Film review: Andhadhun

#Andhadhun......funny, twisted, edgy, gripping, violent.....it keeps you on the edge of your seat,  this film, for most part and leaves you gasping for more. Leaves you with a few questions, makes you calculate as you exit the movie hall and keeps you wondering what just happened?........A blind (or is he?) piano player, a yesteryear film star, his seductive and much younger wife, makes for a heady cocktail. Inevitably, there's a murder and it's not the identity of the killer that matters, but the murder's aftermath........This is home territory for Sriram Raghavan, whose resume includes films like Ek hasina thi and Badlapur....After watching Andhadhun, I have decided to forgive him for his hand in making the terrible "Agent Vinod". This is easily his best film since the fabulous "Johny Gaddar"...............While Radhika Apte does a good job, this film rests on two actors: Ayushman Khurana, who internalises and brings a fiery intensity to the talented piano player's character, who's a victim of circumstances, and of course, Tabu. She sizzles in practically every frame she appears in, owns up the screen and the audience, as the no holds barred Simi...............Go and savour Andhadhun. It's not everyday that Bollywood makes intelligent (though not without a few loopholes) and entertaining thrillers.

Film review of the latest hindi release: Stree

Stree.. Though the title gives the impression of a serious film, it's anything but that..... a comedy with a dash of horror in it or vice-versa...you take your pick........Either way, this is a delightful little hindi film and it is,  to quote my favourite reviewer Rajeev Masand, one of the most original films of the year.......... about a lady ghost who torments a town in northern India every year during navaratri festival and abducts men, leaving only their clothes behind and how few town folks  fight it.......but the plot is a mere subtext....This film is about  an assortment of interesting characters and how, brilliant actors like Rajkumar Rao and Pankaj Tripathi, bring to life everyday scenes and dialogues and take it to a different level.....watch the scene where Rajkumar has to look at the ghost with love or when Tripathi tries to run away while pretending to be brave........Shraddha Kapoor looks pretty and does a decent job while being at it..... the peppy soundtrack is good while it lasts...not intrusive and not memorable........All in all, this is a stree you should take time out to watch and for once, the ladies won't be offended with your transgression.

#Stree #Filmreview

Sanju: A case of selective outrage?

Sanju…………….the release of the film has led to polarising opinions and emotions from all corners……………….there are those who believe Sanjay Dutt deserves a second chance. He is a victim of his circumstances and has paid for his sins through his prison sentence. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who believe he’s a habitual offender, a pampered star who got away lightly, when others in his place would have got a much more stringent punishment. To be fair, Sanjay’s explanation for his procurement of 3 AK-56, cartridges and hand grenades is pretty laughable for any logical thinking person. For someone, whose father was a serving MP in 1993 and a well-connected one at that, to think of procuring guns (and grenades) from gangsters for protection of his family, instead of asking for police protection is silly at best and downright criminal, at worst. But, to most people’s mind, what is much more critical to know is whether or not, he knew about the Mumbai bomb blast plan in advance, since he procured these weapons from people who were directly connected with Mumbai bomb blasts. Now, that’s a question we will never get a definitive answer for.

But, the strong reactions to the film got me thinking about whether by watching a film, do we as an audience condone the criminal acts of a person? Are we legitimising what the criminal did, just by watching the film and talking about it? To me, cinema is a medium of entertainment. A moving story is the backbone of a good film and the seeds of a moving story are many times found in such criminal acts. There’s always a curiosity about where did this person come from, why did he do what he did and how did the legal system deal with it? Some of the most successful films have been based on stories of infamous criminals. Crime stories intrigue us.

Films like Deewar, Company, Satya, were lapped up by audiences, with or without the realization that these were, just like Sanju is, essentially based on real life criminals. Deewar, coincidently, is based on someone, who finds a mention in Sanju - Haji Mastan. Company, they say is based on Chota Rajan. Satya, is perhaps a mix of multiple real events which shaped the Mumbai crime world. So, how’s watching Deewar, Company, Satya, any different from watching a Sanju? Why didn’t we see a similar outrage about a film being made on criminal/s for these 3 movies and innumerable other such successful movies in this genre? Is it easier to target Sanjay Dutt because he is an actor? Does Dawood being a criminal not invoke similar outrage as a Sanjay Dutt does?

 An aspect of such films is that, one does end up, unknowingly, but inevitably, sympathising with the hero(?) of the story. E.g. While watching Satya, one does fall in love with the affable and comical Bhiku Mhatre and there’s a collective silence and shock in the cinema hall, when he’s eventually killed. While watching Deewar, we are happy as an audience when Amitabh’s Vijay is saved by the billa number 786 at multiple points in the film. Guess at some stage, we start empathising with them. I am sure, most of us, will not wish to sympathise and side with such a criminal in real life.

So, are the strong reactions on Sanju a case of selective outrage? Sanju is neither the first successful film on a real life criminal, nor the last. Why this kolaveri di then? 

Marathi movie review: Farjand

फर्जंद.....The marathi film is a historical, based on the capture of panhala fort by a group of 60 loyal soldiers of Shivaji Maharaj, who conquered an army of 2500 plus enemies.........Mounted on an ambitious scale and with a good star cast, the makers have succeeded in creating an authentic and credible film, for most part...... There's consistency in portraying the 16th century era - The language, the clothing and the dialect...... 

However, there are some sore points........While I generally like Chinmay Mandlekar's work, he just can't carry off the role of Shivaji Maharaj...looked like a case of miscasting.....same is the case with Mrunal Kulkarni playing the role of Jijabai.........Most importantly and tragically, (for, the film had a huge potential), the one event on which the entire story is hinged, the final assault on the fort, has been written and executed so poorly and is so unconvincing, that it's almost undoing all the good work done till then......the way the action sequences are shot in last 20 odd minutes, we are suddenly transported to Rowdy Rathore territory........

Of the rest of the cast, Sameer Dharmadhikari as the Adilshah sardar Beshakh Khan has done well..........All in all, it's a good effort by the makers and is a one time watch, even with its flaws.

Movie review: Sanju

Sanju......When Rajkumar Hirani is at the helm, one expects certain good elements in a film:  Sensitive portrayal of the subject at hand, emotions at the core of the story, a dose of humour and a clean entertainer. As usual, Hirani ticks most of these boxes with Sanju too.

Ranbir Kapoor plays the problem child and flawed personality of Sanjay Dutt with some finesse, transforming his body and looks from a 21 year old to a 40+ year old, effortlessly. He's in Rockstar (Ranbir's  earlier film with Imtiaz Ali) territory here, and seems to relish playing successful yet unhappy characters.

And what does one say about Vicky Kaushal? After his impressive turn in Razi, as a Pakistani major, here he plays Sanjay's gujju best friend Kamli, who serves snakes from holes. (You will understand it after seeing the film) Does he bring substance to his character or does he? He has, almost overshadowed Ranbir in a few scenes.

Alas, these cinematic elements aside, this is a film where it is difficult not to keep comparing reality with what's being shown on screen. There are some wonderful emotinal scenes,  in the second half, but I couldn't connect with them as reality of the events kept ringing alarm bells. Our Sanju baba it seems, took the baba in his name too seriously and remained a pampered child for most of his adult life. The naivety his choices is laughable at most times, and not in a good way. The film portrays the late Sunil Dutt almost as a modern day saint. Consciously or unconsciously, this has turned into a PR effort for the Dutt family.

The makers brazenly seem to give a message that it's ok to be a criminal and acquire weapons illegally, but as long as one isn't a terrorist, one's parents will still be proud and happy.

Whether Sanjay Dutt knew about Mumbai bomb blasts plan in advance is a question only he or god can answer now. But, any connection to reality aside, as a film, this is a noteworthy effort from the director and the entire cast.

Nostalgia and all things logical

"Chhoti Si Baat" - Watching this all-time classic, always induces nostalgia in me, transporting me to a time when life was perhaps simpler and happier.  Prabha Narayan, (played by the underrated Vidya Sinha) is missing Arun (Amol Palekar, as a shy and simple young man - a character, he will practically come to be identified with) to the tune of the melodious Salil Chaudhury composition: 

Na jaane kyon hota hai yeh zindagi ke saath, achanak ye man, 

Kisike Jaane ke baad, kare fir uski yaad, chhoti, chhotisi baat, 

Na jaane kyon.......

Poor Prabha will be saved of all her misery, if only, she had studied psychology and behavioural economics. Because, she would have then realized that it is simply "loss aversion" at play here. She is feeling Arun's absence, only because, we as human beings, are naturally programmed to value something more when we lose it than cherish it when it is still with us. The sadness we feel if Rs. 1000 were to be deducted from our salary is much more than our happiness if an extra Rs. 1000 were to be paid out. 

That's why, through the prism of nostalgia, everything appears, lovelier than it actually was back then. They say "grass is greener on the other side". Well, "grass is also greener in the past." 

Vinod Kambli makes for a more compelling cricketing story than Sachin Tendulkar, for the same reason. There is romanticism associated with "what may have been?” A good percentage of Indian cricket fans believe that Kambli was more talented than Sachin in his childhood. A rational view would suggest that Kambli hardly had the technique to do well outside India. He was predominantly a front foot player and struggled against short pitch bowling.

In some of Amitabh Bacchan’s most iconic films, characters played by him die in the end, Sholay and Deewar being prominent examples. That ensured much more mind space for those films than a happy ending would have. Daily soap makers are known to insert some dramatic storyline in the plot, whenever TRPs start falling. They seem to know that their audience is moved more by conflict, tragedy and complications than happiness. Such scenes tug at the heartstrings of gullible viewers.   

If you catch yourself shedding a few tears while watching films and worse, while watching those useless daily soaps, then it’s time for you to turn to behavioural economics to find the root cause and a cure. 

Film review : M. S. Dhoni : The Untold Story

M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story...... What an opening scene it is when Captain cool decides to promote himself ahead of an in form Yuvraj in the 2011 world Cup final. It was a huge moment not only in the game but perhaps in India's cricketing history..... Brings goose bumps even when you watch it in a cinema hall.... And from then on, for next 3 hours plus, you watch the riveting story unfold of how, coming from some nondescript place in then Bihar, MSD became what he is today... Perhaps the best cricket captain India has ever had.. Winner of 2 world cups and a captain who took us to world number 1 ranking in test matches......It's a story of some struggles as MSD endures a frustrating wait of 5 years for his turn to play for India even as his contemporaries like kaif, Yuvraj become established names in the Indian team........then he plays that breakthrough innings of 148 against Pakistan and the rest, as they say, is history. Why is everyone appreciating Sushant Singh Rajput? You don't even get to see him in the film. He is MSD all the way. From his walk, to his smile, to every little gesture he makes and of course his cricketing shots, he is stunning. While it's a very enjoyable film without doubt, you don't get to know anything new about MSD the man as far his decision making, captaincy strategy, mind-set in critical moments and ability to handle pressure is concerned. Wish they had delved into these aspects more. Also we never get a view of his relationship with his fellow players and how he handled such big personalities.

Maybe a sequel is in offing. 😇

#MSDthefilm #Filmreview #Dhoni

Film review : Ventilator (Marathi film produced by Priyanka Chopra)

Ventilator.....odd name for a marathi film........a  family patriarch is put on ventilator and extended family members start gathering one by one in the hospital.. each with their own agendas, old angsts, conflicts...most are secretly worried if the patient will die just before ganesh festival and spoil it....... A very realistic portayel of what will happen in such a scenario.......It's an emotional, sensitive and yet comical ride of 2 plus hours ...... While the ensemble cast of the film has done a fantastic job, it's Jeetendra Joshi who's the star of the show here ... Conveying so much intensity through his eyes and expressions, he's just brilliant......Ashutosh Gowarikar plays the character of who else, but a successful hindi film director and does a good job too .... Priyanka Chopra the producer of this film also makes a guest appearance.

This one is all about loving your parents but is way better than a kjo film.

#Ventilator #MarathiFilm #PriyankaChopra

Book review : The Player by Boris Becker

Boris Becker has always been my favourite tennis player. Those childhood days of following Becker and Steffi Graf, that too, in the non-internet days, were the best days of my life. So, have always been curious about what is this guy made of - A champion tennis player, a polarizing personality in his home country Germany, a womanizer, a family man, a tax evader, a multi-millionaire?

It was wonderful to get a glimpse of his mind through this autobiography. He has been quite honest and hasn't shied away from talking about the controversial parts of his life. Enjoyed reading this one, though I wish he had talked more in detail about how it was to play those 7 Wimbledon finals, what exactly went through his mind in critical moments during those matches, because in his own words, losing 4 Wimbledon finals was four too much.

A very interesting read from a champion player!

#Bookreview #Theplayer #BorisBecker

Book review : Imperfect by Sanjay Manjarekar

To most Indian cricket fans, Sanjay Manjarekar remains a player who couldn't quite do justice to his potential. Dravid eventually became what many believed Manjarekar was meant to be. It's a refreshingly candid and breezy autobiography. 

He talks frankly about everything that was wrong with Indian cricket in the late 1980s and through most of the 90s - the culture of seniority and fear in the team, the (absolute lack of) captaincy skills(?) of Azaruddin, a passing mention of the arrogant attitude with which Kapil Dev used to conduct himself, the fun Sanjay used to have seeing some arrogant seniors quake on their boots on the bouncy pitches abroad and the terrible administration by bcci back then. 

In contrast, he talks with great respect about Imran Khan, the captain and feels his career would have been completely different if he had a mentor like Imran.

Manjarekar also writes in detail about the difficult relationship he shared with his father, the great Vijay Manjarekar, his personal struggles as a player, with temperament and technique. In present times, he's thoroughly kicked about his commentary stint, though I'm not sure how much viewers enjoy it. I for one, don't 😀

All in all, a nice read for a cricket buff. #Imperfect #bookreview