knowledge and efforts are truly laudable. The story is apparently known to skim over details which are not palatable and proceeds to silly eye rolling scenes where students fight back Hooligans with scientific tricks. Yet Kumar’s teaching approach using day to day awareness of activities around us is commendable.

What is sad is like Lagaan we hardly remember a single student and that is because the camera is busy following Anand Kumar all around and it reduces the impact the tragic stories of the children could have had.

It is certainly detoxifying to watch this after the controversial Kabir Singh which aroused a nationwide debate.

Watching the movie also raises the question of whether the true worth of a future india is in glamorizing a handful of outstanding institutes or in creating bountiful of good educational institutes all over the country so that only a handful are not made privileged to learn and earn.

Watch it as the Lagaan of Education and for Hritik’s earnestness

The ✅DONE GROUP - physical well-being contribution

Important to contribute at least 30 min daily ( min) to your own physical well-being

I started this as a small exercise in micro what’s app groups with family / cousins / friends and office colleagues  called  “ Done” groups

You do a physical exercise Everyday be it walking or Swimming or yoga daily and then put a “DONE” on the group.  (It is not really about doing 21 km marathons every six months  which is good of course, but more about a more sustained health commitment.)

That way others who read and their families will get charged up and the talk and act of wellness spreads and contribute to better health and positive thinking. Nowadays people focus more on ‘Dones’ than useless forwards 🙂

Do what the doctor advises as per your personal health condition of course . Everyone need not do heavy duty exercising in competition but custom designed to one’s own capabilities and health conditions.

But do something everyday .😊👍

The magic of the slums ...lured Hollywood again

Just exited from a show of the extraordinary ‘story’ of the legendary fakir...

I was like “ duh” . The story  is anything but extraordinary. Wonder what a sincere Dhanush saw in this pathetic excuse of a story that continues in true Hollywood style pandering to that worn out lazy slum dog millionaire environ to stage a story that seems to have been written on half a full scape paper

The white actors none of who seem recognisable appear overawed to appear in the magical orient eastern movie sensing a possible Oscar purely for the poverty oozing sets that the academies so lusts for.

The directions story telling is so patchy and jerky that you never get to know the characters or feel for them. A French Father, am hard working Indian Mother ( incidentally the more sincere effort of the actor) some nonsense of going to the TOP of the Eiffel Tower and then sending a paper plane down , magic which seems to be used randomly to establish the main characters background, something about illegal immigrants , some dry English humour , a sudden musical launches by a British immigration officer ( the second character who tries to make something out of nothing ), unknown poor white actors spread across the landscape lazily mouthing dialogues without any feeling, Loy or poor people thrown in for good measure so that the west can savor. Absolutely No coherent script
A wasted opportunity really. I liked that small boy though who plays dhanush’s younger version .
One positive is that Indians don’t speak English in some whacked out way and are not mocked at and it is interesting to watch propah English in the slums of Mumbai.

When the slums do disappear from Mumbai as they will in the next three years , Hollywood will have an empty feeling.

An absolute waste of a perfect Sunday evening

A terrorist movie with a Slumdog feel ( Hotel Mumbai) + Political storytelling Winner ( The Tashkent Files )

Back from travel I watched The Tashkent Files and Hotel Mumbai in quick succession before they vanished. 

(***1/2)

Was pleasantly surprised to find Tashkent files into possibly its 4th week still well populated for a late-night show. Notsurprised if TTF (The Tashkent Files) draws as much animated discussion as the ongoing Indian elections. It is probably one of the few introspective, raring and daring to scratch history to explore for hidden narratives and ostensibly backed by theories and some close to the subject, people opinions, manages to do that. There were shocked exclamations of “how blatant” at the end of the cinema but that is natural for a cinema that points clever fingers without any holds barred at conspiracy at the highest echelons of the Indian Polity in the process possibly destroying long held idolization of certain leaders of the 70s and 80s. 

Vivek Agnihotri is not new to controversy and his affability for the current governance may be construed as the driver for this cinema which risks and opens itself for clear accusation of propaganda. Yet the maker cleverly introduces debate to counter the various opinions maybe to the delight of social media political debaters even questioning his own climax itself. It does however make us think of our lack of clear visibility and appreciation for our second prime minister Mr Lal Bahadur Shastri who has clearly documented appreciation for his various reforms. But his death while abroad during an agreement post a brief war raised concerns about foul play. Vivek seizes that opportunity hidden in history, sharpens his writing knives and backed by some research attempts to create a strong debate and willfully introducing counter arguments to ensure it is not ‘blatant’. 

That politics is murky and is not limited to practitioners from one political party is something he drives home while cleverly rationalizing and justifying that it may be necessary for a party to practice it to win power to do good.

His powerful writing is taken a few notches higher by some superlative acting with only a surprising Nasiruddin appearing too unsure of himself for the first time while a young Shweta seizes the opportunity with both hands and bites and chews her role well. The board room type discussion reminded me of the Talvar setting and the debate within the agencies. Whether the movie can make votes swing is unsure but it manages to credibly install strong doubts in the minds of the viewers confirming what we know as murky politics in India today. Worth a watch if you have the patience and curiosity for serious political discussions.

( *)

Hotel Mumbai was a serious let down. Not that we wanted a popcorn entertainment out of a tragedy but Hollywood usually excels in investing finesse and narrative credibility into disaster movies. Here their preoccupation with recreating a Slumdog millionaire feel because the movie is set in India, eats into the possible potential exacerbation of tragedy and horror that could have been otherwise felt. 

It is extremely irksome that a movie on south Asia should necessarily come with a creamish yellow tinge usually associated with movies on the colonial era or trying to ride on the back of slum tourism. ( hutments , gawking people, pools of water on potholed roads, worn out homes)

The movie attempts to very poorly create a backdrop for the terrorist attack on the Hotel Taj in Mumbai and barely manages to create any credible backstory for the 200 odd guests who were present on the dark night. So deep is their obsession that the camera drools as it follows a hotel staff member into his poverty laden slum home where clusters of wide-eyed population stare at community TV sets watching English news and women looking equally sad and tragic for no rhyme or reason. The staff member is the pivot for this story as he with the chief Chef actually helped to save many lives. But the makers lack of research is very evident as they do not even get the basic Luxurious hotel right. The utter lack of realism is evident as the pivotal character returns from a tragic night to his wife who seems to be besotted with bathing her child in a water tub in their poor home. Really that is what a wife does when her husband is fighting for his life with terrorists ?

The photography is of such a poor order that the hotel with its worn-out walls looks like a 2-star property. The back offices look even worse possibly like their version of government offices in the colonial era movies. The screen is blurred most of the time and with dim lighting in an attempt to heighten the horror. The role of the local policemen is completely glossed over making them look like inept personnel who have no clue of how to handle the situation which is not entirely true if one watches videos available even today on YouTube. And since it is not a Hollywood movie where the key agencies save earth the role of the special anti terrorists squad is reduced to a few uniformed personnel rushing into the building!

Honestly thought it was a pathetic film making, poor direction, even worse photography, a popcorn version of a terror disaster that could have been done differently had it happened in different geography. Anupam Kher and Dev Patel simply hang around varying their expressions of calm posturing in a panicky situation and it is surprising consider how good as actors they actually are.

I would really like to ask the makers if they even visited the hotel to understand its outstanding century old interiors and the poor acting, lack of character building except for one family, add unto a below average movie.

Earrings,Beige, furniture and More ..Kalank !

Polygamy disclaimer. 1946 Husnabad (that I almost read as Husband due to the disclaimer hangover). Serious characters dressed to kill but wearing morose expressions, glare into the camera to establish riches and class. You have a cute girl ( Alia) leading the cameraman running behind her, holding up her designer dress in the now established introduction sequence of a free soul who traipses with gay abandon She even lies down on the ground at the end with soil in her hair leaving me wondering how she is going to wash it off. That is answered later in the movie when she refers to LUX. But not for long, the character for some inexplicable reason agrees to be the second wife to the son of a wealthy man whose current wife is on a death roll. Such an understanding wife who arranges for her husband to have a seamless married life.

At this point apparently the producers Fox Studios jumped in, shocked , in contrast to their brief, a family emotional drama unravelling. What about the 1947 period drama. The makers shift gear and establish a weak plot about a journalistic enterprise during the partition at cross roads with the majority community locally.

Fashionista Manish Malhotra sensing opportunity decides to hold a festival of his haute couture. And man does he do it in style. The attires on display are to be seen to be believed with their overwhelming but beautiful beige /golden /pink for the ladies and stately cream and black for the gentleman. So the soap loving second wife was just fooling the audience and her husband as she has all intentions of falling in love with a six pack bare chested iron smith who keeps banging away at metal so that the muscles pop out just right.

Emotional build up for this man. Oh yes he is the illegitimate son of the courtesan who lives in a mansion that can put any palace to shame on the other side of the town. He wears his illegitimacy like a badge.

Fox studios again comes in politely at this juncture and politely reminds that they had put in money for a period drama on the partition. So the characters all rush into office buildings and snort at each other suitably to ensure sufficient animosity and build up for a possible showdown during the partition. They look over the shoulder. Fox is back to their other ventures in Hollywood and therefore they get back to their dance and drama.

Ah yes since there is a free hand to fashion designers, the furniture and art designers decide not to be left behind and actually color coordinate the dresses of the artistes and create MDF sets matching color for color. Brilliant piece of art direction undoubtedly. But partition?

Oh yes so the six pack locksmith decides to pursue the sneaky second wife and in between colorful songs manages to lure her in. Not sure if she did that by design as well considering that her husband was still holding the hand of his sick first wife. (Was he pretending knowing well she was to pop off soon)?

Frustrated that you are not understanding the story well. Ok let me start again

Assume that you have a director who is super impressed with SLBHansali and has watched 52 re runs of Blue Saawariya. Next he watches Lootera or maybe even Parineeta. Now he changes blue to Golden. He decides that has had enough with Switzerland and tries to merge Rajasthan with Kerala and adds in a snow capped mountain for good measure. He creates a town where everyone’s prime occupation seems to be to loiter on the streets and break into a flash mob dance. There is absolutely no effort at character building or basic attempts to create a back story for the characters.

Yes the Art director/costume director/cinematographer have a free hand. Look out for that introductory scene where the two main protagonists meet. It was like one was high on … well just goodness. The Six pack guy actually battles a digital bull gone bonkers on digital steroids. Bahubali meets Saawariya too.

And then those opulent sets of the courtesan where the art directors failed to move a large chandelier to the roof and decided to leave it at ground level. Large MdF doors open magically every time a lead character wants to stomp out. Those large earrings. Counted 222 of them. Kept me occupied when the dialogues got insipid.

Finally Fox gets them to the dramatic violent ending. But not before Madhuri who has been belting out soulful monologues says “ enough is enough’ and insists on doing a full strong number in Kathak.

Rickety wooden trains puffs in. People are running from the town to escape. The strange part is the husband and wife are running from a mob and the husband jumps on the train first leaving the wife to fend for herself.

They spent INR800Mn on what I believe must be costumes/art/earrings. My heart goes out to that brilliantly evolving Aalia who pirouttes her way into our appreciation portals. Varun is sincere. Madhuri and Sanjay look lost. Aditya looks like he desperately wants to break into his Ashiqui 2 role and almost does that when he lays his hands on a bottle. Average acting all around.

At one point one of the character says “ feke hue cheez sad jaate hain”. I thought they were going to do a plug on plastic pollution. But no luck. They just come out with another pair of earring and a beige embroidered dress.

Feel for Fox as they figure out this investment from a production house that usually gives reasonably reliable stuff. A Kalank to good cinema.

1 ½ star

Made in Heaven..saviour of Indian Tv

Zoya and Reema are on a roll.

Amazon’s “Made in heaven “ is nothing like  the diligently detailed league of the outstanding “ The Gully Boy “ but catty and witty enough to keep us glued.

There are sprightly actors even those in small roles who impress . Looks well mounted. Has a shaky start but settles the second episode on.

The rich and the famous and their most famous pre occupation of hosting the biggest and best marriages and associated stories of the wedding planners. Add in the regular page 3 quirks , the mandatory alternate sexuality, the even more mandatory heavy duty sex scenes that seem to get bolder with every series , affairs et al. There is however some problem with the sound recording as it is difficult to get some of the dialogues especially in some of the hilarious scenes. Some of the character sketching is a bit inconsistent reflective of varying attention of the narrative or different people in control.

In the spirit of “Inside Edge” and “Sacred Games” sets the tone for quality series to rage across the Subscription channels. Not to speak of real talent in abundance. It is such a relief to move away from the psychedelically shot psychotic saas Bahu series. But does it have some dramatically game changing story line. No!

Soulless Ladki ke story ko dekha ( ek ladki ko dekha )

Excellently etched characters search for a story.  A surprise package. Plays safe and correctly so. So the heroine strays from the natural path of binary relationship and passively seeks alternate love. Explicit scenes are stowed away and thankfully avoided as it could have impinged on a cleverly entertaining attempt by the director to sieve in  social cause messages along the route of the plot .

But the plot to make father and society aware of the daughter’s choice is a bit silly and extremely contrived. While it maybe deliberate the physical chemistry between the two ladies almost reflects a normal friendly banter thus  making it difficult for the audience to believe there is something special between the two.

Sonam underplays it a bit more than necessary but she is sharp in some scenes which require carefree innocence but caged happiness.Not exactly easy to depict. . Rajkumar Rao does not need compliments anymore. Juhi with her twinkling  eyes may risk getting stereotypes now.

But I just could not take my eyes of Anil Kapoor who is simply outstanding speaking with his eyes . Appears having his daughter playing the reel life made it easy for him. He is fabulous throughout understanding the pulse of the character so beautifully.

It is not an easy topic to approach and handle and the caution reflects in the film becoming boring in spots.

This soft selling of need to accept alternate sexuality is clear but one wonders whether one needs to market it to make it acceptable.
The Indian audiences still squirm in their seats at the mention though it is heavily doctored to be a blink and you miss relationship depicted Between the Two girls . You give 1/2 a star purely for Anil Kapoor and the clever sober approach to the storyline. Else it is sadly a soulless story

**1/2 ( 1/2 purely for (Ak)

Intelligent star on the horizon - Sara

Blown away by this intelligent young lady who is also a confident actress. Well mannered, respectful, articulate and one of the most intelligent young persons i have heard in recent times.

She does not speak rocket science . Just simple stuff about
her education and her upbringing. A lesson for all kids from this board topper who is now an achiever.

Well grounded one can see her racing to the top not just as an actress who makes hit movies but bringing respect to an industry of which she is a representative

I think one should show this recording at GIIS, SMART Campus - Punggol, Singapore to all kids. Accolades are due to the management of that school for thinking of her to address the children and inspire them.

Well Done Sara !

https://youtu.be/cLpMmEzX9UI

Thackeray- Truthful but staid

To be honest biographies are exciting. The person in question is usually a larger than life personality with a fair share of noble and murky tales strewn across the timeline. This week saw the release of the biographies of two Maratha leaders who were incident in Indian History at different times. Found some critics taking the moral high ground of not appreciating the movie “Thackeray” because it happened to represent a man whose values they did not fully agree with or with his actions which they believed were incendiary in nature. Had it not been so serious one would have found their attitude amusing because this is cinema. As an outsider to their world professional courtesy demanded a more holistic look at the effort than just moral reconciliation.

Thackeray is a cinematic biography of Balasaheb Thackeray the charismatic leader of Shiv Sena whose enigmatic presence over the politics In Maharashtra primarily and had a radiating influence on national politics. Like him or hate him you could not ignore him. One has heard angry and tremulous opinions about how the tale was lionizing the man and idolizing him while covering up the less savory details of his political track.

But surprising and in total contrast to the repressed murmurs and whispers of opposition, the film is as straightforward and as honest it can be, with its script not attempting to alter or disguise actions of a young egoistic lad who dumps a job at the Free Press to mobilize the Marathi ‘Maanus’ to fight for what was rightfully theirs. Consequent event and time see the natural evolution of an angry young brilliant acerbic artiste who switches from a pen to more serious processes of dealing with strife in society. The humble common populace and less aggressive is lured to this light at the end of the daily struggle tunnel promising back a dignity that was buried in the commercially repressed life. A young Thackeray with his vitriolic humor strides the wave of popular movement against the outsiders from different states symbolized by the business they dominate.

Contrary to expectations Sanjay Raut does no sugar coating and tells the tale like it is be it the open defiance of the courts, and admitting participation in violent acts in Indian religious sites or asking rank outsiders to the city to respect the local language more prominently and visually. To be fair to him such movements exists albeit subtly in every state and for that matter every country in the world where commercial competitiveness arouses locals to despise people who they believe to be responsible for them not being at the top of the order in priority. It is more prominent in the commercial capital simply because of the press it gets.

Nawazuddin Siddique has been appreciated for a few months now for so fluidly slipping into the character. But in contrast one does not lack of consistency in his performance. He blooms in the last 40 minutes when you bang head on surprisingly sequel wall. One is just warming up to the consistently bold film when it rudely ends in a dramatic fashion to bugles and a promise to come back with the more crispy near past. Nawazuddin seems to start a bit circumspect sticking to the director’s brief not daring to budge from it, but totally owning the role towards the latter day Thackeray. He is rocking form when towards the later stages of the film he admonishes the governance around him and does not dither from a brave meeting with the PM herself in the height of emergency. But he does not come across as apologetic or caving in but actually an admirer of the hard style of governance he believed in and saw coming on the horizon. Actually convinces you that it may perhaps be the solution to todays near lawlessness in certain states. But then that is digressing into the land of opinionating.

Amrita Rao is efficient and one suspects will have a larger and commanding role to play in the sequel which is announced at the end. One is almost sure that the sequel will tread into the arena of domestic disagreement as the pivotal characters are seen towards the climax very strategically positioned on each side of the protagonist.

There is really nothing to complain about lack of anecdotal compilation. But unfortunately that also becomes the undoing of the movie as it stridently progresses documentary style not budging from its chronological journey neither derailing nor pausing to review and debate the fairness of the actions. It simply states and moves on making brilliant use of black and white vignettes to overlap time zones and then suggestively changing shades to exhibit silent complicity without ever making a judgement.

The director is in control of his content but seems to be held back by a script that demands each tale to be told even if it hampers the entertainment quotient. This dampens the possible dramatic effect a biography could have had.

RGV may be silently smiling in the wings as he had effectively used a story in the mirror to dramatic success. One wonders if he could have done justice to the content but that could have perhaps taken away the honesty with which Abhijit approaches the subject and Sanjay lends his disciplined pen to.

Perhaps they could have allowed the key actor to let go a bit and dwell into the fine element of humor which was the mainstay of the principal character but not touched upon except for a few quick to be missed glimpses.

One cannot fault the art. It is all in place. Perhaps a light entertaining brush could have made it a gripping watch which the sequel promises to be.

 ***

Manikarnika - honest effort trampled by sincere monopoly

The first thing I did on returning from a late night show of Manikarnika was to check if she and her horse did indeed make a jump from 30 feet high wall and land safely and gallop away into the sunset.  And that is not only of the cinematic liberty being referred to in the disclaimer. I had to reach back to my Amar Chitra Katha story book with wife and son giving me suspicious and worried glances as I pored through the story line wondering if Rani of Jhansi was an orphan found like Bahubali floating on the river bed and turning out to be as good a fighter as Tamanna oops …sorry wrong movie.

If you ignore these casual strays from possible history your heart will actually beat sympathetically for the sincerity of the lady who is the Bete Noire of a section of the Indian Film industry. Kangana looks worried about her own sincerity. There is a raw anger that she tries to fill the character of the bold queen with but none of that surprise creativity in her act comes through, possible as she seems to play safe here, widening her eyes in Quintessential fury that is representative of most of the folk heroes male of female that we have grown up admiring.

Kangana is unwaveringly focused on representing with fervor the patriotic leader of the mid-19^th century who was probably one of the first to stand up to the British. The problem is she does not seem to vary her pitch and appears to be monotonous displaying angry expressions and aggressive postures all the time. That somehow seems important to make up for lack of anecdotal content to reflect the pushback to the colonial rulers who as our history will have it are villains.

Even our own compatriot kings and small time provincial royalty are only too eager to given into the English traders. I wonder what the fascination with Bahubali is but every introduction scene these days seems to want to portray a princely human showing off sword fighting prowess and (even Padmavat fell into that trap recently) yes of course have a watery past growing up to be super human in their skill set aided by years of trawling the Jungles accompanied by loud orchestrated music that usually was used in the past to express grandeur.

The budget here is limited but the photographer and director (two of them including Kangana herself) use the props they have to best advantage and in most cases end up at least rescuing the movie from falling into a cardboard effects trap. The war scenes if you exclude the queens over dramatic pauses after every kill are actually good especially when the camera (and nowadays happily mounted on a drone) races with the horses at high speed and it is here you appreciate Kangana’s dedication as you make out her heroic efforts that seem to be partly genuine. Convincing in her gait and sword wielding skills Kangana sadly seems to compensate embarrassing blanks in the storyline with overtly angry expressions and flashily swishing around with her royal skirt. I think the pressures of having to complete the movie weighs down on her as she forgets her exemplary art and turns in a standard performance like any of her peers.

Cannot complain enough of the lack of any effort to create and flesh out stories of competent co actors around who lounge around glad that they get to say a mighty word or two and yes flash those furious looks and anger to make up for lack of ammunition.

The movie fails to impress on the younger generation which must be mostly oblivious to this history of the role played by our grand rulers of the past who first sounded the bugle of remonstration to the unfair colonial occupiers. Can barely remember the lackluster performance by the expert Kulbushan or a powerful Danny wasted on an inconsequential role.

Escaping out of various traps laid by the British till it is finally over to self-immolation a fact again contested by history.

Indian cinema refuses to come out of the trap of melodrama and overt exaggeration when creating a biography for the screen actually doing some damage to the equity of the historical figure

If I sat through the long and at times arduous movie it was simply because of my appreciation for the fortitude of this actress who does monopolise the screen and for admiration of the powerful queen who was the first symbol of our country’s resistance to invaders.

**1/2

Accidental Movie Badly made

It is probably a first on Indian screen. A movie that declares that it is true to a book and does not shy away from referring to real life living personalities in national politics and also being bold to judge people from their own cadre. It is not very difficult to figure out whose side the script is on leading to suspicion of it being a propaganda movie. I hope not, since it is a badly made propaganda movie that will not do the ruling governance any good to be connected to.

The Accidental prime minister boldly treads the path that creatives in India seldom have. It picks up as its central characters the former Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and his media advisor Sanjay Baru from whose book by the same name the makers faithfully adapted.

The author thanks to his close proximity to the PM and also being an astute former journalist tries throw benevolent light on his former boss who he describes as an intelligent but weak on decision man thrown into the ring by the “family” probably to be used as a face to their decisions. It is content that could have rocked the film industry and the country had it not stayed true to the book and looked like a visual one on screen.

Net impact is that the film comes across as a garland of Vignettes shot with hazy blurred lenses on poorly designed sets with most of the characters coming across as a coterie of bureaucratic vagabonds whiling away their time in the digitally created set ( as the ‘ making ‘ seemed to suggest).

After one has amused oneself with the lead character’s weak shuffle, the authors spiffy suits and lopsided smiles spouting the “Sutradhar” remarks talking to the audience reminding one of Netflix’s infamous Kevin in HOC and other character actors content to be caricatures mimicking some or the other living political personality giving the audience a chance to play “who’s who” with big help from the actual names being taken.

To be fair the “ Family “ is hardly there except for a couple of scenes already famous in the trailers and appear static on large billboards.

It could have been better if in fact the makers had dramatized the content to suit a proper storyline with highs and lows of the principal characters involved or gone whole hog as a biography of the former PM rather than trying to string News documentary style vignettes which don’t seem to connect together as the editor seems completely missing or having a messed up equipment.

The chance to have sharp dialogues, amuse the audience with witty repartees, being bold in pointing out controversies instead of hiding behind tacky scenes taken from real news clips which distract than appear realistic, is lost.

It is sad that this movie could have made a dent in the records for good intelligent cinema even if it is disguised propaganda. Every party is free to make their own interpretation of the political scenario. To that effect one must admit Hollywood excels in this kind of film making. Aaron Sorkin and his “The West Wing” are examples from decades back which serve as outstanding political entertainment.

Undoubtedly Anupam puts his heart into getting the look perfect and then remains content with that than taking the profile to the next level focusing on the shuffle than bringing out the intelligence of the weak willed man, Akshay cannot be faulted for playing Baru the way he does. In fact I looked forward to his presence. The rest of the cast is really wasted including Arjun who plays Rahul and a German Actress who plays Sonia. Perhaps the makers did not want to drive the knife in to the hilt.

A disappointing product with tacky sets/poor direction and editing/sorry photography/lack of serious intent in going for the kill and all the excellent performances by the leads just cannot save the movie from being a tedious affair. If at all people sit through it is because of the curiosity of watching something play out on the screen that is already past reality. I doubt this will make a dent in popularity of any personality as this will be if at all understood only by urban audiences and that too those with a long attention span. The couple next to me fiddled around with their mobiles and walked out 3/4^th of the way while the giggling row of people in the front googled Dr.Singh to find out more about his life. How do I know?  Well I had no choice but to read the bright screen shining in the hands of the ill-mannered people in the dark hall.

The movie deserves ½ a star extra if only for pioneering the making of movies that do not fear being realistic and relate to existing profiles in the political arena and that makes it very interesting to watch out what comes next.

If it is the ruling party’s propaganda really, would advise them to pick up dramatic scripts, good editors and make sure they don’t cut back on good quality of sets/camera and script writers.

A movie finally that cannot be ignored but is too flawed to appreciate.

**1/2