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.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Remembering the Mahatma - My Thoughts on Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006)
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!
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.........
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!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
To Love a Wife - My Thoughts on Omkara (2006)
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.........
Monday, August 31, 2009
They Played Chess while the Nation Burned - My Thoughts on Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977)
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.
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
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Vengeance Shall Be Mine! - My Thoughts on Sholay (1975)
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!
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!
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........
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..........
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