1947 Earth

After Dil Se..., I wasn't sure I was in the mood for another depressing film. I didn't know much about Earth, but since it was directed by Deepa Mehta, I knew better than to expect anything for the faint of heart.

But I popped it in anyways--Truth was, I'd been dying to see it for quite some time now. For one, it stars Aamir Khan! Isn't that reason enough to watch a film?

Dil Se...

Let me first say that my prayers and thoughts are with all of those who have lost loved ones in the recent terror attacks on Mumbai. It's hard to watch a movie like "" at a time like this and not think of the horrible reality of hate crime and terrorism. I usually don't use this blog to post on anything other than straight film reviews, but I just wanted to let everybody know that I am posting this review and an upcoming review of "1947 Earth" without any intention of offending or glazing over something which rings horribly true for those who are living it. I'm sensitive to what you are going through, and although I am fortunate myself to have never been a victim of a terrorist attack, my heart goes out to all of you.

Secondly, I want to thank publicly and warmly my blog readers and newfound friends Summer and Katy for sending me this film as a present on their recent trip to Mumbai (thankfully, they were unharmed by the attacks). Along with I received 1947 Earth, Deewar, GolMaal, and Chotker Bali, so reviews on these films are forthcoming. Thanks again guys!

But onto . I was stumped for awhile on what to say about this film. It was quite a switch from the recently watched Main Hoon Na. Folks, if you're looking for a Shahrukh movie thats not your typical sugary song and dance, then is for you.

I'm used to watching love stories that make me feel good, a huge fan of rom-coms and heartwarmers such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. But was very much opposite. Yet it appealed to a different side of my heart, the side that understands the yearning and passion of love that isn't always good for you. The side that wants something it can't have and can't understand why. The side that believes there is a thin line between love and hate.

Rajneeti A lesson well unlearned!

Prakash Jha, a young talented director with limited resources, makes unforgettable Damool. Prakash Jha with some resources makes memorable Gangajal, Apaharan. Prakash Jha the rich director with unlimited resources makes at times mediocre Rajneeti...

I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of relevance with Sonia Gandhi or references to Mahabharata. Rather I’ll focus on the art of storytelling, which is what cinema is all about.

Well almost all about.

First, regarding production values, there is a large troupe of well known actors, grand production design, thousands of extras, a huge canvas - all these attempted to give a local look and feel to the story. Unfortunately the camera which was capturing all this was not quite sure about the intention of Mr P Jha. The outcome is haphazard. At times the visuals are shaky, inadequate or with excessive bright lighting.

As a film maker I personally know how hard it is to manage even a tiny crew of creative brains. Prakash Jha has done that job very well. It’s a terrific job on his part to manage these many actors, extras, film crews and the passionate Indian crowds on locations. So kudos to him for that. But sadly cinema is not about managing people and getting the project done. What Rajneeti is missing is a beat, a heartbeat. In the midst of all this dark, dirty, and violent political mayhem Parakash has totally failed to capture the human emotions of pain, anger and trust - which in fact is his strength. Rather rich Prakash Jha relies on his fleet of expansive shiny cars and useless ‘not at all required’ kind of people in the background to portray the dirty story of mistrust, sabotage and backstabbing.

Quality acting is missing. I did not care for any of the characters. None of the actors - including the mighty but monotonous Nana Patekar - were able to provoke any emotions in me. It’s a plot driven script where actors were just doing their part and looking disinterested all the time. Ranbeer Kappor has somehow discovered a kind of smooth dialogue delivery and understated acting style post Rocket Singh which does not serve the purpose of this drama. I still believe Arjun Rampal should continue with modelling jeans and Nana Patekar with farming in Satara. Manoj Vajpaiee has funny facial expressions which look comical at times. Watch carefully for the few scenes in which he transforms into the legendary Dilip Kumar. Oh my god! SRK got the rights, didn’t it? Katrina never gets under the skin of her character past act two. Life is very hard on the other side of glamorous Bollywood. Welcome Katrina. Watch her walking in a saree.

Apart from mediocre acting, rich director’s poor direction and all-over- the-place cinematography and loose editing Rajneeti also offers us a dark maroon blood ( yaar khoon to sahi istemal karo?) fleet of shiny cars, a uniformed army of body guards, pointless shootouts and an omnipresent Indian media.

In short Rajneeti is a must watch movie for those who want to learn how not to make a bad movie, though the great army of Indian cinema goers have turned this small film into a big success. The first week’s revenues are far better then some of the well-researched, well-planned, waste-of-time ho-hum features from Down Under.
Well, ladies and gentleman, welcome to the world where 200 million people have 400 million reasons to watch a movie. It is a democracy after all!!

Thanks for reading. See you next time.