1857 - A Love Story: My Thoughts on Junoon (1979)

They Call it the year of the Sepoy Mutiny; We call it the Year of the First Indian War of Independence, any which ways, 1857 was indeed an epoch making year in the annals of Indian History and the Indian subconscious. Surprising then that Indian Cinema has by and large chose to sidestep such an important event and there are only a few movies, which actually deal with this period of strife and turmoil. 


Not surprisingly then, most of the movies on this period focus on personalities and the event is just an incident, albeit with far reaching consequences that took place in the canvas of the principal actor’s personal lives. An example could be made by referring to Sohrab Modi's brilliant masterpiece, Jhansi Ki Rani, the excellent TV serial Bahadur Shah Zafar by BR Films that had Ashok Kumar playing the lead role and the somewhat pompous and over-the-hill, Mangal Pandey and so many more of the same type ......


Only two movies made with this era as the backdrop actually manage to create a semblance of the order, life and times of that period and one of them happens to be Shyam Benegal’s brilliant piece of artistic cinema – Junoon and the other happens to be Satyajit Ray's only foray in Hindi Cinema - Shatranj Ke Khiladi ...... and like the latter masterpiece which was based on a short film written by the great Munshi Premchand, Junoon is also an adaptation of a book by that great Indian writer, Ruskin Bond (A Flight of Pigeons).


In fact, come to think of it, Junoon is one of the few movies based on Indian literature and as such it proves the vitality of Indian authors, even if they happen to be foreign born. Just a few days ago, we discussed another movie, a classic, authored by a contemporary Indian author (3 Idiots, even if the titles do not say so). Maybe this will serve as a lesson to certain filmmakers who keep on saying that there are hardly any new subjects in Cinema.


What does Junoon mean? Junoon means obsession; when love oversteps it's limits, it becomes a passion; when Passion transcends it's boundaries, it becomes worship and when Worship crosses all boundaries man-made and nature-made, it becomes a Junoon! An Obsession ..... a very dangerous emotion for this emotion can create a Sur Das and destroy a Devdas - It can create a Taj Mahal and destroy the very dynasty that created it; it can make a God out of a devotee and it also can make a putty out of a Diamond!

Junoon is a story of a Pathan chieftain, Javed Khan who is not entirely enthusiastic about the mutiny against the British Establishment but who increasingly finds himself drawn into the strife less due to nationalistic fervour and societal pressures and more due to his obsessive love for his British mistress. Junoon, is also a brilliant rendition of the love affair that blossoms between the star-crossed pair of Javed Khan and Ruth (the daughter of a British Major, killed by mutineers, protesting against British heavy-handedness in terms of religion, in the House of God).

Shashi Kapoor as Javed Khan turns out a fine performance. The maturity of a character hopelessly in love is well displayed as also is his uneasy reluctance to join the ranks of the mutineers established effortlessly in his earlier scenes with Sarfaraz, the man behind the mutiny. The actor uses both silence and speech to convey the deep feelings of anguish and hurt and the character graph of the unfortunate warrior-lover neither drops nor loses even a slight tremor of intensity in the entire turmoil but stands unscathed and dignified in the middle of chaos and ruin.

Shabana Azmi as his wife delivers a brilliant performance. In a movie, which gives her not much to deliver, she still stands her ground and effectively proves her mettle as an actress par excellence. Nowhere is this more pronounced than the scene where she learns of her husband’s intentions to marry another girl. Shabana displays a rare maturity and imparts a resilient dignity to her character.

Nafisa Ali as Ruth delivers an innocent performance, surprisingly the director has kept her silence and not allowed her a lot of dialogues or emotions - maybe he wanted her only to build up the tension between the Nawab and the European's mother and as such then she has done a good job... Total Understatement, no flamboyance, no emotional outburst; only a frustrated Silence


The real hero of the film happens to be Jennifer Kendall, who, as her mother, not only delivers a competent and restrained performance but also ensures that her command of the art is enough to make you miss her more, once the movie is over. She is one of the only two characters in the film who have a purpose of their own, a will of their own and who would not allow any to trample over them (the other being Naseeruddin Shah)...... It’s indeed a loss to Hindi cinema that such a competent actress never could make it big in Hindi Cinema. 


Kulbhushan Kharbanda as an Indian sympathetic to the British Cause makes for interesting weaving as does Tom Alter in his portrayal of a 1850's Britisher with a colonial and imperial mindset. Another actor who delivers an excellent performance in a small cameo is Rajesh Vivek, who is excellent as the mendicant.Sadly, this would go on to become his typecast for all future........

It is however Naseeruddin Shah, who actually makes you sit up and take notice. In a role, which hardly offers him a lot of scope, the thespian literally stands hands and shoulders over a multitude of highly talented actors and actresses, highly commended for their acting skills and proves himself beyond a shred of doubt. As Sarfaraz Khan, Naseer is amazing and you can feel his hatred and revulsion for the British long after the movie is done and over with. This was one of his earlier movies and it gives a glimpse of the great actor in his earlier days.

Shyam Benegal delivers as always a magnificent film. Everything about the movie is brilliant, from the characterizations to the script to the direction and ultimately to the performance. The director leaves no stone unturned in recreating a period and to his credit everything about the period looks and is authentic. One interesting aspect of the film that though made me wonder a bit is that the film is unabashedly and unapologetically empathic to the British and portrays the Nawabs as being uncouth and uncivil ..... What could be the reason for this? I do not know ...... still the movie is an excellent piece of work...

Indeed, a brilliant movie from a brilliant director.

The Song of the Man-With-A-Difference ...... (Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh)

I will not say a lot today, because the words themselves say a lot and the character speaks for itself ....... What I will do is just translate the words so that the beauty of the words can be appreciated even by those who do not know the language ....

Within each and everyone of us, lies a Rancho - a guy who wants to carve his own path, his own route, who wants to live and not just survive; within each and every one of us lies a child just yearning to learn something new -  a child we all fail to allow to say his feelings ....... while we destroy our hearts in this relentless pursuit of success, forgetting that success will eventually follow if excellence is achieved

Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh
Udti Patang Sa Tha Woh
Kahan Gaya Ussey Dhoondo

Hum Ko To Raahein Thi Chalaati

Woh Khud Apni Raah Banaata
Girta Sambhalta Masti Mein Chalta Tha Woh
Hum Ko Kal Ki Fiqr Sataati
Woh Bus Aaj Ka Jashn Manata
Har Lamhe Ko Khul Ke Jeeta Tha Woh 
Kahan Se Aaya Tha Woh
Choo Ke Hamaare Dil Ko
Kahan Gaya Ussey Dhoondo 

Sulagti Dhoop Mein Chaaon Ke Jaisa
Registaan Mein Gaaon Ke Jaisa
Mann Ke Ghaav Pe Marham Jaisa Tha Woh 
Hum Sehme Se Rehte Kuvein Mein
Woh Nadiya Mein Gotey Lagata
Ulti Dhara Cheer Ke Tairta Tha Woh 

Baadal Awara Tha Woh
Yaar Hamaara Tha Woh
Kahan Gaya Ussey Dhoondo

Translation of the Song  

He was like the mild breeze flowing
He was like the dreamy kite flying
Where did he go leaving us all behind?..... let's find him
 
We used to trod on paths well-defined
He used to walk on paths made in his mind
Unmindful of falls and pitfalls, a smile on his face, he would walk on

We were worried with the ghosts of tomorrow;
He would be found celebrating today
Every moment, he would live while we barely survived

From where did he come,
To touch our hearts,
And where did he go ..... let's find him
 
In the blazing afternoon sun, he was like a shade cool
In the barren desert, he was like the village wonderful
An ointment for every grievous heart, if there was one ..... 

We scared of life lived in wells,
He unafraid made forays in deep rivers
Always daring the currents, swimming against them......
He was the vagrant Cloud
In him we had Friendship found
Where did he go? ...... Let's find him

Before I end, I just wanted to point out one fact that every infant knows and that we forget as we grow up ....... it's easier for an infant to learn languages than for an adult to do so ....... do you know why?

Because the Child is not afraid to lose ........ 

I.Did.It.On[my own].Terms - My Thoughts on 3 Idiots (2009)

Saari Umr Hum; Mar Mar Ke Jee Liye
Ek Pal To Ab Humein; Jeene Do Jeene Do ..........

This is the crux of what I write today, only this and nothing else ...... nothing else matters! It's this battle between what we wish to do and what we are forced to do that is the crux of my thoughts today - it is this lament of the poet, this pain of the heart that forces me yet again to write here again today on a matter-of-fact and in-your-face truth that's surprisingly not evident or seen easily .......

As Prof. Viru Saharasbuddhe (Boman Irani in a well-etched and well-written role) pointedly points out, We all start out as one-in-a-million sperms engaged in a race to fertilize a single egg, thus giving the 'race' primacy over all else. Darwin declares that the survival of the fittest is what has brought humans to the fore of God's creations, that the cuckoo cannot live if the crow is not killed, that every achievement of Life is based on the defeats and destructions of the other, that no one can succeed or win as long as the other is not destroyed , that Life can only be savoured if we accept that competitiveness is all there is to life and nothing else other than competitiveness means anything - that Success has to gained at any cost, even if one has to stoop as low as required to conquer

And then there is Rancho (Aamir Khan, brilliant and superlative as always), a do-gooder in the world that has forgotten the meaning of the word 'good', a man of rebellious spirit in a world that is ruled by conventions, a guy who believes that excellence is the be-all-and-end-all of life and that success is only one of the many faces of excellence, that one should study to know the subject and not to get the grade; ........ a man who talks of the heart and preaches about the heart to a world that has lost relevance of the word, 'heart'!

And then there are people like us, people like Raju (Sharman Joshi) and Farhan (R Madhavan) who are forever running in a race, a race that will take them somewhere, but where none have an idea ...... One (Raju) is so bogged down by the pressures of being the next bread-earner of the family that he has forgotten what it feels to be young and happy - the other (Farhan) unable or the better word would be unready to tell his father that engineering is not his cup of tea ....... does this ring a bell somewhere? I do not know about you, but it does ring a strong bell somewhere in my heart! And who has not seen the results of such pressures .......... people turning into nervous wrecks, leading unproductive and frustrating lives, caught in careers that they did not want to be a part of, and all the time wasting their own talents and those of others ........

And then there are others like Lobo (I wish I could remember the actor, he was really superb) who prefer to end their lives rather than live it as stooges of a society that does not recognize their personal identity and considers them only as parts to a mosaic rather than a whole mosaic itself....... A mosaic where the contributing colours lose their own identities, an ocean wherein the contributing rivers lose all traces of their own separate identities ........ It is a strange world, this world of mosaics wherein people as talented as Millimeter (well portrayed by another brilliant actor of whom we know very little) let go of their desires and end up becoming the fix-it guys of guys who should have been able to fix by themselves .......

The idea of financial success has become so well entrenched that the very purpose of education has been defeated, so as Rancho time and again points out, we have all become machines and machines have become the only ones to do what they are meant to do ..... In a memorable quote, Rancho asks rhetorically  "Pehle Engineering Ki, Phir MBA Kar Liya Aur Phir Banking Join Kar Li! Agar Banking Hi Karne Thi, To Engineering Kyoon Ki?" - Can anybody from IIT answer this simple question?

As Rancho observes, in yet another telling comment, "Chaabuk Ke Darr Se To Circus Ka Sher Bhi Stool Par Kudkar Baitthna Seekh Jaata Hai .... Lekin Ussey well-trained Kehte Hain, well-educated Nahin"

Aamir Khan lives Rancho, the character who is so simple as to seem obvious but who's as oblivious to the race of life than anything else ........ As the narrator, Farhan observes,"Hum Sab To Yahan Certificate Lene Aaye Thhey; Woh Akayla Yahaan Paddne Aaya Tha" (we had all come here to obtain Certificates, he was the only one who had come here to learn!) ..... Who could have imagined Aamir, a man of 45 years could infuse life in a character of a 21 year old so well ..... But then Aamir is a legend ..... Koi Shaque?

There is only character that can stand up to him and still remain true to his own call - the character of the perfect student as per the call of the education system - the student who is am embodiment of the system itself and symbolizes the race itself ..... he's Chatur Mahalingam, a man given to the race - for whom what matters is the final post and not what he has seen or observed in the interim ......... Omi as Chatur performs his role with such a feeling of nonchalance that in him one finds remembrances of toppers, present and past and their unswerving and unmoving commitment to the system.......

Madhavan as Farhan is so well bound to the role that one cannot imagine anyone else other than him in that role as is Sharman Joshi as perfect fit to the role. Both of them not only bring a freshness to the character but have been instrumental in creating a perfect three-dimensional look to the movie......

Boman Irani has once again proved his versatility in a highly demanding and challenging role - as a Dean given to not accepting defeat and to an attitude that smacks of high-end determination and competitiveness, the character could have easily degenerated to a farce ... Also there was a real threat of the antagonist actually reprising the role he did in Munnabhai MBBS (Dr. Asthana) but Boman being Boman not only is able to bring about a perfect differentiation to the characters; he is also able to dispel any doubts of deja vu ...... if any

 Kudos to Kareena Kapoor for taking up a role that does not offer her the limelight and furthermore kudos to her for performing her role with a kind of intensity that is the mainstay of performances, valiant and strong ..... Kareena as an actress outshines both her sister, Karisma and her cousin Ranbir with her sheer strong presence and immense potential ......

Raj Kumar Hirani  once again proves himself to be a man to watch out for - after the intensely satisfying and appreciated classics, Raj Kumar again shakes us with a careful and inspired rendition of Chetan Bhagat's 'Five Point Someone'  .. The play may be a loose adaption of the story and there may be many a changes incorporated in the story, still the spirit of the story remains unchanged. The manner in which the internal dynamics of the engineering college has been brought to the fore reflects the director's intimate knowledge of the dynamics pervading the world of Engineering Colleges and also the director's growing disenchantment with a system that confirms to conforming to tradition rather than allowing fresh thought ...... The pint is made time and again that man must follow his heart for that's where real satisfaction lies ...... the key of the success of the film lies in the fact that the film makes it's point without becoming preachy ........

Music in the film is well-adapted to the requirements of the film with each and song standing true to it's potential ....... So while we have the ode to the rebellious spirit of Rancho - Behti Hava Sa Tha Woh well sung by Shaan, that brings in broad relief the characterization of Rancho, 'All izz Well' sung by Shaan and Sonu Nigam also do their bit in popularizing the theme

But for me the song that matters the most is: Give me some sunshine that not only puts the frustration of the system in context but also brings out the pain and angst of the victim.......

It's said that Dronacharya destroyed Eklavya by taking away his thumb, thus depriving him of the opportunity to use his prowess,  the Dronacharya of today goes further than that and takes away the hope itself, leaving nothing but pain and frustration all around

All in all, a very beautiful film but as far as I am concerned, what really moved me was the final climax of the lines I wrote in the beginning......

Give me some Sunshine, give me some rain! 
Give me another chance! Wanna grow up once again!!!

A Walk in the Past - My Thoughts on Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year (2009)

It has been long ..... very long - sometimes it's as if an entire era has passed and the guys who today sits before this computer, writing this stupid review is much different, in facts eons different from the guy who started his professional career 8 years ago ....... That was a different guy, a guy who had ideals, a dream, and who genuinely believed that the world could be made better - that hard work and dedication did get you somewhere and that Truth and Honesty were the most important ingredients of success in personal life ........ As expected, Bombay taught him and taught him well that idealism is better left back in the books that we study, dreams are best seen while asleep and the world was, is, and will remain ..... you will perish! He also learnt that conscience is the biggest enemy of success and a heart is man's worst enemy ........
Much has changed since that day when I joined a particular bank in the marketing division ..... much has changed since that day when I ventured into Operations for a very famous BPO (which was beginning it's operations then .... and much changed since that day when I become the fist ever non-HR management graduate to write a HR manual for a company ........ I have changed jobs and careers, companies and firms, Indian and multi-national and have found that the Corporate world is the same everywhere - the only difference is I am no longer what I was and I will never again be what I was ........

The other day, I saw Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year and it felt like I was re-visiting a part of my own life, a time of own life when things were slightly different, times were slightly different and most importantly I was slightly different ...... the film is well-made and echoes of an understanding of the corporate sector that's deep as well as true...... one would be hard-pressed to find a film in recent times that engages the corporate sector as well as this movie - Well, one would be inclined to talk about movies like Gharonda, Golmaal, Rajnigandha, Naukri, and the recent Corporate, but that would be beside the point ..... Gharonda was a love story with the office serving as a background for the story to move on, Golmaal was a comedy where the workplace was incidental to the plot, Rajnigandha was basically about a woman's feelings while Naukri was centred on the unemployment issue - even Corporate was more of a eagle's view down from the mountains on a small town - but Rocket Singh is an ant's view of the world of cold calls and marketing tips; it is a study of monthly targets, sales figures and so on and so forth and any guy who has ever done a single cold call in his life will know what I am talking about ....................

Ranbir Kapoor is turning out to be worthy scion to the name of the Kapoor Khandaan ......  unlike his cousins, Karisma and Kareena, who took a lot of time and chances to prove their versitality, Ranbir has been a delightful addition to the pantheon that boasts of some of the greatest and best names in the industry - Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, and Karisma Kapoor.....

As the Sardar, Harpreet Singh Bedi who has always had a hate-hate relationship with numbers, Ranbir is earnest as earnest can be - He underplays the character to an extent that even though we know that his actions are suspect, he has our entire sympathy and at times, one can feel the sub-conscious connection of the actor with the role ........ For a career that started only a few years back, Ranbir has been growing leaps and bounds and the confidence of the actor grows on us as an audience within minutes of the film taking off

G Santosh as the pornography- addicted Southerner computer engineer, Girish Reddy is as effervescent as the bubbles in a Coke Ad. Everybody who watches this film, has met someone or been acquainted with someone like this guy who lives in a house that runs a close second to a site in Afghanistan bombarded by the Americans and reduced to a garbage dump - interacting with him is an interesting study in human psychology ...... The guy has done complete justice to his role; he's the Devil's Advocate, the Carping Cassandra, the Doubting Thomas who can see only negativity pervading from every event, every move, every movement ........ in fact, he reminded me of someone I knew on a personal basis, long back in a company which was the worst example I saw in my entire career of inter-personal conflicts at the top level.

Gauhar Khan as Koena Shaikh is as pesky and as uptight as a receptionist in any marketing company ........  she has an attitude that can teach a IIM graduate a thing or two and she has a talent that speaks for herself; she can teach modesty to the most perverted and be rapacious in her attitude .... And yet all that big show of smartness and confidence, at heart she is a girl who's vulnerable and soft and has a heart of gold ..... she will work like an oxen possessed and trust like a dog domesticated, silently filing away all her pains and frustrations, hoping for a silver lining in a dark night but when provoked, she will give a dozen to a six........ The director needs to be commended for the manner in which he has taken charge of an amateur and converted her into an actress worth appreciation!

Mukesh Bhatt as Chottelal Mishra, the ever-smiling, omnipresent but always neglected peon is a perfect example of that species that pervades our offices but is never seen by us, the top executives of the company ......  Managers should learn a thing or two about professionalism from these guys at the lowest rung of the corporate chain who earn as much salary as is spent by a middle level over-smart, cocky professional on a night of heavy drinking .... he is humiliated, insulted, shouted at and fired at the drop of the hat, he is given the most difficult of tasks, he does not have our ELs and CLs, he cannot expect to be given a 30 day leave in the year and still he bears it all silently - never speaking a word, never saying a word! He is always invisible to us, even when he is in front of our eyes and Mukesh Bhatt does perform this role with a vengeance ....... My salutations to the little guy and his performance .....

And then we have the boss, the one whom we hate the most and still try to keep always in humour -  the guy or girl with whom we have the perfect love-hate relationship, the guy or girl whose name escapes our lips more frequently and more easily than the names of our girlfriends, the guy or girl who has been tortured in our dreams in more inexplicable ways and methods than can be imagined but who in reality has often been the source of all our tortures ....... Naveen Kaushik plays the role of that shark with the perfect aplomb that you can think of and imagine - Full points to Naveen for his portrayal of Nitin .... It just doesn't get better than this

And then there is the Big Boss - the man who screws up our appraisals, the guy who rejects our promotion bids, the guy who sits in the ivory tower and disdains to look at us, lesser mortals with anything but the fascination that a cat has for the plump rat that would soon be it's dinner .....  Manish Choudhary is as mean as mean can be and proves the dictum of business being nothing but the ability to use and abuse, to make money for self and make fun of your subordinate, to stoop as low as possible and to stop any aid even to the dying, if one's purpose is being fulfilled ..... The classic description of an Indian Businessman! My regards to this breed that even puts the sharks to shame .....

Prem Chopra is a revelation  ...... it has been so long since I saw him in a purposeful role and in his role as the elder Sardar, the veteran actor does complete justice to his role ..... he is affectionate and simple, trusting as well as loving - I do not think this role could have been done any better

As far as Shazahn  Padamsee is concerned, I am still trying to understand what she was doing in the movie - and when I find a good enough answer I will keep you guys posted! Pucca!

Jaideep Sahni has again proved that he is among the last ones of a vanishing breed of people whom we call script-writers, the last one of his kind, a prime example of how a film is supposed to be written - May his tribe increase!

Full marks to Shimit Amin for yet another excellent piece of direction - it's sad that he hardly gets appreciation for all that he does, while fat momas who are not worth the arse on which they sit are tauted as the next best thing that happened to direction!

And so it continues, the corporate world spins yet another web and yet another guy loses his ideals and virginity of thought and becomes just another clog in the corporate empire ....... Rocket Singh is an idea and I am not sure how many people will understand this idea ...... the sad part is that I am sure people will be confused about what the movie is all about and I do not think many will understand but to be frank, this is the kind of movie that's needed - the film has it's flaw but they can all be forgiven for the reason that the film dares - dares to walk the unfamiliar path, the least trodden path, the path least travelled

This is a movie where the protagonist is an idea - there is no Rocket Singh in the movie; it's a concept that modern India desperately needs to accept and if nothing I would still like to thank Jaideep, Shimit and Ranbir for daring to show that running a business is no rocket science if you have your heart at the right place and you have the guts to stand for your own conscience

Not all do that, most of the idealism flows away, leaving behind a ruthless machine who has no heart, no soul and no feelings ........

Running a business is no rocket science, all it needs is one certain Rocket Singh who knew that ultimately business is not about numbers, it's about people because numbers don't make a business, clients do!

The Making of a Team - My Thoughts on Chak De India (2007)

Everybody loves an underdog… because somewhere within the continuing struggle of the underdog there is evident the image of the undead aspirations of each and every one of us… the Dreams that we sacrificed, the Ambitions that we put to rest, the Desires that died before they could live …. Somewhere within his defiance, his challenge to the howling winds of rigidity lies the sad truth of our own ignominious surrenders; somewhere within his indomitable spirit lies the corpse of our shattered and bruised dreams ........

And so when we find a man or a woman standing for all they believe in and staking their all on one throw of a dice, ready to lose all and risk all on one throw of the dice, ready to stand and be counted for all that they believe in, our hearts shout in unison…. Chak De….

Being Indians, We all are people who hold women in high esteem and worship them as Goddesses - examples could be found in the Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja (which is the most important part of Deepavali) and Saraswati Puja and many other such important rites and rituals. Being Indians, again we all are also responsible for most of the atrocities and discrimination that has become a living curse for the women of India... since Time immemorial and for centuries gone and present, we have respected women in ideals and humiliated them in reality. A woman challenged and insulted 'only' on the basis of her gender, considered incompetent and incapable only on account of her gender, a woman being commented on derisively, only because of her gender is a matter of shame for all of us but do we really care ?….

But When such a woman decides to strike back and take her place of pride, which is hers by right and not by reservation…. All we can feel like saying is.... Chak De…

A man stripped of his honour is a man on a mission…. A man whose integrity has not only been challenged but has been completely shattered is a dangerous man….. A man who has wrongly suffered the ignominy of being branded a ‘Traitor’ is a man to watch out for… A man whose only crime is his religion is a man who can burn an entirenation like a tinderbox ..... A man forced to exit when his only crime was his honesty and integrity is not a man to be forgotten or brushed aside easily ...... they are people who have to be cautiously watched..... for if and when this man returns, the return will be as spectacular as inglorious as the exit…. for this man plays only for his honour and his life … and not for personal glory…..

When we see such a Man fighting for his honour, his nation, his family, for his Truth all we say is … Chak De

And when we find our nation, always been shunted about and been written about in disparaging terms like the commentator in the movie constantly does, and then a team of 11 ragtag girls decides to put up their hands and dare to be counted.. All we can say is ….Chak De ...... Chak De India!

Welcome then to the Indian Women’s Hockey federation, as usual a federation only in name and in reality just a consortium of faded and jaded pompous people with a God-sized ego and a pea-sized talent, preparing for the World Hockey Championship – it's soon obvious that the organizers and the Mandarins of the organization who are supposed to look for excellence and create the best team possible, themselves do not believe that any Indian women Team can ever win such a prestigious tournament and hence are firmly decided that they would not let the Team travel for the Tournament.

Then there is the Team, the Indian Women's Hockey Team which is everything but a Team ... a collection of girls for whom Internal Groupism, State Affiliations, Self-Importance and Personal glory is more important than Victory at the highest level…. A Team where the name India exists only on the apparel and not on the conscience ... A Team which is so much divided against itself that it reminds me of Abraham Lincoln's famous statement 'A house divided against itself' and is reminiscent of the India of the 1920s and 1930s that was enough to divide the nation against itself .... a team where your talent is secondary to your network and your position proportional to the weightage of your contacts....

And …. Then there is the coach, a man out to exorcise his own past, trying to come to terms with his background, his realities, his past, his present and his mission….. A man, trying to exorcise the demons of a momentary lapse of judgment but condemned therafter to a lifelong punishment of being called the traitor, to have people humiliate and insult him and pass snide remarks on him, to speculate whether his religious affiliation was the cause of the loss ....... a man who desperately tries to forget but cannot and who keeps playing with the memento of that great defeat as if rubbing salt into his own wounds ..... who can forget the statement .... "Koshish Kar Raha Hoon, Shayad Ye Medal Golden Ho Jaaye"

In a nut-shell, Chak De India is the story of how these elements that have been lost in oblivion, and which could easily self-destruct join hands in face of a common obstacle and dare to be counted. Chak De India is not a film… it’s an experience worth living…..it’s a classic embodiment of all the living principles of a management school…. Leadership, Teamwork, Motivation, Self-Belief, A Dream that refuses to go away, A Confidence that refuses to be shattered and an Effort that cannot be put away.

Shah Rukh Khan – what do I say about him! I have never been a great fan of his performance, although I never doubted him as an actor but today I need to say this is SRK at his best. The role of a coach, out to prove his loyalty and integrity, the role of a player trying to exorcise his past, the role of a man, called a Traitor and forced to leave his house, his honour, his identity could have become a case for hysterical overacting… but SRK ensures that the dignity of the role is maintained…. Each and every nuance of SRK is just perfect and by the time the film reaches its apogee, all we remember is Kabir Khan, the role and not SRK the actor. The scene where he looks at the words scribbled on his gate and says “Tumko Nahin Dekhna Ho Ammi to Mat Dekho; Main Zaroor Dekhoonga” is a scene worth remembering and a dialogue worthy repeating.

The girls comprising the Team have also put in a great performance… in some cases, the performances of their life….

Shilpa Shukla as the self-important arrogant Bindia Naik delivers a power-packed performance…. It’s not everyday that you find someone who can breathe so much life in her role that you revile her for her antics, hate her for her attitude and still love her for her uncompromising stand… Shilpa is brilliant and brilliant is an understatement.

Chitrashi Rawat as the no-nonsense rural player who lets her stick do all the talking is so impressive that one only wonders at her frame and keeps thinking where does all this fire come comes from… she is a complete natural and I believe will go places in the future

Tanya Abrol is another girl who steals our hearts with her simple yet effective performance… the simple girl from Punjab is so innocent and yet so forceful that you would not dare take up cudgels with her.

Sagarika Ghatge plays the role of a person determined to prove her value to her self-pompous fiancée with panache. Aniatha Nair as Aliya also makes her mark in the little time she gets on-screen. Vidya Malvade is impressive as a woman torn between a family and her dreams. Nisha Nair plays the role of the Jharkhand girl Soimoi to perfection. Arya Menon should have been given a little more space but her innocent looks and screen presence ensures that she is noticed. A special mention needs to be made of Kimberly Miranda, Seema Azmi, Sandia Furtado and Kimi Laldawla. Javed Khan and Anjan Srivastava, as expected, give a well-nuanced brilliant performance. Vibha Chibbar is adequate in her performance.

Shimit Amin again proves that he’s definitely one of the better discoveries of the Hindi Film Industry…. He follows up his previous film ‘Ab Tak Chappan’ with another brilliant piece of film-making. There are many scenes in this film that portray his deftness and understanding of the cinematic language.

Special mention should be made of the introductory scene, the confrontations between Komal and Preeti, the match between the Men’s Hockey Team and the Women’s Hockey Team, which thankfully does not turn into a farce, but remains rooted in the realities of the differences of the two sexes… the confrontation between Bindiya and Kabir and the matches between India and England, India and Argentina and the two matches against Australia.

Equally impressive is the subtle use of the story to show audiences countrywide, the trenchant attitudes that are found entrenched all over the country ...  the issues faced by our brothers and sisters from the North-East in their own country .... the implicit threat of being called a traitor that hangs like a sword on the head of every Muslim in this country .. the media that often sensationalizes and distorts simple facts and for it's own purposes, does not desist from destroying careers, reputations and lives ....... the India-Pakistan angle has also been captured in beautiful relief ......

Jaideep Sahni proves yet again that a strong script sans all special effects can still make a brilliant film. The script is taut and memorable. The dialogues all hard-hitting whether it’s the North-East taunting us for always considering them as Nepalis and Chinese and yet asking them to subject themselves to our notions of nationality, the Jharkhand girls being continuously being spoken of, as jungle-people, the rural-urban rift, the senior-junior rift, the minority question all of it so easily depicted so as to make a statement without making a statement. Excellent!

Patriotism also has it's beatiful and non-sensational but strong impact ..... One Dialogue which I shall never forget is the comment made by SRK when he sees an Australian hoisting the Indian flag: “Pehli Baar Kisi Gore Ko Hindustani Tiranga Lehraate Dekha Hai”.

Salim-Suleiman’s music is in sync with the film and the title song by Sukhwinder Singh ably supported by Marianne D’Cruz and Salim himself is a blockbuster.

This is movie to watch, understand and carry home with one’s own self… for this is a film that proves that whatever maybe the difficulties, whatever maybe the challenges, whatever maybe the odds, we do not lose as long as we do not agree to lose. That Loss and Defeat is synonymous with Acceptance of that Defeat - so long as the Man refuses to acept, not even God can force him to accept that he has been defeated .... The only final defeat is the defeat at the hands of Death and that too need not be final for those who dare to stand and be counted

A special mention of the man on whose life this film is supposed to be based: Mir Ranjan Negi – you are a hero, you were a hero and you will always remain a hero for all who have sense to understand what heroism is all about.

So what are we all waiting for… let the party begin…. to the spirit of an India that will come soon, to the dream of an India that will exorcise all it's demons, to the aspirations of an India, where a woman would not be insulted only on the basis of her gender, to the hope of an India, where being a Muslim would not be a crime, to an India where the North-East and the North-West, The East and the West, The North and the South would not be divided against itself, to an India where the urban-rural divide would cease to exist, to an India where Merit would be the sole arbiter  … let us all say yet once again….Chak De India…..

Remembering Angraj Karna - My Thoughts on Kalyug (1981)

Certain questions that mean a lot but are often taken to be so simple to be even considered; Certain questions that exist in the DNA of mankind but are still never freely discussed by Man for Man finds the answers to some of these at complete variance with the ethics that he preaches and so it's better they are left unanswered......... Still, let us leave aside for a moment the garb of hypocrisy and try and focus on at least giving words to these deep-vented questions......

Why do we desire to be rich, powerful and popular; Why do we seek glory even at the cost of death; Why do we worship success to the exclusion of everything else; Why do we shun losers and emulate winners? What is it that drives us to higher heights of excellence?

The answer is simple though one would not be ready to accept it as simple: We do all this because to our minds, success ensures that we are needed, we are appreciated; that we are not alone; that someone loves, appreciates and cares for us; that there is someone for us… that We Belong!

No Man desires anything more than sincere appreciation… to survive, he needs nothing more than an assurance that he’s needed… he is appreciated… he is loved… that he is capable and often for satiating this primal urge of our fragile egos, a lot is lost, for every man in this universe is a victim of his own ego – his own sense of righteousness, his own desire of belonging and appreciation…. And often it’s this primal desire that drives many a hero to the gates of infamy and loss.

History is replete with the examples of many a hero who though charismatic and true, talented and pure, virtuous and infallible were often defeated at the hands of lesser mortals by their own urge to belong… but none have lived a life as tragic but as noble as my favourite hero of all times – Karna the Great.

Friends, India is a land of folktales, a land of stories, a land of fables but in my estimation, in the entire world there is no saga as profound and as insightful as Mahabharata, no legend as multi-hued as the Mahabharata and no lesson as relevant as the Mahabharata and though today Mahabharata is a story many millennia old, it still contains within it a lot of meaning and insight that’s as true today as it was 5000 years ago. And in this saga of ageless value, nothing captures more the imagination of readers and philosophers alike than the excellent characterization of the greatest tragedy hero of all times – Karna.

Hindi Celluloid has often tried to adapt Karna to modern sensibilities but none has succeeded as well as Kalyug produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Shyam Benegal. The film is a modern-day adaptation of the Mahabharata in a corporate setting and can be considered the finest piece of work deriving from the legend of Karna.

Shashi Kapoor as Karna is a pleasure to watch. The character of Karna works on many levels and it’s not easy for any person, leave alone an actor, to capture all emotions as effectively as Shashi has done with minimum effort. The role of one who is forced to live the life of an orphan, abandoned by parents and surviving on the doles of a friend’s largesse is not an easy one to portray but Shashi has as always proved equal to the task. The scene wherein he faces off with Anant in a family gathering in the early part of the movie, again the scene where his true identity is revealed and finally the scene wherein he confronts Bhishma is brilliant.

Victor Banerjee as the modern-day Duryodhan is an ideal foil to the reticent Karna of Shashi Kapoor. As a man driven by competition and committed to only success and progress, Victor has performed his role with a clinical efficiency. The greatness of the actor is gauged by his climax scene wherein he accepts Karna’s resignation. The pain, the hurt, the childishness of the male ego..... the manner in which victor's eyes capture the essence of his emotions betrays his power over his characterization ....... Undoubtedly, Duryodhan had a childish streak in him and what shows that better than this effortless performance by Victor ..... Simply Mindblowing!

Rekha as the modern day Draupadi has been aptly cast. The sexual tension between Anant and Rekha is as powerful as the sexual chemistry between Rekha and Shashi is subtle. The actress is at her sensual best but the one scene which proves her is the scene after Abhimanyu’s death where she tries to console Reema Lagoo and is pushed away by the versatile actress, blaming her for her son’s death. That one moment transcends the performance of the two actors to another level altogether.

Raj Babbar as the modern day Yudhisthir and Kulbhushan Kharbanda as the simple Bhima have been well cast to their strengths. As expected, both Amrish Puri and Om Puri do their roles with characteristic élan. Sushma Seth and Vijaya Mehta as the matriarch of the two warring clans are impressive – especially Sushma who plays the modern day Kunti to perfection. Do not forget to watch the young Urmila Matondkar who appears as a child-artiste. Even then, she packed a punch!

A K Hangal is impressive as Bhishma…. Although his performance forms a small footnote in the film, the actor stands tall with his perfect rendition… scenes worth remembrance are when he tries to convince Victor to a truce and the final showdown with Karna. Supriya Pathak in the role of a young woman married to a much older Anant deserves our appreciation. Another actress that stands out is Rajshri Sarabhai in the role of Victor’s silent wife.

The only role that appears not to be well-etched out but which continues to be impressive is that of the modern-day Arjun. Anant Nag is mindblowing in his performance as the ambitious and ruthlessly capable Bharat Raj. An excellent performance, sadly it does not get maximal support from the script.

Direction by Shyam Bengal is brilliant and logical as ever…. It’s really sad that the brilliant partnership between Shyam and Shashi did not last for long…. As long as they were together, we were treated to brilliant masterpieces like Junoon and Kalyug. I wish they could come together again. Screenplay by Girish Karnad is brilliant and fully complements the mood of the film. Dialogues by Pt. Satyadev Dubey are refreshing and complement the screenplay to perfection.

In retrospect, Karna has to die…. His life is not something that can be acceptable to society where birth and wealth matter more than merit…where your past matters more than your present….where your success may give you power but acceptance from society is still not forthcoming…There are no elucidations of the principles of life for him… such honours are bestowed only on Arjun…. And for every Arjun that succeeds, a Karna has to go down into history as defeated. But ironically, in that defeat alone lies his success, for in death too Karna fights with distinction and triumphs and finally, in death he makes his own, the appreciation he longed for in vain while alive.

Do watch this movie for very rarely has a film been made that not only allows you to think but also to contemplate on a hero and the one thing that made him flawed – his emotions, his quest for appreciation.

Remembering the Mahatma - My Thoughts on Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006)

“Generations to come will find it difficult to believe that man such as this walked in blood and flesh on this Earth” (Albert Einstein on Mahatma Gandhi)

How should I classify myself? Though I admit, I am impressed by the Mahatma and his philosophy of Non-Violence, to be brutally frank, I am no adherent of the Mahatma and his philosophy; I mean I do agree that his philosophy seems to be sound and strong, but I do not think I would ever be able to stand up on the path as envisaged by him… And Yet, I have spent a substantial amount of my time trying to understand the man and his beliefs though, it's also true that I have always been at a loss to understand him.

How can one even imagine to understand someone who defies logic but still is so logical in his approach that my logic goes for a complete toss?

No… I do not try to follow him… I cannot!

There can not be a man more opposite to Gandhi in temperament and firmament than me and as East and West never meet, neither can we…We are simply different… If he stands for the Truth, I stand for everything but the Truth… If He stands for Ethics, I think it’s an outdated concept ….. He talks of Internal Peace, for me External Position beckons. We are simply opposites … And Yet today I am confused, not because I have suddenly turned into an avid fan of Mr. Gandhi but because I am today faced with a very difficult question… a question that for my intellect has a foregone conclusion but a question, that still haunts my heart!

Does the Mahatma, or can the Gandhi of 1900's survive in the environment of the current century? Can his ideals still be useful and as successful as they were with the earlier generation or have we lost the capabilities to face Truth? Do his ideals still exist? Does Gandhi have a solution for today's concerns?

Youth of my generation, who are prone to only ridiculing his personage, would find it a rhetorical and foolish question, a question already answered in denail and rejection; but if you really think about it deep down, it’s a question that simmers within our conscience, questions our deeds and at times plays havoc with our emotions…….

‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ attempts to answer this question in the best manner it can. Although this movie is a sequel of one of the best comedies of Hindi Cinema, Munnabhai MBBS, it is as different from the precursor as chalk from cheese..... in fact, all that can be said, in comparison with the earlier mentioned classic, is that, it can be considered to be a worthy successor to its prequel – it's very unlike the many other sequels that have invested the movie market like rats in a flea market; and to add to it, it also has a more profound and deeper meaning than the prequel… the challenge of living upto a prequel is a daunting affair, as any artist would tell you (Ramesh Sippy spent his life trying to live down the curse of Sholay) but to actually make the sequel tackle a contemporary subject in a philosophy that has been reviled and cursed by a major chunk of today’s generation is commendable even if considered a bit too risky. To the credit of the director, it has also been speactacularly successful........

Lage Raho Munnabhai is a brilliant movie, a movie which will make you sit back and notice and maybe think at least once after the arcs have dimmed and when all the Munnabhais and Circuits have been relegated to the back of the mind and therein lies the charm of the movie and the power of the philosophy that guides it. It's a film that will, on a tranquil evening, make you dust your conscience from the attic of the consciousness and face upto it - though the doubt many would come out of it with flying colours........

Sanjay Dutt in the best performance of his life, yet again proves that he is no less an actor than the Khans and Kumars of the industry, even though he may not have the kind of clout they command - the Deadly Dutt has always been a lonely warrior and it really hurts to see an actor of his calibre, one who has given strong performances like Naam, Vaastav and the Munnabhai series, is not considered among the leading lights of the current era... Coming back to this movie, the actor simply continues in the same verve as in the previous film but what actually takes the cake is the fact that the actor has not tried to rest on his laurels but has worked on his character and brought about a brilliant amalgamation of a soft and emotional heart to a tough exterior and an innocent faith that can shake mountains. The man has come a long way from his Vidhaata days when he needed to be propped up by stalwarts and the scene wherein he faces the truth behind his faith is enough to move mountains. Brilliant acting, sir!

If Munnabhai is brilliant, can Circuit be far behind? Munnabhai is Munnabhai due to Circuit - it's Circuit who complements him at every move, and it's Circuit that sets up the pace of the film ........ Without Circuit, the film would be as incomplete as a Biryani without rice, or sugarcane without sugar ........ If Sanjay Dutt will be forever known as Munnabhai, so will Arshad Warsi be always known as Circuit........

Arshad Warsi dazzles in the role that’s destined to become his calling card in the industry. The guy has always been an excellent, even if underrated, actor and with this film it lends credence to the theory that no Munnabhai can ever be complete without his Circuit. But more than anything, the guy leaves you speechless with his performance in the scene wherein Munnabhai comes to apologize to him after slapping him the previous night.

Boman Irani again proves a worthy antagonist to our heroes. As the loud but business-minded Lucky Singh, the guy is in full bloom. In fact, I would say that it’s very difficult to play a villain with positive attributes in our hero-obsessed and villain-bashing society but to the credit of Boman, the actor manages to play the role evenly and ensures that at no time does the audience hate him as the evil man. He’s a great actor and I am sure Boman Irani will prove that to be successful, you need to be an actor and nothing else...... Hindi Cinema needs to understand that it's future is not in those multi-million demanding star-sons, star-daughter and star network cliques but in forwarding the interests of these actors who are what made the industry so strong..........

The great Dilip Prabhavalkar, an actor of the caliber of a Sanjeev Kumar or Naseeruddin Shah, but rarely given his due, has been roped in to play Mahatma Gandhi and that is indeed a great treat for the connoisseur. Dilip, like his namesake, the legend Dilip Kumar, keeps the audience firmly glued to the seat with his excellent performance to such an extent that sometimes the distinction between the actor and his role gets blurred and we are left with a sinking feeling that perhaps the Mahatma has come back between us........... Everything about Dilip is extraordinary, the ease with which he makes a difficult character come alive in so simple a way is what makes me salute him as an actor - Undoubtedly a diamond in the world of Acting.........

Vidya Balan as Munnabhai’s love interest plays her role with conviction but the influence of Preity Zinta from Salaam Namaste is pretty obvious.There is little doubt that the actress has it in within her to be a front-lining actress but I think she would do well to study her performances and prepare a career plan rather than try and make lucky choices - Every film can not e Parineeta or Lage Raho Munnabhai - Hence, the need for serious introspection..........

Diya Mirza as Simran plays her role with gusto and gay abandon. Jimmy Shergill is exceptional in his two-bit role. The actor has a lot of potential and it’s sad that he has to keep appearing in itsy-bitsy roles when he has the potential and can carry a film on his shoulders. Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Saurabh Shukla and Parikshit Sahni all perform to the best of their abilities. Abhishek Bachchan is fantastic in his cameo appearance.

I appreciate Rajkumar Hirani for his guts in making a sequel with such a deep and profound meaning. He is a brilliant writer-director and I personally feel he will be one day considered as an institution in himself. Unlike a few other directors who go to town broadcasting about their nonsensical films with clumsy and bold subjects and shoot in every place other than the country where the film is made and made for, the director has made an excellent use of Bombay and its locales. It’s after a long time that Bombay looks so beautiful. Every scene is well-conceived and directed and the director actually ensures that the audience does not go home with an improbable fantasy in their mind but with their feet firmly planted in the ground. I especially like the Press conference scene and the scene in the prison cell and the drunken Sanjay in the Worldspace office. Two films – Two classics! What more can I say for him than ‘keep it up’

And of course, who can forget the senior kids of 2nd Innings - everything about them was just awesome ........ it reminds me of a gang of old guys from my childhood who would get together in the evening at the benches and have a rocking time, ogling at some buxom belle and laughing at memories of a life gone by.........

And now coming to another important part of the film – Mahatma Gandhi… the man proves that despite being derided and humiliated, despite being scorned and laughed at, despite being written off and assassinated, he still remains a powerful force to reckon with. I cannot forget but remember that every time he speaks, the audience in the theatre went berserk and there were claps and claps galore.

You may insult him, make fun of him but the man does not mind… why should he? He very well knows an empire that did the same to him…today the empire is no more, it has been relegated to the footnotes of History but the ‘Nanga Fakir’ still survives… even after being shot dead.....

The answer is out there… Gandhi is dead but he still lives on… his philosophy still exists and surprisingly it exists in the minds of those who hardly care whether he lives or dies…. But then he was always a man of contradictions… great contradictions!

Lage Raho Gandhiji……….

As for me, well, I am waiting desperately for the next installment of this franchise… Phir Milenge Munnabhai!

To Love a Wife - My Thoughts on Omkara (2006)

One of my favourite teachers of yore, once remarked, "Loving your Wife is optional; Understanding Her is Mandatory" and then paused dramatically as if trying to savour the taste of this priceless nugget of information for as long as he could and then as we looked at him amazed and confounded, he continued further," even if it costs you everything in this world- your pride, your independence, your freedom - and if required, even your conscience!"

The above piece of wisdom is the moral of Othello and many other love stories of this world that died pre-mature deaths .... A wife needs everything that one can provide but most of all the soft caress of care, the soft embrace of trust and the soft touch of understanding - and these are the very things that we men fail to provide our spouses - why, ostensibly because we are too busy earning for them to understand them and understand what they want from us.......

The needle of suspicion is the worst needle that can be placed between those that love and the loss of faith is the worst loss that can be inflicted on one's partner. Othello was a brilliant strategist, a master tactician, a general beyond compare, a warrior beyond compare and yet he was felled not by one more deft than him, but one who could not even have been noticed in the wide shadow that his unmitigated glory provided (Iago). Indeed, many of our more dangerous enemies are the ones we know nothing about........ they are the ones who are considered meek and weak till they prove the power of their venom with our deaths..... What powerful weapon did Iago use that felled a giant like Othello - was it the booming cannon, the dangerous sword or the stealthy dagger - it was none of these... if you wish it know - it was a needle of suspicion of Othello's spouse that he planted in the minds of the powerful but foolish Othello that finally led to his downfall... Such is the power of the soft word, such is the stealth of the false word......

It's not easy to adapt Othello to Indian sensibilities even though the concept of Othello is universal... still my favourite director of today, Vishal Bharadwaj spins a beautiful web that not only stays true and rings true but would also make William Shakespeare proud of the creation.... Omkara is vintage Shakespeare enacted not in the beautiful canals of Venice but in the dust-packed, baked lands of the Indian hinterland.... and the transformation is Magical!

Ajay Devgan as Omkara is cold and ruthless and exudes the raw passion and power of the protagonist. He's the strongman on whose martial prowess and power does the unholy empire of the dreaded Don, Bhaisaab (Naseeruddin Shah, in a powerful cameo role) stand. He's confident, he's capable and he's cool..... enemies dread him, friends walk in awe of him, others steer clear of him, his wife worships him and then.... a snake bites him and the great hero falls, toppled by his own sense of insecurity and suspicion.... Ajay yet once again demonstrates that he is no small fry in the world of acting, even though he may not have had the kind of support and roles and directors that could get him a stand under the sun for his talents and capabilities. Othello, any Shakespearean will tell you is not an easy role, nor is it one that gives an actor instant gratification..... it requires realms and realms of depth and musings before you can even attempt a parody of the role but Ajay does it all with an attitude that symbolizes power and exudes charisma.

Kareena Kapoor as Dolly is innocence and sweetness personified. She is the Indian Desdemona with a heart of gold, a love that's pure and true, one who hero-worships her husband and abides by his will, one who cannot see beyond the smiles of people and takes everything at face value...... such paragons of innocence often fall prey to the wily and cunning nature of fellow-humans... many a wily opponent are cold enough to use their guile and innocence against them and to their disadvantage..... Kareena does not have much to perform in this movie but the little that she gets, she does her valiant best to prove herself worthy of the role...... It's early times to state whether Kareeena as an actress will be as popular as the other illustrious members of the first family of Hindi Cinema or whether she will shine away and then dull away like some other members of her family..... As far as Omkara is concerned, she is competent enough to deliver a naunched performance that may be considered as adequate.

Vivek Oberoi plays the role of Keshu (Cassio) to an admirable degree. Here is an actor that I felt had the energy and the stamina to stand tall and become a legend in Indian Cinema - here is an actor whom I believed to be the rightful heir of the actor's garb and to become another sensation in the history of Cinema - such was his debut that even today Company ranks among one of my favourite movies but sadly the fire did not burn the fireplace, it burnt down the house.... I hope this movie becomes the much-needed turning point in the history of this brilliant performer and he learns his lessons and does what he was born to do ........ act! Vivek plays the role of a bumbling and arrogant but immature Keshu with an earnestness that makes the character exceedingly lovable..... he has a temper that he can't control, a trust that he cannot let go of and a heart that's singularly incapable of duplicity.... he makes Cassio both likeable and adorable..........

Konkana Sen Sharma is what I would call a magic stick... I am just impressed with her talents and capabilities.... Every time I dare to think I have seen the best of this brilliant performer of our times, she smiles that dimpled smile of hers and comes up with something I could never have expected this Bengali tigress to accomplish... but this girl is awesome.... She is so natural and so positive in all her scenes that one would be foolish to bet that this woman actually is not a rural buxom belle but a femme fatale from the gorgeous metropolis of Calcutta.... she is as rustic as rustic can be, as natural as natural can be, as brilliant as brilliant can be.....

Deepak Dobriyal is another actor that catches your eye with a performance that is both natural and refined..... in rural India, a bridegroom who has been spurned is a laughing stock for the world.... in a land where male ego is at a premium, a man unable to hold on to his wife is considered an abject failure..... the scare of anger and hatred that hang from the sleeves of a man can only be imagined but never understood by one who has never been in such male-dominatd landscapes..... Deepak not only manages to capture the essence of a man from the hinterland faced with an emasculative experience such as the one detailed but also manages to add his own interpretation to the role. An awesome characterization.

Naseeruddin Shah in a a cameo performance plays the role of a rustic leader to the hilt. He's as fiery and as quicksilver as always and one can not but marvel at the actor and his maturity. Kamal Tiwari in a small role as a father who has been betrayed and shamed by his own daughter puts in a mature and confident performance. Bipasha Basu sizzles in her two-bit role as a Nautanki dancer. Not only does she get her naunces right, she also is able to get the rustic charm that the dancers exude.

But the film belongs to Saif Ali Khan... In Othello, the most difficult and powerful character is not Othello but Iago...... many of the greatest actors of World Cinema have cut their teeth on this most difficult of roles and only few have ever been able to stand tall in this role.... No wonder, Iago is among the strongest villains on World Literature ever. Saif knew what he was getting into when he signed on for this role and it's to his credit and appreciation that Langda Tyagi not only works but works brilliantly........ had he failed, he would have failed miserably but the Chote Nawab is made of sterner stuff.... he brings Iago to the rural, ruthless landscape of UP and Bihar and makes it Iago's own backyard. He's revengeful like a snake but does not snarl like a dog, instead he looks like a dove and talks like a parrot till the time comes and when it comes, he strikes like a tiger, intent and focused on his kill.... He uses innuendos in everyday speech and still manages to portray eagerness... Who could have thought Saif would be so powerful in a role that's so much diametrically opposite his own place.... But he does and does well.... marking his name on Langda Tyagi alias Iago for a long time to come........

Music by Vishal is as expected rustic and awesome. Gulzar captures the essence of the movie well... every song is different and a sight to behold and a melody to hearken to ........ the title song by Sukhvinder Singh, sung with a different kind of style establishes the movie well and every song thereafter builds up to a crescendo....... Beedi Jalaiyle sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Namak Issak Ka sung by Rekha Bharadwaj transport you to the world of guns and power. O Saathi Re by Shreya Ghosal on the other hand is soft and puts words to the character of Desdemona.

Vishal is becoming a sort of a legend as times go by.... Watch Omkara because there are very makers today who can make you taste 'Namak Issak Ka' and trust me, it taste it so well.........

They Played Chess while the Nation Burned - My Thoughts on Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977)

Chess is a beautiful game - in fact, in my humble estimation, it is one of the three greatest gifts of Ancient India, among others to our world - the other two being the discovery of the number zero that makes mathematics and science possible and astronomy; the twists and turns that are inherent in so humble a game, one that can be compassed in just a few blocks of black and white, makes one wonder at and appreciate the genius of the man who was the architect of this great game; Who could have thought that for a game as sedate and slow-moving as chess is, chess would be the companion of the greats and the legendary of the world of power; no wonder that to the connoisseurs of this regal game, nothing comes close to the excitement of chess, not even the intoxication of real power.

When two experts well-versed in this ageless art of attacks and counterattacks face each other across the board of 64, the thrill and excitement that this game provides; the battle of wit, intellect and mental fortitude that it presents to both the player and his opponent and even the onlooker can hardly be rivaled, let alone bettered by any other. It's something exciting about chess that allows you the full opportunity to plan your moves and also to be silent and patient, while the enemy plans is.... No one ever won a bout of chess by being exactly impatient or by thinking himself or herself above the others... Chess has a way of humbling the greatest and the smartest!

It’s common knowledge that every sport is an opportunity for humans to calibrate their prowess against their peers and contemporaries but there is hardly any game that stands up to chess when it comes to calibrating a man’s mental make-up. Some may argue in favour of Bridge and though I do agree that Bridge is a formidable game, Chess wins in keeping the individualistic streak open (In Bridge, it's a team that's competing). However, its one thing to play chess on the board and consider oneself as the prime among equals when it comes to deciphering hidden moves and plans and strategies on the board and another to actually be astute enough to understand the same in real life. As they say, you can play the game of chess all your life without ever becoming a player.

Politics is the real-time equivalent of chess with far more varieties and variations than can ever be seen on the board and it falls to the astuteness, alertness and intelligence of the player to deduce from what he sees what may be and what can be. Unfortunately there are few, if any, who read correctly the nuances written on the tealeaves of time and still fewer who actually understand them. That maybe the reason why India, though the land where chess originated and reached its pinnacle was easily outplayed by a few intelligent employees of the East India Company to an extent such that the land of the golden bird remained a colony of the imperialistic west for more than 200 years.

The film is based on a short story by the great Munshi Premchand, one of the legends of Indian modern writing. In his own imitable way, the great Premchand has in this brilliant short film of his, woven with a deft hand the circumstances that were in India in the 1850s and how the British, though a handful were able to using the stratagems employed in Chess, able to win over and rule a nation 3 times their size, while the rulers of India failed. Shatranj Ke Khiladi is a grim reminder of the fact that while the rajahs, maharajahs and nawabs of the Indian sub-continent wasted their time in fun and frolic, flying kites, frolicking with courtesans, killing each other to the last person on some perceived notion of slight to self-respect and playing games like chess in their palatial mansions, the actual players of the game, the British continued silently and softly on their mission of subjugation and conquest by gobbling up one state after another while reducing India to the status of a colony in the bargain.

Performance wise, Sanjeev Kumar as the chess-crazy Nawab of Awadh, Mirza Sajid Ali plays the role of the aristocratic nawab to the hilt. As a person who has no qualms whatsoever at playing chess at any cost and in any circumstances – even at the cost of marital discord, Sanjeev is brilliant. The elegance of a Nawab is not only evident but also stamps itself in every scene. You have to just watch the regal bearing the actor brings to his scene to be convinced of his greatness and completeness as an actor.

There are times when I have thought that there must be at least one performance where I will be able to capture a sense of discomfort in this great actor but always I have been forced to eat humble pie. Sanjeev Kumar is a complete actor, whatever the role, whatever the characterization and it's an honour to watch him perform whether as a volcano in Sholay or a lowly stream in Shatranj Ke Khiladi!

Saeed Jaffrey as his partner-in-crime, his partner-in-chess – Mir Roshan Ali is character personified. In his role as an incredulous, bumbling fool, Saeed is exceptionally well cast and he brings to the role the perfect nuance of an unworthy scion of a worthy family. As a person who understands everything on the board but nothing outside it, Saeed is magnificent – easily his best role in Hindi Cinema. The two lead actors complement each other completely. Watch out for their efforts to play chess even oblivious to the death of a lost comrade – a hallmark of excellent performance.

Shabana Azmi as the neglected wife of Sanjeev Kumar plays a terrific cameo in an ill-defined role. Her hatred for the game and efforts at weaning away her husband from his compulsive obsession are well performed. On the other hand, Farida Jalal as the philandering wife of Saeed who intends to keep her husband involved in chess makes good capital of the little scope she gets to perform.

Amjad Khan as the last nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah gives a brilliant and highly exceptional performance. Watching him enact a role of such a complex hue as Wajid none can think this is the same actor who played Gabbar Singh in Sholay to the hilt, such is his identification with his character. The role of a king forced to abdicate his throne and bear humiliation on the streets of the city he once ruled is one that offers a lot of challenge to any actor and hence it’s indeed a homage to the art of acting to see Amjad perform this role with excellence.

And if any had any doubts about the calibre of Amjad Khan, rest assured it will be forgotten as he chides gently the dancer and then goes on to give an impromptu performance of Kathak - he is an actor to be believed; sadly as usual Hindi Cinema failed his talent as it has many of his talent and standing.

Veena as the Dowager-Queen, the mother of the current Nawab puts in a regal performance. The scene wherein she confronts the English Resident is one of the best in the entire movie and can stand out by itself inspite of so many brilliant performances. Who would have thought that an actress past her prime would prove to be so strong and well-suited to her role as Veena. The imperial gaze reminds us of Taj Mahal, the arrogance and attitude of the woman who portrayed Noor Jehan still lingers, the eyes still smoulder and the voice is imperial as ever.

Richard Attenborough, the great Hollywood actor, writer and director who has done a lot for Indian sensibilities plays the role of the English resident with utmost ease and confidence. Considering the fact that very few Hollywood actors have actually performed a role of substance and performed it well in Hindi Cinema, his performance is exceptionally well crafted and delivered - especially if we remember the utter failure of his fellow actor, Rex Harrison in Shalimar. His performance in the confrontation with Veena is highly recommended for those who feel knowledge of the language is required to shine in a role.

And then there are others; in small cameos but still brilliant whether it is Farooque Sheikh, David, Victor Bannerjee and Agha they all shine in their small roles. Tom Alter, the resident British Indian Actor, one who's more known to Indian films than to British ones as the Secretary to the Resident gives the performance of a lifetime and still proves to be a handful.

Satyajit Ray, considered arguably one of the greatest directors of Indian Cinema proves his commendable hold over the medium of story telling by his expertise on all aspects of filmmaking in this movie. It’s the loss of Hindi Cinema and gain of Bengali Cinema that this director never before and never again weilded the baton in a Hindi film ever again – although he did direct a few short films hereafter. Each and every scene in the movie is an example of a genius at work, one who knows that he's a genius and one on whom genius alights softly on the shoulder, without making a fuss of it.

The juxtaposition of the chessboard with the political conditions of 1857 India, the use of animation and plums to signify the fall of Imperial India and the rise of the British Empire all point towards his extraordinary talent. Unlike many other films, where the casting of the support causes a sort of imbalance in the film, Shatranj Ke Khiladi maintains a perfect consonance of all the actors performing in the movie.

Every scene is a treat for the eyes; the confrontation between the two friends to the extent of causing mortal damage to each other is absolutely a delight to watch, considering the background of the fight. As the friends fight each other on the finer nuances of the game, the British Resident has deposed the Nawab and is taking him prisoner through the roads of his own country and nobody bothers to even pay a second glance to the unfortunate event. Such was the plight of our past!

This movie is a must for all who are citizens of a free country, irrespective of whether the country is India or America.... Do not dismiss it as History for History repeats itself and it severely punishes them who fail to learn its lessons. They all perish in the sands of time that disregard History for History disregards them completely, thoroughly and ruthlessly

As the great poet Iqbal once wrote:

Wataan Ki Fiqr Kar Nadaan, Qayamat Aane Waali Hai,
Teri Barbaadiyon Ka Mashwara Hai Aasmaanon Mein;
Na Samjhoge To Mit Jaaoge, Ae Hindostaan Waalon,
Tumhari Daastaan Tak Naa Hogi Daastaanon Mein

Vengeance Shall Be Mine! - My Thoughts on Sholay (1975)

Have you ever seen embers of coal smoldering in the dark? The glow of the embers is so bright that it can effortlessly be observed even in the darkest of the nights. If the very sight of that smoldering coal is enough to shake one out of his reverie, what then if one would be foolish enough to try and pick up those pieces. The burns inflicted by those red-hot embers would be enough to last a lifetime and even beyond that. Now imagine if someone would be unlucky enough to have to live his life, lying down on those embers – even figuratively that life would be worse than hell.

Now, let's go a little further..... And imagine yourself in the shoes of one who has lost his all to the maverick machinations of a psychopath and has still not received justice or retribution for all that he has suffered. Imagine a man handicapped by his most hated adversary trying to perform normal mundane chores and the steely rage that engulfs him every time he faces those tasks. Imagine a man forced to face everyday the silent prying eyes of someone he failed to protect from the strike of a hated adversary and imagine his plight if that misfortune was brought on by his own actions, however just, however correct? Imagine what this man must go through if the law stood a mute witness to his pain and frustration, when the law itself was responsible for the magnitude of the retribution? Heaven forbid, the recipient of such a cold anger for within such a man burns the embers of revenge and he is transformed into a living volcano, smoldering with nothing but revenge on his mind. The personification of Revenge, the personfication of blind fury, the personification of all that's vile and beastly - the personification of the fires of rage itself!

Sholay is all that and still more - it's the personification of the cold hatred the protagonist, Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) bears for his adversary Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan), it's a moving display of how the cold exterior of burnt coal can hide within itself the inferno of revenge, hatred and anger....the entire film is a visual treat of the smoldering enmity between these two lead characters. Although the director takes pains to create parallel tracks, centering on love, friendship and duty, the film largely wins appreciation for it’s single-track obsession with the battle between Thakur and Gabbar and such is the intensity of their hatred and animosity, that the screen sizzles in resonance of the feeling till it reaches a crescendo from where nothing but only Death or Vengeance is possible!

Sanjeev Kumar as Thakur Baldev Singh churns out a performance that adds to the burgeoning list of an already chequered list of super performances. As the protagonist of this smoldering movie, the actor ensures that the role is akin to that of a live volcano; one that has a lot of magna but has not erupted in the recent past. If ever one has to see quiet fury, one has to observe Sanjeev and that’s it. In his own inimitable style, Sanjeev is the personification of a man rolling on red-hot coal. Look at those eyes, they burn with an intensity unequalled or unrivalled, forget surpassed by any other in the industry.

Time and again, I have been told and have also appreciated the angry young man for his performances but if truth be told and truth should always be told, if any other symbolises anger to such an extent that he be considered as the personification of anger, then it has to be Sanjeev Kumar's brilliant portrayal of Thakur Baldev Singh. Never was an inferno so well portrayed, never was anger so deeply engraved... So soft are the words, the menacing the meanings as if life itself is nothing but a quest for revenge.....

Amitabh Bachchan as Jai, the silent mercenary hired by Thakur is exceptional. In a performance, wherein he communicates via silence, Amitabh comes out trumps. You can feel his intensity, admire his maturity and fear his silence but when he decides to let his hair down, he appears to be completely at ease in the comic sequences as well. His romance is also in sync with his character – mature yet playful, deep yet restrained. Watch him in the scene wherein he interacts with Jaya on his deathbed – a mindblowing performance – the regret of one whose love died unrequited, unsaid and unacknowledged captured on celluloid for all connoisseurs of acting – a scene I can never forget and which remains firmly ensconced on my consciousness.
It's really a point that makes me think hard - would Indian Cinema have benefited more if Amitabh would have not let himself become just the Angry Young Man and gone beyond it? Whenever Amitabh decided to act, beyond his persona, the results were always magical. Be it Jai from Sholay or be it the madcap, shy professor from Chupke Chupke!

Dharmendra as his mercenary partner Veeru – the happy-go-lucky chap is the perfect counterfoil to the intense persona of Jai. In a role that required both for portrayal of machismo as well as to maintain, an endearing childlike quality to the role, Dharmendra excels beyond expectations. His flirting with Basanti is enough to bring down the roofs, as is his camaraderie with Jai a sign of maturity in an otherwise child-man. Also, see his blind fury after Jai has been gunned down by Gabbar and his henchmen – a mindblowing account of a river that has overflown its boundaries. A performance that should rank among his best and one that is a showcase of an actor, one who was never recognized as one.

Hema Malini as the chatterbox, Basanti is absolutely brilliant. In a role that exudes a lot of confidence and spontaneity and is like a relief from the heavy-duty action all around it, the softer emotions of love and social interactions are more of her preserve and domain and she has done a great job of it. Her expressions in her dance on mirror shards are one of the best expressions on helplessness ever and she shines effortlessly in the comic scenes – especially the introduction scene which is still considered my many to be one of the best introductions ever. The only sore point that can be mentioned and that needs to be mentioned though is her dialogue delivery - Hema could never rid herself from the South Indian delivery tinge and for the most stringent of the critics that may be an issue.

On the other hand, Jaya Bhaduri as the unfortunate widow daughter-in-law of the Thakur gives one of her best performances ever. This was a role that was both a reason of fury for one volcano (Sanjeev) and the oasis of hopes for another (Amitabh) but in itself was nothing but a desert left barren by a sudden gust of a mad hurricane (Amjad). A Very difficult role, not easy to perform nor easy to emote but Jaya proved her acting skills in a role that was less incidental to the movie but more fundamental to the plot. An excellent rendition nonetheless –just watch her light the lamps in the night, signifying the emerging of a dream in a barren sleep and then in the climax, watch her closing the window which was the only source of her erstwhile dream. Society is just too rigid to allow a woman a space of her own - could this have been more better symbolized than this awesome scene?

A K Hangal as the blind Imam of the village is exceptional in the two-bit role inscribed to him. His anguish in the scene where his son, (ably performed by the great but underrated Sachin) has been gunned down by the dacoits is brilliant. Asrani as the jailer is still remembered whereas Jagdeep mad a career for himself playing Surma Bhopali time and again and to his credit, this is one of the few comic roles from this movie in the history of Hindi Cinema that has stood the test of time, the other being the role of the Jailer performed by Asrani. Among the others Satyen Kappu, Mac Mohan, Viju Khote and Leela Mishra impress with heir cameo performances. Even Helen and Jalal Agha who come in for a song are still remembered for that song........

But the man, who makes the movie a classic, is the man who portrays Gabbar Singh – Amjad Khan. This movie was one of his earliest performances and to say the least, it’s mind-blowing. It’s indeed surprising to note that nobody believed in his talents, not least the director and the script-writers but today his performance is considered one of the biggest successes in Hindi cinema and till date, Gabbar Singh is a name to reckon with in villainy. As a psychopath, feared and terrorized by all on the screen and in the theatre, Amjad Khan was exceptional. The greatness of the act lies in the fact that he conveys the singular emotion of terrorism with a flick of an eye. Cinegoers are still terrorized in the scene when on receiving information about young Sachin he menacingly looks at an ant crawling on his arms – you can feel the storm gathering and start fearing the inevitable... Surprisingly, that is the most violent scene in the movie...... and still the violence only betters up with every scene...... Can you believe this?

Direction by Ramesh Sippy is brilliant. In each and every scene, Ramesh marks his indelible stamp. The train chase sequence, the fight on the bridge, the climax sequence all of them not only bind but also blend with the movie and are brilliantly executed. On the lighter side, the comic scenes, especially Dharmendra on the water tank and Amitabh carrying Veeru’s proposal to Leela Mishra are brilliantly canned. On the emotional front, the romance track between Dharmendra – Hema is as frivolous as frivolity can be and at the same time the romance between Amitabh and Jaya is as mature as maturity can be.

The director has single-handedly made so many important careers with one single film that many of the actors are still known by their roles in the movie - even bit actors like Mac Mohan (Sambha), Viju Khote (Kaalia), Keshto Mukherjee (Nai), and Leela Mishra (Mausi) have been known by these names throughout their career although their roles were hardly the most important ones in this movie...... Rarely does a movie impact the national consciousness of a people as vividly and as fully as Sholay did and for this reason itself, it will always be among the top movies made in this industry for ever and ever and ever........

Salim-Javed come up trumps with yet another brilliant and taut script. Undoubtedly this is one of their best ones and it’s sad that such a brilliant team broke up, so early in their career.

However, R D Burman comes up with a not so impressive musical score; he still manages to salvage his reputation with one of the best imaginative background scores in the movie but a lot remains to be said of someone who was genius reincarnated when you pay attention to the songs themselves. Among the songs, “Yeh Dosti” by Manna De and Kishore Kumar and “Mehbooba ‘0’ Mehbooba” by the maestro himself are good but.... Still, the heart longs for more.

Sholay will always burn high in the imagination of the film industry ...... Grab it for they don't make them like this any more..........