Movie Review “Bahubali 2 – The Conclusion”

Post a 2 year hiatus Rajamouli is back with the sequel of Bahubali 1 – the 3rd largest grosser in Indian movie history; Bahubali 2 - looking at the teeming crowds at theatres & the crashed servers of online ticket booking sites – could very well turn out to be the largest grosser; while a Rs. 800 crore is a given, Rs 1000 crore has been fixed as the target; the satellite, music & overseas rights have already been sold for about 350 crores. Release in 9000 screens – 6500 in India, 2500 abroad - is also a milestone.

The magnum opus has no dull moments; & off course the intriguing question “Why did Katappa kill Bahubali” which inspired many memes & parodies & now also trending as #WKKB is finally revealed.

The film starts as a flashback with Amarendra Bahubali (Prabhas) – the Prince, ordained for coronation, taming an elephant that has gone wild during a ritual – followed by his simpleton acts - while travelling incognito across kingdoms to understand ground realities.  He falls for the charms & heroism of Princess Devasena (Anushka Shetty) of Kuntala. The Pindari attacks on the small kingdom force him to reveal his true self, just as Arjun revealed himself while staying incognito in King Virat’s kingdom when attacked by the Kaurava forces. The battle scenes by Peter Hein are outstanding; bulls with their horns on fire - as an impromptu innovation to fight a much larger force - or crashing a dam to flood out the intruders form breath-taking visuals. Bahubali making Prince Kumara Verma (Subbaraju) of Kuntala understand his true potential seems an inspiration from the Mahabharata where Arjuna does the transformation act in Prince Uttar Kumar.

In the meanwhile Prince Bhallaladeva (Rana)  & his father Bijjaladeva (Nasser) plan to poison the ears of Queen Sivagami (Ramya Krishnan) to ensure that the former becomes king; Bijjaladeva - a cripple - is a replica of Dhritarashtra - who was denied the throne because he was blind - & fancies the throne for his son; he doesn’t mind killing his wife too in the bargain.  When spies reveal the soft corner of Bahubali towards Devasena, Bhallaladeva, hatches a conspiracy & seeks the latter as his bride which his mother acquiesces, ignorant of Bahubali’s feelings.  A marriage proposal sent to Kuntala is rejected by Devasena which forces an angry Sivagami to order Devasena to be bought captive to Mahismati; palace intrigues force Bahubali to accomplish the task which he does after promising Devasena to protect her honour.  Bahubali bringing Devasena to Mahismati in a ship has the replication of the famous Titanic scene on the deck.

Misunderstandings persist; given an option to choose between the bride & the crown, Bahubali chooses Devasena & becomes the Senapati or military head- a deputy to the king Bhallaladeva; however popular support still vests with Bahubali much to his cousin's chagrin.  As part of the continuous palace intrigues, during Devasena’s baby shower ceremony, Bhallaladeva relieves Bahubali of his duties under the ostensible reason of allowing him to stay closer to his wife; Devasena protests with Sivagami the unjust act accentuating the confrontations in the family further, Later, when Devasena is brought to the court in chains for cutting off the fingers of an official for groping, Bahubali steps in & beheads the tyrant; accused of insubordination to the crown, the couple are initially banished from the Palace & later under the mistaken impression that Bahubali had planned the assassination of Bhallaladeva vide Kumara verma, Katapppa is ordered a hitman job by Sivagami.  Forced under oath of loyalty to the throne given by his forefathers, Katappa is compelled to oblige. Katappa’s character is akin to Bhishma in the Mahabharata where his loyalty to the throne & throne alone forces him to fight for Duryodhana even though he intrinsically knew that Dharma was on Pandavas’s side. Later, Sivagami realizes her mistake & announces Mahendra Bahubali as the new king & in a bid to save the infant’s life sacrifices her own; Devasena is imprisoned & put in chains. Katappa’s loyalty, shifts to Mahendra as he was ordained the new king.

Mahendra Bahubali’s revenge saga forms the remaining part of the film. That pride hath a great fall is poetically revealed when Bhallaladeva’s statues tumbles, breaks & his severed head lands at the bottom of the waterfall at the feet of the giant Shiva Linga; his body is burned to cinders too.

The climax seems rushed for much of the 2hours 47 min of the movie was spent on a flashback.  A more detailed battle sequence, at the end, rather than showcasing only the two main protagonists – Bahubali & Bhallaladeva – alone would have been more prudent. Tamannah has only fleeting presence in the movie. Perhaps, criticism from women activists regarding the virtual disrobing of Tamannah by Prabhas during a dance sequence - viewed akin to eve teasing -  in the prequel, forced the director from refraining to go down such a path in the sequel which is welcome; however women too being shown fighting the epic final battle would have been a true tribute to the women lib movement.

The prequel had more iconic sequences – Sivagami carrying the prince in one hand wading through a tiding river, Bahubali lifting the huge Shiva Linga, Katappa’s sword fight, Sivagami vanquishing her opponents in the court revolt, Katappa’s placing the feet of Mahendra Bahubali on his head in a rain drenched night etc.  While Katappa & Sivagami shone in part 1, part 2 belongs more to Bhallaladeva; his menacing looks & his buffed up body makes one love the villain too.  VFX is decent. The musical score by MM Kreem is good but gets overshadowed by the extravagant visuals. The sets by Sabu Cyril are the real heroes of the movie & Senthil’s cinematography makes the opulent sets come alive.

In short see the movie for its extravagance, reminisce Amar Chitra Katha & see the epic of sibling rivalry unfold.

Movie review: Dangal

Aamir Khan emerges from his 2 year hibernation post “PK” in “Dangal” a movie of the sports genre, magnificently mixed up with a cocktail of patriotism & gender sensitivity. The “intolerance” remark cost him dearly vide a right wing backlash some time back & he appears to have taken care this time to make all the right comments that include “goose bumps” he experienced while the national anthem was played in the movie.   Not sure if it is the right wing push or the Supreme Court ruling that made people stand up twice for the national anthem: once before the movie began & later during the movie when the protagonist Geeta  wins gold at the commonwealth games. Children insisting that their reluctant parents stand up for the anthem were needless to say, a positive change.

Mahavir Singh Phogat (Aamir Khan) a wrestler retires from the mat forced by circumstances: a family to feed & a truant father who admonishes him. Going about his chores along with his wife Daya Kaur (Sakshi Tanwar), he dreams of a son who shall bring laurels for the country - a gold medal for the nation – a hark back to the sentiment amongst all Indian parents who drive their children, perhaps recklessly, to fulfil the aspirations that they themselves failed to achieve.  Destiny, however, wills otherwise & Mahavir is blessed with 4 daughters. His dejection transforms to hope when his 2 elder daughters – Geeta (Fatima Sana Sheikh) & Babita (Sanya Malhotra) beat up the village boys for passing snide remarks at them.  “The blood of a wrestler flows in them” he concludes & starts training the girls in wrestling widely seen as a male sport in this country including parochial Haryana where the plot is based.

The Haryanvi lilt of the movie is enchanting & has been used extensively in movies like Matru Ki Bijli ka Mandola & Tanu Weds Manu returns in the last 5 years. Bhojpuri was used extensively in Ganga Jumna more than 5 decades back. People paid for tickets as they do so now alluding to the fact that as long as our political class stays away from dividing India on linguistic lines, Indians by nature are tolerant & language agnostic.

Coming back to the movie, despite opposition from the society that include  refusing to allow the girls to use  their akhadas, meagre financial means & his wife refusing to serve non- vegetarian fare - a prime protein requirement  for a wannabe wrestler, Mahavir fights all odds & emerges triumphant. The daughters themselves resent his strict regimen & hilariously invent excuses to avoid the pain of rigorous training which he circumvents through creative solutions; difficulty in running in pyjamas is addressed by offering them half pants & complaint of greasy hair as a consequence of fighting on the sand pits addressed by cutting their hair short.  Only when one of their friends reveals her pain at getting married off in her teens by her father while Mahavir was at least thinking about his daughters future do Geeta & Babita soften up & seriously take to training. Geeta confesses that the real “Hanikarak” Bapu was tougher than what was portrayed in the movie.

With his wards now trained in his farm backyard, Mahavir takes them to wrestling competitions - ‘Dangals” in rural parlance - to take on male counterparts, initially, only to be ridiculed by the organizers; views change when they see the economic potential of attracting larger crowds & hence greater ticket proceeds by showcasing the glamorous girls & not because of any altruistic aim of transforming society or out of genuine gender sensitivity. Incidentally, Haryana has an abysmal gender ratio & is also plagued by a high percentage of female infanticide.

The girls initially win laurels in the “Dangals’ & later in the nationals which takes Geeta to the NIS (National Institute of Sports) Patiala, Punjab.  Initially, Geeta responds positively to her coach’s attempts to force her to “Unlearn” & even takes on her father in the bargain in what is an intensely poignant scene.  However, when “aggression” - her forte - is replaced with tactical patience she starts losing international bouts. Her rapprochement with her father & how his guidance to change tactics after going through the match videos puts her on a victory path forms the remaining part of the movie. However this puts Mahavir in conflict with her coach Pramod Kadam (Girish Kulkarni). Yet, Geeta, finally, wins the Commonwealth gold, in 2010.

The movie seems to have taken some cinematic liberties deviating from reality. Mahavir in reality is a stoic man whom Aamir tries to play sensibly until the script forces him to regress into mild histrionics to tug at the heart strings of the audience. Sakshi Tanwar, caught in a rut between the demands of her husband & the pleas of her daughters plays a helpless mother to perfection. India, unfortunately, has many such mothers caught in this grind of a patriarchal world.  While Geeta won her final bout in the finals quite easily in 2010 as the score read 1-0, 7-0 unlike the score of 5-1, 4-6, 6-5 claimed in the movie & shown as a cliff-hanger of a contest – a nail biting  finish - that was only settled in the final seconds of the third round. Off course she had longer hair in the actual bout too unlike what was claimed in the movie.   It is also untrue that Geeta did not win any contests before 2010; infact, she had earlier won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in 2009, where she competed in the same 55kg freestyle wrestling category. The actual coach PR Sondhi has protested that he was unnecessarily shown in an unflattering light & that Mahavir was not locked up during the finals but was in fact in the crowd cheering his daughter.  In Mahavir Singh Phogat’s biography, ‘Akhada: The Authorized Biography of Mahavir Singh Phogat’, Saurabh Duggal confirms the coach’s assertion.

Aamir has confessed that the movie mixes fact with fiction while retaining the essence of the original story. Despite the deviations the movie is a dish to be savored for 2 reasons: Aamirs’s body transformations as part of “method acting” to fit the different age profiles of Mahavir , perhaps an ode to Robert De Niro in the 1980 Martin Scorsese film "Raging bull"; & a reminder to society to shun gender bias for a girl child can bring, perhaps, more laurels too. Hope the audience is listening.

Movie Review: Jai Gangaajal

Prakash Jha finally falls for the lure of making a sequel, following in the footsteps of other illustrious film banners; “Jai Gangaajal” is a sequel to “Gangaajal”, an immensely popular & successful film released in 2003. The chief protagonist in both the cases is a SP; while Ajay Devgan was the lead actor in the earlier movie, it is Priyanka Chopra’s turn, this time, to don the police uniform. While the prequel was inspired by the acid blinding incident, at Bhalagpur, in the 1980’s the sequel appears to be inspired by the land right agitations across the country & the hangings of Badaun. Both the movies strongly advocate redemption through police reform, inspiring leadership & the reestablishment of the rule of law.

Manav Kaul (Babloo Pandey) is the don of Bankipur & the local MLA too & Murli Sharma his chief effeminate henchman. Manav’s brother, Ninad Kamath (Dabloo bhaiyaa), who fancies himself as “Choota Vidhayak” is a busy land shark trying to usurp lands of poor farmers only to hand them over to industrialists & make a killing - a common “bahubali” practice these days. Without the concurrence of the local administration this is impossible & here they are helped by the local Machiavellian cop, Prakash Jha (B N Singh aka Circle babu). The world is not without idealists though; it is epitomized by Rahul Bhat - an IIT & MIT Phd graduate  who has decided to relinquish his luxuries & fight for the downtrodden poor peasants - & the local SP - keen to establish rule of law.

The local SP who dries to discipline B N Singh is transferred & in his place is airdropped Priyanka ( Abha Mathur) by the Minister (Kiran Karmakar)  who intends to support the industrial group, Samanta, to set up a thermal power plant in Bankipur in lieu of political funding to achieve his Chief Ministerial ambitions. He has for long been the benefactor of Priyanka & her family since her father’s death & therefore believes that Priyanka would do his bidding. Alas, he is proved wrong for she is shrewd & duty bound & makes a nice case of separating personal indebtedness from discharging of official duties. The movie is the journey of the Quantico star in disciplining the police force, taking the battle into the don’s den & finally getting him convicted.

The movie weaves together all the contemporary burning issues: usurpation of land rights by the land mafia, farmer suicides & non receipt of compensation from the government, corrupt politicians & crony capitalists, lascivious cops trying to make a killing, some idealists trying to create awareness on citizen rights & the plebeians wary of challenging authority until they reach a tipping point when they start imparting vigilante justice. Making the farmers partners in progress rather than divesting them of their lands with a one-time compensation is what the movie signals strongly.  It argues as much against corruption & cronyism as against the issue of vigilante justice personalized through the slogan "Jo janta ko lootega, uska suicide!". Restoration of rule of law is strongly urged.

The movie is also an ode to the role of leadership in transformation. While a lady is being molested the police are silent spectators till Priyanka bashes the baddies nudging the cops to announce their transformation. “Aaj aap humey mard bana diye hai, hum toh soche thhey ki hum napunsak hi mar jaayenge” says one of the cops. Perhaps, individual corruption & cronyism is out of systemic compulsion & not personal choice.

Prakash Jha excels as the quintessential evil, corrupt police officer who later reveals his latent love for the uniform; his calm demeanour, evil smirk & swagger would put many of the mainstream actors to shame. His voice modulated to remind one of Nana Patekar in his hey days, is a delight.  Priyanka, though, is a let-down for her fails to add variety to her performance; as an example in all the scenes on getting out of her police van, she removes her shades in the same kneejerk fashion & throws them in. Style & panache makes an actor & a bit of variety is always welcome & hyperbole is acceptable; ask Rajnikanth. A kick ass role it was meant to me but she is unimpressive in the action sequences. She is a good dancer though & it is a pity that this talent of hers is left unutilized. Perhaps, a romantic track between Priyanka & Rahul would have helped showcase her better & add masala to the movie to cater to the mass audience. Manav Kaul too is a let-down while Rahul excels in his brief cameo. 

The storyline is decent & the editing is taut & the 158 minutes movie is definitely racy. But the lack of good music is a dampener. The lingo used in the movie is earthy with dialogues like “aap to koi galat misguide kiya hai” or “madam sir” while referring to a superior, eliciting some sniggles. Sadly, it lacks the moral & emotional depth of its prequel Gangaaajal & that is its undoing. Watch the movie after tempering your expectations.

Movie Review: Bajirao Mastani

Sanjay Leela Bansali’s magnum opus “Bajirao Mastani” originally conceptualized with Salman Khan & Aishwarya Rai – post their “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”  success, in 1999 – in the lead, has  finally been served, though, with the “Goliyon ki Ras Leela” cast,  Ranveer Singh as Bajirao, Deepika as Mastani & Priyanka Chopra as Bajirao’s wife Kashibai. Tanvi Azmi plays Radhabai, Bajirao’s widowed mother,  Irfann Khan plays the sutradhar lending his surreal voice to the narration & the film is based on Nagnath Inamdar’s book “Raau”. The long disclaimer at the beginning of the movie was meant to assuage the hurt feeling of the Peshwa’s descendants who protested Bansali’s liberal recourse to cinematic liberties for what they felt distorted history.

EROS’s Bajirao Mastani was pitted against YRF’s “Dilwale” leading to an ugly fight for single screens just like in 2012 when Sharukh Khan’s “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” was pitted against Ajay Devgan’s “Son of Sardar”. YRF, then, had bundled their movie with “Ek Tha Tiger” to usurp more screens & it is EROS’s turn to replicate the same strategy; they have done so with “Bajrangi Bhaijan”. Clearly, this shows who the real superstar of Indian cinema is: Salman Khan.

The movie begins with the Maratha court deliberating on Balaji Vishwanath’s successor as the new Peshwa; Bajirao, despite being only 20 years old, wins the duel despite competing claims from more experienced hands. The political landscape of the times can be gauged by the statement Bajirao makes after the litmus test: The sand mould is Hindustan, the peacock feather placed on the mould is the Mughal kingdom & the arrow that struck at the roots of the feather breaking it into two, the Maratha strategy to win Delhi. This impresses the Maratha King Shahu Maharaj; Bajirao follows through on his promise with impressive victories conquering most of the territories south of the Vindhyas. He then sets sights on the North. That is when he gets an unexpected visitor. 

Mastani enters as a messenger from the King of Bundelkhand, Maharaja Chatrasal, seeking Maratha help to counter the Mughals who had besieged their kingdom. Initially reluctant through, Bajirao is impressed by Mastani’s persistence & finally goes for a cavalry dash to Bundelkhand in 2 days against the normal 5, catching the enemies by surprise &wins an impressive victory against the Mughal General, Mohammed Bangash. “Cheeteh Ki Chal, Baaz Ki Nazar Aur Bajirao Ki Talwar Par Sandeh Nahi Karte, Kabhi Bhi Maat De Sakti Ha”. Expectedly, cupid strikes the couple & the rest is history. 

The remaining part of the movie is about how Mastani – a half Rajput & half Persian Muslim progeny of Chatrasal - suffers the indignation of unacceptability from the Peshwa household, especially from Bajirao’s brother, Chimaji Appa & a scheming Radhabai. Tanvi Azmi - who went bald for the role -  reminds one of Ila Arun’s character “Maham Anga” in Jodha Akbar. Palace intrigues are well scripted & Tanvi Azmi comes out trumps; perhaps, she is the best actor in the movie. Mastani’s struggles are reflected in the heavy dialogue “Kiski Talwar Pe Sar Rakhu Ye Bata Do Mujhe, Ishq Karna Agar Khata Hai To Sazaa Do Mujhe”. Priyanka, though plays a dignified wife.

Kashibai, though initially traumatized by Mastani’s entry into her life reluctantly reconciles to the reality & tries to help her assimilation into the family.  Her angst is reflected in what she tells her husband ”Aap Hamese Hamari Zindagi Maang Lete Hum Aapko Khushi Khushi De Dete, Par Aapne Toh Humse Hamara Ghuroor Cheen Liya". Selfless, that she is, she foils a plan to kill Mastani; however, despite her noble efforts,  when Bajirao is on a Deccan expedition - to crush the NIzam’s revolt - Mastani is incarcerated by Radhabai & finally  Bajirao & Mastani meet their ends – Bajirao after his 40^th military victory and Mastani in prison. This is poignantly reflected in the dialogue “Hamare Dil Ek Saath Dhadakte Hai Mastani… Aur Ek Saath Rukhte Bhi Hai…”

The grand canvas is supported by grandiloquent dialogues. The interplay of “Ishq” (love) & “Ibadat” (Worship) has the impact on the audience  - especially the younger ones & the references in the movie about the preference for “saffron”  or “green” alluding to religious proclivities, attacks religious bigotry & serves as a remedy for our troubled times.

The sets are luxurious & the “Diwani Mastani” song reminds one of the Sheesh Mahal in Mughal-e-Azam & the immortal song “Pyar kiya do darna kya”; perhaps it was Bansali’s ode to the ageless movie.  Similarly, Bansali, cinematic escapades like bringing Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit). & Paro (Aishwarya Rai) together for the “Dola Re” song in Devdas continue & is replicated through the “Pinga” song in this movie.

Deepika is evolving into a fine actress with every passing movie & in this film she has succeeded in neutralizing her accent; she still needs to work on her dance moves though.  Along with Akshay Kumar she is known in the industry for her fitness levels & she excels in the fighting scenes for which she specially learned Kalaripayattu.

Ranveer looks the role of a warrior with his chiselled body & rich baritone. Only when he encounters Raja Murad – the Nawab of Hyderabad - does his tone not match up. His use of Marathi lingo is also apt & he carries, excellently, the emotions of a man torn between a doting wife - whom he considers more a friend - & a lover whom he is keen to deliver respectability & justice, even if it means fighting the dogmatic clergy of the day or his Mother. He did suffer some injuries during the demanding shoot earning the sobriquet “Nazuk Nawab” from Priyanka.

Priyanka was shooting for Quantico in the US & Bajirao Mastani in India at the same time; two different characters from two different worlds. She has made the transition effortlessly without displaying the inherent stress of the busy schedule. The designer has revealed the detailed research behind building the character: no makeup for Priyanka; use of the crescent bindi & no sindoor in the hair partition in trend with those times; & no use of kajal for it was only used by the Mughals then. Priyanka imbues the character with dignity, selflessness & grace.  Bansali’s penchant for detail is reflected in each frame which finally shows up more as a portrait; no wonder this film took about  400 laborious days to shoot.

The costume drama looks ravishing due to cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee’s work, Bansali dabbles in Music too & produces predominantly classical fare & supports it largely through elegant Kathak dance movements. Sets are outstanding & there is a talk to convert them into a museum so that art lovers can enjoy the thorough fare.

In the quest for “love” the director seems to have missed the “political” plot of those times; more on that would have delighted the informed. The battle scenes are ephemeral & not detailed; more on that would have been insightful since Bajirao died an undefeated general. The scene where Bajirao attacks the Nawab’s army, alone, does not do justice to his reputation; it was hilarious although it was meant to elicit a few whistles from the audience. The movie had the potential to evolve into a terrific historical but fails at that task; it is still worth a watch though, for it is a Bansali movie: grand in scale with lavish costumes, aesthetically brilliant with lavish sets & wonderfully choreographed. You move out of the theatres humming the line "Bajirao Ne Mastani se Mohabbat ki Hai, Ayyashi Nahi".

Movie Review: Welcome to Karachi

The story is about two Indian dimwits who land up in Karachi, inadvertently, & their trials & tribulations of getting themselves extricated, first from the Baloch kidnappers & later FATA militants (Taliban) & the Pakistan Intelligence agencies. The movie loosely based on “Dumb & Dumber” relies on slapstick comedy & stereotyping of characters which might sound offensive to some. The storyline - a spoof on the internal situation of Pakistan - had promise but failed on delivery; it could have done with a spruced up script, better screenplay & editing. The garish graphics are a put off too.

Arshad Warsi (Shammi) is a court marshalled Naval officer implicated for sinking his submarine; his friend  Jacky Bhagnani (Kedar Patel) - the son of a Gujju event manager Dalip Tahil- is intent on going to the land of milk & honey – the US – by hook or by crook but suffers multiple visa rejections because of his idiosyncrasies. Therefore, when Kedar’s father asks them to organize, an event on a cruise ship they decide to use it as a getaway vehicle to reach the US. A comedy of errors ensures & they wander into a cyclone that capsized the boat & sweeps them into the beaches of Karachi – shown as a hotbed of violence. A bomb blast follows & the discovery, on the beach, of Arshad’s wallet - carrying his photo in Indian Naval paraphernalia - invites the attention of the Paki intelligence (ISI) agent Lauren Gottlieb (Shazia) who is soon on his trail assuming him to be the perpetuator.

Shammi & Kedar - shifted to a hospital post the blast - on realization that they are on enemy territory, dress to escape - in stolen clothing – only to be kidnapped by Baloch militia. Arshad dressed as a doc & mistaken for a trained physician - is forced to conduct a delivery, for which he relies on the Raju Hirani’s suction pump trick shown in “3 idiots” to emerge trumps. Later the duo visits the Indian embassy - to secure travel documents – where their indiscretions, yet again, trigger violence between the guards of various embassies. Karachi appears to be a trigger happy city.

They luckily escape the violence only to be kidnapped by Azhar Baloch. Patel’s father - like a good business savvy Gujju - negotiates the ransom for their release. Their interlocutor drops them at a bus stand –a Pathan territory - & reveals the rivalry between Pathans & Balochis; he advises them to collect their passports quietly & return home. Our heroes, in a bid to kill time enter a food stall & get so engrossed in a re telecasted cricket match featuring traditional rivals India & Pakistan that their identity gets revealed, inviting the ire of the Pathans. Arshad Warsi is truly in his elements here.

They flee again only to land into FATA – into Taliban hands - where they are intended to be used as suicide bombers. In a bid to escape from FATA they steal a mobile phone which is actually a detonator & unwittingly, blast the training camp that invites the attention of the American CIA – shown as manipulative & devious – intent on taking credit for destruction of the camp. They agree with the Americans as a quid pro quo for freedom only to land up into the machinations of the Pakistani politicians represented by their Interior Minister Malik who showcases them as patriotic Paki soldiers who have taken on the Taliban while the Indian media reveals their true identity. The cacophony of Indo-Pak debates on the Indian national TV is reproduced here.

Shazia alerts the duo to Malik’s intentions to finish them off – since they had become a diplomatic embarrassment; clearly humanity is not entirely lost on the other side of the border. The CIA rescues & releases them after they agree to grant credit to the CIA for destruction of the Taliban camp. The game of thrones thus completes a full cycle. On their way home at the Karachi airport they spot a Talibani militant dressed as a pilot & with the help of the Paki ISI destroy their plans of a hijack. Or have they?  

Finally Indians & Pakistanis coming together to finish a common enemy – the Taliban – is refreshing. The movie could have been a laughs riot had the direction been more effective; infantile humour was a let-down. Jacky tries desperately to sound Gujju while Arshad – whose repertoire is humour - looks lost. Lauren Gottlieb has a good screen presence & is an outstanding dancer while her acting capability just like her accent is a farce. The director Ashish Mohan gives the movie an abrupt end; perhaps he too had given up. In short watch this movie only if you fail to secure tickets for any other movie.

Movie Review: Piku

Piku is the story of a cantankerous “constipated” dad played by Amitabh Bachchan (Bhaskor Banerjee) & his relationship with his fiercely independent daughter, played by Deepika Padukone (Piku) & the trials & tribulations of a cab owner Irrfan Khan (Rana Choudhary), unfortunately, stuck between the two. The movie is replete with humour but does not fall into the genre of a romantic comedy, although it had the potential to evolve into one.

It is a layered movie which explores the different shades of human character that is replete with surprising contradictions. Bhaskor is an eccentric man. He bats for “woman’s liberation” & denounces all women like his wife - condemning them to be of “low IQ” - for sacrificing their careers for the sake of their husbands; contrast this with the selfishness that afflicts him as a septuagenarian that forces him to torpedo his daughter’s marriage proposals - fearing the consequent loneliness.  Rarely do you see a father revealing to a potential suitor that his daughter is “not a virgin” & is “sexually & economically” independent. This hypochondriac’s calls to his daughter on the texture & colour of his poop when she is on a dinner date, destroy whatever little chances there are of consummation of her matrimonial alliance & his untimely calls to her when in office, cause discomfiture & embarrassment. Piku on the other hand is a modern woman who doesn’t hitch snapping back at her dad but loves him deeply & cares for him at her own expense.

Bhaskor - a widower - is a retired Bengali bhadralok living with his daughter Piku – an architect – in New Delhi. Piku’s business partner Jishu Sengupta (Syed) appears to have a soft corner for her & is her protective shield. Her casual reference to “sex” as a “need” - that can be satiated even outside of marriage - reveals the liberal outlook that the country is rapidly rushing towards. That no “moral police” has attacked the film on this count is, indeed, welcome. Moushmi Chatterjee (Masi) - Piku’s maternal aunt - is represented as thrice married that buttresses the “liberal” argument; speaking to Rana she jests that she is ready for a 4^th one too. The dinner table discussions of the eclectic family instead of revolving around gastronomic delights ultimately centre on the gastro intestinal track & tummy issues that are indeed hilarious.

Bhaskor’s obsession with his “bowel movements” or rather the lack of it often puts Piku under constant stress. Maids quit unable to accede to his impossible demands: insistence on multiple cleanings of his toilet; & accusations of being kleptomaniacs. Paradoxically, he is an incorrigible salt stealer himself convinced that it is the desired solution to his problem. Perhaps, Bhaskor’s senility causes Piku irritation that finds an outlet on hapless cab drivers leading to many car wrecks; consequently, the drivers express reluctance to offer her their services.  On one such occasion  when one of the drivers - who was supposed to carry the father – daughter duo -  from Delhi to Kolkata – to visit their ancestral home -  fails to appear that the owner of the cab service company,  Rana , shows up & unwitting becomes part of a family drama. The movie is largely based on the encounters during this gloriously riveting road ride.

During the ride & after, Rana provides a rational viewpoint to the eccentric family. He offers his own unsolicited advice to the intractable bowel problem:  “Sitting in the traditional way” rather than the “English way” to exert the right pressure to facilitate “motion”; & a ingesting a traditional recipe of boiled “Tulsi & Pudina”.

The movie without being preachy alludes to the responsibility of the current generation to the geriatric ones. While the tantrums & belligerence of the older generation could be annoying, children cannot shirk their responsibility seems to be the message. Piku shows “how” to shoulder the responsibility. The film also encourages the cognoscenti not to destroy ancient buildings in the name of development; after all buildings are not necessarily built of mortar or stone alone, they carry nostalgic memories which are priceless – something that money cannot buy.

Bhaskor dies at his ancestral home at the end of the movie, post achieving victory over his bowel problem & learning to be at peace with life. Piku is finally liberated.

Big B plays his age & is adorable as the 70 year old while Deepika – in a deglamourized avatar - is lovable as a doting daughter. While Irrfan Khan does not have an author backed role, he allows his eyes to do most of the talking which is a delight.  Jishu & Moushmi are a strong supporting cast. 

The movie is not without its defects. Rana’s family – consisting of his mother & his sister separated from her husband – is introduced at the beginning of the movie but is not explored further. Rana reveals that his sister stole jewels from her mother-in- law to give it to her mother; this strand that highlights the complexity of human relationships, if worked on, could have made the movie much richer. The romantic track between Rana & Piku is not brought to a logical conclusion either.

Shoojit Sircar – the talented maestro - crafted the immensely popular “Vicky donor” (2012) & the thriller “Madras Café” (2013). While “sperm” was the hero of Vicky Donor, “motion” is the lead actor in Piku. The ability to trend into the realm of the unknown makes Shoojit unique & he does not disappoint yet again.  That family & their foibles when combined with wit & progressive thought can create a heart wrenching story that tugs at your heartstrings was revealed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee; Piku reveals that there is still an audience for his genre of film making. Take a bow, Shoojit Sircar.