Change Your Image
rahumate
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Padmaavat (2018)
A fantasy or film or fiction
Padmavat
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's most awaited mega project 'Padmavati', hit a roadblock many times in 2017 with protests seeking ban on the movie erupted around the country. The film star Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor. Earlier, it was scheduled to release on December 1 but later was postponed to an undisclosed date because if the threats and political pressure. Meanwhile, the CBFC gave their nod to the film, asking the makers to change the title to 'Padmavat'. I will not call it a real life film or a bio-pic but as the critics goes it was a wonderful experience to watch the film. I do not agree with the way they have created sets and dialogues. It went old school.
Gold (2018)
A biopic for years
Gold
Khiladi Kumar is on a roll. From a patriotic to a 'Padman', Akki is donning various hats for his films. And now, he will essay the role of hockey player Balbir Singh, who was a part of the hockey team that won India's first gold medal as an independent nation at the Olympic Games. Titled 'Gold', the film will see Akshay in a yet another new avatar. And this has definitely left his fans excited.
Padman (2018)
A marvel in scriptwriting
Padman
Khiladi Kumar, Akshay is all set to entertain the audience with 'Pad Man'. The film is first production venture of Twinkle Khanna and is directed by R Balki. The film also stars Radhika Apte as Akshay's wife and Sonam Kapoor as tabla player. The film 'Pad Man' is a real life story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the man who wore a sanitary pad to break a taboo. It is a reality that Muruganantham tried his best to find a way to make cheap, affordable sanitary napkins for women in his village. It is his devotion to dedication towards a noble cause. Pad Man is a film based upon his life. While making the film scriptwriter has made many changes but kept the real life synthesis as it is. When I watched this film, I liked the way it is been scripted. I liked the dialogues. There are many characters who come speak very ordinary and camera is kept at a distance as a third person point of view but the impact what we get is beyond words. When I say beyond words, I mean it. There are times, when situations gives us hint, clue or twist in the story all this takes place through not so important characters. Film compel us to think, sympathize with character and support them. All things takes place through action and not through words. I find this style of script and dialogue is a new in Bollywood. R. Balki and swanand kirkire who has worked together to craft the screenplay of this film.
Raazi (2018)
A spy who haunt ever after
Raazi
A film based upon Harinder S. Sikka's 2008 novel Calling Sehmat. film details the a true story of an Indian woman secret agent married to a Pakistani army officer. It took 4 years to make this film to screen. This films script is adopted with near real adaptation. This film narrates a story in very balanced way. It is a great to see such a woman in lead film in recent years. In spy genre of Indian cinema it is a mile stone. What I observed as a film professor in this film is, character development is done in very indirect way, such as the liking and disliking of character, the choices and lifestyle of a character or the reaction to the action performed by the character. This approach gives a novel look to the film. The camera always keep us inside the action, it is the beauty of the film
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)
Lagaan is based on the background of British Raj
Film Lagaan has been written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Aamir Khan produced this film and also played the lead role as Bhuvan. This film is based on the background of British Raj. In the 21st century it is worthwhile to analyze this film on the basis of national identity, self identity, sports and its psychological status in India.
Lagaan is based on the background of British Raj. It narrates the story of drought ridden village through various characters. Bhuvan plays the lead role in uniting villagers and training them for a cricket match. The tussle of rivalry, competition, politics, pressure, loyalty, self identity and the social identity reveals the plot and narrates the story through various characters. This paper has analyzed, what is self identity and social identity.
Dr ramachandra guha, chair: professor michael cox agree that cricket is national pride. Dr. Guha gave an anecdote," Ram Manohar Lohia, a cricket hater, who once having concluded a verbose press-conference denigrating cricket as a colonial vestige, proceeded to enquire about an ongoing India-Pakistan test match at a nearby paan-shop. Such is the wonderful concoction that is Indian cricket, where inside every cricket-hater, a lover of the sport continues to breathe." He concluded his speech on Tuesday 6th March 2012 , London.
Delhi-6 (2009)
Delhi 6 is an agnostic take on typical social religious idiosyncrasies of town based Indians.
Today Indian Cinema is narrating visible and invisible cultural artifacts, ethos, dreams and challenges of new age. Indian cinema was evolved out of Ramlila and similar mythologies which are portrayed on stage. Drama was evolved with passage of time, modern science and technology altered the play on stage, local fair, entertainment, career, ethos and Identities. Delhi 6 a film talks about a specific part of Delhi where people from different religion stay together in harmony. Everybody practice their own religion without crossing the boundary of peace. Today's youth who is well exposed to media and wish to go beyond family pride, this film which explores the conflict of individuals and their social identity. Film revolves around Ramlila as a stage craft, social event and real life; it helps to showcase the social unity. It motivates audiences to raise questions about the issues of caste system and social evil. Cinematic space of Delhi 6 talks about the Ram Lila as a craft and its direct association with our life. The use of background music explains the internal and external conflict between characters, society and our relation to it.
The cinematic space of Delhi 6 raises the issues of a girl child in Indian family system, her place in society, her limited freedom and about her fate. The other themes like Cultural identity, gender inequality, exclusion, region, language etc. This paper also attempt the various psychological syndromes associated with Indian psyche, the confluence of social and personal identity, unity and ever enriching secular nature of our country. . Ramlila evolved Indian drama and left heavy influence on Indian cinema.
Bollywood films of 60s, 70s have shown Ramlila as a part of entertainment or part of lifestyle designed for their characters. Today in Delhi 6 we find it even relevant, as Ramlila is directly compared with the life of Delhi people. Director has raised the question subtly by the use of edit or by giving a direct cut and to the character. Dr Shoma Chattergy wrote said in an interview on October 8, 2010: "Feminist film theories that draw mainly upon psycho-analysis and structuralism do not have much bearing on an analysis of portrayals of women in Hindi cinema. So, one has to develop a new theory of such analysis against the backdrop of the Indian social and economic backdrop within which the real woman lives and works and study the intersections of these with celluloid women in Indian cinema. How distanced are the real women from the celluloid women? Does distancing help nurture better images of the celluloid women or does it hinder the image more and thus distance the audience from these films?"
Make-Believe world and Borrowed Identities become a reality of modern day life. I remember the lines of Frida Kahio "What I wanted to express very clearly and intensely was that the reason these people had to invent or imagine heroes and gods is pure fear. Fear of life and fear of death." Self proclaimed god man creates fear among the hearts of Delhi citizens. They succumb to the pressure of society.
Sigmund Freud on the same point has mentioned in The Future of an Illusion (The Standard Edition) "It would be very nice if there were a God who created the world and was a benevolent providence, and if there were a moral order in the universe and an after-life; but it is a very striking fact that all this is exactly as we are bound to wish it to be." All Hindu and Muslims are united and living together. Roshan who has a Muslim mother and Hindu father both are from Delhi 6 area, Ali Begh who is a friend of his parents the secret to Roshan that he use to like his mother once she got married things changed but true love resides in hearts. Drama of Ramayana connects both community through business, hospitality, entertainment and celebration. The drama of Ramayana portrays a make belief world and people find it as escapism over entertainment.
Rakesh Omprakash Mehra in Delhi 6 juxtaposes the scenes of Ramlila the arch drama of Indian soil with the modern day film making. Times have changed, science has altered the meaning and definition of life but we as human being are still connected with each other with heart. Our heart rules over mind. Delhi 6 film raises many questions on human behavior, human relations and complex day to day life questions. It remind me the novel by Shashi Tharo Shashi Tharoor's Great Indian Novel. It is a popular and acclaimed work of satire, it talks about the ancient Indian epic Mahabharat and retold as modern Indian history - a tale in which well-known political personalities of 20th Century India are imagined as characters from the Mahabharat. Delhi 6 is an agnostic take on typical social-religious idiosyncrasies of town based Indians. This movie is an NRI's indifferent perspective on India's Social-religious-cultural practices. Delhi 6 talks about the story of people who live in a city. The story talks about their life, dreams, relationships, social cohesion, national integrity, unity and secular society. They rejoice and rejuvenate with each other. Religious fundamentalists and politician tried to create a rift between them they become partly successful but being a multicultural and secular society they realize the value of brotherhood and humanity. They become unite once again. This film revolves around the Delhi city and explores the songs and mysteries of lain and by-lanes. Roshan happen to become a part to clear their misunderstanding. Rakesh Omprakash Mehra passes a message of social cohesion, unity and national integrity through Delhi 6. He did not reside to any hero or super hero to imbibe the doctrine on audience. He used natural situation, day to day characters and incidences and unfolds the film in a real life experience. I sum up article on the quote of Satyajit Ray "The only solutions that are ever worth anything are the solutions that people find themselves."
Pinjar: Beyond Boundaries... (2003)
Pinjar is a movie adaptation from novel Pinjar by Amrita Pritam
Pinjar is a novel written by Amrita Pritam, writer and senior journalist Khushwant Singh has edited it in English. Amrita Pritam has been the first women writer in Independent India who has extensively wrote on themes of partition, national harmony, women and grassroots issues of Punjab. Khushwant Singh, the contemporary of Amrita Pritam who shares the same view. Khushwant Singh also has written books like The Train to Pakistan and many other books on Partition, national harmony and social issues. Chandra Prakash Dwivedi a television director turned film director has made his debut film Pinjar in 2003. This film is adaptation from Novel to Cinema. Film focuses on a girl character Pooro and her life. It narrates the tragic tale of partition and Pooro's life. Amrita Pritam the prominent Indian writer who has witnessed the partition and has lived in undivided Punjab province has seen the ups and downs of many lives. We find Pinjar as objective correlative of Amrita Pritam.
Pinjar is a film of objective co-relativity of Amrita Pritam, J A Cuddon has written the definition of objective co-relativity in Dictionary of Literary terms, "The only way of expressing emotion in the form of art is by finding an 'objective correlative'; in other words, a set of objects, a situation, a chain of events which shall be the formula of that particular emotion; such that when the external facts, which must terminate in sensory experience, are given, the emotion is immediately evoked.
According to Salma Malik (assistant professor from Islamabad), "All Partition films broadly belong to the genre of historical films. They narrate Partition as the novel. They seem like historical narratives with particular ideologies. They prove to be a film version for national histories." Pinjar is a partition film which goes much beyond the pangs of partition 1947 and touches the lives of people across the border.
As the province of Punjab faced and witness the trauma of Partition, the writers belongs to this region responded in their writing. Punjabi novels have a long list of writers like, Nanak Singh's Khoon De Sohle (1947),and Mazdhaar (1949). Amrita Pritam's Pinjar (1948), Bhairav Prasad Gupta's, Bhagwaticharan Verma's Bhule-Bisre Chitra (1961), Vishnu Prabhakar's, Nishikant (1958), Kamleshwar's, Laute Hue Musaphir (1971), Bhisham Sahni's Tamas (1973), Yashpal's Meri Teri Uski Baat (1974) and Zootha Sach (1969), Ramanand Sagar's Aur Insaan Mar Gaya (1948), Rahi Masoom Raza's Aadha Gaon (1966), and Os Ki Bund, Acharya Chatur Shastri's Dharam Putra are some of the widely acclaimed works. These novels narrated many heart-wrenching stories of abductions and rapes during Partition. Writers like Khwaja Ahmad Abbas' narrated it in Revenge. Manto's wrote it in the Reunion and Toba Tek Singh and Bedi's Lajwanti. Today we refer to their books, novels, dramas to study as historic references.
Amrita Pritam's Pinjar portrays the character of 'Puro' with her existential dilemma of women during the Partition. It is reflected at community and individual level. Puro, a Hindu girl abducted by Rasheed, a Muslim guy. Abandoned by her family, she finally accepts her fate and settles in Pakistan. During the chaos of Partition, Puro grows on psychological plane, we find her reaction after her Muslim name(Hamida) is tattooed on her hand, the same tattooed name help her while saving Laajo. This proves the growth of a character of Puro. Puro (Hamida) finally chooses to stay with Rashid in Pakistan. This point proves the secular spirit of nationals Somdatta Mandal (Professor of English & Head. Department Shantiniketan) discusses these similarities in detail in her Film and Fiction: Word into Image. She begins saying, "handling of time and space plays important role in film and fiction, the use of flashback and flash forward is potential tool of focusing and event." Amrita Pritam's Pinjar and the film begins with central character Puro, We focus on her action and go in flashback, and it starts with her adolescent age and ends in tragic. The use of flashback is mostly for 'dreams' or 'streams of consciousness. Pinjar film and novel has linear narration, events and episodes unfold in chronological manner.
Theorists like George Bluestone calls film as a combination of space/time art and Prose fiction immortalize the time as art. "The novel renders from point to point in space". (1966:61) As both films and novels follow determined sequence to unfold the events. These art forms develop "plot", sub plot and characters to push the story further." Pinjar movie develops and follows the character of Puro closely, Rashid, abductor and husband character id developed over the events takes place in movie. The progress of Rashid character from an abductor, husband, caring family person, companion to philanthropic is a journey we witness in Pinjar. The character of Puro and her love towards family remains intact, even though she is been abandoned by her father and mother. This particular offers us the glimpses of the culture and sociology.
Pinjar is a movie adaptation from novel Pinjar by Amrita Pritam. Film is based on Indian partition 1947. The character of Puro plays vital role in the movie. Film narrates the historical milieu of undivided India. This paper has analyzed how the adaptation of novel to film holds strong essence of novel. Pinjar as a move passes strong message of national integrity, social harmony and humanity. Undivided India had secular society and some fanatics who had their vested interests. Movie has portrayed history with unbiased point of view. The message of secular society goes strong with the liberal characters like Puro, Ramchand, Lajjo, Trilok the new generation. This film is a best example of historical reference for national integrity, social harmony and secular society.
Rang De Basanti (2006)
RDB is an example of post globalization Indian cinema
The film revolves around a group of five friends played by Aamir Khan, Siddharth Narayan, Soha Ali Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni and who go through an entire roller coaster ride of changes. The changes aren't the ones youngsters usually encounter - these are changes that are very concrete and change their lives completely. The central character of the film is Sue McKinley (British actress Alice Patten) who is a young documentary filmmaker who comes to India armed with her grandfather's diary to make a documentary film on the freedom fighters of India. Cinema is a reflection of society. Indian cinema narrates various aspects of Indian culture, tradition history and legacy. British Rule and Indian independence movements have left and everlasting imprints on Indian psychological. In 2016 when we look back and recall RDB 2006 movie narrates the socio-political landscape of India. RDB talks about the legendary martyrs like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, how they fought against injustice of British Rule and motivated Indian youth against injustice post independence. RDB compares the pre-independence Indian legends with post independence today's youth. This comparison is showcased visually. BG,R, S are used as simile and metaphor in the film. These simile and metaphors motivate and inspire today's youth to follow their footsteps. Rashmi Sawhney is a researcher claims," Rang De Basanti is a film focuses on colonialism and globalization in post independence India. This is a national cinema." She has mentioned it in her research paper "History, Nation and Cinema"
Maidul Islam, Assistant Professor - Presidency University mentioned in Indian Journal of Human Development, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.s Rang De Basanti also features a Muslim character, Aslam, played by Kunal Kapoor, This film shows the secular values of India.
Miss Nafisa H Kattarwala the assistant professor from Mumbai talk on Muslim portrayal in Rang De Basanti, She refers this movie as an example where secular values of India are displayed. Jan Cohen-Cruz (1998) defined theaters on the street as an expression of revolutionary political and nationalist movement that not only entertain its audiences, but has a deep-rooted role to play in social change.
Safdar Hashmi – the founder of Jana Natya Manch and theater activist – too viewed street theater as a tool to spread political ideology, especially to propagate communism and "draw the masses of people into the anti-colonial struggle" .
John D. H. Downing (2011), extensively wrote who it was flourished in India, the use of colloquial languages that are incorporated with songs, dance and folk arts. The minimum props or costume with no theatrical set-up required. These were the aesthetically features of street plays. Indian Street Theater has been inspired to a great extent by the works of Bertolt Brecht, Augusto Boal, Utpal Dutt and Badal Sircar.
Bollywood has made 6 films on Bhagat Singh since 1954. Bhagat Singh has become a metaphor of secular society. The List of Movies on Bhagat Singh is as follow. Film- Shaheed-e-Azad Bhagat Singh, a 1954 film made Bhagat Singh as the Pioneer Indian Youth Icon. This film was directed by Jagdish Gautam, Lachhiram gave music and Sahir Chandpuri wrote lyrics.
It is worth mentioning the part of history, Gandhi had managed to have 90,000 political prisoners who were not members of his Satyagraha movement released under the Gandhi-Irwin Pact. According to a report in the Indian magazine Frontline, he did plead several times for the commutation of the death sentence of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, including a personal visit on 19 March 1931, and in a letter to the Viceroy on the day of their execution, pleading fervently for commutation, not knowing that the letter would be too late.
Rang De Basanti is a film which has used documentary film maker Sue as a narrator. The metaphorical use of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev images enriched Indian cinematic grammar. This film handles the issue of corruption and shows strong legacy of secular society, social cohesion and national integrity. RDB has won many awards in India and across the globe. Accolades have been heaped upon it by the perceptive critics and commoners. RDB is an exemplary film of Indian cinema which has progressed into the phase of post globalization.
Chak De! India (2007)
Chuck De India is a sports film based on real life incidence.
Chuck De India is a sports film based on real life incidence. Mir Ranjan Negi, Indian hokey player of inspired Shah Rukh Khan's role in "Chak De! India". Mir Ranjan Negi returned to be the coach of the India women's national field hockey team. The team won the Gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He was also the assistant coach for the Women's team when it won the Gold at the 2004 Hockey Asia Cup.After reading news in press, screenwriter Jaideep Sahani got inspired to write a script of this film. The script focuses on hokey as a game, cultural diversity, women empowerment, new age family system and national integrity. Jaideep Sahani also stated in another interview with NDTV.com that, "the script was conceived before he met Negi, after reading the script he started crying. He said it had happened to me also."Uniqueness of this film is Mir Ranjan Negi personally trained these girls for this film. This film is beyond the documentary of Mir Ranjan Negi. It helped to handle the aspect of sports psychology. Journalist Anand Philar stated, "He had covered Asian Games final. The game tossed goalkeeper Negi's life upside down. Negi was criticized by media; headlines cried: he is a 'traitor." Anand Philar took Negi's interview, Negi's stated, "Everywhere I went, I was abused by the public. Nothing matters to me more than playing for my country. I am a proud Indian and will always be so. Former captain Zafar Iqbal expressed, "The entire team was to blame; we forwards missed chances, the defense had huge gaps that the Pakistanis exploited. After many years Negi returned to train Indian women hokey team. His India women's national field hockey team won the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
According to sports psychology, 'self and identity' are pivotal parts of personality over 'the body self'. The self is based on felt experiences of the environment. We find different girls form different background, and are reluctant to change. We find the answer in sports psychology, 'the body self' evolves from this constant flow of experience. The body self is defined in unity with the self-concept or the self as personal construction. There are three strategies need to be followed for the social construction of the self image.
In country like India, sports like hokey or cricket are attached with national identity. We find the schoolboy jingoism replaces the patriotism. George Orwell called the "lunatic habit of identifying with larger power units, and seeing everything in terms of competitive prestige". Journalist Somini Sengupta wrote an article in The New York Times "Bollywood have been keen observer and welder of the national mood. Journalist Shiv Visvanathan, wrote an article in The Hindu, which explains this sub continental rivalry between India and Pakistan. People from both countries take sports as their national pride. We find more chauvinism than patriotism in their support. Shiv Visvanathan aptly notes, "Chauvinism and patriotism are different terminologies. Chauvinism is a belief that the nation can do no wrong. Patriotism is open-ended; it allows error or vulnerability, it is diversified. It does not condemn. A patriot is loyal to the nation and cosmopolitan in outlook. Patriotic individual need not to wears uniform or get involved in any ritual. As social psychology offer two dominant theory of identity – identity theory (Stryker, 1977; Burke, 1980) and social identity theory (Turner, 1979). George J. McCall, Jerry Laird Simmons explained the roll-identity theory. "It suggests that individuals will base their actions on how they like to see themselves and how they like to be seen by others. Therefore, the role-identity requires two components, specifically, the role itself and the identity to be associated with that role. Identity theory is rooted in the concept of roles and role-identities. All players who are selected do have their own identity, it may the identity of India, how is neglected as a good player. Komal Chautala displays her 'self identity 'as a daredevil girl from Hariyana. Vidya Sharma who is married, she plays the role of wife, hokey player and daughter in law.
Chuck De India is a film made on sports and sports psychology. What is self and what is identity? These are the basic question every player face. Chuck De India offers the answer in simplest manner. Film also deals with social identity theory, social comparison theory. Apart from Mir Ranjan Negi's real life incidence, we
This is an exemplary film made on sports and the psychological issues faced by every player.
This film passes the strong message of national integrity, team spirit, self identity and social identity.
Combien tu m'aimes? (2005)
Film raises the same question. I find that this film focuses on 'Don Juanism' as psychological complex.
How Much Do You Love Me Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies. Aristotle I live by this definition but the bard of Avon has enlighten me with so many definitions of love.
I will be happy to share a couple of them.
'To be wise and love, Exceeds man's might' (Troilus & Cressida – Act 3, Scene 2) Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, It was described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus and Cressida. This work has in recent years "stimulated exceptionally lively critical debate". The tone of this play lurches wildly between bawdy comedy and tragic gloom, and readers and theatre-goers have frequently found it difficult to understand how one is meant to respond to the characters. I remember another line form Hamlet, 'Love is begun by time, and time qualifies the spark and fire of it' (Hamlet – Act 4, Scene 7) Bertrand Blier the French director who is known for portraying the war between the sexes and he is eccentrically old-fashioned. He treat women characters as amusingly as they are insoluble mysteries and it is only an incidental relationship to the rest of humanity, that is, men. His 70s film Les Valseuses, was critic's favorite for the same reason.
I became curious when he wrote and directed the film wrote How Much Do You Love Me? for Monica Bellucci, he first saw her in Gaspar .Director Blier casts Bellucci as a whore in How Much Do You Love Me?, He scripted this role to adore her, rather than demean her. Whenever a man tells Bellucci's Daniela that he loves her, she just smiles soothingly and says that's only natural. All men do. "How Much Do You Love Me?" is a movie about an office worker who uses a lottery windfall to entice a prostitute into domestic bliss. Blier's take on beauty vs. shyness, mercenary seduction vs. true romance, and cash as a motivating factor in sexual desire is thoroughly enjoyable, if slightly protracted. I remember her lines from an interview taken after the latest film On the Milky Road, she at rocking 50 starred in Bond film and now in 'On the Milky Road'. This film took 4 years in making. She is known as total Italic curve in the world of World Cinema. Monica Bellucci interview: 'Love and sexuality is a matter of energy not age' When she is asked about her claim to be a feminist? She expressed, "Firstly, what does the word feminist actually mean? Often behind a badly behaved man is a mother who badly educated her son." I am stunned by this euphemism, as her character in the film "How Much Do You Love Me?," raises the same question. I find that this film focuses on 'Don Juanism' as psychological complex. Where Bellucci's Daniela plays a liberal role of a whore who try to explore the definition of love from other character. Bellucci's Daniela character remains rock steady to male characters who are under the spell of 'Don Juanism' and 'Othello complex'. It is a film which help you find the difference between attraction, love, greed, desire, responsibility and one's own self. Bertrand Blier is we find distinctive director known for his black humor and robust satirizing of sexual anxieties. His movies are nailed under art-movie and not mainstream. He always depicted absurd, cruel obsession in a fundamentally realist visual style. Bertrand Blier's style of film making is reminiscent of Luis Buñuel; one might also compare him with the likes of Pedro Almodóvar, Paul Bartel, John Waters, Paul Morrissey and Geoff Andrew.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
DDLJ is the crux of Bollywood cinema. There are three generations who have grownup with it.
DDLJ the modern classic Dil Wale Dulahaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) a 1994 film which has recently completed 1,000 weeks. Indian cinema lovers have bestowed the warm love for this film. Today any film which is hit runs for 1 month and a super hit film runs for 2 months. Multiplex has replaced the single screen theaters. DDLJ has not only witnessed this change but reign in both times.
I remember those days when people from nearby villages use to come to town to see films. Yes, it was 1994.Hum Aapke Hain Koyon, Rangeela, Bombay, Cooli No.1 et al. watching a film was a celebration. Indian cinema possesses the glorious legacy of song and dance sequences. Aditya Chopra was confident to make this film. He convinced SRK and Kajol to work on this film. SRK who was in news for his successful negative roles and he was happy about it. SRK and Kajol did not know that this film will write their fate. SRK became super star after this film. On social background Indian was on the way to globalization. Internet was yet to be rooted in Indian society. The youth was very much interested in going abroad and carving their career. It was a love story, a routine love story but told in an extra-ordinary manner. NRI Indian young boy met a girl when they both were on Europe tour. He was enjoying his failure as being a rich spoiled brat and Kajol being an apple of daddy's eye, which is enjoying her one and only month of her life. She is ready to sacrifice their life for their parents. "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies". Said Aristotle The sweet Europe tour gets over and Raj and Kajol come together. The journey of Europe with lot of fun and exciting bites they find the real nature of each other. This is the beauty of this DDLJ love story. Raj who try to portray how responsible and caring he is completely opposite of his screen character and Kajol who is otherwise homely who try to be high hilled and bubbly girl. This is the successful equation. Indian people have enjoyed this film not only for its foreign locations but for the portrayal of story. 1994 onwards we have witnessed the ups and down of economy. That was the per-mobile and pre-internet era. Today's youth who is born after 1994 are known as internet generation. They have also liked this film may be because the NRI up market families and their nostalgia for their Indian ethos and love for soil. We are not going in the question of how genuine their love for Indian ethos and love for soil I remember the lines of Pablo Neruda here, "Someday, somewhere - anywhere, unfailingly, you'll find yourself, and that, and only that, can be the happiest or bitterest hour of your life."
Sudden realization of love from the by SRK and Kajol takes a twist to the story. They long for each other and then their involvement with family members and with each other takes us through many ups and downs. SRK try every possible way to win the heart of Kajol's family. Kajol begins considering his as her future husband. The magical portrayal of first love attracts the youngsters. This Pablo Nerudian passion which he mentioned in his100 Love Sonnets, I would like to share it now, "so I wait for you like a lonely house till you will see me again and live in me. Till then my windows ache." Raj (SRK) and Simran (name given by Raj to Kajol) became synonyms for lovers in the decades of 90s and 2000s. I remember many people had their name Raj. They felt silver screen proud that their name is Raj. It always has been one of the famous names from India. Today it is rarely used or not used at all. Credit goes to DDLJ. Every boy in India became Raj and every otherwise homely and average looking dusky girl is proud to be Simran. I think DDLJ will complete more 20 years as it left the legacy for nearly two generations. The youngsters who motivated by DDLJ must be in their 40s and have small children now. There are chances; this small generation may follow the Papa's classic DDLJ. The early teen generation of 1994 must be getting married now. The third generation of on the more lovers, who patronized DDLJ many times for its saga of love and Indian ethos many a times and enjoyed cinema experience in theater, they remember the magic of dark, AC and cinema hall experience of DDLJ. Most of the times these on the move lovers part but they have nostalgia for this DDLJ theater romance. Many youngsters of internet generation are making their face when they hear the name of DDLJ. Smart phones that connect everything to anything, Internet offer you the leaping vision. These gadgets have not only altered the space and time but they have made us more confused about human emotions. Today when asked to a college freak about DDLJ, his reply stunned me. Connecting this love story or SRK devotion for love and courtship is beyond their intellectual periphery.
It is worth taking a look, how we have grown from 1994 an ear of landline to today's smart phone. That was the era of letter friend columns in news paper and today with whatsapp. Chat machines and cyber café are the object of yesterday. Whatsapp has over taken the email account. The very equations of love have changed. Gone are those days when people use to praise lovers and their courtship. DDLJ we also find the last mile stone of love story. Today we have love story as it is the basic ingredient of Indian cinema but we do not find that charm what we find in DDLJ.
The Great Train Robbery (1941)
A film beyond fiction and nonfiction, this film has become a classical example of robbery films.
A film beyond fiction and nonfiction Any form of art is a replication of reality. Any artist get inspiration from real life to mimic the experience through some medium and that is art. As poetry is considered the creative creation of poet and his emotions some where it deals with real life experiences and aspirations. Novel is a literary form which opens a different platform for human life and experiences. Cinema came is considered to be very young form of art which came in to existence just 100 years ago. A Russian legendary film director Andreai Tarkavosky said long back, "Cinema is a reflection of life." Cinema is an art from which amalgamate all other forms of art right from poetry, literature, sculpture, music, drama and graphics. This particular form has been a powerful medium. It started 19th Century and proved its power by invading Russian government and making a way for Communism. Adolf Hitlar already used it during Second World War for his own agenda. Many film makers have made films on famous novels, famous personalities and social incidences. Film has made a great impact on humankind. Today we all humans are connected with only one language which is not bound by any border of country or state. It is the language of Cinema. It is always wonderful way to watch a film and analysis the social change. Special26 has been a successful film. This film is based on a real life incidence of 1986, a year of no mobile and internet. We vehemently notice this fact. We also see the neatly crated plan of robbery and their style of execution. Even today this case is pending. Last week police have caught thugs. Who has confessed, of their inspiration out of film 'Special26'. The plan they have made and executed it. Certainly this is an unfortunate incidence. This should not have taken place and we are not the only country where this happens. 'The Great Train Robbery' 1903 very famous silent film it became noticeable for its use of cross cut of editing. Later many films have been made like that. In 1960 an incidence of Train Robbery took place in United Kingdom, where a train was traveling from UK to France. Five people were the culprits Ronnie Biggs who was one of them died very recently. In 1963 US made color film of this substance by the name of 'The Great Train Robbery'. Novel on this got published in 1975 by Micheal Crichton. He wrote this novel on the incidence of 1805 robbery. Train Robbery has been a part of classical plot in Bollywood. We can see some of the glaring examples like Sholey, Tees Maar Khan, Dhoom, Race and many more.
Films do not encourage crimes. Do not built criminals it is the audience who not only watch films they live it. This is high time to realize, Film is a powerful medium, and it has to be used judiciously. It helps records history and not it is proved that it is even shaping literature. All literary critis should expand their horizons by clinging films as a part of 'art form'.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Martin Scorsese has proved his given yet another masterpiece of different genre
Scorsese The wolf of wall street "I would wish for any one of my colleagues to have the experience of working with Martin Scorsese once in their lifetime." These lines are from world famous by legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis. Martin Scorsese who is famous for his noir films like Taxi Driver, GoodFellas, Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street. He handled many plots, time and social upheaval. Handling a character is his forte. Many directors from US work according to story and then create the character. Scorsese never give importance to story. This revolutionary director who make his film around the character, for him character is the most important factor. Film is about the character and his psychological landscape. His films offer us an exclusive glimpse of society, social scenario and its impact on character's mind. We surrender ourselves to the screen and scream with a character because we never realize when his character becomes our alter ego. The Wolf of Wall Street is a film about Jordan Belfort's memoir. Jordan Belfort who worked as stockbroker and who is convicted for stock market manipulation. He has spent 22 months in prison. Now he works as a motivational speaker. Jordan who was greedy for money and who committed many frauds to experience all his whims and fancies of as a mortal. In this film we find anxiety, emptiness and despair amid the rampage of group hysteria throughout the film. As Scorsese say, "As you grow older, you change." These lines come true when we watch films. This film showcases the characters of William Shakespeare's characters from tragedies and comedies. Representative stories of great men and their downfall, facing trial, drugs, daughter get kidnapped, car crash ultimately he become vulnerable. He realizes his self destructive urges. This showing us how the world works, everything comes up with a price. Belfort gets scared once he goes to jail. Thus the Machiavellian Belfort, an anti-hero of late-capitalist finance selling the lure of wealth as an alchemical panacea , may be our equivalent of Richard III or Iago - who also charm us and immobilize our moral instincts by taking us into the confidence of their villainous schemes. Rothstein has much in common with Shylock, hated by his Italian associates as a Jew, and finally incited to self-destruction by a contradictory human passion for family. conceivably the damaged and driven, yet heroic Hughes that Scorsese and DiCaprio showed us resembles Coriolanus - a mother- figure of immense power whose uncontrollable personal demons shape our destiny. We can call it a psychological capitalist epic. It could be compared with Citizen Cain. It is a film with a serious subject when we are living in the time of fast change. 2008 financial collapse of financial world made him make this film.
Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015)
Dumb Laga ke Haisha film is a nostalgic punch of 80s and 90s
A family film, after a long time Bollywood has produced a family drama which holds a potential to entice audience to the edge of the seat. Unfortunately this film could not stand on theaters for a long time. Dumb Laga ke Haisha is made with US$2.4 million and generated US$4.8 million on box office. Ayushmann Khurana played a helpless son of a middle-class family. He belongs to the cassette era of Bollywood. He is completely suppressed by his father. They decide his arrange marriage with Bhumi Pednekar. Bhumi played as an educated and independent girl. She has a job in school.
The otherwise good above average looking Ayushmann Khurana who is lost in the music of 90s decade paint his dream canvas with colors. He lives in a dream and expects his wife to be beautiful and surrendering. Bhumi who also has her marginal expectations from husband try to woo him with her beauty. Ayushmann Khurana starts neglecting and repainting of marriage. Now the time is gone. It is fun to watch this couple as the decade of 90s is famous for love marriage and early era of globalization. Indian youth was perusing higher studies to go to US as it was the only country on youth's mind. IT revolution was on the way. This film nails at perfect spot of Indian psyche. Quyamat Se Quyamat Taq was the epic of that era. Papa Kehe Te Hain was a hit number. The concept of love marriage was new on that time. Automobile industry was just mushrooming. Hero Honda 100ss and Suzuki were just entered in Indian market to woo the Indian youth. Owning a motorcycle was an archetype of ready to move youngster.
Ayushmann Khurana and Bhumi Pednekar fight and Bhumi take lead for separation. This is a new twist of 2015. Girls of that era where always use to love the groom and divorce was not common at that time. In 2015 divorce is a common and part of life. 50% people are getting divorce today and 30% from remaining are not happily married is the reality today. Only 20% people are happily married and staying together. Technically speaking, the stand of Bhumi does not gel in the film but what the hell! Film is for 2015 audience.
Audience easily co-relate with the film as the songs are shot with cinematographic precision of 90s. The style of group dance like Greed Drama, Lead actors will remain in focus by color, shape, scale, space or action. Background dancers will enhance the mood with their group dance, design, movements and visual spectacle. After a long time I took a long and deep breath of fresh breeze as the songs were shot on open hill top or on natural bounty. That was the era of comparatively less population and less pollution. Songs are written with considerable background of that era. The music of the film transformed us in to that era.
Sharat Katariya the director and screen writer of this film is jhamia Milia Islamia alumnus. He started his career in 2007 with a film, Behja Fry. He has written 8 films so far. Dumb Laga ke Haisha is shot 60% in one house only. It shows the strength of a director. Sharat Karariya who started his career with Bheja Fry with maximum one location film maintained his strength of writing a screenplay. While teaching I always give example of Jean Luc Godard and Robert Bresson for use of location and their shot division, I find Sharat Katariya a new blood screenwriter and director will take Bollywood to new high.
Sharat Katariya born on 15 June 1978 a very young and promising director has crafted this film. Although the director as mentioned in interview that he has inspired by a poster of husband carrying wife in a run, true but this film has created the decade of 90s. A character of Ayushmann and Bhumi touches our heart, their personal and social life talks much about their psychological and social built up. This film talks bluntly about the internal complex and external complex of Ayushmann. How Bhumi creates a space in his heart is the beauty of this film. Race sequence and their budding love are wrapped very fast. The first draft of this film was written in 17 days and second in 3 days this itself is a wonder. I think this is a good film for all film lovers. All film school students will learn a lesson out of it.
Great Expectations (1998)
Great Expectations is a film inspired many films across the globe
Great Expectations
Today when we live in the 21st Century we just flip from one web portal to another. We are surrounded by the various choices. These choices are enough to make us shopaholic. It distracts us from a real pleasure. Cinema as we see, to get the genuine pleasure. If you have not watched the film 'Great Expectation' it is based on the novel by Charles Dickens. He has written it in 1860. It is about a small boy pip an orphan who otherwise no future surprisingly meets a gangster by accident and a beautiful rich girl who stay with her yesteryear la di da grand ma. He helplessly fall in love with that girl and before he gather his courage to confess his thought she is left for town. He work as a fisher man with his relatives and develop his artistic endeavor to sketch suddenly he receives a letter inviting him to New York and meet the same girl again. By this time she has chosen another guy and he falls on his fate again. He make his show and his first full show is sold it is a head line in NY times. He alone with his apartment met the Gangster again and now accompanying this gangster who is been shot and stabbed by his rivals, gangster share his own sketchbook to pip. It is the gangster who becomes his guardian angle. If you are a genuine film lover you will love to watch this film
Cosmic Zoom (1968)
A very essential shot film to understand the power of lens
Cosmic Zoom is a short film made in 1968 directed by Eva Szasz. It is produced by National Film Board of Canada. It depicts the relative size of everything in the universe in an 8-minute sequence. It is been broadcasted by ABC in the fall of 1971 as part of the children's television show Curiosity Shop. This film is based upon the 1957 essay Cosmic View by Kees Boeke. As a Dutch educator Kees Boeke has written lot of material and made graphics to explore many levels of size and structure. He explored the universe from astronomically vast aspect to the atomically tiny part. This Assay published in 1957, the film begins with a simple photograph of a Dutch girl sitting outside her school and holding a cat. Film first backs up from the original photo, with graphics that include more and more of the vast reaches of space in which the girl is located. The essay then narrows in on the original picture, with graphics that show ever smaller areas until the nucleus of a sodium atom is reached. The written commentary by Mr. Boeke on each graphic, along with introductory and concluding notes helped director. The concept of universe and the scale later shaped many movies and literature from all over the world. Men in black, Armagadon, Matrix etc. are few examples of the topic, The cinematic use of camera and graphics amalgam with artifacts and explores the yet another dimension of our imagination. If you weren't one of those lucky enough to see this as a child, then you missed out on a vivid memory that all those who did seem to recall with great fondness and not a little awe. It occasionally turned up on television during the seventies and early eighties to amaze the unwary, We see the whole of our solar system pass by, with a close move towards Mars and a glimpse of Saturn in the distance, but that's not all, as we become aware we are looking at our entire galaxy - then finally the entire universe. At this point the music, by Pierre Brault, stops and suddenly runs backwards as we "zoom" back the way we've been, faster and faster until we return to the shot of the boy in the boat. But it doesn't end there, as the scale of the universe is juxtaposed with the scale of a molecule in a blood cell being sucked out of the boy's hand by a mosquito - mind-bending to say the least. Then we return to the boy on the lake, who continues rowing... if he is not aware of his place in creation, then we are thanks to the vast perspective the film has given us. As a whole the experience runs barely eight minutes, but a longer version might have been too much too handle. As a writer Boeke tried to renovate education by letting children in on decisions concerning school. He let decisions be made unanimously. He called this process sociocracy. Boeke's system of sociocracy survives today and was expanded upon in the work of a well-known student of the school, Dr. Gerard Endenburg, who in the 1960s and '70s developed a governance and decision-making methodology by the same name while directing the Endenburg Electrotechniek company. Director crafted this film in a simple map of the known universe easy enough for a child to understand, this is a fascinating science based short which travels to the farthest point in space and back to the smallest particle. Starting with live action film of a boy rowing a boat, the frame freezes and changes to accurate science style drawings as the camera slowly zooms out until we see the lake, North America, planet earth, the moon, the solar system , the milky way and the galaxy. From distant space the camera then moves back in to the boy in the boat again and keeps going closer until we see a mosquito on his hand, then the insects head, down through the skin to the sub atomic level, before coming back out to the boy on the boat who continues rowing across the lake. Cosmic Zoom is one of those shorts that captures the imagination and sticks in the mind of everyone that sees it, especially children and late night student crowds, providing a mind-blowing mental map of the entire Universe. Strangely, another similarly great little film was made from the same subject matter in the same year, 'Powers of Ten', directed by designers Ray and Charles Eames. This starts on a picnic scene ten meters square and zooms out, in scales of ten to the power of one, ten to the power of two etc. This film is possibly better known than 'Cosmic Zoom' as it is made by famous American designers. Another similar film was made for IMAX cinemas in 1996 entitled 'Cosmic Voyage', which although made with high definition CGI, lacks the hand crafted charm of the originals.
A Very Brady Sequel (1996)
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Pulchritude of Zsa Zsa Gabor reign on 19th and 20th century Zsa Zsa Gabor Actor and socialite pioneered the concept of celebrity 'famous for being famous' and created her personality as a brand in 19th century. She being a Hungarian-American girl her career spread over Cinema, Reality TV and Social Media.
She has many classical films on her shoulder, to name a few are John Huston's Moulin Rouge (1952) and Orson Welles's Touch of Evil (1958). Zsa Zsa Gabor wrote novels - 'How to Catch a Man, How to Keep a Man, How to Get Rid of a Man.' Watchdogs have wrote on Gabor about her own constructed image of glamour and exoticism , giving off a scent of money, cigarettes, sex, Riviera holidays it was addressed as "dahlink".
She triggered many one-liners to matrimonial industry. "I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house," In public and private she always been the grandest of dames. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend and dogs are a man's best friend." "Husbands are like fires – they go out when unattended" – Newsweek, 28 March 1960.
"I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back" – The Observer, 28 August 1957 When how many husbands she had had asked: "You mean apart from my own?" – I Wish I'd said That! by Kenneth Edwards, 1967 A girl must marry for love, and keep on marrying until she finds it – Colombo's Concise Canadian Quotations, 1979.
He taught me housekeeping; when I divorce I keep the house – on her fifth husband, quoted by Ned Sherrin in Cutting Edge, 1984.
I don't remember anybody's name. Why do you think the 'dahling' thing started? – Hollywood Wits, K Madsen Roth, 1995.
She once stated, "Men have always liked me and I have always liked men.
"But I like a mannish man, a man who knows how to talk to and treat a woman – not just a man with muscles." Gabor shown her precocity on media and proved how lucrative self-promotion, She played the character of Gabor (self) in her first movie, Lovely to Look At (1952), and her last, A Very Brady Sequel (1996).
In 1940s when she had her European roots and allure, she used Gabor name in showbiz to echo it as Garbo, already a star. She changed her first name to Zelda, sharpened her skills to voice school to get rid of Budapest vowels. Gabor kept the name, some time interviewers and fans pronounced Zsa Zsa, it created the doubled purring sound resulted into an exotic and sensual mystique.
To call Zsa Zsa Gabor a proto-Kardashian though is to underestimate her charm and her allure. Zsa Zsa Gabor was known for flaunting striking consumption; dripping with jewels, her image was that of a woman who knew how to get what she wanted.
She has always been ahead of time; she was liberal on liking sex much before the sexual revolution of 1960s. She had courtship with Sean Connery and Frank Sinatra, John F Kennedy, Elvis Presley, John Huston and Henry Fonda.
Sari Gabor alias Zsa Zsa Gabor was born in Budapest, probably in 1918, to a soldier father and Jewish mother with American connections. Her film career spread over 1952 to 1994. She had a huge TV career as a reality show host. She has always been in headlines for her own persona. She has given birth to a concept of own personality as a brand. Zsa Zsa Gabor said goodbye to this world at the age 99.
Weiner (2016)
The most criticised documentary of 2016
Weiner and American Election Politics
I always use this documentary as a piece of Public Relations in Politics
Film makers Josh Kriegman's and Elyse Steinberg's film Weiner is one of best documentary praised by critics. The camera is on disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner who campaigns for New York City's new mayor. It is interesting to pursue how he manages to rebuild his reputation and how new scandal put him at worse. I will say, it is fly-on-the-wall view. Students of Mass Communication, film making will understand what is the importance of journalism in film making.
"Weiner" reveals many illuminating moments of Anthony Weiner's failed mayoral campaign. He faces his online sexting antics; he calls the situation in blunt terms: "Fuck."
The camera shot of 15 interminable seconds, watching Weiner alongside his wife and counsel Huma Abedin, and they take the situation without saying a word. Weiner is co-directed by former Weiner chief of staff Josh Kriegman with Elyse Steinberg, "Weiner" showcase all the remarkable tension implied by that silence. It offers extraordinary access to Weiner's ambitious gamble and re-launch of his career. The film directors focus the impact of the contemporary media on public life. Weiner is the best example of anti-heroes in recent memory. Vanity magazine writes,"A rollicking and never-dull insider's view of a political campaign that leaves fascinating questions unanswered."
Washington Post wrote, "It's one of the best campaign movies in years. As Weiner"
Irrational Man (2015)
Woody Allen at his best
Woody Allen at his best "To love is to suffer. ... Therefore, to love is to suffer; not to love is to suffer; to suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be happy, then, is to suffer, but suffering makes one unhappy." Woody Allen Woody Allen at 81 and perhaps counted in few intellect US film directors today celebrating his birthday.
Woody Allen, who has niche audience; in one of his interview from UK Guardian he said, "My intention was people would pay their money and have some kind of human experience." Woody Allen started his career as a comedian in1950s, wrote jokes and scripts for television and publishing books. In 1960s, Allen began explored his hand in stand-up comedy, this world of comedy shaped his persona of an insecure, intellectual, fretful snobbish.
Allen started writing and directing films in 1960s, So far he has directed over 40 films are Annie Hall (1977), Manhattan (1979), and Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). In 2007 he said Stardust Memories (1980), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), and Match Point (2005) were his best films. Critic Roger Ebert described Allen as "a treasure of the cinema." Allen won four Academy Awards: three for Best Original Screenplay and one for Best Director (Annie Hall). He also won nine British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards. His screenplay for Annie Hall was named the funniest screenplay by the Writers Guild of America in its list of the "101 Funniest Screenplays." In 2011, PBS televised the film biography, Woody Allen: A Documentary, on the American Masters TV series.
I remember his film Melinda and Melinda, I watched all his film in theaters or archives but this film was very rare to his fans. This film did not make a good fortune on box office and fetched no awards to him. I was curious to watch this film as this film is a discussion about life, the 4 people who sit on dining table talk about a fictitious character Melinda and takes her life ahead, one say, life is a comedy and show Melinda journey it turnout to be a black comedy and one say life is a tragedy and shows Melina journey but it turns out to be comedy. They conclude, 'it is our perception what matters and not the situation'.
"I'm probably more interested in eternal human feelings and conflicts. If I make a good film, it will always be good. The same feelings and problems will persist 5000 years from now. Like the Greek tragedies which still touch us today, which still work." (Woody Allen SPIGEL TV interview June 20, 2005 ) It was the first time when I searched all VCD stores of town and accidentally got the VCD in gray market. It proved to be a trove for me. Today on the birthday of Woody Allen I am offering my greeting through this article. I am sure he will touch 100 if not 150 and he will make more film which talks on life.
Bitter Harvest (2017)
Bitter Harvest the history unfolds
Bitter Harvest the history unfolds Bitter Harvest narrates the saga of devastating famine of Josef Stalin 1930s era in Ukrain. Film becomes more interesting when it narrates the story of characters; director takes us close to their aspirations, dreams and reality.
Ukrain is the border nation for German and Russians. What we read in press about red revolution of 1930s which is glorified by films such as October, Battleship of Potemkin. We forget how Stalin had already set for mass-murder by deliberate starvation of millions of Ukrainians.
Today Ukrain being the eastern European country does not get space in news paper. If you are a world cinema student and enthusiast or may be a social, political or Mass Communication expert do watch the film and you will see how your perception about communism changes. We do not find any difference of fascism and communism. It is one of the most overlooked tragedies of the 20th Century, BITTER HARVES The film is based on real life history from Soviet-era man-made famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s. More than 3.5 million people died, some say 10 million.
We follow tepid love story between Yuri and his childhood sweetheart, Natalka (Samantha Barks). Directed showcased the armed struggle by kulaks and their sympathizers.
Bitter Harvest is a film which talks about the social and political turmoil and its roots deeply engulfed in corruption, politics and communism. 1930 is known for the year of economic depression and biggest man made famine. Ukraine is the newly joined part to USSR and how the biggest man made famine is created is depicted in the film. Indian audience can relate this film as the story progresses with the love story of the characters. The literature students will relish it with span of time shown from the birth of child to their love and mature years. Historical scholars and political pundits will like this film as it takes us close to the people of Ukraine.
Die Welle (2008)
Die Welle
Die Welle (English: The Wave) is a 2008 German sociopolitical thriller directed by Dennis Gansel. It is starring Jürgen Vogel, Frederick Lau, Jennifer Ulrich and Max Riemelt in the leads. Die Welle is based on Ron Jones' social experiment The Third Wave. The film was produced by Christian Becker for Rat Pack Filmproduktion, It one of the hot favorite German cinema among critics.
The Wave is one of the movies to convert a social experiment into a fictionalized plot. As the Stanford prison experiment of 1971 was adopted 2001 production Das Experiment by Oliver Hirschbiegel, and the 2015 production directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez.
Die Welle Gansel's Wave is based on teacher Ron Jones's "Third Wave" experiment, which took place at a Californian school in 1967. He explains the concept of National Socialism through live experiment of totalitarian, strictly-organized "movement" and harsh punishments led by him autocratically. The warm sense of community trigger wave of enthusiasm from students and they form a league. Jones admitted to having enjoyed the project but he aborts the project on the fifth day. He confess students how he implemented the parallels towards the Nazi youth movements.
In 1981Morton Rhue published his book "The Wave", which was published in Germany in 1984 and has since enjoyed great success as a school literature text. It has sold a total of over 2.5 million copies.
The screenplay is based on an article written by Ron Jones in which he talks about the experiment and how he remembers it. The major difference we find is physical violence and the bloody end part of the movie. "Gansel claimed in an interview that it was extremely important to him to ensure that his movie would not differ as much from the experiment as Rhue's book." The narrative style is linear and the film is narrated from the perspective of a third person. Wenger is filmed in low angle shot and sings rock music in the opening sequence; on the other hand he seems depressed in this last scene. Slow motion shots reflect tormenting self-reproaches. The subjective view of the thoughtful character relates to the dramatic composition throughout the film. Gansel justifies the radical end with the necessity of shocking the audience. We find the 'modus operandi' and nature of students who like 'real', when something is real; they get aggressive about it and accept it. Anyone if they broke the rules, they get in trouble with these secret police, who were the motivated students. This film offers real fear and intimidation. It was like a police state.
Professor- broke up lines of communication between students. Some had been friends for 10 years, but he creates the atmosphere where no one could trust anybody. If you had any doubts or questions or thoughts of resistance, you couldn't tell anyone because you would get in trouble. You didn't dare ask whether it was real or not.
Each day come with more surprises. And each time you thought you had understood it, there would be a new twist.
Die Welle film becomes near to my research as most of the countries today are following these 'modus operandi' to rule the masses. The innocent nationals are either become zealots or get disillusioned with system.
Die Welle is set in modern-day Germany. Jones says it depicts the experiment well. Denis Gansel, the director, has successfully captured the nature of kids at this time in life and history in a refreshing and accurate way - kids being techno-friendly, who resist the global economy by burning Nike.
As in Economic we have macro and micro economics we have same view in politics. The regular citizens always look at micro level and never understand what is happening at macro level. This sheer negligence always takes its toll on civilization. The work of mass media is to analyze the situation and put it in front of the people. Be it a news paper we get editorial and news stories and news features. On TV we get special shows and documentaries. Internet offers many web portals with in-depth analysis. It is the technology which becomes our extension and we become lethargic to take a panoramic view.
Die Welle is the unique example which demystifies the concept of 'National Socialism'. It is a World Cinema, embrace it with me.
Anna, Kisan Baburao Hazare (2016)
Anna: Kisan Baburao Hazare
Anna: Kisan Baburao Hazare Anna: Kisan Baburao Hazare a biographical film is a feast to my movie watching experience. I like the direction and script where Director Shashank Udapurkar has subtly stresses the Anna ideology and his passion for our country and truth. Tanishaa Mukerji who works a reporter who unfolds the life of Anna step by step helps viewers to understand how Anna did his Himalayan work in Ralegan Sindi. The movie opens various phases of activist Anna Hazare's life. Today Anna Hazare is world famous as a fearless soldier, a hard working farmer & a social revolutionary, Anna Hazare became a role model after his fasting and protest against rampant corruption in the country. He came into limelight in 2011 when he began a hunger strike demanding the government should enact a stringent anti-corruption law, The Lokpal Bill, to deal with corruption in the nation. This attracted global attention. Film has portrayed it on screen. The vital incidents and anecdotes shaped Anna's life answers viewers' unspoken questions. This film spreads the Anna philosophy. The road of truth and Ghandhian thoughts is the answer to wide spread corruption and injustice. Anna Hazare to me is the only person who united our country for the cause of RTI and Lokpal Bill. I have witnessed and participated in the Anna movement. First time in my life time I have seen the mass participated in Anna rally against corruption. The whole nation rose first time after the independence to Jantar Mantar for Anna Hazare. I always site his example as a pioneer in using social media to connect to masses. Jasmine revolution spread and changed the imperialist governments of six nations. Anna Hazare moment is the first of its kind example in India. 2014 elections took lesson from him and applied the same strategies during the promotion of BJP. I am lucky to watch this film; it gave me a pleasure of becoming a part of historical development.
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016)
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil – a journey within
Ae Dil Hai Mushkil – a journey within
ADHM is going to be the landmark in Indian cinema. Everybody will remember ADHM as a film which surpassed the barriers of religion, nation and marriage system over LOVE. ADHM clearly talks on the pangs of LOVE and depth of FRIENDSHIP.
ADHM openly admires the Mohomad Rafi, Which is a rare site in recent Bollywood history. ADHM has two Muslim women as lead characters. ADHM is blunt on FLINGS, LOVE IN REBOUND and LOVE AFFAIRS. I am pleased to see ADHM has maintained the passion of love and warmth of friendship.
ADHM has portrayed the inner journey of characters on screen in successful manner. ADHM has heart rending songs. The old Bollywood songs are used in film as a part of background music or as story. The passion for Bollywood cinema is reflects in the behavior of Alizeh (Anushka Sharma) & Rahul. The dialogues between Alizeh & Rahul (Ranbir Kapoor) mimic the Hindi film characters. The role of Saba (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) Shaira makes the character of Rahul more solid , it makes us realize what is fling and what is love. Her dialogues will be a feast to audience. Saba makes Rahul realize his true love. Rahul confess his feelings to Aliizeh again.
ADHM is a filmic portrayal ofjourney from LOVE IN REBOUND to PURE LOVE. 'Love in Rebound' is a newconcept to Bollywood films and Indian audiences. It is necessary tounderstand and digest it. Nowadays when life has become uncontrollably fast and competition has become helplessly fierce. FB, Twiter, Whattsapp and Social media is not enough to connect hearts. ADHM proves how technology fails to convey the feelings and how the love for M.Rafi, Bollywood Song and Bollywood fantasies carry the power to connect the hearts and cements the gaps.
The glow sign of EVOL which in reverse reads LOVE, it plays a cozy role their love affair. EVOL - in urban dictionary we find it as an adjective and it means almost evil, but humorous or evil who is love spelled. Alizeh shows this to Rahul. It is her cozy place, where she uses to linger for hours to find the answer of life. Rahul finds her at this place when nobody in the world got her whereabouts.
ADHM is one of those films which provoke you to fall in love and love again. While writing this article, I remember a line, once my Oxford Professor told me. "It is never too late to have a fling for, April is as good as spring. "