Analysing films

I am back to this page after a looooooong time and much of it is to do with inertia and part of it to the quality of films which have been releasing. Running a blog is tough and being motivated and generating regular content will always remain a challenge. I have seen that from my personal experience. The ecosystem must also provide right vibes for one to take the discussion and the dialogue further on this. However, it was critical that one must get back to what one loves the most and is passionate about. My last post, as I can see is in Dec 2016 and that was wrapping up 2016. 2017 did not see a single post from me. It will be be unfair on my part to not quote two hidden gems of 2017, one was Death in the Gunj (Gunj) and the second was Jagga Jasoos. Both in different genres and yet they just hold you. Gunj holds you through its brilliant screenplay and some restrained performance from Kalki, Ranveer, and the gem, Vikrant Massey along with the ensemble cast. But, one must give it...

2016 is about to close and sadly there is nothing much to cheer about in Hindi cinema and not that there is anything to eschew in Hollywood too. We have been witness to some nonsensical fare in the name of cinema. Frankly, in the entertainment genre there are several movies which get classified, but none of them sadly entertains. Most of all they look pushy, over the top and at times seriously suffering from an idea. I guess the whole issue boils down to a plot, script or perhaps an idea which can be translated into good cinema is missing. There have been blimps on the radar like a Pink and Udta Punjab in a limited way and they both worked because there was an idea, plot and a script. There was a message too, which was socially relevant and therefore clicked. Infact, if one where to look most of the other stuff dished out, they looked banal and half hearted in attempt. None of them as actors, producers, or directors where willing to go beyond the cliched approach. Take for example...

Pink opens on a very interesting note on simultaneous/parallel actions of the protagonists and the antagonists driving back from one horrific night out. And that pretty much sets the pace of the film. The script takes time to build and by the time it has, created the mood and tenor to move to the next level, we are all quite clued on to what is unfolding. The film picks up on an extremely important issue plaguing the society today, gender bias-ness and the problems of stereotypes that we often face or are witness too. And what is more paradoxical, those are often seen in the strata of the society where we perceive or probably take for granted as the educated souls. Single girls staying together, wearing liberal clothes or drinking socially or the North East adage are typical challenges faced in the country. Barring a few cities like Bombay or Calcutta, the rest of India pretty much lives in those cliches and that's what is sad, painful and disturbing. I would tend to believe...

2016- We have reached the halfway mark, is there hope? I have been more and more away from this space and particularly so for more than a few months (could be 6). Frankly, there was and there is nothing home to write about. There seems to be a serious catharsis of ideas and Hindi cinema is reaching a point where mediocrity is being celebrated and perhaps a sense of complacency seems to be settling in everywhere. Most names and banners are cocooned in their shell and are kind of refusing to come out of their comfort zone. I guess a name like Balaji Telefilms needs its fair share of accolades and kudos for all its experimentative approach to back films, where there is an idea or perhaps a thought. Look at the body of work (and newbies) that Balaji has backed and that has frankly surprised me. And that to me was/is good news. Coming back to 2016, did it hold any good. There was Udta Punjab, Kapoor and Sons, Neerja (only for Shabana, you can watch it a million times) and two smal...

I am coming back after a very long time and this is more out an exasperation of not being able to write home anything good about cinema in general. There have been a series of trash that seems to be singularly being belted out from Hindi Film Industry and Hollywood does not seem to be giving any much hopes either. 2015 can be a watershed year to that extent where there is nothing much in there to be written about. Deep diving into Bombay and the industry, I saw only a few clear winners. Masaan, Dum Laga Ke Haissha, Talvar, NH10 (in a limited way) and Badlaapur. There were some that seemed over hyped, over discussed and most of all over the top. Baby, Piku, Byomkesh, Tanu Weds Manu 2, Dil Dhadkne Do and Drishyam fell in this category. And there were many other whom I would safely like to forget. Though I missed, Titli and Kajariya and it would be wrong to write them off, since I have heard good things about them. A quick word on Masaan. It works for its simplicity and under rated p...

     God, it has been more than three and half months since I have been here and written about movies. Well for one, I was stuck into the quagmire of life with too many things happening simultaneously and also the fact that I did not see any cinema, or perhaps any cinema worth reviewing. I did see Byomkesh Bakshi, but could not come upto review it. Anyways, a movie which you really like, also calls for a review, and to me, Byomkesh was not. As a bengali, who has read the originals and who has lived through far better bengali versions (see Chiriyaghar by Satyajit Ray) that I have devoured upon there seemed too much focus on th peripherals and euphemsims, leaving the audience with the vacuum of plot and direction, the movie takes. Another gaffe, the director has taken two Byomkesh Bakshi stories and created a punch out of it. As an afficiando, one will reason that one Byomkesh storyline is enough to have you engrossed, handling two is suicide.  ...

Dum Laga ke Haisha is a little and a surprise gem from the YRF banner. The movie has everything right going from the start. Spot on casting, superb acting, great locales and the backdrop, and of course a first time director in the form of Sharat Katariya. Special words for the supremely talented Ayushmann Khurana, Manoj Mishra, Alka Amin, Sheeba Chadha, Seema Pahwa, Shrikant Verma and other motley group of actors, who contributed immensely to the success of the movie. From the word go, the pace of the film is easy and languid and it built itself up. The two cities, Haridwar and Rishikesh plays the perfect foil to the two leads. It is a movie about two odds and how they eventually even it out. The two mismatches and their own demons, perhaps the male protagonist in this case with the larger set of problems. The female lead Bhumi Pednekar a more sorted version and seems to have come to terms with the weight(y) issues. Bhumi has a stellar role to play and creates a niche for herself ...