Bhajarangi Bhaijaan

A topic on national integration showcased without bloodshed is such a rarity these days. It's lovely movie of Pakistani speech impaired girl who's stranded in India owing to her curiosity and is reunited with her parents aided by an Indian evoking sentiments beyond religion owing to a YouTube video uploaded by a reporter.

A speech impaired six year olds' journey from Pakistan to India to be unmuted by divinity ends with her being stranded in India's Unchartered territory beyond the border of Pak.

She wails and cries and then finds Hanumans' devotee Sallu and is somehow amused by his affinity to Hanuman and follows him to his abode. He realises she's orphaned by situation and pledges her return to her parents to Bhajarang Bhali. He has to use unconventional methods to bye pass the border as the girl doesn't have a visa . The guy goes about the border crossing being honest to the Paki army, who allow him to enter Pakistan owing to his star power. Pakistan suspects the Indian in their sight and post return of the girl to her parents, jails him. They're almost as slow to react to things as Indian Movie police. The word "Jasoos" is almost as common as Lemon Juice. But when the cute little girls goes about munching the food she likes, smiling, tearing up, cuddling up to your heart. You'd almost believe anything blinded by her presence. Like when Sallubhai takes a bullet from Pak Army one would think Bhajarangi bhaijaan nikalgaya tera jaan. But then Sallu's need to be himself overshadows the requirement of believability and then he comes back alive walking past the border, pardoned by the Pak army, who refuse the orders of their higher up on the grounds of humanity, in response to a YouTube video filmed by the reporter.


Nawazuddin Siddique's spontaneity, his role of a reporter is short and sweet delivered with a heart wrenching dash of emotion.

Salman Khans' role as a innocent gentleman with Lord Ram at his heart and the will of Hanuman as his aide is very believable for a change. For the concept of once forgotten thing called earning a box office hit is rekindled by Sallu Bhai.

But as Sallu Bhai bids Khudafis as a Hindu and the cute little Paki girl chants "Jai Sri Ram" unmuted by her innocent love for her Mama Sallu, even the most rational heart can feel the emotion.

Watch it for the adorable little girl, reporter Nawaz with a heart and believable underplayed Sallu Bhai.

Pic courtesy: indiatoday.in

Papanasam

A realistic, simple and beautiful movie shot at heart-warming locales with a flawless script and capable actors. When there is eternal sunshine on a spotless script, Papanasam happens. (Name of the movie reproduced). Without comparison to the original. This Tamil movie scores on its own right.

It is the story of how a simple man’s family is affected by the entry of an unwanted stranger into the fold. The stranger has an influential and loving family that is at odds with the simpletons. It’s an edge of your seat thriller that excels with its sophisticated simplicity and marvellous storytelling. Kamal plays a cable operator with a Tirunelveli Tamil accent (aided by Subtitles). He gains all his wisdom from hours of movie watching and television away from his loving home. On one fine day when he returns home all his wisdom would come to his help to dispose the unwanted stranger to never ever land. How the story ensues after the stranger is done away with holds the key to the plot. How the Cable guy uses his acquired wisdom to wriggle out of the net cast by the policemen is depicted with reality, believability and meticulous script work. For once Kamal is not highly intellectual in his work nor is his ability to bring sophistication to simplicity showcased. Yet he doesn’t lose the chance of trying out Tirunelveli Tamil and the complicating scenes of finger fracturing ill-treatment.This kind of a simple role should’ve been what his fans would’ve cried out for after the metaphysical experience they would’ve had in Anbe Shivam.

Kamal as a Cable Guy and the marvelous escape artiste is appreciable.

Gauthami Tadimalla as the wife cant lose her accent but has underplayed the role to an extant.

The Newbie daughter on whom an evil eye has been cast plays the role well.

Kalabhavan Mani sizzles in his role as a corrupt police officer.

The Lady Inspector General with Mallu accent has slight niggles in dubbing but has done well.  

 Though the original with Mohanlal and his natural gift was superior solely because of seamless performances and flawless casting. Papanasam turns out to be a good cinematic experience . Blessed are those who haven’t had the Drishyam of Drishyam.  For they can originally appreciate this movie and the performances without the curse of having seen the marvel of Lal.   In my inability lies my answer to the deserved appreciation of this remake of Drishyam.

Watch it for it "may" turn out to be the best Tamil movie of  Year. 

Pic Courtesy: http://photos.filmibeat.com/ph-big/2014/12/papanasam-movie-poster_141957088500.jpg

Inside Out

Profoundly intellectual at a kiddish level. Inside out makes you turn yourself inside out with joy . It's literally a trip down the memory lane whereby you end up thanking the geniuses behind this mammoth piece of art. A young girl is born into a loving family, her mental journey from having been a baby to being a kid along with her travel from her hometown to a new place and the way she feels alone in an all new world and tackles her want to escape into her past is brought out in this movie . The way her memories are captured by her mind and the depiction of joy, sadness, disgust, fear and anger as characters inside of your brain controlling ones action outside in reality in different contexts was a touch of masterclass. While Joy tries to claw its way back into the life of the host, its sorrow that brings back memories of togetherness with family.  This was a lesson on the functions of the brain so beautifully yet intelligently put across. You get a glimpse of the thought train, the long term memory, vanishing memories, the dream factory, an imaginary friend. All of which are bundled into a interesting dissection of how ones thought process is initiated and put into fruition by the reactionary mind to the external world. Watch this masterpiece that’ll educate you with loads of joy as you may tear up on learning what beautiful animation and intellectual freedom can do to movie making at its pinnacle.

Pic Courtesy: http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTtZdvrahQxfjGkSBJCS-uiZKUfJNH4ddsqgCbV5oFkQiQ-tszE

Dil Dhadakne do -

If you let it beat, you'll be beaten up and then will cave in to the demands of heart maybe:)

A family melodrama on a cruise  which ends with the comic voice of Aamir Khan alais Pluto Mehra , the dog of wisdom to humanity.

A wedding anniversary of a dysfunctional couple of upper social class necessitates the journey of celebration on a cruise wherein ;

We find

1. A Dad who has had quite a few affairs, business and marriage being the worst managed of them,

2. A Mother who couldn't manage an affair of her own,

3. A Daughter looking for divorce from her current to wed her past,

4. A Son whose passion is to fly but ends up grouded loving a dancer.

How is one to connect them all into a mess of a movie - we give it up to Dil Dhadakne do ......

Wherein the dad plans to make the latest addition to the family on the grounds of his business and emotional bankruptcy.  He plots for one of his friends to bank roll him out of business woes by relating his son to his friends daughter. 

When the plan goes awry, the son gradually manages to point out the flaws to his parents, only to end up swimming in the Mediterranean Sea to get back to his loved one.

Ranvir tries to belong to the upper class but his colours gradually wore off, as he returns to his original self. Priyanka does well taking a pill to erase her memories of her current dysfunctional relationship with her husband. Kudos to Anil kapoor, who carries the movie on his age old shoulders, the best actor the movie has to offer . Though Anushka doesn't pull off the dancer, she's still worthy of love in her moments of intimacy with Ranvir. Farhan ain't really starring in the movie so no comments.

Overall worthy of a watch with no expectations, If you could appreciate the humour and laugh it off once you get out of the movie hall. Zoya Akhtar," the director of luck by chance", has turned to commerciality on failure of appreciation for her intellect. She uses a dog to impart wisdom to some of us . God bless her with many more successes for Zindagi na milegi dobara!:)

Pic Courtesy:- http://latesthindimovies.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Dil-Dhadakne-Do.jpg

Piku

An outsider Pik s u from hell, experiences it on the drive and then drops you in heaven while being constipated and hilarious at the same time. When in anticipation, constipation is solved, one with the problem passes away to a better place and the ones left behind look at future with positivity. 

It's the story of a irritable family wherein a pessimistic and selfish dad shows excessive indulgence in bowel movement out of fear of repercussions of its outcome and the daughter has to put up with the tantrums of the dad, cometh the old age. An outsider comes up with a solution for the irritability with his practicality and charm. A take on how old age might blow out of proportion certain bodily difficulties and the irritability that comes along with it and how the same is dealt with the calmness of an outsider. 

Extremely funny without being overly profane  though one should enjoy cheap thrills and I admit I did. 

Big B plays the part of the oldie to perfection. Irfan Khan sizzles with his dialogue delivery and effortless  acting. Deepika subtle acting fits her role. Seems like a perfect cast. 

Watch it as Shoojit Sircar weaves the magic of humour with accomplished actors like Amitabh and Irfan, leaves you with his touch of practicality and provides an end of simplicity that is amicable to everyone. 

Pic Courtesy: http://m.ibtimes.co.in/

Uttam Villain

Uttamamana Villana?

NO

This is the story of marvellous actor whose life is fading away with brain tumor. He has to make the most of the time he has left. He comes up with the idea of acting in a movie before he’s been ordained to pass far and away. He approaches his mentor  (“Balachander “)and the person who gave him his first chance at glory, to direct him.   They join hands to create a play named Uttama Villain – “The best of archer”.

The plot of the play goes as under and down under;

The Character Uttaman is made to be an actor who has supposedly gone through the ordeal of actually being believed to be dead more than once but has been brought back to life by fate.  He’s believed to be the person who has shook hands with the clutches of fate and is “Mruthyunjayan” – The Conqueror of Death. The one who is believed to be immortal, presumed to have drunk the secret elixir of life. On the other side of this play lies the Minister, who has pushed the ruling king into oblivion and has become the ruler,  who has been predicted a horrendous death by soothsayers. The former king has a beautiful daughter protected by a pet tiger.  The ruling king desires for this beauty while the beauty unleashes the beast in her to kill the ruler.

So ends the prelude,

The ministers suggest that the ruler should approach this Mruthyunjayan as he might have a chance at avoiding the prediction .  Uttaman is called for and passes the test of Conqueror of Death.  He’s believed to know a mantra which can help the ruler obtain immortality.  Owing to Uttaman’s demonstration of immortality, the king starts to believe that he has a chance to save his life.

As Uttaman extends his stay at the province, he suggests certain ways to the ruler to romance the beautiful princess and win her heart. His suggestion earns him the post of a minister in the court of the ruler.

The Princess meets Uttaman in the dungeon where she’s imprisoned for her act of insanity. She plots with Uttaman to create a play of Bhaktha Prahaladha to  assasinate  the ruler and succeeds. Kamal plays Hiraniyakashibu, The princess plays the part of Prahalada, The ruler plays the Narasimha avatar.

But here Hiraniyakashibu character (Uttaman) plots to kill  Narasihma Character(Rules) by poisoning the nails of the Narasihma Character. Uttaman makes sure that Narasimha character scratches himself by transporting a few irritable insects onto the body of the ruler. The poisoned nails aide the irritability caused by the insects, as the poison drains every bit life left in the ruler. The ruler is ruled out of his life and Prahalada survives. Uttaman turns out to be the ruler of the neighbouring land who wanted to kill the ruler himself.

Thus ends the play within the play with the hope that the audience have been played.

 Uttama Villain because Uttaman – Hiraniyakashibu turns out to be the Villain to the ruler (Narasimha Avatar) in the play (maybe). Also  because in bits and pieces manoranjan(kamal) tries to restore his image of a villain in all the erstwhile affairs of his past and that of his present in the movie. Also played well is the ensuing melodrama of his impeding flight away from humanity.  

Kamal tries to combine the art form of Villu pattu for story telling and Kathakali for enacting the story of Bhaktha Prahaladha. The colours presented to us in the art form are memorable. The historical bit enthuses and the art form enlivens the movie throughout. Except Kadhalam Kadavul munn, “bagabagabaga......”other compositions bugbugbug . Background score ain’t that good. The Screenplay could’ve been better as we walk away applauding this humongous effort of difference. Some of the tamil words used in the movie weren’t understandable to people like me who’ve migrated from Sangam/pure  tamil literature.   This is a puritan Kamal movie for Kamal Fans. But hats off to Kamal for the courage in difference.  Watch it as it ain’t mass and isn’t masala.  Not a short one .....Sorry.(Not so short as the blog name claims)

Pic Courtesy:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7f/Uthama_Villain.jpg

Oh Kadhal Kanmani

Rarely do you lose out on your money with Mani. It's new and refreshing, but the lingo of the two actors was too apparent a struggle for a Tamilian. The message is that you either live with or without, living in and sampling a relationship doesn't hold up for too long when strong love is confronted by the institution of marriage.  Believable acting but lacking the level of portrayal of intimacy required to seduce one into marriage.  A flirtatious beginning to love that sizzles and then fizzles into an all too familiar marriage. Mani gets his lines right, with Carnatic music playing for all moods, with apt actors acting but not dubbing well enough. This might be one of those movies to be forgotten sooner rather than later  if one were to be a Mani Ratnam fan with Alzheimer's! 

Pic Courtesy: Wikipedia