From Khan With Love - My Thoughts on My Name is Khan (2010)

My Name Is Khan is indeed a movie that speaks from far beyond it's scope, a movie that attempts maybe more than it can chew; that tries to deliver a message which may be beyond it’s limited scope but let’s face it, there is indeed, without doubt a sense of history that pervades each and every frame of the film, the earnestness of the makers shines through each and every angle, every scene oozes of sentimentality and humane concerns, in short it is a perfect example of the ‘desi’ effect ......... now on the flip side, the story is not told subtly, more often it's loud and crass, the humour jars at times, the director oversimplifies the context of the movie to an extent that at times you feel spoon fed but I would still go ahead with the movies for it dares to take a stand and for that one moment of conscientitious bravado, I say it makes history in it's self. Even if all the controversy that was generated had not been there, even if the film would have been shorn of all the paraphernalia that occurred, the film would have still stood on it's own as a story that needs to be told ...... In a world that has lost patience with a contrarian opinion, it dares to make a statement that goes against the grain of modern thought today and for this, my friend, I say, the film has it's own space in History.

The history of the 20th century is a history of change and of conflict fought through proxy; …. the accelerated growth of science and technology, the fall of the imperial models that ruled the world for the last 3 centuries through two devastating world wars, the insidious blood-stained battle of supremacy between democracy and communism, the sex revolution and the resultant chaos due to these factors put severe strains on questions of religion and morality, as was laid down in the bygone era and was consequently destined to put the two world orders, one emergent, the other renegade, in direct conflict with each other ....

The Clash of Civilizations was just waiting to happen and in 1979 it did happen ..... Soviet Russia's ill-fated invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and America's short-sighted support of the Islamic feudal order to break down Russia was bound to backfire - you do not bring home a wolf to take care of the cobra – it was a new lease to the shrinking power of the past and the obstructionist and conservative Mullahs, who had been pushed to the fringe by the march of humanity towards democracy and liberalism grabbed the straw offered by the Americans to resuscitate their career, to provide it with a life of it's own, and they added to Afghanistan, emotive issues such as Palestine, Kashmir, South Philippines etc – fuel to an engine that fed on death .... Little did the States realize that it was creating a Frankenstein monster and that one day the monster would return to feed on it as monsters inevitably do ..... and that happened on 9/11 .........

9/11 changed the way we look at the world and suddenly being Muslim became automatically a crime, nay a 'sin' in the eyes of the world. Adages such as 'All Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims' became increasingly used universally as if the IRA, the LTTE, the NSCN, the ULFA, the LRA and many other such organizations were overnight transformed to Islamic, in nature, temperament and retrospect .... Liberals spoke against this demonisation of Islam but as Adolph Hitler once remarked, 'the greater the lie, the louder it is spoken and the more it's repeated, the more people will accept it as truth' . it invariably, became accepted as truth ....... Not one voice of reason spoke against it, victimisation of Muslims became common; no one, not even Hollywood dared to speak against it and therein lies the reason My Name is Khan needs to be lauded for they dared to speak what none dared to speak ...

My Name Is Khan can be aptly defined by one statement that the protagonist makes early in the film and then repeats throughout the film, "My Name is Khan and I am Not a Terrorist." This is the message of the movie and to be frank the message goes out loud and clear, sometimes a little too loud and clear for comfort but all the same, it achieves it's target!

Shahrukh for a change decides to let go of the megastar that we see too frequently and brings out the actor, something we are pleased to see, he has been doing more frequently in the recent past ; the mannerisms of Raj and Rahul are still there but they subside in deference to Rizwan Khan, the role he plays and he succeeds in making them a part of the elaborate characterization of the part. The charishma and charm of the actor is a given and is bought to great effect in both the early scenes as well as in the dramatic second half …. Renditions of people with special medical conditions is sadly not given the respect it deserves but SRK gives us a refreshing performance, one that does not make a caricature of either the actor or Asperger’s syndrome, which the character is supposed to be suffering from.

One of the best scenes in the movie happens when SRK, while trying to meet the President of the US, gatecrashes into a Charity dinner organized by a Christian trust and though ready to pay the necessary amount is told that only Christians can be a part of the fund-raising, he donates the money and withdraws, tellingly making a comment on the haplessness of religion when he says ,”For those in Africa who are not Christians…..”

Kajol is as vivacious as vivacity can be and serious as seriousness can be. Many critics have derided her performance in the first half as flighty while showering praise on her for her performance in the second half. I wish to disagree. Kajol as Mandira in the first half is a perfect and at times a logical counterfoil to the enigmatic Khan. She is equally restrained and powerful in her controlled performance as the grieving mother in the second half, however I thought that her outburst in the second half was hamming of a high degree. (SRK meanwhile was very strong in that scene). But the scene that’s bound to remain in the mind of a discerning critic is the one in which she coolly tells Reese ,”She will …. She is a mom.”

However, The most beautiful and powerful performances in the film comes from two child actors, Yuvaan Makaar and Kenton Duty. Both of them are young, impressionable and brilliant and show to considerable effect, the gulf that formed between Muslim / Non-Muslim relationships in the wake of 9 / 11. The cemetery scene where Resse (played by Kenton) walks away from Sam (played by Yuvaan) with cold hatred showing on the face of the former and bewilderment showing on the face of the later is one of the most powerful and evocative scenes in the movie.

The film is also helped to a great extent by a brilliant set of character-actors who perform ably and well; special mention must be made of Zarina Wahab who performs the role of a sensible but hapless mother torn between a challenged and a normal son effectively; Pravin Dabbas as a conscientitious Sikh (Bobby) is very effective.

I liked the guy who played Raj (Arjun Mathur); not an actor with a lot of records under his belt but the fire in his belly can be felt …….. he has 2 of the best dialogues in the movie and delivers it to the hilt, who can forget dialogues like these …. To Bobby:

“Ek Sardar Ko Musalmaan Samjha Gaya To Aapne Apni Zindagi Badal Di; Yahaan Ek Musalman Ko Insaan Nahin Samjha Jaa Raha Hai Aur Aap Waqt Nahin Nikaal Saktey”

And to Komal (well performed by Sugandha Garg)

“Agar Ye Khan Naa Hokar Khanna Hota To Tumhein Problem Nahin Tha?”

Jimmy Shergill, the ever-forgotten actor who appears to be in his elements, only in a Vidhu Vinod Chopra film, is given an opportunity to portray an estranged brother and does it with élan. He portrays the anguish of a neglected brother to the hilt. Sonya Jehan is very strong in her portrayal and has some of the best scenes in the film. Her monologue towards the end is an excellent piece of writing although I am not sure I agree with ‘hijab’ being a part of anyone’s ‘wajood’ ……. Equally impressive is the trauma that she depicts on being de-hijab-ed, the tears seem to rise from someplace deep and even Jimmy is in his elements while trying to convince her to give up hijaab

Katie A Keene and Dominic Renda are also good. Sheetal Menon looks good and is adequate in the acting department. Vinay Pathak shows a strong sense of humour and a flair for comedy. Benny Nieves as a detective and Christopher B Duncan as Barak Obama are adequate. Jennifer Echols as Mama Jenny is an actor-par-excellence and I wish someone could tell me who was that actor who did Funny Hair Joel as that guy was really good. I am sure I have missed out on a lot of actors but that does not take away from their brilliance, it only points out my incompetence rather than take away from their performance.

Music in the movie is different from the normal fare – easy on the ears and sweet too ….. all the songs have a Sufi touch and hence have a somewhat transcendent feel …. Sajda by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan and Richa Sharma is exceptional …… Noor-E-Khuda is also beautifully rendered but I liked Tere Naina by Shafqat Amanat Khan the best. I think Shankar Ehsaan Loy are among the best we have in the industry today

And that brings us to the Director – Karan Johar is nowhere among my favourite directors but his last 2 films, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and My Name is Khan have made me sit up and take notice of the man ….. I am still not enamoured of him but I guess I will grudgingly accept that he has talent. The one scene which convinced me of his talent is when SRK throws pebbles at a terrorist recruiter (well played by Arif Zakaria) in a mosque in an analogous scene that reminds one of the Islamic tradition of Stoning the Devil. Then there is the opening sequence shot in the airport which delivers the message in a very impressive style. Karan has been uncompromising and almost gallantly lachrymal in shooting the film, making the emotions not subtle but loud but still unlike many other directors, the film does not become vulgar or cheap.

And that brings me to the finale …… My Name is Khan is what is prescribed by the doctor ..... it's important that we all accept that there is no religion to terrorism and that being A Muslim is neither a Crime nor a Sin ...... and I conclude by saying ......

“My Name is Iquebal And I am Not a Terrorist"

Why should Amitabh be awarded?

They announced the Filmfare Awards tonight and what a shame! Amitabh Bachchan was adjusted 'Best Actor' for his performance in 'Paa' ....... Surely, the jury could have found a better rationale than to award Amitabh for a role that was nothing beyond the pale of imagination ......... Versatile actors like Naseer, Kamal  and Sanjeev have done greater justice to similar roles and have never even been appreciated, so it's indeed a matter of great surprise when Amitabh gets renown where even actors better than him have not been commended

In a year, that boasted of brilliant performances as diverse as Irrfan in Billoo, Shaahid Kapoor in Kaminey, Saif Ali Khan in Love Aaj Kal, Abhishek Bachchan in Dilli 6 and of course Aamir Khan in 3 Idiots, what could have been so great about a performance that did not even speak to the heart that it had to be awarded a Filmfare? Since when has Filmfare become a personal fiefdom of the Bachchan family? Why should an award a year be the norm for a family which is grossly overrated?

Sad to say this but Filmfare has lost it - from a class apart to a chatel apart, it has been a story that was better never written!

Satyamev Jayate - My Thoughts on Rann (2010)

I remember the day when I first saw the visuals of Rann - everything about the film seemed clichéd, a typical everything-ends-well kind of story that's the staple of our industry; going by my experience I should have dumped it aside and not given it a second thought, but something, somewhere, cut me close to my heart - maybe it was the earnest innocence that exuded from Amitabh, maybe it was the pained anguish that exuded from Ritesh - but there was a quality about it that marked it differently .....

The day the movie got released, I saw the wave of outrage that marked the movie review on various news channels, for a moment I felt vindicated by my choice for a movie but when I started looking at the reviews from my friends, for a moment, I felt insecure - was I betting my money on a lame horse? was I putting my money on a lost cause, a caricature? Today, after watching the movie, I can say, no! The movie may not be a classic but it indeed is much better than those so-called intelligent movies like Paa .....

So what was it about the movie that I liked so much? There have been better movies on the rape of Truth by the Media, a notable case could be the classic 'Main Aazad Hoon', which was much ahead of it's time .... but the said movie spoke about Print Media .... Television News Channels were largely left untouched except for a human interest story in 'Mumbai Meri Jaan' or as a sideline in 'Chak De India' or other similar movies ..... What was different was the fact that this movie was about the media, for the media, by the media and of the media ...... And what really was impressive was the feel of lost innocence and fall of values that made it all so natural.

The silent connivance of Jai (Sudeep), the fall from grace of Vijay (Amitabh) and the incessant fight for lost innocence by Purab (Ritesh) is what makes the film different .... Yes, the film is slow but then what else do you expect from a movie that deals with an issue as sensitive and difficult as the use and abuse of Media ... If this film would have been made by a foreigner, we would have sung paeans to the maker and termed it a classic, but since it's the effort of an Indian, our colonial mindset looks at it differently ......

Ram Gopal Verma, after a long time, manages to make a movie, that is worthy of his name .... though the movie may still not be a patch on Satya, Shiva or Company, still it's much better than all the Phoonk and what-not he has been dishing out over the last many years..... Maybe it's still not too much for us to expect RGV to come back to what his forte was and to make those movies that gained him the respect and love and trust of the discerning audience ... it's time, he learnt that even though film-making is a matter of commerce, it's not a factory like any other .... it's a different industry and it runs on a different norm!

Amitabh Bachchan manages to pack a punch in his performance; the director has ensured the authenticity and continuity of the film, by not insisting on putting him in every frame in the movie but only wherever strictly required! Fans of the mega star may find it a tad frustrating and may be disappointed but then no actor is bigger than the film; the graph of the actor does not miss a beat even once .... And Amitabh being Amitabh brings brilliance to the film, without even trying to do so; right from the introduction scene to the final monologue, he is a man in control and he shows that effortlessly

Ritesh Deshmukh as a man whose innocence has been lost; as a man who genuinely believes in the freedom and impartiality of the press; as a journalist wedded to the ethics of a profession that became extinct with the advent of TRP ratings, is so true to the role that there are times during the movie when he steals the thunder from under the noses of senior performers. 

Sudeep, as Jai, is the man to watch out for. His performance is well-etched and well-graphed like a symphony in progress - each and every aspect of his performance like a wave that surpasses the previous and builds momentum for the next to follow ...... a wonderful actor, Sudeep is here for the long haul and he proves his mettle in this movie - Watch out for this actor; he will make an impact

Paresh Rawal - what does one say about this actor? It would suffice to say, that so much is expected from him, that what would be adequate or even masterly in case of other actors is considered inadequate in his case and looking at him from the glass of his capability and talent, he does not live up to expectations - his performance is stagnant, after a high that's reached early on.

Mohnish Behl, Rajat Kapoor and Gul Panag are adequate; actually Mohnish does show some sparks in his monnologue but both Suchitra Krishnamoorthy and Rajpal Yadav disappoint. Suchitra had a brilliant chance to redeem herself as a double-dealing COO of a news network that keeps contacts with the opposition but it's a classic case of 'What could have been ...' Neetu Chandra does not have a lot to do in the film, it would have been great if a little aspect of hers could also have been documented; it would make the end slightly more plausible but still she is adequate

Ram Gopal Verma, as stated earlier, would do well to concentrate on making movies with subjects that make sense like Rann if he wants to get back the respect and honour he had earlier on. His combination with Amitabh is really worth it's weight in gold if one forgets nonsense like Aag and this is what he should avoid like the plague. 

The rape of Truth, the replacement of News by Sensationalism and the understandings that exist between the fourth state and the other pillars of Society is a dangerous precedent and can lead the nation to disaster - It's high time, we understand that a free Press is not only desirable but also essential for our existence ... It would not take long to learn that most revolutions on Earth were the result of a Despot or Tyrant trying to throttle the Press from speaking the Truth ... it would be a matter of great shame and disservice to those great leaders from the past, if today, the freedom of the press, for whom they sacrificed their all is disrobed by it's own people in the assembly of the rich and the powerful.

One last word about the media - someone today on the media, while rubbishing the movie said that the Media always works keeping certain norms in mind.... Could that person please explain, where were those norms in the 26 / 11 attacks ...... We are waiting, please do reply!

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 ........