Padmaavat

A six year old trained girl would have more finesse in the archery department that Rani Padmaavati and as for the story it’s a war fought by a madman for a queen whose hype of beauty is only known to the narrator of the film and passed on to the madman by a messenger as an act of treason. No way to validate that, really? In history or otherwise.

The film isn’t a tribute to the Rajputs but to the house of commons it is their false sense of pride in ethics and if not that, stupidity. I mean, a King who goes to an enemy quarter without weapons and gets kidnapped has to be a stupid, right? While the queen who exhibits an intelligent sense of strategy and common sense actually believes that the madman will take one look at her and stop the war? Both these characters conflict themselves except for the madman. 

SLB should focus on the nuances of his characters as much as he does on his sets. I say, stop capitalizing on big names in history and get inspired by the period drama GoT of no time known to humankind and create something as such.

However, this cloud of a film has a beautiful silver lining – his forte in sets, the cast he has chosen who resuscitate the film and keep it alive in spite of the slowly dying story, and a bit of cinematographer’s intelligence. It’s not easy to show war and to use sand and bring out a head as victory is probably the most intellectually lazy thing to do for a director. Ranvir Singh plays the convincing evil but wise madman who understands wars are fought only to be won. His character is flawless, no conflicts, and he probably brings his own sensibilities to the acting. Shahid has poise and pride of a King. Not sure about Rani Padmaavati but if Deepika was the queen of any land as depicted in the film, forget Mewar or Chittaur, masses get why wars will be fought for her.

Bahubali 2: The Conclusion

A lot of the 70-80s kids had this adolescent fantasy of Catherine Tramell’s wild erotica but (no or) lesser admiration for her writer brilliance when she said, “You make up stuff that is believable. It’s called suspension of disbelief.”

While that brilliance kept humming in my brain when I saw a ship fly or a group of soldiers become a turbine in the sky, I was more willing to give the benefit of doubt to an era and it’s intellect we didn’t know about much. ‘May be, it’s possible,” I said without giving much attention to how many physics laws were defied. If I would have paid more attention to science, I would have completely missed the heroic rendition of art onscreen. 

A sequel that is packed with accelerated momentum of incidents and adventure at short intervals in time luminously outsmarts last year’s depiction.  The set (or graphics) that I was so impressed with get’s a whole new character when Rajamouli leverages it as theatrics for impact at King’s ceremony. He makes us believe that we all love a hero: the empathetic one, the brave one, the feminist, and the one who always attempts to be fair. I am more than happy to spend my few hundred as ‘drop’ contributions to the ‘500+ crores’ ocean for a director who has the vision to create ‘avatar’-simile-visuals. 

I cannot dismiss the most significant ‘A’ contribution to the sequel: Anushka Shetty. As she cuts through every single frame lent to her in part 2, it becomes hard to not notice how she adds her gargantuan aura beyond the hero, the villain, the set, and the story. You take her off and suddenly the film seems to die. She is the film’s erotica in a hot pink avatar, flare in hair, and a swirling sword. I mean, just look at her.

Dear Zindagi

Haven’t some of us been inspired to write down a ‘dear diary note’ of personal reflection back in time that meant the world to us – say, a mammoth milestone made, a moment of emotional breakthrough or the accentuated, frugal, appreciation of life as it happens – and continues to inspire us to date as a landmark juncture of who we became?

‘Dear Zindagi’ is that note of a girl written in the present and rendered into a film.

If people stories are not your thing or you are looking for ‘Alexander conquered the world’ rendition, this movie isn’t for you. I would have dismissed this myself – not being a SRK fan helps – but some quick reflections on social media from friends (I respect for individuality) motivated me to buy a ticket…

… and it has been the most pleasant Sunday movie watch in a long time.

I was caught up in my own reflections – mostly in the Maya Angelou quote, “… but people will never forget how you made them feel,” – that was ringing home loud and clear with the film. ‘People’ can be a six year old, a twenty six, or a sixty. Isn’t it true that our experiences with the surroundings contribute to what makes the person ‘I’?

Apart from the emotional journey of Kaira as a twenty something old, the ethereal Goa on bicycle rides is a treasure to the eyes. Most frames lend aesthetics by use of stupendous sunshine and slick kursis (chairs) which also happen to be an ingenious metaphor. The movie compels the blend of earth-friendly-minimalist-fashionista find motivation to recycle! How beautifully has Gauri Shinde introduced humor in Lebanese (import from passed on jokes/internet), sensitization of L&G in LGBT, and embraced domestic help as part of family in depiction and zero words. That is an empathetic heart and anybody with empathy is bound to be touched by the film.

I am absolutely blown by the one dialogue that will be an optimistic step forward for all the wrecked lives of the past, “Don’t let your past blackmail your present into ruining a beautiful future.”

Bahubali

If the success of a special effects film is measured on how believably real it becomes, then Bahubali is a spectacular conception of an onscreen marvel that takes your breath away with its white waterfalls and archaic architectures. The Indian Gaur brought in to compare might and dead man walking are a nice touch too. While the western super heroes are often created in the realm of science, I like that ours are simply born and establish their mythical personas through empathy, kindness, and the brilliance of successful war strategy implementation optimally leveraging the weapons available at disposal. I give a thumbs up to no larger than life dialogues but just actions in play. The second half is so gripping, and for everyone, that I am willing to write off the first as "meant for a subset of adolescent India whose ideas of gender and romance are waiting to be polluted by films." I stand impressed.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS

So, I finished reading the book yesterday that I bought after watching the movie to fathom the beautiful rendition of film captured on paper. The movie and the book, both, are delightful with its pros and limitations.

The movie makes the audience surge with emotions at sporadic instances while in case of the book, I only felt emotions spike in the last chapter.

However, more importantly, I choose to write about this today is because I want everybody to watch this film. Why? Probably to come to terms with and accept the universal truth of death at any point in time - treat death as an inevitable process, a side effect of living, while making the living count. Not necessarily to leave a legacy that world would remember you by but 'to leave behind a garden patch, a healthy child, or redeemed social condition. To know that one life breathed easier because you lived...'. I can only quote Ralph Waldo Emerson who illustrated the trivial legacy of being someone to somebody or something as an insightful metaphor.

The comprehension of this universal truth, death, is only the side effect of this film that has climbed it's way atop my list of 'Most beautiful love stories ever told'. I am amazed how two teenagers have dunked into their characters and given us a film of deep and holistic love. I remember responding to a friend's comment on Facebook about TFIOS, which I choose not to dilute now for better choice of words, "it is not dystopia that the soul feeds on but the realization that even within the smallest dystopic infinity of moments, an infinite world of utopian love is promised, even if so in fantasy, that probably a healthy man or woman will never experience in the greatest infinity of life bestowed upon him or her."

The greatest attribute of the film is it lends skin to the characters and all of them play their roles rather effortlessly. Films, marked by the characteristic nature of holding audience attention, it does absolute justice to the two hours but limits the joy of leisure and pace.

That's why one should buy the book: to bask in the glory of exquisite literature, (excerpts: We watched the confetti fall from the sky, skip across the ground in the breeze, and tumble into the canal OR "Lonely, Vaguely Pedophilic Swing Set Seeks the Butts of Children." OR I fell in love the way you fall asleep; slowly and then all at once), over time at your own pace.  The books helps us see Hazel's grief of not being able to grow old, on one hand, while her gratitude to have lived twice as many years than Van Houten's daughter, on the other. It also brings neutrality to the soured experience with Van Houten. If you cannot find humor in disease and death, you definitely will do so in the Venn diagram. In the last chapter, you will encounter how a boy loves a girl. 

But with only the book, we wouldn't have the faces and therefore I believe the book and the movie should emerge into two people and marry one another. They are perfect complements.

QUEEN

In today's Bollywood, I would pick two women, Kangana Ranaut and Deepika Padukone, who people will go and watch irrespective of the flesh and face that plays the male counterpart. Obviously, I say this because I love them both :-). Kangana, because she is a number 23. We '23' people, or summarized as 5, have cognitive powers to sense each other's energies. A 5 will always love a 5. That's a given.

I stand in awe of her, for a girl with no God father in bad Bollywood, she stood out on her own gut and proved herself one film after another. Her versatility radiates through contrasting characters like Shonali Gujral and Rani, her brilliance shines on ramp shows and personal sense of style, but above all what impresses me is a pahadi girl's drive to be a better English orator and career woman of the future (apparent through her interviews). A big SALUTE to her.

I will flux out all her flops, like she told Anupama Chopra, as 'odd-jobs that paid the bills'.

However, a bigger SALUTE to Vikas Bahl, who has faith in Kangana's potential and puts up an engaging exhibit by beautifully weaving moments of the past with happenings of the future. Kangana is his clay that he transforms from psychotic actress or the drug-abused fashion model of the past into an endearing, demure, beautiful girl next door of today who everybody loves. Her dadi / nani is a breath of fresh wisdom as far as matters of the heart or adult films are concerned. Although, a middle class Punjabi household, QUEEN is probably representative of more than half of India's women in their 20s.

The story is about a devoted daughter stepping up to an obedient fiancée.  But her world topples over when her fiancé decides to call off the wedding.  After a sobbing night, she decides to venture on to her pre-booked honeymoon to the two Europe destinations of Paris and Amsterdam by herself, where she meets people of diverse lifestyles and befriends them as part of her honeymoon package. The story is spiked with random humor. My personal favorite was when Imran Hashmi was poached as reference to Indians being the best kissers in the world.

With a release followed by International Women's day, Rani's slow motion walk on the streets of Amsterdam makes a more liberating wonder than any fashion ramps Kangana has ever walked on. While keeping Rani's essence intact, Vikas Bahl, in those 2.31 hours, liberates her into a more modern imagery of herself who now has straightened hair and is comfortable in deep necks. What a savory film to ring in a few weeks before she celebrates her birthday on March 23.

Kangana is Bollywood's exemplary to Cate Blanchett's Oscar's speech, "There are those who are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films with women at the center are niche experiences." she said.  "They are not. Audiences want to see them, and in fact, they earn money."

My money for the best actress award this year is on you know who.

As for the flaws, I find it difficult to comprehend as to why the fiancé wants her back? Is it simply a matter of one selfie from the changing room? The fiancé wanting her back doesn't really make a compelling argument to me.  Also, in real life, the thought of travelling alone in foreign lands, for somebody in Rani's personality, can be daunting and scary. However, the simplicity and sweetness quotient of this film is so overpowering that I am happy to dismiss the second one as 'ignorance is bliss.'

This is a film I have wanted to write about in a long, long time. An inner voice said, "Jeevan, you should have some words for this film."

Above they are.

A MUST WATCH.

Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani

 

Paulo Coelho said, “Only 3 things can change our lives: dreams, suffering and love.”

As may happen with the gifts of great proverbs, Ayan Mukherjee took the first and last of those three things, put them into a story together called “Yeh Jawani hain Deewani” and created an incredible marvel.

The story makes a dazzling start with Madhuri Dixit gracing the screen. For the first half, the amateur adventurer Naina (Deepika) joins the threesome team of Kabir (Ranbir), Avi (Aditya Roy Kapur), Aditi (Kalki) who keep the audiences rolling in laughter. There isn’t a single dull moment. As all great times come to an end for new beginnings, some love is lost, some stays in the heart. Even as teenagers who can go absolutely bonkers in love, both Aditi and Naina display a tremendous sense of emotional maturity in response to a love that’s lost and that is confessed only to self.

This is not even where the marvel begins. The marvel springs off in the second half where Ayan presents a scenario in the journey of life where the road forks into two: one that chases your dreams and the other that takes you to love. It is the rendition of this choice that makes Ayan the brilliant filmmaker he is. The life choices rendered from globetrotter Kabir and our desi, padhaku girl Naina is the prodigy of this film. I would go and watch it once again only to listen to their conviction of lifestyle choices and their own knowledge of who they are and what they want out of their lives.

Ranbir delivers his business as usual stellar performance. Deepika gushes godly gorgeousness throughout. She steals the limelight as far as I am concerned. Real life is their personal business but as far as reel life goes they share charismatic chemistry as an item.

Personally, it feels like Ayan made a DDLJ twenty years down the line. I am simply glad that they still make films like this and we have a director who gets it just right.

A must watch! 

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