Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa(HCKM) is an extremely competent rendition of the book by the same name by Mahasweta Devi. She must have been really proud of her own work after watching the film. Its a sensitive portrayal of a mother's feelings... and how they starkly differ from a father's. I don't want to write a spoiler here and reveal the story... Jaya Bhaduri ( as I still like to call her) is one of our finest actors, I just wish she had done more movies. She is a natural... she brings out emotions... that almost bring a chill to your spine coz they are so real and you know you have felt like that too... like she does... but in such private moments that you wonder how she ever thought of portraying them.
Govind Nihalini is an amazing director. I coincidentally bought two dvds of his together. "Drishti" which has Dimple Kapadia and Shekhar Kapur ( thankfully he does not have such a major role, in front of Dimple he pales... almost vanishes...!) and HCKM. Drishti is not a perfect movie, but still has some very memorable moments... and its made on a subject that very few Indian film-makers manage to portray well... about extra-marital love and divorce. Drishti is a must watch... but not one of his greatest movies... Hazaar CKM... is a perfect movie in every respect. Jaya, by the end of this movie is this enormously tall person in your mind... what she does nobody else can do.
HCKM introduced Nandita Das... she has a smallish role but a significant one. She is Jaya's son's lover - there are scenes between these two women that are indescribably soft and vulnerable. You almost want to shut your eyes... coz the emotions are so raw...
Please go and get the DVD/cd of this movie, better still buy it... don't hire it. One watch is not enough. You would want to watch it again and again. I just hope someone has the good sense to bring out all our great movies on DVD... esp the offbeat movies that didn't do so well in theatres. Is someone listening...?? India has a discerning audience too!! Ambika.
Govind Nihalini is an amazing director. I coincidentally bought two dvds of his together. "Drishti" which has Dimple Kapadia and Shekhar Kapur ( thankfully he does not have such a major role, in front of Dimple he pales... almost vanishes...!) and HCKM. Drishti is not a perfect movie, but still has some very memorable moments... and its made on a subject that very few Indian film-makers manage to portray well... about extra-marital love and divorce. Drishti is a must watch... but not one of his greatest movies... Hazaar CKM... is a perfect movie in every respect. Jaya, by the end of this movie is this enormously tall person in your mind... what she does nobody else can do.
HCKM introduced Nandita Das... she has a smallish role but a significant one. She is Jaya's son's lover - there are scenes between these two women that are indescribably soft and vulnerable. You almost want to shut your eyes... coz the emotions are so raw...
Please go and get the DVD/cd of this movie, better still buy it... don't hire it. One watch is not enough. You would want to watch it again and again. I just hope someone has the good sense to bring out all our great movies on DVD... esp the offbeat movies that didn't do so well in theatres. Is someone listening...?? India has a discerning audience too!! Ambika.