venkat1926 Reviews

Chasing Liberty (2004)

not a responsible theme

[18 February 2014]

this film is taken after 9 '0 11. thematically irresponsible. it is OK that it is romantic to find first daughter trying to escape the security and to enjoy life like any other girl of her age. This is like ROMAN HOLIDAY where the Princess of England tried to escape the protocol and wanted to enjoy a few days like an ordinary middle class girl. Those were the days when the world was safer. But this is after 9 'o 11.suppose the FIRST DAUGHTER is kidnapped by terrorists how many Americans and perhaps citizens of other nations have to lose their lives to rescue her, if they rescue her at all. The president's daughter has no business to have such liberty and the nation does not give her all the special treatment to behave so irresponsibly.

Eklavya: The Royal Guard (2007)

what has this to do with Ekalavya of Mahabharat-SPOILER

[6/10 · 9 December 2013]

excellent acting by Amitab Bachan Saif Ali Khan and cameo role by Raima Sen. Vidya balan is wasted. the cutting and editing is very good. But the story is nothing to do with Ekalavya except for some mambo jumbo of Dharma. The foreign audience cannot even understand the Puranic concept of Dharma. I saw somewhere "dalit history". where is the history of dalits come here. I do not think any queen would have allowed a Dalit to impregnate daughter in law. This is unrealistic even though politically correct. Besides in a feudal society a Dalit would not have become a Royal guard. This is not Dalit History in a feudal ambiance.

At the same time the story is interesting and the final twist is somewhat reasonable though little melodramatic.

Body of Proof (2011–2013)

I like this because of no on screen violence

[7/10 · 20 November 2012]

among the TV serials running now in India (Navembver 2012) in English Satellite TV channels I like BODY PFFOF is the best one. First there is very little on screen violence. (I hate films and serials with much of on screen violence.) The main protoganist Dana Delaney acts very well with certain amount of sexiness and at the same time with feministic leanings. Her smile is enchanting. The forensics proofs leading to the denouement are also logical. There are a few technical (medical ) terms but those are not hindrance to follow the story. Jeri Ryan is sexy foil to Dana . all other actors also act well. I like Ethan's tentativeness and Peters loyal support to Hunt.

Engeyum Eppodhum (2011)

Very good movie in the present movie ambiance

[8/10 · 15 January 2012]

Engeyum and eppodhum (anywhere anytime) is a very good movie. I give 8/10 for this movie. I do not like Tamil movies with larger than life characters uttering some inane punch dialogue and interspersed with stupid dances and unnatural fight scenes. . I am an old man and not comfortable with the cinema hall ambiance of youngsters hooting and shouting and instantly responding to what is going on, on the screen. I saw this film on TV.

The story is already written by others. I am impressed with the fine acting by all the four main protagonists. Amudha(ananya) is a very lovable educated character from a semi urban area always suspicious of city guys. As a contrast, Manimekhalai(Anjali) is no-nonsense city girl and a professional. She approaches the marriage, not purely emotionally but realistically thinking of all the pitfalls of falling in love. Again contrast to Manimekhalai, Kadiresan(Jai) shy not fashionable introvert. One more contrast both to Amudha and also to Kadiresan , Gautham is a suave stylish but serious character. The episodes are well etched. Dialogues are natural. The acting of all the four characters is equally excellent with no overacting. All of these four when they grow old can remember this film as a hallmark in their career. Thank god, there are no irritating punch dialogue. I do not remember the songs, but I am of the view songs are not essential to a good film. There are no stupid dances nor are there any fight scenes. There is no fight director and perhaps there is no dance director in this film. It is most pleasant to see no evil looking villains with new methods of torturing the protagonists. The editing is excellent. All in all a very good film and Tamil cinema needs more such films than Padayappas, Enthirans etc. I concede that Padayappas and Enthirans will fill the coffer of the producers but these films are forgettable after a few years. .

The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)

The revolution eats its own children

[7/10 · 12 July 2009]

There are good entertaining films which you see, enjoy during the show and forget about it as soon as you leave the theater or switch off the TV. But there are films after the end you still munch over it and think a lot of relevant and irrelevant matters on the film. This film THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY, which got the PALME D'OR award, is such a film which disturbs your mind and make you think about wars, revolutions etc. Somebody said "The revolution eats its own children". What Man envisages and follows a course it leads to unexpected results. Every revolution gets distorted in its later stages which turn comrades and brothers into enemies. The French revolution had its own terror after the revolution "succeeded". The French revolution did not succeed and the bourbons came back. The same is with Irish revolution which this film portrays. The same is with the Russian Revolution. That is why I think to some extent Gandhi's revolution avoided these pitfalls of an armed revolution. There was no terror after the revolution even though Gandhi himself was killed, not by his colleagues. I even try to visualize what would be the state of India if Subash Chandra Bose succeeded in his invasion of India for freedom with the help of Japanese. There is no doubt that Bose was a great patriot but was he right in his tactics. Had he succeeded first I wonder how he would have tackled the Japanese control – with another war? Again how he would have tackled his own colleagues who may differ from him in his policies and actions. With the arms and ammunition which are available in the country after the invasion would it have bring about a civil war? Would Bose have killed Gandhi and Nehru, of course with remorse like Teddy when he himself orders shooting of Damien or without remorse by LTTE leader Prabahakaran.

The very fact that such thoughts were going through my mind even after many hours is clear testament to the greatness of this film. Of course the brutality of both the British soldiers and the revolutionaries are stark and disturbing. The screen play is tight and direction is wonderful.

Tuya's Marriage (2006)

the main protagonist is a woman

[8/10 · 9 May 2009]

One of he most interesting films from chines mainland. There are no stunt fights, no killings. This is a human story with human complexities and how a strong woman tries to solve her problem. He enduring love and affections for her disabled husband and her children constitute the main theme. In the background there is another actor, THE LANDSCAPE. Even though the steppe land with brushes and those mountains are harsh to the inhabitants, on screen it looks breathtaking. The film shows how women were doing back-breaking chores(literally in this case) for ages for which man has to be thankful and gracious to her. An absorbing film to watch.

Vantage Point (2008)

absorbing thriller

[7/10 · 7 January 2009]

this is a good entertaining and absorbing thriller. It does not talk about any great social or political problems and with an inept director it could have been a cheap thriller. I do not want to compare this with Roshomon which is of a different genre. I am going to talk about only one scene the last car crash and finale. Human minds are very complex. A man can ruthlessly kill anybody and everybody who is not concerned with his plot but suddenly when the driver sees a child in front of speeding car he tries to avoid her and that is the end of him. I was reminded of the book ( and a film) "The Eagles have Landed" by Jack Higgins. It is not clear what is the grievance of one of the conspirators and I have to see the film again to find out. I also feel the car chase in a crowded narrow streets is rather not natural All in all surprisingly a very good film

Capote (2005)

morally ambiguous theme

[7 September 2008]

MAY CNTAIN SPOILERS

Even when I read “In Cold Blood” years back and again when I saw the film "Capote” recently I am intrigued by one aspect. In such themes there appears to be a romantic attraction to the perpetrator of a heinous crime. There I fail to understand why nobody has a romantic attraction to the victims. What is so different in this crime from other heinous crimes? Two young criminals enter a lonely house and try to steal and then massacred the whole family and were caught and convicted by the law of the land. May be they had disturbed childhood but every disturbed child do not become criminals in the end. Capote himself had disturbed childhood but became a celebrated author. Was this the reason for the sympathy with the perpetrators. Was the attraction for Capote to one of the perpetrators the latter’s handsomeness? Besides who is the manipulator? Was Smith trying to get into the good books of celebrated author to get good lawyers or was the author trying to get full story for his book? I am also reminded of the film “Dead Man walking”. Such themes always are morally ambiguous.

I did not discuss here “capote” the film

Gandhi, My Father (2007)

how a great man treats his family

[6/10 · 25 April 2008]

It is wrong to say that Gandhi neglected his family. He showered love and affection to his wife and children (see the scene of Ba's deathbed) within the ambit of his principles. He did not introduce his children to his business men supporters to give them affluent corporate jobs. He did not try to get for his children a position in the party or in the Parliament. If this film is really historically correct there is some flaw in Harilal's character. Gandhi's other children seemed to pursue their wishes and careers without any serious problem. In fact Devadas became the Editor of a prestigious newspaper. Only Hiralal failed both in the principles of his father or otherwise for which I think the father is not responsible.

The film is good and top honours of acting goes to Shefali Shaw who acted as Kastrur Ba.

Guru (2007)

GURU- a biopic on an upstart trader building a commercial empire through hook or crook, mostly by crook. (does this remind you of somebody).

[8/10 · 17 February 2008]

Versions-Hindi, Tamil and Telugu . IN DVDs subtitles may be available Actors: Abhishek Bachan, Iswarya Rai, Madhavan, Vidya Balan and Mithun Chakrvarthy.

Direction: Maniratnam.

Maniratanam is always fascinated by morally ambiguous characters and such morally ambiguous characters are the main protagonists in some of his films. His Thalapathi is of a mafia pair. Nayakan is on Bombay slum don. Guru is on robber baron. The screen play is excellent and the production values are of international standard. The photography is a delight to see and the music by Rahman was as usual full of rhythm. The first song “Nannari” by the female protagonist is much better than “Jodi” song later. Iswarya Rai – herself and her dancing are feasts to the eye. Bachan runs through the role competently. The cameo roles of Madhavan, vidya Balan and Mithun chkravarthy are powerful.

----SPOILERS HERE I have a quarrel with the denouement. Guru was hauled up before a commission based on the exposure by the newspaper baron (Mithun) and his journalist (Madhavan). Guru gives a reply to the inquiry in spite of his stroke; what you can derogatorily call “Bashan”. He starts “another man broke the law years back but I am not a Mahatma”. He has the audacity to compare himself with Gandhi. Gandhi broke the laws which he perceived unjust to the Indians not surreptitiously but openly giving notice to the government, Gandhi did not use either strong arm or soft arm tactics on the officers to get his way. Guru also gives a populist reason that earlier in his life getting rich has been only for rich people and the establishment is jealous that an ordinary middle class man tries to become rich. He also spouts the highly populist view of third world corporations beating the first world corporations. At the beginning of the inquiry Guru’s wife who speaks for Guru requests the commission chairman to talk in Tamil (I saw the Tamil version of the film) as she and her husband are village people and do not know much English. What hypocrisy? Ultimately the inquiry commission sets him free with a fine of only 63 lakhs. In the final scene Guru claims that his empire belongs to the shareholders who also became rich in the process and his business has become the top in India and will also become a top class organization in the World.

This is all usual libertarian crap from the mouth of a corrupt businessman. This film gives wrong message to the youth. It is OK to break the laws as long as you are successful. At least in Nayakan there is a suspicion of some remorse. At the end of the film Nayakan, his grandchild asks him “are you a good man or a bad man”. Nayakan replies “I do not know”. Guru succeeded during the environment of License Raj. Then the government (read high level officers) had hand in all matters and it is therefore necessary and easier to corrupt morally weak officers. Because of this also Guru did not face any competition. . But once liberalization started and competition increased I don’t think if Guru has now started his business with his morally ambiguous views, he would have survived. It is during this liberal period great organizations like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Satyam Bajaj Auto, TVS etc came up fast with perhaps minimum shenanigans.

GURU is an excellent film with a wrong pernicious message.

----spoilers end

The Father (1996)

Majihi film

[6 December 2006]

Pedar (The Father) by Majid Majidhi. An Iranian film. Like most of the Iranian films the story is simple but told with artistic touches. The adolescent son working for his family comes back and finds that his widowed mother remarried a policeman. She explains that she had to marry again for social security. But the boy who loved his father before the accident could not stomach a step father. With all Hamletian fury he hates his step father without finding out what sort of a person the step father is. He runs away and the stepfather searches for him and finds him. On their return journey they have to undergo hardships while traversing the desert and empathy builds up between them. Majidhi's touches are there in many scenes. The accident which killed the boys father was just shown with the scene of the accident. He also knows when to stop the narrative. The boy and the stepfather lie dehydrated over a stream,. The photograph of the stepfather with his mother and sisters drifts from the pocket of the stepfather and stops at the nose of the boy indicating reconciliation and the boy's discovery of a new father. And then the film ends. The best acting is by the mother - the anguish and suffering of a poor woman (whatever the culture they live in) who is torn between the love to the son and love to the man who kindly gave security to her in a traditional society and jas neem a good father to her children.

Of course I think Majidhi's other film "the children of heaven" is much better film – the story of how a bother and sister of a poor family share a pair of shoes between themselves.

Omkara (2006)

Brilliant portrayal of Langda-Iago by Saif Ali Khan

[5 November 2006]

"Othello" in the lawless badlands of Uttar Pradesh.

You know the story of Othello. You have read the play a number of times. You have seen the plays and movies – one by Laurence Olivier and anther by Orson Welles a couple of times. You know every move in the plot. Still why is this fascination for the story line? Omkraa (adaptation of Othello) by Vishal Bharadwaj is brilliant. I am one who is averse to stupid idiotic cruel villains of Hindi and Tamil films. But here Langda (Iago) is a fascinating villain. His diabolic plotting of the conspiracy and his clever steps in poisoning the mind of Omkaraa(Othello) is portrayed in such a clever manner, though you hate him yet you wonder his diabolic cleverness. Both Ajay Devgan as Omkaraaa and Saif Ali Khan as Langda were brilliant. In the portrayal of langda-Iago there are no evil smiles no hoarse laughter he just moves his pieces on the chess board with a brilliance of a grand master. . Perhaps his motive was not to hurt Dolly (Desdemona) but to hurt Kesu (Cassius). But he does not mind the collateral damage to Dolly . Kareena Kaporr as Dolly is good but her scope is limited. It is again Konkana Sharma, as Indu (Emilia), langda's wife who has an unconscious pivotal role in the plot, brilliantly brings the feisty girl to her portrayal. Ajay Devgan with his minimal movements was very good in contrast to his wooden acting in "Compnay". But it was Saif Ali Khan who was brilliant as malicious Langda.

Only thing missing is the beautiful poetry of Shakespeare. You don't expect beautiful poetry from the lawless semi educated environment though the director tried to bring in some poetry in the songs and in some pieces of dialogue.

Raincoat (2004)

An off beat film by Rituparna Ghosh

[7/10 · 19 August 2006]

I have almost missed this movie shown in national TV.. I missed the credits except the last potion "direction by Rituparba Ghosh." I saw his film Chokr Bali and I was not impressed because it looked like a film which confuses even an off beat viewer. .But this film RAINCOAT is very good. Many have commented on this film in Internet Movie Database (there are 5 pages of comments) and consistently everybody praised the movie.

This movie is more like a play. The ambiance was a room in Neeraja's middle class house and couple of scenes in richer friend's house. This story is supposed to be adaptation of "The Gift of the Magi" by O'Henry. In the short story of O'Henry it is much more poignant where each really sacrifices something they perceive as precious to them.

RAINCOAT is a simple story of a man from a upcountry town trying to meet his girl friend whom he loved for sometime in his younger days. No great guilty expectations are shown by Manoj in visiting his ex love. Perhaps he was more interested to get some credit form the "rich" husband. But the reality was not rosy and each tried to give a dream like description of their lives. Manoj comes to know of the miserable life Neeru is having . Neeru also comes to know of his poser from the letter in the packet of the raincoat. In a small way each tried to help each other by losing some valuable things.

I always believed Ishwara Rai, in spite of her glamour and beauty, can act very well under an able direction and in this film she fulfilled that promise. She even shed her glamour and designer dresses and of course she still looked middle class attractive woman. Devgan as Manoj underplayed his role to the extent sometimes he mumbles his words.

An interesting film. I felt that I am seeing a good play by Harold Pinter. It is refreshing from the garish overacting commercial Indian films or TV serials. I wonder why TV serial writers do not think of such stories though such serials cannot be mega serials with plots and subplots and inner plots.

Corporate (2006)

the ugly face of corporate world

[11 August 2006]

It is the story of corporate sleaze. Of course it is too much of cliché that corporate heads portrayed like mafia heads.But the film is interesting. The of story is purely narrative and linear. The film portrays the rivalry between two groups of companies, Seghal and Marwah. Somebody made a disputable statement that every rich man must have committed at least one sin in rising up the ladder. In this story there are too many sleazes and unethical acts that one comes to hate the business men and the higher executives in such companies. The nexus between the big business and higher politics and the media and NGOs is well known Nisigandha (bipisha) is high in the corporate world of Seghal groups who goes to extremes to steal the secrets from the CEO of the rival company. The part of her actions are due to the love and affection she has for Ritesh the brother-in-law of Seghal,who becomes the taam head. When the let down comes it is Nishi who has been the sacrificial bull. It is not that she has not done her share of crimes but everybody did and it is a pity that only she suffers and others escape with minor injuries. The finale is itself is disappointing. Nishi taking all the blame and goes to prison-for whose sake, and Ritesh commits suicide or was he murdered/ I don't think that business rivals murder each other except in Tamil serials. They are not mafia. Of course it is politically correct to portray them like that. Not that the businessmen are pure like a newly born babe.

The narrative is interesting and Bipisha has acted very well. An interesting film and with tight screen play (but for the three unnecessary song and dance items) and everybody acted their roles competently.

5.5 out of 10

Iqbal (2005)

A cricket Saga

[9/10 · 13 April 2006]

IQBAL is an excellent movie by Nagesh Kuknoor. His earlier film HYDERBAD BLUES was also good film thematically and in characterization.but had rather loose screen play. But this time he has written a very tight screen play and he has chosen excellent actors . It is a story of an aspiring bowler in a village. This shows clearly that to reach the top is not a plum to be taken but to shed sweat and tears. The relations ship between the deaf and mute bowling aspirant (Shreyas Talpade) and the school going sister(Shweta Prasad) was etched beautifully. In some scenes the film reminded me of that excellent Iranian film "The Children of Heaven" by Mohammad Amir Naji. The boy takes the help of an old cricketer who has gone to seed and Nasiruddin Shah etched this role beautifully as Mohit. The story is down to earth with father not very happy with what he thinks unattainable ambitions of the son but the boy is strongly supported by mother and sister. The ambiance was typical village atmosphere and the house a normal village Muslim family -may not be affluent but not below the poverty line. This is a family drama not the rubbish those come out of Kollywood. All in all a memorable film and Kuknoor graduated to almost world class.

The film I remember was sent for Oscar. Though this was not nominated Kuknoor is approaching Oscar level.

Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005)

linear story line with great acting by Bachan and Tagore

[6/10 · 25 February 2006]

I am coming from Tamilnadu. In Tamil picture circuit rarely two post retirement/post menopausal couple are the chief protagonists. The last such film, I remember was "Vietnam Veedu". The Tamil filmdom thinks that old people can only be character actors. In our films even old male actors with fading faces have to act as lovers of heroines of their daughters' age. It is sometimes pathetic to see the old heavy actors making some dance sequences. So it is refreshing to see the old couple both in their mild and mature flirting with care for each other and the poignancy of their tragedy of the murder of their son and subsequent legal shenanigans. It is the younger men are the character actors in this film.

Amitab Bachan and Sharmila Tagore act brilliantly bringing the gamut of emotions. The final meeting with the murderer was excellent. Of course the story line is linear and some excellent pieces of dialogue crop up.

Yet there are a few rather typical cinematic scenes which are rather incongruous The old lady who is a retired teacher goes out with her teacher's cane and beats up the roguish Ali and others to bring some sense of decency in them which is rather too dramatic. Similarly the last verdict of NOT GUILTY on the old man is rather surprising. I am not a lawyer and am not aware of judicial nuances. But after all the old man is a murderer however justifiable his actions are and some token punishment (at least the time spent in the prison so far) would have been more judicial. Besides during the first trial the Home Minister and the Police went far out of the way in harassing Patwrdhan and his family but after his son's death the Home Minister seem to have been paralyzed. Nobody even tried to confiscate the tape recorder which ultimately reaches the presiding Judge of the second trial -"a shocking piece of evidence". The police officer who foisted the Drugs in the son's bedroom seemed to have gone scot-free.

But for these loose ends, deliberately left for dramatic purposes, Viruddh is a very good and interesting film.

Dance Like a Man (2004)

off beat film with excellent Bharatnatyam pieces

[7/10 · 19 February 2006]

DANCE LIKE A MAN is a good off beat movie yet again based on a play by Mahesh Dattani and directed by Pamela Brooks who is foreigner who has empathy with Indian artistic traditions. This is the story of a dancing inter-caste married couple. The story winds around the daughter's debut (arengetram).. Shobana the talented Bharatanatyam dancer who acts as the mother, excels in the dance pieces and also in acting. Anouska Shankar (daughter of sitar maestro Ravi Shankar) was good foil with very natural uninhibited acting and good dance pieces. Mohan Agashe the veteran theater actor gives a cameo performance as the conventional father-in-law. The BN pieces are delightful to watch and the music by the talented Ganesh Kumersh the young violin duo was excellent. But the story is rather weak and the reason for the parents stopping their dance career due the traumatic death of their child (son) while the mother was performing in a dance concert is not much convincing. Many dance performers have children and they mange to combine art and family successfully.

All in all a good film and my vote of 7 out of 10 is mainly for the wonderful dance pieces both by Shobana and Anouska. This is not as powerful as MORNING RAGA , a film on Carnatic music, by Mahesh Dattani which had a stronger story.

15 Park Avenue (2005)

sterling performance by Shabana Azmi

[8/10 · 12 February 2006]

After Mrs and Mr. Iyer this is yet another very good film by Aparna sen(mostly in English). In the earlier film she treated a contemporary political environment and its effect on individuals. In this film it is the impact of mentally disabled member of the family and its impact on the family. As a parallel sub theme she treats a philosophical concept on "reality". It is a film which leads to thinking after seeing the film.

Mithee the younger sister (Konkana Sen Sharma, the daughter of Aparna Sen) is suffering from Schizophrenia being taken care of by the dominant elder sister Anjali (Shabana Azmi) . Mithee after her marriage with Jojo and separation from him believes that she is still with JOJO and her five children in 15 Park avenue in Kolkotta.(there is no such address in Kolkotta-it seems there is one in New York) and she is intense in her belief. It is almost like an intense religious belief. Ultimately what is reality? In one scene she tells Anjali "if I tell you that you are not a professor but only imagine that you are a professor". The open ending reflects this reality. In a supposedly search for her home in park avenue, Mithee is lost. The penultimate scene is Mithee looking at a group of five children playing and her looking at them with joy of returning to her family and then she is lost. About this concept of reality I am reminded of another film of fifties called HARRY with James Stewart. The protagonist believes that a big sized rabbit (?), called Harry is always with him and he is always conversing with him. At the end even the doctor believes perhaps there is Harry. What is reality, is it what the protagonist believes or what other believe Shabhna Azmi dominates the film with her sterling performance as the strong elder sister with undercurrent of frustration. Konkana Sen Sharma gives equally befitting performance as the schizophrenic.

Yet the film is not as tight as Mrs and Mr. Iyer. There appear to be some loose ends. And perhaps there are too many characters. Those who want a closed ending may not appreciate the open ending here. But the ending befits the theme of the film.

Yet another good film by Aparana sen.

Morning Raga (2004)

A fine mixture of carnatic music and funky band music

[7/10 · 3 January 2006]

This film is the confluence of older and younger generation, of traditional music and contemporary music. Born out of a tragedy of a fatal accident in which Swarana (shabana Azmi) and her dear friend and their sons travel in which the friend and swarna's son die. Swarna is a mature carnatic music vocalist and her friend vaishnavi is a violinist. The survivor guilt of Swarna keeps her aloof from the outside world for 20 years and then vaishanavi's son Abhi, a modern music band leader wants to incorporate swarna's music into the band After some trauma Swarna agrees.

The story and direction is by the acclaimed theatre personality Mahesh Dattani. The carnatic music pieces are excellent and I am not an expert on modern music. The final piece, which is a fusion of carnatic musical piece "Thaye Yasodha" in Todi raga and the band music with heavy percussion, is excellent. In the final carnatic piece the Music Director cleverly used more of "swara" delineation and "thanam" pieces instead of complete "sahitya". The acting by Azmi is as usual superb and the actors, who portrayed the role of Abhi and his girl friend Pinky, give good support. There is a delightful cameo role by Lillete Dubey, (as Pinky's mother ), another acclaimed theater personality.

Once again an off beat film, off from the garish dressed women protagonists and unbelievable fight sequences by the male protagonist and loud music of the contemporary Indian films..

But there are some cinematic clichés. The accident is supposed to heave been caused by Pinky's ever drunken father.. Pinky seems to have learnt carnatic music in a few days or months from Swarna In spite of these clichés the film is an excellent film.

I Did Not Kill Gandhi (2005)

yet another film without songs and dance and without villains

[27 December 2005]

Yet another remarkable film by Jhanu Barua the acclaimed Assamese director in film circles.. Anupam Kher can be proud of his excellent characterization of a retired professor of Hindi literature getting into Alzheimer's disease. Kher can have his soul satisfaction of his best two films in his life-SARAMSH and this film in spite of intervening roles which he has to do for his bread and butter.

Every action of Kher including the way he walks, he smiles, his jokes, his bout of forgetfulness brings tears to the even most rational viewer. Urmila as his daughter is the best support to Kher. The restrained acting by these two and others makes us proud even India can produce such a film. The mock court (more or on the lines of Tendulkar's famous Marathi drama) may be little dramatic but it serves the purpose and clears the cobweb in the minds of the professor. The professor's last reply to the court blames all of us for the death of Gandhi.

This is an excellent serious film. Those whose first language is not Hindi may better see it with subtitles.

Paheli (2005)

delightful romantic comedy

[7/10 · 20 November 2005]

A veteran short story writer once said about one of his stories that adults may not understand his story but children will. this film is a delightful romance. it is no use asking how can a ghost impregnate a woman. While reading some stories or viewing some films we suspend our sense of reality. there are no gruesome or handsome villains who invent new forms of coldest cruelty . There are no impossible and bloody fight scenes. True the story is mythical but quite allegorical. In one scene the ghost says that he is "love" every woman yearns for. In this film the sexuality of woman is described as something holy. In traditional societies normally the sexuality of women is suppressed on the plea of need for social stability. But in myths and folktales this taboo is transcended. The songs and dances mostly based on Rajasthani folk idioms are delightful. Rani Mukerjee acted superbly and there is a delightful cameo role by Amitab Bachan There is humor, joys and sorrows in this film. credos to Amol Palekar.