UdtaPunjab : It Soars High , Very High

#UdtaPunjab: There are many telling scenes in UdtaPunjab , starting from the opening one. But it is the last one which is the most poignant. The nameless hockey player from Bihar who had come to the land of five rivers with a hope to earn her livelihood as a migrant worker and accidentally gets entangled in a world of drug and inhuman torture finds her redemption and rechristens  herself as Mary Jane ! All through that excruciating journey she had never abandoned hope or her zest for a life beyond .Her soul soars as high as Alia’s brilliant and brave performance. If Highway established her as an actress with substance, UdtaPunjab is a testimony of her ability to drive at a neck brake speed and yet maintain a fine balance on that very thoroughfare.

A Gabbru popstar , who lived on ‘ substance’ and whose lyrics were constrained  just about “cock and coke” realises how substance less his existence has been when he comes across teenage youngsters who idolize him  and his drug habits . One in fact had killed his mother, when she denied him money to buy drugs. The transformation from Gabrru to Fuddu is an arduous one. Yet the journey is essential. And Shahid Kapoor once again gives an absolutely stunning performance playing a character that is eccentric and nuanced. If you thought he couldn’t better his Haider heroics, watch him as Tommy Singh, this boy for sure knows how to embrace lunacy, the lunacy for playing out complex characters.

And then there is a doctor who runs a drug de-addiction centre, comes across a policeman who was making his hafta from the drug chain , till his own brother got almost killed due to drug overdose. They are on a mission to wipe out the drug cartel. Daljit Dosanjh making his debut in hindi film does a terrific job of adding authenticity to the role of Sartaj Singh .

A land we romanticised for its mustard fields, since the release of DDLJ in 1995, has been replaced by field full of poppy seeds. A generation is growing up on Bhukki ( Poppy Husk). More than 60% population of the state is addicted to some form of drugs and cinema being a reflection of society can’t be a mute spectator to this degeneration. Director Abhishek Chaubey and writer Sudip Sharma (who wrote the fabulous NH10) bring individual narratives to drive home a strong message. The style is fictional and the narrative is factual. They move their characters beautifully. And just when the plot gets bit slow with the track between Kareena and Daljit , Chaubey uses music to take the narrative ahead. “ Ek Kudi Jida Naam Mohobatt Gumm Hai” written by the famous poet Late Shiv Kumar Batalvi and composed by Amit trivedi is evocative and metaphorical. And like his last film Desh Ishqiya , Udta Punjab too has a Tarantino touch !

Udta Punjab, at places, is not an easy film to watch. But then reality can’t be served as candy floss.  It holds you by your neck and brings you face to face with a problem that must be accepted, confronted with and addressed, TODAY. I will go out with 4 out of 5, it really soars high, very very high!

TE3N

Set in Sujoy Ghosh’s Kolkata TE3N is a reflection of the city , its languid pace , its myriad mood , its fixation on hanging on to the past and its determination to stand up for justice . In an age where Whodunit are quick paced and sleek, TE3N, which is based on South Korean film Montage, surprisingly takes you back to the world of Ray’s Feluda . Eight years is not enough for John Biswas to let go the memories of her granddaughter Angela, who was kidnapped and then subsequently got killed. Every single day he visits the police station to seek justice. His eyes may be anguish laden, but time has not withered his determination to seek the truth.  Nawazuddin’s conversion from Inspector Martin to Father Martin on the other hand is to escape from the truth. The transition has happened, but not the transformation. Deep inside both realise it is truth that will bring them peace.

The film’s narrative oscillates between past and present making it edgy. Considerable time and effort has been given to build the story.  The setting, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Bada Imambara, the Ganges, Immersion of Durga Idol, the lanes of Kolkata and an old scooter add layer to the narrative and help in building tension. Amitabh Bachchan gives a fabulous performance. He makes John Biswas’s pain so palpable, his haplessness so conspicuous and his determination so blatant. That long face, that open mouth, that hunched walk, those determined eyes, he doesn’t play the character , he becomes the character. Nawazuddin playing the role of a Cop turned Father with Cop- Instincts is at par. But we have seen Nawaz in much better form.Vidya Balan , whose part surprisingly has been mentioned as a cameo, plays a full fledged role. How I wish her character has been written with a bit more fineness and nuances. The music keeps pace with the mood.

However where TE3N misses out is the twists, so essential for a crime thriller. Fifty minutes into the film you would have guessed the whodunit. And that makes the wait for climax so boring and predictable. Ribhu Dasgupta who had earlier directed Amitabh Bachhan in TV series Yudh makes the same mistake once again of not letting his story move. And that is where the film suffers post interval.

TE3N is much like that old, rickety scooter that Mr Biswas rides. It stop- starts quite frequently. A new spark plug and few kicks would have made it such an enjoyable ride. I will go out with 2.5 out of 5. If not anything else, go and watch it just for that Man, the superstar of the Millennium! He for sure doesn’t need “TEEN” to lift a film .

Azhar : Butter Fingered

#Azhar: There can’t be a better story than the life of a fallen superstar to be adapted into a bollywood entertainer. And if the protagonist happens to be a sporting icon, whose debut was sensational, rise was meteoric, life was flamboyant, full of rumor and glamour and fall from grace was catastrophic then the story is going to get groovier. But then every story needs a story teller with a soul and a purpose. Unfortunately all Tony , Sony & Balaji wanted was to use the title “ Azhar” to bring crowd to the theater. Don’t go by what the tagline says “Love him, Hate Him, Judge Him” the moment you purchase the ticket and go inside you will be greeted with a full page disclaimer (they are in fashion now).

                     

From there on it’s about wasted opportunities, watching it is as exasperating as watching butter fingered fielders dropping catches by dozens. Every complex human emotion, be it greed, love, passion, or relationship between players, the inquiry process which could have been explored has been treated with  as much disdain as Ricky Pointing has treated Indian Bowlers on that fateful 2003 world cup final. The story fails to hold the attention for too long. Emran Hasmi tries hard to get into the groove but all he ends up doing was meekly imitating a shoulder drooping Azhar and his lazy elegance while walking to the field.  Nargis Fakri looks old and her glycerine laden acting is so terrible that they could well have taken the real Sangeeta Bijlani instead. Prachi Desai has noting much to do and she doesn’t even try to go beyond playing the Balaji Bahu ! Lara Dutta as the lawyer behaves exactly like a cat on hot tin roof. Kunal Roy Kapoor as the defence lawyer gives a good performance.

For me the only high points in the film are those silken wristy flicks and that one handed catch. I will go out with 1.5 out of 5 for this Bajali Masala Curry served as Biopic. Watch it, if you must only for nostalgia’s sake! Some people learn from their first mistake, some from their second and some other make Blue and Boss and still remain Tony!

Fan ; Its SRK's second Coming

The word has been derived from “Fanatic”, meaning filled with or expressing excessive zeal. That is what Gaurav indicates when in the opening scene his voiceover announces “Connection bhi na kamaal ki cheez hai, baas ho geya to ho geya”. From there on it is a different relationship, an altogether different world, a superstar’s larger than life yet fragile world and the Fan’s fantasy world. It is a rather absurd world. For a star, the stardom is a reflection of his fan following, yet most of them remain faceless non entity for him. For a fan, that mere feeling of being part of the star’s world provides him the zest for life. They must co-exist peacefully in their own world since it is a parallel world that will never converge.  Everything snaps and the world turns upside down the moment the star makes the fan accept “ Tumhare mere beech main kuch apna nehin hai”. From there on the chase begins. And the long chase is metaphorical. This time the star is chasing the FAN. It has to be a long & arduous. The chase every fan goes through just to get a glimpse of his star. The star must also feel it.  

FAN is a SRK blitzkrieg. The actor playing the protagonist and antagonist, the star and the fan, gives a nuanced, career defining performance. As superstar Aryan Khanna he beautifully depicts the restlessness and eccentricity associated with stardom. He even doesn’t shy away from taking few pot shots at his real life controversies. However it is as Gaurav Chandana, he is well and truly back as the SRK of yesteryear. He is phenomenal as an obsessive Fan. No doubt he has played such roles in Bazigaar and Darr , however this time around the added maturity gives depth to his character and makes it much more believable.

However FAN is not just about the star and the fan, it is also about the constant insecurity that a star goes through, the myth around stardom and the fear of getting trapped into an image.  Somewhere Aryan tries to explain Gaurav , he too is a man with a family , with his mood swings , with his insecurities . Cinematically FAN as a film has flaws, but then does it even matter. For the zillion SRK fans out there, he is the man who effortlessly charmed beautiful girls with outstretched hands, convinced the prospective father in laws by feeding pigeons, inspired the young generation by reaching stardom on his own and countless women swoon just over that dimpled smile.

Go be a FAN and enjoy the second coming of Mr. Khan. And as one of my friend said on Facebook – those who will dissect this film will just remain critic and possibly can’t be a FAN!

Aligarh

#Aligarh: Timing, they say, is everything. There couldn’t have been a better time to release Aligarh. The Supreme Court has just referred the petition seeking decriminalization of section 377 to a five member panel. There is a raging debate going on in the country about Individual freedom being suppressed in the name of religious fanaticism, collective morality and jingoistic nationalism. While the premise of the film is based on Prof. Srinivas Ramachandra Siras’s sexual orientation, deep down Aligarh doesn’t just talk about homosexuality; it in fact asks much deeper questions about Individual dignity, about the right to privacy and equality. It bares open a deep rooted moral myopia that we as a society suffer from, it talks about love that needs to be felt and understood , it exposes the loneliness of advancing age.

                                                           

Sitting on a chair, in one corner of the room, Prof Siras is slowly sipping his drink and humming “Aapki Nazron ne Samjha”. His eyes are shut, he is completely hypnotised by Lata Mangeshkar’s mellifluous voice, his hands move automatically in tune with the music. The weariness on his face slowly starts going away being replaced by a sense of bliss. The song and the scene is a poignant portrayal of the essence of Aligarh.  Manoj Bajpayee who earlier worked with Hansal Mehta in “ Dil pe Mat le Yaar” gives a scintillating performance as Prof. Siras. Taking method acting to an altogether different level ,Bajpayee, brilliantly depicts the fragility and loneliness of an aging man with alternate sexuality. As a scared and scattered Prof. Siras, Bajapayee’s distressed yet scathing eyes will haunt you long after you leave the auditorium. Standing upto Manoj Bajpayee in such form is a tough act to follow. But Mehta’s Man Friday Rajkumar Rao as journalist Deepu Sebastian does a fine job. He brings in an honesty that is so palpable. Their conversations are a fodder for contemplation. Credit also goes to Writer – Editor Apurva Asrani, who has earlier worked with Mehta in Shahid & City Lights, for fleshing out the characters, for making them real and for keeping the length at 120 minutes.   Mehta shoots Aligarh metaphorically, capturing the lonely road in a winter night, the boat ride in the vastness of the river, capturing the inner loneliness of an aging man being brandished as an outcast. The agony is so palpable, the anguish is so poignant.

Aligarh is an important film, in the context of where we as a society stand today. It asks many disturbing questions. Who decides what is right or wrong? Who defines the contour of morality and ethics?  It reiterates the importance of individual freedom in a democracy.  Aligarh forces you to think, to contemplate, to reflect. Your courage to answer them will determine how history will judge you. Go and experience it. 

A Tale of Courage, Commitment & Compassion

#Neerja : “ Zindagi Badi honi Chahiye Lambi nehi” said her screen idol Rajesh Khanna in Anand. Neerja Bhanot lived only for 22 years and 363 days and then she became a legend. Youngest to receive Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peace time gallantry award, probably among a handful few to receive awards from three governments, India, Pakistan & USA, Neerja Bhanot lived an extra ordinary life displaying finest qualities of human spirit. Faced with an extremely adverse Hijack situation she demonstrated most conspicuous courage, indomitable gallantry, unparalleled compassion and quick presence of mind to save 359 lives while sacrificing her own. She went beyond the call of duty. She stood her ground supervising the safety and welfare of her passengers, when she could easily have been the first one to jump off the ill fated Pan Am 73. Neerja’s life was an extraordinary tale that needs to be retold, especially during the times when jingoistic nationalism is peddled in the name of courage and patriotism.

Director Ram Madhvani takes the difficult task of telling a story which is already in public domain and does a fine job of balancing between taut storytelling and restrained melodrama. The film opens with shots cutting back and forth between showing Neerja’s life and the terrorist’s preparation, creating the necessary tension. It invests in building the character of Neerja . It uses flashback to show her troubled marriage, the father- daughter bonding and her steely resolve to create her identity. It beautifully captures the inner vulnerability behind a composed exterior. There is an inherent honestly in the way the narrative has been set.  The crisp editing helps the pace of the film and captures the anxiety. To Madvani’s credit it has no unnecessary song and dance sequence that stalls the progress.

Sonam Kapoor as the protagonist is a revelation. No matter what happens from here on, she will always be remembered as Neerja. She sinks her soul into the character and transforms herself.  It is difficult to imagine anyone else as Neerja. She portrays multiple emotions with aplomb. She makes the character believable. Her portrayal of Neerja underlines the fact that, it is the ordinary people, who under adverse situation have the potential to become extraordinary. Shabana Azmi and Yogendra Tiku as Neerja’s parents play out their part quite beautifully portraying the helplessness and pain of parents who lost their effervescent child. And then it is the hijackers who make you terrified with their madness.

It is a pity that, it took three decades for Bollywood to tell this story of supreme sacrifice and gallantry. But, then, it’s a relief that finally when it decided to do it, they managed to do it beautifully, hitting all the right nodes. If you have decided to watch just one movie this February, make sure it is Neerja. I will go out with 4 out of 5.

May the spirit of Neerja inspire us to go beyond the call of our duty, may it help us understand the meaning of humanism , may it make us overcome fear and be “ Brave” in its true spirit and give us the courage to stand for what is right !

“Goodbye Darling... Please Keep Coming”

Fitoor - Great Expectations - No Way !

#Fitoor:

“Take nothing on its Looks, Take everything on evidence. There’s no better rule”

                                              - Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

The greatness of Charles Dickens’ one of the most celebrated novel “Great Expectations” lies in its narrative flow, in its ability to present different literary genre, in its representation of the class conflict of the Victorian era, the moral dilemma or rather the lack of it, in capturing the social and emotional isolation of its characters and the meticulous care with which the characters were developed, from an weird, jilted Miss Havisham to the coquettish Estella.  Hence its adaptation requires depth, sensitivity and emotional resonance.

Unfortunately director Abhishek Kapoor who had previously adapted Chetan Bhagat’s “The 3 Mistakes of My Life” doesn’t see the broad  line that differentiates a Dickens’s Classic from a Bhagat‘s “Literature”. The result – a beautiful mannequin, how I wish he would have made some attempt to breathe life into it. Neither the breathtaking cinematography of Anay Goswami , capturing the ethereal Kashmir , nor an usually brilliant Tabu or Amit Trivedi’s lilting music could save film that has been written badly.  Talking about mannequin, the film’s leading lady Katrina Kaif , who debuted 13 years back ( remember Boom !) continues not to exercise her facial muscles too much , the result – those standard dumb expressions .She looks so disinterested that in many scenes featuring her , during her dialogue delivery ,the camera is facing her back, sparing us the horror of looking at her expressionless face.  Aditya Roy Kapoor starts from where he left in Ashique 2, drunk and disoriented. Playing the character of Pip requires depth, Aditya instead has been asked to display muscles, which he gleefully does.  To be fair to him, the role requires certain maturity that comes with experience.

However not everything is wrong with Fitoor. In fact the film starts on a promising note. The young Noor enticed by the cute Firdaus with a snow clad Kashmir as backdrop looked magical. Their Impish innocence, their chemistry, as Noor started falling in love with Firdaus looked believable. The class difference seemed real. Yet as the story progressed it started losing its soul. Noor’s movement to Delhi and then to London happened in jiffy.  The plot started getting disoriented. Aditi Rao Hyderi , playing a young Tabu, seemed unbelievable. And from there on it was a downward journey. Fitoor’s biggest disappointment, besides its casting, is the way its dialogues been written and delivered. They never seem natural. 

I will go out with 2 out of 5 for Fitoor.  It can be celebrated as a great initiative towards “Incredible Kashmir “campaign, but Great Expectations, no way!