Tanu Weds Manu Returns - It has Swagger & Kangana is the Queen

#TanuWedsManuReturns :Jodi Picoult in her celebrated novel “My Sister’s Keeper” defines imperfection beautifully. “You don't love someone because they're perfect. You love them in spite of the fact that they're not.” Anand L. Rai once again goes back to his familiar territory of small town India with his familiar actors and a familiar topic “Love” and the futility of finding perfection in Love. And in spite of several flaws at script level “Tanu Weds Manu returns” forces you to fall in love with its imperfections with some superb acting, quirky dialogues and a story-line that starts where a normal bollywood film ends.

If pace, rather lack of it, was a concern in the 2011 Tanu Weds Manu , the sequel starts with a fierce vindictive pace . The first half just breezes past with an exciting story line, lots of promise, some inspired acting and the gumption of the director to stay away from the beaten track. Four years into the marriage Tanuja Trivedi & Manoj Sharma, two diabolically opposite individual, land up in a mental asylum to seek marriage counselling. While the idea, opposites attract, has been much romanticized, can they survive and continue living together is still a question mankind has no definite answer to. Leaving Manu at the mental asylum our “Desi Batman” returns to her root in Kanpur to continue from where she left.

Rarely, very rarely in the history of hindi cinema a leading lady has played a double role where the only similarity is their look. Kangana as Tanu and Datto has created two distinctly different characters. They are as different as cheese and chalk. It is an ode to not only her enormous acting prowess but also to the extraordinary effort. Deepak Dobriyal as Manu’s friend Pappi improvises from where he left in 2011. His timing is superb and he has stolen almost every scene where he is present.

It is the last thirty minutes where the film loses its plot. The director who had been maverick in the first 90 minutes challenging convention, suddenly decided to play for the audience and convenience. And this is where the story becomes predictable and a bit boring. How I wish instead of following the “they lived happily ever after” path director Anand and script writer Himanshu would have chosen instead to trust an evolving Indian audience!

In spite of its flaws Tanu Weds Manu Returns is hilarious film celebrating the finer nuances of small city life and the confusion in Love in a society in flux. It has the swagger and mark my words Kangana continues to be the Queen. I will go out with 3.5 out of 5. This comedy sure will bring the temperature down.

Piku..

#Piku : Long ago ,before noise became the norm,  there was a Hrishikesh Mukherjee & Basu Chatterjee school of cinema that taught life lessons through simple stories , beautiful narrations , believable acting & mellifluous music .  Almost half a century later director Shoojit Sircar & writer Juhi Chaturvedi decides to revisit the old school. And they make their intentions amply clear with a simple Title “Piku”. It is a simple story of relationships told with lots of heart and humour. It is a story that unfolds in every house hold with an old parent or grandparent. It is a story you & I have been witness to all along.

The Narration:

A cantankerous hypochondriac old man, his thirty odd year old daughter and a single businessman who comes in touch with the father-daughter duo. Sounds familiar? What if the story revolves around the old man’s eccentricity and constipated bowel movement?  Eh! Sounds like a shitty story? This is where writer Juhi Chturvedi & Director Shoojit Sircar’s genius elevates a simple everyday poop story to deliver the philosophy of life, to depict real yet beautiful human relationship, celebrates feminism , makes you laugh and weep and ends up making an endearing film. Mind it, Piku is an extremely difficult film to make at screen play and direction level precisely because of the simplicity yet absurdity of the subject. It could have so easily ended up being crass and boring .Yet walking on a tight rope the screen play – director duo manages to pull it off and how ! The beauty of Piku lies not in the story but the way it has been narrated.

Light, Camera, Action

More than four decades after immortalizing Bhaskar Banerjee in Anand, Bachchan embraces the same name albeit with an “O”. As an aging, selfish, whimsical, annoying yet adorable Bhaskor Banerjee, ever concerned about his health, Amitabh Bachchan is simply magnificent. His comic timing and body language is jaw dropping. Mark my words; you would search for those old parents or grandparents of yours in Bhaskor Babu. With a Bravura performance, Bachchan reiterates why he is the ultimate thespian in Hindi film industry.  

Deepika as Piku is astounding. If in Ramleela she marked her arrival as an actress, with Piku she has consolidated her position as one of the finest actresses of our generation. With each release her acting prowess is growing by leaps and bounds.  As a modern girl  who is strong yet fallible, who is independent yet longs for support, as a girl who feels driving liberates her yet she enjoys being just a co passenger her eyes speak louder than her words. She doesn’t act, she just reacts the way you and I do. Do I need to explain any further!

Irfan is the final cog in a casting coup. He is superb as usual. He is a perfect foil to an eccentric Bhaskor and moody Piku. Moushumi Chatterjee & Jisshu Sengupta plays their parts well.

And the Background Score

When was the last time you watched the black and white opening credits roll with a sitar & sarod playing in the background? Anupam Roy’s music is distinctive.  It has a sense of calmness and equanimity around it. It integrates so beautifully with the story and becomes a part of the narration.

The Father- Daughter relationship in Piku makes you fall in love with the eccentricity and simplicity of life .It touches your heart through the bowel. After all emotion is all about motion!  Alright then ,do yourself a favour this weekend, take your folks out to watch Piku , watch them as they discover the Bhaskor Banerjee in them , cherish those  moments with smiles on their lips and moist eyes and as you walk out of the theatre give them a tight hug. And for those asking for stars, I bet you will come out celebrating life.

The Well

Badrinathpur was a small, sleepy village situated miles away from the city. The dense green foliage and surrounding hill probably insulated it from the malice of modernity. Cultivation was the predominant occupation. The needs of the villagers were basic and they were yet to be exposed to the world of want. There was a small school in the village. The kids used to study in that village school before stepping into their father’s occupation. Hrishikesh babu was the only teacher of that school. Being the most educated person of the village he was revered by the villagers. He was also the head of Badrinathpur. 

Life was going on as usual. The villagers would work in the paddy field during the day, in the evening they would congregate near the village temple. Hrishikesh babu would tell them stories from mythology, the villagers would recite religious chants, sing songs, make merry and then they would retreat back to their houses happily. Sunday used to be day when everybody used to come together to the center of the village. There was a huge banyan tree. This writer was told the tree is more than a century old and a witness to all the decisions that has been taken in Badrinathpur. Hrisikesh Babu used to sit under the tree, listen to villager’s issues and provide solutions, suggestions or pass on verdicts.

It was another Sunday. Rather a special Sunday, summer was approaching, the village needed another Well. Everyone was ready to raise request for another Well to Hrishikesh Babu .People kept on waiting for him to join. But when he didn’t reach they got worried. It was quite unusual for him to be late. He usually is a stickler for time.  When it approached noon and yet Hrishibabu didn’t come the villagers decided to go to his house to check if everything is all right. On reaching his house they found it locked from inside. They knocked on the door without getting any response. Everybody was getting worried and impatient. Finally the seniors of the village decided to break the fragile door open. On entering the room, they found him sleeping peacefully, without a care about the world. He didn’t respond to their call. There was a panic ridden silence. Giriraj, the village Vaidya, who was standing outside, rushed in. He checked the pulses, his face turned pale. Hrishibabu was no more. Everyone was shocked. There was a sudden emptiness, people’s eyes welled up. They didn’t know what to do. In all these years it is Hrishikeshbabu who has provided them with solutions in situations like these. And now suddenly he is no more. They didn’t know what to do, whom to go. Hearing the sad news people from nearby villages also rushed in. Almost an hour passed by. Giriraj stood up and told the masses, the last rights needs to be performed. Ashim, Hrishibabu’s son, was summoned. He reached by evening. After completion of all rituals the cremation took place close to midnight. 

                                             

Next couple of weeks it was a strange sense of sadness that grappled the village. Everyone missed the guiding force in their life. There were no more listening to mythology or singing songs during the evening gathering.  The village seniors realised, they must appoint the new Head soon. They felt being the most educated person amongst them Ashim was the right person to lead them. Having completed his education in the city, he would also handle the school. They went to Ashim with the proposal, though initially hesitant to take up the responsibility, he finally agreed. He knew how much the villagers respected his father. He realised his father would have loved him to see following his footsteps.

So exactly three weeks after that fateful Sunday, the villagers gathered near the Banyan Tree to anoint the heir. Ashim became the village head and the first proposal that the villagers brought to him was the requirement for another well. Ashim listened to them carefully. He told them he agreed to their view, however since this is a project that would impact many lives and involve cost they need to carefully check the viability of the same. Hence he formed a committee of four people who would examine the proposal which they can discuss in the next Sunday’s meeting. For the villagers it was something new, they have never heard of a word committee in their lifetime. Ashim explained, the four members , would speak to each villagers about the requirement of the Well, they would also survey the nearby villages to find out how many wells they have  and based on these findings they would suggest the next steps. 

Thus began the ground work for the Well. The four committee members met in the evening over a smoke. They had no clue on what they are supposed to do.  One said why is it necessary to ask each villager again about something, they already knew is a necessity. But since the village head wanted them to do this, they have to carry the order. So that next morning instead of going to the paddy field, they started meeting each of the villagers to get their view. First they went to Raghuveer’s home. Raghuveer & his wife wanted the well, but when they asked their one year old son, the kid stared at the strangers and started crying. Not being able to comprehend the answer, yet bound by the village head’s directive to take each villagers view they took the toddler’s cry for a No. So at the end of the week, on Sunday, when they gathered for the discussion, along with an overwhelming demand for the well, there were few denials as well. Thus stood up the village head with pride and justified why he wanted to take everyone’s opinion. Those few cries of dissent were sign that everyone doesn't want a well. Yet they have to go with the majority. 

So the next logical step was to identify who would undertake the work of digging the well. The villages suggested the name of Bhola, who lived in the nearby village and known to be very good in his work. In fact he was the one who dug the existing well, few years ago. But Ashim told them since it involves cost; they must try to keep it to bare minimum and must be transparent in their approach. Hence another committee was formed. This committee would meet all the interested bore well diggers, negotiate the price, evaluate quality and at the end of two weeks recommend the name of the person who should be entrusted with the work. 

While all these discussions went on, awestruck villagers were looking at each other’s face without understanding an iota of what is going on. The committee members looked equally dumbstruck. Ashim realized that it is something new to the villagers. Hence he volunteered to mentor and guide them in their quest to find the well digger.  Couple of weeks went by. Summer reached its peak. There was no sign of rain. The only well in the village was barely able to provide enough water for survival. They wanted to request the village head to quickly set up the well, but their enormous respect for him stopped them from pressing for the issue. However some of the villagers, especially the elder ones, have started discussing that someone from a nearby village must have done some witchcraft on the Village Head. One of them said “ last time the well was build in just a week, this time it is close to two months , yet we are nowhere near to the start of the process. It has to be those people from Jagdalpur village, who have done some sorcery on our young village head, so that we don’t get adequate water and suffer”. When in the next meeting Ashim told them that now they need to form a team to find the most suitable place where the well will come up, the villagers became confident that it would not be before winter that the well can actually be functional. 

While all these was going on the famous Jadunath Baba, a renowned Tantric visited Badrinathpur . Baba normally comes once in a while. He was known to be a very learned person who has always helped the villagers in their time of distress. Some of the villagers mustered the courage to approach him and share the problem. At this point for them, more than the Well , the well being of their Head  was a bigger concern. Hence one evening they went to Jadunath Baba, explained him everything and requested him to save their village head from all the negative forces around. Baba listened to them carefully, asked few questions, and closed his eyes. People sitting around him were in rapt attention waiting for baba to open his eyes and help them. 

Baba slowly opened his eyes. There was a smile on his lips. He said there was no effect of sorcery on the village head. People sitting around breathed a sigh of relief. Baba took a pause. He then said in his calm yet stoic voice that, however the village head is under the impact of a much bigger force and it cannot be cured. There was panic around. Baba asked everyone to calm down and explained, though this force is dangerous, but it is not life threatening. The village head came under the impact of it during his college days in the city. Someone asked him the remedy. Baba said there is no remedy at least in the near foreseeable future and more than half the world is reeling under its effect.

 As he stood up to go, a meek helpless voice from the mass asked the name of this brutal force – “Management Education” replied baba as he walked off.

#NH10 : Truth is scarier than fiction

#NH10: For some India thrives in its dichotomy; for many India is a land of hypocrisy. We take pride in mouthing  anecdotes from a rich cultural past where women were the centre of the universe ; our news papers every morning bring us innumerable stories of honour killing , female foeticide and brutal rape. We preach non violence and practice hatred of all sorts – religious to gender based. We are caught in a flux where the urban – rural divide has become both symbolic and shambolic. So you see a bunch of uneducated yet well to do powerful villagers brutally butchered a couple, in the name of “Honour” – yes you heard it right! 

On the other hand a man, who is well educated, grew up in a world surrounded by malls & multiplexes, ignores his wife’s sensible advice to jump into a mess. To do what? To teach a lesson to the villagers who had punched him. A number of onlookers stand in helplessly as few barbaric goons kidnap the couple. The police who is supposed to protect the honour and dignity of individual decides to be an accomplice to the killing in the name of honouring Manu Samhita . 

A village where democracy & law and order are farce celebrating Republic day with much fan fare. A mother becomes the architect of her daughter’s murder. Deep inside all are same. The dichotomy is just a facade. The barren National Highway that passes through cities and villages and the dark night are mute witness to this human travesty.

Navdeep Singh who in 2007 captured the barren land of Rajasthan so beautifully in his debut noir film “Manorama – Six feet under” paints a terrifying picture of the dark underbelly of the Khap heartland. In spite of small glitches in script NH10 is chilling and brutally realistic in its approach. It paints a picture of a world we know exists, but petrified to accept. At 115 minutes it is super crisp and forces you to sit on the edge and cringe in anticipation almost for the entire duration. Anushka Sharma gives her best performance till date. She throws away her conventional bollywood heroine gait to take up a role which is very challenging, and buoy she delivers it with such impact. Her transformation from fragile to a fierce woman out there to avenge is marvellous. 

Watch out for that last scene where an emotionless Anushka’s Meera waits for her injured perpetrator to stand up so that she can she can pin him down with force. Neel Bhoopalam‘s Arjun could have added little more depth to his character.

I will go out with 3.5 out of 5 for this drive on NH10. It is scary, very very scary.. Yet if you are one of those who love their share of adventure, this ride is worth taking. Remember truth is scarier than fiction. And if you decide to live in your mollycoddled world, stay put in and say three cheers for director Navdeep, Editor Jabeen Merchant and a fiery & feisty Anushka.

Badlapur : Revenge Served Cold

#Badlapur : “Dont miss the beginning” screams the promos & the tagline. Indeed Sriram Raghavan’s comeback to form trial Badlapur starts with a bang. The remarkably shot opening scene sets the tempo for the roller coaster ride ahead. Raghu’s life suddenly changes when his wife and young son were accidentally killed during a bank robbery. From a happy go lucky professional, he becomes an individual possessed by the singular passion to avenge the murder of his wife & kid. What plays on for next couple of hours is a chillingly cold and horrifyingly intense revenge saga.

On the premise Badlapur seems a simple story. But Raghavan, being a master of the genre, introduces his characters intelligently to add layers to his screen play. All his characters have different shades; you can’t classify them as simply good or bad. They are victims of the external circumstances and internal conflicts – much like a real human. In the world of noir –right and wrong are moot points.

Varun Dhawan dares to come out of his comfort zone to give one of his best performances till date. Radhika Apte plays a short, yet scintillating role. But the man from whom you can’t keep your eyes off has to be a cunning, cold and tantalising Nawazuddin Siddique. As a cheeky yet maniac and brutal Laik he steals the thunder. Anil Mehta’s cinematography has all the shades of grey. Watch out for that long shot in the first scene or the scene where Varun is returning home during a rain drenched evening. Each of them is pregnant with anticipation. The screen play is taut and wicked. Unlike Johny Gaddar , Raghavan uses violence judiciously in Badlapur – but whenever he decides to use it , it is brutal and impactful.

However with a crisper editing Badlapur could have been much more enticing. Also as a noir film it should have avoided sermonising. And yes what disappoints is the use of many talented actors including Yami Gautam who are rarely used to take the story forward.

Badlapur maynot be a Johny Gaddar or a Ek Hasina Thi , yet it is a film you will enjoy sitting on the edge . I’m going out with 3.5 out of 5.Go have your share of revenge – it is being served cold!

Happiness.......................

Sitting on the Veranada i was observing him,trying to be as discreet as I can ,lest he becomes conscious .There was spring in his step , twinkle in his eyes, an innocent yet overpowering happiness on his face. The kind of happiness I have not seen in ages on peoples faces in spite of achieving so called "success". What I have seen is momentary celebration followed by anxiety. Each success has to be followed by yet another milestone. And here someone is so happy that the gaiety of his laughter has overwhelmed the surrounding. 

Bemused ,i called him. He came. He must have been barely four or five years old. I asked you seem so cheerful , what happened .He gave me a curious look ; I realized it was a stupid question. The world of sorrow , greed , aspiration has not yet touched his pristine soul. 

He walked away slowly to come back with a small piece of toy he had made out of clay. As i observed his source of happiness , I realized I miss those days of simple pleasure , I bet i do !

PK !

#PK :It is not easy to review a Raju Hirani film. On one hand you are biased towards his uncanny ability to pick up a story of social relevance & send a strong massage using humour as the tool, on the other hand you have to deal with your own unnatural expectation from his ability to deliver & make a difference.  Yes, Hirani is well aware of this skyrocketing expectation. Hence half a decade after his last release he decides to take on the Godmen and blind religious belief.

The film opens with a space ship landing in the desert of Rajasthan and a full naked and curious Aamir coming out of it. No sooner he lands on earth the remote control of his spaceship is stolen. Helpless alien Aamir starts his search for the remote, the only tool that can take him back to his galaxy. What he encounters in the process, besides being rechristened as PK, is a cruel world full deceit and blind religious faith.  PK’s journey has uncanny similarity to the journey of any new born innocuous child – all of them are born naked, their soul in its purest state , as they grow up they start covering their bodies with robe while the mind gets contaminated with parochial feeling.  PK questions the fundamental of religion and drops enough hints on the complexities of human mind.

Throughout the narration Hirani stays true to his style of storytelling, using humour to drive home his point. Subtlety has never been his strength and once again he depends on heart rather than logic to bring lump to our throat and make our eyes moist. Aamir is astounding as PK. This is by far his toughest role and he has put in an amazing effort to get into the skin of the role. Anuska effortlessly plays the role of Jagat Janani . During a time when the world is suffering due to religious fanaticism full marks to PK for being bold enough to unmask the veil.

So is PK , Hirnai’s best till date . An emphatic NO. The screen play is not as water tight as it should have been and hence couple of unnecessary love affairs spoil the pace and narration. Boman Irani who has such impactful presence as Dr. Asthana & Virus in Mummnabahi & 3 idiots is atrociously under used in PK. The film is stretched and the last scene is too convenient to be effective. Music which plays such a big role in Hirani films is average. Even though there is an attempt to keep the narrative & treatment different, still there is uncanny similarity in the plot with 2012 hit Oh My God.

However even an above average Hirani film can be better than the rest. I will go out with 3.5 out of 5. PK may not make to your all time best list, but I can assure you will enjoy & it won’t be a “Bhaste of time” !