Movie Review- Raavan

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Raavan

Barely a week ago I watched Raajneeti and had Henry Mancini’s theme of Godfather ringing in my ears periodically punctuated by a shrill Mahabhaaaaarat and here I was back again in the multiplex revisiting Ramayan. My perennial lament for original stories continues to fall on deaf ears. And Mani Rathnam is apparently a fan of Bally Saggoo, DJ Aqeel and rubbish of similar sort for else why on earth would a proven talent like him experiment with remixes. Now that’s my take on his choice of subject on which the Big B has not twittered. I am also not going to apportion blame here for nonexistent issues. Let me say the movie is watchable but only just.
It’s watchable because in this sweltering heat anything remotely connected with coolness, direct or vicarious, is an exhilarating experience. See, the action takes place where it could be anywhere between Chirrapunji and the rain forests of Amazon. Everybody is barefoot and always wet. Pretty cool, but where would you find a Bhojpuri speaking Ravi Kishan hamming away. Incongruous but still ignorable. Now who do we have here? A very beautiful and sans make up Aishwarya Rai struck with shades of the Stockholm Syndrome. Vikram, the Chennai hunk masquerading as Ram. He needs a dialogue delivery tutor. Govinda, the delightful Hanuman (I never liked him better). And the weakest character in terms of cinematic representation was the Junior Bacchhan and he cannot be blamed for that. Mani R slipped here. Why our heroes can’t be shown in a completely negative role where one has no regrets or justifications to kill and maim. A near perfect storyline was murdered by turning an epic action saga to a mundane revenge episode. AB could have been projected as a total villain who can cause mayhem on a whim but nooooo, all our heroes need an excuse to be bad which is all so old, passé, predictable and boring. The end of my thumb looks to the ground here. Mani’s Ramayan ignores the seductive Shroopnakha and instead projects a helpless victim. The only redeeming feature, if it can be termed one, is that a man’s naked backside has been passed by the censor board without any cuts. That also ought to be a cause for litigation by the ilk of Ram Jethmalhani. Reverse discrimination needs to be brought to a forum of discussion. )
Positives? I loved the photography of Santosh Sivan. The rain forest effect, the misty hills, the beautiful Ash was just too good. A R Rehman has again composed a forgettable track. The only redemption is the wedding song, which again appeals probably because of its vivacity. Great computer graphics.
Negatives? A potential hit narration botched on compromising with an epic and turning it into a Manmohan Desai masala blunder. I would have appreciated a bolder version. Keep Ravi Kishan out of mainline Hindi cinema and take a long a hard look at Govinda’s capabilities. AB Junior looks like a million bucks but would have been more menacing with lesser and toned down dialogues. A R Rehman needs to be reminded that there is a little difference between a Hindi movie score and an Andrew Lloyd Webber opera.
Just to feel better on a hot humid day go watch and feel wet.

Movie Review- Rajneeti

Once upon a time there was a small time average novel writer who, as they say in the diamond fields, struck a blue vein when he conjured a believable story of one of the most intriguing entities of our time, the Cosa Nostra. That’s Mafia for the uninitiated. However the novel was an average success until its movie rights were bought by Francis Ford Coppola and the rest is history. The Godfather, the book and the movie, went on to become venerable classics of prose and cinema. The movie raged across the world in 1972 and since then movie makers across the world have been paying a perennial homage to it by consistently and dutifully stealing the original concept. Dharmatma & Sarkar are our contribution to this plagiarism and the latest is Rajneeti. But Parkash Jha is a smart alec. He has made The Godfather meet Mahabharat with thinly disguised characters from contemporary Indian politics and well, come out with a winner. So who do we compliment? Mario Puzo, Ved Vyas or Parkash Jha.
Well my vote has to stay with Jha. Having lost twice in the general elections he is no stranger to the rough and tumble of Indian politics and he has successfully captured the dirt and grime of electoral machinations. But at the same time it was a little disturbing to see the portrayal of people controlling the fate of millions plan a clinical execution of gruesome violence. Not once in a single character there is a hint of hesitation or fear of law or retribution. It’s done because it’s required to be done. Cynicism apart it is a little scary to imagine that there are real life people like that. The reality of politics which feeds on money, muscle and manipulation has been skilfully transported to the screen and as a purely cinematic experience it is thrilling and so relentlessly engrossing that one doesn’t feel as if one has sat through a three hour movie which barely has any song and dance routine.

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Raajneeti

The story is an unabashed saga of dynastic politics. The pace of narration is so immediately swift that it takes a while to identify the who’s who of the story. The players are all so recognizable and half the fun is in identifying the character with the politicians of our times. Jha has of course made his disclaimer but there are parallels which are too obvious to ignore. Do successive assassinations in the family and finally the daughter in law donning the political mantle ring a bell? Almost all the actors with the exception of Ajay Devgun have done commendable jobs. He really needs to get his act together. Wooden faced brooding is not acting. Ranbir Kapoor is the pick of the lot for his portrayal of the ruthless behind the scenes Machiavelli. For once Nana Patekar doesn’t scream his guts out. He plays a smiling Lord Krishna of sorts and is aptly named Brij Gopal. On the lighter side there is one great tradition of Hindi movies which has been left undisturbed here. There are three main female characters all of whom promptly become pregnant on sleeping with their beaus. Bollywood still seems unfamiliar with safe sex and with this kind of fertility we will never be able to check our growth rate.
Since cricket and politics are two things which the Indian populace never gets tired of ,Rajneeti is going to touch a nerve of every audience. We swear by our families and therefore despite protestations of nepotism have come to accept and tolerate dynastic politics. And finally here is a movie glorifying all that and we are going to happily lap it up.