Neethaane En Ponvasantham/Yeto Vellipoyindhi Manasu - Forget VTV/YMC

 

Gautam Vasudev Menon is playing yet another game of Romance, Mush and Love bites. The previous time he played it, we got an unreal tale of unreal romance with unreal situations and a hocus pocus screenplay(Yeah, I am referring to Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya(VTV)/Ye Maaya Chesaave(YMC)). Also, the trailer of this film was laced with a dangerous sense of familiarity. One small consolation might come with the fact that the music, scored this time by Maestro Ilayaraja, though not as refreshing as Rahman Saab's music in the former, is lilting to say the least and has already made waves. So, will this attempt at sweeping romance be the undeserving triumph that VTV/YMC was? The answer is a clean no folks. NEP/YVM is the perfect fodder for the romantic in you. It is sweepingly and arrestingly romantic.

Plot:
The plot offers nothing new. The story is about a couple who have been smitten with each other since childhood. Their relationship is in no way a smooth ride. But love matures with the people nursing it. But as the couple reach adulthood, ego and household glitches come in the way. Amidst fall outs in every stage of life, it remains to be seen if the couple will remain a couple or will they fall out for eternity.

Performances:
This film is mainly driven by the sometimes sober sometimes melodramatic performances of the two leads, Jeeva/Nani and Samantha. Samantha looks ravishing to say the least. The movie is not about the leads as a plural but the couple as a singular. The leads performances gel together perfectly to achieve that singularity. The pair has effectively brought out the budding, flowering and fully grown stages of love with all it's imperfections. Had the performances been inferior, the movie would have lost much of its sheen. The comic relief provided by Santhanam/Krishnudu and Vidyulekha Raman(Jenny) is sure to bring grins and chuckles. The rest of the cast has nothing much to do. The 4 central performances are perfect to the book and hence there is no scope for goof ups in the acting department.

Screenplay and Direction:
Gautam Menon dishes out his best in 6 years with this film. Since this movie is centered around the emotions of the central characters, the screenplay had to be a well pieced sequence of events in which these emotions could be brought out. The screenplay achieves this with near perfection.The screenplay allows ample space for the director to move at a glacial pace and let the viewer drink in each scene. The smooth and deliberate pacing that marred VTV/YMC acts as the perfect agent for the movie to develop gradually and healthily on the viewer.  Small glitches are evident though. The second half is filled with quarrels between the lead couple to the point that the viewer might get slightly impatient. The squabbles are also dragged out and the panoramic camerawork at this point is a bit distracting. Also, the narration is slightly marred by the quick succession in which the songs are placed in the second half. The only big goof up is the way the director tends to root more for the male in the couple and the way he bogs down the female character to apologise for mistakes that both of them had comitted over the course of ther love affair. The climactic portions have a typical Gautam Menon signature on them.

Technical work:

The music provided by Maestro Ilayaraja is soothing and suits the movie. Ilayaraja has given his best Kollywood'Tollywood album in years. Expect him to be nominated this time in various popular awards. The lyrics by Na. Muthukumar/Anantha Sriram are poetic. The editing is perfect. No scene seems out of place nor does anything seem to be missing. All other technical details are adequate to the hilt.

Snapshot:
NEP/YVM celebrates the various stages of love with the subtlety that was missing in VTV/YMC. It carries the feel good sensation with sweeping romance. For all the romantics out there, this one is a trasure trove. Even for the hardcore realists, this one is not a bad one. It will leave big smiles in your face. Pure blissful cinema from Gautam Menon. One of his best.

Rating : 4 on 5

P.S: You will like this even if you liked VTV/YMC.

Review: Barfi! - As sweet as it gets.

Films set in a retro backdrop have become the new Bollywood obsession. Each year, we see more and more films set in the 70s, most of which turn out to be sadly insipid and highly stereotypical of the era. Yet, among the bevy of films that have come out in this sub-genre, some have achieved near classic status (The Dirty Picture, Gangs of Wasseypur to name a few). Why these films succeed is because they succeed in getting the viewer out of the Retro bubble and view the film as a whole. Right from the time the trailer of Barfi! came out, the generally enthusiastic public opinion on the trailer was because of the whole package that was encased in it, be it the soothing music, the colourful visuals, the promise of great performances and the Chaplin like antics of the lead actor. The retro era was very less talked about. So, we can say that the retro bubble was popped right before the release. So, what we are left with now, is the fear that this movie might turn out to be just another love triangle with the 3 leads going great lengths in love, some by sacrificing, some by sheer charm and some by being selfless. Added to this is the factor of disability, autism and an unkind society. It must be confessed that all these assumptions turned out to be true, but in the most positive light. These seeming blemishes turn out to be the very fine silken threads of a skilled weaver working in an old fashioned loom. The end result is an intricately crafted piece of moviemaking. The movie turns out to be as cute as the Murphy Baby.

Plot:

Barfi! is the tale of 3 phases in the leading cast’s lives and their tryst with love in each phase. Phase 1, set in the year 1972 sees the whirlwind romance between Shruti (Ileana D'Cruz) and Murphy alias Barfi(Ranbir Kapoor). Shruti has been recently engaged and has come to Darjeeling, presumably on a holiday. Barfi, is a mischievous and charming man who is deaf and dumb. They both fall in love with each other and want to get married. But, Shruti sticks to her engagement because of parental pressure and fear of social stigma. Meanwhile Jhilmil Chatterjee (Priyanka Chopra), an autistic girl, is torn away from her home for gifted people and is taken to her ailing grandfather. The second phase is set in 1978, when, due to a twist of strange fate, the paths of all three reach a common point. Old fires are ignited. Barfi is being chased around the town by the police. Jhilmil is with him. The third phase is in the present days, In which an ailing Barfi is visited by the two ladies of his life. The story is unfolded in a series of flashbacks and flash forwards in a non linear fashion.

Story, Screenplay and Direction:

To get snappy, Barfi! is an imperfect film about three imperfect people. Negative as the description may seem, it is not critical of the content. Imperfections act like adornments to this movie. The writer, director Anurag Basu, who is known for his dramas on betrayals in love, gives us a light hearted romcom. The movie starts off with a small opening song by Swanand Kirkire which goes like-“Picture ho gaya hai shuru”. A movie in which the protagonists have disabilities in talking and hearing, is almost always, predominantly silent. The same thing applies to Barfi!. There is dialogue only for about 40% of the movie’s run time. The writer has drafted a story which has oft been seen and heard. It is the screenplay that makes the core of a film like this. The writer has scripted a screenplay that jumps eras in a style akin to Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. The screenplay scores high as far as the depictions of disability, the emoting of the actors and the story are concerned. Every character is well defined and meshes together as a seamless whole with near effortless ease. Added to all this, is the Chaplin factor. The writer has cleverly borrowed from various films of Sir Charlie Chaplin and The Marx Brothers to create a smooth flow of serious, comedic and touching sequences. The director has to create appealing visuals in which the actors can ably express themselves to the viewer. Another notable achievement is that the director successfully recreates the era of the 70s, yet uses it as the perfect device to drive his narrative to it’s fitting conclusion. One is not hung up in the details of the era, but starts thinking like a resident of that era.  The usage of various motifs like tramways, the Murphy Radio(and Baby) and of course the inimitable Chaplin’s Tramp act blends seamlessly into the plot. Many of the comic acts have been unabashedly borrowed from old Hollywood classics of the likes of Sir Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers and Donald O Connor, which have been put to perfect use by the director. Added to this is the “Pure heart of gold” approach employed by the director. But the film is not without flaws. The narrative moves smoothly, yet glacially in spurts. The screenplay has no unnecessary plot elements, yet the existing elements seem to have been used at a little more stretched manner than required(Eg: repeat flashbacks, continuous time skipping). Grave matters like death, kidnapping and crime have been handled in too light a manner. These minor abrasions are overcome by the pure sense of delight and satisfaction that the viewer is left with. The director gives a few laughs and many smiles to the viewer without going with the typical weep and lump in the throat approach. It is Anurag Basu’s best piece yet. He has successfully managed to craft a movie that offers pure delight and nothing else.

Performances:

The actors of a film like this are its soul. Acting is the life of this film due to large reliance on visuals and body language. Here, the movie scores an even 100. Ranbir Kapoor takes a leaf out of his grandfather’s books and does the Chaplin act with effortless ease. His comic acts are perfectly delightful. His performance as a deaf-dumb person is the best he has given in his career yet. His actions have indeed spoken louder than words. Watch out for his old man act(a la the one in Tata Docomo ads).His tour-de-force should make him a tough contender at various awards. Priyanka Chopra sheds her diva image and turns in a performance akin to Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. Her portrayal of an autistic girl is probably her best and most understated performance yet. Her character is etched in a fully believable manner due to her great act.  Ileana D’Cruz puts in a great supporting act in her Bollywood debut. She looks ravishing sporting 70s style clothes and hairstyles. Her work in this film is utterly respectable.  Saurabh Shukla and Ashish Vidhyarthi  are great in their brief roles. The whole acting ensemble has to be commended immensely.

Technical work:

The technical department is sound in most parts except music and cinematography. These two departments are outright brilliant. Pritam Da’s music is the best he has given till date. His soothing compositions which draw heavily from the 60s and the 70s serve not just as great songs, but also go well with the flow of the narrative. Ravi Varman’s camerawork is stupendous. He has created visuals that in addition to appealing to the viewer, also serve to take the plot forging ahead. In a movie where actors have no words, the camerawork serves as the actors’ voice. Ravi Varman’s camera has given the actors not only their voice, but it has also given the viewers, their understanding of the movie. The art direction is adequate. The costumes belonging to the 70s are well designed and tastefully chosen.  

In short, Barfi! is a film that is as sweet as its name. It is an old fashioned story told in a charming, Woody Allen type narrative, which tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you with a 100 smiles by the time the movie comes to an end. Yes, there are pitfalls from a critical point of view, but as a viewer in the general audience, it is about the most delightful and pure movie experience that you can get in Bollywood. Watch this movie for a sumptuous dose of sweet romance and unabashed old fashioned comic relief. It will be a feast for the romantic in you. This is the best in the careers of Anurag Basu, Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. Don’t miss it, for films like this are very rare in Bollywood. A quietly Pure heartwarming delight.

Rating: 3.5 on 5
 

The Dark Knight Rises : Rise to Soar

Ok folks. The Dark Knight has arrived to rise. His rise is in the most adept hands of Christopher Nolan for the third time. Nolan has reinvented the super hero genre with his much acclaimed Batman reeboot franchise. The hopes are very high for Batman to flutter high for the third time in this franchise. After the massive acclaim and awards garnered by the second instalment in the series, Nolan had set himself standards that many of us felt, were impossible to emulate, even by Nolan himself. You will definitely walk to the theatre feeling that you might not savour a third helping of the same dish, especially when the second dish had an award winning menacing performance by Late Heath ledger. Yet, the fact remains that Nolan has never failed to impress both audience and critics alike with all the 7 films he has directed till date. One will thus definitely get into the theatre feeling that Nolan shall not fail to impress, but the third serving will be one that has oft been tasted and shall not be as savoured as the second one. Put all your inhibitions in the trash folks, because there is absolutely nothing new that I can write about the third instalment in Christoper Nolan's much famed Batman reboot series, that you might have not felt yourself before or heard before. No, that was not a statement laced with negativity, but the only way Nolan can be complimented, for he has succeeded in packing as powerful a punch as he did in The Dark Knight. Starring a bevy of Nolan regulars such as Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Morgan Freeman, The Dark Knight Rises soars to the heights that it promises to reach in it's title with typical Nolan flair.

Plot:

The plot picks up where The Dark Knight ended. It has been 7 years since Harvey Dent died. Gotham has become a city devoid of any crime. Bruce Wayne now lives the life of a recluse. One day, he is burgled by the mysterious cat burglar Selina Kyle, who actually burgles much more than his valuables. Bruce Wayne comes out of his self imposed house arrest only to find out that Gotham is slipping back into the chasms of darkness by a plan perpetrated this time by the masked villain, Bane. As he tries to wreck Bane's plans, he finds himself falling into the gorges of his past life of training under Rha's Al Gul. Will he be able to let go of his past? Will he rise to save Gotham from Bane and his sinister plans? Grab your tickets, go watch and find out for yourself.

Work behind the camera:

Now, let us get rid of the massive impression that Heath Ledger left in our minds for doing this film its due of justice. Nolan has crafted a pitch perfect superhero saga that does not sag on you, for the third time in a row. The impressive set pieces, visual effects, sound design, visuals and overall technical wizardry apart, The Dark Knight Rises packs in a wholesome fare for every ravenous cinematic appetite in town. In terms of plot, it is no more than your average superhero film with it's share of societal menaces and do gooders with a good wins over bad ending. As is usual, it is Nolan's treatment of the script that makes every difference. What the plot loses in it's routine proceedings, it more than makes up for with gripping sequences filled with such emotional depth, you feel that it is more than just an action movie. The ensemble cast is justified with clearly defined roles for everyone on board. Again, Nolan makes the viewers see the superhero as human with human idiosyncrasies. The director makes us look at the superhero with all his foibles. Though, what is most impressive is that the movie made even the villains look like humans rather than pure evil in the same flair as the previous instalment did. Where this instalment tops the previous one is in stronger conceptual content. The action sequences are at par with the usual Batman standard and so is the technical work. The script packs a more intelligent story which bears an uncanny resemblence to Inception i.e with a series of continuous snapshots of the past and a twist ending. In the second instalment, The Dark Knight was a hero all through. In this instalment, we get to see the real personality behind that hero. The events portrayed are so aptly meshed that the movie never goes out of sync with the viewer at any point of time in its 145 minute running time. The movie is not without its faults though. The twist ending is too predictable. It also has a little less of action and more of talk than the second instalment. Yet, unlike usual superhero yarn, this one does not insult your intelligence. It plays with your intelligence instead. Hats off for the 8th time to Nolan for that. Watch out for the sharp one liners laced with acidic wit.

Work Facing the Camera:

The performances by the ensemble cast is one of the most perfect ones ever. Everyone fits the role admirably. Nothing new can be said about the persons who were already involved in the franchise before i.e Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. They are as good as they were before. Anne Hathaway makes a far better Catwoman than Halle Berry(a Razzie award winning role). She is adquate as a feline burglar with a good side. Tom Hardy as Bane is pertinent to his role, if not passionate. He makes a far less menacing villain than the Joker, but that is in no way a derogatory statement. Marion Cotillard gets a role similar to the one she had in Inception and pulls it off with her typical grace. Joseph Gordon Levitt is perfect for his role. Overall, no major faults nor any major brilliances in the cast. They fit the bill perfectly.

Snapshot:

What Nolan has created here is possibly the greatest superhero trilogy of all time. The last instalment more than lives up to it's predecessors. It improves on some of the faults of them and completes a few open plot lines in them. The Dark Knight Rises is an emotionally charged, viscerally stimulating, intellectually sound and aesthetically significant film of the superhero genre. For hard core Nolan fans and for the normal viewer in general, the film provides an equal measure of entertainment and satisfaction. Please go watch it and do yourself the honour of savouring the intellect that is Nolan's. Please do not allow the Joker to be a block to your appreciativeness, because this film more than just deserves it. It earns it from you with the force of hulk.

Rating: 4.5 on 5 (Once again I am being forced into this generosity of rating purely because of one person whose name I needn't mention for I have already done so in a copious amount)

Vicky Donor : Sperm to the Heart

Here arrives an exploration of a very unexpected, almost taboo topic on Indian screens. Here are a few things the viewer should know. One, As 'manly' as the subject is, it is touted to have a tender heart and a soulful edge to it. Two, The movie has been given a U/A certificate(surprising coming from the Indian censor board). Three, the movie is about Sperm donation and yet not at all the horny stuff one usually gets. As 'manly' as the subject is, it is touted to have a tender heart and a soulful edge to it. The film had created quite a stir with it's interesting trailer. Also, it is John Abraham's debut as a producer. One tends to wonder if, coming from the Indian markets, such a rarely touched issue as sperm donation has been handled in the mature way that it warrants. The market certainly seems to say so. The film  has already opened well in domestic and international markets and has been declared a critical and commercial hit. So, is this sperm and heart package worth it? The answer is a big positive. Written by Juhi Chaturvedi and Directed by Shoojit Sircar and starring  Ayushmann Khurrana (of MTV fame), Yami Gautam(a few roles in television and a movie in the south) and Annu Kapoor, Vicky Donor is a lighthearted take on serious stuff with surprisingly humane treatment.

Plot:

Vicky Arora is the typical happy go lucky 'Punjabi munda' living in Delhi with a frazzled beautician mother and a Grandmother with surprisingly modern sensibilities. He is pursued relentlessly by Dr. Chaddha, an infertility specialist who also runs a sperm bank, to donate sperm. After initial reservations, Vicky finally gives in. He becomes a regular donor after tests show that his sperm count is insanely high. Juggling between his conservative mother and a love affair with Ashima, a recently divorced bank employee, Vicky manages to rake in the moolah donating sperm. After struggling with the cultural reservations of their parents (Ashima is a Bengali), Vicky and Ashima get married. From here, Vicky's life gets complicated as conservative society and insecurities turn his life into a twisty ride of emotional turmoil. Will Vicky be able to solve his problems? Watch the movie and find out.

Performances:

The movie's strength lies with it's charming ensemble as much as it lies with the intrigue over the near taboo topic. MTV VJ Ayushmann exudes charm. He is perfect for the role. Everything from the Punjabi lingo to his perfect underplay of emotions add up to make Vicky a believable and humorous character to behold. Yami Gautam is a pleasant breeze of acting prowess. She plays her part to the hilt and also manages to look ravishing throughout. She and Ayushmann are great as the lead pair. She is perfect foil for Vicky as a modern independent divorcee with insecurities. The best acting job done is by Annu Kapoor ji. Dr. Chaddha is a character which one can always remember after watching the movie, as one of the best doctors to ever arrive on the screen. His Punjabi accent, spirited dialogue delivery and clever lines (with frequent usage of the word sperm) give Dr. Chaddha all the health a character needs. Annu Kapoor can find himself to be in the race for the best supporting actor awards. Dolly Ahluwalia as Vicky's mother, Kamlesh Gill as Biji and the actors who portray Ashima's father and aunt do a swell job. Their presence in the movie is as important as the three lead characters. Each one of them has their own scene stealing moments. The movie gets it's soul from the combined and consistent effort put in by the actors. One of the best ensemble performances ever to hit Indian screens.

Writing and Direction:
One has to award Brownie points galore to writer Juhi Chaturvedi for crafting a clean screenplay from a topic that could have well made a movie full of sleaze. What one sees is a wholesome and lighthearted take on a taboo topic. Though one goes to the theatres expecting a rib tickling ride, he/she will find out that there is more to the movie than just laughs. Instead of focusing on sperm donation, the writer has used it as a plot device for the love story that forms the core of the movie, which is commendable. There is a charming emotional undertone that tugs at the heartstrings with zero effort. The movie is filled with clever lines and humorous situations which act as the base for a deeper, heartwarming story. One has to commend the writer for crafting a sufficiently mature screenplay from a subject considered reserved for adults and yet convince the conservative Indian censor board into giving just a U/A certificate (Hats of to the board too). Director Shoojit Sircar gives the screenplay, the treatment it deserves. He has managed to visualise the screenplay, fuse it with reality and yet remain true to the lighthearted undertone. Not one scene seems out of place and not one character seems out of context. Mr. Sircar has judiciously thrown in all the ingredients and made a soothing concoction out of such heavy matter. Though the movie goes through the occasional narrative lull, has a few logical flaws and also becomes a bit too fast before the climax arrives, charming characters, enjoyable lines, crisp dialogue and clean treatment of such an adult topic make up for them. The most enjoyable part is the mishmash of Punjabi and Bengali culture which provides as equal amount of humour as the main subject itself provides.

Vicky Donor is a must watch because of two reasons. One, because it is so rare that a topic like sperm donation comes on screen in India and yet be so clean. Two, it is undoubtedly the best romantic comedy to come from Bollywood in recent times. Vicky Donor is clean entertainment for ages 13+. It may not educate you on sperm donation or make you acquainted with the problems it entails and solves. But it, sure as hell, will leave your thirst for sensible cinema, quenched. Like Vicky says, "Sperm ke upar dekho, Heart naam ki cheez hoti hai". And the makers of Vicky Donor have done exactly that. Go for it folks. Bollywood is not generous in giving us such films. Simply "spermalicious".

Rating - 4 on 5 (an extra half star simply because the writer has managed to look at the heart and make the viewer look at it, rather than the sperm)

Classics : Nayagan

This year marks the completion of 25 years since one of the most acclaimed Indian movies released. On the 21st of October 1987, Mani Ratnam who had then recently won numerous accolades for Mouna Raagam, teamed up with the star who had then been just nearing 33 years of age but had been in the film industry for 27 years with 2 national awards already in his basket of accolades. Need I mention that I was referring to the evergreen Padmashri Kamal Hassan, who won his 3rd National Award for this film. The film also won 2 other National Awards (Cinematography and Art Direction) and was India's entry to the Academy awards where it was so unfortunately overlooked. In 2005, Time Magazine's critics Richard Schickel and Richard Corliss came up with a list of the all time 100 best films in which there were only 3 Indian films - Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy (Counted as one), Guru Dutt's Pyaasa and the third one is the film I am writing about. In addition to all of this, Nayagan was a box office smash. It marked a paradigm shift in the trend of Tamil cinema. Gangster movies in India had never been realistic in any way, be it the fights or the portrayal of the Gangsters themselves. It was probably for the first time that so violent a gangster film had no protagonist per se. Even the titular character was portrayed in what is called "shades of grey" i.e both the bad and the good side have been portrayed. The film is said to be inspired from The Godfather (also the bulky cheek make up Marlon Brando wore in The Godfather was worn by Kamal Hassan in Nayagan) and based on the life of real life underworld don Varadaraja Mudaliar. When Indian films are "inspired", it is generally taken for granted that they have been copied from Hollywood. But rest assured folks, this one is not just an exception. It is exceptional. Directed and Written by Mani Ratnam and starring a load of Tamil cinema greats - Kamal Hassan, Saranya Ponvannan(debutante), Janakaraj, Delhi Ganesh, Nasser, Tinnu Anand and Nizhalgal Ravi along with the support of Mani Ratnam's solid technical team consisting of Maestro Ilaiyaraja (music & score), P.C.Sriram (Cinematography), B.Lenin and V.T.Vijayan (Editing), Thotta Tharani (Art) and Balakumaran (Dialogue), Nayagan is not an Indian version of The Godfather but has it's own identity. It is The Indian Gangster Film of all time.

The plot:

Young Velu Naicker witnesses his father being massacred by the police for standing up for his rights. After killing the policeman responsible for his father's death, he flees. Now in Bombay, he is taken care of by a kindly old Muslim man who transports smuggled goods for money, mostly to help other people. Velu is brought up with the ideal - "No deed is a bad deed when it helps people". As Velu grows up, he stands up to his values with steadfast resolve. He becomes a criminal benefactor to the poor people. He becomes the "Naicker Ayya" to the masses. He is the humanly god of the slum dwellers. Yet, being a man in the world of crime, he has as many enemies as he has friends. From thence, is a saga of Velu's journey as a don over the years. He experiences pain after pain over the years, all due to his adamant attachment to his values of survival. He loses happiness after happiness for his cause and due to his criminal activities, yet never wavers. Near and dear ones around him die violent deaths over the years in front of his eyes. Other loved ones leave him because of his dark trades. Will he ever find happiness and peace? That's for you to find out.


The performances:

Now, it is a known fact that Kamal Hassan is the doyen of method acting in India. His treasure is full of performances that may be lapped up in future schools as lessons in the immaculate art of acting. But, what one sees in his performance as the don of the masses, is not the perfect actor, but the imperfect human being. It is seen all over that the portrayal of the leading character in any Indian film since times yore, has been a cent percent depiction of an ever prevalent good side. While the antagonist is always a human Satan. Now, here is where Mr Hassan triumphs. His portrayal of the don over the ages is a performance for the ages. He brings out the angst of youth, the happiness in love, the pain of separation, the feel of power, the horror of crime and the total surrender that comes with age with the subtlety of an artist painting his masterpiece. His performance merited him a well deserved National Award. There are places where one is simply arrested by his presence on screen. His performance is particularly notable in places:
1.)  The scene of Velu Naicker's outbreak at the hospital - Why this scene is so notable is because of the near perfect care taken by the actor to portray the anger that is inbuilt in a man of crime. His voice (amply assisted by betel leaves) and tone reflect the authority and passion that comes with power. Add to all this is his ample use of body language, particularly his arms which highlight the frustration that is inherent in that situation.
2.)   The scene of the distraught policeman - Here is where Mr Hassan shows the magic of underplaying. His casual folded leg posture, upright face and of course betel leaves in the mouth, show why one can speak volumes without speaking. His ample display of quiet shock in his face and a tone of quiet disbelief speaks more than any amount of loud dialogue.
3.)   Naicker's Outburst after Selva's arrest - Here is where the actor uses a gruff tone of anger and a cynical tone of mock to express the rage of a friend. Absolutely fantastic.
4.)  The famous good or bad scene - The creme de la creme of the movie comes in front of the courthouse where an old Velu sees his grandson. The little boy asks him whether he is good or bad. And all that comes out is a simple "I don't know". But his eyes which are to the brim, speak volumes of emotions which gave goosebumps to many a viewer and tears in the eyes of others. The way he lowers his eyelids and lifts them back to show how he feels gives the viewer more than just an idea of his talent.
Mr Hassan's performance is so passionate that one tends to overlook the slight over the top sequences (classic one being the scene where Velu cries over his son). It is most definitely Mr. Hassan's Piece de Resistance.
Saranya Ponvannan was ample in a small role. It proved to be the foundation for her later career as an actress. Janakaraj takes a deviation from his usual slapstick comedian roles to a slightly more serious one and actually excels in it. One wonders why he never did such a role again. Tinnu Anand gives a good cameo as a mentally challenged man. The rest of the cast including  Nasser, Nizhalgal Ravi and Delhi Ganesh are just adequate.
In all, Nayagan is a film that rides almost solely on the acting prowess of a one man ensemble.


The Screenplay and Direction:

Mani Ratnam, the auteur of the new line of Tamil cinema of the 80s, crafts his best piece which he has never been able to top till date. He shows his ample taste for heart wrenching melodrama with flying colours. His signature use of long pauses between dialogues is not that much of a hindrance to the viewer as it suits the theme well. Also the writer of the film, he has drafted a screenplay that flits through time at a very deliberate pace. It would have been quite a cumbersome experience to draft a screenplay so full of people portraying intense emotions. Maybe that is why the movie works despite it's well heard storyline. Mr Ratnam has made use of many elements from the classic The Godfather, only to craft a film that is quite unique altogether. It can be seen that he has been quite wise by omitting the usual tamil movie action scenes and concentrated more on the person himself. The scenes involving violence are more sympathetic to reality than swashbuckling altogether. One can argue that the director has been careless when it came to portraying the negative side of gang violence. But when one watches the movie, the immediate observation is that such a mistake can be forgiven because of the even concentration put in by the director and screenwriter in trying to portray one persona across years of his life. In all, it may not be Mr. Ratnam's masterpiece in terms of writing and direction, but when looked at as an allround show, it is his piece de resistance. Brownie points go to Mani Ratnam for piecing out a violent drama with striking sympathy for realism and passionate melodrama.


Technical work:

Nayagan has Mani Ratnam's regular technical wizards. The national Award winning Cinematography by P.C Sreeram is one of the mediums that Mr. Ratnam uses to tell his story. His use of multi angle camera shots and "bright light in the dark" shots emphasize the points of attention for the viewer whilst providing a grim beauty to the equally grim tone of the film. The editing by B Lenin and V T Vijayan is watertight as usual. Yet another national award for the film came for it's realistic art direction by Thotta Tharani. His set pieces are so apt for the mood and locales of the film that one may even mistake it for a real house. Maestro Ilaiyaraja comes up with one of his best movie scores ever. His use of bells and the flute gives the movie half it's emotional intensity. His songs, penned aptly by Kavignar Vaali and Kavignar Pulamaipithan, are also well known and famous though one or two might have been placed just for compliance with the formula of Tamil movies. The most notable of Ilaiyaraja's works in the film are the songs "Then Paandi Cheemaiyile" (for it is one of the goosebump raisers in the movie) and the rustic number "Nila Adhu" (For it's insanely atrocious lyrics and bold picturisation). In all, the technical wizards excel the director in the execution of their work.

One of the greatest Tamil movies of all time, Nayagan has grown to be an evergreen classic that has only improved over age thanks only to two persons - Dr. Kamal Hassan and Maestro Ilaiyaraja. Had they not been there, the movie would have failed for sure, which sums up about every flaw in the film. It is an actor's movie. Just to watch the versatile artiste in his most subtle performance is more than a pleasure. It is a boon. It is a movie that has to be watched by any Tamil movie enthusiast and also by connoisseurs of Indian Cinema and gangster movies. It is one of the few movies that packs in a wholesome course of emotions which are intense and yet easy to stomach.

!!!!Classic!!!!

      

3 - "Bipolar" Experience

 

So, at last arrives the film that has with it the feverish hit "Kolaveri Di". One goes with a bountiful of expectations for this film only because of the one song it has. Starring Dhanush, Shruti Hassan and Sivakarthikeyan and directed and written by Aishwarya Dhanush, 3 is a romantic drama. So, is the movie worth the hype created by the Kolaveri factor? One may think yes because of the track record of Dhanush's movies in the past few years and the track record of serious tamil cinema in general. But the answer is a big negative. 

The plot revolves around the love life of Ram (Dhanush) and Janani (Shruti Hassan) which is recollected in flashbacks by Janani. They both fall in love at the peak of adolescence and have a few years of romantic joy with their parents being oblivious to all this. Then one day they get married and are just starting to live happily ever after when all hell breaks loose. Ram discovers that he has bipolar disorder(read extreme mania). Then the plot follows the steady decline of his condition and how he tries to hide it from his wife who is distraught at her husband's erratic behaviour.

What could have become a good compelling drama has been squandered by the Writer and director Aishwarya Dhanush. The story moves at an excruciatingly slow pace with an overdose of scenes and situations that involve glycerin. Yes, the premise is interesting and the story quite sensible. The long winded screenplay and erratic direction however destroy any interest one may have. The movie starts at a great note with some good dialogue and lighthearted romance meshed properly. But from where the track of the school going lovers ends, the movie goes into a path of steady decline before plummeting into a chasm in the second half. The director could have opted for a little less of melodrama as it turns quite annoying at times. Yes, the subject is quite serious, but the passion that has to emanate from a love story like this isn't present. Here is emotional disconnect everywhere which just blunts the serious proceedings. And of course, there are some glaring plot holes (main one being the parents of ram being of ignorant of his condition) which throw the viewer off connect. However, where one has to commend the screenplay is how unabashedly it sticks to some old Tamil movie cliches without being unrealistic. In fact, however long winded and annoyingly melodramatic the movie might be, the element of realism is ever prevalent with few scenes being otherwise. 

Coming to the performances, both Dhanush and Shruti get ample scope to cry and they cry out with aplomb. Dhanush is quite his usual self. He has given a performance that seems to have fit the director's (read his wife's) and the story's need. Shruti Hassan shows a little bit of improvement and looks just fabulous, but still has to exercise some control over her facial expressions. Both of them give charming performances in the track of maturing adolescent love. They actually fit the bill of school goers perfectly. Right from their looks to actions, everything goes perfect in that particular track. But all of their ability is squandered or overused from then due to the excruciating pace and poorly written dramatic scenes. Sivakarthikeyan throws in some fun in the movie. His presence provides the adolescent track with suitable comic relief. Prabhu and Bhanupriya get no scope and have just mere cameos. Sunder Ramu as a friend in need is decent.

Technical work is solid. Cinematography(Velraj) is suitable to the film's mood. The editing(Kola Bhaskar) is optimum. Little needs to be said about the lilting score of the already famous debutante Anirudh Ravichander. Not just Kolaveri, but most of the songs are good and well shot. Even his background score is smooth flowing. His work is the USP of the film and rightly so.

Folks, let's face it, Kolaveri is the only reason 90% of the people will watch it and it might be reason enough to give the film a decent opening. But the viewer is so let down by the director that he\she might think "Why this Kolaveri" dear director. The movie is a Bipolar experience i.e one will love a bit of it and just despise the rest of the bits. But the lovable parts are very much in the first half. A great story gone awfully wrong. A disappointment to the level of Kolaveri (Murderous Rage).

Rating - 2 on 5 (and no extra marks for Kolaveri, it just doesn't help)

Review : Kahaani

So it was Vidya Balan last year and now it is being said that it is going to be Vidya Balan this year too. Female centered films have become the order of the day. And no one can complain because in the past few years, it is only such films that have been sensible. In that category, we have had dramas (The Dirty Picture, No one killed Jessica) and comedies too (Most of them forgettable). Now comes a Thriller. Fresh from her National Award win, Vidya Balan has become the most bankable female star. Is she as bankable in Kahaani? Directed by Sujoy Ghosh and Starring Vidya Balan, Parambrata Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Kahaani is a thriller set in Kolkata with a pregnant woman character as the protagonist. Is the movie worth it? I answer the last question with as big a yes as was given to The Dirty Picture.

Kahaani is the tale of Vidya Bagchi who arrives from London to a strange city, Kolkata. She is pregnant and is in search of her husband who is seemingly missing. As she searches for her husband assisted by a friendly police officer, she discovers that there is no trace of her husband either in person or on record. Distraught yet defiant, she continues her search. In the process, darker truths come into light. Vidya and the friendly officer get sucked into a mysterious whirlpool of crime and terror. Vidya has to find her husband holding on to her life which hangs by a thread. Will she succeed? Is her husband alive? Watch the movie and find out.

Never has a thriller made in Indian soil been so straightforward. Zero scope has been given for nonsensical subplots and out of the world romance as has been the trend of 90% of Indian thrillers. The movie moves at a deliberate pace keeping the viewer intertwined in a deftly woven web of paranoia and atmospheric thrills. The characters have been drawn so clearly and the screenplay written so edgily that one is astounded by the next scene always. Director Sujoy Ghosh has chosen his locations and cast very well. Most of the cast is Bengali in keeping with the films locales, which gives it an all the more natural effect. The use of Durga puja as a plot piece has to be commended with claps infinite. His direction is simple, sticking to the point and never wavering from the plot. The viewer is totally arrested and cannot tear his/her eyeballs off the screen. The plot is not devoid of holes though. Some of the elements like the criminal operations have been portrayed as being in far much ease to be careful. But the plot holes seem insignificant as the film in totality fills them up. Added to this is the spicy, sometimes whiplash use of sharp dialogues.

The technical department is adequate. Special mention for the Cinematography (Setu). He has succeeded in creating the mood of suspense with sufficient use of shaded photography and lights and colours of Kolkata. Vishal Shekar have given a score that is tasteful and faithful to the mood of the film. They deviate from their usual style of western pop stylised scores to a much more deeply rooted score worth a hear. Amitabh Bachchan saab's rendition of Ekla Cholo Re is heart warming.

Now, the centerpiece herself, Vidya Balan. She has delivered another award worthy performance. She is restrained and tempered, not going over the top at any point. Her character required a bold performance in the least. But what Vidya Balan has displayed is dollops of guts. She is the person who is to be given credit for making the viewer eye only her as significant while she is the only dominant character of her gender, throughout the film. Surrounded by men, she displays more brawn of character than all of the men put together. But it can be said that Parambrata Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have provided able support. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has the most of the sharp lines with him.

Is it true that Kahaani is the best film of the year? Nope. It is the best film in nearly four years of the lacklustre period of Bollywood. It is the entry of a to the point thriller to the autobiography of Bollywood. So thick is the atmosphere of suspense that one might choke for want of answers throughout the film. The answers they will get. But what they will get when the movie ends is the feeling that Bollywood doesn't have to copy Hollywood to hook you to a thriller. It just needs it's homeland with a few filmmakers who can stay to their roots and yet engage you. It would be sacrilege on the altar of Bollywood if you miss this one.

Rating : 4 on 5

Review : The Artist

83 Years ago, a silent film, Wings, won the Oscar for Best Picture. And then, came the era of sound films. And now, The Artist, a French silent film wins the coveted Oscar, proving that there is more to silent films than just Charlie Chaplin. One definitely wonders why a black and white and Silent movie deserves so much. Is it because of the so called "timeless" appeal of the black and white format, or because it is crowd pleasing or is it simply because it is a piece of art in itself? Well, it is a bit of all of the above. As it hits the Indian screens, let's see why it is so special. Directed and written by Michel Hazanavicius and starring Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo and Uggie the dog, The Artist is a film connoisseur's delight.

The plot line is a clever paradox. It shows the decline of the silent cinema era, in the form of a silent film. Silent movie star George Valentin is at the peak of his career and in a marriage on the rocks. Right at this time, Peppy Miller enters his life. A prancing young wannabe actress, she is given the role of an extra in one of his films. They are attracted to each other from the beginning of their acquaintance. Meanwhile, the silent film era is waning and Valentin's studio decides to stop making silent films. Valentin, adamant that sound films have no scope, experiences the rapid downfall of his career. Peppy Miller rises to become the nation's darling actress. Then on, the movie depicts the course of their relationship marred by their different statuses and Valentin's unsettling pride. Will they succeed in coming together? Will George Valentin ever be the same star again? These are the main questions answered through the movie's course.

Michel Hazanavicius has written a bold screenplay, not in terms of content, but in terms of the time in which he has written it. Making a silent film in the age of motion capture and VFX is commendable indeed. The plot moves at a tempered pace, allowing the viewer to take in the beauty of the whole piece. The scenes are well written and mesh together as a wholesome whole. It is difficult to direct a film in which all the viewer has, to comprehend the plot, is the expressions on the face of the actors and the whole mood created by the director.  Hazanavicius succeeds at every level as a director. He has created a masterpiece. The brilliance of his direction resonates in so many scenes (particularly the ones witg Peppy Miller hugging herself and Valentin's dream sequence). He has brought out the charm of the 20s Hollywood and has poignantly portrayed various situations in the most lighthearted manner possible.


The performance by the two leads is commendable indeed. Jean Dujardin who has won most of the best actor awards (in The Oscars, The Baftas and the Cannes to name a few) brings out the pride, joy, despair and hopelessness of George Valentin with panache. His expressions seem so natural that the viewer reads the dialogue cards on his face before they appear. The scenes with him and Uggie the dog are utterly delightful. Berenice Bejo's performance is a perfect foil for Dujardin's performance. Without speaking a line, she prances through every scene with the enthusiasm of the wannabe actress she plays. An able support indeed. The others in the cast like John Goodman, James Cromwell and Malcolm McDowell to name a few, are adequate.

The Artist boasts of robust black and white camerawork by Guillaume Schiffman. He has aptly used the camera to bring out the charm of the 20s. The Oscar winning score of Ludovic Bource is suitable to the film's requirements. It is totally reminiscent of the era portrayed in the movie. The costumes are tasteful and the art direction is perfect. Where Michel Hazanavicius has again succeeded is in the editing. Assisted ably by Anne-Sophie Bion, he has given his own vision, a crisp running time of  100 minutes without making any scene seem forced, hurried or unnecessary.

The Artist proves not that one can make a loud proclamation of victory with the use of silence, but that the silent film still has life and can have a large heart too, if it has the right elements. It is a crowd pleasing charm which can be watched by all and liked by all, silently or not so silently.

Rating : 4 on 5

Review : The Iron Lady

So fresh after her Oscar win and the tidy amount of accolades she won, Meryl Streep's The Iron Lady hits Indian screens. I have always admired Meryl Streep since Kramer Vs Kramer and this was reason enough to motivate me to watch The Iron Lady in the theatre. One is curious to find out how a movie can elicit such mixed reviews while it's leading artiste claims near universal acclaim. Well, the curiosity vanishes right from the first frame of Meryl Streep's appearance on screen.

As may be predicted by every moviegoer, the plot line is the recounting of the life of Britain's first Lady Prime Minister, Lady Margaret Thatcher. Margaret Roberts is a grocer's daughter who grew up in the face of constant ridicule from her peers as well as from her colleagues. But, committed to her aim of service, she goes on to Oxford and then to become one of the most powerful politicians, Conservative leader and then on to Prime Minister in a nation that had erstwhile, never had a lady leader(also becoming the longest serving Prime Minister of Britain). Garnering much hatred in her tenure due to her adamant stands on her own views while gathering respect at the same time, she introduces measures that no man ever had the guts to do so. Then she resigns and suffers from dementia in old age.

Sadly enough, the screenplay is as plain as the above. What one expects while watching a biopic, is an exploration of a person as a person. Not a person glorified as god. That is exactly what is missing. Once the movie starts, we see that the screenwriter(Abi Morgan), is obsessed with the titular character to the extent that the actions of the character, the reforms she introduced, the mistakes she made, the persons in her life and the hardships she faced are all used just as time fillers to occupy those surplus minutes when the titular character is not speaking. The screenplay is so obsessed with the titular role that nothing else is significant. Even the role of Lady Margaret's Husband Denis Thatcher (played by Jim Broadbent) is shown as nothing but a sidekick to his powerful wife and a disease to her in her old age. The screenplay is the only damaged part of the movie. Sadly, that takes a movie to the lowest level of mediocrity.

The technical department is solid. Everything from the cinematography, the editing and the art direction is adequate. A few parts of the musical score seemed inappropriate, though. And as for the makeup, the oscar win should give one an idea.

Now, for the only reason to watch the movie. Meryl Streep gives one of her most superlative performances. She is known to be an actress of near obsessive passion. Well, she has lived as Margaret Thatcher for 105 minutes of screen time. One forgets that she is Meryl Streep and that she is American. All we see is the British Premier Lady Margaret Thatcher. Everything from her diction, her actions, her walk and her expressions seem to have been ripped off from the real person. She rightly deserved her Oscar and even more rightly so, after 30 years of failed nominations. She has elevated the movie from being a forgettable fare to a textbook in acting. Kudos. The other actors are not given ample scope due to the singular fixation on the titular character. But Jim Broadbent has done justice to his role. He is the only one noticeable from the whole cast other than Meryl Streep herself.

Overall, A one woman show all the way. No Meryl Streep and the movie is no more than one among the hundreds of forgotten movies. Phyllida Lloyd (the director) must thank Meryl Streep for saving her yet again (she did it once before in Mamma Mia!).

Rating - 3 on 5 (1 on 5 without Meryl Streep)