Article 15

Movie Review (Hindi)

I think films are a hit when they hit close to our hearts. 

We have had the Constitution since 1950 and even today Indians are yet to understand and accept its contents. This is rampant in areas where politicians, lawmakers and security forces are in cahoots, loving the power they seem to have over people who are essentially poor. Poverty opens the doors to all sorts of discrimination. It is easy to beat down a person already compromised.

The movie, Article 15, has drawn out this chasm in our society. When the protectors of law decide to side with perpetrators of crime because they feel empowered, all is lost. The protagonist, Ayaan, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, is caught in this power play even though he is an IPS officer. He has no idea about societal discrimination in the heartland of his country he is proud of. He is therefore, quite shocked when his staff at the small station he is posted in, state their position in society based on their castes. He is enraged when the Dalits are referred to as They, as though they were from another planet.

The movie is gripping in the way the story is told and is edited. There is a sense of menace and danger lurking in the corners and I at times felt engulfed by its shadows. How a gang rape is easily turned into an honour killing, how witnesses are forced to change their statements, post-mortem reports are messed with, criminals are sheltered and go missing and how the CBI botches up, are all intelligently played. That the leader of the underground Dalit force could be an educated young man who could hold an intelligent conversation was a brilliant move as was the piling up of carcasses and overflowing septic tanks.

The cast was brilliant in their roles as was the music, not the forget the opening with Bob Dylan's "How many miles must a man walk down ..."

I have been an Anubhav Sinha fan since Mulk. I now really look forward to more such movies that need to be screened all over the country.

Photograph

Movie Review (Hindi)

Two very different worlds collide and there is no eruption of any form, just a slow melt. That is the story of Photograph. The technique the director, Ritesh Batra, uses is tricky. His story unfolds slowly without any hurry but most importantly, without any ups or downs. Throughout the movie I waited for the moment of crisis and it never came, making me feel cheated. The movie ended as strangely and left me feeling a little lost.

Miloni, played by Sanya Malhotra, is a young, intelligent and pretty woman. But she hardly talks or smiles. Rafi, played by Nawazuddin, is also not much of a talker. But then Nawazuddin makes every character his own and is at ease.

Thank god we had Rafi’s grandmother, played by Farrukh Jaffer, coming in who brings some life on screen, managing to ignite some reaction from the other two.

The cinematography was wonderful because it was easy to be a part of Mumbai going through its streets, chawls, cinema halls, teashops and the Gateway of India. This last one is where it all began with the photograph taken by Rafi, one of several professional photographers at the Gateway who coerce you to get clicked. Miloni gets clicked but then vanishes without paying and the copy remains with Rafi. He uses this photo to introduces her as his fiancée to his grandmother. 

Batra’s earlier movie, Lunch box was also slow moving but the story was gripping. Looking forward to more movies from Ritesh, only I need something to hold on to.

Gully Boy

Movie Review (Hindi)

"He is just a Gully Boy" said one of the characters in the movie. But “just the Gully boy” went on to rule hearts. Ranveer Singh, playing the reticent character Murad, expresses his dissatisfaction at the way things are in his world in the Dharavi slums through poetry. The energy levels in the movie rise with the entrance of MC Sher played by Siddhant Chaturvedi, the rapper who shows Murad a way out of the mundane. Our Gully Boy then raps his way into a confident individual able to stand up to his father’s dominance.

With actresses like Alia Bhatt and Kalki Koechlin providing support, the movie is bound to do well. The characters are well etched and the edit is fast. Dharavi stands out as a world holding many, many stories waiting to be told.

Director Zoya Akhtar certainly knows how to hold the attention of ciné goers, ending with the competition. It is an age-old trick which somehow always get the right reaction to a sense of vindication. I only wish the director had risen above this and taken the movie to a different level.

 Nevertheless, I loved the statement, so pregnant with hope and aspiration – Apna time aayega!

Uri

Movie Review (Hindi)

For a long time now, I have been hearing rumours about the Surgical strike by the Army on Pakistani soil being a fake incident, created by the Government to gain brownie points. Funnily enough, Uri takes off from these rumours and creates a damn good movie. The docudrama format helps in creating the authenticity required.

The choice of the protagonist, played by Vicky Kaushal, was bang on target. He got into the skin of the character and seemed to be comfortable being a Para Commando.

I think what stood out for the movie was the lack of long speeches exulting patriotism. It was the action that got the patriotic flame burning. The director, Aditya Dhar, has kept the story taut and does not loosen his grip which adds to the rawness.

A mother’s Alzhiemer’s, a dear friend’s death, a sister’s widowhood, a child losing a loving father, lawmakers taking risks for the greater good – all of these come together and burst forth spewing molten lava leaving behind an impactful movie that asks – “How’s the Josh?” You are bound to reply – “Very High!”

Bohemian Rhapsody

Movie Review (English)

This particular Rhapsody had me from the word Go. From the first scene, as the auditorium filled with the melodramatic music that only Queen could come up with, I began singing. Growing up, Queen was always on the top five of my most favourite rock bands.

So, I was quite apprehensive when I heard about this movie and I read a few reviews which were not full of praises. Anyway, anything to do with Queen, I needed to be in on it. And was I glad to have watched this wonderfully directed and superbly enacted movie!!

To be able to decide which aspect of Freddie Mercury to highlight, which years to look into and at the same time highlight the growth of this remarkable band was the work of some genius. To end the movie on the Live Aid concert note – was a well thought out move - the piece de resistance for Queen as far as performance goes. But of course, some of their best music was composed after this concert.

Thank you, Rami Malek (actor), Brian Singer (Director) and Anthony McCarten (Screenplay writer) for resurrecting Freddie and Queen so brilliantly. The slick edit got the movie going at a fast pace just apt for depicting Queen. 

I wanted to come out feeling good about Freddie and not dive into the darker world that he hid so well from his fans and I am glad I saw Freddie at his best!

Queen continues to Rock its fans making us feel like Champions!!

Badhaai Ho (Congratulations)

Movie Review (Hindi)

There are some things in life which the younger generation take for granted. For example – Parents are there primarily to fulfill the needs of children or the household. That they are two individuals who are human beings with the same sense and sensibilities as them does not seem logical to them.

So when a middle aged couple, (played expertly by Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao) expect another child after 16/17 years, there is a negative eruption in the house and bad jokes and rib poking float around among friends, relatives and acquaintances.

The movie deals with this subject and deals with it expertly. The elder son of the couple, Nakul (played by Ayushmann Khurrana) is working and has a girlfriend (played by Sanya Malhotra), his younger brother is in class XII and both become butts of jokes. Strangely, it is only when Nakul’s girlfriend Renee’s mother talks about the embarrassment that the older couple has caused, that Nakul speaks out for his parents and is able to see things in proper light.

Funnily enough, this kind of a situation, (late pregnancy), was a common occurrence just two generations ago.

Though the film is not a big budget one, meaning there are no huge stars in it, the actors are the best in the business. The person who simply stands out with her act is Nakul’s Granny, played by Surekha Sikri. She cantankerous, very annoyed with her daughter in law at all times, furious that the son and daughter- in-law should indulge in love making at their age but also standing up for them when society makes fun of them.
These are the kind of films that will rule the roost because they hit closer to home. It is primarily our story that we see on screen and we love to watch it from the outside watching how things unravel and then fall into place.

Andhadhun (Blind tune)

Movie Review (Hindi)

Director and screenplay writer, Sriram Raghavan is a master of thrillers and he has not let his audience down in this movie either. The title itself is interesting – Blind Tune – and the entire movie revolves on Andha and Dhun.

Akash, the protagonist, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, the apparently blind pianist who becomes a blind pianist and then becomes an apparently blind pianist does a wonderful job trying to anchor the story with his presence at places where he his not required.

The person who stands out for me is Simi played superbly by Tabu, the wife of Pramod Sinha (Anil Dhawan), the yesteryear actor. She lives only for herself and therefore faces no conscience trouble.

What keeps the audience glued are the amazing twists that stand out on the screen (quite literally). The later half is a bit pulled but even that ends with a huge bang and you come out smiling. An open ending is always the best way to keep the audience happy.