I Hate Luv Storys, 2010
Directed by: Punit Malhotra
Who is Punit Malhotra and where has he been all my life?
If Karan Johar never touched another movie, his life would be complete.
I wasn't even more than 2 minutes into the film and I just knew, this was going to rock my boots off.
(if I wore boots...)
Do you know what I "luv" about IHLS? Everything.
I got out of my showing for this film about five hours ago and I STILL feel like I'm floating about level with the all the high rises in Times Square and shining just as brightly!
This film, for me, totally takes its spot with my feelings towards Jab We Met, Billu Barber, Pyar Kiye Jaa, Wake Up Sid, and Rafo Chakkar. Mostly just like JWM and Billu, as the credits rolled I just thought that if I walked out of the theatre and felt a breeze ruffle my hair or I fell instantly and madly in love with a stranger who offered to take me out to dinner or people started singing and dancing all over the place I would not have been shocked.
It's like your heart is being hugged for the entire film, and you just feel so...*deep sigh* content when you leave. I still have the dumbest, biggest smile on my face.
OK, down to the nitty gritty! (I was going to say "brass tax" but I hate when people say "brass tax".)
J (Imran Khan) works for the top Romantic-Love-Story director/producer in the Indian Film World, Veer Kapoor (Samir Soni). He's little less than absolutely disgusted by everything lovey-dovey and Bollywoody. The wind fans, the cliche, the repeated story lines, the mountains, the running in airports, and love in general. He thinks it's unrealistic, fluffy and for idiots. He has a slight change of tune when he is forced to go see a movie by his director and sees Simran. "It was just like the old movies" he Voice Over's, and it is. She's in spotlight, slow motion turning, hair blown away from her face by a industrial fan; fate works it out so that they are seated next to each other. They are watching Veer-Zaara* and he tries to talk to her during the movie to tell her how dumb all of the Love Stories are, who he works for and how much he thinks it's total absurdity, she storms out in a huff because, as we find out, Simran takes all that stuff to heart. Her fiance, Raj (yes, jokes are made out of that coupling!) and her were childhood sweethearts, he brings her flowers everyday, she methodically if not religiously pours over DDLJ, KHNH, KKHH, K3G, and all the other KJo/Early 2000s-Late 90s/SRK mega-hit acronyms. To her, her life and her love is perfect filmi bliss.
Cho Chweet!
As it turns out, Simran works for Veer the Mega Producer too, and because J lacks the right Romantic sensibilities, he is ousted and forced to work for the art producer to get a feel for having a hands-on relationship with the film. And who is that art director? You guessed it, Simran.
You then have 2 hours of filmi reference, "guess that dance move", and scores upon scores of music loops from all the aforementioned acronyms. And of course, pyaar, scorned pyaar, which-guy-do-I-really-love?, running in airports and rain-drenched moments.
The best part HAD to be the few seconds you saw a montage of J following Simran around all day with a little portable fan so that her hair was always blowing about. CLASSIC!
And the repeated use of the word "Fugly"!
And the 3/4 sleeve Lacoste polo in a blue ombre that Imran wears. DELISH!
The short and short of it is that IHLS is a love story, but it's so fresh and so new and so fantastically done that you forget that while he's spending his whole time demeaning the Bollywood-Model, J is living it.
He even goes so far to imagine him and Simran in a to-the-tee perfect recreation of all the essential mountain-top dancing scenes... and that's when he knows he's got it, and he's got it BAD.
The Indian Film Industry is repeatedly telling us that their films are realistic, that when people have dreams, love, tragedy...etc they start singing and dancing, escaping through music. Am I the only one that agrees with them? Of course our entire Harlem street doesn't join in, but you FEEL like you could start dancing and singing. Just think about the start of new relationships, you are sensitive to everything, you think strawberries are the most incredible invention**, you're light hearted and you're carefree... Bollywood just overtly puts it out there to show us.
In IHLS they're telling us the same thing, shoveling it down our throats, but doing it so secretly, so under-cover that it's more realistic, more believable. The juxtaposition of seeing someone create the filmi magic while they are unconsciously doing the same things in their own life was so scrumptious and all-around wonderful.
While I could have done with a little less of the back-and-forth emotions in the second half, I can hardly find any other fault in this film.
Yeah, none.
I've never seen an Imran Khan film, and I had spent all the previous months lamenting how un-hero like I found him. Duh, that was the point, Erin!! He is a great actor, he does subtle eye-emotions so well, and so life-life that I spent the majority of my time in absolute awe of him. When, at the very end, Simran says the three magic words to him, there is a moment where you see him hesitate before showing his glee, like he can't believe it. That moment, that split second of hesitation on his face, that, my friends, is remarkable talent. Most would have rushed right into the full on celebratory emotion but, and maybe it was a fluke, that was just so, so, SO good. Look for it, I promise you, it will amaze you! I also enjoyed how he gave his Pyaar-Speech without changing his speaking voice. It was just plain J. As a girl, and I may be different, but I so despise when guys start to get laudatory and they start speaking in that weird, light, floaty whispery voice. Dude, just tell me, don't suddenly become another person!
Digression aside...
This is also my first Sonam Kapoor film. She's like a mix of Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone. Believe me, it works really REALLY well! I don't think that she had the strength of skill that Imran had, but I was still pleasantly surprised and completely entertained by her performance. She was very sweet.
Mmm, oh yes, oh yes, and having been there, I can say that their production techniques were pretty on-point with how a film is made... well, I didn't see any budding romances, since I tended to be the ONLY woman on set... and there were a lot more men around throwing half-used water bottles and stuff, but the producer Veer was VERY much like the guy I worked under. He also had a habit of keeping me out until 6 in the morning, but I've forgiven him for most of that... since he introduced me to Kishore Kumar's son, with whom I shall have beautiful children... but all that aside it only deepened my desire to go back and become the next Farah Khan...
Along with all the nods to the uber famous Filmi Music the songs for this film were just fantastic. They were actual songs people! Not underscoring the events, they stopped and had songs! Thank goodness!
I don't mind the new way of doing music in the IFI but it's nice to know that the die-hards aren't forgetting their roots. The title track was shot fantastically, a lot of lights, a lot of dancers, a lot of fingers used as quotation marks. (You'll just have to see it!)
The filmography was just so on point. Clean, precise, well paced, and with a few new touches to the typical repertoire. There was a nice use of silhouettes... that's really what I noticed the most because I thought it just gave a really cool look and feel to the film. Like the main people didn't HAVE to be J and Simran, they could be me and Kumar Jr... or, whomever. Ya know.
I could go on and on but it will just get more and more gushy and you will just start to see a lot of "and I thought it was just FAB!" getting written... so I'll stop now. See it if you love the love stories, see it if you mock the love stories... either way you'll laugh, catch a few jokes, play "what theme song is that?!" and see a resurfacing of not only the "Chava Chava" mini-dresses, but the terrific (not) dance moves as well.
*Well, they were playing Veer-Zaara on the screen
**The first time I fell in pyaaaaaar I spent about 3 hours staring at strawberries and crying over them, I thought they were so remarkable. Yep.
I'm so seeing it again... on Thursday, if my stupider side doesn't go see "Eclipse" instead. MUST RESIST!
Also, as soon as Google gets them, I'll put up pictures. They don't even have any promo stills (I guess today WAS the first day) but still... Also, I'm just too lazy to go hunting for them.
18 June 2010
Are You Ready to Squee?
Pyar Kiye Jaa, 1966
Directed by: C.V. Sridhar
This was my first Kishore Kumar movie. Ever.
It might be said that it came at a rather... interesting time. I was fresh home from India, nursing some serious depression about being back in the states and head-over-heels in school-girl infatuation with someones (and that someone being Kishore-ji's) offspring.
I'm just going to put it as simply as possible before I start giggling and blushing INSANELY to myself, which would be weird and creepy given I'm in public. (I'm also sitting in Central Park*, so my brand of crazy would be a lot more tame than half the people who would see it.)
I met Sumit Kumar in India, we spent a poker playing-bribing cops out of traffic tickets-Ganesha temple-"You know who my dad is?"-Opera singing-I sat in the front seat of his car-curly haired-whisper in my ear-24 hours together. It was bliss, I was in love... the end. He's precious. Ok, the end for real. (Giggle)
ANYWAY, here I was feeling all pre-teen when I put in the movie and it starts off with Kishore frolicking on the beach singing and dancing and being all around wonderful.
He looked just like his son. (I was shocked by this why? Because I'm an idiot. Ok, I totally noticed when I was talking to SK)
Oh, this was NOT GOOD! I was a ditherspaz. And an idiot. I turned noodle and snuggled down further into the couch crying and eating my gallon of ice cream that I had made for my lunch. I may or may not have yelled several "I love your spawns" at the television. It was not pretty. It was like bad Teen Movie. I don't know. Ugh. I'm over him (SK) now...
Not.
Anyway, this is a movie I wanted to screen cap the life out of it was full of so many great moments, but I only got the opening credits because the sound on my media player was AWFUL, and the DVD seemed to only work (in a bizarre twist of weirdness) in a proper player, like, attached to my big screen and surround sound and stuff. (Imagine!) But, the opening credits are just as precious as the rest of the fillum. Tres cute and cartoony.
And then, there was this, the only reason I wanted the movie at all:
Its not like Shashi wasn't totes adorable to begin with, but this! THIS! With the between the legs shot, and the water buckets, and the band, and the Swing-ish dancing and the random animal sounds! I can die happy and lovely and happy. Did I say happy? It was like when I saw "Typewriter Tip Tip Tip" in person, it was a fulfillment of a dream.
Actually, I liked all the songs from this film, they're all so fun and catchy and fabulously Late 60s. The incidental music was exactly like watching some kitschy Teen Beach movie where they all dance the jitter bug and have little bows in their beehives.
I could post ALL of the songs to this post, but I'll save you. Instead I've just wasted about 30 minutes watching them all, Shashi is so steamy, Kishore is so jolly, Mumtaz is so Mumtaz (which is to say, bombshell).
As I was watching this I couldn't decide which Shashi I like better, early Shashi (as seen here) where he is innocent, prone to over-acting, cute, wide-eyed and eager OR later Shashi (say, the delicious 70s) where he developed THE VOICE and smolders through the celluloid because he know he can reduce women to piles of pudding just by breathing. Hm. My problem with early Shashi is that it is SO much like early Shah Rukh; I've heard that darling Mr. SRK moulded his technique after the famous actors of yore and it's just so annoyingly on-spot to the Shashi that I get irritated.
As a performer I know all about drawing inspiration, but the point isn't supposed to become that person... unless you're an imitator or doing a biography film. I won't deny that Shah Rukh grew into his own (most notably in his most recent handful of films) but ....
This isn't a blog about SRK.
And I liked the film because it was just good hearted Bollywood fun! The Kishore-Shashi bromance was too cute for words, there were disguises, mistaken identifies, pyaaar, of course pyaar, heroic rescues of radio transmitters from canals, non-violent protests and happy endings.
Oh, and this, let us not forget this:
Tire slashing in pursuit of love! Romantic ji! Tres romantic!
It's not a film meant for in-depth analysis, just fluffy happy thoughts to give you a boost and a good mood, and that is the best kind of movie, in my book.
*Yes, THAT Central Park. I work in NYC now. Life changes quickly, doesn't it?
Directed by: C.V. Sridhar
This was my first Kishore Kumar movie. Ever.
It might be said that it came at a rather... interesting time. I was fresh home from India, nursing some serious depression about being back in the states and head-over-heels in school-girl infatuation with someones (and that someone being Kishore-ji's) offspring.
I'm just going to put it as simply as possible before I start giggling and blushing INSANELY to myself, which would be weird and creepy given I'm in public. (I'm also sitting in Central Park*, so my brand of crazy would be a lot more tame than half the people who would see it.)
I met Sumit Kumar in India, we spent a poker playing-bribing cops out of traffic tickets-Ganesha temple-"You know who my dad is?"-Opera singing-I sat in the front seat of his car-curly haired-whisper in my ear-24 hours together. It was bliss, I was in love... the end. He's precious. Ok, the end for real. (Giggle)
ANYWAY, here I was feeling all pre-teen when I put in the movie and it starts off with Kishore frolicking on the beach singing and dancing and being all around wonderful.
He looked just like his son. (I was shocked by this why? Because I'm an idiot. Ok, I totally noticed when I was talking to SK)
Oh, this was NOT GOOD! I was a ditherspaz. And an idiot. I turned noodle and snuggled down further into the couch crying and eating my gallon of ice cream that I had made for my lunch. I may or may not have yelled several "I love your spawns" at the television. It was not pretty. It was like bad Teen Movie. I don't know. Ugh. I'm over him (SK) now...
Not.
Anyway, this is a movie I wanted to screen cap the life out of it was full of so many great moments, but I only got the opening credits because the sound on my media player was AWFUL, and the DVD seemed to only work (in a bizarre twist of weirdness) in a proper player, like, attached to my big screen and surround sound and stuff. (Imagine!) But, the opening credits are just as precious as the rest of the fillum. Tres cute and cartoony.
And then, there was this, the only reason I wanted the movie at all:
Its not like Shashi wasn't totes adorable to begin with, but this! THIS! With the between the legs shot, and the water buckets, and the band, and the Swing-ish dancing and the random animal sounds! I can die happy and lovely and happy. Did I say happy? It was like when I saw "Typewriter Tip Tip Tip" in person, it was a fulfillment of a dream.
Actually, I liked all the songs from this film, they're all so fun and catchy and fabulously Late 60s. The incidental music was exactly like watching some kitschy Teen Beach movie where they all dance the jitter bug and have little bows in their beehives.
I could post ALL of the songs to this post, but I'll save you. Instead I've just wasted about 30 minutes watching them all, Shashi is so steamy, Kishore is so jolly, Mumtaz is so Mumtaz (which is to say, bombshell).
As I was watching this I couldn't decide which Shashi I like better, early Shashi (as seen here) where he is innocent, prone to over-acting, cute, wide-eyed and eager OR later Shashi (say, the delicious 70s) where he developed THE VOICE and smolders through the celluloid because he know he can reduce women to piles of pudding just by breathing. Hm. My problem with early Shashi is that it is SO much like early Shah Rukh; I've heard that darling Mr. SRK moulded his technique after the famous actors of yore and it's just so annoyingly on-spot to the Shashi that I get irritated.
As a performer I know all about drawing inspiration, but the point isn't supposed to become that person... unless you're an imitator or doing a biography film. I won't deny that Shah Rukh grew into his own (most notably in his most recent handful of films) but ....
This isn't a blog about SRK.
And I liked the film because it was just good hearted Bollywood fun! The Kishore-Shashi bromance was too cute for words, there were disguises, mistaken identifies, pyaaar, of course pyaar, heroic rescues of radio transmitters from canals, non-violent protests and happy endings.
Oh, and this, let us not forget this:
Tire slashing in pursuit of love! Romantic ji! Tres romantic!
It's not a film meant for in-depth analysis, just fluffy happy thoughts to give you a boost and a good mood, and that is the best kind of movie, in my book.
*Yes, THAT Central Park. I work in NYC now. Life changes quickly, doesn't it?
05 June 2010
An Effed-Up Godfather OR There Wasn't a Single Female Chracter Who Didn't Get Pregnant
Raajneeti, 2010
Directed by: Rakash Jha
Oh, Raajneeti. When I saw a preview for you before 3 Idiots I thought to myself, "Bas. I will never see you". Then I met Ranbir Kapoor a little bit down the line from that, and when I saw your preview in Bombay, and I saw Ranbir's face I thought to myself "Acha, there is nothing that can stop me from seeing this film."
Then I looked at my boss, who was in the theater with me, and promptly informed him that I only had a crush on Ranbir because I was madly in love with his mother, and either way, I would take Neetu OR Ranbir if given the chance. This was my first day on the job.
I was bahaut depressed when I found out I would be back in the states before Ranbirneeti (as I call it) came out; but I was saved by the loving Owner Uncle of my local Desi theater (who loves me) who ordered the film for me and called me personally to give me movie times.
So, this eve I merrily went along and watched. I was the only woman in the audience, the rest, about 50 or so Indian males were between the ages of 25 and 60, and they were ridiculous. Any hope I had of taking this movie seriously (as I assume it had been intended) was gone when they laughed uproariously through the entire thing. Well, I should say the entire second half, but I'll get to that and more later...
I'm going to have to re-do all of this when I can finally get screen-caps, because that's just going to enhance the process, and perhaps watching it seriously would help too... Anyway, onwards and upwards!
I cannot promise that this will be spoiler-free. So, if you are afraid of leaning plot point turn back now!
The first half of Raa(nbir)jneeti is a complex, twisting maze of the inner-workings of a political family. I am not going to lie here and say that I understood the first 15 minutes or so, because I didn't... not, at least, until I nailed down all of the names and faces and relationships, then it got a lot easier and I was able to piece together what I had missed.
Also, I might be missing a big chunk of information about the workings of Indian politics. I knew my minor in policy should have focused more on International! Yet I digress...
The stuff you should focus on: Sooraj Kumar (Ajay Devgan) was the illegitimate son of the daughter of a political leader and his opponent, he was given up a-la Moses (a.k.a. floated in a boat down a river) mere seconds after he was born. He was taken in by a man and a woman from the "lower-caste". The real mother was quickly married off to another political family wherein she had two sons, Prithviraj (Arjun Rampal) and Samar (Ranbir Kapoor). Samar is getting a PhD in...literature(?) (it seems, given by the title of his thesis, which I loved: The Violent Emotional Subtext of 19th-Century Victorian Poetry) in the United States when he visits home for his uncle, Veerndra's (Manoj Bajpai) birthday. It is aparantly the custom for the party leader to give a speach during fiestas held at his house, so when Samar's father goes out to give a speach declaring that they will once again take political power, it is all very awe-inspireing, until he goes down with a heart-attack/stroke combo.
In the most dismal hospital scene ever (Defib paddles that don't even rock the body, let alone make it leap off the table, are used.) it is established that Dad can no longer be in charge of the political party, so he delves out responsibilities, passing completely over Veerndra who takes it personally that he is not trusted in the (and I use this word with full sub-textual implications) Family.
Meanwhile Samar heads back to the United States, or tries to since before he even gets through customs or close to the ticket counter (watch the scenery! He stays only in the lobby!) his father (who is not the same man already in the hospital, even though that's what it sounds like I said... that man is his uncle) is assassinated in a drive-by. Samar is collected from the airport and rushed to the hospital where Prithviraj is already there, causing a scene and fighting with cops and getting arrested. Samar gets slapped, but apologizes because he is the only person in the entire hospital with B- blood and must go donate so that his father might survive. While he is hooked up to the M*A*S*H-esque blood donation machine he watches his father in surgery. His efforts are futile as his father dies on the table.
After a funeral and proper yet attractive brooding and mourning by Ranbir, Interval comes and we have this much: A coup stewing and brewing as Veerndra vies to take over the political party he was all but ousted from, Prithviraj dreaming of becoming leader of the state and appearing (notice: apearing!) as the will-resort-to-anything to achieve his goals, Sooraj joining the party in hopes to become the minority leader and Samar seeming (notice: seeming!) innocent and very "I'd-rather-not-get-involved".
Phew!
Onto the second half, where we get VERY Mario Puzo and start craving Lasagna and saying things like "Sleeping with the Fishes" and "To the mattresses" and "This is Erin's all time favorite movie, now in a strange, twisted, Indian version".
Ok, maybe no one said any of that, (on screen at least) but we're talking some SERIOUS Godfather went on, including sleeping with dead... things. They took the horse head to the next level people.
For the rest of the film, be content in knowing that Sooraj and Veerndra are on one team, and Samar and Prithviraj are on another, and they are all trying to win for themselves, and the movie turns into a "what would you do for success" analysis on the nature of the characters ambitions/ethics.
In a bid for money to finance their campaign, Prithviraj is married to Indu (Katrina Kaif) who is really in love with Samar but is not allowed to marry him (even though there was a scene where she asked him in the first half* but he doesn't love her) because her father wants her to marry the head of the party. Prithviraj plays the role of Surrinder and sleeps on the couch and stays out of her hair because he knows she doesn't really love him. Just to make matters more awkward, Sarah (Sarah Thompson), Samar's (or, as she would say it, Summer) girlfirend from the States arrives and imposes herself upon him. Indu then confronts Samar and informs him that she's glad she didn't end up Shaadi-ed up to him, since she can see the darkness in him which contrasts with Prthviraj's good heart. Indu and Prithviraj somehow have fallen in love and declare such to each other. It's kind of weird, I am not going to lie...
More politiking goes on...
Sarah confronts Samar and tells him that she's leaving because she doesn't like who he has become, or has always been, just hidden. She thows down the ultimate trump card: she's pregnant and doesen't want her child around such a father since she, "Grew up in Ireland". Samar literally turns into the sweetest thing you've ever seen** and promises her that as soon as the elections are over and his father is avenged they'll move away and never look back.
As Sarah leaves the next morning to get out of town she and Prithviraj are Godfather-ed and die.
Politiking.
Indu becomes the new political leader for the party and sweeps the election because the other party basically murdered her whole family and that's what she exploits to get votes.
Meanwhile it gets super Masala when Sooraj is discovered to be Maa's son. The blanket he was wrapped in is displayed as conformation and Maa aproaches him to come home, be her son, take over the political dynasty...etc. BUT in a move of logic and non-filmi-ness he says "No" and basically tells her that she might be his birth mother, but she didn't raise him, so thank-you-very-much, but shoo.
Politiking. Plot making. A climax is coming!
Samar lures Sooraj and Veerndra into a factory and they have a shoot-out. Granted, Veerndra is all liquered up so he doesen't really stand a chance and after a car chase and about 7 bullet wounds he dies in the arms of Sooraj, who also get's what shouldn't have come to him by Samar. All in the name of democracy, or some nonsense reason like that.
We end with Indu being elected, sworn in, and announcing her pregnancy. We also see Samar asking forgiveness for his cold-blooded actions, and I don't think he recieves any from his invalid of an uncle (the one who had a stroke at the very beginning).
Good.
Samar should NOT (and none of the other characters should either, but they are all dead) be forgiven for their heinous crimes. I simply abhor violence (we've been over my Quaker roots before) and cannot understand how something as inconsequential as a seat in parliament (a.k.a. power) is justified as a reason to start shooting and or blowing up any and everyone. There are more important things in life, and Samar seemed focused on them until his father died.
Now, I haven't read Bollywood Fangirl's review yet, but I've seen her title and know that she makes some link to Shakespeare. I was thinking the same thing, everything goes so Shakespearean about the same time that it got Godfather-y and Masala. I can understand that traumatic events have altering affects on people, but it's just so unfathomable to me that revenge is the chosen option. I'm just not a vengeful person, I suck at holding grudges so I'm fascinated by those who are/do, and then act upon their wrong-doers in the worst possible way. I'd love to know, or maybe I wouldn't, how true-to-life this story is for the political groups in India...
Now that is out of the way I have two things to say, for the most part.
1. The score, was fantastic.
2. This was really two movies in one.
The sound director for this film did an amazing job, the music was very, very effective and worked well with the film/plot/emotion/movement...etc. The only totally out of place moment was the scene in the Nightclub that was like a very short, ill-placed item number.
As to the disjointed feel of the film I can only say that the first and second haves of this film felt like they had two different directors. The first half was so solid, so fluid, so mature and effective. The second half was just way over the top; what with the weddings, the lost siblings, the hanky panky (I'm getting there) the shoot-outs, use of the word "goons", kidnappings, and everything else it just felt like Mr. Jha was afraid that the artistic vision for his film wasn't going to support his story or interest the audience and so he had to make it a little filmi. (My vote is on the latter). Filmi is all and well, but when the first half of your movie is progressive and different you should probably have enough confidence in your story to stick with it. At least if you fail it won't be because viewers thought the obscure and random elements in the second half were contrived or out of place.
Nitpicks:
-Samar had a white girlfriend, fine. It's the dream of all gori-Bolly addicts to find our Brown Lover, but I am telling you, white or not, she would have known how to pronounce his name correctly. She sounded absolutely idiotic pronouncing it wrong... especially when she got to India and kept hearing it pronounced correctly. Any self respecting person would have corrected themselves toot sweet.
-There were two very tame "sex scenes" in this film which were met with uproarious laughter, giggling and all around awkwardness. NOW I know why they aren't included in Indian Films; it just makes the audience weird. I felt like I was in a theatre of prepubescents instead of mature adults. I mean, I'm a prude, but the reactions to what was going on on the screen made ME feel embarrassed for them. Awkward silence would have been preferable to the anxious giggling from middle-aged men.
-Except for Ranbir, Arjun and Manoj I was disappointed by all the other performances. Everyone seemed to just mumble and monotone through their lines. With a plot that depends on so many people it got terribly frustrating and off-putting. If the actors didn't want to be there, why should I? Katrina didn't impress me (in fact, I was desperate for even Deepika!) until her character took on the role of political leader, but even then her "inspiring" speech was as boring as Ajay's comatose inflection.
...I was mildly horrified that every time I looked at Katrina I could only visualize this. which when aired in India had a Raajneeti promotion hooked onto it and some claim that it kept her looking good on set/screen or something:
Would I recommend Raajneeti? Yes, I would... it is different and fresh, something new for the palate and while not the most breathtaking thing, it has character and a certain aspect to it that keeps you intrigued... go to see Ranbir, if nothing else.
Directed by: Rakash Jha
Oh, Raajneeti. When I saw a preview for you before 3 Idiots I thought to myself, "Bas. I will never see you". Then I met Ranbir Kapoor a little bit down the line from that, and when I saw your preview in Bombay, and I saw Ranbir's face I thought to myself "Acha, there is nothing that can stop me from seeing this film."
Then I looked at my boss, who was in the theater with me, and promptly informed him that I only had a crush on Ranbir because I was madly in love with his mother, and either way, I would take Neetu OR Ranbir if given the chance. This was my first day on the job.
I was bahaut depressed when I found out I would be back in the states before Ranbirneeti (as I call it) came out; but I was saved by the loving Owner Uncle of my local Desi theater (who loves me) who ordered the film for me and called me personally to give me movie times.
So, this eve I merrily went along and watched. I was the only woman in the audience, the rest, about 50 or so Indian males were between the ages of 25 and 60, and they were ridiculous. Any hope I had of taking this movie seriously (as I assume it had been intended) was gone when they laughed uproariously through the entire thing. Well, I should say the entire second half, but I'll get to that and more later...
I'm going to have to re-do all of this when I can finally get screen-caps, because that's just going to enhance the process, and perhaps watching it seriously would help too... Anyway, onwards and upwards!
I cannot promise that this will be spoiler-free. So, if you are afraid of leaning plot point turn back now!
The first half of Raa(nbir)jneeti is a complex, twisting maze of the inner-workings of a political family. I am not going to lie here and say that I understood the first 15 minutes or so, because I didn't... not, at least, until I nailed down all of the names and faces and relationships, then it got a lot easier and I was able to piece together what I had missed.
Also, I might be missing a big chunk of information about the workings of Indian politics. I knew my minor in policy should have focused more on International! Yet I digress...
The stuff you should focus on: Sooraj Kumar (Ajay Devgan) was the illegitimate son of the daughter of a political leader and his opponent, he was given up a-la Moses (a.k.a. floated in a boat down a river) mere seconds after he was born. He was taken in by a man and a woman from the "lower-caste". The real mother was quickly married off to another political family wherein she had two sons, Prithviraj (Arjun Rampal) and Samar (Ranbir Kapoor). Samar is getting a PhD in...literature(?) (it seems, given by the title of his thesis, which I loved: The Violent Emotional Subtext of 19th-Century Victorian Poetry) in the United States when he visits home for his uncle, Veerndra's (Manoj Bajpai) birthday. It is aparantly the custom for the party leader to give a speach during fiestas held at his house, so when Samar's father goes out to give a speach declaring that they will once again take political power, it is all very awe-inspireing, until he goes down with a heart-attack/stroke combo.
In the most dismal hospital scene ever (Defib paddles that don't even rock the body, let alone make it leap off the table, are used.) it is established that Dad can no longer be in charge of the political party, so he delves out responsibilities, passing completely over Veerndra who takes it personally that he is not trusted in the (and I use this word with full sub-textual implications) Family.
Meanwhile Samar heads back to the United States, or tries to since before he even gets through customs or close to the ticket counter (watch the scenery! He stays only in the lobby!) his father (who is not the same man already in the hospital, even though that's what it sounds like I said... that man is his uncle) is assassinated in a drive-by. Samar is collected from the airport and rushed to the hospital where Prithviraj is already there, causing a scene and fighting with cops and getting arrested. Samar gets slapped, but apologizes because he is the only person in the entire hospital with B- blood and must go donate so that his father might survive. While he is hooked up to the M*A*S*H-esque blood donation machine he watches his father in surgery. His efforts are futile as his father dies on the table.
After a funeral and proper yet attractive brooding and mourning by Ranbir, Interval comes and we have this much: A coup stewing and brewing as Veerndra vies to take over the political party he was all but ousted from, Prithviraj dreaming of becoming leader of the state and appearing (notice: apearing!) as the will-resort-to-anything to achieve his goals, Sooraj joining the party in hopes to become the minority leader and Samar seeming (notice: seeming!) innocent and very "I'd-rather-not-get-involved".
Phew!
Onto the second half, where we get VERY Mario Puzo and start craving Lasagna and saying things like "Sleeping with the Fishes" and "To the mattresses" and "This is Erin's all time favorite movie, now in a strange, twisted, Indian version".
Ok, maybe no one said any of that, (on screen at least) but we're talking some SERIOUS Godfather went on, including sleeping with dead... things. They took the horse head to the next level people.
For the rest of the film, be content in knowing that Sooraj and Veerndra are on one team, and Samar and Prithviraj are on another, and they are all trying to win for themselves, and the movie turns into a "what would you do for success" analysis on the nature of the characters ambitions/ethics.
In a bid for money to finance their campaign, Prithviraj is married to Indu (Katrina Kaif) who is really in love with Samar but is not allowed to marry him (even though there was a scene where she asked him in the first half* but he doesn't love her) because her father wants her to marry the head of the party. Prithviraj plays the role of Surrinder and sleeps on the couch and stays out of her hair because he knows she doesn't really love him. Just to make matters more awkward, Sarah (Sarah Thompson), Samar's (or, as she would say it, Summer) girlfirend from the States arrives and imposes herself upon him. Indu then confronts Samar and informs him that she's glad she didn't end up Shaadi-ed up to him, since she can see the darkness in him which contrasts with Prthviraj's good heart. Indu and Prithviraj somehow have fallen in love and declare such to each other. It's kind of weird, I am not going to lie...
More politiking goes on...
Sarah confronts Samar and tells him that she's leaving because she doesn't like who he has become, or has always been, just hidden. She thows down the ultimate trump card: she's pregnant and doesen't want her child around such a father since she, "Grew up in Ireland". Samar literally turns into the sweetest thing you've ever seen** and promises her that as soon as the elections are over and his father is avenged they'll move away and never look back.
As Sarah leaves the next morning to get out of town she and Prithviraj are Godfather-ed and die.
Politiking.
Indu becomes the new political leader for the party and sweeps the election because the other party basically murdered her whole family and that's what she exploits to get votes.
Meanwhile it gets super Masala when Sooraj is discovered to be Maa's son. The blanket he was wrapped in is displayed as conformation and Maa aproaches him to come home, be her son, take over the political dynasty...etc. BUT in a move of logic and non-filmi-ness he says "No" and basically tells her that she might be his birth mother, but she didn't raise him, so thank-you-very-much, but shoo.
Politiking. Plot making. A climax is coming!
Samar lures Sooraj and Veerndra into a factory and they have a shoot-out. Granted, Veerndra is all liquered up so he doesen't really stand a chance and after a car chase and about 7 bullet wounds he dies in the arms of Sooraj, who also get's what shouldn't have come to him by Samar. All in the name of democracy, or some nonsense reason like that.
We end with Indu being elected, sworn in, and announcing her pregnancy. We also see Samar asking forgiveness for his cold-blooded actions, and I don't think he recieves any from his invalid of an uncle (the one who had a stroke at the very beginning).
Good.
Samar should NOT (and none of the other characters should either, but they are all dead) be forgiven for their heinous crimes. I simply abhor violence (we've been over my Quaker roots before) and cannot understand how something as inconsequential as a seat in parliament (a.k.a. power) is justified as a reason to start shooting and or blowing up any and everyone. There are more important things in life, and Samar seemed focused on them until his father died.
Now, I haven't read Bollywood Fangirl's review yet, but I've seen her title and know that she makes some link to Shakespeare. I was thinking the same thing, everything goes so Shakespearean about the same time that it got Godfather-y and Masala. I can understand that traumatic events have altering affects on people, but it's just so unfathomable to me that revenge is the chosen option. I'm just not a vengeful person, I suck at holding grudges so I'm fascinated by those who are/do, and then act upon their wrong-doers in the worst possible way. I'd love to know, or maybe I wouldn't, how true-to-life this story is for the political groups in India...
Now that is out of the way I have two things to say, for the most part.
1. The score, was fantastic.
2. This was really two movies in one.
The sound director for this film did an amazing job, the music was very, very effective and worked well with the film/plot/emotion/movement...etc. The only totally out of place moment was the scene in the Nightclub that was like a very short, ill-placed item number.
As to the disjointed feel of the film I can only say that the first and second haves of this film felt like they had two different directors. The first half was so solid, so fluid, so mature and effective. The second half was just way over the top; what with the weddings, the lost siblings, the hanky panky (I'm getting there) the shoot-outs, use of the word "goons", kidnappings, and everything else it just felt like Mr. Jha was afraid that the artistic vision for his film wasn't going to support his story or interest the audience and so he had to make it a little filmi. (My vote is on the latter). Filmi is all and well, but when the first half of your movie is progressive and different you should probably have enough confidence in your story to stick with it. At least if you fail it won't be because viewers thought the obscure and random elements in the second half were contrived or out of place.
Nitpicks:
-Samar had a white girlfriend, fine. It's the dream of all gori-Bolly addicts to find our Brown Lover, but I am telling you, white or not, she would have known how to pronounce his name correctly. She sounded absolutely idiotic pronouncing it wrong... especially when she got to India and kept hearing it pronounced correctly. Any self respecting person would have corrected themselves toot sweet.
-There were two very tame "sex scenes" in this film which were met with uproarious laughter, giggling and all around awkwardness. NOW I know why they aren't included in Indian Films; it just makes the audience weird. I felt like I was in a theatre of prepubescents instead of mature adults. I mean, I'm a prude, but the reactions to what was going on on the screen made ME feel embarrassed for them. Awkward silence would have been preferable to the anxious giggling from middle-aged men.
-Except for Ranbir, Arjun and Manoj I was disappointed by all the other performances. Everyone seemed to just mumble and monotone through their lines. With a plot that depends on so many people it got terribly frustrating and off-putting. If the actors didn't want to be there, why should I? Katrina didn't impress me (in fact, I was desperate for even Deepika!) until her character took on the role of political leader, but even then her "inspiring" speech was as boring as Ajay's comatose inflection.
...I was mildly horrified that every time I looked at Katrina I could only visualize this. which when aired in India had a Raajneeti promotion hooked onto it and some claim that it kept her looking good on set/screen or something:
Would I recommend Raajneeti? Yes, I would... it is different and fresh, something new for the palate and while not the most breathtaking thing, it has character and a certain aspect to it that keeps you intrigued... go to see Ranbir, if nothing else.
02 June 2010
Kites, They're Still in the Skyyyy
Was seeing Kites a second time just as good as seeing it the first time?
Yes.
But, this time I had subtitles and finally understand the title, and realized I know a lot more Hindi than I thought, since I picked up almost all of the dialouge the first time around.
HURRAH FOR ME!
I went with my Maa and choti behen, and I think they have fallen victim to the Hrithik. Oy.
I want to be Barbara Mori. The end.
Yes.
But, this time I had subtitles and finally understand the title, and realized I know a lot more Hindi than I thought, since I picked up almost all of the dialouge the first time around.
HURRAH FOR ME!
I went with my Maa and choti behen, and I think they have fallen victim to the Hrithik. Oy.
I want to be Barbara Mori. The end.
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