Onam away from home

I missed the Indian monsoons in the French summer. And now there goes Onam! Not even a semblance of a festive mood thousand of miles away from home ! I suppose this is the first time I am not at home for Onam. The big thing is I miss the OnaSadhya. Given my rudimentary culinary skills, I did the best I could. I made some decent sambar with help from MTR, but the 'payasam' was a disaster! However, Onam ended on a sweet note as I watched Kamal's mesmerising movie 'Meghamalhar'. It is a very sweet and sensitive drama - beautifully scripted and embellished with fine performances from the lead actors. I won't say too much - the beauty is in the way the story unfolds. Long time since I saw such a wonderful Malayalam movie.

Nottam - movie

Nottam is a simple story which showcases the Sanskrit theatre art of Kerala, Koodiyattam and its allied art  Nangyar Koothu. I loved the movie for the extended sequences of this art form that are depicted throughout the movie, especially the finale. The movie beautifully depicts the lifestyle of a community of Chakyars (who traditionally play this art form) and their adaptation to the world around them as modern times take the art form out of temples to the stage. Nedumudi Venu gives a fine performance as the Chakyar patriarch and a reputed Koodiyattam artist. Margi Sathi, an accomplished Nangyaar Kothu artist is a delight to watch in her performance of the drama. Jagathy Sreekumar must be one of the most under-rated actors ever. We see glimpses of his talent in many myraid comic roles he plays, but in this movie we see a very nuanced performance from him. The songs (Pachepanamthate) and their picturazation, though out of sync with the movie are excellent and brilliantly picturized. 

Thakarachenda - movie review

'Thakarachenda' is a 2007 Malayalam movie set in the slums of Ernakulam. Many movies have been made around this theme from Mira Nair's excellent 'Salaam Bombay' to the stereotypical 'Slumdog Millionaire'. While all these movies relied on melodrama to make an impact that invokes pity or even inspiration, 'Thakarachenda' is a very raw depiction that shows the purposelessness and harshness of the lives of these poor slum dwellers. Period. The minimal but impactful background score and just a single song emphasizes this rawness.

Sreenivasan as a totally cynical handicapped beggar 'Chakrapani' is at his satirical best, and most of the men in the slum seem to have given up hope and are ekeing out an existence. In contrast the female characters in the movie are strong personalities (as in many Malayalam movies), doing their best to lead an honourable life, ensuring their kids can have a better future. Lata's attempts to keep her children away from Chakrapani's attempts to rope them in for begging even in the face of hunger is both tragic and inspiring.

Technically, the film by a debutant director leaves a lot to be desired, especially the acting of the kids. But it more than makes up for that with the choice of a very relevant theme and a tight narrative. Movies like these just remind us how fortunate we are in the lives we enjoy, and just reaffirms that we have a responsibility to excel in what we do, to lend an ear to what is going in around us, and to make a positive contribution beyond the cocoon of our comfortable lives.

Salaam Bombay - That's how you tell a story

And Salaam to the New Year too! Long time since I have been able to write a blog, or have some leisurely time. But then - leisure is a state of the mind, and some effort was needed to get into that frame of mind, with so many other things going around. So finally, I saw Mira Nair's 'Salaam Bombay' - as a good movie ought to be; at leisure, peacefully on a Sunday afternoon.

For those are fuming over all the fuss over 'Slumdog Millionaire', this is the movie to watch. 'Salaam Bombay' is the story of Bombay's street kids, set in Mumbai's underbelly - its harsh life, the slums, the drugs, the sex-workers. The plot unfolds through the experiences of the kid, Chaipau/Krishna, who struggles to earn the money required to get back to his home. Facing adverse situations all around him, it is this single hope that keeps him fighting.

The character is played by Shafiq Syed, who ran away from his to land in Mumbai's streets and now earns a living driving rickshaws in Bangalore.

Impressions: Pazhassi Raja

Finally, the long awaited Pazhassi Raja from the Mamooty-M.T.Vasudevan Nair-Hariharan trio has hit the screens. I wondered when I could see it on the big screens in Pune. Fortunately, it hit the Pune screens within one week of its release.

The movie keeps you rivetted every moment, MT Vasudevan's script is well-researched, the action scenes are brilliant and the background score keeps the tempo. Sharath Kumar as Edachena Kunkan stands out, though everyone has given an impressive performance. Except, Padmapriya - who is irritating with her strange Malayalam accent. Perhaps the character of the tribal girl Nili demanded it.

A good movie to watch. Comparison to the famed trio's 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha' are inevitable, but difficult to justify. 'Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha' is based on a regional legend which gave the makers ample creative license and M.T. Vasudevan Nair used it to brilliant effect in turning the story of Chandu on its head, while 'Pazhassi Raja' had to stick to history. Ofcourse, the music is disappointing as compared to the melodies of 'Ori Vadakkan Veeragatha'.

Black Hawk Down - Review

Long time since I saw sat down cooly on a weekend, and watched a movie. And it happened to be 'Black Hawk Down' from a collection that I am yet to see. This is one of the best war movies I have seen. Its an out and out war movie - depicting entirely the First War of Mogadishu. It is shot from the perspective of the soldiers right in the middle of the battlefield. They are confronted with the the horror and insanity of a war they do not know why they are fighting. Its difficult to say how authentic the depiction of war is, and how much masala is there, but you do feel right in the thick of the action. While the movie brings out the tragedy on the American side, there is absolutely no screen space for the Somalian tragedy. A good watch nevertheless.

Kaliyattam - worthy adaptation of Othello

Kaliyattam is a dramatic, musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello in Malayalam. A universal tale of jealousy, hate, love and betrayal - its been wonderfully adapted to the Kerala culture and the theatre of action shifted from politics to art.

Accordingly, Suresh Gopi (as Othello) plays a revered, though ugly looking Theyyam artist. It's a different Suresh Gopi, probably playing the most nuanced role of his career and he excels in a dramatic performance. Manju Warrier as Desedemona is as usual brilliant. Pity that Manju Warrier had a small movie career. The best performance is by Lal, playing the scheming and menacing Iago- who is the sutradhar of the entire plot. A good watch, with some great music like 'Velikuvellupankalam' and 'Ennodu Enthuni Pinnakam' and footage of the 'Theyyam' art form.

Le scaphandre et le papillon - Stranger than Fiction

Le scaphandre et le papillon (Diving Bells and the Butterfly) is a French movie based on the memoirs of Jean-Dominique Bauby, which goes by the same name. Probably more remarkable than the book is that the book was written at all. What greater demonstration of the human spirit than that it was written by a person whose only means of communication with the outside world was the blink of a single eye!

Bauby was the editor of the fashion magazine Elle before suffering from a stroke, which left him in a condition called the locked-in syndrome. The stroke left him completely paralyzed, though fully conscious and mentally alert. The only movement he could perform was blinking his left eye. To communicate with him, a protocol was devised. For yes-no questions, a single blink would mean yes, while two blinks would mean a no. Whenever he had something to say, the listener would read out all the letters of the alphabet and Bauby would blink his eye when the desired letter was read out. To optimize time, letters were read out in order of decreasing frequency in the French language. Messages were thus communicated painfully. The entire book was written letter by letter in this fashion. Remarkable, isn't it? The movie depicts the entire exercise beautifully.

The best thing about the movie is that it is an audio and visual narrative from Bauby's own point of view. Through most of the movie, you see the world through Bauby's own eyes. The field of vision is restricted to his own eyes. The scenes of tears blurring his vision, of his eyelids battling when his right eye is sewn up give an amazing first person account of his story.

What really takes the cake, though, is the brilliant audio narrative of Bauby's character that runs through the movie. I don't understand a word of French, yet tone and the modulations never made me feel like I was reading subtitles. Through his voice, his journey from despair and cynicism, to acceptance, to finding hope and joy come through beautifully. Some scenes are comically tragic, like when the TV channel is changed by the nurse and all he can do is swear at the top of his voice in his mind!.

The movie's name is a allusion to the two facets of his own conditions. On one hand his locked-in condition makes his life going downwards like a sinking bell, which can do nothing. Or is it? Even if everything is chained down, what can stop his imagination from flying as freely as a butterfly? It is his imagination he needs to survive and to maintain his sanity. The movie and his memoirs are a story of his mental journey to his past, to a realization of his mistakes and to dreaming of his fantasies.

Bauby expired two days after his book was published, and the movie was made much later. A highly recommended movie. Thanks to Ajay and Prathab for repeatedly recommending this movie.

That kicks off my foreign language collection. Next in line is Akira Kurasowa.

Rock On! - Reading between the lines

Rock On is the story of the journey of a rock band from youthful exuberance, to cynicism and surrender, and to a rediscovery of joy. It has what you would expect of a movie from the Farhan Akhtar stable, though it isn't Farhan who has directed movie.

Rock On depicts the lives of our generation, their dilemmas and their emotional turmoil in a sensitive and subtle way. We are a society high on hope and confidence today. The opportunity is there, the situation is right and challenges stare us in the face. Go for it! Follow your mind, fear no failure. Today isn't a time for a compromise. Because you don't want to repent for it all your life and feel stifled for a wrong choice you made, as Aditya (Farhan's character) did.

It is easy to buckle down when the real challenge comes. If you are down and out, it is not that bad a situation. There is only one way - up. But, life rarely challenges you by putting you in a spot. Most of the time, you are encountered by choices. It is these challenges that really test your spirit. You fear the road less travelled, you pick up the escape route that life offers. A little bit of composure on the part of Joe (Arjun Rampal) and Aditya, the story might have been different. Its all about giving time, handling pressure and understanding the situation.

In the end, its not about short term goals, like forming a rock band. Its about living life with joy in the way you know and believe. That's what the protagonists realize after their reunion, when they sing for the sheer pleasure it gives them.

This surely wouldn't be a movie review, but it is just an attempt to summarize what went through my mind as I was watching the movie.

Movie: Strongly recommended for the plot, performances and music.

Mumbai Meri Jaan - A Review

BANG .. BANG. A blast rips through the first class compartment of an evening Mumbai local train. People are ejected while the train is still in motion. Some crash onto the poles adjoining the tracks, some are burnt, some are electrolocuted. Bodies are charred and limbs are amputated. Moments later there is chaos. But, every person there is alone in a state of shock. This scene hit me like a thunderbolt. We read it in the newspapers everyday. But, seeing those visuals right in front of you as it happens is chilling. The irony of my own situation is obvious. Here I am sitting in a multiplex supposedly having a "good time", while the tragic events at a location less the 200 km away unfold on the screen.

The movie follows the lives of a middle class professional (Madhavan), a journalist (Soha Ali Khan), an unemployed right-leaning youth (Kay Kay Menon) and a disgruntled voice from Mumbai's underbelly (Irrfan Khan) in the aftermath of the blasts. There is nothing spectacular or thought provoking about the narrative, save for the Irrfan's story (which give a peek into what can drive people to terror). It simply follows the lives of these people. The harsh reality of terror is there in front of our eyes. The movie just gives us a moment to stop and feel the agony of those who have suffered at the hands of terror. Paresh Rawal again does a great act as the disillusioned Mumbai policeman, and his monologue at the climax, about the "spirit of Mumbai", is the soul of the movie.

In this age of poop-movies, few movies are made which highlight suffering of a average person. This is one attempt. Watch it.

Chariots of Fire - Story of the Golden Men

The best movies are the ones that touch the soul, inspire you and hold out hope. One such movie is the classic sports drama, 'Chariots of Fire' - a gripping tale of the quest for the 100m gold at the 1924 Olympics by two British athletes, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. Liddell is a missionary and Abrahams is a Jewish student at Caius College, Cambridge. Liddell runs for the glory of God, Abrahams runs to prove his worth to a society he feels is anit-Semitic. What success means to each of them, how each of them approach the race and life is explored in the tight, well-knit story. Vangelis Papathanassiou's excellent sound track brings to life the characters and situations. The title track is, ofcourse, eternal.

The movie explores some themes. What is sucess to different men? What makes men strive for a goal? What are the anxieties and fears of the successful? Harold Abrahams is a man of the world. He is honest, hard-working and single-minded in his pursuit of being the fastest man on the planet. To him nothing matters more, he cannot think of defeat. He wants to prove his worth - to himself and to others. For all his efforts, he is himself his greatest enemy. His anxiety and his fear of failure impede him. It is his nerves that he has to keep. He ultimately does achieve his goal. But, in this moment of success, he feels an emptiness, a sense of purposelessness and relief (not joy). It is then that he values and earns the joy and peace of mind that he yearns for.

Eric "Flying Scot" Liddell, in contrast, is a god-fearing man. He has a talent for running, which he believes is a gift to him. He runs to feel the elation, which he calls the "pleasure of God". He runs not for glory, but because he sees a race as a manifestation of the strength of the human spirit. As Abrahams points out, the secret to Liddell's success is his contentment. He is a "gut runner", who has a big heart. It is his belief that powers him - so he feels nothing wrong about refusing to run on a Sabbath. (While that may sound superstitious, that is history, and the plot has been well constructed around that event.) Finally, he switches events and wins the 400m, while not compromising on his beliefs. After the Games, Liddell returns to China to carry on his missionary work.

I could watch this movie again and again, and I could find something new to think about. Especially, Harold Abrahams' character is rich - his bond with his friends, his relationship with Sybil Gordon. I identify with him, as will most people. Eric Liddell's character is unidimensional, he is an ideal that you try to be. But you have to earn it, by passing through a phase that Harold Abraham went through.

Taare Zameen Par - Fabulous

We had to wait till the end of the 2007 to watch the finest Hindi movie of the year and possibly one of the finest ever. Aamir Khan, as debutant director has delivered a sensitive narrative that remains faithful to the cause it expouses, without resorting any antics. That sincerity is the strength of the movie. Creative director and writer Amol Gupte too deserves credit for writing such a tight and well-researched script. It is to the credit of the both Aamir and Gupte, that they have handled their professional differences with maturity, to bring to the audiences an idea they sincerely believed in.

And what a movie it has been! It would be blasphemous in a Bollywood movie that the lead superstar makes an entry at the intermission, plays second fiddle to a boy and there is no romantic angle. But, Aamir pulls it off. Darsheel Safary gives a touching and endearing performance as the imaginative, dyslexic kid. I can't forget the way the boy says 'Bindaas' after giving a Maths test, that shows an attitude. He is the star of the show. Aamir weaves this fascinating depicition of the imaginative world around the child with bright colours and wonderful animation that you yearn for it. And the music carries the narrative forward. The music, the lyrics and the choreography are in perfect sync, especially in the track 'Jame Raho'. Aamir plays the teacher's role competently without overdoing it. I could not even miss the song and documentary which plays with the credits at the finale.

Taare Zameen Par is not just the story of a dyslexic kid. It is the story of a lot of kids, whose creativity is curbed under stifling competition, and of parents who want the best for their kids' future. Their dilemma in doing a balancing act between survival, ensuring a secure life for their kids and allowing them the optimum level of freedom is not to be overlooked. The movie has raised the right questions. Have you felt that the roles of the parents and teachers in the movie were too stereotypical? I don't think so, I could relate everything I saw to what I have experienced.

Well, it is difficult to describe the movie in words, but it is still worth the effort. This deserves running for the Oscars, it is one which will appeal to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences voters' sensibilities. But that is not be, atleast not as India's official entry.

The movie's takeaway:
Tu Dhoop Hain Jham Se Bikhar
Tu Hai Nadee O Bekhabar
Beh Chal Kahin Ud Chal Kahin
Dil Khush Jahan Teri Toh Manzil Hai Wahin

Review: Shootout at Lokhandwala

Another standard gangster movie. However, the film is slick, fast-paced and the intensity is maintained throughout, keeping you engrossed. Viv(i)ek Oberoi and Sanjay Dutt do commendable performance, but otherwise nothing extraordinary. I can't comment about the songs-didn't care to hear them. Overall, the movie is entertaining, but not much to write about :).

Shawshank Redemption: A Memorable movie

Generally, I have very high expectations from a movie which has been praised a lot, which aren't met when I actually watch the movie. 'The Shawshank Redemption' is surely not one of them. It has exceeded my expectations. Here is a wonderful tale of hope, persistence and determination against all odds, when all seems lost. Without playing spoiler, the movie tracks the events in the life of Andy Dufrene (played by Tim Robbins), who is sent to prison for two murders. The beauty of the movie is its theme, which touches your soul, and the way in which it is paced and the plot unveiled. Add to it the wonderful cinematography and background score. And the one-liners are just excellent, many of them delivered by Morgan Freeman in his trademark baritone. I wonder how Freeman missed an Oscar for this role. Or, for that matter Forrest Gump walking away with the Oscars that year? Well, to me this is a movie that went unappreciated at the Oscars. This is one movie not to be missed.

Guru

Mani Ratnam again makes a political statement at the right time. From Roja through Yuva, Mani Ratnam's movies have echoed the pulse of the population - and this time he presents a case for capitalist India. Guru represents the young, hard-working Indian working against an archaic system which attempts to stifle him. Are the means he chooses right? He argues he was left with no other option, just as businesses did in the licence-permit raj era. That makes a case for the powers-that-be to set up institutions that act as facilitators than as needless, excessive regulators of innovaton and thought.

The movie is clearly a based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani, potraying so many milestones in his life.
Ambani spent his early life in Yemen, while Guru does so in Turkey doing similar jobs. Guru prospers in the same business as Ambani and pioneers the same idea of raising capital from the public. Ambani too was at the receving end of a series of exposes by the Indian Express under Ramnath Goenka (similar Mithun's character in the movie), with S. Gurumurthy as one of the chief investigators (Madhavan's character in the movie). Ambani had even suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on the right side in 1986. I wonder, is Arzan Contractor depicting Nusli Wadia?

I was a bit disappointed with the music on hearing it first, but it blends well with the movie.
And Abhishek Bacchan gives a fine performance here.