No Smoking | Editor's Pen

Hi Friends,

Recently I read an interesting piece by Reema Kagti about ‘depiction of smoking in movies’ and censorship around it. She raised some really valid points. If Government wants to curb the menace, they should take rather strong steps than making mockery of freedom of expression.

 

When Government says that it looks cool to see stars smoking on screen and kids try to emulate them, the logic fails badly. Kids don’t smoke because they emulate actors. They do because they see real people smoking. Their parents, uncles, friends, elder brothers, cousins, teachers... If Government wants to stop it, they should ban smoking in anyone’s view, not just public places. Also, if smoking is not acceptable, why do we have it on sale on every third lane? Reduce the visibility from public life, it will disappear from cinema. Cinema reflects reality. Real people smoke. That should come on screen. If real people stop smoking, it will disappear.

 

+1 to Reema. If Government wants tobacco revenues, they should not try to be hypocrite about it. 

 

Its year end. We are gearing up for Blue Notebook... Any suggestions?

 

Regards

Sujoy Ghosh

 

To Sir, With Love | Critique

Based on E. R. Braithwaite celebrated book by the same name, To Sir, With Love is a fine example where a simple nice story backed by decent performances and a good song attains cult status over years. As the saying goes, its difficult to be simple; Sidney Poitier starrer achieves that without much difficulty.

 

Mark Thackeray (Poitier) joins a school in London as a teacher. This job is not a passion for him. Its sort of a stop gap arrangement before he can get a good job. The students are rough and like to bother every new teacher. Other teachers in school are least bothered about them. They do their work mechanically. They are not interested in children and their growth as individual. Thackeray finds it difficult to adjust to this environment. He decides to make some elementary changes in approach. As the story flows, we realize what impact the changes had on the psychology of children, how it influences their outlook towards life and what they make out of their life.

 

Well supported by entire cast, Poitier plays his role with great conviction. Though it’s sort of a routine role for the Academy winner, it’s worth to note that the conviction Poitier shows in his character shows how close he is to the persona of Mark Thackeray. Lulu’s music was another highlight of the movie. Title song sung by her contributed a lot to the popularity of the movie. Direction is good but nothing to write home about.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

 

 

Innuendo | Multi-layered Indie | The Critique

Indie in India is growing. They might not have set BO on fire but have definitely made a mark for themselves. Innuendo is one such indie effort. Made on a paltry budget, it successfully converted some of the handicaps into an advantage. Arvind Kamath along with a talented team made a movie that delivers well. One needs a vision to make a good film, budget is secondary.

 

The story of Innuendo revolves around three subplots – a mother trying to come close to her son, a writer and his imagination and a bunch of friends celebrating. The first subplot comes out very strongly and undoubtedly is the strong point of the film. The thirst subplot is the weak link. Though three stories seemed to be pretty insulated from each other, one can reason the connect easily. From script point of view, it’s an achievement of some sort. Innuendo literally means  an insinuation about a person or thing or incident. By the time credits roll, you realize how nicely title reflects the content of the movie. Usage of metaphors is equally laudable.

 

Performances are pretty decent. However like most of the indies, in some scenes one might find actors trying to act too hard. It might be a little turnoff though. But overall, the interpretation of characters comes out well on screen. Camerawork is good. Music is a little overdone, in my humble opinion. Editing is very crisp. Overall, technically and from performance point of view, it’s pretty decent. Direction is really good. Execution of some scenes is studio quality.

It’s not path breaking movie or something that will change the world. However, it’s a strong and honest effort. Indie... carry on the good work...

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

 

 

 

 

Playing With Pain | Part – 2 | The I In Cinema | Under Lens

Its central performance aside, Rockstar also serves as fodder for the intelligent mind. Never once taking you for granted, it deftly presents its second half as more of a meditative trance than just a build-up toward the climax. Not that the first half is anything bad. In one of the film’s best written scenes, Janardhan stands behind Heer, who in her Kashmiri bridal wear, sits before a mirror and tells, ”Pooch mat, warna main sacch bol dungi.” He says, “Haan to bol de na.” “Haan,” comes her reply, implying that she is ready to elope with him. Naturally, Janardhan is too naïve to understand. This is a brilliantly written and performed scene which oozes just the right amount of subtlety and also goes on to show the contrasting patterns that both of these characters exhibit in the movie’s second half. On my second viewing of Rockstar, I found it to be even more enriching and engrossing and it seemed to overcome, what I thought were its flaws – its uneven structure and the actress. There is something in Nargis Fakhri that lends to the character of Heer. Maybe a mischievous twinkle in her eye, may be a certain reluctance, something which I can’t quite place a finger upon.

Alas, the same cannot be said about the cast that forms Heer’s family. When Jordan arrives at their home for dinner, I almost expected Heer’s husband to step up to him, shake his hand and say, “We are a family of such laughably horrible actors that we are thinking of saying grace just because you are here.”

So much talent has gone into making this film, that it would only seem befitting if I gave credit to everyone. But time, space and memory prevent me from doing so in detail. Bringing Ali’s vision to the final stages of fruition is a wonderfully assembled cast that comprises of the late Shammi Kapoor, Piyush Mishra, Kumud Mishra and Aditi Rao Hydari.

Giving the film a grungy feel in the rock concert portions, a foggy look to Delhi’s Pitampura and capturing Prague in all its glory, Anil Mehta deserves a loud round of applause. And we all have Aarti Bajaj to thank for, when it comes to the editing. On a side note, I must also add that Imtiaz Ali has said that the film was written with this particular structure right from the beginning. Putting behind all the flak that he had received for his recent tunes and compositions (Raavan, CWG anthem, Jhootha Hi Sahi remember?), A.R.Rahman does what he does best. From the soul cleansing Kun Faaya Kun to the melodious ballad that is Tum Ho, from the pulse-pounding Saadda Haq to the beckoning Nadaan Parinde, Rahman beefs up his oeuvre with yet another winner. The simple, soulful lyrics by Irshad Kamil complement the ingenious, masterful tunes of the maestro, thereby making this album one of the best soundtracks of the year. And it feels so gratifying to see Mohit Chauhan credited under Jordan’s vocals, without whom the voice of Jordan would be lost under all his angst.

Speaking of which, I would have to write an entirely separate post to give you an idea about Jordan in detail. Ranbir’s Jordan is a wildly compulsive eccentric who is as unpredictable as they come. Ranbir embodies the character of Janardhan and Jordan with equal ease and at times his Jordan becomes so unpredictable and wild-headed that it’s impossible not to marvel at this lad’s range and depth. Here’s an actor who is not afraid of dipping his character in the dirtiest of materials, one who is not afraid of making a complete ass of himself, one who rises above the script so that there can be no more scope for any sort of improvisation. Watch out for that scene in which Ranbir lets out a wail of anguish, trying to exorcise his demons in the middle of the Wings of Fire concert. This is not only a powerhouse performance; it is a textbook with a checklist of do’s and don’ts while acting. Ali intelligently steps aside from the clichés that movies like this are plagued with – he does away with the drugs and alcohol aftermath. Jordan is just a wandering soul, a lost loner. As Khatana puts it in one of the movie’s scenes, “Wo jo kucch ladke hote hain na ji, jinka dimaag kahin aur hota hai…”
As the film draws closer to its inevitable end, you feel a strange sense of relief flooding in on you. Poignant as it might be, it shows Imtiaz’s forte as a master storyteller. Ali shows a beautiful montage of Jordan’s and Heer’s moments together – the only memories that Jordan has with him in the end. And a journey is complete. The bird is home.

Written By: Gyandeep Pattnayak

Prayers For The Smile | Editor's Pen

Hi Friends,

The decade of 90s would be remembered for two beauties - Madhuri Dikshit and Manisha Koirala. Both saw the pinnacle and silently faded... and left behind beautiful memories. There are hardly couple of things to talk about when we look at the 90s. These two actresses are there at the top.

Manisha Koirala started her career with Saudagar. This Subhash Ghai blockbuster is remembered for the illustrious starcast that included Dileep Kumar and Raj Kumar. However, the talk of the B-town was the actress. Manisha established herself as a competent actress with Bombay, Akele Hum Akele Tum and Khamoshi. Born in a prominent political family in Nepal, Manisha chose the world of glitter and established herself. Controversies were always around the corner and more than often, stamped the feminist outlook of an independent woman.

Today she is struggling with Ovarian Cancer, as per latest reports. With all love we have in our heart, we would like to wish 'Get Well Soon'. The world will be a very dark place with your mesmerising smile.

With prayers...
Sujoy Ghosh
(On behalf of entire TRM family)

Garam Hava In 3 Act Structure | Under Lens

M.S. Sathyu’s film based on Ismat Chugtai’s short story adapted by Kaifi Azmi. Garam Hawa is a fine example of good cinema relevant in the times it was made and even decades beyond. Brilliant performances by Balraj Sahni, Geeta Siddharth and AK Hangal were well supported by Farooq Shaikh and Jalal Agha. Movie will be remembered for sensitive handling of a controversial subject and dialogues.

 

Act 1: In the first part Mirza family is introduced. India is seeking independence and partition is inevitable. Mirza family doesn’t want to leave nation for one or another reason. However, Pakistan, the newly formed entity, is making promises too good to believe. A section of Hindu community believes that since Pakistan is made, Muslims should leave. Not only the political scenario, life of a middle class Muslim family is also explored in this act. A poetic start is used to subtly reveal traumas of partition.

 

Act 2: This act makes a strong impact. Family is broken by politics and new economic dynamics. Mirzas are not able to handle either of them. At a point, Pakistan seems to be destiny, bnot destination. Every reason that has stopped Salim Mirza, the protagonist, to take step towards new state has shattered. His older brother is well settled in Pakistan. Business is in shambles. Old mother, who wanted to die in ancestral house dies peacefully. Daughter who failed in love commits suicide. One son has left for Pakistan and other is jobless. Salim, himself, is tagged as a spy. Life has become difficult for Muslims in India.

 

Act 3: The trick in Act 3 is that it should reflect Act 1 in some way. Same aspirations, same ideology shall rise. This happens in Garam Hava. While Salim Mirza, his wife and unemployed son are going to Pakistan, they see an agitation led by his son’s friends. The seeds of the agitation was sown by his own son who wants to remain in India and develop it. Salim decides to stay back. The problems in this country must be the same as in that country. Pakistan cannot be very different from India. They cannot live life of refugees. Aspirations of a new state shall survive the scorching wings of changing times.  

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Inherit The Wind | Monkey Trial | The Critique

How man appeared on world? Like what Bible tells us or what Charles Darwin explored and concluded. Creation versus evolution. Based on a real life incident where John Scopes is arrested in Dayton, Tennesse for teaching evolution, Inherit The Wind questioned prevalent McCarthyism and practices. Inherit The Wind is not very hard hitting. It subtly puts forward a rational point. It doesn’t rely on lengthy speeches. It, rather, tries to provoke grey cells of viewer. It asks that isn’t like all fundamental rights, right to think is equally important?

 

School teacher Cates is caught for teaching Evolution. Teaching Evolution is prohibited. Mediaperson Hornback decides to back Cates for both personal and professional reason. Col. Brady is brought to prosecute Cates. Brady is a highly respected, failed presidential candidate and Biblical scholar. He is doesn’t believe in Evolution and wants to make a point. However, to support cause of Cates, one of his old friends turned rival Henry Drummond decide to defend Cates and Evolution. Since law questions Cates stand, witnesses advocating Evolution are not admissible. Drummond questions the partition between the ideologies and question the literal interpretation of the Book.

 

Spencer Tracy and Fredric March deliver fine performances as competing lawyers. Their mutual admiration for each other as actor and person is visible. Director Stanley Kramer picked another meaningful subject and made a relevant movie. Spencer Tracy and Stanley Kramer teamed up for many projects – remarkable pieces of cinema, Inherit The Wind was first of them. Inherit The Wind works on two levels – at one level it makes a point that with time one need to see beyond existing knowledge and accept the changes in theory, at another level it supports the argument that one has the right to have an opinion and share it with others.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Ricardo Darin | La Voz De Los Ojos | Statesmen

Many actors have their roots in TV Soaps. Few make impact on big screen as well. Few are recognized internationally and only a handful among them are respected as much as Ricardo Darin. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Darin’s first rendezvous with acting happened when he participated in a play at age of 10. His parents were respected actors of their time. He started off with TV soaps and became a house hold name with series like Alta Comedia and Estación Retiro. Apart from TV shows, he was a regular at theatre that helped him evolve as an actor.

 

His first critical acclaim on big screen came with Perdido Por Perdido made by Alberto Lecchi. A thriller, movie was about a person who is one the verge of bankruptcy. He plans a fake car robbery which goes wrong. The situation puts him between mobsters and investigators. Darin’s versatility as an actor was recognized widely. This movie acted as his launch pad to world cinema. His movies in late 90s and early 00s established him as one of the biggest actors in Latin America. Nine Queens, El Hijo de la Novia, Luna de Avellaneda, El Aura were notable ones. El Hijo de la Novia is more known to cinebuffs as  Son of the Bride. In 2009, El Secreto de Sus Ojos (most of us know it as The Secret in Their Eyes) was released. This movie stamped his stardom and acting capabilities. A big success on BO, it grabbed many awards across the globe. The list included Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

 

Darin is known for his ability to infuse a sense of calmness in the scene with his screen presence. His voice and expressive eyes are considered to be his strengths. In many ways, he is similar to Mammootty as an actor. I guess that speaks volume about him.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

 

Playing With Pain | Part – 1 | The I In Cinema | Under Lens

The only issue that I have with Rockstar is the title itself. Period.

Having said that, Rockstar is bound to induce something which is rarely associated with movies these days – debate. And since some time has passed after its release, seven days to be exact, it can be safely said that it has baffled some, infuriated some and pleased other cinegoers. Which means, of course, it has given rise to some serious debate. Words as diverse as pretentious and masterpiece have wriggled their way into the description and analysis of the film. Needless to say, that is a good thing. So, where do I stand? Right after seeing the trailer, I’d predicted that the heroine would kill this film. Not that I didn’t go too far when I said that. Because, obviously, she hasn’t killed the film. I believe, the Imtiaz Ali, whom we knew, has come of age. And this is a film which I am ready to embrace, with all its flaws intact. Rich with properly fleshed out characters and filled with enough subtext and subtlety, Rockstar is one of its kinds.

Janardhan is a simpleton residing in Delhi’s Pitampura trying to make a mark in the world of music. After repeated failed attempts, he is advised by one of his well-wishers, a canteen owner, who goes by the name of Khatana ji, that he should forget about making it big. ‘Kyun?’, he asks curiously. ‘Kyunki tujh mein who baat nahin hai na..’, replies Khatana. After prodding Khatana for a bit, Janardhan is told that he must feel the pain of heart-break so as to become a true artist. Janardhan sets his eyes on the ethereal Heer, who he would later describe as the ‘hottest’ and the ‘coolest’ girl in college. After his disastrous attempts to woo her, Janardhan and Heer strike up a strange friendship. They go about doing the weirdest of things in town. Sample these – watching a blue film in a packed theatre, visiting the red-light area and so on. She even rechristens him ‘Jordan’. Soon, Heer gets married and leaves for Prague. Janardhan, now Jordan, after a series of events makes it big in the field of music, becoming an overnight sensation. Destiny drives him to Prague, where he meets Heer again and together they are drawn into a world of lust and obsession. Jordan and Heer have no idea what Jordan’s obsession can drive them into.

I would like to use a quote which I use quite very frequently – love is something which you know intuitively but you don’t know why you know it. Imtiaz not only toys around with this particular idea but also goes a few notches ahead and does something which tosses the formula of love in the bin and makes us look at a ‘love story’ in a completely different light. Here’s a film which bravely blurs the line between love and lust and in doing so it establishes that Ali has an idea of love and it is anything but the cutesy ‘love’ which we have come to see in his previous films. Ah, am blabbering endlessly about love, aren’t I? For this is the movie of a rockstar. See, this was the complaint in general by lots of people who I went to see the movie with. Rockstar is no more a movie about rock than Lakshya is a movie about war. Yes, I think that might be a valid statement. Might. And I’ll also agree that the only problem that lies with Rockstar is in its horrendous title. Of course, you won’t find any subtexts and metaphors there in the title, will you? So, why make a love story and name it Rockstar? Does Jordan turn out to be a ‘rockstar lover’? Pardon my rather weak sense of humor. And also because, I digress.

Something happened to me while watching the film. The only reviews that I’d listened to (hesitatingly) before entering the theatre were negative. I warmed up to the movie instantly and it’s something I can’t explain in mere words. The movie felt very raw, rough on the edges, uncomfortable even; yet, I found it immensely appealing. Readers who have seen the film will understand that I am talking about the post interval portions, which most of the reviewers had panned. Abandoning the convenient way of telling a story, Ali audaciously employs an interesting narrative device, instead – jump cuts. So, we have overlapping dialogues when the scenes jump back and forth, songs intercut with linear scenes and so on and so forth. What’s the point, you might argue. I’ll try to mouth this carefully. This is the journey of an ordinary boy who goes on to become a nationwide sensation. And by fracturing up the different phases of his life, Ali lets us into his mind. We live in him, in the moment. And we are as shocked as others when we jump to another phase and see him behave like a total tool. It provides a perspective and we gradually get a hold on the catharsis that Janardhan has gone through.

…To Be Continued

Written By: Gyandeep Pattnayak

Insights

 

Message Of The Genie | Editor's Pen

Hi Friends,

 

Recently Paresh Rawal’s Oh My God raised some question. Fortunately we didn’t see any protest against the movie. Even if there were a few, they were conveniently ignored. We were happy. Apt questions were raised and fanatics had nothing to offer. Finally some sensibility. However, Student Of The Year faced wrath and petition of some random person in some random city. He somehow felt offended by the use of word Radha with modern materialistic lingo and though of filing a petition on behalf of all followers. Epic facepalm to say the least.

 

Religion has been an integral part of cinema. Just like other mediums of art, even cinema like to see religion in different shades. In Stanley Kramer’s Inherit The Wind, in the last scene we can see Spencer Tracy holding and trying to balance Bible and Origin Of Species in his hands. This sums it up all. The message is that be open to ideas. Following a religion doesn’t mean that one should close himself in a closet. One should, in fact, look beyond what Holy Books tell in letters and try to understand the essence, not the words.

 

Films have done a fairly good job in handling such topics. Movies made in Middle East in recent times have raised the need to reinterpret religion to be more inclusive, especially keeping women-folk in mind. In a conservative structure existing there, efforts deserve to be lauded. Unfortunately, in India we are moving towards dark ages. Every time you hear a word about religion on screen and there are ten organizations to apply their code of law. Unfortunate. Can we do anything about it?

 

Regards

Sujoy

 

 

 

 

Passion Narrative - Story Of Guru Dutt - 3 | Statesmen

Waheeda Rehman was discovered in Telugu film industry. When Guru Dutt found her, she was raw as an actor. Over time she matured and gave memorable performances. Her platonic relationship with Guru Dutt was fodder for gossip magazines. He had a soft corner for her and she had emotions for him. But was that an affair, no one really knows.

 

As marriage was on rocks, Guru Dutt was slowly killing himself. He was either thinking about films or drinking. Suicidal tendencies surfaced.

 

Two movies – Kaagaz Ke Phool and Pyaasa defined his life and cinematic brilliance.

 

Pyaasa was reflection of his angst against hypocrisy in society. How people misbehave with the no-ones and run behind the names? How people don’t even hesitate in exploiting people in inferior position? How even the blood betrays? Pyaasa was story of a poet who is cheated by not only strangers but also by the people he had faith in. When his brilliance is admired by masses, they suddenly start celebrate his art. What should he do? Jump in and enjoy the empty stardom? He would rather renounce the world. Guru Dutt suffered this dilemma. Owing to responsibilities, he chose the middle path trying to balance between what he wanted and what people expected. How he wished to make more movies like Kaagaz Ke Phool which got it due years after his death.

 

Kaagaz Ke Phool was a glimpse in his life and life of his mentor Gyan Mukherjee. A successful man who fades away in the winds of changing times. Suresh is successful but unhappy because he doesn’t have a free hand in his work. His marriage is on rocks and is trying very hard to sort issues with his arrogant wife. He discovers an artist accidently and they fall in love. However, she walks away when his daughter objects. In the end Suresh doesn’t get anything except an unknown death. There was so much in common with his own life. Sort of a mirror image. Sort of a fore warning.

 

When Vasanth come he brings in gifts of nature and the bounty is cherished by all. When he leaves, he leaves silently. His absence is noticed much later. How prophetic was his name...

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

 

 

Insights

 

Mandi | A Great Ensemble | The Critique

Beat this – Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi, Saeed Jaffery, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Satish Kaushik, Pankaj Kapoor, Neena Gupta, Soni Rajdan, Annu Kapoor and Amrish Puri. A Shyam Benegal movie. When was the other rare occasion when you have seen such an illustrious star-cast. Probably actor-cast would be more appropriate. Based in Ghulam Abbas’ famous short story Aanandi, this movie stands out due to its brilliant treatment where prostitution is not treated with disdain. It’s a profession which demands dedication and patience. Despite of social outlook towards it, in its core humanity lies.

 

 

Rukmini Bai (Shabana) runs a house in Hyderabad. Zeenat (Smita) is a dancer whose chastity is guarded by Rukmini Bai for some unknown reason. Zeenat falls in love with a young boy (Aditya Bhattacharya who later turned director and made Raakh). Love is mutual. Meanwhile, on behest of social reformers, the house is moved to a place where a holy shrine is there. As the house moves, the place becomes famous. The secret of Zeenat and the boy comes in open and… Each actor has at least one good scene and they played it with great honesty. Special note should be made about Shabana and Smita who put aside their rivalry and gave brilliant performances. Their chemistry can put all gossip magazines to shame. Om Puri, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Saeed Jaffery got good amount of screen time and they delivered the goods. In a very complicated role, Naseeruddin Shah accomplished what few can do. Watch the movie to make a note.

 

Shyam Benegal used metaphors in a brilliant way. Something only a person with great knowledge of Urdu literature can manage. The movie can be divided into multiple short subplots and each of them mean something different from what is coming on screen. It leaves behind multiple layers of thoughts… some static, some dynamic. The taste it leaves can’t be explained. One can just experience it.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

 

Adam's Rib | Delightful | The Critique

This movie happens to feature on every respected list of good movies especially the romantic comedies. The question is why? There is nothing exceptional about it. The story build up is average. The dialogues are way short to be termed as brilliant. Atleast by the standards the era had. Waht makes Adam's Rib such an experience - one word - Chemistry. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn - Hollywood's most successful pair had a face off in court in this courtroom drama cum romantic comedy.

 

Doris tries to kill her husband Warren when he is with his girlfriend. The news gets space in paper. Married lawyer couple Adam and Amanda read it in morning. Adam (Tracy) doesn't approve of Doris' act. Amanda (Hepburn) supports her saying that world is unfair to women. To worsen and augment the argument, Adam and Amanda find themselves as prosecution and defense lawyers in the case. Their neighbour Kip who flirts with Amanda causes more problems for them. What happens when a couple find themselves on two opposite sides of courtroom.

 

The amazing chemistry between Tracy and Hepburn has filled tons of paper with adjectives. This movie is a fine example why they are held with such regard. Together their capabilities multiply. The story develops beautifully. Writers take their time to explore their affection and insecurities. It is one of those movies you can watch many times without fatigue. One of the greatest romances, one of the greatest comedies.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Two Legends | Editor's Pen

Hi,

 

Recently we lost two icons of entertainment world. Yash Chopra and Jaspal Bhatti. Tragic.

 

Yash Chopra will be remembered for making big movies. Big not only on scale of budget but also on scale of story, star cast and drama. Who can forget Waqt? Who can forget Chandni? Not many directors have been able to achieve adulation and admiration of masses and classes alike. Yash Chopra managed that. It was not that he made only blockbusters. But whatever he made had substance. Remember Lamhe?

 

Today, TV channels are overflowing with comedy shows. In 90s, Jaspal Bhatti was the man. Satire, in true sense, was his forte. He never felt the need the adding masala to his jokes. He kept them simple and sensible. Though in Hindi films, he was not able to replicate his success in TV Show Flop Show, he remained an icon of Punjabi cinema. His ability to depict common man’s tragedy has inspired many and will continue to do so.

 

Indian cinema will miss them. The Show will go on but will the new Showmen scale the benchmarks?

 

Love,

Sujoy

Chittagong | The Critique

One of the biggest turn-offs in any movie about a real incident is the exaggeration of valiance. Heroes, who are supposed to be real, are made to look like legends. More than often, they fell short. Chittagong steers away from this. Characters are strong but vulnerable. Their fears are real and bravery is not extraordinary in magnitude. They are more closer to what they were in reality, not folklore.

 

They story is coming of age tale of a young boy Jhunku who has a faint understanding of what Masterda (Surya Sen played by a brilliant but subtle Manoj Bajpayee). The movie is like Jhunku's diary where he describes his initial resistance to the movement due to personal terms with Magistrate, his disenchantment, how Armory raid was conducted and how were the revolutionaries hunted. In the end, Jhunku returns to his place only to start another movement.

 

Script is the real hero of this movie. They was story unfolds in front of viewer is simply amazing. There are not many powerful dialogues or out of the box scenes because they are not required. People don't say punch dialogues in real life. Performance wise, each and every actor has given a very disciplined performance without going over the board. I wonder, how I saw Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazuddin Siddique on screen but failed to notice them. They were just two revolutionaries from an era my grandfather might have seen.

 

Cinematography was exceptional. I remember The Bridge Over River Kwai. The scenes where villages are shown. The scene where railway track and woods are shown. Brilliant, in one word. Last but the most important thing, direction... Bedabrata Pain gave so much for this movie and the result shows that. The way characters and most importantly actors have been handled in this movie, its something sort of exceptional.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

When Husband And Lover Confront In Kabhi Kabhie | My Take | Under Lens

In Deewaar, Shashi Kapoor asked Amitabh Bachchan if he will sign the papers and surrender or not. Amitabh says no and questions the morality of his question in light of natural justice. In Kabhi Kabhie, a deja-vu moment comes when Shashi Kapoor comes across the fact that during college time, his wife played by an elegant Raakhi and Amitabh had an affair. He tells that he would have appreciated had he come upto to him upfront and told the truth.

 

The beauty of the entire sequence lies in the fact that as it begins, you know that Shashi Kapoor is very upset but is hiding disappointment. Then he curses himself because he doubted the faithfulness of a lady who is married to him for 20 years and gave up all her joys. He asks why all these years, they ignored each other. He tells that he would have appreciated their frank confession rather than knowing about it accidently. The transition of his character reveals the character so beautifully that one cannot resist giving a standing ovation.

 

The sequence follows up with Amitabh’s monologue expressing his reasons and defending them strongly. He defends Raakhi as well. Yashraj always brought an amazing streak to their characters. The way the conflict and mutual admiration between lover and husband of a woman has been explored in Kabhi Kabhie, its an example to follow.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Yash Chopra Beyond Romance | Under Lens

Yash Chopra, by large, will be remembered for beautiful romantic movies. This impression is because he made some of the most mesmerizing romantic films of Hindi Film Industry. But Yashraj has made many movies beyond the chiffons and Swiss Alps. As we lost him, TRM remembers some of such gems:

 

Ittefaq: With Rajesh Khanna and Nanda, Yashraj made one of the finest thrillers. Ittefaq, based on a Gujarati play, plays with viewer’s prejudice against a convict. A convict charged with murder hides in a house. He threatens the lady of the house to ensure his safety. But later he realizes that what he saw was a hogwash.

 

Deewaar: Mere Paas Maa Hai. This iconic dialogue was an imagery of a son’s emotion for his mother and a true contrast. Loosely influenced by Haji Mastan and other mafia of 70s, Deewaar told story of two sons, born under same circumstances but with different outlook towards world. Deewaar made Amitabh Bachchan the Angry Young Man he was. Khush To Bahut Hoge Tum can still cause goosebumps.

 

Dhool Ke Phool and Trishul: Both DKP and Trishul dealt with a sensitive topic of illegitimate children. Yashraj always believed that a child cannot be illegitimate. If someone has to be so, the blame should lie with the parents. Though both the movies are different, the way the topic has been dealt is exemplar.

 

Daag: Though people might count it as a romantic movie, its basically a movie that talks about a situation and dilemma the protagonist is in. A man is convicted for a murder he committed to save his wife. As destiny desired, he escapes and meet another woman who is expecting. But her lover has dumped her. He decided to attain a new identity. But things go awry when he meets his first wife.

 

Chakravyuh | Mess As Expected | The Critique

While Arjun was far, Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuh setup by Kauravas. In the end he dies while Arjun goes on with the fight. This is an easy way to summarize the story. Though it can be denied, Chakravyuh is definitely inspired from Drohkal. A cop plants his man as a bug in Naxal group. This is what happens in Drohkal and this is how story begins in Chakravyuh. Rajneeti failed the viewers. Aarakshan was a celebral tragedy. Chakravyuh is a blunder. At least by Jha's standard.

 

The biggest problem with the story is the characterization. Characters and sometimes scenes are straight lift from different movies with similar backdrop. Spicing it up with too much grey characters doesn't help the cause. At some point you believe that one side is right and at a later point you support the other. As you go about with story, you end up in the middle. As aloof as you were before entering the theatre. To screw it up more, there is no conclusion. It might have helped a thriller but not a social drama.

 

Manoj Bajpayee, Om Puri and Abhay Deol were wasted. Arjun Rampal is still growing and is definitely better than the rest from his batch. Esha Gupta had less to do and she managed to screw it as well. Applause. Anjali Patil is NSD grad. That shows up. She is the highlight of the movie. The angst in her eyes is real.

 

Story is weak. Dialogues rarely leave an impact. More than often you end up sympathizing with yourself than the characters. Cinematography is just okay. Music lacks the local touch. Direction is really weak. Development of scenes look so clichéd. Prakash Jha needs a rejig. Nothing else will work. He is a great director but unfortunately he is losing his grip.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Passion Narrative - Story Of Guru Dutt - 2 | Statesmen

Guru Dutt mentored Abrar Alvi and V. K. Murthy. Former wrote some of the most memorable scripts while later raised the bar of cinematography by yards. 

 

Guru Dutt helped Abrar develop skills for direction. Abrar went on to make Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam with Guru Dutt and Murthy. Their methodology was so similar that people believe that it was ghost-directed by Guru Dutt, a thought rubbished by people involved. However, its noteworthy that it took a Guru Dutt to bring out a director from the writer Abrar Alvi was. Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam turned out to be his only directorial venture.

 

V. K. Murthy knew how to stretch the envelop. Brilliant use to contrast shades in black and white, especially in Kaagaz Ke Phool, caught the imagination of filmmakers across the globe. However, just like Abrar, he failed to stand at par with his own standards. Guru Dutt influence was there. With him, the light was gone. 

 

Another name which cannot be separated from Guru Dutt was Johnny Walker. Born as Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi – Johnny Walker, along with Rehman, was one of the most common faces appearing in Guru Dutt’s cinema. He provided Guru Dutt’s intense cinema with the light moments it needed. Their bonding was so strong that absence of a role in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam was Johnny Walker was opposed by Guru Dutt. Abrar remained adamant and Guru Dutt gave in once Johnny Walker gave his best wishes.

 

Like many iconic filmmakers, Guru Dutt was not able to separate his personal and professional life. Had he taken the path followed by Raj Kapoor, we would have seen more of him. Guru Dutt fell in love with Geeta Dutt, a singer of great repute. She was very successful as an individual and as a result, clashes happened. Alcohol didn’t helped either. Both took to hard drinks and slowly ruined their life. People believe that Geeta Dutt was always very suspicious of Guru Dutt’s personal life outside home. Rumors of his affairs compounded more problems. And there was a Waheeda…

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

 

 

Barfi | Sweet Or Not | Editor's Pen

Hi Friends,

In last couple of days, much has been written about Barfi being a choice for Indian entry for Oscars. Some people appreciated it. Some laughed it off. Some were enraged as their film failed to make it through.

Except for few exception, Barfi was liked by most of the cinephiles in web world. Partly because of a good storyline and partly because of very convincing performances. Ranbeer, post Rockstar, has developed a niche fan following. Anurag Basu evokes some sentiments due a well made Life In A Metro. Priyanka is always interesting on screen and Illeana looked like a forbidden fruit. The story of Barfi really worked. Though it seemed to be a little overdone, the impact was there.

Good opening of Barfi followed up with plagiarism accusations. Some scenes were direct lift. Some scenes seemed more like a reference. Overall, a good enough part looked like a ctrl+c and ctrl+v exercise. Critics were not kind. The decision of sending it to Academy seemed to be a blooper.

To some extent I agree. Barfi is not a perfect choice. I would have liked to see Paan Singh Tomar or Gangs Of Wasseypur rather. They are more Indian than Barfi. Having said that, I believe, much of the criticism Barfi is facing is uncalled for. Its not the first time we have shamlessly copied from World cinema. But its one of those rare cases where movie didn't turned out to be a sham.

Love
Sujoy Ghosh 

Bedabrata Pain Takes You To Chittagong | Golden Podium

TheReelMag team got an opportunity to talk to Bedabrata Pain whose story is not only motivating, it’s also very soul stirring. His movie – Chittagong has started getting appreciation. Here we go.

 

Q1: Hi Bedabrata. First of all, many congratulations for appreciation you are getting for your movie 'Chittagong'. How are you feeling now? Satisfied, elated, restless?

 

BP: Chittagong has been somewhat of an epic journey. Against all odds and personal tragedies – some of which will always remain behind the curtains – I finished this film. Chittagong is dedicated to my son – who was the biggest supporter of the film. And I have given better than my best … so I have that satisfaction. The rest, who knows!

 

When I began the film, I didn’t know if I could make a film. Now I know that I can. And I know that my instincts are right – whenever I have trusted them, I have got good results. That’s my take-away. I am not trying to think who will like my work or in what form my work will be appreciated. That’s not in my hand – only the effort is!

 

Q2: Your story... IIT-Kgp, University of Columbia, NASA and then a movie about a forgotten revolutionary. Reminds me of SRK in Swades, incidentally made by a very talented Ashutosh. When did you took the decision to quit the NASA and why? Isn't science your call?

 

BP: Ha ha ha … art imitates life or something like that? One of the worst things about modern life is that you are almost forced to be one-dimensional robotic person – feeling little, and thinking even less.

 

But I guess I grew up at a time when being multi-dimensional or embracing life to the fullest or having a social consciousness were considered very precious. It is something I have that ingrained in me – a notion that you might find in Nazrul’s Bidrohi. I think, as human beings, we are capable of processing a plethora of information and take any number of initiatives. I think I can contribute equally to the field of arts as well as to science. Perhaps this whole journey was an experiment to break these conventional constraints of unidimensionality.

 

Have I succeeded? I don’t know. But I have tried and I will remain just as committed to science as to art. Both require tremendous fidelity to real life and whole lot of creativity. Let’s see how far I can go …

 

Q3: Why you chose such an offbeat topic? What was your inspiration behind Chittagong?

 

BP: Actually Chittagong is not an offbeat film. When I started it felt like that there is a stasis in the world. And today – you see simmering discontent everywhere in the world – from the Americas to the Africa. The way my film ends, it makes it so relevant for the world today. Indeed that’s the inspiration. I wanted to tell a story of victory – but a victory not by a big boss or a super-hero – a victory that is won by the ordinary people – people like you and me. My film underscores the point that at historic moments, it is the ordinary people who can and do prevail. And perhaps today we are reaching such a historic moment.

 

Q4: Manoj Bajpai is a very talented actor. Was he your first pick for role of Masterji?

 

BP: Manoj is one of the best actors I know. Masterda’s role is a very difficult one. Because he’s a different kind of a hero. He’s not a chest-beating, bicep-flexing hero. Masterda led from behind. He was a visionary man. He was an inspiring man. To play such a person, a very versatile actor was needed. It is easier to play a cynic, but to play a visionary, it requires an actor par excellence. And that was Manoj. He had done an absolutely fabulous job of playing Masterda with sensitivity and restraint.

 

Q5: There was a little controversy over release of Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey and your movie. Some people hinted at some arm-twisting. Your thoughts...

 

BP: Let’s not drag the past anymore. What matters is the present. Today Chittagong stands on its own. And it should be viewed as an independent film – not in association or comparison with anything else.

 

Most importantly, Indian film market has changed a lot in recent times. There is a significant rise of non-traditional Bollywood films – which above all, are good films. Why, only this year, we have had successful films such as Kahaani, Paan Singh Tomar, Gangs of Wasseypur, Shanghai and others! I strongly believe that Chittagong is part of this new wave. I am extremely hopeful about Chittagong, but then you know as they say – it’s after all luck by chance.

 

Q6: What will you like to say to people who want to submit their resignations and pursue their hobbies?

 

BP: I don’t know what I tell somebody who’s only pursuing his or her hobbies. Because, by definition, a hobby is recreational.

 

I wasn’t pursuing my hobby. I was going for the long haul. So, if anyone is serious about pursuing something, my only advice is to go headlong for it. No regrets, no leaving a backdoor open. For me to have tried to make a film on my own towards the end of a successful and very different career was a tremendous leap of faith – it’s like skydiving without knowing if everything will work out. But I don’t think there is any other option. You have to go out on a limb.

 

TheReelMag team wishes the entire team of Chittagong all the success. Bedabrata has endured a lot for this moment. We know somewhere Ishan must be very proud.

Shankar Nag | The Karnataka Films Icon | Statesmen

South India cinema consists of 4 prominent languages namely Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil. But when it comes to ranking Kannada cinema industry is usually perceived to be inferior. Albeit, few people would look into Kannada cinemas whenever, there are releases of few directors like Yogaraj Bhat, Soori, Upendra, R.Chandru, Shashank, Preetham Gubbi, Prem(Besagara Halli Bairegowda), Om Sai Prakash, Om Prakash Rao, GuruPrasad etc. or few stars like Puneeth Raj Kumar, Shivaraj Kumar, Sudeep, Darshan, Ganesh, Ajay Rao, Diganth, Upendra, the most of the films would go un-noticed. But there was a man who had single handedly made whole India forward to Kannada Cinema for short span of 12 years with his 90+ films. This man was none another than Shankar Nag.

 

Shankar Nag was born on November 9, 1954 in Mallapur Village, Kumta (North Canara), Karnataka as younger brother of versatile multilingual actor and former minister of Government of Karnataka, Ananth Nag.  Albeit, he completed schooling at Bombay and was involved in Marathi theatre his cinema debut was with Girish Karanad’s Kannada film Ondanondu Kaladalli which was an Off-beat Kannada which was also a commercial success. After that,  within the span of 12 years (from 1978 to 1990) he acted in some 80 Kannada movies, in leading role, besides co-producing (with actor-brother Anant Nag ) and directing 12 films like Minchina Ota,  Accident, Ondu Muttina Kathe, Nodi Swami Naavirodu Heege, Hosa Teerpu, Lalach, Janma Janmada Anubandha and Geetha. Although, some of the movies were not critical success, it is believed that none of his movies lost business. He also directed tele serial Malgudi Days based on R.K.Narayan's short stories. Besides these, he was actively involved in Kannada Theatre. He also co-wrote 22 June 1897, an Indian National award winning Marathi film.

 

His films like Accident, Minchina Ota were not big commercial success, but it had won many National and international awards. Apart from these movies there is one movie which has made him remain in hearts of Kannadigas. That movie is none other than Auto Raja. This movie has made people remember him, 22 years even after his death. We can still see Autos in Karnataka which has Shankar Nag’s photo.  Auto drivers still consider him as the role model in Karnataka. Interestingly, he died in a car accident.

 

Not only liberal arts, he will be remembered also for modernization of Karnataka. He was instrumental in realization of Banglore Metro and establishment of Karnataka Milk Federation with brand Nandini. So much for a man who lived for just 35 odd years.

 

Written By: Sandeep Shetty

Passion Narrative - Story Of Guru Dutt - 1 | Statesmen

What an irony? A person born as Vasanth became famous for ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ and ‘Pyaasa’. 

 

Guru Dutt...

 

10 October 1964. News spread like fire in dry wild. Guru Dutt died an untimely death. Some speculated accidental overdose of sleeping pills and some saw it as a suicide bid. But the bottom line was that one of the biggest contemporary name became a page of past. A tragedy to be mourned over again and again. As obituaries started flowing in, people realized that despite of all success and all acclaim, there was a big void in life of Guru Dutt – lack of personal harmony. What they saw in his characters in Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool... had much more than a hint of reality. Much more.

 

Born in Bangalore, Guru Dutt had more than his share of sorrows. Financial constraints and tension between parents affected him. But it was his kid brother’s death inflicted more injury than anything else.

 

His early days in Calcutta shaped him as an artist. Like any other artist, he struggled hard. He started with Uday Shankar’s troupe. This helped him later when he worked as a choreographer. His stint with Uday Shankar taught him the importance of discipline and enhanced his artistic vision. Guru Dutt began his career as an Assistant Director and Choreographer. His experiences with Gyan Mukherjee as his assistant helped him understand the nuances of cine-world in and outside the film studios. In his early days, Guru Dutt bonded well with Dev Anand and Rehman. His friendship with two established faces made his way easier. Dev Anand offered him his first film as director – Baazi. Baazi established Guru Dutt as a promising director. A journey thus started...

 

There are reasons to believe that many times Guru Dutt was held hostage by industry norms and producer’s whims. Sometimes he would abandon the project and sometimes he would just give in. After Baazi, Jaal and Baaz came. Both failed. However, these two movies helped him develop the famous Guru Dutt Team. Over the years, this team influenced Indian cinema to a great extent.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

 

Insights

 

Courtroom Dramas - Special Edition | Editor's Pen

Hi All,

 

Courtroom Dramas… the roaring voice of prosecution of defense, loopholes in law, the balance of judgment, the thump of ‘order-order’… they all seem to attract even the least of the cine-buffs. In this edition, we decided to have a look on courtroom dramas. Unlike previous takes on Genres over years, this year we focused on nuances of Courtroom Drama which makes them so popular.  

 

Analysis of courtroom dramas helped us understand the role prejudices play. In famous movie To Kill A Mocking Bird, A Cry In The Dark and Achanak, the judgment depended largely on how jury felt personally about the person in witness box. 12 Angry Men is a classic example where one need to get rid of personal opinions and prejudices. Judgment At Nuremberg challenges the very origin of a prejudice and shows how dangerous this human fallibility is. Similarly in Kudrat, we see that opinion for respected icon can act as a shield for their past. In the current political scenario, propaganda are leading to prejudices. We can see people declaring verdict even before charge sheet is filed. On a personal level, I don’t endorse it. We need rationality prevail.

 

Today is Ali’s birthday. Wishing him the best in life on behalf of entire TheReelMag team.      

 

Waiting for your comments.

 

Love

Sujoy

EK Ruka Hua Faisla-The Critique

I happened to watch ‘Ek Ruka Hua Faisla’ about an year back, with high expectations. After all, it is known for being Indian take on Sydney Lumet’s Fantastic directorial debut movie, 12 Angry Men. Also to ERHF’s advantage, i haven’t seen the original, which does not cloud my judgement and lets me assess the movie to its own merit.

As i just mentioned, previous experiences cloud our judgement. This forms the main theme of the movie. Does a person from lower class deserve to be given a benefit of doubt? Does a liar always lie or maybe in some situation a liar might also tell the truth?

Movie starts with judge, instructing 12 jurors to unanimously decide the fate of a slum dwelling boy accused of killing his father. All evidences point towards the boy. It seems like an open and shut case to the all of the jury. All but one juror. Juror 8 is not convinced, either of boy’s guilt or his innocence. You see, its matter of life and death, and there is no harm over going through evidence again.What follows is the discussion over boy’s guilt, and examining of all evidences.

Beauty of the film lies in the fact that on closer looks evidences are not fool proof, and jurors are not unbiased or specially interested in dispensing justice. How the judgement changes from unanimous guilt to unanimous doubt is fascinating to watch. Before this happens jurors must be confronted, and made to reason. Jurors must confront their own prejudices. Prejudices come in form of class prejudice, younger generation prejudice and plain non-chalance for a human life.

To flesh out the conflict, ERHF boasts of impressive performances from likes of Pankaj Kapoor, Annu Kapoor, KK Raina, in that order. Basu Chatterjee, controls his cast and performances with great skill. With most of the film shot in a room, Basu cleverly places his camera as to transport viewers into the same room. He makes us the thirteenth juror.

Ek Ruka Hua Faisla is undoubtedly a fine jury/courtroom drama made in India. It has made me curious about the original, which i think is one of the biggest compliment a remake can get.

Written By Ali Naqvi.

Understanding Courtroom Drama | Under Lens

What Exactly A Courtroom Drama Is? Courtrooms attract people. It is the place where an act of crime meets a logical conclusion. It is the place where everything is clinically dissected and truth is revealed. It is the place where justice is delivered. Courtrooms have been an important part of our literature. Remember Merchant Of Venice? Remember Panch Parmeshwar? Remember Julius Caesar? A story that deals with legal aspects of an action (usually in Act 1) in Act 2 and reaches a conclusion, traditionally holding the torch of justice, in Act 3 can define a courtroom drama in its generic form.

 

What Happens In A Courtroom Drama? In a courtroom drama, two opposite sides- prosecution and defense, analytically examine and cross examine the evidences and witnesses. The charges and accused’s stand is discussed. More than often, motive or rational behind the crime is discussed. Emotions flow and sometimes heated arguments forces judge to intervene. Not only people are in the box, even sometime law is judged. Sometimes, sanity of accused is questioned. Sometimes, validity of crime is questioned. Sometimes, morality of victim is questioned. Sometimes, the court is questioned.

 

Examples: 12 Angry Men, Anatomy of a Murder, A Cry In The Dark, A Few Good Men, Judgment at Nuremberg, Philadelphia, Qatl are rated high. Movies like To Kill A Mocking Bird, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Waqt, Awaara, Achanak revolve around court cases and hence are treated as Courtroom Dramas.

 

Fine Print: As the word says- Drama, a lot of what is shown is fiction. The bottom line is to tell an interesting story. As a result even the best of the courtroom dramas show misinterpretation of law. As a result, many misconceptions are promoted. For example, in 12 Angry Men it is shown that Juror 8 brings in a knife in the room and tells that he got it from a shop in the area where crime took place. This and Jury making assumptions based on personal observations (not put forward by lawyers) would have led to mistrial in a standard court.

Clinical Anatomy Of A Murder | Under Lens

Anatomy of a Murder is considered as text book for courtroom drama. Ranked #7^th in AFI's list of Top 10 Courtroom Dramas, movie broke many stereotypes. It also challenged many norms of the era. Even today, Anatomy of a Murder’s brilliance is unchallenged. Big question is, what’s so special about it?

 

Censor Censored: Censorship guidelines were rarely tricked so well. While, Director Producer Otto Preminger played within the limits, the language used along with strong graphic subtext was frowned upon. In courtroom, terminology used was realistic. It was very frank for the era. Apart from language used, the morality of characters and final outcome of the story challenged the standard where Good has to win.

 

Fine Print Of Laws: Usually courtroom dramas are spoiled by melodrama. Though emotions flow in witness box, it’s a rare commodity unlike what movies show. Anatomy of a Murder steer away from the cliché. Movie not only avoid excessive and unnatural display of emotions, it also strives more on circumstantial evidences. Anatomy of a Murder also touches some politically incorrect aspects of law without any inhibition. Lawyers coach the witness and creates impression on jury. Histrionics shown by lawyers on both the sides explores skills used in real courts. Anatomy of a Murder is well researched without prejudices. The fallibility of system was one of the highlights.

 

Grey Matter: Characters are grey, not white, not black. Morality, ethics and integrity are vague terms. Their definition depend more on perspective than being absolute. The lawyer ask his client to wear dress in accordance with what jury might approve of. Accused picks up a subtle hint and states his case. Lawyers design their case in order to influence the jury rather than focusing on justice. These ambiguities make them more interesting and more realistic.

 

Insanity Defense: Insanity, to be more precise irresistible impulse, is used as an excuse for crime. The way defense builds the case around these two words is remarkable. Different aspects like memory loss and rage are used to develop an infallible story. When challenged by prosecution based on opinion of a psychiatrist, the way defense destroys the stand is a pleasure.

 

In Conversation with Arun Purushothaman and Sujoy Ghosh

A Cry In The Dark | Prejudices And Justice | The Critique

Public opinion can influence judgments. Anybody who has an idea who Jesus was, will understand. A Cry In The Dark presents a similar situation where public opinion took precedence over truth and exposes the reliability of jury-system. Made in a docu-drama style, the movie hits hard on the role media plays in creating sensational news and affecting mindset of people involved. Based on Evil’s Angles written by  John Bryson is based on true story of Chamberlains.

 

Michael and Lindy are blessed with a girl child Azaria. They go on camping with bunch of friends. While they are enjoying their dinner, a cry is heard. As it turns out, a dingo is  suspected to have taken away their daughter. Distraught couple accept the fact and make peace with it. However, people around them smell some rot. How can a couple who lost their 2-month old daughter accept it as His wish? Rumors and malicious media reports start creating an anti-Chamberlains mood in court. Lindy, the prime suspect, decides against showing fake emotions to change the course of verdict in her direction. She stands by her beliefs irrespective of what follows.

 

Sam Neill had a difficult role to play. One reason was the emotion baggage this role carries and the second reason was that he was playing a role opposite to Meryl Streep. Sam Neill gave a performance which he must be very proud of. Meryl nails it again. The difficult part was the prejudice the character evokes. Even if you know the reality, it’s difficult to ‘not’ think like what people did. They believed that Lindy was guilty and at some point, you will endorse similar emotions. Her portrayal makes it very difficult to feel for the character and this is exactly what happened for Lindy. She carries the burden of cross and how well. Meryl Streep excelled, like always. The characters play their part so honestly you will almost sense a deja-vu. When the credits roll, you will realize what prejudices can do to justice.

 

Fred Schepisi clinical approach works brilliantly. Aided by a very well written book in the foundation, Fred uses a mix of different mediums of storytelling and blends documentary elements with drama so well that one might not notice the difference. Media as a character plays a strong role and the way it is developed is an example to follow. Rated at par with best in the genre, A Cry In The Dark is a movie that might fade away from memory but it might survive in nightmares. Such strong is the impact. Such strong were the performances.

 

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Judge Dan Haywood In Judgment at Nuremberg | Actor's Eye

Saw an awesome court room drama recently, “Judgment at Nuremberg”. Crisp script, nice characterization and some wonderful acting clubbed along with some hidden aural and visual hints made it a memorable experience. The story is about trial of four Nazi judges, for war crimes, by an Allies court lead by Americans.

 

Unlike many of the court room dramas I have seen till date, especially the ones from Bollywood which have either the prosecutor or the defense or the victims or some witness in the lead, this one has something new to offer where it deals with the turmoil and confusion of “Your Honour” during a trial.

 

Played by Spencer Tracy, the character, Chief Judge Dan Haywood, visits Germany for the first time and gets to learn about the culture, the people, the circumstances and about “The Germany” before, during and after the “Hitler” era. How Judge Haywood is influenced, is in turmoil and at times confused by the proceedings but yet remains truthful to the call of duty and gives a judgment based on the ultimate truth is what the script deals in. The character is soft at heart , who receives and gets love and respect in the course of time, when he is outside the court and at the same time he is also a person with strong will power and one who is firm about and stands for his decisions whether they please people around him or not. He is humble, he is down to earth and he is polite with ladies and he is also one who knows how to get the “order” right inside the court.

 

Judge Haywood in short has been shown to be the epitome of justice and Spencer Tracy, as usual, has done proper justice with the judge. The elegance through body language, the pride and authority through voice and the confusion through expressions he has depicted all and depicted all very well.  All in all a good character and a good performance in a well scripted and well directed movie makes it a pleasure to watch.

 

Written By: Gaurav Karmakar

Courtroom Dramas In Bollywood | Under Lens

1. Kudrat: Re-incarnation, crime-never-leaves-you and debt-versus-ethics conflict, Chetan Anand’s Kudrat had all of this. Son of a Zamindar – Janak Singh rapes a local girl Paro under influence of alcohol. Her fiancé Madhav comes to know about this and seeks revenge. In order to save his skin, he gets them murdered. The girl’s fiancé reborn as Mohan and gets Janak Singh patronage. Paro has reborn as Chandramukhi. As expected, they meet and learn about their past life. They decide to take Janak Singh to court. Movie is still remembered for its songs and brilliant performances by Rajesh Khanna and Raj Kumar.

 

2. Damini: Shekhar is a rich man who marries a poor girl Damini. His family reluctantly accepts her. But all hell broke loose when she witness Shekhar brother raping their maid and decides to lodge police complaint. As expected, in the first act, justice is not delivered. Damini’s real struggle begins as she is not ready to forfeit and is helped by Govind, a lawyer who is upset with the entire system. Stellar performances by Sunny Deol, Meenakshi Sheshadri and Amrish Puri backed a strong but melodramatic script. Movie is still remembered for its hard-hitting dialogues.

 

3. Mera Saaya: How will you react when a woman who looks like your wife comes and claims when you know that she is dead? Sunil Dutt has been a part of many courtroom dramas. Mera Saaya is one of the most memorable one. In a very difficult role of husband whose love died in front of him and now needs to take on a fraud, he excels. Sadhana, in twin role, play both the characters beautifully. One might wonder that she was heavily underrated as an actress.   

 

4. Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara: An agonizing tale of an old man who believes that he is responsible for Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. Struck in a moment of his childhood, he is not able to see differentiate between reality and illusions. To save him, his daughter decides to take the trial to court. Anupam Kher and Urmila gave brilliant performances, may be next to their respective performances in Saransh and Pinjar.  Though the movie failed to impress BO, it remains a special film.

 

5. Awaara: Son is a convict while father is the judge. A cue drawn from Ramayan, Awaara tells story of a man (aptly name Raghunath) who disowns his wife when he doubts her loyalty. He believes that lineage is more important than the upbringing. His prejudice angers a criminal who decides to test his philosophy. When Raghunath disowns his wife, the criminal ensures that Raghunath’s child Raj follows path of crime. Raj ends up in court on multiple charges. Awaara is one of the most celebrated Hindi film. Intense performances, well-woven script and memorable music.

 

 

Insights

 

Jab Tak Hai Jaan - Thats The Untitled Film | Editor's Pen

Year 1975. Angry Young Man image became the flavor of the decade with arrival of Vijay Verma. Vijay and perhaps the most iconic tattoo of Indian cinema portrayed the angst brewing in the society. Deewaar was a big hit. References of Haji Mastan added more spice to the stories. Released on Jan 1^st, movie was heralded as the biggest hit of the year. Deewar was directed by Yash Chopra. On August 15^th, Sholay was released. At Filmfare, Deewaar was the king but on Box Office Sholay was creating a new history. The year 1975 is remembered for Sholay.

Who would have thought that Yashraj will have another moment in his life when he will share something with Sholay. Jab Tak Hai Jaan might sound like a lame title for a movie that stars Shahrukh Khan and Katrina Kaif, for the first time as a pair, it definitely a fitting moment to celebrate two iconic movies. Circle of life... I don’t know if this is an acknowledgement of a co-incidence... I would rather chose to believe the former.

JBTJ will be a sort of comeback for SRK. It has been long since we have seen SRK in a conventional love story. He had experimented enough and for good but it will be a pleasure to see him in true romantic colors. Katrina is perhaps the most bankable actress in current scenario and that’s make her combo with SRK even more lucrative. Anushka Sharma... is she playing a major role or an extended cameo. We need to wait for this. One last interesting thing... last time Yashraj directed, he opened up a Pandora box of hidden treasures. Music of Veer Zaara was a bliss. Now he is collaborating with A.R. Rahman. This is going to be epic.

Love,

Sujoy Ghosh

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa | A Little Humble Gem | The Critique

Kundan Shah is more known for his debut Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. Shahrukh is widely known for innumerous blockbusters. So, what’s so special about a 1993 movie? Well, it’s Shahrukh’s favorite movie which stars him. A man who has blockbusters like DDLJ, Pardes, DTPH, KKHH, Mohabbatein and K3G in his kitty with big ‘hatke’ movies like Darr, Baazigar, Chak De! India, Swades, KANK and My Name Is Khan is so proud of a small movie. Well, he is.

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa has the special Hrishikesh Mukherjee feel in its treatment. It’s not loud and is romantic to the core. Like Hrishida’s cinema, comedy flows in the story without trying to push it. At no point it attempts to become the reason to watch the movie. That’s makes Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa a little humble gem in a very illustrious filmography of Shahrukh in which most of the films lack this lovely element. Maybe Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman and Chalte Chalte had this element to some decent extent.

Sunil loves Anna but as destiny would have designed, Anna loves someone else. To increase the problems, Sunil is not good at studies and his father doesn’t approve of what he is good at – Music. Will Sunil be able to solve his problems? Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa tells story of a hero who has nothing great to offer. His everyman persona doesn’t exude any hero-like confidence. He is average, rather below average. He is just another guy. The only thing that makes him likeable is his sweet behavior towards everyone. People acknowledge his goodness. People acknowledge little talent he has. He loves a girl who is perfect in many ways. She is beautiful and has the charm of a maiden.

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa is still remembered by masses for its music. Ae Kaash Ke Hum and Aana Mere Pyar Ko Na Tum still lingers in memories of people. Apart from music and performances, the narration style of the movie is something that set this one apart from other movies of the time. Especially the way they break the fourth wall and gave the movie a beautiful end. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa reminds of good old days when people believed in love and love letters.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh