Kalank

Just one word. DRAMA ! And a lot more DRAMAAA.

The makers of this film probably lacked loads of drama in their lives that we Indians cannot live without. From the first moment to the last this film is an exaggerated overdose of drama. Each frame is a dramatized painting showing off Indian artistry. Large palaces and picturesque locales of just independant India celebrating the architecture and ornamented pillars and interiors. The costumes are as dramatic as the acting of the characters. Madhurii Dixit’s drapes cover three to four flights of stairs and are longer than the longest dialogue in the entire film. Her dance act was disappointing. She looks old and fragile lacking grace and energy. The protagonist is a cocky armsmith whose big pecs and large nipples heave as he plays out his pathetic life winging about his illegitimacy. The characters are not completely defined; only Alia has a somewhat sensible presence, that too due to the part she plays. The writing is deficient and half-hearted.

The story is somewhat okay but not relatable. The story of post independence partition is made irrelevant and disconnected. Every scene and dialogue has no background and build-up making the story haphazard. The over the top frames at some level become ridiculous and comical. The director has tried too hard to make the cinematography and art direction perfect, but does not have anything else happening inside that. Basically the film is a collection of paintings and would have had a better effect if it was just that, displayed in an art exhibition. The only thing I liked about the film is the title song ‘Kalank’. Also the costumes look beautiful. If you are a dramatic person or love drama, which Indians do, then you may, and a big MAY, survive the film.

Rating – 2.5 / 5

Made in Heaven

It closes on a note about New Delhi and hopes and wishes for the old, young, poor & rich in the metropolis. I sigh on the closing acknowledgement after binge watching 9 episodes; laughing, sobbing and wanting more, over a period of two days. This is the first and hopefully not the last series I have binge watched.

Our dark side is seductive. It attracts, consumes and finishes us. Most of us would happily get finished enjoying the pleasures that the dark side bestows upon us. And this time she is wearing diamonds, is styled in haute couture, sips exotic champagne, speaks in classy accents and is blessed with majesty and blue blood. Underneath the pomp and grandeur are hidden claws that are slowly taking position. If you notice the smile you will see the glint of deadly incisor. And we dare not enter its mind for it has committed, is committing or is about to commit sins satan would be surprised of.

This is the evil everyone wants to see and be in awe of. Under the glitter and bling secrets of deceit lie, the all absorbing ambitions and hidden desires are fulfilled at any and all costs. The gossip, the hushed secrets, the eaves dropped juicy bits is all everyone is interested in. And why not ? It lures and hypnotizes their darkness into pleasures of lust and desire.

Made In Heaven is pleasure personified. Zoya and Reema tell tales of the Indian elite weddings by uncovering their masks. The high society redefine classiness through their hypocrisy and ugly truths driven by selfish schemes and dark secrets. In this narrative they have beautifully woven the issues of feminism and for the first time, homosexuality, in a real yet sensitive way. The series is especially laudable for normalizing and at the same time sensitizing the world of gay men. For the first time,  a gay man is one of the protagonist and his life and sexuality take centre stage as that of any straight man, as he suffers the bigotry of a chauvinistic society. Every gay man can completely or partially relate to this character for never has it been so holistically and importantly been portrayed on an Indian screen.

As the leads unite two souls they bring down stereotype and injustice and make way for whats right and just. But the possessions and lusts from their own lives have to go too.Money and power gives way to women’s rights and equality. Prejudice and homophobia are fought with a war cry for liberation and freedom. Arjun gives a realistic and heart-rending performance with no airs of acting or stardom. Subhita lives up to her character’s gorgeousness and silent intensity; her big beautiful eyes and pouting lips can seduce the devil himself.  Brilliant art direction and simple yet extraordinary script give this series a unique persona of itself. The South Delhi pomp and snobbishness compliment the soul of the series making it highly entertaining and ravishing. Love the title score !

Rating – 4.5 / 5

GULLY BOY

Explosive. Erupting. For the first time I experienced a film whose direction, tempo, narrative and feel move so closely with the character. Its like a coiled spring being wound up really really tightly is suddenly let go and BOOM ! There is an explosion and you feel like you are thrown into space from earth. The first half of this film is really slow, subdued and uneventful. You almost write it down as another story of an underdog making it big and yawwwnnn. Havent we had enough of the singing superstars and sports wonders. But then the second half is like a canon being fired. And you are wondering wtf happened !?

The whole story unfolds, acts out in the later half and rises like a phoenix. So far this is the best film of this year. Brilliant screenplay and direction, though I felt that the dharavi slum gig was a bit too much. It felt perpetual and rubbed in. But the whole rap art and exceptionally lyricized songs were original and new. We know the origins of rap and how it emerged as an art form for black americans as a means of expression. Relating that to the suppressed, lower income class youth forced into a mold set by family, community and society is intelligent.

That was about the film and now for the second part. Alia Bhatt ! She deserves a separate discussion. She adds a new almost exclusive dimension to the film with a startling striking performance. A sharp tongued, physically aggressive, ultra possessive "hateli" girl is unforgettable.  My readers know I feel she is an extraordinary actor but here she blew my mind away. Right from the beginning she is like a live wire literally holding together the first part where you are about to give up. Another underdog and bomb which keeps exploding throughout her love story unlike the main character who is ticking till the second half. Like many of Bollywood actors Ranveer too is a performer whose acting seems almost the same in every film. He might be playing different roles but the essence of his acting is quite repetitive. This was the first film where he has a different presence. He gives a unique performance which is very different from his work before. Siddhant Chaturvedi has a sexy swag full of attitude and class. He kills it bro !!

The whole mumbaiyya lingo with the bhai and chhote is music to the ears. There are many one liners which I don’t recollect but every dialogue amongst the dharavi friends is like a rhyme of a poem.

Tu nanga hi tho ayah hai kya ghanta leke jayega ? Don’t miss this one.

Rating – 4 / 5

Ek ladki ko dekha tho aisa laga

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge achieved a cult status and is still playing in Maratha Mandir. And rightly so because it blended family emotions with acceptance of love which sent a very positive message and touched a cord with the emotional indian heart. And boy, has that formula been used again and again ? There is a web series based on gay love. There too the maker has used the same formula. And yes, somehow it works. Most of the times if not always. Why ? Because it is a nice way to soften the blow. It upholds our values of treating our parents like God and undying love for the family.

A very similar plot is seen in this film too. A larger than life punjabi family with dollops of ghee laden emotions and tandoori passion. But in all that concoction one forgets the film, the story. Homosexuality, love between two women in itself is a complex and poignant issue. Mixing it up with an indian family melodrama made the whole film indigestible. Was the director too scared to put the issue out in the public domain ? So he covered it with ghee and makhan.

The oppression of the homosexual person as a child and while growing up could have taken center stage instead of indulging so much into the punjabi drama. The role of Rajkumar Rao is ambiguous. The story and plot is boring and distracted without a central theme. It hence fails to connect with the audience and send out the message it intends to. The second half is a relief and has some substance to it. Sonam Kapoor too has a pale and dead performance, keeping up with the film. Indian society has a long way to go in accepting the LGBTQ and films like these could dull the current of the movement.

Rating - 2.5 / 5 

Thackeray

Thackeray is a celebration of the great Marathi godfather Balasaheb Thackeray. The film has been shown in incidents, marking his achievements and his deeds for the Marathi people. It is patriotic in its tone and a puller for all Maharashtrians. The ideologies of Bal Thackeray have been portrayed strongly stressing on his sense of equality and fairness. Of course his work of discovering Marathi identity for Maharastrians and fueling it to fight for rights cannot be denied. Among the cheering and hooting audience one could feel the strong vibes of Maratha passion.

His stand that every person born in Maharashtra irrespective of his roots, is a Marathi and has the first right to the state and its resources goes on to show his ideology and values. Several instances of enforcing the right against the wrong people were facing, showing his godfather status is a good reason for all Maharashtrians, and Marathis, especially to watch this film.

But then the film has a documentary feel to it with not too much of passion and fire. Shiv Sena is a strong right wing aggressive ideology and the film could have held a more 'in your face' tone instead of the meager depiction of events. Nawazuddin has done a perfect imitation of Balasaheb as the silent and singular, orator and leader. Not a film that has to be watched but as a south indian born n raised in Maharashtra I still enjoyed watching the film for its almost jingoistic connect. Released on an opportune occasion it completes your Republic Day.

Rating : 3 / 5

. 

BOY ERASED

Imagine you were left handed. Though it is not very common but there is nothing really harmful about it. You are not causing any physical on mental problems for the people in your life. It could be family, friends or acquaintances. Then you realize that it is forbidden because your religion doesn’t approve of it. Not just disapprove, but declares you abnormal and tags you as the devil. You and your parents are called sinners and as people who are against God. But for you it is a very natural thing. Being left handed is a natural as breathing and walking. Under your family’s pressure you have to go through conversion therapy where you are addressed as someone who is a sinner and a criminal. You are psychologically brainwashed and treated differently when you don’t exactly know what’s wrong with you.

Boy erased is a real story about a gay teenager who had to suffer Conversion therapy.  This is an intense film and psychologically testing. It is a brilliant portrayal of a normal young adult become a victim of prejudice and religious bigotry. Gerrard Conley suffers conversion therapy which is the most inhuman and the gravest tortures anyone can go through. It is worse than Nazi concentration camps because the victim’s own family force the victims to go through it. In this film one can experience the psychological and emotional trauma the victims have to go through in an extremely hostile set up where every move of the individual is judged and examined with disdain and hatred. A person’s self-worth and self-respect are completely destroyed forcing him/her into an abyss of depression and negativity. There is no escape for him/her because he is dependent on his family and the only way for him to survive is to obey them.

I felt suffocated several times in this film. There came a point where I could not handle it anymore and was on the verge of walking out. To be able to create and communicate the severity of the issue is extraordinary and laudable. To be able to do complete justice and portray the depth of the hostility that the Christian faith has against the LGBT community is a great achievement. Lucas Hedges has nailed the character and acts out Gerrards feeling and mental state perfectly. Joel Edgerton has done great service to the community and mankind as a whole by making a film that exposes the torture that 77,000 Americans, who have gone through the Conversion Therapy. Many still do as most states in the US still allow it.

Rating – 4.5 / 5

Thugs of Hindostan

Thugs of Hindostan should have been promoted as a children’s film. The plot, characters, screenplay and a lot of the dialogue is something children would enjoy. And  the adults children with them would have found it appealing too since they would have a different mindset while watching the film.  While watching this film I was reminded of the funny and childish hero stories that would be shown in Doordarshan long back. The characters would have special powers to defeat a villain. The villain would be greedy and powerful. There would be some funny characters thrown in to bring in some humor. The costumes would be fitting for a TV fiction. There would be a certain ridiculousness to the simple plots and the dialogue would be immature.

Thugs of HIndostan is slightly more complex in its make. But the ridiculousness is still there. In heaps. The background music for certain characters and some animal or bird announcing the protagonist’s arrival is typical of the Ali baba stories.  Aamir Khan plays a complex thug like character, actually the only real thug in the film. He is that peculiar verbose joker kind of a guy who converts to a hero from a thug. He keeps vacillating between the good and the evil. The evil beings played by the British against the good guerilla pirate type Indians. The struggle for freedom ensues after a princess loses her parents, kingdom and freedom to the British.

Amitabh has a great presence and strong purposeful performance. The atrocity called Katrina Kaif continues to torture. She is for cinema what Rahul Gandhi is for politics. Fatima Shaikh looks dull and boring. Her part is mostly shooting arrows in mid air and exchanging glances with Amitabh. The sets and locales are straight out of a pirate film with ancient ships near tropical islands. Overall it’s a predictive and boring experience. There is no entertainment. Maybe the directors were banking on the star cast. This one can be missed.

Rating – 2 / 5