Rewind - Best of Kollywood 2013

The year 2013 comes to a close. This year has given us a very mixed bag with big star masala entertainers raking in the moolah as usual. But we have also received some very prescient dramas, smiley face comedies, black comedies and the usual Tamil award circuit fare. Some major disappointments came in the form of big starrers turning damp squibs. In all this hullabaloo, it was however easy picking choices for the best in Kollywood this year. I hope it isn't as easy the next year.

The Lunchbox - 'Epic'stolary if you please!!!!

The Lunchbox, produced jointly by Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap and UTV Motion Picture, brings to us the rare epistolary. If the acclaim it has garnered before release is anything to go by, The Lunchbox promises a naturalist fare. Two fine performers called Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have been cast in 2 of the 3 lead characters with Nimrat Kaur (the Cadbury Silk lady) being the third. As one watches the film, realisation dawns that the acclaim so garnered is ever so slightly misleading. The Lunchbox ever so subtly cuts out a shapely slice of life fare.

The plot traces the exchange of letters that happens between a lonely middle age insurance company employee and an unhappy housewife when (shockingly) the dabbawala delivers lunch meant for the latter's hubby to the former and how this transforms their lives.

To come to the performances, it is a feast of underplaying on display here. Irrfan Khan displays his easy natural flair by doing exactly what is expected of him. Be it the subtle show of frustration at constant nagging, the quick display of cunning for slight issues or the display of constant sadness, he has got it all ready with him. Nimrat Kaur packs in an equally good performance with the added advantage of her natural yet pretty looks. Nawazuddin Siddiqui keeps the humour element going throughout the film and gives a solid supporting act. Also worth mention is a small yet effective cameo by Lillete Dubey and the unseen 'Aunty' character. On the whole, the perfect elegant ensemble.

The director and writer Ritesh Batra remains as realist and as abstract as possible in his execution of his own strong subject matter. The screenplay is the definite hero of this film. The film utilizes minimal live dialogue and focuses on the facial expressions of it's characters through 70% of the run time. The story unfolds at a smooth pace for most part of the film with it getting a bit annoyingly glacial at the last 15 or so minutes of the film. Yet, what is most impressive is that the writer/director gives an apt abstract touch to conclude the film. A few plot threads are left open for the spectator to decide on. The transformation shown in the lead characters' lives is a perfect demonstration of delectable subtlety. The naturalism in the director's execution is deliciously consistent throughout.

Able technical work can be seen in almost all departments. The editing is smooth as silk and the Cinematography, as natural as the film itself. However, the most impressive work is done by the sound mixing and sound editing department. In a film where the music score is so slight, the spectator's involvement is kept alive by the apt mixing of natural urban hustle bustle and the set of daily noises. The most impressive touch was however when the sounds kept going on in the succeeding frame and stop abruptly when a character speaks out. The sound technicians are in for many awards this year.

To quote in short, The Lunchbox is an uncut gem. Natural with its own dirt and grit, yet as precious as its polished counterpart. Such unabashed display of subtle naturalism is very rarely seen on Indian screens. Had the film been a little less glacial in pacing, it would have been brilliant. However, it keeps itself to being good, salt of the earth stuff. It goes on to prove that every moment in mundane human life can give an engaging story to the spectator if narrated in the right manner.

3.5 on 5

Madras Cafe - Brain food with a dash of thrill

From the makers of last year's surprise smash Vicky Donor now give us a flick of a nearly polar opposite genre. Touted to be a gritty spy thriller set in the troubled times of Jaffna, Madras Cafe from director Shoojit Sircar, written by Somnath Dey and Shubendhu Bhattacharya and starring producer John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri, Ajay Ratnam, Siddharth Basu and Piyush Pandey among others, also presents an interpretation of the Indian Intelligence procedures to uncover the conspiracy behind the assassination of Ex-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Making this film in a non conducive environment as India must have been an uphill task indeed. In addition to courting ample controversies, this film has also earned the wrath of those sympathetic with the dwellers of Eelam. Transcending all these obstacles, Madras Cafe has hit the theatres and one finds that this film has a great deal more to offer than the regular espionage thrillers seen till date in Bollywood.

Plot:

The plot is set between the late 1980s and the date of the assassination i.e 1991. Vikram Singh, a RAW agent is sent to Jaffna to lead the field intelligence operations of the peace keeping forces. As he digs into his job, he finds out that there is a leak in his own organisation and that his own life is in danger. Furthermore, he finds out that all of this is insignificant and that it all opens up to a bigger conspiracy with long term National implications.

Story, Screenplay and Direction:

Madras Cafe is one such film where the script and direction are the 100% heroes. The characters in the film derive their well etched contours only due to the strength of the script. The script is absolutely made of stuff that says "No Nonsense". Some outstanding writing can be seen here. There is nothing conventionally Bollywood like in this film. The writers have filled the script with factual references and real life happenings whilst bringing in a plausible plot between the same. The events on screen move at a rapid pace with each being as intriguing as the other. What is notable is the pain taken to avoid references to any name or person whilst depicting actual persons. The story line is sound and rock solid. The only disadvantage here is that too much information has been crammed into the film. This means that those who are not aware of the events that make up the subject, will probably be flummoxed. The care taken for intricate details about intelligence operations and political crisis without any direct reference to any real historical figure is laudable. The film anyway succeeds in conveying the event intended to the viewer. Sircar gives this script the stellar direction it needs. The direction supersedes the incompetence of the lead actors to make a flick in which every event depicted speaks for itself. In a nutshell, the script is the winner all the way in Madras Cafe. It is the most brainiest script to come out this year.

Performances:

The performances by the lead actors are ordinary to the level of break even adequacy. John Abraham is well suited for his role owing to his robust physique. But he is as stiff in intense sequences as he always is. Nargis Fakhri gets a pivotal role in the nature of an on and off appearance and does a decent job of it. The rest of the cast has minor roles that supplement the plot. As said earlier, the film is totally story driven and the characters are mere cogs of the big machine.

Technicalities:

Technical aspects are sound. Kamaljeet Negi has canned the troubles of Jaffna very well. Through his lens, we can see a great deal of the script's effectiveness. Editing by Chandrashekhar. P is pitch perfect. The film drops in pace at no point of time and neither does any scene seem ineffective. The sequencing of the events is like a perfect set of pictures for a kinetoscope. The Background score by Shantanu Moitra is apt.

Madras Café is the kind of diet that Bollywood connoisseurs have been starving for. Though brainy thrillers are by no means non existent, they are very few and this one is perfect brain food. But prepare to be confused if you don’t know your history. A heavyweight thriller with a razor edge script and stellar direction, Madras Café is a gritty and harrowing reality check that in addition to providing a look at field level covert operations, also derives very well from one of the most tragic events in Indian History.

Rating : 3.5 on 5

Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer - Teenage Naivety!!!!!

Director Suseenthiran has decided to go back to his original winning formula of using relative newcomers after the debacle called Rajapattai. What is most intriguing (positively shocking for some) is that his latest flick is a mere 106 minutes long (that is about the time when we get back to our seats after interval). This time around, he picks the subject of teenage romance and its naive nature which leads to one of the most dreaded form of societal stigma in India i.e premarital conception. This territory has been trodden upon in Tamil cinema only at the surface level (only to the extent of the Hero's sister doing the act and the ensuing suffering to be more precise). Given Suseenthiran's fantastic track record albeit with the black spot called Rajapattai, one can say that the film has a good chance of being as interesting as its premise. But the film more than lives up to that expectation. Starring newcomer Santosh Ramesh, Manisha Yadav(of Vazhakku En 18/9 fame), Jayaprakash, Poornima Jayaram (after how many years?) and Thulasi (Remember that child in Shankarabharanam?), Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer is as mature as dramas can get.

The plot revolves around a whirlwind affair between two college mates that goes awry when the two lovers take that ultimate step. The girl becomes pregnant and their lives go into a free fall taking their parents along with them. 

Suseenthiran sticks to the point throughout the film. You will find no songs that are not for the situation, no scenes that do not add to the plot and no actor whose role is not connected with the plot. One is so pleasantly surprised with the striking delicacy with which the topic in question has been handled by the writer/director. The writing is so grassroot and so uncomplicated, its brilliant. The plot moves at a fast pace without compromising with even one bit of the sincerity required for so delicate a concept. The director has been so successful in projecting the teen lives of urban India and the very naivety of that age that one feels convinced that he has shot something straight out of reality. There are no big dialogues that come with the movie. The conclusion of the movie is one of the most striking and most melancholy conclusions ever. Yet, the movie delivers entertainment, food for thought and is unambiguous in conveying its message. It is an unqualified triumph for Suseenthiran.

Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer is an example of perfect casting. Newcomer Santosh Ramesh both looks and acts his role in a form most close to reality. Manisha Yadav gives in a good performance too. The best performance however is that of Thulasi (yet again, remember that child who croons Dorakuna Ituvanti Seva in the climax of Shankarabharanam?). She plays a distressed modern day middle class mother to the hilt. Jayaprakash is adequate for his role. Poornima Jayaram is good in a 5-10 minute role as the male lead's mother (that apart, it was great to see her in screen again after nearly 3 decades). The rest of the characters including mainly the bunch of college mates is a good ensemble.

The technical aspects are adequate with special mention for the sharp editing by Antony and some hummable tunes by Yuvan Shankar Raja.

In addition to being the most mature take on teen foibles ever seen on Indian screens, Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer is a must watch for every teen in town and also for the parents of our times, for it presents an unflinching view on one of the most dreaded societal maladies of contemporary times without compromising in the entertainment front (though the conclusion and the general atmosphere in the film are essentially melancholic). A most gripping teen drama.

Rating : 4 on 5

Lootera - l'amour Sublime....!!!!

So we have had a romantic saga with great results recently (Raanjhanaa). Now added to it is the feeling of nostalgia. If the trailers are anything to go by, Lootera promised a love story with considerable depth and with that shot of nostalgia (being the movie is set in 1953-54). Coming from the house of modern film auteur Anuraag Kashyap and the director of Udaan, Lootera is an adaptation of O'Henry's short story "The Last Leaf" albeit with ample modifications. The expectation meter is high and one tends to feel that this movie might be a letdown due to that uncanny feeling that high expectations might dampen the actual viewing. Rest assured folks, that feeling is an absolute bummer. Lootera is Indian cinema in its most sublime form.

The Plot:
The plot revolves around the romance of Pakhi and Varun. Pakhi, the child of a rich landlord, meets an archaeologist visiting them and sparks fly. They have a passionate affair. But a shocking truth about Varun leaves her devastated and recouping from extreme sadness and a bad bout of a near fatal disease. Then, Varun enters he life again. What happens then forms the rest of the movie.


Screenplay and Direction:
The screenplay is a triumph of sorts for Vikramaditya Motwane and Bhavani Iyer. Not many would be able to make a period movie without glamourising the setting with brash Bollywood stereotypes. The most striking point is the meticulous detailing of the period setting. Here is one movie that shows the 50s as they were. Using some strategically placed historical references, popular 50s Bollywood music and typical 50s mannerisms to great effect, the plot moves at a suitably glacial pace not compromising one bit with it. The writing is so smooth that one feels that the movie is longer than it actually is but to the best effect. It turns out to be a rich and satisfying platter of emotions and soul stirring moments. The dialogue in the movie is so minimal and so uncomplicated that without the fine work on the finer nuances of the screenplay, this movie would have been an empty shell. The direction by Motwane is to be highly lauded. He has managed to give his own screenplay the very director that it needed. His style is very reminiscent of Udaan.

The Performances:

The performance by Sonakshi Sinha is her career best. She has proved that she isn't the 'Desi glam doll' she has been cast as till date. Her effort to play the happy, sad and ailing times of her character with the finesse of Sridevi in English Vinglish has resulted in a sure shot accolade puller. Added to this is how apt she looks for her character. Ranveer Singh gives a performance quite unlike his loud, happy go lucky Band Baaja Baaraat character. He has underplayed his role suitably well. Other actors in the principal cast do not have much to do, but have been well cast to say the least.

Technical Aspects:

The music of the film is easy on the ears and mellifluous. Amit Trivedi has given one of his best scores. He proves that he is to Anurag Kashyap what A R Rahman is to Mani Ratnam. The background score is commendable too. Like in Udaan, much of the talk in the movie is done by the way of its music. The score in the intense emotional sequences of the movie acts as a catalyst to engage the viewer. The cinematography by  Mahendra Shetty is picture postcard perfect. Through his lens, one gets the feel of the 50s and through his camerawork, one gets the feel of the emotions on screen. His usage of natural surroundings and lush greenery in intimate sequences is immaculate. Editing by Namrata Rao is water tight and the set pieces are very reminiscent of the 50s.

Lootera is by far, the best picture of the year, the best film of Sonakshi Sinha, the best film of Ranveer Singh and has the best score of Amit Trivedi till date. Needless to say, it is a sublime romance saga which is bound to involve the viewer with its emotional frankness and many subtleties of filmmaking. Though one feels that the movie is longer than 135 minutes, it is the feeling of eating a delectable desert that lasts long enough to soak in the sweetness. Lootera is an engaging romance drama by the team of Udaan. One can expect it to be showered with assorted accolades in the awards season. Go watch Lootera and do yourself a favour that you will be grateful for. Any plot hole that you may find in the film is merely lint on a Pashmina shawl. Lootera showcases nostalgia and l'amour sublime like seen very rarely in Bollywood.

Rating - 5 on 5.

Raanjhanaa - Love.... Rife with Strife!!!

At the outset, I would like to warn you guys. Do not go to this movie expecting a rustic romcom like what was shown in the trailer. The truth is that all the events in the trailer unfold into a much more macabre atmosphere as the movie passes on. Years ago there came a man called Shakespeare whose inimitable style of writing created a genre in his own namesake. Many of his plays are known for their morally ambiguous characters, dark plots, violent times, human hatred and maddening passion. This flick helmed by Anand L Rai with a script by Himanshu Varma and starring Dhanush(or the Kolaveri guy), Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub and Abhay Deol(in a short but pivotal role), is a true to its roots member of the Shakespearean genre.

The Plot:

The plot is of romance rife with strife. Kundan, a Tamil brahmin boy living in Varanasi falls in love with Zoya, a Muslim girl. But his love is challenged by various elements which seem to be deigned by the almighty himself to tear both his love and his life apart. Zoya, who reciprocates the love in childhood, forgets it in adulthood, scoffing the former as mere immaturity is also tested by her own selfish motives, Kundan’s persistent stalking and her love for Akram, a student leader in her college. Woven into this mesh are Kundan’s childhood friends who try their level best to support him and dissuade him appropriately. What is the result of all of this, is what the rest of the story is about.

Screenplay and Direction:

Now, the review has to be split into two parts. One, for the first half, which is essentially the half that covers most of the entertainment in the movie. It is a set of cleverly sequenced events that unfold in a manner most quirky and full of wit. The writer must be commended for his whiplash dialogue work and fast moving screenplay. It is sure to bring claps and whistles in addition to making you go “wah wah”. The other, for the second half, which is the one where Shakespeare kicks in full on. In this half, you feel a sense of the gloomy and the macabre. Though the writer has not compromised on the dialogues, the story tends to sag and become a little unbelievable. One may feel that the writer has compromised on both logic and reason in this half, where some sequences seem quite unrealistic and ludicrous. Yet, that is just a verbal description of how Romeo and Juliet, Othello and Hamlet were. So true to the earth are the myriad emotions in play on screen, that some viewers might feel devastated for the characters on screen. A near commendable writing job. The director has improved significantly to his previous outing (Tanu Weds Manu). His effort this time seems much more mature and melancholy this time, much unlike the Tanu Weds Manu.

The Performances:

Among the actors, debutante Dhanush (a national award winner) gives a cracker of a performance. It is like he never runs out of fizz throughout the movie. His expressions, voice and rustic appearance are his prime allies. His work is whistle, clap and award worthy. Swara Bhaska

r and Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub as Dhanush’s friends are effervescent. They get the lion’s share of humorous situations and carry them off with elan. They equal Dhanush's role in terms of entertainment quotient. Sonam Kapoor and Abhay Deol give understated performances suiting their characters perfectly. On the whole it is a powerhouse ensemble.

The Technicalities:

A R Rahman, needless to say, is another hero for this film. His songs are salt of the earth stuff. All of the songs in the movie are purely situational. Yet, one feels that the movie could not have done well without the maestro’s melodious and folksy tunes. The Camera work by Nataraja Subrahmanyam captures the various colours of Varanasi life effectively. The other technicalities like Editing, Sound design etc are adequate.

It can be safely said that Raanjhanaa is one of the best films to come out this year and one of the most solid Romance sagas in the recent times. It is sure to make it big in the critics circle and the awards season. While the movie is likely to entertain you, it may even sometimes make you feel why the events in the second half are so illogical. Yet, this flick deserves a lot more than any movie in the Rs 100 Crore club. Raanjhanaa is the return of Shakespeare style melodrama with that slight dose of daft and sometimes stupid plot elements exclusive to the Shakespearean genre. Those with no taste for the myriad and stupid combo will abhor this film. As for me, I love Shakespeare...........

3.5 on 5

Bombay Talkies - A Portmanteau Ode to Bollywood

Bollywood completed its centenary recently. And to mark this milestone, 4 directors well renowned for their adeptness in the craft of contemporary cinema come together to make a portmanteau film with abstract subjects. Right from the title of the film, which is the name of the first film company of India to the story of the four different short films making up the anthology, one finds Bollywood’s influence everywhere. If all this was not delectable enough to insinuate a must watch feeling, there is also this stellar star cast adding up to the menu. And so, floored by the offer, the viewer goes into the theatre with the expectation meter swinging far right. And through the movie, one finds himself going through vistas of contemporary Hindi cinema. Yes people, Bombay Talkies is worth all the expectations.

Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh – Karan Johar

Starring Rani Mukherjee, Randeep Hooda and Saquib Saleem, this segment directed by Karan Johar deals with the complex theme of homosexuality, lies and adultery. While the latter two are the director’s forte, he adds up the former into the theme for the novelty. Karan Johar’s stamp is evident throughout the 30 minute duration of his segment. But this time around, he packages the essence of drama in larger dollops. The result being a very thoughtful and graceful insight into the sexual turmoil caused due to living a lie and living against societal norms. Karan Johar masterfully weaves various scenes together and signs off with a subtle conclusion. He takes an oft bashed and cliched concept and shapes a simple tale of strained relationships from it. Very impressive and possibly, Karan Johar’s best work till date.

Star – Dibakar Banerjee

Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sadashiv Amrapurkar (after how long?), Dibakar Banerjee’s segment is the best among the four. It is a very simple story (Written originally by the doyen, Satyajit Ray) dealt with tender grassroot charm by the ace director. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sadashiv Amrapurkar excel in their respective roles of failed actors with expert grace. Dibakar Banerjee’s down to earth approach and the appropriate casting of the actors make a wonderful 30 minute look into a failed actor’s failing life and what happens when he gets a blink and miss role in a bigshot film. The director’s attention to the emotional core with subtle doses of quirky albeit sardonic humour provides charms and smiles galore. The conclusion may leave a lump in the throat for some, but for the others, it serves as one of the best conclusions to a short film ever. And yes, it was a delight watching Sadashiv Amrapurkar back on screen.

Sheila Ki Jawani – Zoya Akthar

Starring 2 child stars, an actress (whose names I shamefully do not know) and Ranvir Shorey, this segment written by Reema Kagti and co-written and directed by Zoya Akthar is the most uncomplicated of all four. It deals with the story of a boy from a middle class family who is struggling to reach his dream of becoming a dancer against the whims of both his father and the society at large. Zoya Akthar’s simple treatment of the very simple subject give it the charm of an olden day’s fairytale. The performance of the 4 member cast, especially that of the two kids will extend your smiley curve to the endless. Katrina Kaif gives a convincing cameo. The only disappointment lies in the way the film culminates. It is just too unconvincing and far fetched. Although Zoya Akthar makes you smile, the end leaves some disappointment. Yet, great work by her and Reema Kagti for making a simple smiley piece out of a seemingly ridiculous subject.

Murabba – Anurag Kashyap

The last in the list is Anurag Kashyap’s segment. It stars Vineet Kumar Singh and a well known face in the Indian soap opera world with a cameo by Amitabh Bachchan. Anurag Kashyap surprisingly delivers what must be his most lightweight fare. He adds in enough quirky moments and situations that elicit a few chuckles, even when the protagonist is going through the most hopeless time of his life. Anurag Kashyap proves that he is not all dark and harsh but can also tickle your funny bone if he is into the job. Written with apt pacing by the ace director, the most impressive part of this segment is the use of our own Big B as the plot driver. This may not be his best celluloid job and most of the admirers of his style will be disappointed to get a much too simple fare and an oft tread upon story from the offbeat director. But the others will chuckle to their heart’s content and leave with a big smile.

The Montage and the Song

And the portmanteau ends with the compulsory touch of nostalgia. Various frames are shown of the various actors and actresses from the Bollywood of times yore to the contemporary times. The only sore part of this montage is the title song that plays in the background, which though aptly worded, is very ordinary. But the sheer joy of watching all the glory of the Bollywood Celluloid as a montage is compelling.

The Technicalities

The technical ascpects of the movie are top notch with the camera work, the editing and the background music all being just perfect. The songs leave a lot to be desired. Even more because names like Amit Trivedi, Swanand Kirkire and Amitabh Bhattacharya are behind the music. But the songs turn out to be quite routine, with just one being easy on the ears.

Bombay Talkies is pure and blissful cinema. Though the subjects of all the four short films are skewed when compared to each other, the common tendril of Bollywood connects them into a seamless whole. All that is great about contemporary Bollywood is presented in a seamless way by the team of four directors. The portmanteau format has been successful in many cases in Bollywood. And here, it is no different. But we have the element of nostalgia as a bonus. For all those who love Bollywood, go treat yourself to a nice evening well worth being a celebration of the 100 years of Indian cinema. And for those who do not love Bollywood – You love cinema don’t you? If you do, go watch it.

A worthy tribute to our priceless repository called Bollywood and a clap worthy collection of mood pieces, this one is a show you must not miss. Directors should pay tribute to Bollywood more often.