tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85100419804580502932024-03-17T20:04:24.092-07:00Dichotomy of IronyPankaj Sachdeva
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<br> Reading FilmsPankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.comBlogger731125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-35950557776647901592024-02-17T23:38:00.000-08:002024-02-18T12:49:36.196-08:0012th Fail—The Light Within<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="2761" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkH697rTjdLpM_QRjs5xc_kAf_qKcvyOeRze4uoRQxe8YM8uYvTlXt_PlIEa2FPo6j7UYWSJR5js4KFMblP4KTTGrfC1SFRHIhD-gKirF7MuzmuvKtUzA5Um7ErUTyhAL50683an4ND8kGJ1KMyOrdNVkShmYCeMjpMknb_AifVrEQQS6zFW24pCQpR1g8=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>12th Fail</i>, Vidhu Vinod Chopra tells the real-life story of Manoj Kumar Sharma (Vikrant Massey), who overcomes extreme hardships to become an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The film is based on the 2019 eponymous non-fiction book by Anurag Pathak. <i>12th Fail</i> has received much love since its release. I was unsure how the film would turn out, but I was surprised. It has been quite a while since I experienced emotional catharsis while watching a Hindi film, but <i>12th Fail</i> is so poignant that by the end of it, I don't think it is possible to remain unaffected by it. I was immensely moved by its honesty. Much has already been written about it, but I still wanted to write about the different aspects of the film, which not only has an uplifting story but is also beautifully made.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDyorGeu_4JgHR1IashQbHSuzCRR9BFEKOqSlZt_Cs5QI4TAYD3gF_e4cfWwQg_FJTyoYP5TA8MR6iqiETh5HE085rTzVLDN12fzwiBAyqn0oIPn7jmOhQXpcNP3NFHFOLuZvvyIWlOBXSFMzJ_qbmIlL1K0YXoROL_zKh06sfUmP5-atNWFaryhCb--8k=w640-h400" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>The Kindness of People</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is a lot of brutality in the world of Manoj. However, at the same time, enough kind people helped him—a complete stranger—reach his goal. Be it the police inspector Dushyant Singh (Priyanshu Chatterjee) who comes to rescue him in the middle of the night, the restaurant owner who offers him a free meal, Pandey (Anant V Joshi) who takes him to Delhi, or Gauri Bhaiya (Anshumaan Pushkar) who offers him coaching and guidance and all sorts of other help. Manoj is indebted to all of them and will remember them all his life. Gauri Bhaiya joked that Manoj should return twice the amount he had loaned him when he becomes an officer. When Pandey is in jail, Manoj is the only one who comes to help him. When Manoj had his final interview, he first went to Pandey to meet him even though they were not talking because of a fight. After Manoj becomes a police officer, he gives the first card of his wedding to Dushyant. He is following Shah Rukh Khan's advice in <i>Luck By Chance—to never forget those who knew you when you were a nobody</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1187" data-original-width="2856" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGp8wm7sVqw4bmtkmixXxwvvrYddXB-HrZwWwF1jSXrqVmtB0KqZ0ejxlFO32NkGqtciwO2YEY75EqCx0KoGLOiy2_NXiTHpXYwZdHdMTFQR2g4j1uTdnquqsu0CoXK8mPhSU3hXIiXrSvJGVp7esdQ5n0l0gsGKmKKPPRtOSdkHAoA4_09fxvmT5f2Sk8=w640-h266" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Cheating and Honesty</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The film opens with Manoj preparing chits for cheating. Manoj believed that honesty was a useless principle and no good comes of it. His interaction with Dushyant changes his belief, and he takes his advice to give up cheating as the gospel truth. He stopped cheating in his exams and everything else in life. He also started following in his father's footsteps to become an honest man. Manoj seems to have shades of the heroes from <i>Satyakaam</i> and <i>Newton</i>, where, like them, he is sometimes arrogant about his honesty. At places, Manoj reminded me of the principled Amol from <i>Chhapaak, </i>also<i> </i>played by Vikrant Massey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="2845" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTV-tf8EEs1hTwH00G8F6KxYbZq9eWC4btzVPsG3rR0rKPOLMpkpBxK9XD-jNqZq1gypb_qwjGQ6k3Vx-UwBPMCJdiMlGPFwrDxZ6oZ2zoYMgZrWBsrjLkHAOclzEqi5f3sM3gZPaElSJXDkNbduMaM3RqQ6HMWIFgEDssSArDXXEXVlK9uMtDCXBA-qnj=w640-h262" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>Privilege</i></b></div><div>One of the central themes of <i>12th Fail</i> is the notion of privilege. It makes the point that it is tough for someone not born with a silver spoon to make it in life. They have to work harder to reach the top, and their victories are more difficult than those who win the lottery of birth. The struggles of the underprivileged are harder than those of the privileged. Only a handful of students from the Hindi medium clear the final round. So, when someone from such a background makes it, they deserve it more. Manoj cites the example of Edmund Hillary, who climbed Mount Everest, where he says there was a <i>sherpa</i> with him who climbed without oxygen. The <i>sherpa</i> has had to work harder to reach there. In his case, he ran the race without oxygen and <i>nange pair</i>.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlBYO9B0MHMHZPWgZYeQ8aM0RrlF0KnOWP0iE4zRu02AZghQdTqCfF60WtBZmNcX11kOjLKnMq8i5lNRHqlH8ZOXpbjZsG6KwuIf4ifCuylhaeR3hqNzgzcefxnAvz5831FXFaiIepfnVNUT31F3vBRgVEA353Bz6AHwIHEb_2etGt4myQC_8Uizb1Mq_T=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div>The film mentions more aspects of privilege that can bestow certain other advantages. In the interview, Manoj is asked to prove if he would fit in with the officer culture, given his background in Hindi medium. He uses water to make his point. He asks for water in a steel glass, perplexing the interviewer, who says water remains the same in whatever container. Manoj makes the precise point that language is only a medium, so he can succeed there as well. As the teacher also explained, the technology in propulsion remains the same, whether it is a large satellite or a tiny cracker rocket.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHiNqt6RGtCJCEaN3wIuCIWji5yn1t9cFn1fV69elKcboa5zB1qjELGQpRcXmafhH8Cua83fZ5ON0kFNiA7BcHOdtABq_L3HKF3h9mRAkD0ZLioMxrNcuwU-UtaqlqHfqJPoLNE7qQYtfavKIvoVOaMnFFBr7AUQ8aqbIaf5qqtECKLR3ckh68GZ-CCHOA=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div><div><b><i>Power</i></b></div><div>The film advocates that power in the hands of the right can bring metamorphosis in social and political aspects. Manoj's first brush with politics is in his village, where the local politician won't let him drive his vehicle. During his interview, he cited the same instance where he would not allow such things to happen if he were made an officer. After meeting with Dushyant, he realized that power in the hands of an honest person can change the world. Shraddha (Medha Shankar) also mentions that she wants to become an officer because she wants the power to stop injustice in the world. In this aspect, a few mentions of APJ Abdul Kalam and B.R. Ambedkar are present in the film. In the cleverly-shot scene, the film also shows a photograph of Swami Vivekananda.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_XXMB6NG8YFlzOjBeiHCHcMJAuy-mn_B81NYAIi51ljIPvBuxgNmrpIeHD3kFwALbE9m3GUMn9R2TwSFqzmdXIwfGHK7HKRzOwzJnDskRfSd909qZhCZ9hHV2Z-AmnKMx47M27MLyu8ivYFxG82emce1xKkSHY_ISApGqLD-cXVufl6zYcDK1gWdRPfpa=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGmGbgZ2QwjBmSdx8xd2aUKtCTqdgDrYYkB6q9F81kq9zJuxg2PhPWf5jCcXEnlivHx7fURqH390xuQLBn1EG6FluAp1JoxuiwoB1K7E9GNCy0BI55Y0DQ2Z0Li2dzoZY4WXcdyU_O1m-q71gY_g-qMgNxbEU1fB-RRBidYRNHBY9dEC-BxwCp2xRgIXzv=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div><b><i>Restart</i></b></div><div><div>In the film's opening moments, Manoj's father recites a few words from Atal Bihari Vajpayee's poem <i>Geet Naya Gaata Hoon. </i>He says<i>, </i>"<i>Haar nahi manunga, raar nayi thanunga." I will not concede defeat; I will start the struggle afresh. </i>This essentially<i> </i>surmises the life story of Manoj. He does not give up. Even if he fails, he restarts from scratch. Gauri Bhaiya uses the example of snakes and ladders to underscore the same point. Life is a game of constant snakes and ladders; if one falls back to the beginning, one must restart. Gauri's Bhaiya shop is aptly named <i>Restart</i>.</div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtFw76Z9r-bcw1Nu90BloOAbVoFoebz7L8PlnveOxUhV-0DKIxb62n0eqdpMNin0XTM28AdGKaYToKF-zgmAxh1FfFjSl5EPQXVun5RW5I6F2S-AwXl-jneTwpZkeA4WXWJUeUVVx9sq9LwmevzhIEzSoWegEMbSAdhwkMXzTkDCsaNCKqR3y2NxzWq9yh=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Sight and Sound</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i>12th Fail</i> has much to <i>see</i>. Early in the film, Dushyant is offered a bribe by the school principal for allowing students to cheat. Manoj and the other students gathered outside and watched from behind the iron bars in the window. <span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Later, the viewpoint of being behind bars is repeated when the police arrest Manoj and his brother for </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">jugaad</em>. Then, when Manoj loses his luggage in Gwalior, he looks at the food shop from a similar viewpoint. In the end, when the results were announced, we again saw that students were standing behind bars. This is befitting of the film's theme of crossing these barriers from one world to another world. The other side lies in power, and Manoj has reached that side with his immense grit.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeetZSNfkMH7c0EJjxqir09q4yGC5poiBfv_lMQDAmlcbn3YIQW5sCBXTqErJEX7FAR9RYx-nNpY4Pl6hkx4bPMXgACmeGzBg-JIWJjRJBQZexs8Sc8D-tmHPPSTcRKpVS8u00n39uF5fdf8QFMs3xi0ZkaT_Xw7q0_TTSj2cfejMcO4WXgWmMLZUwO_OJ=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The other noteworthy thing about <i>12th Fail</i> is its fantastic use of sound. The film opens in Chambal, with some dramatic sounds playing at the introduction. The background music is lovely, which, Vidhu Vinod Chopra has clarified in an interview, is inspired by Satyajit Ray's <i>Pather Panchali</i>. When Manoj loses his bag in Gwalior, he seems disoriented, and all the crackers start bursting, downing everything out. This instance is repeated before his interview, where he becomes lost in the din of thought, and the sounds of his mind drown everything out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgig419V5pKBohHlPycTOEomNGITrisx6gBM5RZkqkg2ll5dIn9sSFtChdtfwZkLuZrh1ke_lwzQAFEhDcCLlm6D0LaN52142YCH6qBfkQjDe8VRl4mMPRELUzstEtaf1T3DR2qjP-K58wyFukjN91beJ_f4xfcT-iEsveLYDXafWq9DPwNgM5hikS8SbvX=w640-h320" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mirrors</div></div><div><div><i><b>The Light Within</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After Manoj leaves the library, he starts working and living in a flour mill. The space there is so constricted that he cannot even stand erect. Shraddha visits him and questions how he will study in all the darkness. A smiling Manoj replies that his father used to say, "<i>Baahar ke andhere se nahi, andar ke andhere se daro. Suvidhaayon ke laalach me samjhauton ka andhera</i>." <i>Do not fear the darkness outside; fear the darkness within. O</i><i>ne has to deal with the</i><i> darkness of compromises for different comforts</i>. He says he is not afraid of the darkness of the outside world. Perhaps that is why he is always seen around light bulbs throughout the film. The shiny aura of the light outside complements the light within him. During his final interview, he is asked what he would do if he did not become a police officer. He says that once studying under a street lamp, he learned, "<i>If I cannot be the sun that lights up the earth, i</i><i>f I cannot be the sun that shines upon the earth, </i><i>I can still be a lamp and light up my street</i>." He compares himself to the lamp, where he is happy to shine light upon a few students and teach them. Even in the interview room, we can see the lamps in the frame when he walks out.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBxRzxlxPaOvufSuk9QGw8N9840yCqgSpCD5Z4_IVf6fjW03bpoE8z9Yd3GhE-bAdZxX2Nz5r4qo4ncf7gXF5dxxE3_Bc6k5njoq5uXxhT7hvhEA7UGbAVsk9TcJR-NY0t8YE9lQmlCbUI1hY-ocVarI85hMsTq-yso9s26yOJYtYbBrPJTkKT34vo_L9g=w640-h640" /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeSc9Z-lkUgK4npALkM7p3REdMSZeZH6SBve2__9HIOkSO5y6iggBtSVA8ZDEpMoyxcRnBZRPlZYH1gIwpzyb-xdFNjZmDJXZBu8esZ-5GBWI1C6iwshYJP6_iaiNsRZzru-FQDexyv5EMKzdbOSjWOtDrPtQ1JgKTaQljRBfEITTQMwg8eho4ppO9w2zg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4UFICiGmrmx7eRlhQnNFE8xgehUkFDNRBQef3X7fZvY7JfUBmlndA7AgvUb6cBVESyVyqyvuts9P2MOKghFF3QA-CZ11GsrYxmMNTG_Ge-mSr57YrhIniMzKjl9bC2ZKwyIX2sA5n2q1hOjOPGiuu6GlVV4mj0BYVL5a19EOz04D5iQwVF1xpBOymu-to=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOBIhzzCZ_vj_STn-7BeZ9Y_XNIz_dA2MTQcoIb4rQqpKo8tXTvuiybaRLSftpo2OItLtK60KmfqLMJEtpPmgKeswuRR1WMQR8EzuV7VR0ZkOIKVFXElOy0L7QZfArfojUC6ENE4XYfP4VFsbwK6vRbqy06e5zzMh4yi8dq9Zraop3inmw5_berlJZbJd6=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8ROd7pV-dNlaGDbNYUxatXsAmMRtkEw8aBOGspfXoYiPyTG9JqV5MrpfWaGdX6svOPw4SkakfjtduliMsReMUlQl1sS_Z6CCJn232YmgEA3u4myrl1bwtLiACns3YQCveDbJajJLKfHVUO5wOQxZQYCNeEd3-PhgC4XesEuB4NVQBXT7PMoDzZwcqHh7c=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>History Repeats</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The narrative in the film repeats an earlier moment in some places. Early on, Manoj runs to Dushyant to ask for help when his brother is arrested by the police. He exhorts him to help him immediately. Later, the situation comes back twice in different forms. First, when Manoj clears the prelims, he runs to Deep Mohan (Sam Mohan) to ask for help as he owes him. Second, Manoj helped his friend Pandey when the police arrested him without due process. It is almost the reverse of the earlier situation, where he becomes the rescuer instead of the one being rescued.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2127" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdhTdpq5HFsbH7y1IeTBxTgbY8aEBqL4wNzl0owEFMWPi6pOniaVdQg68dM4FAMb1kMJkqYi-lNK114UXryK6LBp_N-LbvLzz5ToGDpd-u__C7iguMp8y9ad2znytrPyfzzHcVS5pvxiEsoyb7Npk_vN9KS672O4uun_IF3b-8V1GLb1b-apv8lXZnQ6Dc=w640-h602" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Manoj's father, Ramveer Sharma (Harish Khanna), was also a principled man. He refused to engage in corrupt practices, which caused his bosses to let him go. His father was suspended from his job as he refused to be complicit in a scam. In an altercation, he throws his slippers at the boss before storming out. Later, Manoj had a similar interaction where he, too, threw his slippers at the librarian who accused him of cheating. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2127" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ0SxCXhHhrLn_xdwjCjh_GUH8Tv-4pQY6iEFVBsaQUzcReyyncSgTL0gv5pH2kds7Vx9aLq84GXDJ97a7ABEOiCbDem-boJVbcqA7bErgf8SSZZpXTnxOWbZlziC_6mFqlXGnxOOEGPoJdY5Vw4UYgORkYCIzKzsXgj5RFZDNZjsqR2rhLxni1vfwUhHV=w640-h602" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Pandey</i></b></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>12th Fail</i> is narrated by Pandey. In many places, Pandey's words and actions are reminiscent of Farhan Qureshi's (R. Madhavan's) from <i>3 Idiots</i>, also produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Pandey wants to be in the media, but, like Farhan, he does not have the courage to tell his father. In choosing him as the narrator, the film also gives him a chance to make his dream of telling stories come true. Sometimes, Pandey's words reminded me of the line in<i> 3 Idiots</i> where they said, "<i>Dost fail ho jaye toh dukh hota hai, lekin dost first aa jaye toh zyada dukh hota hai</i>."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-K5UPmxF055F8TVmJAzC4NaYc_NoR5rS3pPrgskNYqvVCH8WOdRtxKgDACfPpGcNVmZu71Azs7HHVC5XvKH8LO5N9wcPs0ZshVSJYsriUf1QYJwYKUoOs12wr233N4owZBqN46uWSc_LJL4b88KUmzmTlh8gY1V3zB2NMEXrUSt9_obxmmY-Es2kORljg=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Parents</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The film's most moving scenes are Manoj's conversation with his parents. Two scenes appear back to back—one with his mother and one with his father—where he becomes more mature. When he visits home, his mother, Pushpa (Geeta Aggarwal Sharma), tries to portray that everything is fine even though she is struggling to make ends meet. Manoj is intuitive enough to see her lying, and he confronts her. And then, Manoj's father visits him in Delhi. He breaks down seeing Manoj's deplorable living conditions and says he is ready to let go of his honesty to give his family a better life. Manoj consoles his father and reminds him of the poem of not giving up that he used to teach them. In this moment, Manoj becomes the emotionally mature one, becoming the father to his father. And all the while, he still has a smile on his face. These were some of the most moving moments in the film.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0t5gm4XR-89F_hufo6o_mAnBtHGdGbjEXc1ZFpyAz1o9-J2C1L5V4ju7HkR_pFlKOYeIVzj6GiH1NXPjt8FI3C1XKFAhJNuhsLCUz_-l_y4avtN2qfoGpFOsSyRgM3eaZfgihv15oAbiBlDVOfE43eYpJoj7_1Hexgjf1gyP_oz1tvzW430rdVGfkCCFW=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiU-YJ2ZASBr3J4KSC3HRdCDVHxac_XrvtQ5-wL6n5Es3EwqwN-TbqGROvnMFgyZeZDptgC-BhDnLZ9zuqRhJP4FqpwWtMn13MJ6L-M-uDA4cktnfwL6tZl70MhuD7zFOeKBn8ip6Ouf0L3Yz3Hc_-DxhN5DEV0el2_OTMw_bcDPL6IY3kVFV9e8eyY430l=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Shraddha</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Manoj finds a special friend in Shraddha, who becomes his emotional support. She was always there for him. When his prelims were not clear, she held his hands. When he was going for his interview, she held his hands. When the results came in, she was the one who checked in for him. Their love is beautiful in the quiet moments. When he gets two chocolates for writing the best essay in his class, he gives both to her. When he sees a book he wants to read but cannot afford, she buys it for him. In another lovely moment, she takes him for a haircut, and the barber asks what kind of haircut he wants—IAS or IPS?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2127" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCi13jwpxKuLm4pSE0AmNL4_kr1TtmbNs2_crrAlMDI8FOeclW32AIAhjShroor8lG6wp1rzmPMHUgXqXsKp-eZA5fFBn2z_TksnqhnY6M25cb89SSH--h2B2Zutbj4ySIS7aRSUoxcODjH-3ulFIDFDdYPowLTcVa9LRkADjC1J7am-blT3KUwNvYomj6=w640-h602" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjef_6Igzqeneab_AlcrpWF2qut-nON4jYczbMmGQMY9Ai1X9B5RM1gECROKRwzNQ7IIX8SFh9mPlgaBXMywsFvr6Iz9QZ1ek3kML65YcQE51eLAhiugifhLtVpwa0IrIUhIHW_2D3EmhJPSJ3k0NLvZz44ZOSEgMLOpW6lFfgUy-LBAbjkb-2jQkGX0igj=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>There is also a shoe-related scene with them. When Manoj and Shraddha go for an interview, he wears a new pair of shoes, which makes him feel uncomfortable. Shraddha tells him as they are new, they might be tight, but they will gradually open up. Manoj keeps looking at the shoes when he is asked a question during his interview. But after answering questions about failing in the 12th Class, he is asked to wait out. At that point, he reads the letter from Shraddha, where she writes that she will always support him and she wants to marry him. Then, he feels relaxed after reading her proposal and takes off his shoes. He is visibly more confident in the interview after this. It was not clear to me what the shoes were trying to say, apart from loosening up a bit, but the whole interview was beautifully done except, perhaps, for the caricature of the strict interviewer.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="2831" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj39pj2uFOZldBdvz_92lGj8IR-MhOju6weW6Q8rQQe57lBr86UT7LFBOtlIE_FPe2yXIIRZ_sL40rqOrVmRncQ52hoeCTSsG1U7ZSyLBg_98wdOnf6wgtfXwf38IVb4YKauj7OAZw-ayCxr0tzl9wb1bLxRF7tZkbR3djdHh2HHI_S9Sb9wQBEJNPp4hwQ=w640-h266" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i><b>Little Details</b></i></div><div>The film uses little details to denote the passage of time. When Manoj visits his village after a few years, his sister (played by a different actor) has grown up. When he started studying, there were posters of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's <i>Mission Kashmir</i>, which showed that the timeline was around 2000. The coaching center has photgraphs of Vajpayee, which showed that the timeline was around 2000. At Deep Mohan's office, there were photographs of Manmohan Singh and APJ Abdul Kalam, indicating the timeline around 2005.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyL04lTb_O-D-kmgCzMdpfmyqqumQ1ebzqVlO69c9V4ayDZ8VPxT7-FEGVS9ZI7vUe_Dmr0DU6mmwRHGhe8oyOMR244sXhiNho4xvN0SQUU4dMbgknj9EIMXwhXaClIhW9wqgJJuTEXt_mhd_KB44qLgWVnSgcsb_6HWYnKm02MfeZ21dCVyriyQRuozRC=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A poster of <i>Mission Kashmir</i> (2000)</div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>What also stands out in the film is how, in many places, it subverts our expectations of the narrative. For example, when he and his brother were arrested, in my mind, I kept wondering if his brother would be killed or if something would happen to his family, making Manoj then rage against the system. But then, nothing untoward happens. Or how Shraddha's father would oppose their match, but it is solved without much consternation.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiNmmSxbtP87rq431vNAWIHuMDn8Uypc2GRm086q0xxiDls_ZIxT97u1oeE_ce0iwoJmrzuYWg18tOFdwSkK_GeIddndjolBEOV19YKaZfcoGSVNo5mzBrFPyC0tWfUlYx_ev_2j17SRNTSpb9vlk3hqiGD10kmThQoAjf-7m8-qc2ixCeLy2UDl413ftG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiNmmSxbtP87rq431vNAWIHuMDn8Uypc2GRm086q0xxiDls_ZIxT97u1oeE_ce0iwoJmrzuYWg18tOFdwSkK_GeIddndjolBEOV19YKaZfcoGSVNo5mzBrFPyC0tWfUlYx_ev_2j17SRNTSpb9vlk3hqiGD10kmThQoAjf-7m8-qc2ixCeLy2UDl413ftG=w640-h268" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Atal Bihari Vajpayee</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz25YLg_SYbvrVgdoYlyXngjRJeeeNSDn3802cdEOefCuH-qqSLy5MomEwS4e0W73D9ZmSJ-T_L8J8RfS6araL-zWLOFMkLP4iIGrjYO8NOMlPr2aNy6V8EjF7LbXphrElSgIUpJigS8VMBoHhfSda0Ayo8xc52Do4suHDTAy6fRYMcuJ0JTrOxBPYq6aQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Manmohan Singh</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Performance</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vikrant Massey, as Manoj, has given his best career performance. I remember him since the days he played Shyam in <i>Balika Vadhu </i>in 2008. The adulation he has received for his performance is totally deserving and mirrors the hard work of his reel-life character, Manoj. It is the culmination of his hard work over the years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMccGMYCj6c49yFG3MvtQWyTkUKLVTpYRxAvdKsOvftYUrd9dab_k1cPZiaDGMtEU3ahmHeBe8omVhbU5Bey6C6Kx1oHIKVCfbVyVipeGyD62oVotozYOrdc5SeUztxuX1cKqsOUwN-V61gYphls5RGccrBMcTUmWjelVz7cHdZgntGy86DZTL9_YhI4bj=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>The Ending</i></b></div><div>On the day the final results were declared, Shraddha and Manoj went to check it. Manoj was not confident as he felt the interview did not go well. Shraddha looks them up while he stands a few feet away. When she nods her head, Manoj falls to the ground and breaks down. For a moment, it took me to that stunning scene in Sajid Ali's <i>Laila Majnu</i>, where, after years of waiting, Qais finally sees Laila in the flesh after four years. His body cannot take it, and he falls by her one glimpse. The stories of Qais and Manoj are obviously different, but something that has given them strength over the years makes them weak at that moment. In the climactic scene in <i>12th Fail</i>, Pandey recites the second <i>anubhuti</i> from Vajpayee's <i>Geet Naya Gaata Hun</i>, closing the arc of the film's opening scene where Manoj's father spoke a few lines from the same poem. Often, movies make us laugh and cry, but sometimes, they give us the courage to write and sing the many songs of our lives.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"<i>Toote hute taaron se phoote baasanti swar, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>patthar ki chaati me aa gaya nav ankur, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>jharre sab peele paat, koyal ki kuhuk raat, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>prachi me arunim ki rekh dekh paata hun, </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>geet naya gaata hun."</i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="2846" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqJLLC4RXHUCS-aCuxwfVUg6AaaRYQEScFO6EQ4yaTVnDWES85PveIMEnoORn2rV4uovpXlA4kWNEQuGesJBapzoV-wQPAXz3EsAf1t0GnmOQTMVg-jdK14IBW3JWVcj1qpQ168T7iZqVux3vn0XkYkFL8YHiaU1ry8MMTm4gHzb-8Qo5dO-ocw0ZBsp0z=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading and Listening:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>A Death in the Gunj</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/08/a-death-in-gunjof-sensitive-souls.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i>Chhapaak</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2020/04/chhapaakdont-be-nirashavadi.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. On Vikrant Massey—<a href="https://indiaindependentfilms.com/2024/01/13/films-writing-27-rahul-desai-and-pankaj-sachdeva/" target="_blank">Podcast Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i>"If I cannot be the sun that lights up the earth; i</i><i>f I cannot be the sun that shines upon the earth, </i><i>I can still be a lamp and light up my street."<br />—</i>Manoj<i>, 12th Fail</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-85465909159910672182024-01-19T23:04:00.000-08:002024-01-20T14:45:54.040-08:00Three of Us—Back to the Origin<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidonxz7FFiDHSAe9SmzsbhTIdpHWgj__gD2zWwbVYFd5BaxhrSM_DCbYcsLcSO6wdU7N7Tb1kwu44hWJ6lmtS5ZtadIVKGrx1GvAiLaK8V7NkgB7pfcRCJ94VKBJU_Z67rfFdgEkuo6SZ9AWGLZzyowXY8Qwp_3vk1Csa4nAj5HmvW24MxJ-8sLq4Iusok=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>Three of Us</i>, Avinash Arun takes us on a journey to contemplate the realm of memories. Do our memories define us? Do we cease to exist if we forget our memories? Do we eternally remember some of our memories? He tells the beautiful story of Shailaja (Shefali Shah), who is on the cusp of losing her memories due to dementia. Before she forgets everything, she takes a trip with her husband, Dipankar (Swanand Kirkire), to the quaint hamlet of Vengurla. She seeks rediscovery of the girl she was before age caught up with her. She seeks forgiveness from her childhood lover, Pradeep (Jaideep Ahlawat), when she left him abruptly. She seeks healing from the wounds of her traumatic past when she lost someone special.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="2850" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgy9FSd5-93bDqIR8-ewYvpY7QZVuRq2X8F8sIFni-N4ADuZTFqkxe7x3_pAvMPBj6Hd09QaxrUoGT2y91YizLg6hVc9vU_WYZAqBwYJSYYhrHWxFx12tzN8CptJJH11CAEC_NmJjTrsL4I-C2DmswUJohNGqpwYOdUI2zudPAxXPBcAKh-_tw1lwOqc4Ur=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1185" data-original-width="2808" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEig4UknFC_c7jyMnVnyg29hpYRj17aBUcVTf1Sxx8TTOF3dRPQdEYvpLkbdMXNqP_9C09LmNJGthuyyt9kjFCgtUHGIv9pLxNgqojagsOmBxPjoYM_FQkxW1pLhpCkXCFOLHfXp3IJ0rBqNPbC-ZAuRCs1bJvXb4QfxmE8grs3gRAVy0AqEV93lwW7j8rTU=w640-h270" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Shubhashish Bhutiani's <i>Mukti Bhawan</i>, a septuagenarian named Daya (Lalit Behl) believes his time of death has come. Therefore, he travels with his son (who coincidentally, like Dipankar, is an insurance agent) to a place called Mukti Bhawan, a hotel for people who are waiting for their deaths. Daya lets go of past resentments during his stay, forms new bonds, and finds salvation before leaving the world. Daya's pilgrimage to Mukti Bhavan parallels Shailaja's odyssey to her childhood home. While one seeks closure before they leave the world, the other seeks closure before their memories leave them. In the film's final moments, Shailaja and Pradeep ride on a Ferris wheel. They get stuck mid-air when things take a pause. These moments allow them the serenity to relinquish any past resentments and reconcile their niggling issues. They talk about forgiving and remembering. And then, the Ferris wheel starts spinning again. It is a poignant moment representing the start and stop of their relationship and the circle of life itself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="2812" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_Ct3M9c0SQQ65Zu715i-vaecXyo2x8IeWyLWNBjR01McfMxtpSHY9aeKNZRaXhq2mCuxfA6uJ5Hm68ztojsa7QJ_ZzmM61EDIw3N4ogVbKqUolA7oRZrkdI9p5MocIfTF2befhn_dzTd6vyu6X-wVkEiWPe3-PbqyLDHPtaoq6RAsfxaz_Hqpu2dmfuR1=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Memories are the leitmotif in <i>Three of Us</i>. Characters keep evoking memories in their conversations. Early in the film, a few men talk about the emotional attachments of memories. "<i>Kahin un yaadon ke bhoj me woh building hi na gir jaaye</i>," he chortles. Shailaja's friends joke about her forgetting things and then realizing the unsuitability of the joke. Pradeep's daughter talks about feeling scared when she <i>forgets</i> her crayons in art class. Shailaja's biggest fear is she may <i>forget</i> her son Bharat, who remains unseen throughout the film. Shailaja and Dipankar use their cell phones to record events as they might help her remember events later. They talk about storing memories in the cloud. In another wonderful moment, Shailaja's old teacher says that she sensed the essence of her dead husband in the photographs he clicked long after he passed away; after all, photographs are nothing but another device used to capture memories. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="2641" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifmfBW6kRfEH0HwjcD5MpBujePSm_EAzmNvX01U0-0f31lBGbtLvXqXbHzAi2R0xzYBRRpGb4PNZXySGeNNiw3n72tydepzyE_-z-5mzx2qgEVHZ4ok5J08TPGRMfV5ia4gOM3KxvoQllHpFP5Xy-AvfsGpGvia_8QfifLHTzuzOMEfdtjh55lcHj8Q0ro=w640-h296" style="text-align: justify;" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="2688" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgi5sDMM8MlcjX3m2u9hVlDO9__g45H33QXL5FCEll8ZIyP4tqGv50sU0noCwat7kx4OSofp9QyKIKTPrM03JPGDJEFrkj_klFyH-d247-iLgqisydYReOtU1QD7YjCcCG4XBTgp1B0w2p-7y5MPcJEx3dIkm7m7y48cJRiJ9FC0s2a5sqIe-L0EqVXnYsO=w640-h290" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Three of Us</i> also uses the present events to manifest and evoke past memories. Its narrative commences with Shailaja immersed in her work at a family court, presiding over a couple seeking separation. The man in the relationship wants to extend the time of counseling, while the woman wants to leave. It mirrors Shailaja's own past when she chose to depart from Pradeep's life during their youth. On the train to Vengurla, Shailaja seems enamored of the two sisters playing, echoing her history with her deceased sister. Pradeep, too, grapples with the reflections of the past, witnessing his elder daughter's conflicts with another boy reminiscent of the dynamics he and Shailaja once shared. He observes children—a girl and a boy—cycling, evoking memories of his own childhood. Early in the film, an old lady starts saying something to Shailaja. This moment is repeated later when she meets another old lady in Vengurla. Shailaja tells the old lady that everyone told her that she would have died and that she would have forgotten her. But the lady replies that she is alive precisely because Shailaja <i>remembered</i> her. The old lady, unseen by others, symbolizes Shailaja's personal memory. The old lady has not aged as she continues to live on in Shailaja's mind. She is not seen by anyone as she is only Shailaja's personal memory. <i>Three of Us </i>underscores memories' non-linearity and inherently personal nature and explores how they can resurface at any moment<i>.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="2800" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpLF8wiaditmk0bDuIEBxIQKqapUmIfge3SqitR6T6h6bA8ZU5u0nkyT7AmZiPc357HC2th4RZf_8asO4Oeea31NnMP55vRhiZg8vTMMK_nGyJsr_QlsAx58obM8jA6e3NBATUP3ih450nQzjwIGaHu2EznJrGyVWfq2bxh_IkZyUM4flA4jgeonY-mNEc=w640-h274" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="2800" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHJNmmh6HGvDPQVwilfKvBKP3U4XtBuCFz0CypO8FTHm7hNfWB4kHlhS-mkktv_qPavqcX8dNTEkKLwkl_-l6TOnsEv2SPdZD_kG4iJBUueEdVlc-G96VxgVrHT-SaJPMucEQyx0oSA0uD7MBVgjM-mL26gDmak_0utk2w5MYxzSGlNIYWicEwgyZsih_E=w640-h276" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="2781" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv8hdve70dgWWY_GnSEBmy75rD_pQr6XEcCgBSTEJkYP3GSNvEM7v_dB41ffeYY6hus5evF2hvn8QZQKF_2J-s7qWlARvPMgMqy19VmWDoOS7zf64Uf-CKCMpj722so_k71otU9P54CzvbGruz9XqZp71AyVEeWCbJdcJGscWTxvxdfmPYuiMqKfEoEvaW=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="2728" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDl9Czx_JCdcN3qMAOmcRGoTzkLUZByjdbTZHeGaWgv3vO7La8ucmZjcdH3VGiGOEpE2fUbN0fIjtkLVZ5dGpRziA5CUA4-2WIvx-VfmWb6qkABDVZzrAJ98GxPRo9L3vKftclMj_TmnY4H5W3gCvlKjgYV3oNQ4vFuFjtp1TioPCWyryYmHDmghqNKg6l=w640-h288" width="640" /></div></div></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>In the journey of <i>Three of Us</i>, Shailaja's two companions are her husband, Dipankar, and her old lover, Pradeep. Both these men in<i> Three of Us</i> are caring, considerate, and creative. Dipankar works as an insurance agent. He does not feel good about it, though, as he has to make people scared about worst-case scenarios to sell insurance policies. Early in the film, when drinking with his male friends, he brings cocktails to the women in the kitchen. It is a counterpoint to the situation in Neeraj Ghaywan's short film <i>Juice </i>(which also starred Shefali Shah), where the men simply gave orders to the women. Dipankar is preparing for the unknown future, where he will have to be his wife's primary caregiver, perhaps like the aged couple in Mani Ratnam's <i>O Kadhal Kanmani</i>. At one point, he oils his wife's hair. We don't see such scenes in films where a man cares for a woman who is not yet sick. When he first meets Pradeep, his wife's childhood lover, he has the sense to excuse himself and let them talk privately. At another point, he sits in the backseat of the car while Shailaja sits in the front with Pradeep. He is an art appreciator and can understand the depth of someone's art, whether singing or poetry. He sings for his wife.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="2779" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjRdsvo0hgVnkc8XAI3cwp-dv4netj_cu7ZdoXIbgSSBeFkHK_zUg03UMR1EJJmKWh5eIlnGqjKHImU8cXgb-9-ZLcMxXWflWe0V0KADlBkbhYVLJtJ1B66OaoptA9JPZZSTCi-2qmnH_U_GmWW4N9xMHML7L08J-7V_mh5_bUKlMCiVY-FQrY9Yyacr3I=w640-h280" width="640" /></div></div><div>On the other hand, Pradeep is a banker who is interested in writing. Shailaja's return reignites his old passion for poetry. He also does embroidery for his wife. Again, I don't recall any film where a man has done something like this as a hobby. Pradeep is intuitive and can sense that something is not right with Shailaja. He is shy and keeps his eyes low. There is a scene at the restaurant where he tells Shailaja about his father, who disappeared from home. He is left heartbroken by the lack of closure. It made me wonder if this was also how he would have felt when Shailaja left him. After all, she also did not say anything to him before leaving.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="2683" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBaktgxhG4YgLlsnqdSeiCqGMtFraE9QetQqT8ly2IuK9TTlV3yp-yFJjqdaIBU7qIUsCAQ01ZHvjTzo2VKQrE1O9o7ceAlJy_UCwVwWwQxxiBZK3HapgmvnbKaPnL8Wq7JQ_CfjiMNValmF5Gnnofl39o2oqo-lZVBerfBDgy0P8_tHCSuoFm5sVBw9ei=w640-h284" width="640" /></div></div><div>The dynamics between the three characters in <i>Three of Us</i> are reminiscent of Celine Song's <i>Past Lives, </i>which also deals with a similar theme where a woman's old lover visits her. In fact, at one stage, Pradeep says, "<i>Pichle janam ki baat lagti hai.</i>" It seems like a past life. Like it was in <i>Past Lives</i>, the husband's character here is mature and understanding; however, his envy and insecurity overtake him for a fleeting moment. Dipankar feels he does not know this new Shailaja. Pradeep seems to know her better than he knows her. He asks Shailaja if she was ever happy with him, the way she is after meeting Pradeep, as he cannot remember their happy times. Not being happy does not mean that she is sad, she tells him. With the rigmarole of daily life, they all change gradually. Like how she prefers coffee while he prefers tea. There is a fourth wheel to the dynamics—Pradeep's wife, Sarika (Kadambari Kadam). The relationship between Pradeep and Sarika is also honest and transparent, and they do not try to hide anything from each other. Sarika is lovely and has a mind of her own. She says that she found it weird that Shailaja has come to visit Pradeep, but a nice kind of weird.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="2827" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhsUz9a1OLTIsCPrUiPEi1d8sRYQqpIYv3AL0NW4EQ4QDn6BD39zk_HiMumNO6W0SB_LmSYuC_gqgCS5ug9GT4AJUcorJE6q5f2lkbymekMomtxf0rDc5Dj44TQF2uL008J5uhlYISUq4miMZLZupyJ-nCnz4AuGIwb1mvjuH_1UuM8_jYYOWddaGUfTYlF=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div><div><i>Three of Us</i> has some thoughtful dialogue. For instance, when the three of them visit the school, Dipankar says childhood spaces look smaller when you grow up. Pradeep replies that kids have bigger hearts; therefore, everything looks big in childhood. At another stage, Shailaja laughs when she reads in Pradeep's book that the number nineteen in Hindi looks like two people upset with one another. I was reminded of the idiom '<i>36 ka aankra</i>', using the same analogy. When written in the Devanagari script, the numbers three and six are mirror images. This idiom is used to refer to people who don't get along. There are other little touches. In another moment related to the film's sensitive portrayal of men, there is a male Bharatnatyam dancer when Shailaja visits her school. When I put this on social media, one of the filmmakers mentioned that the director specifically asked for a male dancer to be included in the scene. Also, it is not mentioned, but I suspect that the reason Shailaja became an atheist was related to the death of her sister.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2518" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigqvABJmsZqCDUpe7MXERX5Slyf9f_0bdCANL8qx8xh1MFwDidXwcgWwm4HDxd9JhrL8YRwrfb6lfWXsjBRXaZCcdVG6qFZxQnHIwQ6JZQoP94njmm2m6lf1PWsAN-OteZ9Bev5mWlrx78FbDNy3qlvOLaOzH50dAC2YZwihhrwDM-MGjm_-LKKO8Ckvfu=w640-h318" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="2742" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi99JIJOoWEHF_uDWUXsM5wUD1u8V-e_PjRrOgR6MlFMl65BRsetvmRrHRKUfaIhpsixTlDalUGm_jAqpMMKkSToLtlrWhrqJXxKanmpAxOzUzfZGNl1hKkUpDx7DXKSKGgiOGrxR_R8GJ8EzNHgquQjgoTMIygJnXNnuppb-pOw0sYGYbp2aVtXeHlpEcZ=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">All three lead characters deliver great performances. After giving a memorable performance as the teacher in <i>Jaane Jaan</i>, Jaideep Ahlawat is yet again splendid in his role as Pradeep. Shefali Shah is, as always, wonderful, but there is a certain consciousness in her facial expressions and dialogue delivery, which sometimes feels more like a theatrical performance. Kadambari Kadam also manages to steal her scenes. The film also has a beautiful score. There are two tributes to Kumar Gandharva. His two songs—<span style="text-align: left;"><i>Saware Aai Jaiyo</i> and </span><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Nain Ghat Ghatatan Ek Ghari—</i>are played in the film. At another point, Dipankar sings <i>Surmai Shaam</i> from <i>Lekin</i>. Shailaja's teacher describes her relationship with Pradeep as similar to that of Teja and Daga from <i>Mr. India</i>, which is a lovely way to describe a romantic relationship.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="2831" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv3456q8Vyq2lM-4gGV5avz7Q4cxxNe-LRS_e4kkFfEGj9g-hfuwlsvKXzZEnkLfJpzMALHVY44SqURONFapIvptnsfb_RcdtFukwP0T_chMjEdK4wAc4SbP41s3KvKHFUjLaRKzFZAFNS8PcBbfCaXsoyGjQHnaekhz5gLVMuAhMbsBEOanbt5I4PmUmW=w640-h278" width="640" /></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div>In Vengurla, Shailaja visits her old home where she used to stay as a girl. She takes a walk in the backyard, where lies a well. When she sees it, something traumatizes her, and she runs away. The well brings back tragic memories as her sister died at the same spot. In the end, she takes the last steps and reaches the well. She looks towards the sky, finding solace in the vast expanse above, remembering her sister. She returns to her <i>udgam</i>—the origin—and embraces her past, acknowledging its scars on her soul. She takes those last steps, not to forget, but to find closure and peace, leaving behind the shadows that once haunted her and preparing for her tomorrow. Because as Pradeep said, <i>"Kal toh tabhi aayega, jab aaj khela jayega</i>."<br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Other Reading:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">1. On <i>Past Lives</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-losing-and-gaining-in-past-lives.html" target="_blank">Link</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">2. On <i>Mukti Bhawan</i></span><span style="text-align: left;">—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/10/mukti-bhawan.html" target="_blank">Link</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">3. On <i>Once Again</i></span><span style="text-align: left;">—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2018/09/once-againpehli-baar-phir-se.html" target="_blank">Link</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Dialogue of the Day:</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">"<i>Kal toh tabhi aayega, jab aaj khela jayega.</i>"<br />—Pradeep, <i>Three of Us</i></span></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-34720419973062225112024-01-01T00:59:00.000-08:002024-01-01T01:06:55.356-08:00Giving Yourself Grace<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="662" data-original-width="670" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiL3PDbYwU2SW-auFCQpZapbVFJidyboG5_yG_D2JzLBg_bsLW5ozWLlHxJumj7JMq-za2bg-1boue_a7yv24wN_HfDmMs4BWTK9Rnw8RfxUA9U8pvRG-bTS6AFoAQBxF_YHtOUro48_uDXnFcPKpN3678wTbqfHB7cK0f7TGypd-TcmxYRxgo9oyPchMX-=w400-h395" width="400" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A year ends. A new one begins. It is the circle of time. Nothing really changes, but the last few days of the year give us some time to reflect on the year that went by and look at the upcoming new year with some hope. I remember Aisha's words in <i>Wake Up Sid</i> (said in a different context, but I take the liberty to use them here), "<i>Apni manzil ke peeche daudte hue hamari nazar kai baaton se hat jaati hai, isliye kuch der ke liye hi sahi, apni busy zindagi se kuch samay ke liye hi apni nazar hataiye</i>." Take a pause before starting again. I typically do this on my birthday post, but I want to write a yearly review for myself, like the <i>Spotify Wrapped</i> series. I got the idea of the content to put in the yearly review from a newsletter, so I write with honesty about how my last year went.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My whole life only revolves around work. I don't have anything else going on. Early in the year, I got an opportunity to lead a team of five people directly, which was a big moment for me. I have managed people indirectly before, but this was a lot of responsibility and work. You have to protect the team while not micromanaging. It taught me many things. But recently, I decided to try something else. I have a new role at work, and I like it. Yesterday only, my manager sent me a gift card for a project I did in the last quarter. Work has been challenging because of the fear of layoffs since last year. You have to constantly prove that you bring value. It is a harsh reality of the times we live in.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1-ZBkS4i3NmKPuLSb7NqnMS5vizega2WUIrTvmLMU3PsqRiCW50v4z_hLjBeWP4SOywYDXQSJwC08h2oBx1H7ojwTnY85AJpvED-9MvgYJkZGFP2KcC7lgiZFQ9GdhNSRQCp3lrUb1_G_a1KYOx6hgcUU08jhrHQUBv41Mfc2HJNvr_u2M4RKMhD5Fs26=w480-h640" width="480" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">R gave me this. </div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I got a tiny little place that I could call my own. It is not grand. It is not luxurious. But it works for me. It is near my work. It is initially difficult to adjust to the fact that things will break, so I have to mentally prepare for some unplanned expenses. Then, I also learned how innovative and ridiculous these amortization schedules are for payment of principal and interest. Everyone wants to make money.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0my4gVyFSw_d1hEl0d851vn0aGhE7AG5WtGaGr9NanWvM6rWRD0kgrFqWEKlyANYOl8q6BIYww449Vb45Q6U-rSspB9Z3WXOecFpwI6rijaEvWnTYpOM_g38uwGTORfqsd7aTAijGRwkCoQevWjQm73tzYI9YJGb7geCsd5xV3unI3N3O2GvwYC8apWJZ=w400-h300" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My bookshelf</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I focused on my health again this year. I have not missed one workout this year. I have also kept an average step count of 8,000 steps daily. I was slightly gaining, trying to add back some of the weight. I have never looked great in my life, so I have this thing that I want to look good. I understand all the food-related things. I understand all the different exercises. My <i>Instagram Explore</i> feed shows only three things: i) maths and grammar quizzes, ii) <i>New Yorker</i> cartoons, and iii) reels related to bodybuilding. I get so jealous of those with great bodies. The human body is a miracle in itself. I get why Michelangelo sculpted the statue of David. I don't have the perfect 'form' in the gym, but I do strength training without injuring myself. So, I was at the gym one day, and there is a trainer who comes there to train people. He came to me and told me I see you almost every day. You are dedicated, and it seems this is really important to you, but you are doing this exercise incorrectly. I can help you if you want. I was initially embarrassed, but he came from a place of good intentions. I then had 1-2 sessions with him, and he helped me out, which made me realize in-person training can actually be beneficial. I cannot afford daily sessions with him as they are expensive. Even though I now do things relatively in better form, I feel that I have plateaued a bit. Building muscle is really hard. You can pay for many things in the world, but you cannot pay for a great body. I wish I started this earlier. It boosts one's confidence. I don't feel stressed by things that used to bother me a few years ago. For next year, I am also trying to learn how to do a headstand.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRiQ0bfsyXpbf2CRPUzwwxT56vBrkp9Mi0XFdE-FDKKijmH6zhvrbafnT2-Jd5XZZvY2zDeI_UCjnc7tsIypycmoibmuBic5WxqaBSH1o2Gr3QX8BL08gjqH2HMA1dx9upr-OmbKJAH28ZaYZTVZWcQArRS8JffGSyoA45N8oK59tLdIee_kjhMr_xS0tK=w367-h400" width="367" /></div>3 million steps in 2023</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEim4PfjP5tDWZr7eJkiSe6eSyK56KLIFdZzlfq8gZWeT4iXDjb-EKGvX6IaSjT38g6Ss4d7AKrNERmCwEw86wzbyS7dpfHw-fwQaIotlX_m1teUbGZClB7BkVi0FJyiboOLjeUtFAMA7G9rk8JvGwwrH0C39nl0UjMBdWtL2T1_VLIJGi0sZWG4cH7n2RrG=w250-h400" width="250" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My <i>Instagram Explore</i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I did not get to travel anywhere this year. I had to cancel some tickets from last year, and the airline gave me some credit that can be used till the end of this year. Unfortunately, all of it is going to waste as I did not feel like going anywhere. Honestly, I don't enjoy the process of travel. I wish I could just be transported instantly like it used to happen in Harry Potter. I don't like flying at all. It is also why I have not visited India in over three years. I also don't like going anywhere on weekends these days. I waste more time on weekends, and my mind goes in all sorts of random directions. I prefer weekdays as I have a set routine. It is why I like going to work. I don't like working from home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I suffered a significant loss of money in a financial scam. It was all because of my stupidity. I should have checked. When it happened, I could not stop thinking about it for so long. I could not tell anyone. I have not told anyone even till now. It is an atrocious feeling that someone steals your money. We find ways to cope. I got over the feeling by convincing myself that I just donated it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have not written as much as I wanted to. While there have been many good films this year, I could not find enough substance and themes to write detailed posts on them. And I did not really like the big ones. Like <i>Jawan </i>or <i>Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar</i>. And, the thing is, some days, I really feel it is not worth it. Fifty views on a post is hilarious. But then, the only messages I get from people are about the writing. I met a blog reader, S, who came to meet me when they were visiting Seattle. They messaged that they had been reading the blog for years. They brought a gift and gave me this card. I felt special. I got a message from someone on Instagram about the podcast. I got a message from <a href="https://twitter.com/sohinichat" target="_blank">one of the best writers in India</a> that she wants to read my book and asked if it would be possible for me to send it to her. I then shipped it to her. It is these things that make me feel like maybe my words have some impact, even if it is little. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXjdAvEd05twwAVRXk8J3xlqPGxllAAbgWhykZSk1wfW-3J1kti3dEM9CEn4NtYjJe8on7yf-fhe4C_2B3AKcUAN45OKiFXiYT07nuaUqhYqLrNyda1G1GWIdg2Ah4Cft5pc0vC71XonP7r5xHhqXNveaelutKdb51YizeSucl9BOXdf76JD27lDV_LF8I=w480-h640" width="480" /></div>Card from S<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1029" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQ7756M7pUOfZavJr0H9teN8jO3UKasb98zzVGDfoMo-e53NTy9UoKjtjjSN5tEQpcvxYwPUxHz5MZoTMnxiSVRlcn3-laqOe3o9A04xBgqFY45DtzKLY31OADuvmdGY4BTmhRJ8vAVJSk0lnqhY-uA7m7hSNl6wD-PpZw0Amzxg_bKS4UbBkxV5C7MHLj=w400-h230" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Message from A</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="847" data-original-width="1024" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWCMkq6pRtxxSv3BIg6q8EMRvW_WixFTqoio6sVcFOitpW0TYCGBSFJP17i8VdJbhRBpCW2uF1Yk_rYcLtVOZtmN7Gd6YM-n-AOkCdcU7tNMzIVRuEymOsrWjZW5gBDIAJxTV2pMKweciIsVdkB4-vitMqBsvV0mupgDAShR_Jpct_QTFGlMgSpFj759rn=w400-h331" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Message from S</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/readingfilms/" target="_blank">Instagram account</a> with 14.8K followers. I wanted to grow it this year to a lot more. However, for the last five months, it has been stuck at this number. The algorithm only promotes accounts that post reels, which I feel have a minimal shelf life. I still believe in the power of the written word, as it can survive for ages. I guess I will continue to write here, but I want to diversify my writing. I am going to try to write the kinds of posts that I used to write from 2010 to 2014 about interesting things seen in day to day life. Because I feel like I am forgetting things, as they said in <i>The Lunchbox</i>, "<i>We forget things if we have no one to tell them to</i>."</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have also started a freelancing job. It pays decently on an hourly basis. It is related to teaching. I am also trying to see if I can 'sell' my book. There were some issues due to which I could not do it earlier. But the publishing cost is far more than the retail price, where people are unwilling to pay Rs. 99. Everything teaches you a lot about business. I might decide to only go ahead if it is viable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I further drifted apart from my friends. When you reach a particular stage in life, people get busy with their lives. I used to feel terrible that they were ignoring me. I don't feel as bad now. Life is hard for everyone. That is why, these days, I remain focused on myself. On Twitter, I also retweet funny tweets. As my mother says, "<i>Sabse acchhe se bolo and enjoy karo.</i>"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2022, I was often in the mode of comparing myself with others. I was becoming too focused on what I didn't have instead of what I had. It is not good for your health. So, this year, I have practiced thankfulness and gratitude for everything you have. I have a colleague at work who gave me this beautiful advice. Don't beat yourself up for everything. Give yourself grace for what you have achieved. That is one of the most beautiful phrases that someone has told me. I will try to follow this, and I hope that others follow it as well. Giving yourself grace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wishing everyone a happy new year!</div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-43818825344516551012023-12-16T23:33:00.000-08:002024-01-21T21:52:08.933-08:00The Losing and Gaining in Past Lives<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibGLovfw-Y4BqdYIKg9UugV5C4xNdeLaj-eQBGrxTw9kZK3DSkQcu5r-GOpD8S1BzU8O5157uwt_4rO3jUvsZLRN2eyVj1kw5MskkyiirRrdlQ6G8PohOpoZTrHSU8Hohos7WDY0BIRf05wEuUiRWs6jsV3Zg0n7mzt3omzwK-s2ng_RAHKyElnUo6stsO=w640-h400" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>Past Lives</i>, Celine Song tells a melancholic story about two childhood friends over twenty-four years. Na Young and Hae Sung are classmates in Seoul who walk back home every day. Then, Na Young's family immigrated to Canada, and the two lost contact. Twelve years later, Na Young (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) connect again using social media. Na Young has now become Nora. After speaking for a few weeks, they again separated. Another twelve years later, they meet again in New York and contemplate the nature of their relationship. The film is semi-autobiographical and inspired by events from Song's life.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1857" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNw6ipd6kXYnjNiRTHb2qe9EKAHfrG4_lgA4knjZLpLU9s-e4xSKv14OZGwwDAb-4fs4_Xwg9E41BPx-w2Zp15s1xn7Y-03LBxLTUVvOyngzQYwQXHpzZMXdIFdhtakDpaG6aePTJLvHxTHpJ5hzIx-E_HmyrXq4dOQegivxIJGgh8hVUroRMKqaGEGmpu=w595-h640" width="595" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Early in the film, Na Young's mother sets up a date between her daughter and Hae Sung in a park. She clicks many pictures and tells Hae Sung's mother they are immigrating soon; thus, she wants to create good memories for her daughter. Hae Sung's mother asks her why she is leaving everything behind. Na Young's mother replies, "<i>If you leave something behind, you gain something, too.</i>" This, in essence, forms the theme of the film. One loses something but also gains something. Losing life in Korea. Gaining life in Canada. Losing an old identity. Gaining a new identity. Losing the name Na Young. Gaining the name Nora Moon. Losing a friend. Gaining a husband.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrRp8i2CVVA2DULW0eZwS6idGSeLbt1ZoqcGmSobL6Kdm6mxEiDC1JR3Gv7gPm2A9RiExadgR_jnWMX5UE4sblwHfF5GAUPIqlTdd5Wz0nxLgXE_VYoODvJIJCDnRXXUIkggvo7ViEM1dzjKbeGZi4FRhjWpNpUG7-3odWqzndPo97V97NLplN8vWfK13Z=w640-h400" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nora meets Hae Sung in New York and tells her husband Arthur (John Magaro), "<i>And I feel so not Korean when I'm with him. But also, in some way, more Korean</i>." The strange paradox reiterates the theme of gaining something while losing something. The diaspora, as we have seen, even in the case of India, loses its connection with their home country, but at the same time, the distance makes them feel more connected to their home. It is such a profound thought and can only come from someone who has truly experienced it. At another point in the film, Nora sits in a play rehearsal, and a lady says, "<i>Some crossings cost more than others. Some crossings you pay for with your whole life." Crossings</i> is mentioned in the context of immigration, pointing to the same theme of losing and gaining. One crosses to get something, but there is a cost to it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1513" data-original-width="2792" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwRaZOo7MKFB2H_MzfoGZwM7jOlcHcKwAdt5axJuuZTmputyxz5C-ugG-yguBvDwk1WwG3I_5yjO5bI5oSiQc7CwvZjdbl_aWcikwQ8P-i_jpbjj_NrC2Kbim9bo7BioVATVRgqam9zBmfTC4SrI8hbgBFTIfHJeVHjA3FUwQP-D6tHikK3bB0QqSLNeUG=w640-h346" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><span style="text-align: left;">When Nora decides to stop meeting Hae Sung at twenty-four, she goes on a writer's retreat to Montauk. It is the same place where the two lovers break up and try to erase each other's memories in </span><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</i>. Nora stops meeting a friend but </span><span style="text-align: left;">meets a new friend at this retreat. Losses and gains. But what must be mentioned is that </span><span style="text-align: left;">Nora does not try to delete her old memories. Those memories have shaped her to be the person she has become today. This is why it is understandable when </span><span style="text-align: left;">Nora breaks down after Hae Sung leaves in the end. She gained a lot in her life, but that does not mean one cannot mourn the things that she lost. One can grieve for something that <i>could have been</i>. She was grieving for</span><span style="text-align: left;"> the twelve-year-old girl that she left behind with Hae Sung. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrbHX0kNL50yzoGqStBMMy5KhJurTpsVZs4HYexk8yIZ6g1C8m66EPmu23eUgwHRqcXSUCS7E_F3dXf4aLHSYta01Zve7smWi6ij36XNnl7tVoq9NvoJmIBNOx6SF7LimYUd80JcvXdwM7ViywuE7-voMg7p6HWsUMQ7zAEYu0c0EjNd7n4EbVBdOSKqL2=w640-h400" width="640" /></div></div><div><div>The other theme in <i>Past Lives</i>, which also gives it its title, is the Buddhist concept of In-yeon. "<i>It's an In-yeon if two strangers even walk past each other in the street and their clothes accidentally brush because it means there must have been something between them in their past lives. If two people get married, they say it's because there have been 8,000 layers of In-yeon over 8,000 lifetimes." </i><span>Nora and Arthur got married, so perhaps there were higher layers</span><span> of In-yeon between them, much more than between Nora and Hae Sung. </span>This concept is not different from Hinduism, where marriages are considered to last for seven lives. I think of the ending in <i>Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam</i>, where Sameer (Salman Khan) does not see the love for him in Nandini (Aishwarya Rai). He tells her that she can be married to Vanraj (Ajay Devgn) for the seven lives, but in the eighth life, they will be together again.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQVxm3F6AVNaBM5T0MV2c5akiVQgQGFVTJClZf9ZI_iXXjpMEED7p89KblsfJRpj1dhBXnBeLVFJUjb3cB8lwj3stmcIbztCO-XwYInIGqTaBFsJ8Daki7g35cSc77chqnpFXPfsQnsflv_C0BFei8b5ML47qeanKs0r4FMSTg6v5q5WMnQHK1A1OqIfZr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQVxm3F6AVNaBM5T0MV2c5akiVQgQGFVTJClZf9ZI_iXXjpMEED7p89KblsfJRpj1dhBXnBeLVFJUjb3cB8lwj3stmcIbztCO-XwYInIGqTaBFsJ8Daki7g35cSc77chqnpFXPfsQnsflv_C0BFei8b5ML47qeanKs0r4FMSTg6v5q5WMnQHK1A1OqIfZr=w640-h400" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF_oAC0oIRkifEipAfjJ_Xdf_NFkde9xim1068oG9EpaeiVVDNbxe5oP7GQi7w07ErPELBh7yiQmXCRc6_fuTGi3pzh3Nt9P9EltM-9-aG4TyV32ao-OBhw3lVtbXvsZJpnX5FGIcHteY9UC2Oee2U_2PDX2f8g_b_ATHqxnDX6zXuNRrss634g0yvBj0O=w640-h400" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All the characters in the film deal with their own issues and heartbreaks. Nora was ambitious from childhood. She once cried in school because she came second. <span style="text-align: left;">She tells her friends she wants to win a Nobel Prize. It is the reason she is moving countries because Koreans don't win it. Twelve years later, she wanted to win the Pulitzer. Then, another twelve years later, she wished a Tony. Her ambitions wither down with time. On the other side is Hae Sung. He thinks he is ordinary. And no girl will marry him because of his ordinariness.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhODlVr1EdtmpCFecQG1droRuw75tUVqDNZcMVAgVGOaPHp__7oOXrD71C-UKvWshn_LYCsdVVQ59G7v7tstcIDtmS4kM4wQrWDki1gySc8TO-Fm0vn9hxIin6VLZrPx8LkUkt-mB7pUbgK4Ti_OrS1gY1cUWly27F561Kjy3znaJiDfFcl0d88cIMV-5X-=w640-h400" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And, there is the beautiful character of the husband, Arthur. In an early scene, Arthur tries to speak to Nora in Korean even though her grasp of the language is rusty. But later, in a moment of vulnerability, he reveals the real reason. He is learning Korean because Nora speaks it in her dreams. <i>You dream in a language that I can't understand. It's like there is this whole place inside of you where I can't go. </i>He has a bit of envy as he realizes he cannot compete with Hae Sung. He asks Nora if Hae Sung is attractive; she says he is masculine in a Korean way. Then, he follows up with her to see if she finds him attractive. But far from being the "<i>evil white American husband,</i>" he has the immense grace to be a human. He realizes that Hae Sung has traveled to meet his friend after all these years. There was a life to her before he met her. It is precisely why Hae Sung tells Nora that he did not realize that liking your husband would hurt this much because Arthur is a gem of a person. Remember <i>Kabhi Kabhie</i>, where Vijay (Shashi Kapoor) has the maturity and grace to accept that his wife once loved someone else. In the end, after Nora breaks down, Arthur helps her grieve. He would genuinely understand Nora's emotions at that point and support her.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXwDI9iK9GTqkf7z-Vi2wOpmnoUZ9B8E1zwMCNI3U3gwzqmyO5RwAun9d7fPcxlhpO3gSjuoXljnz5qvgeeo3jk0rnvwoyLN7RpMoiLME0_LKyVi97C7-pYOYjgJ3lfNG5gOFfPzbxeJKDlJJYdQDQhi_PNZwVJUBX2p0irTO71ogqJnBXMOGWLH4q2frd=w640-h400" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1717" data-original-width="2792" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVzijVNPGR-SZyiXFFtUL2be1MDPQz-Z6gYYwcOgZnfHzg9Cbg3IAuI6dA3R0XZULUcGqJrYjVZ1YdIP0-vB68iM8YEWtu1B14aDKBfOeFTWia1lv4msG60MpuhW5RB_eN2eDqqvAAT4dgw5VLJpzolaHHoASqSuDER9ZmniGcHEnP1PXx83Ewm9IGZsJm=w640-h394" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Not only is the film beautifully performed, but it is also lovingly shot. In Korea, when young Na Young and Hae Sung separate, their paths diverge when she walks up the stairs, and he walks into the alley. The stunning moment defines the film. When they connect twelve years later, they keep saying wow. Another twelve years later, they meet and again keep saying wow. Their first meeting in twenty-four years also happened in a park, like the one they went on a date when they were kids. When Nora shows New York City to Hae Sung, all the places they go are full of lovers talking and kissing in the background.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="2743" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNxpwTlrVUZJ_EQQyK4n1D0ZQHVlJMbVdPogvhPBV7EXWRug3wODO-Wyi3rNDTCjsD76wCHk_4jx3r1M4LfSjozfPTM4AQ4dPpllLnYYml-kyPCUpB7y_aZIuQTL2faMBftbb_qp4nvXsDVjHMp29NUWR7eq74UXQxj6xDq2aNjQSDYTbD2Rcq2dKYWcU7=w640-h338" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The film opens with three people chatting at a bar, and someone from the audience tries to guess the relationship between the three. Towards the film's end, the narrative comes down to the same place, and the relationship between the three becomes clear. Nora and Hae Sung's conversation at the bar brings everything they wanted to discuss for a long time. He tells her that if he keeps wondering how they would have had a life together. He understands that she had to leave because it is her, and the reason he likes her is because she leaves. Hae Sung, in this scene, is a portrait of heartbreak. A serene calmness glimmers on his face, making one feel for him. And, then, in the film's last moment, Nora and Hae Sung wait for a taxi and do not say anything. The quietness is devastating. For a minute, I thought they would kiss each other, ruining everything, but Nora and Hae Sung are far too mature to do anything like that. He hugs her and says, "<i>What if this is a past life as well, and we are already something else to each other in our next life?</i>" She says she does not know, and then he leaves. The answer is, perhaps, yes because every moment that passes by immediately becomes a part of our past life.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgefiyJ-CpCXbCsWofkeXxI7dm1WZx2dMqqXhxiMGCwevmQG6tKojgVPNsRmGknB8O8o6xyImy5s9GiHyEJTyWwBnkghA01w9IKUjpAKoIFtgA3CCh6muguQqX7C8GDlxFZUAPi0s8_MtUDV-bNDgPuZILJ-PzP9AKwSqlmzhsO29C9pn_FmoeQKKJL1BgH=w640-h400" width="640" /></div></div><div>Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>I</i><i style="text-align: justify;">t's an In-yeon if two strangers even walk past each other in the street and their clothes accidentally brush because it means there must have been something between them in their past lives.</i>"</div><div style="text-align: justify;">—Nora, <i>Past Lives</i></div><div><pre style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; direction: ltr; font-family: var(--bs-font-monospace); font-size: 0.875em; left: -99999px; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; overflow: auto; position: absolute; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;">"Some crossings
cost more than others.
"Some crossings...
"you pay for
with your whole life."<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=past-lives</pre></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-35145391167238907882023-10-07T22:00:00.005-07:002023-10-08T01:17:36.126-07:00The Devotion of Jaane Jaan<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="2730" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQJO1WrJNAMAjxaz6It-a6LnaL38EF3kIoYg9-hCjfQRXba7U9BKdiRV24wGQivPlmiVdT9UK621MDQDJOMB6SbodfA6va46g6oQVOxhzR2fkzY24fH5BqNzVO93zpLpgL4wY626KkKeqSkWYvTEYo8gDXY8QQt238s2JbocKSsc0IdJfUaejaZF8PpKHA=w640-h294" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sujoy Ghosh adapts Keigo Higashino's novel <i>The Devotion of Suspect X</i> in his latest film, <i>Jaane Jaan</i>. The film stars the fantastic trio of Kareena Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Vijay Varma in the lead roles. Set in misty Kalimpong, the film is the story of a single mother, Maya (Kareena Kapoor), who gets involved in the murder of her abusive husband Ajit (named after the villain actor Ajit [?]; played by Saurabh Sachdeva). Her neighbor is the quiet mathematics teacher Naren (Jaideep Ahlawat), who is in love with her but does not have the courage to say it. Finally, there is Karan (Vijay Varma), an inspector, who comes looking for Ajit but then gets involved in solving his murder. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="2782" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjvJdD2vDUE-sItxoBsPHJUNCPInlz2iVqemhmQSmQzcAV6Q-3vfl9ZDeY1j0LBhZnPF8QsVE_hfhWZSaCgXS_vrWU6KzCa4623CUGvxIJfJ3svZBbvTrVAjqJJ1VdKtUImB685rQ03-pWVvrGlmjNBO6LV36CtUAY2fbvuOJJ_Wg4TxG6MXpkuHXeFdOl0=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Jaane Jaan</i> is not about the mystery of solving the murder, but it is about getting away from it. It remains true to the premise of <i>The Devotion of Suspect X</i>. At the heart of the film is a love story, and it is this love that helps the person get away with murder. This love is compared to devotion, which, to me, adds a selfless connotation to it. In devotion, there is not any expectation of getting something in return. It is the staunch dedication and fidelity in serving and protecting the beloved that the lover loses his own self in it. It is this devotion that is portrayed melancholically in <i>Jaane Jaan</i>. Naren was about to end his life after he learned that someone else had solved a problem he had spent ten years working on. The morning he planned to die, his new neighbor Maya knocks on his door and asks for a plumber's number, inadvertently saving his life. Naren falls in love with her. After this, he keeps an eye on her every moment. Maya's friend Prema (Lin Laishram) compares him to Shah Rukh Khan's character from <i>Darr, </i>reminding us again of the creepiness of one-sided love. Every day in the morning, he stands in front of the mirror, practicing to speak to Maya. However, when he reaches her café, he cannot gather the courage to say those words, unable even to raise his eyes when he sees her. He is a man who is <i>so</i> intimidating in terms of his intellect and physique, yet he cannot order egg-fried rice in front of her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2702" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4iMJHjPv78h-tSdrx-7kRxti9Tz7zJ9hFoNI3wLbdGSiaa8E06bsZuLk99qc7RIpPiVxW5sdtsfHD4f_0zrhNZ0IT1-lsscdmsui_5RUp3oqn_3IJeItxUkFtzExIs2kDPEeLu4qIdExFoBodDxtUFvbwBYbokh4mBItg4wR1qcYsqkoOVAItEV6o2Nmr=w640-h288" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="2766" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsjujzMBzHH6MB5kv8E0iu8D0gaM3FmHhdmfEuuz1cW7BgWyAaA3M5zEOlmEQUYy7hgQu6CUE2GCA83vTc9wdMdlQoU0etGJ0iX-6IgYNkA1Naxoc2XwLQfrwhkNT2PWRVX2xF87pLKla3yXF1AU_VWr8yoLAlN01KMxLa5dnjY9m44XgxLkB-Vs3Af0FZ=w640-h284" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is because of his stalking habit that he gets an opportunity to help Maya. He figures out that there is a dead body at Maya's place. He suggests that he can help her. When she asks why he is helping her and why he won't get in trouble, he says, "<i>Main phas chuka hun.</i>" Throughout the film, he keeps saying, "<i>Main sab sambhaal lunga</i>." Whatever the situation, he said he will take care of it. Maya need not worry. When she cannot help him move the body, he says he will take care of it. At times, when he could be in trouble due to some of Maya's mistakes, he never gets angry. <i>Main sab sambhaal lunga</i>. He sacrificed himself for her. He even kills another man to put her out of trouble. Maya asks him why he is going to jail to save her life. Then, he reveals that it was she who saved her life, after which he became her devotee. And, now, by putting himself in jail, he would get closer to being with the first love of his life—mathematics. He is so devoted to the loves of his life—mathematics and Maya—that he is fine with going to jail for them. Devotion, after all, comes with sacrifice attached.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2705" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsc98l8moYUNQsG1ve19jbNg5vw2yikxz0Nb1T2-M7v_m9p_GWcDhDrJ7FBTO1JXG1JhMnMo0YmS_JLYHLg89-q8bOsBCut7BgkCjU3jo_0V0Xf223j9XBUOmdtsSb7xUsD4LK1hd94ahz6M_vgooJ5FgMHAiGQ3o5XOAo9rgdEIAl3XH-adVh6zajdhq3=w640-h286" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Naren also feels pangs of envy of the other men in Maya's life. When he removes Ajit's body, he looks at him and says he might not be as good-looking as him, but at least he is alive. In the same vein, he looks at his old college friend Karan and realizes that he has maintained himself well. Even though they both are the same age, he looks twice as old. He also seems to want to have more hair. In a stunning scene, he cannot stop thinking of Maya and Karan spending time together at the Karaoke bar. He repeatedly shakes his head, but all in vain. Then, he does a bit of <i>Jujutsu</i> in the middle of the road in the middle of the night. It is a pacifying moment that depicts that negative energy can be channeled out to forms of art. <i>Jujutsu</i>, after all, is a martial <i>art</i>.</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="2742" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJ4wiSY9s0Nt5o2Dfi2gFpT67xZtob6bUNCgp2vrlSEMJmn1ZbZ8w9wYayDUFfgGzQ-vGDEgnq6H--qISIzUlpdN4Sg1D_gDUQ5dci53s7dcSpeHbnwugLPho60ME1PUvvfn6Av7KV3FzdhU9ieU5vTRw1q9MgzjXx0zMfKD6Zbi1WMqG_uPqElo3LRcb_=w640-h274" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="2783" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5ouxFh7wct55M59qIayHXeiG3HA66_IHzd_G3Mqs_ZE9zc5tmq4Yr3pivXInrBv9ZeLKl_uRzItO5ulUTVy0B4tV9fO2F58pKRDWMscxsi1mqL7rOBlyhI3Lz0gJjmzwXgPcAGe6sm8TvJ3x6t1NIGAzyuGlNgb406cR1QCm5x-XaagoFV9NcwwhbtrSr=w640-h270" width="640" /></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Imtiaz Ali's <i>Jab We Met</i> opens with a suicidal Aditya (Shahid Kapoor), who is thinking of ending his life by jumping from the train. At that particular moment, Geet (Kareena Kapoor) says something and stops him from jumping. She inadvertently saves his life. They become friends and separate. Then, things do not turn out as planned with Geet. She meets Aditya after a while and tells him she cannot take any more favors from him. He has already done a lot for her. Aditya gets angry and tells her that he is alive because of her. It was because of her that his business was doing well. He also returned to music in his life—all because of her. The moment when Naren opened the door and saw Maya took me to the train scene in <i>Jab We Met</i>. Like Geet did for Aditya, Maya saves Naren's life and helps him return to his first love.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1747" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3Qg8hTyd7tO_1HkfPgkYtODG5psJCofvy1LvFYOp_o_0vOokw7y9KFLmmLcxbmISs_aVKncX__7-57tArx9o0mPKUtAPwYnsbKMD9ZETc5JuMe5y4M0dCQQvM0axLg5XdVKsuzSFaMK4doAVbEdWCMRVbd9vjP8ASBiL7ziwQdlutYBlD5RL5NbtzXKdp=w640-h340" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1692" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6QC0OTtqPVImQdG2Wt0BcVaAhxtRr70oxM2yaW3klAbrtgkc-IOH9xf0SIdyK7xlhoUCcVsargd7bNtJ5yjGaEpo7-sOGJi_X3eo9Rknk66olA4a-1Ih-Qshdg-qBdnTDF6UxJL3iXgG9oex0vIxUoj5TWNyd7DWbIpGgUAOZBi8H_BBXWn9vMtP2ipUl=w640-h352" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1725" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2Gi6v293JUCtdgQUOc5KylBYHbDJkj2ShQNxUTK1zcbcfp2X0MpTfLs2QoQyMyWW_-BCsyLL3ePfPJLnSd2gFIzLD0WgUv7r0LiBiLRN-EY5sjli4eKdupUaHfBOZ9U5yvacUcrJYhyAf1XZX7B2S_LQzbGX6ju1qVWFR4JzBfRFK_7NrcychNBCB76vS=w640-h344" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kareena Kapoor saving depressed men.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kareena Kapoor as Maya shines again. She is terrific in <i>Jaane Jaan</i>—not one false note. She has always been an interesting actor whose performances are worth watching. She was the best thing about <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>. She does sadness quite beautifully. Even in Reema Kagti's <i>Talaash</i>, Kareena Kapoor as Rosie saves a grief-stricken Surjan (Aamir Khan) from the depths of depression. She literally and metaphorically saved his life by taking him out of the sea of grief. I did not think Maya was a mysterious character. It was quite clear to me that she was not duping the teacher. The only point I felt was that she should not have lied to Naren when she went out with Karan, which was another stunning moment. She has that star quality in that scene, and the film shows it with panache. Her face is lit in pink as a tribute to the original song <i>Aa</i> <i>Jaane Jaan</i> from <i>Inteqam</i>, where the stunning Helen was lit in pink. The original song <i>Aa</i> <i>Jaane Jaan </i>is also notable as it is one of Lata Mangeshkar's few sensual songs.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAgtruAs3x0tTn_Omaag3Wu1YAUkKzmqYhUjjyoTgXFvgPJzNwkDOl7chcYKklWpcB-wq_ZaZ4Q7uzUlABh3CjgJGXTmFRKMKH81zAojfGACnByHsFafuHI7-p-AWvVhnR79HT-8yrBwrdSN3MY96Y-UKDFdnmeXS6HYYqaIDJMah8b2OXfNiZVoYraHHW=w607-h640" width="607" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Maya seems to easily cast her <i>maya</i> on the two men. Both were unable to not give in to her charm. She was on their mind even when not in front of them. There is a replica of the moment with Karan when Naren shakes his head to get her out of his head. Karan also keeps thinking of her and imagining himself with her. He also had to shake his head and come back to reality. The film uses the same background score in the two scenes. It is also worth mentioning that we never see the sexual component of Naren's love. Karan imagines himself kissing Maya, but with the <i>teacher</i>, no lust is shown, even in his dreamy moments. Initially, it feels like the character of Karan is not on par with the other two. But I watched parts of the film again, and I realized he was quite funny. Starting from the time when he says that he also thought he would lose the fight to the way he flirts with Maya—Karan is also quite a nice character but not as memorable as Naren. Jaideep Ahlawat as Naren is made to look not as handsome, but then he brings a quiet dignity to his performance. Like the way he smiles, the way he is awkward, the way he says he does not know who will love him.</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="2807" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOWCCHF0ROpstVAcbXGnRRyEHH-KMvYNd6cPU1W6PzVRk4rnbvXsCgYBz1faQXEzti1aDkj1uQOKDkg6RhwFTOHVjSnhdsSY3cuYUv960vOzaXtkRKtdrZwSy5-mzWo-QYbZUilOS8ch0eRfPSbutRaf4xp6BfHVBRyuTYokORv-FFWamwI2jmdBAuei8-=w640-h264" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At one point in the film, a character remarks that Maya is a single mother who is unlikely to be a murderer. Karan argues back that why cannot a single mother be a murderer? This was also the premise of Ghosh's <i>Kahaani</i> that a pregnant woman is unlikely to be thought of as a criminal and will not raise any suspicions. Even in <i>Badla</i> and <i>Kahaani 2</i>, Ghosh has depicted mothers taking revenge. Additionally, like it was in his other films, <i>Jaane Jaan</i> also pays tribute to the old songs littered throughout the film. At some points, the songs are even hard to hear clearly. Almost all of Ghosh's films have this tribute to the old songs. <i>Jaane Jaan</i>, as mentioned before, is titled after the song <i>Aa Jaane Jaan</i> from <i>Inteqam</i>.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="2674" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSsd5tFZTi3HtcxYQ3Im8SnXK5JY6712IBxcaOL35E8N161KrECfRKTOYaUi2wBfJg24CCBN__i-f6JmUOqgEwaQ9RXBRLBK3Cwl0nIZ8cKD8zVS0cQQsoeFdi2wPPJN6Hs5v4cZvJ_PTa2zKSpndrSB5AHzAPTVBYNg_cj3LIqunwWBCxwgLuZFQjelE4=w640-h294" width="640" /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The film has cinematography by Avik Mukhopadhyay. Many of the frames in <i>Jaane Jaan</i> reminded me of Shoojit Sircar's <i>Sardar Udham</i>, which also had cinematography by Avik. Both films have a motif where the frames have contrasting shades of blue and yellow, and there is often a glowing lamp that lights them. It all comes out aesthetically, giving a calming aura to the frames.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3112" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh80Geiap9-U2DskBYlErbdMZQw45r_3nraymmFtcd9HlqSxcm2bV53AL5-upKVZMbr20wxcQUwif4TfUZ_MrscTYnkKA5CYrf92ObnL9qtx5jy9JLRkLAF5p0T01D65-kiPj3A-15Wt9oCxze6loAT8dLTG6Pyy-rzx02xn2xtOanWMfgzXaHrPakUHrYd=w640-h412" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="453" data-original-width="640" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9wqufclLhYwqOOIqgcLkunhwA_Rpr1-vsLl1uuYdlYzzVgrBnaLgp_tP8H27oim5jDuf34jHJtJU-aGxBfEFci_ILJwBoj6a002DI70LiXcKsHKfV5_hNcUBMNfGlEGE1y9jW3eC1X2_Av-Z7oCYImbFv588k5FRVQBm1hOr6bIvy4a1BfBmInBYEhiUI=w640-h454" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If mothers are present in Ghosh's films, then it is logical that children will also be present. Remember, there was the 'running hot water' boy Bishnu in <i>Kahaani</i>. Likewise, in <i>Jaane Jaan</i>, there is a running track where Naren and his student Dipok (Markush Lepcha) keep playing a game of snatching the coin from the hand. Dipok always loses. Naren keeps telling him that his aim should not be to win but to save the coin. As a teacher, he always wants his students to win. When the police are close to catching him, Maya tells him they are suspicious of him. She adds that all people think he is in love with her, but she believes there is nothing between them. At the moment, Naren does not hear what she is saying and loses his attention. He then comes inside his room and starts crying. The next day, he plays the same game again with Dipok and finally loses. There is a faint smile on his face. Perhaps he realized that he had forgotten the same lesson that he gave to Dipok, that his focus should not be on winning the game but on saving the coin. Likewise, his focus should not be on winning Maya but on saving her. And to save her, he needs to let go. Devotion, after all, comes with sacrifice attached.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1815" data-original-width="2320" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUlopAums1LxXs2mUjLLhQCgWHNaVlN2xL5l9VgeCscq52MoOKbAWtT49U1uqmPasCZqHr1RdWrUlVnWbvJPc_z_IWL3b3qy-LczjmvPkDF15_izzvfBlhx1rea7W0wHBj1z3aW1v8KloymLJeML9-rUj3uZ4YOHDNFKwnWWvtPk9e1Ss3ynwpp2AXiybC=w400-h313" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <i>The</i> <i>Game of Death</i> is mentioned in <i>Jaane Jaan</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2785" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOMIAMmrBtqvm1aSALkLqx4xn6nk3MHQ6XqTNTebvKyVRGD5Yj5zEj89sRDhicRm9E8GxWdqAnLHruHz-RsgzH0Z00JqdHyQRs2HTChg8eSF_F0yPvZUyyStJ2RTSnFRNnN1Ieql9S21u6quoleAZ15YScpJfk37C3ef8W96D6sKgFhKhABn69rOl8et07=w640-h278" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <i>Ashanti</i> is mentioned in <i>Jaane Jaan</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="2714" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQ1_lelcPWQjD-i6aGBLb6GmmCVpGftx-MCwFsE4qzyhni4z7QVdpfWi4bZfXQR8HrYTS-1iGwg7wYAq0WA2kMbaiApWvSdA6f61LbUbPcBMMINwCogAj2mwM3tDLfeEOPKfWn7575oMxT-eG4hKqsExwLDpHyGJQd3lFTatsWa-sUbZq4ZbuAxmLkJHaG=w640-h280" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. <i>Hichki</i> and <i>Jaane Jaan—"There are no bad students; only bad teachers."</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="267" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUQR-cAQsVwhZ0-HhHogz9j-iR-NqJVSBtVAK4YD6AhqQg7JF66cuV91hoHc1_rhINZlamBq6kBaJx1gssYN7sTsbUxk4V823gAAQDY8oaVmNuNyjFHBWm7YK0LpUsYlYj6KbCvB3FI58jlsLRIzaEA7cAb0x5QtH6sfnakdkcki_aFC4V4LPKfZY2X1iA=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="2770" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxXZpsP8oj4drK1suSyP98h62L7yqcY3ejJhWFbjbftYOzH_9ct1JVZjJehaFKiSxgjwJw3wQa9zHe1u9QXUZ-SexlBmoxYuLs5ehDtxfjN3mxQtypWrc0gp2Kk7eXqbzC8K7uTw1IfSdgKaE4tWd5h4As6wHHT2b2wnuQQkSYQ2zv2Z69EA-MbVjjnMWs=w640-h282" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="2805" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW0cpe9pO5CsoVirusEk0yVO4AGiyKFxPXbM0ZsODckQTLTY7lvl4dR0LXUoHN2nDMDiXURL9BNWgllcwyWXrLxPRTiUVfQSBrN_5AWup6x0hZMYB_f7LcKLGn32Sqnb6FITJ1O12N2qXVjfbM-zqvG5Hd7xtBx9DmWU2vgS5Z99S7mho4x16YqLYBn3bh=w640-h262" width="640" /></div></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Vasan Bala's <i>Monica, O My Darling</i> was also based on a novel by Keigo Higashino called <i>Heart of Brutus</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 On <i>Bob Biswas</i> and the mythology in Sujoy Ghosh's Cinema—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/01/bob-biswas-and-mythology-in-sujoy.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i>Badla</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2019/05/badlaof-reversals-and-power.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. On <i>Kahaani 2</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/03/kahaani-2of-vidya-sinha-and-rajnigandha.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. On <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/12/monica-o-my-darling-snakes-and-ladders_12.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. On <i>Sardar Udham</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2021/11/sardar-udhamthe-revolutionary.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:<br />"<i>P equal to NP kehta hai ya to hum khud problem ka solution dhoonde ya phir kisi ke bataaye hue solution ko maan lein.</i>"<br />—Naren, <i>Jaane Jaan<br /></i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-71970402819389222762023-09-10T23:39:00.009-07:002023-09-24T15:44:47.494-07:00Life Or Something Like It<div style="text-align: justify;">This is another weekend where I did not have any new things to write about. I really feel guilty when I do not do anything productive. It feels like I wasted all this time while the world seems to move far ahead, as if it is some type of competition. I have been spending my time reading some random old history about the conflict in Sudan, the Israel-Palestine dispute, the India-Pakistan war of 1965, and the creation of Bangladesh in 1972. I like to read about geopolitics a lot.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have also been randomly watching Rituparno's Ghosh <i>Abohomaan </i>(which is allegedly based on the relationship between Satyajit Ray and Madhabi Mukherjee), Om Raut's <i>Adipurush</i>, and Maneesh Sharma's <i>Fan</i>. I wanted to write about Nitesh Tiwari's <i>Bawaal</i>, which is quite lovely (save the last few minutes)<i>. </i>It is another interesting addition to the filmography of the writer Ashwini Iyer Tiwari that again delves into the concept of image and shame. Her films often talk about these things. The child was embarrassed by the mother in <i>Nil Battey Sannata</i>. The husband is embarrassed by the wife in <i>Bawaal</i>. Ajay (Varun Dhawan) is so conscious of his perceived image that he almost cages his wife Nisha (Janhvi Kapoor) inside their house. This image thing was also seen in <i>Bareilly Ki Barfi,</i> where Pritam Vidrohi (Rajkummar Rao) becomes Badass Babua so easily as if he always wanted to be him. The opening bits of the <i>Bawaal</i>, where Ajay rides a bike with everyone looking at him, are reminiscent of Badass Babua's entry in <i>Bareilly Ki Barfi</i>. There was also the concept of image in <i>Panga</i> where a housewife takes to sports again because she cannot see herself in the mirror as she feels ashamed. <i>Bawaal </i>makes the point that the image is only a notion in our heads. We have to be comfortable with who we are and find our own ways of happiness. For instance, Ajay made a point to wear only branded clothes. In Paris, his suitcase gets exchanged with a Gujju guy. So now, he has to wear the colorful clothes of the Gujju guy, while the other guy has to wear his branded clothes. What was interesting was that for the Gujju family, Ajay's branded clothes were so dull that the guy's mother said they were not even suited for mourning. If Ajay liked it, it was fine for him to wear those, but he became so focused on it that he forgot to even live his life. The same way he was behaving in relationships. Now, as I have already written the summary here, I did not feel like writing a whole new piece.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course, there is also Atlee's <i>Jawan,</i> which was released this week. I just did not feel like going to it. It isn't a film that I want to watch in the theater. I was disappointed with <i>Pathaan</i>, which I could have watched at home. The thing with watching movies in the theater is that one gets a little biased by the audience. It happened to me during <i>Rocky And Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> as well, where people next to me were howling at some of the lines, and I was like, what is so funny here. There is pressure to laugh at the same jokes, and I don't like it. I love the experience of the big screen, but I prefer to watch them at home now unless it is a film that I really, really, really want to watch, which is becoming increasingly rare. <i>Jawan</i> is not the kind of film that I want to watch.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This brings me to another topic. Ten-fifteen years ago, I would still watch some of the films as early as possible. But living away from theaters has brought patience in me. I see people all around me who are passionate about films and actors and many other things. I was never passionate about any film actor or filmmaker. I like some films and actors, but I have never been devoted enough to even call myself a fan, something which I also wrote in the piece about <i><a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2016/04/fanof-devotion-and-obsession.html" target="_blank">Fan</a></i>. I felt like more than the films, I enjoy reading about them. I still remember some great writing on some of these films, even after years. Writing about those films was my way of understanding them and the world. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have increasingly struggled to write with the same pace because of a lot of things happening in life, and a lot of things not happening in life. I want many other things in life. I want to see the world, but I don't feel like going anywhere (I have actually traveled to just one place in the last year, which is about an hour away from where I am). I want to be respected in many things in life. But after a while, you know deep inside that you have missed the train. It ain't going to happen now. So, just take it slow. There is also a certain freedom in accepting your own fate. Everyone realizes these things at some point. And, then, I got this email yesterday, which made me feel, you know, it is ok. It is enough. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1170" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEike5UVRBAs8JjsaNRJ6iEchqCk1NT944CK0nf7yD8akND1kpFS4UqgafV3k9pn3HoXghWtSKDo13jDpkvZ6KPd01q-xpoIuOaCR2jtF9pL8vkBIDITqkmGuhdIVBB-yNOJym3YWHjBnu7SYP87cr-tbpY4hWDj77yJwhK-BcDQyRtNXCQ9TUoaZeLeGpSq=w400-h260" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><i>"Ek ajeeb sa darr lag raha tha, jaise kuch galat ho raha hai, jaise koi train chhooth rahi hai."<br />—</i>Geet<i>, Jab We Met</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-27435917015798003852023-08-18T23:35:00.007-07:002023-08-23T11:22:01.200-07:00Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani—It's All About Living With Parents<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="2439" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBRaA7_OQT33yvV4p5keNo8vPzWhAt_ZUgqPBN2wCVJNUNQ30ANF8K4PovP9opxhqiio1NFwwQwe6OTpOPkJ5ZXEEUjNIcT5DUYWpuFgHkTe9x79yHB0LPTpMvV9tQveAktz2tL-tfiNJmS-2MJcOfboVI2KY6_xpIC8QjelXkcq00G7Hd4yX6H1Cqlij6=w640-h310" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his twenty-fifth year of cinema, Karan Johar brings <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> forward by looking back at his earlier films. Written by the trio of Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan, and Sumit Roy, the film is a love story rooted in traditional values but gets a modern makeover. <i>Swad Wahi, Soch Nayi</i>. The film stars Ranveer Singh as Rocky and Alia Bhatt as Rani—the eponymous couple of the <i>prem</i> <i>kahaani</i>. Rocky is the scion of the (Punjabi) Randhawas; Rani is the star journalist daughter of the (Bengali) Chatterjees. The duo starts living in the other's house to convince their families they are suited for each other; after all, family is the backseat driver in every relationship. The cross-cultural clash allows the film to emphasize that times have changed. It is all about loving your parents, but that love has to be earned. Respecting your parents does not have to come from fearing them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="2872" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisLeasgrvUOCplNb4nXuiEshsZTw_iJHN-Hbv_Z2iuRw_aCurqazRGFOFyIaabjCjNInOsvlMU7aOIQ-TItVnJ_VNoj0zHcr-uear8To2JWMGBdtFUB6_ipAKCryIPjHBvMo2IX2CvYK0kLNrFzUzlOVlJPIc9M-HfvKA2_IiM01imNZGRojHyTqeD9yce=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> is the antidote to Johar's own <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>. It is visible that this film is questioning the ideology of his second film. Many elements and sequences of <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> are similar or an inversion of <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>. <i>Rocky</i> <i>Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani </i>opens with the house of crazy rich Indians—the Randhawas—who live in Delhi in what seems to be a replica of the White House. The film makes a joke out of it. The crazy rich Indians of <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>—the Raichands—also lived in Delhi, but their house, in all seriousness, was the Waddesdon Manor in the United Kingdom, which had no relation to Delhi. The rich Randhawas of <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> are engaged in the business of selling sweets; however, it was the poor family in <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>, the Sharmas, who owned the <i>mithaai ki dukaan</i>.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2345" data-original-width="2515" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOx1z1ixF4a1R8zVVUoHfwYQvwSmbjxi8WWq4YYCLK_W3zaPyrk1ECk5AsvroEytQT_zsXmlotKMZoA_RfANYktsbYs9TZN2UIkgACqo36S8tMCqNsmwjBKyy8RS_5E9vYJjnpFRDEu-lMz0jizhzm69qaXCPbIhc8SB1D3IRGR_SiD_o2kbkI96Z8uQP1=w640-h598" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The family matriarch of the Randhawas is Dhanlakshmi Randhawa, who is played by Jaya Bachchan. It is her writ that runs in the family. The family patriarch of the Raichands is Yashwardhan Raichand, who is played by Amitabh Bachchan (the reel- and real-life husband). Not only are their names similar (<i>dhan</i>), even their thoughts and beliefs are similar. At one point, Dhanlakshmi even says Yashwardhan's iconic dialogue—<i>Keh diya na, bas keh diya</i>.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2694" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbkytbwBb3klNHCkYU9njUxuVyQfU0X0Ad-0WyM9La8i0193VdqQQ1LhFHpMkQ7cToScp48qwW_juDtc7AdWE7lS125xhDznvXZUO1OAhlGKmoaoteUCUY85Au2wSvn6rnL3wn4L5_oItrNVgBKqMKJLkR2JOYMUbHPdHa4WQLCwmp9LZXZeVj1teRGXeN=w640-h476" width="640" /></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">At one stage in the film, Rocky proposes to his family that Rani should live in their house for three months. After some trepidation, Dhanlakshmi relents. She tells her son and Rocky's father, Tijori (Aamir Bashir), that she agreed because if she had not, then Rocky, their family's sole heir, would leave them, and there would be no one to take care of the business. This was precisely what happened in <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i> when Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) left the house after he eloped with Anjali (Kajol) and moved to London. When Rahul comes home after his wedding, Yashwardhan tells him that he has proved that he is not his blood. Rahul was an adopted child but never made to feel like one, but these words broke their relationship. Rahul silently leaves. During the final moments in <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i>, Dhanlakshmi says the exact words to Rocky, that he can't have the same blood as her. Rocky schools her, "<i>Khoon ke rishtey aur mohabbat ke rishtey ek jaise nahi hote.</i> <i>Mohabbat ke rishtey banaye jaate hain</i>." The funeral scene in the film is also a throwback to <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i> when Tijori (the father) joins hands with Rocky (his son) to light the pyre of his father. In <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>, Rahul (the son) joined hands with Yashwardhan (his father) to light the pyre of his grandmother.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2443" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG5V4sG7aMrRDsTC82aqpPV92e_QUrJ_7big9xIpGQMUXahA3TJY4jjfemFCQRti9uFFpHkM6vX-Q32x5EXc0XX618mQ2kJp0AVp4uwhgHdGJ3K7ZozpHX3ywT6vlIbLHP6FdA-vbCWEIVq31OKdOiAr9GHp1DVyTywbafiOpoSTqGf9FPiMgBRGMQYnDn=w640-h524" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i>, there is Rocky's sister Gayatri (Anjali Anand), called Golu, as she is overweight. Her family members' continual ill-treatment and fat shaming made her suffer from self-doubt. She calls out the despicable behavior of her family. In <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>, Rohan (Kavish Majumdar) was called Laddoo because he was a bit overweight. He was fat-shamed by his brother all the time. The film treated him as a comic trope.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2443" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY51MAZdH5I1Kemf0eVtRCvRuLlS745PG4be2ahTthHYiQbXjcwO8npnImP_4Qd5JA1Ca34jwYhAEWbDw0TKnYFBiss8ADGlXJ9lvG1NscZTkMsvKZZe5qoXEaMbGyUEr5EeuZC92EWc3CaTPstk5H-mSLkU007w5bah94cP7um3S31CWY2ssrRj4ODmt1=w640-h524" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>, Yashwardhan Raichand gave the excuse of tradition. He said that his grandfather went to the university, so his sons have to go to the same university. <span style="text-align: left;">In </span><i style="text-align: left;">Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i>, it is Dhanlakshmi who propagates the tradition. Her mother-in-law was rude to her. So, she behaves in the same way with her daughter-in-law Punam (Kshitee Jog). In <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>, Yashwardhan is given a redemption arc and comes around. But here, Dhanlakshmi is given no such treatment. She is left lonely because the film believes that some people, especially those with huge egos, cannot really change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5RzRa9rXpwrskMMeDoTPCvTsqJrVFRcI59p_HyS3IdTHfd8q4oV6M52Y_dfDAIkxW_GndDoiOc10vShf-G22tuL-T2AWcnnlrRennhxAGwGLiAdNAd_22rQI4FRNqhEdEGZhUHy-wEZf09EPYXum6W9SAuksfhkbiNDMna5-_6NDgtxmyvUrMd5BfuEtP=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>, there was a moment in the film when Rahul enacted his father's style to try to become like him. He wanted to be his father. In <i>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</i>, the young Anjali (Sana Saeed) tries to become the old Anjali (Kajol). In <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i>, old and young people also compare themselves. Early in the film, Rani tells Dhanlakshmi that they are alike. Dhanlakshmi disagrees and says their beliefs are different. Toward the end, Rani breaks her relationship with Rocky after the Durga Puja celebration because she believes the one who could not stand for her mother how will he stand up for her. After all, he is the son of his toxic father. Again, her grandmother Jamini (Shabana Azmi) intervenes and tells her story of her abusive husband, who used to beat Rani's father, Chandon (Tota Roy Chowdhury). Still, he turned out different from his father. <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> points out that we are not our parents, and we can break the shackles of intergenerational trauma cycles. How our parents made <i>laddoos </i>is not the only way to make them. There are other ways to make them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3169" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPIyta1ZYxL1IDo_ixYKVPOKt4vB9LP-Mo61fu_PbYTLTGDfeN--faQuS8YSZhtCiyobYXmLBgnVWiWi9MwYUY2mbbhlUaIlbfIhrb87jmzcLl4FSO9DiZaVTlSMz6rDfGl1L_f6r9rDyp81C0rjK2lyOlTz71HhbfvPsRBTKOcAUtElEOqKF2Bw-1edXh=w507-h640" width="507" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="2756" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkSMZ4LQSpW_WhIw-L-6zIj-KtcrSUAiEzrXnhuDJKUnR-Kcv00tbIaBHXfYz4WDKtvTlxCgMH6l5Zz-jkT0bWVj3sB6BY6FLZVeOlQ6ByGi6FMlvpEMIHpRPh9SBugmB8NOASFAZE9nLk6Eyz4WFMhEdnP4EBXJMXbloUUCf0546sRdCMUr70KMUo-mrs=w640-h278" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The incomplete love story of Jamini also finds resonance in the love story of Rani. Jamini tells Rani that she could not get a chance to fulfill her love story because of family, but she advises Rani to fulfill hers. She does want her to end up like her. Rocky and Rani did not make the same mistakes that their grandparents did. Their love story will not remain incomplete because of their family.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="2821" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqBFRMJZfRkj18PleOWC57n330KBMcXLN4Cn5JvjuLHx3lO4TwhGK2BbApX42s_YHyQVM_1kY23gNNSNkl3meNoFpV74tQm-6zYmVO_lNW8mlbcZcux9pBGcLAqCB04JQuWScpcsf2o9nk6Ix7mIriG7YKuBTODrJ8gtqK7f0i8fVY4TjqWhcupmKoMuXc=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The theme of unrequited love, a motif in Johar's oeuvre, again comes to the fore in <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i>. Jamini had fallen in love with Rocky's grandfather Kunwal (Dharmendra) in 1978 during a trip to Shimla. They spent seven days together, which gave them a lifetime of love. Rocky finds a photograph of Jamini and tries to reunite her with Kunwal. This premise is not very different from <i>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, </i>where Anjali reads her mother's letters to reunite her father, Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan), with his college friend Anjali (Kajol). A few other moments keep reminding us of Johar's first film. Before leaving college, Anjali had given her <i>red dupatta </i>to Tina (Rani Mukerji). Here, Jamini sends Kunwal a <i>red muffler</i>. <i>Yeh Laal Rang Kab Mujhe Chhodega</i>.<i> </i>At another point, Rocky and Rani stealthily bring Jamini to make her meet Kunwal using the ladder, just like the way Rahul came to meet Tina in college.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2345" data-original-width="2515" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN6tOgLb2_GnygtWgKupDFMpMij9cPFze8_e-u90lluMUOT6Cpf8GybrV5e9zli_-qnM4pjGdMwE3ec-T3uuEtSIbjVcgjD4345b5Zjc_NBSy4yhbNdQ0jYI0MTtyOnc_xytmwPn4Ujl1tWCEYGHznNatjLyUqj4XtLT0DLJY6i-wK6nB3TgN6fjcxWgfS=w640-h598" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Laal mere dil ka haal hai, kya Subhash Ghai ki picture Taal hai</i>.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story of Jamini, however, has more in common with the story of Maya (Rani Mukerji) from <i>Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna</i>. In the introduction scene of that film, Maya meets Dev (Shah Rukh Khan), and they talk about <i>pyaar</i> and <i>mohabbat</i>. Maya is not sure about her marriage to Rishi (Abhishek Bachchan) and wonders what if she finds her <i>soulmate</i> after her wedding. As things turn out, she does find love with Dev many years after her wedding. They have an affair but then decide to part ways. However, their families find out about the affair leading to an irreparable breakdown in their marriages. Likewise, Jamini finds love with Kunwal many years after her wedding. They both were trapped in loveless marriages. When they met at a conference, sparks flew. "<i>Kabhi kabhi do pal ka saath bhi aap ko zindagi bhar ka mohabaat de jaata hai,</i>"<i> </i>she says. He became her soulmate. She says, "<i>Pehli baar laga jaisa koi meri rooh ko pehchanta hai.</i>" <i>Rooh</i>—the word for soul. At Kunwal's cremation, she again says that he was her soulmate. However, they had decided to not be together because of their families and remained trapped in unhappy marriages all their life, waiting for love. <i>Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna</i> is still more audacious because it says that people can stray in marriages even with great partners. But what is admirable about <span style="text-align: left;"><i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i></span> is that the film shows the romance between two old people, who are often not given the luxury in films. They are even shown kissing each other.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1416" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0QoK6MWVwiXNf3zpYrVBCv0LqHCnWXAs0Th7AQkaOKywL4hjcEJRxN7S--jTAb9z0BxuAJkYSQTCK3eUuqKQYZGwxQ8Oe89CIMajl5gAemzQJzz6goIavg0lB46-ngveIKlhzRRsUYfDcJmi_SRPx1IWKA62MjHqyiNy298yHJo4Dt3PbyRxHId5aGDiA=w453-h640" width="453" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Jamini and Kunwal also get relive their romance through the medley of old songs in the film. Rani says that the love that her <i>thakuma</i> (grandmother) has for these old songs is actually for the memories she associates with the songs. Memories, in fact, play a particular part in the film. After his accident, Kunwal becomes unwell, and his memories come and go. Rocky brings back Jamini in the hope that memories of love can heal him. At another point, Tijori is surprised that his father remembers Rani by her name. He never heard his name being called by him. When Rani goes to Kashmir, the song <i>Tum Kya Mile </i>plays out in her memory. When Somen (Namit Das) hugs her, the memory of how Rocky used to hug her played in her mind.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="2534" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHdET0N_kLtStt8szwp0Gz5dkUQGmcrrhSgIn5MG11MUAhW7poAtsXYtYhc7ArLS4dmlzz81DhZJIlZtxjWi-NwOLs4fi93CanrKh9_NQPDjtbJFnneeJ97myDOxsGFHuAMwEqRqHE1aMIfhmzp8rz1OJJ10mRr_Iujo7F40CAjmQu_4emMddnaLnr1vGp=w640-h308" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The old songs also reflect Johar's love for Hindi cinema. In <i>Bombay Talkies</i>, he used one of his favorite songs, <i>Lag Jaa Gale</i>. He added many more songs to <i>Ae Dil Hai Mushkil</i>. However, the use of old melodies in <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> works way better. There are songs from every era. They blend seamlessly when Jamini and Kunwal relive their old days. <i>Yeh Laal Rang Kab Mujhe Chhodega</i> from <i>Prem Nagar</i> becomes the calling of Kunwal early in the film. Later, Kunwal starts singing <i>Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar </i>from<i> Hum Dono</i>, and both women—Jamini and Dhanlakshmi—are thrown off their feet. Later the same song becomes the proposal song of Rocky and Rani. There were some other great uses of songs in the film. Rocky uses <i>Aaja Mera Gaadi Me Baith Jaa</i>; later, Rani uses the same song. This song is from <i>Miss 420</i>, starring Sheeba, who appeared in the film as the woman Kunwal assumed to be Jamini. One of the other charming moments was Rani's birthday when Rocky takes her to the old shop. He plays <span><i>Suno Suno Miss Chatterjee</i> from </span><span><i>Baharen Phir Bhi A</i></span><i>ayengi</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="2482" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8wk_7aFE3HMLUIAT_rE25GVWrO7tX_6TlSxpYiFYcjERNmlgpHirMb7MNPPPB8B5IBS_gUc_6uMjEUu-ufgARKKn2CY8oDu0VppYK67uDQnR1_6Kt_Co9Of2smezeigplymIVZD_M_thgRu0O3EI0j8rYS5JlauMqb1p_1-bfngsL4nFfEe4293eHisL3=w640-h364" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the best song scenes in the film is related to Rocky's mother, Punam, who secretly sings when no one is watching her. She wanted to become a singer, but then she got married. Her dream remained a dream. "<i>Sapnon se behtar toh samjhaute hain na, kam se kam roz toh nahi tootate,</i>" she says to Rani. Some of Ishita Moitra's dialogues are lovely. (Remember the <i>samjhauta</i> moment in <i>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</i>. <i>Meri beti samjhauta karegi aur pyaar nahi, yeh toh maine kabhi socha hi nahi tha</i>.) Rani signs her up for an audition at a singing competition. She is angry at Rani for putting her in trouble, but then she shows some spine and decides to go. At the audition, she sings <i>Aaj Phir Jeene Ki</i> from <i>Guide,</i> which is a song in which a woman Rosie (Waheeda Rehman) sings about her newfound freedom. When the line "<i>Tod ke bandhan</i>" comes, Punam takes out her <i>ghoonghat</i>, as if she is also breaking the <i>bandhan</i>. And, then, she gets to complete the words in front of her husband. It is a beautiful moment. And, during the film's last few moments, when she and Tijori go to Rani's house, she no longer wears the <i>ghoonghat</i>. It also echoes Rani's earlier comment in the film when she said that she felt suffocated by the <i>ghoonghat</i> that her mother and grandmother wore. The <i>ghoonghat </i>is now gone.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="2851" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifTulyyGsiAX7zSQlF9RsADerW6dfIlyTpPQH31wTxExuepw8y3xpNkaKjfl2On4svQKF2CXUTPls4-Rrs7T72XCjj4L0QOR6N16L-2iO0Yaml1DPqwXsTzQlWJDDrxwsybNWjV2eFV2Pbbt4RUwOreDhyTKUhufQii_crHs727Gc_oQF2Vy7z6VZGVFnU=w640-h286" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="2806" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVD-JDQB95PXMmizXoJzpCHgK9-6A8Cvxhzi2QLmXe1iGm9fhiRHUVaeSI3JWFv0AaL2bp0Z1HlnMCtZQUAFqswSxUtrW-QUSREExJKM0iEw3wWKfwpSB5T8HKu-lth-UaN97Ky8Z1AWQ3Dc0PXz0JucurjyS-1a3fvJdOJbmwTMbBHlRscC8JfTo8hxcW=w640-h336" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="2387" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisYbhxuUHstpESDS9eXinx6JrsFt-rU0HKIMOOMFYMc5kN1GIylaynv50tLpx_IkUY9N4-15Vv41Kt94nrrm3XOJG9x7_1yHbrV5n6Q-6HKhFvIQghjPGTUTbogP-nKDYb1nbXZ59_4_VFsk_-t8tEkqHpS58Yi0XPqcuwkYN7fAJHqWGfqfO9PdG1w9Xv=w640-h318" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The <i>ghoonghat</i> is gone.</div></div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other echoes in <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i> keep coming back in the narrative. In the opening moments, Rocky dances on <i>Heart Throb</i>. He asks his friend to watch out for his family because they do not like his dancing. Later, after meeting Rani, he invites her to an <i>akaadha</i> where he will be dancing. It does not seem that he has <i>lachak</i> in him, Rani tells him. The bodybuilder Rocky then displays his <i>lachak</i> on <i>What Jhumka</i>. Then, he finds out that Rani's father, Chandon is a Kathak dancer—a profession that is not as common with men. Chandon believes that men of today do not have the rhythm. Girls like the rhythm of their men. Once Rocky starts living with the Chatterjees, and learns more about dance. <i>Izzat kabhi aadhi nahi hoti</i>. Later, Chandon takes on the stage at a Punjabi wedding and dances with full fervor on <i>Kahe</i> <i>Chhed Mohe</i> from <i>Devdas</i>. The audience, not used to seeing a man perform a Kathak dance with grace and elegance, makes fun of him. At home, Chandon recounts his life story, where he had been humiliated for his passion for dance since his childhood. His father even hit him. But ultimately, his mother encourages him because "<i>Hunar ka koi gender nahi hota</i>." It is my favorite sequence from the film, and Tota Roy is magnificent in it. It is so moving the pain that people carry in their hearts. This also seems to be the personal story of Johar, where he has recounted in interviews that he used to love dancing as a kid but was mocked for the same. Finally, this dance trope culminates during Durga Puja, where both these men—Chandon and Rocky—dance together on <i>Dola Re</i> from <i>Devdas</i>. The iconic dance was filmed on two women—Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit—in the original film. Two men dance to the same song, as they said, <i>hunar ka koi gender nahi hota</i>. And then, Rocky dances again with Rani in front of his family on <i>Dhindora Baaje Re</i> which is inspired by <i>Jab Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya</i> from <i>Mughal-E-Azam</i>. <i>Arey ishq kiya toh sharm kya</i>, they sing and dance without fear, with all the <i>lachak</i> and rhythm, while Dhanlakshmi looks on. The dancing arc that started in the beginning ends with defiance. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1996" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp9iYRgnlb0l07EGCzUe3gN-kIqI-UCs4Zf41fBklx8-9i4WkOfOJtMvM5nGeNmLsViykXV4hDEc71P-UoTLQncTQ7mVlYgUYewW6-voLVo99AHvisQg3IWm3O1yBsFlzTwSBMfV-VNbkDaHU6sDuoiTOTcoClc1A03x52ocR3-JuYgMwY7K3khKyRZkJ9=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">This brings us to the terrific performance of Ranveer Singh as Rocky, who is truly the <i>heart throb</i> of the film. (Side note: The lyrics of <i>Heart Throb</i> are pretty catchy. <i>Bhed bhav nahi karta main, kaliyon mein aur phoolon mein</i>.) <span style="text-align: left;">Rocky has the charm of Bittoo from </span><i style="text-align: left;">Band Baaja Baaraat</i><span style="text-align: left;"> without his street smartness. He is into bodybuilding, but at the same time, he calls himself 'fragile.' He is sensitive as he is hurt by people making fun of him. His gold-plated name card matches his heart of gold. The color of the clothes he wears matches the color of his cars. He does not seem to hide anything. Whatever he has in his heart, he says it. When Rani's family questions her on the suitability of Rocky, Rani tells them that he has a good heart. In her fight between the heart and the mind, she decides to go with the heart and chooses a man who has a good heart. I kept wondering if there was some other actor, would he have made Rocky as likable as Ranveer does and making us forget the flaws of his character.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhipZWfGXhNdo1y2u8lqAaKeAmoXEkj6gfOvi2aYkvP5hacfM2i5JGOpq3sb5gYxoDy-OcGtc_OoXnEaJew4SWXuZ3cXSQS51fUtPfP_ExyFvsPr81iOBG3pf3SoWJ7bsztoGfUhsBBJTdsLxV6EZH0j7LVmCME5_QqxxxHjxUVgaVN9XQzG0ZGZ99QRTmq=w640-h278" width="640" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rocky speaks English in his peculiar style. It was not clear why would the third generation of a wealthy family who is born and brought up in the poshest parts of Delhi not be able to speak good English. He is also not very smart in terms of general knowledge. He fails to answer the question about the president of India. It was the same question that Alia Bhatt incorrectly answered in her infamous <i>Koffee With Karan</i> episode. Therefore, the film educates him (and the audience) on racism, feminism, and patriarchy. At the same time, it does not judge him harshly because he is the way he is because he was told those things from childhood. His speech on cancel culture is a plea to treat others with kindness because nobody is perfect. <i>Na woh perfect hai, na hum. Aur pyaar kahan perfect hota hai. </i>In this aspect, the film does not portray the Bengali family as the paragon of virtue. It shows their flaws as well. It also calls out the shady behavior of men like Somen, who seem to be liberal but can also be very obnoxious.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="2757" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSplBfH8ZGATAlF9S9Rc6lm1Tc3mJOPlBqHfsQrGwMl-Oibt474Ns8_HUO3VxVO4huQdKuI8dNiCyV4l3gVrddArT0zFzYwBsDSF6AQ_yawVO6AiWnTvZJ9hdbNMw8DJjeKhJHsPSfuu0_IE3iLzS2jhr2UFO7q-ffNZudzBOWvzUySj4w9sOeQyYi3r2h=w640-h280" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Related to this aspect, it is also worth observing the interiors of the houses of the two families. The house of the Randhawas feels claustrophobic and suffocated. There is less light, even in the daytime. For instance, the sequences when some family comes to see Gayatri for matchmaking are so dark. There is also a golden statue of Dhanlakshmi outside their house. There is also a massive portrait of her in their office boardroom. So, when Rocky sees Rabindranath Tagore's portrait in Rani's house, it is likely that someone like him would think that he is her grandfather. The house of the Chatterjees looks so airy. There is an open verandah for the dance. Their house is all culture and has Raja Ravi Varma paintings.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw83XeFXX8vKxooewPwiI2mboRKnM9tBbpz9ZRCLuONPjK_G6L1FkBnzttI9xgWSLH9BZVDTwYCPUxD_WZE-uxs1n7KF2wvwssSMQ0k_8SqaV-0-HUK7ASCs7DruuaQFE7RT_ZQLhtTGFiKYASEff4khhIsOfPg6xTabeq833HMQQqwacmlRR9yPNGihQu=w640-h640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dhanlakshmi and Tagore</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="2776" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi307mrljLzZ3X7aziO6ljBV-GLeWxzl8_AHvKhsEAl6UbPpAqrRDfBiApl3apkKLawWAXzEDumH6a0zUDTihOSfcLw8JgPhPBGWdYXACZ3ML65Xc3LU0CyPWKRMRtYk8iPOqzKzMJcg0NFLVVplGUUjs3dIEb6xu7JiT8Xi3lx_amzmj2xs-csLuHwckeI=w640-h284" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Galaxy of Musicians by Raja Ravi Varma</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alia Bhatt as Rani is all kinds of amazing. There is not one false note in her performance, but her character is so perfect, which makes her not as interesting as Rocky. She says the right things. She supports all the people. She is like an activist. The one time the film (rightly) admonishes her is when she signs up Rocky's mother for an audition without telling her. She realized that there are consequences to her actions. But together, Rocky and Rani are fire. The way Rocky wipes off the <i>lassi</i> on Rani's upper lip and puts it in his mouth is the sexiest scene in the film, which again shows that desire can be shown in fascinating ways without any skin show. <i>Lassi Te Phassi</i> clearly. I also loved the moments the two realized that they are falling in love. Rocky fell in love with Rani during <i>What Jhumka</i> when he looked at Rani and paused for a minute, wondering what is happening to her. <span>On the other hand, I felt that Rani fell in love with Rocky when she asks herself why he is still smiling after a chat with him. This is also a Karan Johar moment where these inexplicable feelings are explained by <i>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</i>. His characters fall in love first and then have an epiphany that they are in love. Think of the scene where Anjali thinks to herself about Rahul's comment on pyaar dosti hai in <i>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCMI1aJrz_uFN_nbnsIWf-HCQTiQGAcJ2qGq0euVDrJ2EMw05q5Uiy9xY8xiILVJRr41FnNpE7Sdg7O3dGPUp0saERyDvXeyZdc3z-xFNazUgiM2SWkFdfsn-AouRCyjEXNvBVhExWg7bWe63xYTYy5R0uVGBOiLQY8HT8sMNa7oNHDK3UxWwZVcyey6o0=w640-h590" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><i>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtS3IZcGPY8qrVQqsAsGiTf56c-EKZCMx_5hlORG1c6AmdDj4R61GfX-2Pd3P70NnjuqZKaUl-BGY2COx5mMy7k26koP0diq_u_7V-fb7RNowZ-INkhLFNqZncN6trTPW9B0BxzDYF_to8n21BlWDtDqNy-_7CwTsmjg9WZ5K0yJ9D1JkiMWIRew3VgFvd=w640-h360" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="2847" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqgpM6GaclbRObTgpzSOlU9tmQgOmCh4LAs8TsPwGjtS1ttGJTbENVac6nBt0oQvAdW6vYmEFpV_hsUB6ONz27EPrtn4iLFMqThWKwjPPUSU2rlvj4gGhtq-y-TEL8zRhto-uiTaxYPVDDBbsDnC7-6v1lSbYaYkQKuJeGcMS8AB0nom8qMY4h_CbsoyDF=w640-h274" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow</div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span>The supporting cast is fantastic. I liked Tota Roy Chowdhury and Kshitee Jog. Churni Ganguly is hilarious. There is a lot of sadness in the character of Shabana Azmi, and she plays it beautifully. Jaya Bachchan seems to have the most fun but was reduced to a caricature. Dharmendra did not have much to do, given his health issues, but he was good in what he could do.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="2819" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNQoGxLQ3swWCcRpexse2-jMJAtcoFhQNPtt_RdXoTHbbryuTdPZ0sTnxc9oJbE-uBBGv05c_OxgdcGByhtiOAL8SFQnbUuYWpW-60-oR3__-iz92TWqRgYufsVAp5opak4k6Pr468D4ArpaUiXTwgtAl7tB8uGMDUgPNugCoCTmGyYB8IhRuTFTTD597O=w640-h278" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div>We also see other tropes from Johar's earlier work. Death makes an appearance yet again in this film. There is nary a full-length feature film by Johar where there is not a death of a character. There is also the motif of hands which has been seen in other films by Johar well, primarily <i>Kuch Kuch Hota Hai</i> and <i>Student of the Year</i>. Early in the film, there is a particular sequence when the growing apart of Tijori and his father Kanwal is depicted through their hands moving away from each other. At another stage, when Rani proposes to Rocky in the middle of the road, they hold each other hands while <i>Abhi Na Jao Chhode Ke</i> plays. Later, when they decide to live at each other's house, yet again, we see them holding hands before they separate. This culminates beautifully in the wedding during <i>Kudmayi</i>, where the father of the bride and the father of the groom perform the <i>daan</i> of their child to the other. There is again a beautiful shot of hands in the subversive sequence. <i>Kudmayi </i>is the most beautifully shot song in the film. There are some other moments. Like how the groom cries (instead of the bride) while getting ready. Like how the bride's father (instead of the mother) makes her ready.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9g8oVpZ1ygtWteaSSrknJtdMMlARSLeN-GckpGmVzIsWVzzEMZhJPbu5I8hJgLklH8JCDami2VQKszUGX66rl6Ag37inSZcsVYrehQ2ItJO2ok3sxcF3op-oIKNefL5Y2fJdkkMjSajmlVYc-Xt51N7YDp4HVO2ikgP7CNIqk1gqHJRVX8fF51E4aE2Tx=w640-h360" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Death</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMVDyh-adx9626S5x0YslI1kMX4Npn41LKrabmCuS3p71CabZCQ3iqLR3-NK1moGS3J7xSzHVT8vXZuSWSXFFqNCXR-V-4xzZ9TOQM6wWfleW0G3gUfW_X1qRAM01Fz0JU3uXKnlEcjHb5ItppqEtc1WfNEboh3PX-R5q5MWgCj7jXgvbcNRoe1ixJ2D65=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hands</div><div><div>In fact, I loved the other songs as well. They slowly grow on you after seeing the context of the movie. <i>Ve</i> <i>Kamleya</i> and <i>Ro Lain De</i> are beautiful. <i>Heart Throb</i> is cool. I wished they had added Shreya Goshal's version of <i>Tum Kya Mile</i> in the film; after all, if Rani is imagining the song, it should be the female version.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="2519" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieNdaYzeE1ipcmqBqbFl21_YL-MkOlI-WCIqNIDI5WTXFArI0vp9sKxK7HJZ7mXNBpwpFHAu9qxGGTNUq_ogFbC6Uzn1sf87GvJxTyEFN2JdVU6NqHLOC_Lq_ncTsrwBCunDgAEZkLOYiV6qGzjYTpkvBigtaoj_6O45cOT-Dn4_x35omgaO80vTSslsMu=w640-h310" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I was also reminded of Zoya Akhtar's filmography, especially, in two scenes in the film. Rani finds Rocky's mother eating cakes at night. Women finding comfort in food has been a motif in Akhtar's oeuvre, especially, the famous cake-eating scene in <i>Dil Dhadakne Do</i>. Toward the end, Rocky stands up for his mother before his father and grandmother. We have seen Ranveer Singh doing a similar act in <i>Gully Boy</i>. Another little factoid is that the sher by Firaq that Jamini mentioned was also referred to in <i>Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="4000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO24UInSx7pkecCoQzaQAba0Y8fSgYPEcNym-oO1tgEnlc52qRZ2d5j0C1VZU6nao8hbmfAejzRryP8L3_sbIPISLD9ssP_WgtTx0ojy5iWMKUpp-TmgjUrR1W_G-L_t3FciOVctcDeI_Qz6I8ST9xIQnPW3H6-oieMtWDIAvR7lyLvOWtUGbLXqDqPPxv=w640-h320" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Not everything is perfect, though. There are some things in the film that underwhelm. The second half becomes too preachy. The bra shopping scene did not work for me. Later, Rani helps the Randhawas conceptualize and modernize an ad campaign with a feminist theme, which is quite generic. The campaign is titled <i>Swad Wahi, Soch Nayi</i>. It is reminiscent of Star Plus' revamp campaign—<i>Rishta Wahi, Soch Nayi</i>. The story of Chandon and his dance worked wonderfully because it integrates well with the narrative of the film. However, these other sequences seemed heavy-handed. I also did not get the whole joke about Kunwal 'Lund', if that was a joke, I assume. Also, I felt that the love between Rocky and Rani happens far too suddenly. When they take their grandparents out, they also start dating or having fun without any phase of falling in love.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="2536" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZfZbsIllYcI3o8QZuImBkNqFATmWF0eE2EplTG18RKiuqzwCwrE2FNoHgXAEnQjN6MpUWv_mgCmC6pXT9msUx05Vt-TPyrDn9PFk7O0RnPWUHRU3C48o04qgRLww-FkdNpv8vGn6uQA3vfNPo4UX7mkBoppC4nEZ16mR8eN511WyVObFL4LU1Sch7qjA4=w640-h336" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>What I also felt was missing in the film was the beauty that has become the hallmark of Johar's cinema. I miss the sheer gorgeousness that we have seen earlier. Think of the bouquet scene in <i>Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna</i>. Or the <i>Tumhi Dekho Naa</i> sequence. Here, the film has scale, but it does not seem to have that elegant beauty. It is not the costumes and colors which are magnificent here. I felt the issue was the sets. They did not seem to have that classic Johar style. For example, the <i>What Jhumka</i> and <i>Dhindora Baaje Re</i> sets looked garish and gaudy. We do see some flashes of his beauty in them. In <i>Dhindora Baaje Re</i>, everything is red, and everyone is wearing red except Dhanlakshmi and her son, who stand out because their thoughts don't blend in this world. Likewise, i<span style="text-align: left;">n <i>Tum Kya Mile</i>, the poet sings, "<i>Berange the din, b</i></span><i><span style="text-align: left;">erangi shaamein, a</span><span style="text-align: left;">ayi hai tum se r</span></i><span style="text-align: left;"><i>angeeniyan</i>." She brings color to his life. And, then, in the end, Rocky says to Rani, "<i>Tera rang chaddh gaya hai. Everything Rani pink</i>." Everything around him is actually in Rani pink. I wish there were more such gorgeous moments.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="2825" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUm7aI0a0rDuazdTLgRPICnrilOjE73PI_mMGMQ6m2nallDVzLNyv5cPxUEI51ipm9bD2YZ4bt7XtuTka0gBi3PXXIOEB_LRugHdBtUJZZ2-JCSIJ-gtqZrM7JWGRkxnqVIOrtcvb7j0wXih6DpH9-4lHEE6lioJYDeBqUXf7HxjEH4ruc8KiS0EPNMOUp=w640-h274" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="2839" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM98FM8e5OMLFqVcA_s0clDIDq6rykwMLWuvufNFavffhCK5bKy9Wgj2I85IGLpQjPr3wf-3D8TmbVJ2Ld4S10FDmHunMdngguU1VxCIeQD68M8ZstRH98qVPHHk8ANs2cf4UitX7wHXFJ-wQU3Je_B62itN1acRxZgYOk3xohFtMIk00ACmTdH4lAEmFw=w640-h270" width="640" /></div></div></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="2864" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi76mz-4fd5Q-QKDxDxE7_mjw-zu1x2Js1Di4YmpJzwhUSNgxefyKwo-hvquO7yrxqQRiJdGPOtpght7Zawkg_9WKe4Twa3mYk6bdNA_NVuPjCRArmyf4uzqy7YW7rKeAECJwSD1YVU-YUQxRe99kjhgzeFldv2fLetOoG-eana2qa38I93rygmgzKsNVfO=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nevertheless, I still really enjoyed <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i>, and it gave me a lot to ponder upon. The film is Johar's attempt to move forward with the times by evaluating his past work. After twenty-five years, he is growing up, like his movies. Johar is often overtly critical of his earlier work. They were good films for the era and in the era they were made. Perhaps, he should remember the words of Rocky, "<i>Hum sab itni jaldi ek dusra ko cancel karte rahe na toh life me kabhi koi kuch seekh nahi paayega</i>."</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div></div></div></div><div>Trivia:</div><div>1. A snippet from Karan Johar's old <a href="https://thebigindianpicture.com/2012/10/issue-3-karan-johar-the-tbip-tete-a-tete/" target="_blank">interview</a> with <i>The Big Indian Picture</i>.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="459" data-original-width="1262" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrBIuwM18jpCzMPUSNO82hBmQAPlhXwROgpJcUuKc7ydimHYx2UMIQW0KXHWc09yWLzHFfEHg5l7Dw-drKU4ll6OsqldsUo-xJ7v-FJOhpwg4qPhMOwpNZ-xu0xU1N1GUCG2pjoarBJDWF42Ckwg1Lj-lsG_ozzRBq8F7fHtH-yEP7sFTlx7PzbDLi7lm4=w640-h232" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Jamini sings <i>Go Chini Tomare, Ogo Bideshini</i>, which was written by Rabindranath Tagore. It was also shown in <i>Charulata</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Other Reading:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">1. On <i>Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna—</i><a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2014/12/kabhi-alvida-naa-kehna-love-will-find.html" target="_blank">Link</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">2. On <i>Ae Dil Hai Mushkil</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2016/11/ae-dil-hai-mushkilof-unrequited-love.html" target="_blank">Link</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div></div><div>Dialogue of the Day:<br /></div></div><div>"<i>Hunar ka koi gender nahi hota</i>."<br />—Chandon, <i>Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani</i></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-13098578372556883082023-07-22T20:43:00.004-07:002023-07-24T22:05:26.885-07:00Ponniyin Selvan: II—The Heart Says Dil Se..<div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="446" data-original-width="670" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEJ5cN4OjVV_WOJqvEgil-V-1z6kNfePrCVT1aIyHo4s_4aKsGxj2avIOnvAJSAtKcliICHq1TMJJZ-PDQDj1vMxTUAOaYQ3P8Y84EM7_6pCliFRTueEop7c-tUrVeaCEiWs63xlG_OttNl52vsgnXdXRL2g5kyA0rqjJZK63oFDDzn9cLNnNH0szcXL4F=w640-h426" width="640" /></div></div><div>In <i>Ponniyin Selvan: I,</i> Mani Ratnam brought to life the epic 1955 novel of Kalki Krishnamurthy. The story revolved around the succession battle in the Chola kingdom and the threat from the Pandyan rebels who wanted revenge against the Cholas. Vandiyathevan (Karthi), a young soldier, set out across the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince, Aditha Karikalan (Vikram), to his father, Emperor Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj), and his sister, Princess Kundavai Devi (Trisha), about a conspiracy. The film ended when the other son of Sundara Chola, Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), also known as Ponniyin Selvan, was ambushed at sea by the Pandyan rebels. He was saved by the mysterious Oomai Rani (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), who looked like Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), Aditha's ex-lover and the wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (R. Sarathkumar), the chancellor of the Chola Empire. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1280" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQNHK-VjLGYtGHLLWnz-bBRX1WkDO16huqYeL3cFOhIXK-5PXFzywhHFtw4pbX9s41DZgfj3HQlsebeNOtdq7Yj3IjVv3i6UlUlO0ekn5lnX-GV5poT_h85FtQPv3vN6OAYpuHkCKrL8jce86k1HR0owSD95bkWkUGBrpXj6AUfRstOI9p_yX3AL5CKhAQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div>In <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II, </i>Ratnam concludes the story with grandeur and aplomb. There is action and emotion. What struck me about the second film's story is how all the characters have been given shades of grey. No one really comes across as a perfect villain or a perfect hero. The loyalties and tensions of the first film seem to have been mellowed down. Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, who hatched a conspiracy against Aditha in the first film, comes to protect the same person. Parthibendran (Vikram Prabhu), Aditha's friend, conspires with Nandini to get him to the palace. However, the most fascinating character in both films remains Nandini. Whenever she comes on the screen, there was an altogether different energy. For me, the film ended after her death. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has delivered one of her career-best performances in the film.</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1280" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7RoJnyW0_KyTyHufT_5I7-NfVT6Jmi_-c-lku8N4MJNY6NnPE1koo1QrghuQEJR2ov3fg94XqbrDPZAMyHknBHiEN8maMbQkTPRjexHUc4t5pDh0nJkcBspE2_g0Ofh1sm-__H-BBciy7kMxDO7PjdhQ-reneD-5HhNm-siea1Kp-qL-tNNz2SAsZLViM=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are also quite a few romantic moments in <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II,</i> which again prove Ratnam's ability to craft beautiful love stories that are both tender and violent. In one heartwarming moment, Kundavai comes to an island where Vandiyathevan is kept tied and captured while blindfolded. She takes his sword and puts it on his neck. He thinks he might be punished but soon realizes it is Kundavai. He then gradually starts moving closer to her using his hands, covering the distance between the two till he reaches the end of her arm. It is a charming moment that exudes chemistry, even when one of the characters cannot see the other. She then reminds him of the promise that he had made to her, where he said that his life belonged to her. This is a throwback to a similar scene in <i>Ponniyin Selvan: I, </i>where it was Vandiyathevan who had traveled over the waters to meet Kundavai in the middle of a lake. Then, she had flirtatiously asked him to jump in the water (like Shakthi in <i>Alai Payuthey</i> had asked Karthik to jump from the train). The scene in <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II</i> complements the one in the earlier film.<i> </i>The lilting <i>Aga Naga</i> plays in the background in both films. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Aganaga aganaga muganagaiye ho,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Muganaga muganaga murunagaiye ho,</i></div></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Murunaga murunaga tharunagaiye ho,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Tharunaga tharunaga varunanaiye."</i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"When my heart smiles, my face smiles as well.</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Flowers grin when my face cracks a smile.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>When flowers smile, trees smile as well.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Buds grin when trees burst into a smile."</i></div></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1280" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGCl-ZsD8rH3eS13WybuDQ9amqw00d7SHpoIyUeeTjz2KGmKHmnnpzagHGtwJ9WasYFvQ3wJHtp8qAN5Of5ZJdJ83ib9Oj9uSyF827SXRNQEEE9BOuvJT57a5EDU0esevI1THNUHUkO7tTnpmpAu6pW-UA4DZDgxdhZscqsCYtDm6x5QdmDyiUd6yUbcKg=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWzGgf2KKstedI9OUuasoS9ZjXVxybE8tYWD4cNdXbB4D34LPM0BdbKM7dGYAKjoyZdwKekWPD5q_YfMt3sfCvQLaMnCGFqVg8ssxXalwhrG37elDkpfaC0HyEYoWEXRAT6zvjpO8b9G0T0RHZzPf6HinmopwrOGcHsTjlxVIJBns2ntqWWEAOemPcEFVV=w640-h266" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the other end of the romance spectrum is the story of Nandini and Aditha. There is no love lost between the two exes. At one point, Aditha refers to Nandini as a snake. <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II </i>takes us to the origins of their love story. The initial bits of the film depict the events that led them to fall in love. We learn that Nandini was forcibly moved out of the kingdom as she was not deemed of the right heritage befitting for the queen. Their love story begins when Kundavai meets Nandini and befriends her. At one stage, Kundavai takes Nandini to the palace and gives her jewelry to try on. At that point, the young Aditha walks in. Nandini, feeling shy, just runs away. This moment is reminiscent of the scene in Ratnam's <i>Dil Se..</i> when Moina (Manisha Koirala) tries on the jewelry given by the relatives of Amar (Shah Rukh Khan), who then walks in and sees her in the mirror. From this point in <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II</i>, the story of Nandini and Aditha kept reminding me of Amar and Moina in <i>Dil Se.</i>..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAFti6q-SHYm_dB0SJDR4up2TYW7Sbu9Oe125ZfZS0VZ4B8Z126U84Q9xQcQXvigXKqTYpLSY-SCdAJEsqA_SokdMKM4Ez6eAPEClTQnbPs1B6oJUJb1ffM1pEATKdroz-u3Kw9MrQ71mgizZKVBBCT3CQKZe23XUdeu07jPiRzVgwEsyjYfV_344CjKj7=w640-h517" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Set against the backdrop of insurgency in Assam, <i>Dil Se..</i> was the story of a journalist Amar who falls for Moina, a mysterious woman on an assignment, but she does not reciprocate his feelings. However, when Amar is about to get married, she arrives at his doorstep asking for help. It is soon revealed that Moina is part of an insurgent group planning to carry out suicide bomb attacks during the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi. There are parallels between <i>Dil Se..</i> and<i> Ponniyin Selvan: II</i> as to how both films depict rebels fighting for their independence.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3591" data-original-width="4000" height="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyrqq9P2poC8Q8KT-efpiEGctt9PE21oVL84zsnmNGCnEec7pKQgiVDjydFgeh5booD5p3l2Cj6jpUVrvrqN_iANZz90S9-9HziuY4fMVdCrMxmIOVk-09_6tKv7Ry5r2_mrzvnQbv_co9pA5HVFfYW7zRJWN_SMShGV3WNAkZEv9kcltCI7pGFuPIB0ea=w640-h575" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The stories of Nandini and Moina seem more similar. They are pawns used by others to carry out dangerous tasks (though they do differ in their respective sense of agency). The women—Nandini and Moina—are constantly reminded of their mission. Love is a distraction, and they must focus on the larger goals. Early in <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II</i>, a woman accomplice sees Nandini playing with the ring Aditha gave her. She reminds Nandini that it was Aditha who had left her and thrown her out, and it was Veera Pandiyan who saved her. Thus, she should not forget his contribution to her life and continue to focus on their mission to overthrow the Cholas. Likewise, in <i>Dil Se..</i>, there is a scene when Moina starts to waver in her commitment to her mission. She develops sympathy toward Amar and his family. She starts doubting that many innocent people will die because of her mission. Her friend and partner, Mita (Mita Vashisht), sees her internal vacillation and takes her out in the rain. She reminds her of the pledge of complete revolution and independence for their nation.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2829" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkfaMMUh_IX4g3xqvnhoSFgBxuH_-SxTtK_zVHnQ1U6UmHoimXV1FXaGihNHWlUOoE4p8nJHAxgCJJFBPN4bNCEw3QCOZrBxo2GdeHgBEU8UNU0Q5TS4YfE4-ZxMrH0g7TbBAeHJLPiJm22gN9fOUWeobdp1bwkikWMq5310JJ0SiUE6PTuDgB37cy6niY=w640-h452" width="640" /></div></div><div>In <i>Ponniyin Selvan: I</i>, there is a conversation between Aditha and his friend Parthibendran who tells him to forget Nandini as she is married. Desiring another man's wife is a sin. Aditha says that will have to first cut his heart out from his body to forget her. He was in love with her since his childhood. One day, she suddenly disappeared, making him face the first death of his life. Since then, he has become a walking corpse. And, all the things—wine, song, blood, war—he is now doing are simply to forget her and to forget his own self. In <i>Dil Se..</i>, Moina, tired of Amar's pestering about her relationship status, tells him she is married to fend him off. Amar is disappointed to learn the same. He tells his manager Mrs. Burman (Arundhati Nag) that he is in love with a married woman. Like Parthibendran, she tells him to forget and move on. Amar tries to do the same but finds out Moina was not married. He then follows her to Leh and spends a few days with her. They become close. But then, like Nandini, Moina suddenly disappears, leaving him with only a message written on the sand. Like Aditha, Amar cannot forget her. He finds solace in love ballads hoping to hear from her. <i>Aye Ajnabi, tu bhi kabhi aawaaz de kahin se</i>. Because he is living in pieces. Because he is living an incomplete life without her. <i>Main yahan tukdon mein jee raha hoon. Main adhura, tu adhuri jee rahi hai</i>.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdoKMnnh_tPN4MZalnXMjDiXJz7CB1Xs6khNLcGZSGPc_5-rP9iz-jJEsEpwdNJP9SUguBlQAjxo1cAprHZ7aLqX5NbzA128G0kiNfHV70s4uJPLUKHo_hJO6TJgrRhaY05H8NGMxMjf8sjeYccsNSp9D-HD7RPa8k35bxm36Oa5-KNsZ8ZyPwv7diY9EL=w640-h426" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3591" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZby6k8f8LovIVvnB0Ya7Qvth6h7zT3hBqVn0zbviJOKAgIMoI_iKtskLCTQuXLowepSPMUf9EkBtxRa8nhu4yayNEewdC925MRf5jHLV5Tm5FfBUKXL7Vxpzhs98dK9yJQKeZ-t6Lhw7v0B_im7OE9129E4LXAy5qpNIArz84-8INhCAWUJMUngp7M783=w640-h356" width="640" /></div></div>Even after all the rivers of time, distance, and bad blood that have flown between them, Aditha and Amar cannot fully move on. They are still willing to give everything up for the sake of love, for the woman they love. In the most stunning moment of <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II</i>, Aditha, and Nandini finally converse face-to-face. Nandini had called him to her chambers. Aditha tells her he will give up everything if she comes with her. He will sever his ties with his family. He will give away the kingdom. They will run away and start a life of their own. A similar conversation occurs in <i>Dil Se.. </i>when Moina starts living at Amar's house on rent. Amar has not forgotten his feelings for her even though he is soon getting married to Preeti (Preity Zinta). At one particular moment, Moina goes to the terrace to call Amar, who grabs her and puts his earphones on her. He plays an old recorded conversation when they had spent a few days together in Leh and joked about starting a family. After the conversation ends, she removes the earphones, and Amar asks her to say yes once, and they will both go far away. They will leave everything. Nandini and Moina seem moved by this proposal to start life again, and they almost acquiesce. However, their moment of vulnerability soon passes, and they come back to reality. Nandini wants to see herself on the throne, she tells Aditha. She wants to live in a palace and enjoy the privilege of royalty. Moina also realizes the importance of her mission and returns to reality. It is too late for this now because <i>har ishq ka ek waqt hota hai</i>. It is also worth observing how similarly and spectacularly these two moments from the two films are shot. The camera focuses on the faces of the characters. When someone speaks, their half face is seen on the screen.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3303" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwpGxDqm_uJqflStQd6RcoPARS9GzXtZEU7Gy_aqRHCU_Ork0G9szCtbzidTS1EKIAa6J7n73g9eiu5ssLe_wEz618nee2UALFh0uhzyq6MV3EdH2NkEAw6AEfASNa33ELdB-5_Ax0WxRMrP8qm9Y_OabDa20ymzuO4C9iYL6AoG3oeaPML2RJabe6EK4o=w640-h388" width="640" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3303" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYqHA9F4H7k6VGA6KLiYiiTk77mdcLS9wblK8FfwVTrptMp11wJZRTbJnmBp6vZ1AVaE8n6HMm5IMbuVj3BdBXJ3HCUGiYAgIxYWz2EetndVQWYvPJY-sVgJOxX4ZdK4eLzEwaYCkWaxEj5ACzXVdUgyw7YNGf2aTOnZV1g8CxcCd0G8qAVQUtR0Mys2Do=w640-h388" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Similar Shots</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, we see how Aditha and Amar willingly walk toward their death. Aditha knew that Nandini wanted to kill him, yet he decided to go to her chambers without hesitation. When he meets her, he says he values her more than his life. He is already a living corpse, as he does not have a soul. He is ashamed of himself that he became so heartless. He was prepared to die. When Nandini refuses his proposal, he gives her his dagger and embraces her so that it inserts into him. And, then, he goes away from this world forever. In <i>Dil Se..</i>, Amar, too, walks toward his own death. He runs to the same route that Moina planned to take to complete her suicide mission. He knew she was a human bomb and confronts her. He keeps questioning her if she loves him. She finally relents. They both embrace each other and escape to some other world as in the commotion, her bomb had got activated. He wanted her to take him along wherever she goes. And she did to a place away from this entire world. In <i>Dil Se..</i>, Ratnam showed the seven stages of love as defined in Arabic literature. The seventh and final stage of love is <i>maut—</i>death. Aditha and Amar successfully reach the last stage of love. Their wish to die in the arms of their lovers was finally fulfilled. <i>Mujhe maut ki goad mein sone de. Teri rooh mein jism dubone de</i>. Death comes to Aditha through the hands of his Nandini in the arms of his Nandini. Death comes to Amar through the hands of his Moina in the arms of his Moina. Thus, we see that the heart of <i>Ponniyin Selvan: II </i>says<i> Dil Se..</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3303" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJYuMUcc61J7yuqZnKhePJ8sVdLtgn_o7ZZuIoEkX4kwDAbMzemKRoAcm-cRPqLSYBzWH9w30MDtlBsRwpYTNgAEJrpCK0Gks75Of66hYA_mK158nrn4mHmq-A4gg5OZl3fxaOPxFKNSZXltFOj6m-EkXC_N2xa9uGrvxCWe3lYkBvrhCoO_lvShwo2ylM=w640-h388" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <i>Raavan</i> and <i>Ponniyin Selvan:II</i>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3591" data-original-width="4000" height="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVFqBCPs7YUmFYI2L91juTqwg79mkhYPOBNiOcxCUn_AKpe26h6ODGqVOF1pMHTiy-K1V81rA1rDZoin30auQy4Su7Z4MZQDfoA3W9cgDmN0jdrdvsF4CgAiFVRO0s1FOQM4r4BGOBYTYo_f1zHtpTlFf8ejP2eo9izmdRfy_NqCc__3tNexFPlnZgAYHO=w640-h575" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <i>Iruvar</i> and <i>Ponniyin Selvan:II</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3591" data-original-width="4000" height="575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkFI_Xd7FX4X69d7i9g-Q8UBAtmPye2wwjppkb86WFVPIIqag3BaEz_ZRzxI1xXC3OO6UkJzM8We2ac_IUQYxvc58aVGcFYUCYugfPnjxv3j7nQKQ2rzDAbvEUzPEIPCIBctbX9uahqqWC6v8wmvkTAF7fzUJCOcTZ-NvQ-Yd0mO0dOREeSSQMWP7cfQrA=w640-h575" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <span style="text-align: left;"><i>The Wonder Women of Ponniyin Selvan: I</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-wonder-women-of-ponniyin-selvan-i.html" target="_blank">Link</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <i>Satrangi Re</i>—The Seven Stages of Love—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2014/07/satrangi-re-seven-stages-of-love.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Dialogue of the Day:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"When my heart smiles, my face smiles as well.</i></div><i style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Flowers grin when my face cracks a smile.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>When flowers smile, trees smile as well.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Buds grin when trees burst into a smile."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>—</i><span style="text-align: justify;">Ponniyin Selvan: II</span></div></i></div></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-84582306772519275242023-07-03T00:43:00.002-07:002023-07-03T00:43:32.485-07:00Weekend Blues<div style="text-align: justify;">When I am happy, I keep quiet. When I am sad, I feel like writing. And I am feeling sad today. That may be why they say great art comes from sadness. <i>Take your broken heart, make it into art</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Every child is special, they say. But the same child, when he turns an adult, becomes average, following the principles of normal distribution. I do not want to be average. I want to be special even as an adult. </li><li>The advice we often get is to never compare yourself with others; compare yourself with your own self. The only competition is your own self. But this is the problem. I want to be better than my current self. I want to be at the top. I want to know everything. </li><li>I miss having genuine friends nearby with whom I can share heart-to-heart talks. I have a lot of formal friends, but I don't share much with them. I hesitate a bit. I keep things to myself. You cannot tell these things to virtual friends.</li><li>I hate when people copy my pictures and notes from here, put them on Instagram or elsewhere, and get millions of views.</li><li>I don't feel like being at home during weekends. I don't feel inner satisfaction anywhere. I don't feel that sense of belongingness anywhere. This feeling never goes away.</li><li>When I read some old posts of mine, I disagree with some of them now. It is what they call growing up.</li><li>I feel left behind all the time. Like time is passing by quickly, and I am not reaching where I want to be.</li><li>I feel jealous of people who write well with a literary flair. That part cannot be learned.</li><li>I miss my old me. I used to be so much fun.</li><li>All my hair has turned grey. I have started coloring it. Even facial hair is grey. I don't want to look old. </li><li>I don't feel like watching any new stuff. I keep watching and rewatching the old stuff. It is comforting.</li><li><i>Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar</i> is a terrible film. <i>Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway</i> is a good film. I really want to watch <i>Satya Prem Ki Katha</i> and feel like going to the theater to watch it. I have watched only one film in the theater in the last three years. All the other films for the rest of the year don't seem theater-worthy yet.</li><li>I keep wondering if this is how my life will be from now? I want to find something that gives me a purpose.</li><li>I will be fine in some days. Happiness and sadness are phases of life.</li></ul></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-7080420477994778532023-07-01T22:15:00.003-07:002023-07-02T13:57:49.228-07:00Bhediya—Man vs. Wolf<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyFFAbPouLlHPRxTXD7VoI_EeLrmMnLGrfdn-4lwL-UKVQJRVv7qYXXPItbUldWh8olmdqI1QX9GQefdwaTVIN6o7iv48i41SMgybfXrX0rG-_E-g27G3l4HH8aHumYWliJzXQjbwjVKF-CGQzT3ws89fI_SG2aWF3MRyrWAu83Yg1WuFVtr4X_KkgGvCp=w640-h336" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Sriram Raghavan's <i>Badlapur</i>, Varun Dhawan plays Raghu, a troubled man seeking revenge from a bunch of criminals who killed his family. His quest for revenge consumes him so much that he undergoes a <i>badla,</i> becoming a stone-cold monster like the very men from whom he seeks revenge. The hero has transformed into a villain. <span style="text-align: left;">In Amar Kaushik's </span><i style="text-align: left;">Bhediya</i><span style="text-align: left;">, Dhawan undergoes another transformation, becoming a <i>bhediya</i> from a man. Like <i>Badlapur</i>, he undergoes another (symbolic)</span><span style="text-align: left;"> transformation where he realizes that he is not the hero; rather, the wolf, whom everybody calls the villain, is the hero.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1280" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-hGNM9xY9uN9pDEA704ES-iiym-DUcAxSavfTWoqjBcJVJ2UtPPjB985dits84iCVW-NCdEfZvQUualCXvpZ7X5Oq6gfG5h3Gv-jp_YqMdvtflGndO9CsNDWDkZljWbDkD9gWUF_bR5GupPJHNStkfkFXcdAzVa-9-EH-LR4DY5tuEpGFfhCAW5nCjNiN=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dhawan plays Bhaskar, also known as Bhaski, who travels to Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh to get approval for the construction of roads in the area for his firm. He is joined by his cousin Janardhan (Abhishek Banerjee), also known as Jana, who is preparing for his Indian Administrative Service (IAS) exams. Bhaskar's friend Jobin (Palin Kabaak), a local, helps him navigate the area. Bhaski pitches his idea to the town's young people that they need Netflix more than nature and Starbucks more than Blackbucks. The conflict arises when a mysterious <i>vishanu</i>, a protector of the jungle, bites Bhaskar. After that happens, Bhaskar himself becomes a <i>vishanu</i> and turns into a werewolf on full moon nights, acting as a protector of the jungle.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwKBN2HhOVLHJ1TTs9rqw6kTAEACMj_6ikihpYj0VRrOeCJ8akVvE6pPeApvAVRogcTmx1BKHLsRDcOp2NfQmsHJygAsE1aPbGSb_ENWJllIPc2_5p37ZIERbZaNjAYoPNfABsKPebGVRJDOgF3EmyFClBw6o3MA1eUotPtJGOYm0Uaw7pdS2-iwvdsnUl=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6F0zBz-sKkqwIFBCu1-VzrvfDwKL84_uIOW0_N-vhOq6EDbKr3muQZc0esGAsVsMa4gYvDYzxqXTzSgtp74yMpKnMi3zC0BbdKRCTnjxNDrJwSUoHhn73DiXwDK6VC4w7CN_cTmT6dpcr3hKsq-3x052r_LSHOZteGEu_P89shz30wSKCqbkll9fQ4PXF=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The film's overarching theme is '<i>prakriti hai toh pragati hai.</i>' There is development only if there is nature. Like Amit Masurkar's <i>Sherni</i>, <i>Bhediya</i> also makes the point that it is the humans who are outsiders and intruders in the jungle. For animals, the jungle is their only home. Only mutual respect between man and animal can lead to development. <i>Bhediya</i> also depicts the discrimination faced by people in northeastern India, who are treated as outsiders in their own country. Jana frequently makes racist jibes at Jobin. <span style="text-align: left;">A look at Kaushik's oeuvre depicts his penchant for using humor to tackle serious issues. </span><i style="text-align: left;">Stree</i><span style="text-align: left;"> depicted a feminist ghost with laughs and chills. </span><i style="text-align: left;">Bala</i><span style="text-align: left;"> tackled the issue of people being discriminated against because of lack of hair and the color of their skin. Both films received praise for some themes and criticism for some elements (item numbers, brownface). It is the same with </span><i style="text-align: left;">Bhediya</i><span style="text-align: left;">. The humor in the film is often hilarious. The scene related to </span><i style="text-align: left;">Tera Surroor</i><span style="text-align: left;"> was one of the best scenes in films last year. It came so unexpectedly that I squealed. But some of the humor is also discomfiting and perpetuates the same stereotypes. I was also put off by its scatological humor.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOTD9xmXNMNDZOrGRGo1XjZbVEGrEKOumuIXS7nKRFvpWi067WcI2gHCSHjmdFt6XFRTFyh5WZNb9w-e4Oef9G7kog70WoFeyhUnH1SkdrMeYprtRqbSXNzxjuDenuTgmZQmAPGVn1FQohuyPlMcrxIM7-ZiOOtoJkpebidKzDzBqxdrmV0-btY6hbwA1u=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>For all its humor, <i>Bhediya</i> does succeed in bringing some nuance to its story. There were two tracks where it came across. All through the film, Jana keeps making fun of Jobin. He is mocked and made fun of with racist comments. Jobin, after a while, had it. He bursts out at Jana. At this point, Jana realizes that he has become a bully, just like the kids in school who used to bully him. Now, the thing to note is that Jobin behaves the same way with Panda (Deepak Dobiryal), like the way Jana behaved with him. Jobin <i>never</i> missed an opportunity to call Panda an outsider, even though he has lived there almost all his life. Even in normal discussions, Jobin calls him out as an outsider repeatedly. This also reminds me of the scene in Anubhav Sinha's <i>Article 15,</i> where all the policemen discussed the castes and sub-castes and their hierarchies. At one point, one of the Dalit policemen says that he is a Chamar and he will not touch the food by Pasis. Everyone becomes a bully by virtue of their power or privilege.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2YQimG6_qsO1e-57hwlufH3KYdrT3Z7Qx3Gy3ShoJ-t_TW1_wnHZO8zuj4JDpM3Ut7xcSoJL-GhsNPI8A_Qu3lH7XWKFwhYsnb60B7uvZVbzFPTbSxvoLg5z7h235hlPjCd5GVUUcd-I97uyulFFfL1zuFiMzbD5bJki5O2O0o7QlsTLPP5-hGsi6hxQV=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvZR2HcI4hGBFpX9j4jHRb7j14h4SM6UQ8XvmpMsjaScxF9Gocvy2irftu9M3ZhNrBQHxuzPtlJxXdgETQxQ9yV43wYPrV0Tg67_Nhl02SqJGRRDFhano6bfAJP9S9WxXo7pvfthnkjkiN4jzEggwX42GhnvJHf4rAq2N6f9tFF0co0KXKiA0IoeFTGwHf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvZR2HcI4hGBFpX9j4jHRb7j14h4SM6UQ8XvmpMsjaScxF9Gocvy2irftu9M3ZhNrBQHxuzPtlJxXdgETQxQ9yV43wYPrV0Tg67_Nhl02SqJGRRDFhano6bfAJP9S9WxXo7pvfthnkjkiN4jzEggwX42GhnvJHf4rAq2N6f9tFF0co0KXKiA0IoeFTGwHf=w640-h268" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZxR3wHHfjHrB56Bv0a6BdysJSDuHbUTrrb_u-xJttm0Yu7oQx1UmKbotyn-6UjX5NrCCNHnZAuzD_yansue9i3wVadwhtt2FYWqgAE1huQczyHq_6fKcpN2ctqpiy3nkRZsdS6FY0C0esfY6Oa1QUzD6o39FAlb-r0e19aZLC8grnFPC51FHdywuT6ggb=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div><div>The other theme that the film brings out is the nature of wild animals. The film opens with a dog barking, and Bhaski looks terrified of it. Later, he says that he dislikes dogs. It is also shown that Bhaski is a vegetarian. After he turns into a werewolf, Bhaski undergoes a change. He builds muscles in his body. His sense of smell gets heightened. He can smell prey from miles away. He develops affection toward dogs. He starts eating meat. His role as protector of the jungle does not conflict with his love for animals because it is in the wolf's nature to eat meat. It is the cycle of nature, the relation between hunter and prey. Likewise, when Bhaskar turns back to a human after mauling some men, his friends do understand that it is in the nature of a wolf to kill. So, he is not punished for the same. This is again seen in the end when he is fed meat and tied so that he does not run away to hunt. We often forget this aspect while dealing with wild animals, and <i>Bhediya</i> makes the point beautifully. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixvhVoUQZIMXQTVjfXLjKzHk-dovrGfUgzjmmfq5rTNypOGtdNNxeyOrRiYhX-nxU0xu5JfZ6btld14Kzlo_buz7VYNOJke0V18n8Eo4eW0El-3lbGqb-R5XmEPFo5x924q3txkQAEANSjebrcZ6Afc8K1xQjXgVae4Ye6yBzdJ3eAujUW-YC8uxSjHeZz=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZ38NC_xSKCBI1HZlFdfy5DQiDdnhpRQt8OuGFij7KCkI_UQd8sVHn8XqyW1ngKf-1qxpk4qI93ZsxVP_G5P-5CgZSJuJtcc9L2bHJw6TK1d6JtBciMqE6A0knCg3FSVEia9uQPeBpC_y7rABhssFA1TZqAu2rjtbn-0zvjXycT5H2E2vQf5vw9jyHPP9t" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZ38NC_xSKCBI1HZlFdfy5DQiDdnhpRQt8OuGFij7KCkI_UQd8sVHn8XqyW1ngKf-1qxpk4qI93ZsxVP_G5P-5CgZSJuJtcc9L2bHJw6TK1d6JtBciMqE6A0knCg3FSVEia9uQPeBpC_y7rABhssFA1TZqAu2rjtbn-0zvjXycT5H2E2vQf5vw9jyHPP9t=w640-h268" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The film also incorporates elements from fables and other stories of animals in the narrative. It opens with a man telling his young daughter a story that is inspired by <i>Little Red Riding Hood</i>. At another point, Bhaskar channels the boy from <i>The Boy Who Cried Wolf, </i>where he tries to scare his friends about the wolf. Later, there is a hilarious and fitting reference to <i>Chaddi Pehen Ke Phool Khila Hai </i>from <i>The</i> <i>Jungle Book</i>. The visuals of the final scene seem to be recreated from <i>The</i> <i>Jungle Book</i>. <i>Bhediya</i> also adds references to horror films of the past. There is the mention of <i>Jaani Dushman,</i> where a man becomes a monster and seeks revenge by abducting and killing brides. There is the mention of <i>Junoon</i>, where a young man turns into a tiger every full moon night. At another point, Bhaski sings <i>Aap Ke Pyaar Mein</i> from <i>Raaz</i>, another horror film where a woman saves her husband from a ghost. Finally, <i>Bhediya</i><span style="text-align: left;"> also refers to</span><span style="text-align: left;"> the horror film </span><i style="text-align: left;">Mahal </i><span style="text-align: left;">by adding its song <i>Aayega Aanewala </i>at a crucial point in its narrative.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeLciLMcecJ_s0qTu4Mr_E8XUP1stm5Y4wdloFGMwEV0HRKuA7ZzV80b6A_TuUS_LcemmC-sS0Hu7VoykpgIOXerR44679xU_wSg9N9nTEYbz9WOqiWgyykOlBH1tglfc6LH7kRSSimUjWK7weStJN889XLSEWPtEw9xQ_estIqR1w-zNiRtQGgK5VUw-O" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="2766" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeLciLMcecJ_s0qTu4Mr_E8XUP1stm5Y4wdloFGMwEV0HRKuA7ZzV80b6A_TuUS_LcemmC-sS0Hu7VoykpgIOXerR44679xU_wSg9N9nTEYbz9WOqiWgyykOlBH1tglfc6LH7kRSSimUjWK7weStJN889XLSEWPtEw9xQ_estIqR1w-zNiRtQGgK5VUw-O=w640-h346" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisabeBVJOGsXup587n9FUI6Lm02KEWIfEu6xSxTLDpN6rgLjcNfpGsUEwMwgQfIiqykz0d3PdhHlShfCmJhZBR0_Rd7a2jhvL_x5i19W9o7GAqn8Ojt88FpTSVVTrePk4oXjw2Tyx7Iq-CuBHgPAWMNmg_l3_2eM_5bn4WFxG7ekt5NAqmrCrs-Rqkvebo=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i>Bhediya</i> adds humor from topical memes. There is <i>Meri koi feelings nahi hai </i>song by Yashraj Mukhate. At another point, a character says, "<i>Aap chronology samjhiye</i>"—another popular meme. There is also <i>Gangadhar hi Shaktimaan hai</i>. The interesting part is that earlier films provided content for memes; increasingly, we see the reverse happening as well, where popular memes are ending up in films as well. There are also other interesting little details. Bhaskar is often called Bhaski, which seems similar to a husky (a dog that looks like a wolf). He also wears a fur jacket.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitoQ6IP8WUjQZx6lbUPdwQXH7IZYnfbsttOdzSCOyZuj3v3Gh2CodaDJon_wVWlVONljUu7usW0hTWFZ-vtZEQJU2rM0XcxhMiiXj68qfP1g9LpIoMya1QwU4rBC_smH8R89kWYWc7Q1N7cp5upc3ZBY0NPMbN9JQs8JTKCIC5CUWdH4miMTGHcioDbAgH=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFZN2BOn_hS__HZqy_9Oxes9b8AXOWWUcsVqfOfFHvSxs3xTwF2MNU2S8zhsa8tlV4m-YVIE4q75KbZY55-KsBylon2WRDpL9_cxCAAwXWgJzqRh0qURNbLihKbD6E_pe9MRMEa876aSeLIt-DCiCM5RUNt0PPt5q9b3V93XU37UaxpLg5ZkDgQYiq-VtX=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiliFt-A2asCQGQAmVb8XY8PgxmpnTK9zo5WKejw8UKSQgXeFzhb7vmlU4DIwKrTEs6Fb7fHTVIhh5FLJVhYNikOyv6qpqfuVZmRzuPxrfqLO2T6nGmZ4s0wZQxXDu46fldlsbu02r2t697apmbVh4k8C_nO2N_NMWULkBskysr3mJy0IvcEz7_2DHc1dEh=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The suspense in the film is not hard to guess. It is quite visible that Anika (Kriti Sanon) had something to do with the <i>vishanu</i> as the film opens with a young girl. Also, the Ojha who comes later in the film is the same one who was there with Anika and her father when a wolf attacked them. One of the most beautiful scenes in the film is when Anika takes Bhaski to her favorite place. She makes him see a new world opening his eyes to the beauty of the jungle. It is reminiscent of the deep sea diving scene from <i>Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara</i> where Laila (Katrina Kaif) takes Arjun (Hrithik Roshan) on a tour of the ocean, making him realize his every breath. Kabir sees a new world. It is women who lead and make the men realize the emptiness of their lives. <i>Bhediya</i> ends when the two wolves again go together to the same place after they escape captivity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibxdM2ZUgUaSxYsS4U9i39uFrfZSWUEDd7HiroSDcRF8CuwJYV7TQcgPTM7f1WffmXD6zL2nnr7cx6zhQVN_z3HJMBI9xajUGFWzfnmES3nNJG6bo-OT5Y0rFhfu-hiP_BcW-UiASLjVba7zgj1SRDn7yZKDyJfTmFDKNZEftnvjXzpuQA5b-XlX9FmR_h=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQFVItRUmyV8In8SAZ4XvjvP_ZQrGA1HgBH2ZMbvckMB3S6EmJI5rQSMU4F7TmEev_sCTOg1650FroviouzUlj-55FM2-oPRFmVufO1YXwq3ML0g73GsmCkiU01B9UBmoIT-hQlKZC0SvwLoASK_6criLtzJdUP-RlX1j5paibjDHJ8OXZsVK5sN4wAyZr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2768" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQFVItRUmyV8In8SAZ4XvjvP_ZQrGA1HgBH2ZMbvckMB3S6EmJI5rQSMU4F7TmEev_sCTOg1650FroviouzUlj-55FM2-oPRFmVufO1YXwq3ML0g73GsmCkiU01B9UBmoIT-hQlKZC0SvwLoASK_6criLtzJdUP-RlX1j5paibjDHJ8OXZsVK5sN4wAyZr=w640-h280" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The music of the film is composed by Sachin-Jigar, while the lyrics are written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. <i>Apna Bana Le</i> is a wonderful composition. There is a line in the song, "<i>Saweron ka mere, tu suraj laage</i>." It also reminds me of the title song of <i>Kalank</i> that had the line, "<i>Main gehra tamas, tu sunehra sawera</i>." There is also the peppy <i>Baaki Sab Theek</i> which might be the only song that uses the word <i>laghushanka </i>in the lyrics. <i>Thumkeshwari</i> is shot on Shraddha Kapoor. In <i>Stree</i>, it was the opposite, where Kriti Sanon performed on a song (<i>Aao Kabhi Haveli Pe)</i> in a Shraddha Kapoor film. The ending title credit song in <i>Bala</i> also had a reference to <i>Stree</i>. The meta-commentary is further seen in the surprise appearance of two characters from <i>Stree</i> who come to visit Jana, who is also reprising his role from that film. Abhishek Banerjee is the scene stealer in <i>Bhediya</i>. He does the expressions of goofy Jana brilliantly.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="2536" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvkvrDCqgMO-_tHQfYOIix80SP2PeBVL4R9V2g6QSxZgrJ0uSt_-e4hTl6UbDvyBHRQKVwkA9fX5TxFoS4aqhnxB8ByMcZZqr7WsXkgfuRDxVhas8rNUkihiiKyvlHVFWiyUjLQKcqng6TWzDpyRVneHllGNkvpAUuta7ns15beL6LVMj4ppageOOjULOF=w640-h298" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="2589" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFCw_qI8O__cTh1Oxy7I9L4gR2PGAoOQ6t8P3m4bnuxbYVgDUj_ZxfIBtEcQ5180RJAjJzXpNPTYjmY9y39CYaZQSwnMibo5nkkC6kGUC2qYIZpt3O7ltcbFNlBbb_3h5kBxk4j5mwRL6ZvdRz0Ux6uVF2rgCbaogwDz1Tqx6LS98xh7X5OLvMjDDfN6kP=w640-h296" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Shoojit Sircar's <i>October</i>, Dhawan played Dan, a manchild with no real purpose in life. A friend's last words before a tragic fall—"<i>Where is Dan?</i>"—profoundly impacted him. He started caring (perhaps, too much). He was often irritated earlier but became empathetic and mellow. By the film's end, he seems to be a completely different person as he matures and grows up. Like <i>Badlapur</i> and <i>October</i>, <i>Bhediya</i> is another feather in the cap of Dhawan, who shines in these life-changing roles. Bhaskar used to think of himself as the hero in the conflict between the wolf and him. By the film's end, he realized that it was actually the opposite. He was the one who was acting like a villain. He realized his mistake. He then found an alternate way to finish his project as he truly understood the meaning of <i>p</i><i style="text-align: left;">rakriti hai toh pragati hai.</i> The wolf brings a change in him. It is perhaps why the coming of age that still works wonderfully. It is propelled by an external agent but succeeds only after an internal conversation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSjLiHEsHRmdYcRD1jOjEodRq7fFIDCHp3jr-nAEdtp-WdrO73AxwJy1TcYou7X-CcId8t0qdMz9eF4qQ3okchkkqGoYYEZcWZ4YPLQNNRd-u9H_3pmkq7IsKVDZJgRkMxwc-NCeJiewcp9glmEy0Ym7f1iORfb3pjWu0mepzzgWhjiToVuEv1tluz_Cza=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjksNrVTPOmfnFjA99naxMDS4G42mcd6vR8u-gQIfQVGg9--iD5WtXzNR2EML9yVxafQ9QbdFyIFT3GXuzg2_sXQHT3T8D1hZM8TZtO-CEU9hbzhAq78hG5Y5E-RdKECXXJgYVggvzzKdwXiqFBvS82UdcdNMY3m-wv2XZAmOe0hNn4vTM1VWlXfwOVsjo5=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="328" data-original-width="640" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhprWCEziZUmQxfvaqVvl369CK5_oeUIX4ZQoQahlbPTFIVmuveAUDvkGexGhuFMQ-IysXkQKIu-pJf7ffh_ijBpIuvpmPKIXRHpsnNiV4zw816JeW9DC_xAjgCHqR3E6XeFFZa_Q9glE0rKlWXlLhfTt27Ptj3ibFc2P_GHPYTkIZAOqBkzb3uACFETMee=w640-h328" width="640" /></div></div></div><div>Other Reading:</div><div>1. On Sriram Raghavan's <i>Badlapur</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2015/04/badlapur-of-badla-change-and-badla.html" target="_blank">Link</a>.</div><div>2. On Shoojit Sircar's <i>October</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2018/07/octoberfragrance-of-jasmine.html" target="_blank">Link</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dialogue of the Day:<br />"<i>Prakriti hai toh pragati hai</i>."<br /></div></div><div>—Jana, <i>Bhediya</i></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-13026289155473173282023-06-01T23:57:00.001-07:002023-06-02T00:03:40.244-07:00The Greyness of Vikram Vedha<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOmFZiLjtMg0gdx6m_ba-vQdmWaG-x5HTTf77teChnk8why4KT1U0NdMAo3WV600XOaDCnlvBv7HQjJEN870hVnPKqoNUM2-IvIE0QEIfl8aQABE6YmuUW22VZvy49xI4TofNyfA4RXTh_oSPKa0zJBBU8VvFGCSEV1TksJ8iTHW65BAJyCOyEBYuP2w=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pushkar and Gayatri's <i>Vikram Vedha</i> is a film about grey, thematically and cinematically. The grey is present in the characteristics of its protagonists—the good Vikram (Saif Ali Khan) and the evil Vedha (Hrithik Roshan). White is associated with good; black is connected with evil. However, life often combines both, forming grey. There is a little good in evil and a little evil in good. Vikram is a policeman who believes he is fighting crime, but he, too, routinely indulges in encounter killings to dispense justice. Vedha is a local gangster who indulges in political killings but also has inherent goodness. They both are good men; they both are criminals. They both have shades of grey.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1323" data-original-width="2768" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2_FbDsM00OEqXofPmy-_k-JW-Xbr8XYBAC5vtRsWYBMUC7xOHECCoPmGWyywb7IbY6VF1MNIIH8L41yxD3g-Yr0mSrRlRBSSNmP0kfLUdMOcbh0ga5n8usMwYgcJSJrYBnEflhO7MsKoJYDPFI7YMxsvCk7_kb0Ea6l-WUd6SCpiU-V7BpVH5mHrN6A=w640-h306" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vedha and Vikram are like each other. They both are family men. Vikram is devoted to his wife, Priya (Radhika Apte). Vedha is attached to his younger brother, Shatak (Rohit Saraf). Vikram has encountered people. Vedha has murdered people. So, why is Vikram feted while Vedha is banished? <i style="text-align: center;">Kala kya safed kya, k</i><i style="text-align: center;">i donon mein hai bhed kya, y</i><i style="text-align: center;">e khamakha nazar ki bhul hai—</i>Manoj Muntashir's lyrics in the song <i>Bande</i> explain their similarity. There is not any difference between white and black. It is only a trick played by the vision. The two men also complement each other. <i>Ram ko Ram banaane mein Raavan ka bahut bada haath hota hai</i>. Raavan here has shades of Ram. On Dussehra, Vedha kills the man who branded his brother as a Raavan effigy burns behind him. And Ram here has shades of Raavan. Vikram shoots an innocent Shatak in a fake encounter killing. Characters become a hero or a villain based on a perspective. A villain is a hero in his eyes. Vedha is the Ram of <i>his</i> story. Vedha is the Raavan in Vikram's story. Vikram is the Ram of <i>his</i> story. Vikram is the Raavan in Vedha's story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDQz0u9hr0WWSLUO4ytu9WLBMcUrKcYAGOX-MelfkfWNoSJJWVpwqQsE2uQWW_8F2TbYu77P6Sbf09yuxW7vQhFZ9bOFbzg1zQPGH4jwuULMM1O8DQNau6XX4l5NIiMe2B02xeVeSc1imF4dJUSNNtRX_0EUerR9gWK5rWzDz05kpms5AAiuAGzEI0JQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div><div>The aspect of evil and good being similar was also seen in Anurag Kashyap's <i>Raman Raghav 2.0,</i> which was again a story of a cop Raghav (Vicky Kaushal), and a killer Raman (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). They both were alike. They both were killers. If Raman killed three of his family members, Raghav aborted three children of his own, so what is the difference? Raman uses a car jack to kill his victims; Raghav uses his gun to kill people. They were mirror images of each other. The film's poster also showed the two men's half faces merged, highlighting their similarity.</div><div></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEit_01rRtERhziOY-RP1v9-lOqdSBP0aT1ANEeGd-lgBK0S75rOlsZChA_sTEIWdAbX8rDabyjG84xG6Vx-QZjcUyGbykAf_qeEtbV8c2YjnXdmMArupA5R4pF-X9Ba4xB99onlnskSWD0pNDqo7CDTb30oVIpgjUyK6qWBM7VZqoB0BOxVbB9QMyUVBg=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The greyness is also present in <i>Vikram Vedha</i>'s cinematographic color. Early in the film, Vikram is dressed in a plain white shirt. Gradually, the color of his shirt becomes progressively grey, and by the end, he is wearing a grey shirt. At one early point during the scene, when Vikram is interrogating Vedha in jail, the white light from the window dominates the frame. By the film's end, the dominant white is replaced with grey. The factory where the film ends has only shades of grey as if reversing the colors of the earlier scene. This grey is in line with the film's theme.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2167" height="591" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimDu98EQQnQqSLcWUdiB4P7fhDI5tFV33KYST5KL37XaLgdNrm2uy0jf3OXAi6e9h6gomqZDn71ND68FO-hn0HCMuBwEEyVWlILCKI-wPMz6fVO5mNV-JE_fG8u4c9Q8yAplvUES6KgjmhxYob4xt28yYOW_13m6njIqxOgR3W3NXaB5zwYrS9TjOviQ=w640-h591" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Vikram Vedha</i> opens with the origin story of King Vikramaditya and the ghost Betaal. These characters are from '<i>Betaal Pachisi,</i>' which is a collection of stories told to the wise Vikramaditya by the witty Betaal. The stories have philosophical, moral, and ethical conundrums in the context of a life-or-death struggle. As can be guessed, <i>Vikram Vedha</i> is inspired by these folk tales. Here, Vikramaditya is Vikram; Betaal is Vedha. Vedha's last name is also Betaal. In the film, whenever Vikram and Vedha meet, the latter tells him a philosophical story that also helps unravel the film's plot. There are three stories here:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZ2G0jZkZDpIue5bO8UJBAZnO_6P81QiTWr2118kwaYmp4dWEnrZL1sEd7l5IvEORhZSQDbJR2hf3MXzOHEDaOK63qIw6dwDpTeeTR39vdUPxflrTZc5XRnY76skRXeN4afMJkE7pm9v6H67CvtGlA56VawQDd4UTZVbVjNp-Nt3zn9s7Mw3YDUByu_Q=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <i>Chor-Chor</i>: It is easy to choose between right and wrong. But how to select between two wrongs? Which one is worse—the one who committed the crime or the one who gave orders to commit the crime? This forms the <i>dharam sankat</i> of the first story that Vedha narrates to Vikram. The two men use the principle of e<i>k apraadh, ek dand </i>and concur that the one who gave the orders to commit the crime is the more guilty one. This story reminded me of Ravi Udyawar's <i>Mom</i> which also asked a similar question—"<i>Galat aur bahut galat mein se chunana ho; toh aap kya chunenge?</i>" While telling the story, Vedha uses two water glasses to explain the conundrum, and it is worth mentioning that the glasses are of different sizes—one small and one large—in line with the guilt of his story's characters. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoGOspFzlZwECzfcilm2bB8GLtAqleVOj-2zMkfuGGNIqb5d4E-imWnD4c8cn8u1xd7SPrlNgu97GhE5qyb-unDG3PoDDZnA6afBqvv5LjVdFw_gNl8njl9ud0YeNzzbetWK6myauSY2oDV5x5wYQl7FOhY_ZgqO09DQOXMQ9iNtTRBs0Je0196-IEMQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <i>Chor-Chorni</i>: In the first story, Vedha had to choose between two wrongs, but in this one, he has to choose between two rights. The <i>dharam sankat</i> in this story is between <i>maryada ya moh</i>. Principle or attachment. Vedha chooses <i>moh</i> and decides to fight against <i>maryada</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyrwcPjhKXHbEB4kQBFpWr8xR1sF3ZfcjR2C2gWVw7oGNTRh1V3t8sv1EkPmTGijcWMBVghLgSWTmSl00rbMTZCbUIFanBj0TQvUg1A3ilu2aDCN8-_I_9aWvuNYeN3iE7QgfFFf-X07xkYDWwEn-GnwBFKiHCjpF6IAonYVqh-rclLzP9G7amTBkp3Q=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. <i>Chor-Police</i>: In his third and final story, Vedha reveals the line that separates good and evil—the <i>Lakshman Rekha—</i>is not really a line. It is actually a circle, and all the characters are fighting in that one. The concepts of heaven-hell, truth-lie, and sin-virtue are hogwash. The police is also a <i>chor</i>. One must keep their eyes open and not be blinded by these things. <i>Bhale bure mein fark kya hai, swarg kya hai nark kya hai, ye paap punya sab fijul hai</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_qgHL8zuHcXIslJr8ghZglEIplrORvmPTAMKZAP4MJhF8QBPREmOAUvjDElt2Nqu87VC6MG3_Hhyc-LZa0ODj76N1uvGxOzHtKkoqB3z5_43lk_mkh1kaNdJZXV8CjqDeScQs2HmAv6_b8zpyDI4IghpKG_5Hk2JZ7YKZT7oKBwp_opH78qt1g6USjA=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides Ram and Ravan, <i>Vikram Vedha</i> is teeming with other religious references. There is the mention of Shiv and the snake. There is the mention of Bajrang Bali. There is the mention of King Parashuram. Characters are also named after religious figures. Characters also belong to different religions. In this aspect, it is worth also mentioning the film invokes another fictional superhero Shaktimaan. Shatak believes that Shaktimaan is a hero as he helps the underprivileged. <i>Jo chhote logon ki madad kare</i>. Later, Vedha tries to become Shaktimaan trying to help the poor with his <i>small loans, big smiles </i>program. This again highlights the film's recurring theme that Vedha is Betaal, but he is also Shaktimaan.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0BG3aHUjrCfibwpd4Jb_QJVEP4jG5JOagtbhFusRCG8SPfuYB0LJ4jPKDAxm2uIrmoyO3rBLvLduP0qD0dC3hU6Mb7RQvoc8pUALMhKzyUBwezOHQQq7V7f5tBgEu1GMj-Rf_D6mGJrPuB74whktXZoJvyNC2te1ZsZy0vw7RGJcxmt2lh16zzTybjw=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many mainstream Hindi films focus on daring action sequences. The more the budget, the more daring the action sequences. <i>Vikram Vedha </i>shows that action can be stylized and be made innovative in other ways without involving jumping from skyscrapers and diving from airplanes. The film's action sequences are so fabulously done by Parvez Shaikh (who also did action for <i>WAR</i>) that they have a certain musicality. Most recently, Anirudh Iyer's <i>An</i> <i>Action Hero </i>also did something interesting with action, especially the sequences when Maanav (Ayushmann Khurrana) escapes from the police in England. <i>Vikram Vedha </i>has at least four great action sequences.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPgAAkwDeyDPCrGrXFDfXBXonvdSPPv3azA6RHy_CiKHlfZSieaCTz6uXHOlNGiE_75K_V-soxAyY0bQmR1Hpn34TTFPqi5PaUQTXcOmyUbtFiRRxnwNgcGxjSFLw5fP7CHusClDuEPeTG2Lgyo0cOGoXGT_D9S8DekcWU-AZ7phxWoT8iMdTti-X8zA=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <i>Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisar</i>: The said sequence opens with Vedha and several neighborhood guys driving to the fields. A rival gang has kidnapped a young boy. Vedha wants to bring the boy back to protect the turf of his master Parashuram. One of the guys wonders how they will find the boy. "<i>Udaan bharne ke liya na aasmaan dekhna padta hai, zameen nahi. Baaz ki nazar se dekhoge, shikaar shikaari, dono dikhaai denge,</i>" says Vedha. The men then look at the sky and see a bunch of eagles circling, making them infer the kidnappers' location where the boy has been hidden. One of the kidnappers then picks up a radio and takes a piss. Vedha tries to attack him with a knife but stops as the radio starts playing his favorite song <i>Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisar</i> from <i>Anari</i>. The pissing guy sees Vedha and attacks him. Vedha tells him to let the song finish, and they can begin the 'action.' However, no one seems to wait, and we see the action where the men attack each other while the song plays. The men fight with sickles. They are thrown into the air. They fall from thatched roofs. They fall in the water. They fall on the rocks. They fall on the tables. They are punched in the face. They splash the sand. They splash the water. They have guns, but it ain't a gunfight. The <i>dhishoom dhishoom</i> sounds are replaced by the music. All this plays out in slow motion. It is fantastically choreographed like the fight itself is the dance of this song.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0UOQEwz6NU3newKEb4regS3CznCCxoCf-R4Cicw5v19oQA8yP7kTVzkBI3GI2yK0u0uMONWO6vb2EeEYP1OVEjBIuu-jFXaTngdaqXQ-glQASFlbTXVQj3oKmHNspyUFlEY_H6fkdsV8D5H-IAYDZ_Gl0eRN7_1zNN8zffcHVe7hALzCCX4ekxi-GPg=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3EKEDFTegbcM_WfQAv6WbYv1oVoK00uR5xbuqovty51CQvMU8tyrfXUIGxqEfR1LZpfFtnZ5JUKF_j7iztE1UoEmKqPTuoldo18hH2n0qysScU7dVtoQUuIK7a4c4lEpHYg7pp9m3eyaSAmFoEFlfP_93EgA0kDK6plEgDyFpYPPEXlMKhUcHjKUAGA=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy_USErgUb0n8wz8fQcmoEMJJmgfJBMxVPlBfoVXv0q85N1RlysuzUUddlvgE8aYkDbmOJk_q4WU1QnAOWb9_tJ3r1fJIox72ebsQDd2ZRAOrblWS4N3RZg0e45_L74yrnZy1WD43wVJESLXsBB0j7bKmpP_PlN4HN8550mxkNFUJnJi5ej8aNFxvUlw=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <i>Walk in the City</i>: Another superbly crafted sequence is the one when Vedha escapes from the policeman when they try to come for him. He calls it a game of '<i>aankh-micholi</i>'—hide and seek. Unlike other films, any other protagonist (or antagonist) would be running and sprinting. Vedha, however, simply walks. He is in no apparent rush. He takes his time. He greets the people he meets on the way. He uses a nunchuk as a pulley on an electricity wire to cross the road. He walks on the terraces coolly while the policemen run around looking for him. In this particular situation, he also behaves like his namesake Betaal, escaping from the police in front of their eyes. The sequence is smooth, just like the Hrithik Roshan dance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="2860" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6PE2oDuf4bGaQQb_75lX9Or50uqRWuaQazEuV8pQ8yM81lcD67bSSzBSxgr5gpXGcMPbSnLdfjH3hdDuJC_1yNzGy52Np93E3eBfL5YUl2A3URsHD7LMWUl5y3GdEuMyo0K9hzZrHQCIEM6qH_pu5twWp21-n_jv5_GpgAKuWshi2bAXW-FmQ8nqm3Q=w640-h264" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. <i>Fight in the Market</i>: This particular sequence begins with a traffic jam, and then the action segues into shops of a market. The action occurs in mundane shops, including those selling utensils. In a particularly memorable moment, Vedha drags the face of a goon on the broken glass of a car window. Later, there are more broken glasses and mirrors, and Vedha emerges as the winner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifOfluilM5nFXrVcU9UO2VTKgV6ndpesqtm1F8TiYLs-mCd_PlXkPYEyIW-N9eN0aX0wg0uI62dey9gLA_wWGTdBXZTg4Ihof6kPNRYicqi0R0BqvbSQ9urP5bFmgQzyXWbYUNWIB9I0ow4FBMdI1P9qXRIB9H8gHVggET8iN_BL8kPrR-GrekfR2New=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. <i>Fight in the Building</i>: Another superbly crafted sequence is depicted when Vedha goes to eliminate Babloo (Sharib Hashmi). The setting is compelling. Babloo's hideout is an under-construction building. As he goes up the spiral staircase, Vedha kills Babloo's acolytes with a knife. Rivers of blood flow freely. And <i>Bande</i> plays in the background. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifrtPFKFKQ6DTulVKcTgrndh42plgtMRyzzyxurg8CDN3nWFN25nBpVa_3LSObLjrxmCOX0atNnZsHzbOyfiKSrFZeYsZ-6svD9JwHy-51g7ybdvDLgvvBfP335N7k6GmqprE3vAEzgcRKeTeLClVoDHPutuGlviP9et1tR6ES7_yBFlzWLdFWyB09lg=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another notable thing about the film's action sequences is that they are shot in atypical places. Old monuments, tunnels, factories, tanneries, and <i>havelis</i>. The camera captures the action in compelling frames. While the film is a remake, it also makes sense that it is set in Uttar Pradesh, which of late, has become notorious for its state-sanctioned encounter killings. It was also interesting to see the film showing close-up shots of meat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfryUG4SMcMnnrmDJ5mxfjW55SyIjdF5UeVf9fjzJHOGNLguIZJmS0k1N4iq2QnOHXxyN3dtyAyemlv0UhrpzqoATGC5RM41OxmjBAjKEAb76BgKV1jJCVfPlGNuXrdJwKDJgJ9HvoglcgM1ddsQHHlv7PlDswFvts52kG9AF22XY4OgOUQgkzhZpzJQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Vikram Vedha</i> has fantastic performances by both its leading men. Hrithik Roshan, however, is exceptional. He deserves all the accolades. Vedha's interaction with his younger brother reminds one of Rohit's interaction with his younger brother in <i>Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai</i>. The two groups of brothers have a set of hand gestures. Other cast members are not as memorable. The other jarring aspect of the film is the paid product placements. There were just far too many, and they became distracting. These ads feel out of place now, but I realize I am not producing the film. So, whatever works. I wish there were more philosophical elements in the film. But I must say, after a really long time, I have enjoyed watching a Hindi film. Fantastic acting, great action, superb background score, interesting story, beautiful visuals, what is not to like. More of such films, please.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="916" data-original-width="2100" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8K1jT7JyNsQkZ9J3kIWgIYxGs5a8Be8fgfXMmXoEySb_WA7Itz0tFdbwdygPnjbcZHgFzJbvtuvR91W8dMC1eF53D1A67hM6QWzLM8y71oMkS9NdUB2c8F59mCQmh6866NklJnHZW4ReMBeUcShIh8T5AeGhG_K4yYg0egYfMrEZZG21wx56p3K0xVA=w640-h280" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDlcPCxqk0PH3X5HcqSLlaRE_7iO6s7xrFM59L5hO1hjG9z74mD8KqOlR5yYQrzAoxi5gf1FRcfV196J4Tj7M2kuqVdCsZC_VlFcg9i6mTq4GRpdSjsNQZ3twCJLkb_ky-w7rGY-dVK0r236_06gt51w9Z7g2zcan0QFMhoAAgprIx8VtaITApPKI81w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="954" data-original-width="2212" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDlcPCxqk0PH3X5HcqSLlaRE_7iO6s7xrFM59L5hO1hjG9z74mD8KqOlR5yYQrzAoxi5gf1FRcfV196J4Tj7M2kuqVdCsZC_VlFcg9i6mTq4GRpdSjsNQZ3twCJLkb_ky-w7rGY-dVK0r236_06gt51w9Z7g2zcan0QFMhoAAgprIx8VtaITApPKI81w=w640-h276" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFVHfOVSC5FLMUatvK9LXInMJKqQWhqQ4EFwWfVxJOXMkFctWDERCIz1zCqdxPdqkej-cOO2MtadUTRgP4SnO1UrBdsveJAN3x7tDAYAtk2zgFvkwA7dwl-zMeRzm-yb-duAFAL92LMd8I1bBcZemXV1l0KpJy05wybErHNlXkZkmH3aQzj5UVCO6r5Q=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Shantilal Soni also made <i>Vikram Vetal </i>which was released in 1986. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hr_PKMvBqNs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Apart from <i>Anari</i>, the film had another Raj Kapoor song <i>Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo </i>from<i> Mera Naam Joker. </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>Raman Raghav 2.0</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2016/08/raman-raghav-20of-raman-and-raghavan.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i>Mom</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/11/momof-revenge-and-mahabharata.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Udaan bharne ke liya na aasmaan dekhna padta hai, zameen nahi. Baaz ki nazar se dekhoge, shikaar shikaari, dono dikhaai denge</i>."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">—Vedha, <i>Vikram Vedha</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-8751242426228564122023-05-20T14:28:00.007-07:002023-05-20T18:44:52.582-07:00Birthday Number — 36<p style="text-align: justify;">I turned 36 today. Actually yesterday. I was so tired yesterday that I slept at 10 PM and did not wake up till the next morning. It is the first time in years that I have missed writing a post on this day. I did nothing special yesterday. It was the usual day. I woke up at 6.30 AM. I had three meetings, so I could not take a leave. I reached work early, at 8 AM. I got a brownie for myself (no counting calories for one day). I went to the top floor of a different office building that has nice views of water. I clicked my picture and had my brownie. Then, I spent the day doing the usual work and then came home. I went for the last workout of the week. I wanted to have nice food, but I did not feel like going out. I thought to get something nice delivered but then delivery times were more than an hour. So, I decided to cook the usual stuff. Then, I wanted to write this post but fell asleep as I was so tired. It never happens to me that I sleep at 10 PM.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In terms of life updates, I already posted something here a few weeks ago. I was a little happy-sad yesterday. At 36, we expect to be at some point in life, but I have been left a bit behind because of my actions and inactions. 40 is just four years away, and it ain't a good feeling. But I try to be happy and busy; I have taken up a part-time job which leaves me less time to think about these things. One thing I am also investing heavily in is my health. I wish I started this when I was in my early twenties. It really boosts one's confidence. I would have been a different person now. But it is never too late to think better about yourself.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have been thinking about my plans for the coming months. I have some things I want to reach, but still trying to work out the path to reach. Rest, I will let life take its own course.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <img data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkZHN0_FD-LlJySxTaRDCkcVqoSginreGxGHuWeEYw6iLl9Deo7u576-BoEpd2v1AKxUT7VjLB6mA9hzqRKipd4McrBwG3jdjylfxi68ouhmiDFtRvv5_3cK20Qfhwkub5Mfz4LSbxA4uUoXLwznyDyn4dOQHDvcBqZ1RVEXUrpEtSQTfyxDecQiUurQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Happy birthday to me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">"<i>If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead</i>."</div>— Auguste Gusteau, <i>Ratatouille</i>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-47117259072548659592023-05-07T22:29:00.000-07:002023-05-07T22:29:13.832-07:00The Beginnings of Zoya Akhtar's Films<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="2859" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgY5EHilTqYOCPEc68wm9vZbXs_1gHRxlz6hCRx7GAQtnE3SorLPoG3aBtspdJiUZaBSkayvp9qJqhKig9IadximS4Yr7nCP2Ocisb5RL1UsMOM11d-jlsF790RlTrNlEey533H-NDVeqfYYf8fbb59O2Mcc9rBSAcA4G2QfrAzdY94tcSaujpjUC1d8g=w640-h280" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Zoya Akhtar has received much appreciation for her work. Her films espouse liberal ideas and are told from the perspective of someone who grew up in South Bombay. A noteworthy thing is that all her films are shot splendidly, with a special emphasis on the opening sequence. So, in this post, I elaborate on how she designs the beginning of her films.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="2823" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1wN1FIW3qUjaOmIBhhFrMh_ueMAqc6gJdszeIMFWM60JP9aFsbJXBwaLwZAvrnr0l7xzHIzVCB869gag8snYPpasRMQunTYQNZoXjfLnh1_gkcWKLw4hMQCo3k4VuNDZ40CTfVpyjHu80B7O-l8J3KnGBAJBSNa62l-YY92LiH16XSW9MN8v1ZfNvQQ=w640-h290" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Akhtar's first film, <i>Luck By Chance,</i> told the story of two struggling actors trying to make it big in the film industry. The film opens with a woman named Sona (Konkana Sen Sharma) sitting in the office of Pinky Productions. A small-time producer, Satish Chadhury (Alyy Khan), tries to convince her there is no need for a screen test for her as a filmmaker's eye is the camera. It is destiny that has brought Sona into his office. Subtly, he asks her to keep meeting him so they get to know each other better. Sona understands his implication and silently agrees. Thus, the first scene in the film depicts the infamous casting couch where actresses are propositioned for sexual favors in return for casting them in film roles. <span style="text-align: left;">After this moment, one of the most beautiful opening credits in Hindi cinema come to life. The opening montage, filmed on the heartwarming song <i>Yeh Zindagi Bhi</i>, shows the various professions associated with the making of a film, without whom it would never have been made. It is only befitting then that a film on film pays homage to these unsung artists, creators, and supporters, each of whom plays a crucial role in making a film.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbJKEAuaoQLdsWiK5SEovk4McXGbLeycyoB97WOt_W62TeK56m8DOr9zI8L6VwFUeF0DV8HZs63Et1ePKn-todxFJr3r6TJl0JcupKcJ71HHgHOSn_DPWfOMx2ZTnXVzxXyzKyxn3Jh8HFczF196Yw4AA0_SMsVZ80ZUePCiaJfZMpJ9HNJQdEyUh47w=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Yeh Zindagi Bhi </i>opens with a man wearing a 'Crew' shirt breaking a coconut as it happens in the <i>mahurat</i> of films. Then, there is a shot of the famous Maganlal Dresswala office,</span> a noted costume provider for Hindi films based in Mumbai. A replica of Madhubala's dress from <i>Mughal-E-Azam </i>and Madhuri Dixit's iconic purple saree from <i>Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!</i> can also be seen in the frame. <span style="text-align: left;">Maganlal Dresswala</span> is known for its period costumes in many films, including <i>Mughal-E-Azam</i>, and the mythological series <i>Ramayan</i> and <i>Mahabharat</i>. In 2012, <i>Dresswala</i>, a documentary film directed by Shriya Pilgaonkar and Siddharth Joglekar, traced the rise of Maganlal Dresswala. The four-minute <a href="https://vimeo.com/52785220" target="_blank">documentary</a> had an interview with one of Masterjis, who also appears in <i>Yeh Zindagi Bhi</i> briefly towards the end.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="2858" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgF2uejuIE53wFDkPvKzx9l3Hjddjj8TOE9SuaWszBPN1wzX6XRek2AskczV9o_WBIB-BtlVDtZZltuXY7CPSdD1UGjL-l0MaBwMu-V3FpxOPIggTO-y1scvm3UM1k-89yPy9flpltTqaN5pOgpf2OVRiWAFVt_GZKt5Wy-dnSnw7PwrWMTkIjP_5kY4w=w640-h280" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="2781" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMtN4k-jMh69OAVqYNI5-DFNCXGdtwjYeV960TwHg00vCBCLfiZO75E6iYZYBio5G6yjV_PTnwE1cBBoVx6TPoWUmYXBrBaHyLaTOunvq2Oz_TzNcHhpksjcYSXIllvm2yHwY9Ce6uvv_qJkMzTzfKJeEssYL_xan97Ea68HT5iLpIFOurErtSHrcM1g=w640-h298" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="2839" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaehr3dqBi-2AnMoUlAzuuIZnI0FPPI8axCMQkGFt13kiHrbwscbuWuDXjljdcZORiDMJ_iHnX0otlI5O3sdkL2x80wrOO9ks6SuYYR8aLUL_seNbl8FoHyWFLgndD0pbjh-s6IUjdS2iDEQHMOagnRYQ0NmnHunryKyap_CBtQMzDQvemFendt0hZ8w=w640-h286" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then after the costumes, a woman dressed as a fairy stands in front of a toilet, whom Akhtar calls her favorite moment from the credits. Thereafter, we see poster artists, police inspectors, security guards, make-up artists, costume designers, set designers, producers, cameramen, spot boys, cooks, choreographers, special-effect artists, supporting actors, cinema ticket sellers, film projectionists, sound recordists, caterers, and background singers. The people who played the same role in <i>Luck By Chance</i> are mentioned with them. <span style="text-align: left;">There is also a shot of the bound script with a cup of tea lying on it as a riposte to the time when films only existed in the director's head. </span>At another point, an usher is shown who is standing in a theater that is playing Farah Khan's <i>Main Hoon Na</i>. Khan, who is Akhtar's cousin, also paid homage to those who worked in <i>Main Hoon Naa</i> in its ending credits. <i style="text-align: left;">Yeh Zindagi Bhi</i> ends with a shot outside a theater called <i>Kismet Talkies</i> which was one of the possible titles of the film. Its lyrics<i> </i>also beautifully surmise the film's theme. <i>Don't complain if you stumble anywhere, as your dreams might break while chasing them</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Jo palko ke tale,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hai apne sapne leke chale,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hai kehdo woh chale sambhal ke,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Na karna koi gile,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Kahin jo thokar aaisi lage,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ke sapne tute aansu chhalke.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifolIw0FD9YjMHsJCt_2wLBIHUgzxO0vs2VZ3D7jBp_hi-wfWBo450YfZZJZJug3-3MvLTQ6JnF0ZsglXorPKPFAD1TDZ7iLDe-Bz090kbRoE0k01BP7seIJQlLfDXu31MfdKjBeH18Bi3FwjO2bbY3CGlgeVV8m_VYJBInT8-KXQPHgd8rR6PNm-3bA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The opening montage is moving because it comes from a place of genuine love for the film. One of my favorite moments from it is the one when a lady helps an actor wear a saree. We don't see the actor; instead, we see the smile on the face of the lady. These are the people whose names are mentioned in the opening and the ending credits, but we skip reading about them. Netflix allows viewers to 'Skip Intro' at the beginning or immediately takes them to the next episode. Even the Academy Awards decided not to televise awards for technical categories live. In the age of binge-watching, watching credits is a form of rebellion.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="2727" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMqH7KMHtjqGT5TQQooRnNxt2u0w_mJY7AaO3J9fqbODsULval3teHle8X7SIhJ7Bhm0Resqb-UWPer8gB3E_NEk88Y1phGmz-GRvVy0tHIXAVophKqJjGPFDW_qrIpAivnjUKkll9Ya4ar-to6LTVn34V-7cmLAZ0UTrirHQ5OVxAroiqCS4Idu4x0Q=w640-h300" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Akhtar's second film, <i>Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, </i>told the story of three friends who traveled to Spain<i>.</i> The three friends—Arjun (Hrithik Roshan), Imran (Farhan Akhtar), and Kabir (Abhay Deol)—call themselves the three musketeers. The opening song of the film, titled <i>Dil Dhadakne Do,</i> shows them getting ready for the flight to Barcelona. This sequence<i> </i>is the perfect example of the 'Show, Don't Tell'—a technique writers use to let the audience experience the story through actions, words, and subtext rather than exposition. The song contrasts the characters of the three friends, especially Arjun and Imran, and we learn more about them by observing their actions. How they pack for their trip brings out the difference in their characters. Arjun is clinical and methodical. His clothes are neatly lined in the closet, and he takes them and puts them in a <i>suitcase</i>. Imran is chaotic and casual. He simply grabs him and shoves them in his <i>bag</i>. Arjun puts all his documents in the folder. Imran packs his diaries and headphones but forgets his passport. Arjun wears formal shoes. Imran wears sports shoes. Arjun rolls his ties perfectly. Imran simply rolls his shirt. Arjun's room has all the coffee tables and books. Imran's room has comics. In the airplane, Arjun travels business class. He takes out his laptop and reads a business magazine. Imran travels economy. He flirts with the air hostess. These differences provide more insight into their character rather than any exposition. Even the color palette of their rooms tells us more about Arjun (black) and Imran (colorful). In this montage, Kabir is also present, either thinking, playing video games, or sleeping, but it is primarily Arjun and Imran who are the focus of the song because, as we soon find out, they have some conflict going on. The song ends with them reaching Barcelona, and the audience gets to tour the city while they travel to their hotel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioibzcAzWOea-FDYdPgSvnWOCjYhTpXa0x0ZZE8DjVKAl1PqX_GotOqSIlXEltVw3R2QQ0aXTZsy0bw6nEgN2bu_P0CjBBFitBz-LshHL63L24bbrArhRUhoP-O7VwgIy6xq-4NYje1ENr2gbfJmuTkm8MHDpyqMhREVw54KKcBzurltvWt3DcG4wheQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In her next film, <i>Dil Dhadakne Do</i>, Akhtar told the story of a dysfunctional upper-class family living in Delhi. Unlike <i>Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara</i>, the opening of this film is the <i>opposite</i> of 'Show, Don't Tell.' It uses the family dog Pluto (voiced by Aamir Khan) as the narrator to give a background of the characters. There is also an opening montage that involves animals and humans. The scenes of animals are in black and white, while those of humans are both black and white and colored. The commentary is about how humans have defined their (arbitrary) concept of time. There are shots of people celebrating their birthdays and wedding ceremonies. Then, the commentary segues into the life of the Mehras, providing details about their current family situation. The exposition-heavy opening effectively sets the story's context, but the pop-philosophical dialogue seems a bit preachy. Perhaps, that is why the opening is not as memorable as her other films.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6bYNJSvgeDjymuPCrsbviH6uBZscBzgUKKgwaB5ia7bq4sPoein4FdGhWWIG1nkvbuLu5YoOLv4cOJ8V2RfHgg-8qrYJLxGBP1XA61vuRjzdGd4sNBnSnNySt6nr5ol2g9VdORGJsOvXgrOtT8gq3Y82eppZsPSs7jNEh_31G46EraH6cgB9GC-RCOQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>Gully Boy</i>, Akhtar brought to life the rags-to-riches story of a rap singer Murad (Ranveer Singh), originating from the slums of Mumbai. Here again, the opening is splendid. It does not have a montage (the montage, in fact, appears in another song <i>Doori</i>). The opening sequence has two different strands. Both these opening strands try to deceive the audience or challenge them somehow. The film's first shot is not of the hero Murad, as typically happens in many films; instead, the first shot is of Murad's friend Moeen (Vijay Verma). Moeen takes a long walk in the city at night. He signals Murad and another friend, who are standing at the roadside. The two follow him from behind, and Moeen leads them to eventually steal a car. In this sequence, Moeen emerges as the 'hero,' while Murad is only a supporting actor. However, he would soon become the 'Gully Boy.' Then, there is the second opening, where Murad's girlfriend, Safeena (Alia Bhatt), is introduced. The setting is that Murad is on a bus, sitting towards the end while listening to music. Then, Safeena and her mother (Sheeba Chaddha) enter the same bus. There is any seat available for Safeena, so she stands. She looks around and then sees Murad sitting. Their eyes meet. There is a palpable sexual tension in how they glance at each other. It appears they are meeting each other for the first time. But then her mother gets down, and Safeena goes and sits next to Murad. She takes one of his earphones and puts it in her ear. Then, it becomes clear to us that they have known each other before. This is not their first meeting at all. Film critic Rahul Desai beautifully explains more about them in <i><a href="https://indiaindependentfilms.com/2019/05/24/for-the-love-of-gully-boy/" target="_blank">For the “love” of Gully Boy</a> </i>where he writes, <span style="text-align: left;">"<i>We don’t see them fall for each other or “begin”– a mid-love template hinted at in their first scene, where one is led to believe they don’t know each other until they hold hands. They are childhood sweethearts, already nine years together when the film begins</i>."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDvwoFHFA_rtdSKif49y9qMQ4WbRhY0OkkARn3gcSvoFrC3lDu7n05rJWMy8jjfb5Y-thcgUQ2wy5HGl-MxomXbCHdFxXOlStCvYtl9AYzw0wBPzbPB9C3rpYK7ZtrALxGukZdKRjrJn3BTO7I1kzDLJC3qGL6FTbWnjVus2_g4FBsrSzERoeIp3-huw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Gully Boy</i></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqhghLRqaKOeC1ZG-jaPl-iX-9K3CaIGvHzhwgy3tTlZGuqbYkwmxcZOPki-oFLBuxbxK2Dp3gl-C35Jg60ZuxL8FFnt7Bdqm9sMsPpFBOe5eyRqxxX_w1563dgiBu3-APpeRzmaxD2pQ09Tk5CQP-7Ij0KW4tE35kjzYmyp041a_CVkc_YBnt5jFrSg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Doori</i> in <i>Gully Boy</i></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shades of this 'middle template' were also seen in <i>Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.</i> The film<span style="text-align: left;"> has a ten-minute opening sequence just before the song <i>Dil Dhadakne Do</i>. It starts with Kabir proposing to his girlfriend Natasha (Kalki Koechlin). It appears this is the start of the wedding celebrations and forms the basis of the film's story, where the three friends decide to go on a trip. Then, towards the film's end, this same sequence is repeated again, making it clear that the proposal was part of some misunderstanding between the two. Kabir got the ring for his mother on her birthday, but Natasha assumed it was for her. The overarching point here is that the <i>beginning</i> of this film was part of the <i>middle</i> here, like in <i>Gully Boy</i>.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="2816" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHzBdH0yV0da5sH3nQrv37dpJXJrnQeuI9kcpRWtAJ0xAQ-LV_sqMmq0VPMRv6KNoKtKVFwZcD3r0RGMjZF7yvWbOh0MTzA-LNvukOvF_Sw9eHBRXLlRTqqGmscH6adw3hZW1Ed4V8ihNlVTZB72dSdJlLgoum9bj2MUtEtb-t24EQzbjunEWHlY5rHA=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Akhtar's filmography includes three short films—<i>Bombay Talkies</i>, <i>Lust Stories</i>, and <i>Ghost Stories—</i>and one web series, <i>Made In Heaven</i>. All the aforementioned have a similar touch in their opening sequences. In <i>Bombay Talkies</i>, there is a lovely opening montage, this time with kids, where each describes what they would like to become in life. The kids talk about becoming lawyers, tennis players, businessmen, Spiderman, and football players. This sets the context for the film as it is about a boy forced to play football by his father while he enjoys dancing. Her short film in <i>Lust Stories</i> tells the story of a domestic helper Sudha (Bhumi Pednekar), who is in a sexual relationship with her employer Ajit (Neil Bhoopalam). The film opens with the two of them having sex. Then we see a montage of some beautiful still-life photography of the apartment. In <i>Ghost Stories</i>, a film about the horrors of old age and loneliness, the opening scene is eerie, with the crows cawing over the lead protagonist Sameera (Janhvi Kapoor). A dead crow pops up, portending the film's end. In the web series <i>Made In Heaven, </i>there is again a lovely opening sequence that comprises real-life wedding shots of ordinary people. It is again nicely done.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRdNfLB3RqqvLKh8GVjk-49WZkKbbTtXXNpoB5euCb6GCzJXDFo9UbUhG4Jusjvh6tQYfV6WjUe47Pz_fNvgB_4GM4k_xtbRDpuvFb9LfXHN4ngMHqCHOZ1po2w2w6J86KYCovT2xqPAk9fmbFzIgzWpjJfd9aBiY-XmlDORrGe0WT1_6-nG42GMXHGg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Bombay Talkies</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhU3y_1xEzoLIJAiMNPop2hvI2FIyLCHeegkSV36EGLiQwKNOhciYNR6EJgpOO5GX4rCoQeAoKNLCdGHidCJf__tTAaaVe0eMWVccf6lNr91vA72ZKAPMlH6p1OQwv1Q4CX8JSH5itOt__W298R65FqUAmTKIkr2FgNRaOYH_Df2fhtY8SIqgsb__iuEA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Lust Stories</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXXiVSdX7Wef3UyaY5L2J_GCZcUSHOXkoDiojs7rzi_g_9_6fs_KLvSYGN0HMN-eV_d2fHNllSYRNT2DNdNgNdCLQ6O-oehEmllq8iSlTvpm8PTxVI5YinD2RIbvtDRzwhCFOvJXcCZhS4mKSuG6Anyjf_9t0rvSH4dPzaqpjAb7Mu2f5IQOtPZcMBTw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div>Ghost Stories<br /></i></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The beginning of any film is integral to introducing the audience to its world and allows the filmmaker to establish its tone and character. Writer and director Greta Gerwig said, "<i>Getting the opening just right was so important. When I had it, I thought, 'There's a movie here.' I knew I could make that movie</i>." Zoya Akhtar's filmography depicts that she would likely agree with her peer.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSwxMJBK7kaA6scObAW_ClGuAZSaItwzBCtYzx625fn6jFe20TP6pmsVNebDaBEpQF92QG9c9fKxxY_n9dOBwaapx-RL95uju2gT9-zJnp2RnJOMaC7y9r_vWYOynw6cU9O2kN_UTK4PdhmK1gtKfarav3LE9rzhchRtAxsKLrW6Dw-Da2eQmqcKA6dg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Made In Heaven</i></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. My <a href="https://twitter.com/sachdeva_pankaj/status/1652537579223515145" target="_blank">tweet</a> was featured in <a href="https://www.news18.com/viral/how-zoya-akhtars-luck-by-chance-gave-hat-tip-to-bollywoods-costume-maker-maganlal-dresswala-7712533.html" target="_blank">News18</a> and <a href="https://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/maganlal-dresswala-in-the-opening-credits-of-luck-by-chance/" target="_blank">ScoopWhoop</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>Gully Boy</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2019/02/gully-boyapna-time-aayega.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i>Luck By Chance</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2013/11/of-fascinating-details-in-luck-by-chance.html" target="_blank">Link</a> and <a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2012/05/of-luck-by-chance-part-1.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. On <i>Dil Dhadakne Do</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2015/06/dil-dhadakne-do-let-heart-beat.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. On <i>Bombay Talkies</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2013/11/bombay-talkies.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. On <i>Lust Stories</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2018/07/lust-storiesheart-matters.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Main nahi badalta apna sapna apne sachai se mel khane ke vaaste, main apna sachai badlega joh mere sapne se mel khaye</i>."</div>—Murad, <i>Gully Boy</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-1386000703954723132023-03-26T18:02:00.003-07:002023-03-26T18:08:34.169-07:00Trivia Posts<div style="text-align: justify;">I have not updated trivia posts here for quite a while; however, I have been updating trivia bits on my Instagram account <a href="https://www.instagram.com/readingfilms/" target="_blank">@ReadingFilms</a> daily. Going forward, I will not post them here as they are already available there or on <a href="https://twitter.com/sachdeva_pankaj" target="_blank">my Twitter account</a>. Also, given the decline in hits of this blog, it does not motivate me to put them here. I will try to write normal posts on films, though I am contemplating if it makes sense to do that as well. I have been writing here for almost a decade, and I have come to the realization that I will never be a 'great writer.' I used to get restless earlier thinking about it, but now I have kind of accepted it. It does not bother me much. There is a certain freedom in acceptance. It makes me think everything I write here is pointless. And I get only two types of comments here, and I like neither of them, honestly. One, they say, I am a good observer. It makes me feel less valued, although they mean it well. A big part of writing is observing, and I have worked on this skill to improve a lot. It takes work to see. To research. To evaluate. To make sense of it. To find patterns. And the second type of comment that I hate more is that you think too much. I have clearly articulated all patterns with evidence. I wish more people understood that criticism has something called subtext.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My book also flopped (LOL). I sent my book to some friends, and they hardly even bothered to tell me how it was because they did not even read it. It hurts a little because if your friends behave like this, what to expect of others. Again, it does not bother me now. It is presumptuous of me to expect someone to take time out. People are busy in their lives. I should not have expected anything in the first place. The other bit I have realized is most people like to see you fail. I see this a lot on Twitter, and that is why I don't say anything personal on Twitter. I am very guarded. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, I have to think of my life ahead. We are all getting old. I don't want to waste my life. I want to live it well. I want to bring a change. I want a lot of things, but for that, I have to also work on a lot of things. Let's see how the next few months pan out.</div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-74833892290948715152023-03-18T21:45:00.008-07:002023-03-19T11:42:42.235-07:00Memorable Scenes from Films — 2022<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3593" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAZEALn2--1YRBydsqYAD8DUp3TnxXjhitNUuZZu2tIPwJtAlPduHS5vp5Pd4iAz1R8TWPTJ6IUFBsSAuEw7vxhzvkx51S4yl0DrBCmQCTXOnt5LsuRWyLJTpVR5BifR1HhkGf8-xCo9S5fM4EJBxYlBPtuHZGDLvE0G34-e2jfC115IbrquL2qs_SXQ=w640-h356" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is almost the end of the first quarter of 2023. It is late to talk about the films of 2022, but given how slowly I watch films, it is only recently that I managed to see some of the films of last year. As I do every year, I write about some scenes that come to my mind when I think about the films of 2022. Like it was in 2021, there were not many good films to watch, but compiling a few notes on some of my favorite moments.</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <i>Gehraiyaan</i>: Shakun Batra's <span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Gehraiyaan</i> is my favorite film of the year. It has a profoundly poignant scene between Alisha (Deepika Padukone) and her father, Vinod (Naseeruddin Shah), who tells her that she has to accept her past and choose to move on. There is no need to run away because we all are bigger than our mistakes. A sobbing Alisha asks, "<i>Do my choices even matter, Papa?</i>" Her father tells her, "<i>Yeh jaanane ka toh ek hi tareekha hai. You give yourself a chance.</i>" Like her mother, Alisha blamed</span> everything on her ill-fated luck. She and her mother used to play a game of snakes and ladders. When her mother lost the game, she said, "<i>Bad luck, I guess</i>." Her father had advised her mother the same thing, that one can always start again, even after losing. It is a choice even though it is difficult. Our past does not have to stop us from changing our present. <i>Gehraiyaan </i>is a lovely gem of a film. And, yes, no one can cry as gracefully as Deepika Padukone.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="2777" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7qoKh5aZ1EPulQYaZc20xoqBZgg9TyYjzX4WJNNEDg5FRat1oaj-2YNOw0Xhv9xHS7Puqfg_Orz3RcM0vpG9b3Vqe0ztZ7XDVmCfH8VdSy7Jimey5KuTToycHxdZBmmK5OXJaVTLmkKfx7C5yoD8tfFhp098bizrKST1aqmIUkRoCe_Cpmc4C55H3bQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. <i>Gangubai Kathiawadi</i>: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's biopic on the eponymous madame of a brothel gave Alia Bhatt another feather in her cap. The film has some stunningly created Bhansali-esque moments. Early on, one of the girls in the brothel asks Gangu (Alia Bhatt) to write a letter to her father. She agrees to help her write it. Taking turns, all the other girls add a few words of their own to the letter. This is the perfect example of shared sisterhood. Another lovely scene is one when Kamli (Indira Kumari) dies, and all the other women dress her up while she is lying dead. On the other side sits Gangu holding Kamli's child in her hands. The scene is set up wonderfully, showing different contrasts. There is red and white. There is a mother and child. There is life and death. There is the end of life and the beginning of life. Gangu then asks to tie her legs as men cannot be trusted with women, even in graves. And there is also the very gorgeous <i>Meri Jaan</i>, a one-take song sequence shot at the back of the car.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="260" data-original-width="640" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkJtHq5fN7dT4Kmid3odi2JDmyUWtSGGFxTvrjfEbTXykMzFyKm_gOV4dmIQZrluwczL-IVn6IjbSomdV4FW87bZGDBdSa50Dtz5djwriCzdkVaxNIuCoz3XqsMZp0EotaoeoJTA9u5TeQLjR5-HDt80N-IyR8LdWv1DOrPJWhDmDCAKwjaeZRlKWHYA=w640-h260" width="640" /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="612" data-original-width="640" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijAhu9S6wjiPcJl2Ju_YKYrKG8aiLTzFMWk63hUmjA10wBnqcIt2adpDMh0vzX4oRd4acbBFOYg3JCU9_mLxiA5ssgnhmqe4jHijGvszSm_VN1HIvMKirryDsxzhAlX5QSmjMDr9SDvX2dPiBJgygiv2aeoCMQaqYXfNrbYDotlOeQ-Nln16_1R8_IBQ=w640-h612" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>: Advait Chandan's adaptation of <i>Forest Gump</i> is a beautiful film about the power of stories. <span style="text-align: justify;">The film's most memorable scene also talks about the stories of our lives. After the death of his beloved Rupa (Kareena Kapoor), Laal (Aamir Khan) visits her grave, which lay below the tree that was their special place. A Sikh man sobs in front of the grave of his Christain wife. He talks to her about stories. He says that his mother told him everything in life is pre-destined and written from before, although he does not know who wrote it. He wonders if the things that happen to us are under our control or if we are just drifting along. It may be both, he concludes. Like the song <i>Kahani</i> that also said, "<i>Kya pata hum mein hai kahani, ya hai kahani me hum?</i>" Are we the story, or is the story in us? Stories are everywhere in <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="282" data-original-width="640" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbieMT5Dm_A5EWYUZ0gm-POR9SITrEYKFv40u2DfmLcf7R2JYhu670lIUfOA_OZEAzrr6B5mlX1W0H4Dp3-PXi-4nE-lbmyUpvJwMleCAJQnVZlrLDCX03MO4lYEMypcfzk4erxHQfSe8wbsrIjzlP04gdX_ogHBIPcxX4ogW5gNzNgsddcWDlscdcNQ=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. <i>Badhaai Do</i>: Harshavardhan Kulkarni's second feature film is the story of a lavender marriage. The male protagonist Shardul (Rajkummar Rao) is gay. He is a policeman but so scared of anyone discovering his sexuality that he feels like a thief. He sports a heavy mustache and has built up muscle, hiding in the guise of masculine symbols. He marries Sumi (Bhumi Pednekar), who is also gay, for the sake of his family. The film's best scene is when he finally comes out to his family. Films usually depict characters moving towards homosexuality when they are ignored in heterosexual relationships and advocate that sexuality is a choice. <i>Badhaai Do</i>, after <i>Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga</i>, refutes this notion of choice. Shardul states that the 'feeling' comes from the inside. Nobody chooses to be gay or straight (or bisexual). He talks about his loneliness and inability to share his secret with anyone. Then, his mother (Sheeba Chaddha), who has been treated like an outcast all her life because of being a widow, hugs him. The scene also has a memorable character placement. All the family members sit opposite Shardul, while only his mother sits behind him. The film has another beautiful moment in the climax when Sumi's father (Nitesh Pandey) nudges Rimjhim (Chum Darang) to sit with the baby's parents. There are no grand statements or crying at this moment. A quiet nod between Sumi and her father was all that was needed for his acceptance. It is profoundly moving. The colors in this climax scene, especially in the costumes of the two couples, are so distinct as if nodding to the colors of pride.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1267" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga7gMij7B_6gqPuD8WZl5-WvxOJVcGcDhxYzek3-bUCwndyj73A8xs6BtlHYa2yCTHfDkQeGLg9O11CLjXLug6icOwgDMvSNToVqrqroT37w3ttg--Fdd90V707KvFyluweqwwf2plerUeZzCFvLbI0Sujzs6shdrAI_WTDU04YzSd3VNafYoPgZnZ5w=w635-h640" width="635" /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="2824" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisrqs_QR6E7aWST-Sj61kCZXsMXqAuwhMXdSmIzH7vdbCSiNhW4CPfMFVUTFRzL70wkB09PxpTlZ72GPf-eZzbtH0yNUSXHSfX0FLw_mrZA1uejW1mHXeOi9aPdcyAU5xbLvN0jk92jTv8EZiJrkfCBUa9LG_RgRZRaxWs8cihA4j4Wsv77aIIY1ukwQ=w640-h266" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. <i>Shamshera</i>: Ranbir Kapoor had two film releases in 2022. Ayan Mukerji's <i>Brahmastra</i> did not work for me, but Karan Malhotra's <i>Shamshera</i>, though not particularly great, had more things that engaged me. The father-son revenge drama showed some aspects of nature. The crows come to the rescue. The bees move together in a swarm. The tree provides space to keep gold. The sand dances with the music. But the best thing about <i>Shamshera</i> is the charming <i>Ji Huzoor</i> that yet again depicts the dancing skills of Ranbir Kapoor. He has a fluidity of movement, making even tricky steps look so effortless. The song is choreographed by Chinni Prakash with innovative use of spaces—the alleys, the windows, the trolleys, and the kids. My favorite part is the one when he falls through a fold of chairs right on the beats, as if the chairs are dancing as well. It is superb.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="2824" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiTntawJjYXlyqhjhjZBLKVeGoKBy4ixnN6RdNIqfJhzMec3jKhQyqbw7mPchyGjVJb466AuUFSLhF7gpOk_G8QDK8o3OHdWeIgSi9f_rBWi2R_341leToYkHplwc-ryEaSZljD_d4szdvKR0A4U3jyhp_zbteAKcTWkHrwT2Li_H2TM3YPnPWFIpwTw=w640-h276" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="2841" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEi03BLoMI-r6XMkL3sknqQjGtUpGX2VpOmE5GMwjOsdxcH6jXjFQl85LLirsoj-2kNeJXEje2HafamVvNm4w8cxDMbwXWF-L48UJ9CccIfdcpxZv0_3XQRGFvB3E4szlAew0fGp3KpwYUlmQdEEg4iV_jEeOR9DhCEt6S6Z7uxxBCq5oKTsXHJW5vfw=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. <i>Qala</i>: Anvitaa Dutt's film on the life of a singer dealing with mental health issues had some gorgeously framed scenes. However, the most memorable bit of the film is the conversation between <span style="text-align: justify;">Qala (Tripti Dimri) and her friend Majrooh (Varun Grover), likely named after the famous Majrooh Sultanpuri. Like Dr. Sudip (Parambrata Chatterjee) from <i>Bulbbul</i>, Majrooh is the feminist ally. He wears red nail paint on all his fingers. He is also some kind of prophecy teller.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> Majrooh sees Qala's continued sexual abuse at the hands of Sumant Kumar (Amit Sial). He tells her if she allows it, it will keep on happening. Today, the producer has the power; tomorrow, she will have the power. Times will change. </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Daur badlega, daur ki yeh puraani aadat hai</i><span style="text-align: justify;">. In the next moment, his prophecy comes true. The camera people who used to follow Sumant Kumar started following Qala. The film depicts this power change through height, where Qala is on a higher pedestal while Sumant Kumar watches her from below. She is mobbed by the media while he stands alone. In another symbolic moment in the film, a disgraced </span>Sumant<span style="text-align: justify;"> comes to Qala's house, hoping to sign her for his next movie. He looks at himself in the mirror, wearing a pristine white shirt. The mirror, however, is stained and rusted, making his shirt appear dirty, symbolizing the stains in his past. <i>Qala</i> had many more stunning shots, especially some in the snow. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><img data-original-height="640" data-original-width="496" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgBog2LfipbaJHdkgPr8hNNgBcriYqof0E0a78zF2L31QHCvk2FcgI8f6YbQ3ghqqlOxAJm4B4VwkkUs4oCxouWkBcDNiRTFgqbmhJNik_MZuazyepn21jLz2VR5MaoSQdNf7p2VumXMu8QRU40ItAP7Vb6k6a_WLq86N1c5zt6-mYUfdBhaUrjXtT9mg=w496-h640" width="496" /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="358" data-original-width="640" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikz7cgkpO9NfHpsonpNZyIT0mNqa0q5mfQWFOprHgovnYW6S5CfrKNBO1OBHhogkgV1RdlFaPT23STPM3LQY-CN3Tikqo8-BQ18O-Gq7jcz2fSEMem__VtSmAKtQG121GkHTaQc88VuHizLzrbv-PhZZGvKH08ipdFb5Jc1_ULl9BPXlr9NbLKbaje6Q=w640-h358" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. <i>Love Hostel</i>: Shanker Raman's film brings Bobby Deol as a psychopathic maniac hunting lovers who don't follow the norms of caste hierarchy. The film's most memorable scene is when Jyoti (Sanya Malhotra) and Ashu (Vikrant Massey) are on the run and take shelter in an old factory. While waiting there, a red car enters. The duo gets suspicious that there are people in the car who are probably sent to kill them. Jyoti takes a gun to the car to find out more. But it is not what they expected. The car has two lovers, both men, who were making out. She seems slightly disgusted, but then it hits her; the two men are lovers, like herself and Ashu. They are also running away from society. Lovers belonging to the same gender are not accepted by society, like lovers belonging to different religions face opposition. At this precise moment when she realizes this, she sees and hears a peacock chirping nearby. It is a tender moment reminding us of the beauty while dealing with the barbarity of a cruel world.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="320" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNkIf8Nme_lshDqPi-5Za9w0LjdzUrWPEB3amjoImRkPjYTrUHL-Hv_vLbOwZjVKMyIOeck6WOgnqtQl3A2A0GIUiVsaiQnY2ApG4PL2_s3J9spTkxJsAU0iLI4l5Jy2Pd6FXoqWU9fBPwDxmfIWx6TbWWPWrfgowVqIqtuHiGEovXuphK7KTCCiayoQ=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">8. <i>Jalsa</i>: Suresh Triveni's film tells the story of two mothers, Maya (Vidya Balan) and Ruksana (Shefali Shah). When Ruksana finds out the truth about Maya being the car driver that hit her daughter, it appears that she decides to take revenge. She takes Maya's son Ayush (Surya Kasibhatla) to the land's end, a place where there is nowhere else left to go. Ruksana, however, does not take the final step. Because an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. She could have left Ayush to drown, but she did not. She comes out as a bigger person in the end. Earlier in the film, Ayush and Ruksana laugh at the <i>haanthi-cheenti</i> jokes. The power dynamics are so imbalanced in favor of the elephant that any ant's action seems comical. But, sometimes, an ant too can exert a different kind of power by its choices. After all, as we saw in the case of Ruksana, power manifests not just physically but also morally. <i>Jalsa should </i>also be credited for having one of the best sound design in films.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="320" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijOlsfFtc0F_IvkwkM3PharQ357GH6qjWFsh8HHOJwp6nfgG0mZFM97TY98rjg45pdc-chHM--R5X2XkT6XmcRZHlGguGsbxSjZuGD44OHbojRYvhoTOj8iYxQmdtIgGdMtW-qCMIfbXQ09aX7ARIQ3oxpBEqIYRMyFsdejS8lvrQo1U9p17KImzuDvQ=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">9. <i>Goodbye</i>: Vikas Bahl's film on the death of a family member is largely inert. I really wanted to like it but could not. It is dull and boring. However, there is a thoughtful scene that I still remember when I think of the film. There is a scene when Tara (Rashmika Mandana) and Pandit Ji (Sunil Grover), who had been arguing about the irrationality of faith, have some sort of reconciliation. Pandit Ji asks Tara where she learned to play the <i>ukulele</i>. She said that she learned it on her own. He then tells her that when you first play the tune and then learn how it was created, it is faith—<i>vishwaas</i>. And, when you first learn how the tune was created and then play it, it is science. But eventually, it is the same tune. In the context of the film, it supports irrationality, but I also believe it is an attempt to not be utterly dismissive of things one does not understand. Remember the scene in <i>Friends</i> where Phoebe and Ross argue about whether evolution exists. She does not believe in evolution, while Ross tries every trick to convince her that it does; after all, his entire professional life is based on studying it. She says, "<i>Wasn't there a time when the brightest minds in the world believed that the world was flat? And, up until like what, 50 years ago, you all thought the atom was the smallest thing, until you split it open, and this like, whole mess of crap came out. Now, are you telling me that you are so unbelievably arrogant that you can't admit that there's a teeny tiny possibility that you could be wrong about this?</i>"</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="2796" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2ewzt8g3fBXp6TTK5nI28Ia1y1JRMmfozdWSpErDD57cGg-L8dIXT3Eq4Hbw9d1z1gad1Y9crQo9peZLd80leoRDdt1FNu6r0p0Ax-rnuUJEd3HMuDjiJegwq7lnUKqdILN_mhVsrTSX5wETFXZtmHDIndNopL_CLHwdMlaGNnMTGx9GIlrDvXKk24A=w640-h280" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="2776" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnRZHz5GQwHvAOdtMSMH6-S7lYWOUA597GK-vEb0qLOXWvDvP23aJ40p4hsgIb4cQaKFPRi-5z8QkSEFcOOsAHyiyzax1vHWEbql-qW9nFc1q52LpXHpPz4ZY8l81m22rUhUvq6gO_yoyvPcu8LiHjmAzXAMJlhKpjQhwK0dCrS6edI1igW4n0VOHsug=w640-h282" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1223" data-original-width="2748" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqz1D5GkSkbvIyC9Jqxm6hkmTaVs5XLsqsOH0eEcnDQJKkmgN5x8Q4fV3gyPj1PA4R53OitvbUXY1FBOkfi_ugUEXu2Q-ly1ghcofj7AR_h07ggaDa1T8jY5Q2ZIe0yH58wYK5T5YJdRZz8kPYopPVyKHT6pkANgP9A0FgP5YyeExDHBdd8xFlwNgrwQ=w640-h284" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1224" data-original-width="2776" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjr-Lomv63vS7M-Kok63-QiYSuPVeqKfoLWSBisqP3b05bSdO5N1J8G54dwS5hDswx4gc34v0KJF1cgzdW8aBHH6fJPf384bexqf8IE2z-cZU234lUniouCiccbM__6uaLjnNMGRqkAuL1kPkMcdpkeeFA5j0INRYJEn9oJUXjsJmQpcLuU-0_9wpOMOg=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">10. <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>: Vasan Bala's neo-noir comedy is a lot of fun. While it has its share of moments (such as the scene at the Hotel Prince Amar), this film is memorable because of its music, especially the three songs—<i>Yeh Ek Zindagi, Bye Bye Adios, </i>and <i>Love You So Much</i>. Anupama Chakraborty Shrivastava and Sarita Vaz<span face="Roboto, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05); color: #0f0f0f; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span>are simply fantastic. The other thing about the film is Radhika Apte's hilarious dialogue, "<i>Somvaar ko main sab pe vishwaas karti hun</i>."</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="2823" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-Fc5JxBsyyBPldVPxe2Cl0Jlwx_qrcvAYOdr-eL7xekS1cF_73QnNcZzKwqxAVKh20kgNMUdpR5xzgk65dSaE_cPtNyzr1G5pbJZb-XtulTmR_IMvUhBGsvPCoKxRZxUubZyTX8TFpQ15E7b95-lbACILh7d6Tg7rsNx4pVKA0-PMFf9wcDXgRM_XJQ=w640-h262" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">11. <i>Sharmaji Namkeen</i>: Rishi Kapoor's swansong, directed by Hitesh Bhatia, tells the story of a widowed man trying to make sense of his newly retired life. Sharmaji (Rishi Kapoor/Paresh Rawal) takes up cooking for kitty parties and becomes friends with a group of lovely women. His son Rinku (Suhail Nayyar) is opposed to his new profession. There is a scene where Veena (Juhi Chawla) and Sharmaji talk about their life. She tells him about the death of her husband. And then says she has to keep busy in life. It is a lovely little moment in a lovely little film. And, yes, <i>Laal Tamatar</i> is so much fun.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1209" data-original-width="2548" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEga6Rgp7PRIuEEJ-1IoIa-mJn6EacD_Qjfci5EKZ7ebwQjAq1_R8PKpV72Iylly3rfIQMVDH35QMwlKPVLFr26vabEBloBmnPLKyh5EjmXq5ut42Fhks-TlCbVJ7yt8i0tee2W9dc28lptmhmBZZXbKe31bfzJnyup3azQaSSlg8KzIF0FQMX-xj0874A=w640-h304" width="640" /></div></div><div>Honorable mentions:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The cinematography in <i>Thar</i>, the top shots in <i>Drishyam 2</i>, the historical retelling in <i>Dasvi</i>, the Savitri-Satyavan story in <i>Looop Lapeta</i>, the conversation at the riverbank in <i>Uunchai</i>, the lead pair not ending up together in <i>Doctor G</i>, the Khala-Zulfi kiss in <i>Darlings</i>, and the crossing of the bridge in <i>Modern Love: Mumbai</i>. I have not seen the following films, but I do plan to watch them at some point—<i>Bhediya</i>, <i>Jaadugar, </i><i>Jersey</i>, <i>Ram Setu,</i> <i>RK/Rkay</i>, and <i>Vikram Vedha</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>Gehraiyaan</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/02/gehraiyaanof-past-luck-and-choices.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i style="text-align: justify;">Gangubai Kathiawadi</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/05/gangubai-kathiawadithe-white-of-swan.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. On <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/10/laal-singh-chaddhaan-ode-to-stories.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. On <i>Qala</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/12/qala-and-many-ms.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. On <i>Love Hostel</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2023/03/love-hostel-no-country-for-lovers.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. On <i>Jalsa</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/04/jalsathe-crisis-of-conscience.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. On <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/12/monica-o-my-darling-snakes-and-ladders_12.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">8. On <i>Darlings</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/09/darlingsthe-scorpion-and-frog_3.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div>Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Jo bhi honda who hum karde hain, ya hawa wich aiweyi udte phirde rehte hain, idhar udhar.</i>"</div><div style="text-align: justify;">—Laal, <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-37667202087769601012023-03-11T20:13:00.014-08:002023-03-13T17:09:05.917-07:00Love Hostel — No Country for Lovers<div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOtWjKtEQgpl8j9t7xXVgOPVdeUDpr4Hp8Nfw1BDJBLASCUxQ_JfXh58z4kKknoJH0SgndnCSQMriSbJIayyKMEihOl4uwumyIr-pcgImPDgCmnpr-lxcDag_p2EBj_JfNIrY9-DVTpOxa_8Pa2QsHhlupR6VwYWmPl8DGnT0mAJxiYcP-6JaNalmTSw=w640-h320" /></div><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Shanker Raman's <i>Love Hostel</i> opens with a just-married young couple recording a video pleading for acceptance from their family members. It is reminiscent of Dibakar Banerjee's <i>Love Sex Aur Dhokha</i>, a seminal film that turned <i>Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge</i> into a dystopian nightmare. A violent assassin Dagar (Bobby Deol), dealing with his issues, is soon sent to finish off the couple. <i>Love Hostel</i> tells the story of these lovers in a country where everything is political. Another couple, Jyoti Dilawar (Sanya Malhotra) and Ashu Shokeen (Vikrant Massey), belonging to different religions, elope to start a life together. The girl belongs to a powerful political family, which, as can be guessed, is against this match as she chose Eid over Diwali. The lovers then ask the state for protection. But Dagar is again sent to eliminate them, and the cycle repeats. Raman, who earlier made <i>Gurgaon</i>, again tells a story of conservative families resorting to violence to uphold their regressive outlook of the world.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3RNEh98YqlYmLNgkNdgUdblekxyBU4Sz4U5FtRrtnu9Opa9lIx2uN1eXls1KFVb8BcAyId0ATSFWE_BJBYAkz10ZbBEfSOZhrCmKCDukXTJPqjWVY7IPSjPlCqcvZPG5IFXqn-ingrDMLwvDb_jqTkbkVAn4j02L9Ju33vrnBiC206dkVmO1o_7OvIQ=w640-h320" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The film takes its title <i>Love Hostel</i> from the safehouses the government has built to shelter lovers from their families. Jyoti and Ashu are sent to one such hostel. Little did they know that the hostel was made by Jyoti's grandmother Kamala Dilawar (Swaroopa Ghosh), not as a goodwill gesture but as a tool for reaping political benefits. On reaching the hostel, Jyoti calls it Taj Mahal. Ashu, though, rightly feels it is a <i>bhoot bangla</i>. It is officially called a hostel, but it is essentially a <i>pinjra</i>—a cage—where lovers remain trapped for years in the rigmarole of court hearings. Residents' cell phones are confiscated at check-in, removing all contact with the modern world. The graffiti on the hostel's walls, as seen on old historical monuments, is a cry for help from lovers who only ask to let them love on their terms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjoUNQ2SlsoZOnYmrJGTl-438JTKZz-iTnXbtRdd4yyF0n_B0pqbrXMcDJny6DKe8pmzMc4Tcr6GTZn0QK9-UqC9wUOXbugOv5Bhima1ma3-QjVBCwfG38mJXUf8zVbxEeSv9pT0oObdvmPMO2RDstc2pUljyJ6VzfXQg7LNeh2CR9PQVO-3V_0JbLDg=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi19oQIjTbq_J6YLfWlrnrySfRdhneqh7WVnjqTW4M_1fR406_A0s7uBHi4V0oh4SOzd8v9UUg8SqpsLgcyLrtF_ZWwO6ObNwlEn_KHRjPZCEmqEKBhOrEKOoyt88Xd5Cpys-r1eFi4gVeckymCTapILDXfK9jqB6gynWeN-c2YxTkiNPdoG4FBadmtyw=w640-h320" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="color: #0e101a;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In a land where the rules of </span></span></span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">khaps</span></em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> have been enforced for over six hundred years, modern jurisprudence rules have little bearing. It is the writ of Kamala Dilawar, the influential politician and family matriarch, that rules over the Dilawar family. She controls everything leaving her sons to feel emasculated. Her role reminded me of Amma Ji (Meghna Malik) from the show </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Na Aana Is Des Laado</span></em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">. It takes a bit of time to get used to seeing Swaroopa Ghosh play Kamala as it kept reminding me of her performance as the genteel Pishi in </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Vicky Donor</span></em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">. Ashu is also dealing with his familial problems. His father has been sent to jail on charges of being a terrorist. His mother has Alzheimer's disease. His family has a meat shop. When Ashu talks about 'doing a delivery,' I initially thought it was related to drugs. But he was tasked with delivering meat, most likely beef, in a state that has banned the sale of beef. Unlike many other films, where politics seems to be forced and inorganic, the politics of </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Love Hostel</span></em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> is sharp and merges with its story without any artifice. The political element blends in and is depicted with authenticity. Love jehad, communalism, and identity politics are all present in the film.</span></div></div></div></div><div><div><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbMzS9106qYy1CDTekODRGo2wpQE4rpfTUURxEyMC83-gKeKrSW3EP9F0ykYCgH3q_dSGzsloCQzYdBOI_ZRPEl7-7ytNV1BSzqkpGC-lxNf3G8x3U5mRokS3198kwLNBCWR4lkNA9TaWZlUqGydDHE5JR_0Vz6qCdDfBmcY_GQzry2IGsf8MXlbbvDg=w640-h320" width="640" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHDwD2_ID-2RmbyoTd2c5b1kY1tV9atQMiqGEZDZWPkZuJmVAy15e74Xfc5pzpwIexyuWSh29VJRl5R6lkyCCBJ1_hcnTuh2p_gbxUKQUCr5SrT_IkaiibLIySB7ijJlILDqoiF6iTmfb7jSNZ92D-ZeHnNRZ_u1oppf0YedgN8YsXaZRlZPYl_8ZS_Q=w640-h320" width="640" /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUr-8sHgOrHYs3PaAa7Up_J1Yw4tTrrulA3YUyJVjkzF9GD4qb32ybO6-KDQwAkZRx-DOLMbQh1oimfGutUNAjaauizzI9Icp1d3uIvkyYaTnzGDHW8ntspwYsyWMFg5_SHId554D79FCSA5gtonkK9tTxhsqLjEVvyF0zXZG8sKcHU4WdQOUB7M5P9A=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The medium for the powerful families to eliminate rebellious lovers is a man called Dagar. He is a menacing figure who has burn-inflicted scars over him. He is a beast who hunts and kills not just the <i>bhagode</i> couples who indulged in inter-religious marriages but also all other people who assisted these couples. When Dagar is injured, he does not go into a hospital for humans; instead, he goes to a veterinary hospital. He also has this thing like Bob Biswas, where he takes selfies of people before killing them. He gradually develops a liking for a friendly canine and takes it with him on his travails, like Hathoda Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) from <i>Paatal Lok</i> developed a fondness for dogs. Toward the end, the dog runs out of the car. Dagar crosses the road to pet him. A truck zooms by, killing Dagar instantly. Early in the film, a girl, whom he killed, curses him that someday he will fall in love and then he will realize how it feels. "<i>Tera bhi dil aave kisi pe</i>," she tells him. Her prophecy came true. It is love that kills Dagar.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj62K7kMo8PToUhgPKC2N9cHNWtgkA82rQW09mu6KcGgS85uoCHf2CZXhrJ86dHo53nQr5jEL5cGzMOr3qEwS0sNbxqe7yYoOsZ30uL53U26VM5MqY1RZ8UvESMlbgWNlvR8jgVPf5KbzYvuJcrguOfMDo_rUQZqtjiUnDUpfz9Ts0cpY9LMy9DwQ1HA=w640-h320" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG8AkwUpzhPdUxA8f3r866a_UCZM2kCZivFpUfipHTZ82LfbGs9aZWL8EGwkBz0RcM5xNANJcEHWrL0ApNzt-9zfjPXG2D4VyFWriN1js3iCHBgpOOqYZ3wPyqU78UXJVIDneY67y7K_9GP9BH1KGXhmN9x_iny8oPl9PaXtqBH3smrt64Be0w-Ium3A=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div><div>In terms of story, <i>Love Hostel</i> does have not anything novel. However, I liked the tiny details in the film. For instance, the truck that kills Dagar has <i>Has Mat Pagli Pyaar Ho Jayega</i> written on it. The song that plays on the radio during the said scene is <i>Ya Allah Ya Allah Dil Le Gayi</i> from <i>Ujala</i>. "<i>Koi rangeela sapnon me aake, ek najar se apna bana ke. Pyar ka jadu hampe chala ke. Ya allah, ya allah, dil le gaya</i>." Both these artifacts remind us of the girl's curse of Dagar falling in love. Early in the film, Jyoti and Ashu elope and meet in a secluded place. In the first scene, the camera pans to Jyoti's feet, which are shown in the air when she is held up in the arms by Ashu. Toward the end, the same shot is repeated but in a different and chilling context. The camera pans to her feet, where she is again being held up in the air when she is tied to the rope while Dagar watches her. Raman has also been a cinematographer in his career. It is discernible that the director has a penchant for cinematography. The film is exquisitely shot by cinematographer Vivek Shah. Dead bodies looks absolutely symmetrical without any dirt or disorder. The gunshot wound is perfectly circular. Blood adds to the perverse beauty of the dead bodies. In another scene, a shot of half-dried flowers over a car adds a layer of sadness to the story.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHsIU_kEjItUSmY5e5e6zSoMMK52etJIgvDxhC8ARWylU4iDLldj1Gxs1raMGaQR4kcheD2ehtQdZf0n7mH0qJdJI4aoSL8iuwKCQLI8OIgSTkVDlHKcaYfHyWoAoCNtVcFfGbq8gcSdxmlaQVRLbQPE1G-nHDDEQpiIR2x9BD8DP-9j5NLxjnxHf2Jw=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div></div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Truck</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2323" height="551" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6uuEfRgTdSVCv5XnY79_9rhmd2Yb1yum5vrX_JtNFHdlmeXvJJ9v5a9FNj0pEFFxcKkJbvIZKMNqnBGMdKj3dwgmVoNvP4OdIkCvpmCE5fxknqSgV66gm3Rp_NDA-z28HtLnXWXgDEfkWtUitm_JWjh4aF3EyuGcpjit7owFp9gKc6Ib3_zt1ABQZcQ=w640-h551" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div><div><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Love Hostel</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">, the children are used as a motif where they are often present in violent situations but unafraid of the bloodbath in front of them. When Dagar goes to kill the lawyer who helped Jyoti get married, an irritated kid playing video games and wearing headphones opens the door. The kid's entire family is killed, and he is simply busy playing. Later, during the shootout at the hotel where Ashu delivers meat, a young girl, also wearing headphones, sits on the aisles. After the gun fights, she tells Ashu that he has blood on him. Later, in a similar scene, a young kid tells Dagar that he has blood on him when Dagar saunters into a wedding and starts indiscriminately shooting at people. And, the terrifying character in the film is another young kid—Rakesh (Yudhvir Ahlawat), Jyoti's brother. Think of Sandhya's brother from </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Dum Laga Ke Haisha,</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> who was shown for comic effect. But add violence and rage and multiply by hundred times to get Rakesh. He is the one who violently hits Jyoti with a stick when he finds out about her affair with Ashu. He is the one who reveals Ashu's Muslim identity to her family. He is the one who kills Ashu in the end. He had this rage that he was willing to kill his father for standing up to his grandmother. It is a reminder of how children are not always beacons of innocence, and it is they who ultimately grow up to become perpetrators of violence. In a telling moment, when police inspector Sushil Tripathi (Raj Arun) comes looking for Dagar at Kamala Dilawar's place, she tells him any of the kids playing around her could be Dagar, so which Dagar is he looking for?</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3077" data-original-width="2793" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9bPF5qr4IwK1hIJ80iEDKukUjXpx7wMBq0V059NXEvtbXGVbZKspI2PGpVNbdvPC6zMg6os1rWn36AQ1G8pWunicSoIE8J6yXj0EGNLv-fZ_EcQKQpiH0fsEqRTCl8tGMaL8k5Yfjb5s2gHhNCJMMghsTqIGTX9Z3A-8Sa-fEySZWkXL4hkdW19Vwlw=w581-h640" width="581" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Love Hostel</i> is produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, a company owned by Shah Rukh Khan. That may be why the film added two references from the films of Shah Rukh Khan. On their first night at the love hostel, Jyoti puts up a partition using a saree to get some privacy with Ashu. At this point, <i>Aankhon Mein Teri</i> from <i>Om Shanti Om</i> starts playing in the background. Later, Ashu smuggles meat to a hotel, but he also plays the role of a police informer. At the hotel, his truth is busted leading to a a shootout. All this while, the television in the room plays <i>Laila Main Laila</i> from <i>Raees</i>. There was a shootout going on during the song in <i>Raees</i> as well.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjON9UYGGrNl9AxFVMCqZs8OrZ9jGtW2nJo8iFEUT8ToAtwEDRPczdHwo60xgqj7bAKMObLgIaaNMSOEcGNFAw8pwVrmVGcLbUx2Ozf9rBs8yEx_3lZ8TweBSqkwvuo2Uk04pS-P-FebwwjKvxfS9JQZtqxixA5WOJq3dmsaXb_xaZ0foLFZ6zMY7PvOQ=w640-h320" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Love Hostel</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> is also a film that depicts the manifestation of male depression in different forms. The men in the film are grieving and are advised to take help. Two characters—Sushil Tripathi and Dagar—go through similar trauma. Both these men lost their brothers. Sushil's younger brother performed self-immolation after he married another girl from a different religion. Maybe it is why he is kind to Ashu, as he sees his brother in him. Dagar's elder brother also took his own life after his daughter eloped with a man from another religion. Both Sushil and Dagar suffer from depression but refuse to accept help. Sushil has nightmares even today, prompting his wife to urge him to seek therapy and let it out. "</span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Dil ki baat dabakar rakhna jhooth hi hai," </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">she tells him</span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">. </em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">He is taking (sleeping) pills, but he dismisses the suggestion. On the other hand, Dagar takes to violence to deal with his trauma. He is called a </span><em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">bimar</em><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> and is told by people that he needs to get treated. He is falsely living under the belief that he is a social reformer.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #0e101a; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3177" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikdB6CC7kkYYaevhanFhFDzyBBHcbZNiftrqJHwedxgssew_uU30EIq69XHW7BT7zO4GfDb6ZqjjCQBB2p0bj_6HPMH42S_l8VKfpErgenADa3sgInAaAi6nb58mPeWtQGU1YTub_zziZthbjvmRLDxk5_BO8VoNSlkbD3JpQTYVsTuofsBnf0pKAW5A=w640-h402" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Performances in the film uplift it. Bobby Deol, as Dagar, is in a completely different avatar. Sanya Malhotra is feisty and spunky as Jyoti. Vikrant Massey brings a vulnerability to his character. Ashu is often timid in situations as he has seen more difficulties in life than Jyoti. He is also shown crying at one point. I was also thinking about another scene where he feels jealous of Jyoti dancing with another boy, even though he is gay. It makes Ashu realize that he cannot see Jyoti with another man. Raj Arun as Sushil Tripathi is excellent. Aditi Vasudev is also great as Nidhi Dahiya, who helps the two lovers. I still remember Aditi playing Mallika in <i>Talaash</i>. One thing I struggled with in the film was the dialogue of some characters. I could not understand some words. Some were said too quietly, which made me miss a few things. The film also does not explain everything, so I had to read up a bit to understand more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3177" data-original-width="2300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsmVQpA4tmWiMhZDqIB9t2-FNCD9Jk1qJxlx9tnkyz8QitIeAJ-QDNP7tDZJd1JaX_tccPmlIR4_8Qq5CmT1To0nbt1rzU4UlLtdy1jy91JKrinRHkepQPALj5NfktF2gyQrD3vDJXC4w9lbBwzcA0KnPMTEa9vm8MjbVqlpIDyRNjKml3FGafHqS4DQ=w464-h640" width="464" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Within the violence and blood, the film adds some beautiful dialogue. Early in the film, after getting married, Jyoti tells Ashu, "<i>Ab paa liya tujhe, baaki sab bemaani.</i>" Jyoti has got everything she wished for, so she does not wish anything else. Toward the end, a crying Ashu tells her, "<i>Teri mehek me rehna hai.</i>" He wants to live in her fragrance. And, the most memorable scene is when Jyoti and Ashu are hiding in an old factory, and a red car enters. They get suspicious that there are people in the car who are sent to kill them. Jyoti carries her gun to the car to find out more. But she sees that there are no enemies. The car has two lovers, both men, who are making out. She seems slightly disgusted, but then it hits her; the two men are lovers, like herself and Ashu. They are also running away from society. Lovers belonging to the same gender are not accepted by society, like lovers belonging to different religions face opposition. At this precise moment when she realizes this, she sees and hears a peacock chirping nearby. It is a tender moment reminding us of the beauty while dealing with the barbarity of a cruel world.</div><img data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1920" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjW2jX5U52CP5VSJfcAHnm9V2rPLH8kHaBWnnLM1VNbSDqbRSuHk-zYgTrCrhVWw9d6iJvPc8y3Anqd0vScsBbQm__L5Zu3Do-PbcaWEbcOxVh4Svfd4eP0xnJYZ8Y-G5FDcM06LJQKBBTVQApft3f7u04DlJdrg47gMK3zWp7IEPxyMDZbfj2baDiCMg=w640-h320" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <i>Solah Khatam Satra Shuroo</i> from <i>Aakhri Adalat</i> is shown playing in one scene in the film.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div><p></p></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Dil ki baat dabakar rakhna jhooth hi hai</i>."</div><div style="text-align: justify;">—Sujata, <i>Love Hostel</i></div></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-18551132828337840392023-02-25T19:39:00.000-08:002023-02-25T19:39:14.726-08:00Pathaan and the Meta-Commentary in Shah Rukh Khan's Filmography<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="2812" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZJbWoJy_XTbPhgIhw3V8PPKnaJZStJxeME3golLQZXV_7sXojAtORlSDHbz2dPWBZ9VpTcykN9gV3ZkV-TWnGj0mhmgWqWWfkmA0nREKIsO-SdhGuM4UEBQNeYXTjWKKE82Frp_LM37Ve5QVs5oouGaNWlp128IAPcyEkJMQ3qpnmEJrkTTblc5tsrQ=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">In an early moment in Siddharth Anand's <i>Pathaan</i>, two scientists talk about love. One of them asks the other why he still wants to impress his wife even after being married for thirty years. The other replies, "<i>Science is easy, Farooqui; love is hard</i>." Moments later, a masked man with a voice similar to that of Bane from <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> kidnaps these scientists. The man is Jim (John Abraham), a former intelligence agent of India who now offers terrorism as a service (TAAS?) to organizations worldwide. He then enters into a car chase with the eponymous Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan), also a former intelligence agent who now works as a counterterrorism specialist. These two men again talk about love. Jim calls himself an <i>aashiq</i> of India. However, the Indian government refused to negotiate with terrorists when he and his wife were kidnapped. Due to this reason, his relationship with India turned sour. He is heartbroken. Like a jilted lover, the <i>Patriot</i> tattoo on his arm is a remnant of the time he was in love. He sings and whistles <i>Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon</i> sarcastically. On the other hand, there is Pathaan. His love for India is like that between a mother and a son. Like the way, his boss Nandini (Dimple Kapadia) says, "<i>Mere bete jaisa hai</i>." Pathaan's love for his mother is not transactional like Jim's. "<i>Ek soldier yeh nahi puchhta desh ne uske liye kya kiya, puchta hai woh desh ke liye kya kar sakta hai</i>." Pathaan tells the story of these two men—the protagonist and the antagonist—who represent these two forms of love.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnSV0ThGO5v5t4jCvDD3x14yVHmBsWiVU5j9N6iG6zeMKUerVk2K2opbcLIG6oqLTlanhaBHq7TukDr5HLWUms1q_F5cUhXbvnT0Orl2VsYAFxQ6smy7EcMq0u0Rr0VHxytd9IaKvbl-pOmt7on6QNAWwGKq0UScGbRWsOMXVp5KHPrqyZKdrn0vnOyA=w640-h280" /></div></div><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If Jim was heartbroken, Pathaan's body was broken. His body contains metal parts, titanium discs, and biodegradable screws. <i>Pathaan</i> uses the Japanese art of <i>kintsugi</i> to appreciate this brokenness. <i>Kintsugi</i> is the art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold, based on the idea that embracing flaws and imperfections can create a more beautiful piece of art. The process of repairing things creates something more unique and resilient. Pathaan uses <i>kintsugi</i> to build a force of similar people whose bodies and souls are broken—<i>kuch ke shareer zakhmi hain, kuch</i> <i>ki rooh ghayal hai—</i>to<i> </i>become more broken in the service of their country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="847" data-original-width="742" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRbxY8KAq0JHnQ-EFd71O-OXS7uxvcPduQkxJMUwZI39ove6_IEyf3dPkw8OngsJYymeFIrH1vFkX32NzjkEE8WfuIXaitmTm-6y_2olFwiupRsgHtIcWE5d_VbW-UAZWmxIOyRQ3jqqMJ_NpgsooKa9lCn3IsIi5n9oRfwU4mPSBIKM2wTMCbpel5Iw=w350-h400" width="350" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the repeal of Article 370 by the Indian government, a rogue general from the Pakistani Army hires Jim to carry out a massive biological attack on Indian cities. Pathaan's mission is to stop this attack. He runs into Rubina (Deepika Padukone), a former intelligence agent of Pakistan, who, after some usual games of double-crossing, becomes his partner in the mission to stop the attack.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1314" data-original-width="2841" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibBU_8vOj5ImRqy3zQMg_6x8ddADLrjttR1KijsCWOR7ZTeOJg0wflv8qFl99nYnAo7m0Y09aNttSHTzo0yiiKGiFnmgtb4eoEE6nIR6v814CeuEgTWJaH1c-ycgQByYnQR9WeS5FOLqZV5ZtQhf4tMejDwy7h0mDQblX4r-sd71KxNOvb-GvKUvYtnA=w640-h296" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">All the principal characters in <i>Pathaan</i> have been given a backstory. Jim was an intelligence officer earlier who worked with Kabir (Hrithik Roshan from <i>War</i>). He has no last name. Jim and his wife were kidnapped by Somali pirates. The Indian government refused to negotiate for their release. Therefore, the pirates shoot Jim's pregnant wife <i>before his eyes</i>. Rubina was a doctor before joining the intelligence agency of Pakistan. When she was young, she lived with her journalist father in the Middle East, who was arrested for speaking the truth against power. She saw her father being tortured <i>before her eyes</i>, which gives her nightmares even today. This moment of people in pain <i>before someone's eyes</i> is recreated when Pathaan sees one of his officers and then his Ma'am die in front of him. "<i>It's been an honor</i>," they both said to him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="2847" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3EaGp17keo1kfusyeug8in1DOmxtN4eoWyu3QqA6cIwPRaVQQhvfLJz8p4lQvvcAoNTL66wAWO5QoVppr4BU0ebBsFHS4Rimu_6vpEAIx-uw_4Pz-YarRi1q0b_BdEdhzYis-aN_h0TmQCxjztdI6k420a7XQZmND1wyysvIVLE-KtHPOwUk2r1k2Jw=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is Pathaan's background story, however, that is far more intriguing, even if it has scant details. Like Jim, Pathaan has no last name. Not much is known about his parentage except that he was found in a cinema hall where his parents left him. The image of Anthony (Amitabh Bachchan) being found on the doorsteps of a church in <i>Amar Akbar Anthony</i> conjures up my mind. The cinema hall is a religion of its own in India. Pathaan then grew up in the care of his mother India. He performs his duty to become a <i>good son</i> and <i>a soldier</i> of the Indian Army. <span style="text-align: left;">His journey from </span><i style="text-align: left;">Laawaris</i><span style="text-align: left;"> to </span><i style="text-align: left;">Khuda Gawah </i><span style="text-align: left;">(both Amitabh Bachchan's films) is revealed when he saved a village in Afghanistan from a missile attack while being posted on a mission. An Afghani lady christens him Pathaan, which is interesting as Shah Rukh Khan has <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/shah-rukh-khans-pathaan-courts-controversy-after-actors-old-video-goes-viral-watch-11802431.html" target="_blank">claimed to be a Pathaan</a> in real life. More on the film's many other meta-moments shortly.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2837" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjKn2_1KglQ32OQLV1A0fOreWJkQti7-FMCRnfk3kX7BMJuGmiSF8I_1N45-11lflMu-06tuT5290WprqznawMegnM2fEsVQQbzeagIpYRO_UD7gUBaaDLVOoqxrd86YVMrDdSLNRzjl6MfUrllbFJJFhiER4Hnxcmwnj4kQ4Oj1l-IZ2NcHzd0BKYqQ=w640-h298" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="2842" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1XFQrETKI6VJflzPGKAOAwXK4vAhNFR06hY286asIAgaEpvk7rLT62aVNy40Is1TO-xCtF5RjRweCVSgJXif5NzdgFXDtT0FFg9Nt-PG3Ffuh59WJ_bP4pkiuViAiRXkUH8n2ws-7mWFLj__KjqMfakvxH85kdsuiZpjq1w09knY8wDuHyPurie0xnw=w640-h300" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jim plans to launch the biological attack of a mutated smallpox virus using missiles (like the missiles from <i>Mr. India, </i>which also had a kind-hearted orphan as the protagonist). The mutated virus is named Raktabij, after the <i>asura </i>who had acquired a boon from Lord Shiva that whenever a drop of his blood fell on the ground, various Raktabij would emerge from the spot, equivalent to his strength, form, and weapons. Even though Jim steals the mutated virus Raktabij, at one point, he calls himself a Raktabij. He is also called a Shaitan by General Qadir (Manish Wadhwa). In another mythological reference, Ma'am refers to Pathaan's time away as his <i>vanvaas.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1328" data-original-width="2814" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBYxv1_njxMvwLFfB4HSg6rG9Af6ceOp7dQVxaGA-U8ASqhY2kIpCY6tj2drrlEXOD1EpvczPPWosECCYq6x3VxEI3wBt9lmmlBVFJiDyEwls1N1yS46lY6OvT4Nr2W0rC9z4idDV-dr2NcKFwvMJEQdpgqJfCIChuSL6iG9H34eEwVh33DOp9qSkZDw=w640-h302" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The discernible thing about Pathaan was that he was not someone who comes out with a win every time. Throughout the film, he gets beaten up by other villains. He has to be rescued by others. He also takes painkillers as he is aging. And, he also was comfortable with this vulnerability. (This thing was also seen in Anand's earlier film <i>War, </i>where Kabir sported grey hair.) The performances by all actors in <i>Pathaan</i> are in line with the mood and the tone of the film. Shah Rukh Khan is fantastic in an action role. The long hair suits him, but the ponytail does not. He also has done this voice modulation where he speaks more calmly in some scenes. Deepika Padukone kicks ass, literally and metaphorically. <i>Besharam Rang</i> is gorgeous. John Abraham is cool as a sophisticated villain (his background music was irritating, though). Dimple Kapadia is absolutely wonderful. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2773" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitsFeBG5Dq1bdAvivckwa1j0N5XLRH6Zxc_rXaGiMotlWfzpUkwB2EiCpJF9TaHdIy1_Glyxajnvx4hFb6lF4MtlVKA90s08ZSQGMxSyB-8FqwBnc2WUeqd83NR4eCRg17KvUMCgLXXSSkXAdSVWmMJeu8qz2CL3SQ2e3e_o79vY5kshOxyQTrxOeDFA=w640-h308" width="640" /></div></div></div><div>The action genre is not my favorite, but I enjoyed the film. I do not know if I will remember its action scenes a few months later. The ice skating was a good one, but the whole sequence in Russia was a bit silly. The other thing was the film did not <i>complete</i> some moments. For instance, how was Dr. Farooqui saved? Then, we see that Pathaan and Rubina escape by jumping into the water; so how did they reach the hotel. After they landed on the Russian building, how did they gain entry into the building? How was Pathaan captured there? It is not about logic, but there is this concept in dance to finish a moment; <i>Pathaan</i> did not complete these moments. This may be why <i>War</i> was a better film for me. It had a lot more interesting things going on. I still remember the scene where Naina (Vaani Kapoor) tells Kabir Not everyone has vowed to save India by being a soldier. For ordinary people, trying to live a decent life is a battle in itself.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="2855" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2un_7Lye0crFxG-mZtSltusFaubRYS-pq1AQ6_v4M6A1S8Vrzo-S3wJar6D2SO2qhsg8l4m4uUkKUocoboJnNd22xOsfQGySafjYq5UqVUaWIHCP2yCCrPkJsVf1GKw205SmMQbv6cVwBxEoSDrvJJ3qDqHjQKeiBnphIdZQrpv2qaQ1W-NDUCn-35g=w640-h294" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2857" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsyr_t5uLx1ZFr_63o2Yt98GUAhfZwaFhazkr_F-xdrZ_uwaB-ewq6IqeRbR_07EQ7KZIZFBQba4OYSyfvYfLZIoX7kR4520MVYpwPXwi8dOoXdAcJn6CcMwXWwyy5-3J5WIC_ViOUhH3Bz-uVUKBIgfHsy7xbs0x2s-d24jHsu6aZwWzgVN47rX7BVQ=w640-h272" width="640" /></div><div><div>The dialogue of <i>Pathaan</i> was one of its best things. In an early moment, General Qadir, being asked how he is doing, replies, "<i>Khair nahi, qahar chahiye</i>." Jim calls India, "<i>Kafan ka never-ending supply, bas laashon ke naam badalte rehte hain</i>." Rubina asks Pathaan to trust him again, and she says, "<i>Jitne galat kadam lene the, le liye, ab kadmon ke nishaan mitaane hai</i>." At another point, Raafe (Rajat Kaul) says, "<i>Ishq aur mushq chhupaaye nahi chupte</i>." Pathaan also says, "<i>Khaunf logon ko andha kar deta hai</i>." At another point, Rubina remarks, "<i>Kisne kaha ishq sirf pehli nazar me hi hota hai</i>."</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="2820" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyJ3HqxrcsRHs4EL3gmUu8B5T4oITGW7XFL7o5yQfLlbpKRePpEV00kW1ASGDhZAWEgub3L7b01xloRf8Q6lKYzIPNjzY8M2c45WQNwlFjlEe_C_PndD34QCsD7aYMFveseDFW-OfBoi-l-2iV0JI1Z_mjqBxDci_p-dFOpf0ptgj6ryGelWU919BynQ=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Pathaan</i> has been written by the trio of Abbas Tyrewala, Siddharth Anand, and Shridhar Raghavan. Tyrewala had <span>also written Farah Khan's </span><i>Main Hoon Na</i><span>. Jim in <i>Pathaan</i> reminded me of </span>Raghavan (Suniel Shetty) in<span> </span><i>Main Hoon Na</i><span>, where he, too, as an ex-Army man, becomes a terrorist after he is court marshaled for his extra-judicial encounter-killings of Pakistani people. </span><i>Pathaan</i> also<i> </i>believes in the idea that it is the non-state actors, such as Jim, who are responsible for terrorism, and they have a connection with any country. "<i>Desh sarhad vagareh sab kamzor logon ko apni hadd yaad dilane ke kiye bane hain. Jahan main khada hun who mera desh</i>," says Jim.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJzdsTM6XRSSjMQjOgkK_sk7FJ2aYkQuZqsm9FghG3rnNQEGpJ33oTfApzManUnryejJSvKGnvaLBh1jF41DKxUv1E1fNqI6MM8cGuCE3ppD4m4S_f48tzrkgJ0jRnriWjN1srXEJPzdHtEA2zVecxxp2XjbPtihhx03c5lrgeiFZ1kGn_ZnKDGzrU3Q=w640-h300" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More than the story of <i>Pathaan</i>, it is the meta-commentary in the film was far more interesting. There are different levels of meta-commentary in it. The first level includes meta moments from Siddharth Anand's earlier film <i>War</i>. Early in the film, Pathaan fends off a villain character by mentioning <i>Ghungroo Toot Gaye</i>, which was also the title of a gorgeously choreographed song from <i>War</i>. Then, there are mentions of Kabir from <i>War</i>. And there is Ashutosh Rana playing Colonel Luthra, the same part he did in <i>War</i>. The second level of meta-commentary is the meta-universe promoted as YRF Spy Universe, where the characters from some of the earlier films of Yashraj Films find a mention and even play a small part. Tiger (Salman Khan) from <i>Ek Tha Tiger</i> rescues Pathaan at one stage. Jim also mentions the love story of Tiger and Zoya from the film.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="2629" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjm-3OHHrdS31EX9dOhP8eJ9l3rYqiBaNXF0_08OYnzoGFwqpaxmqGEoYw9Y1G4g6UWFGXElevcce13vwtP-13B71uGBwQMfLDL3r5oL2q-6jMnXhgDUGYP1dMa32sGWHBfUuTQTxfySRIHk9BnCquu7v7YDbWVBx3nIPcGy4RJXnrsbs9M-9wIx8xufg=w640-h310" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third level of meta-commentary is about Shah Rukh Khan, which includes a mélange of references and snippets from his reel and real life. Some of these are explicitly mentioned, some are implied, and the rest make one wonder if it was intentional. In the beginning moments of the film, Pathaan is walking on a treadmill, and there is a <i>taveez</i> that can be seen tied to his arm. It was a gift to Pathaan from a lady in Afghanistan after he saved their village. It took me to a similar moment in <i>Veer Zaara,</i> where Zaara's mother, Mariyam Hayaat Khan (Kirron Kher), gives a <i>taveez</i> to Veer (Shah Rukh Khan) after he lets go of Zaara (Preity Zinta) and travels back to India. Then, Pathaan talks about being broken and having multiple metal parts inserted inside him. This is also well documented as Shah Rukh has undergone multiple surgeries on his knee and spinal cord. He has also tweeted about feeling pain all the time.</div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">i do have pains all the time. learning to live with them. knee surgery twice, ankle, toe, spine,shoulder & stomach. but no pain..no gain.</p>— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk/status/9354828626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2010</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: start;">Later, Colonel Luthra sarcastically remarks that Pathaan listens to his heart first. "<i>Pehle hamesha apne dil ki sunte hai,</i>" he says. In <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i>, Shah Rukh, as Rahul, spoke about listening to his heart. "<i>Zindagi mein agar kuch banna ho, kuch haasil karna ho, kuch jeetna ho, toh hamesha dil ki suno</i>." </span></div><div><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="2821" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSX1-9-3iBtwvnnC3LfF0eN8GtIzM4EDS9uUVJQ-33R03z5x9Hnz-8RvFguPx12-Y1rTYhuquneuIcFlzwfuCTDfO0TndKOqU_BhpUET8x7ApMTVNqi_jCGh57eWwcv7BrjRP5-o-qXvkkDX17WKqnTS5XF0q9wcA9Xkg2jqBHEW7YxhdDjmE0P09UJw=w640-h290" width="640" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Russia, Pathaan and Rubina plan to steal the Raktabij from the Russians, like the diamonds from the safe in <i>Happy New Year</i>. The lock to the vault lies with a woman who is intentionally named Karen. Her name allows Pathaan to call her K-K-K-Kiran, like Shah Rukh's character Rahul did in <i>Darr</i>. There is a moment when Pathaan rescues Rubai after a malfunction during the heist in Russia. They jump onto a high-rise building and slide down. The moment reminded me of the one in <i>Main Hoon Na</i> where Major Ram (Shah Rukh Khan) saves Lucky (Zayed Khan) from falling. Then, Pathaan is double-crossed by Rubina when she steals the orbs from him. He then falls back inside the vault, recreating the moment of the fall of Gaurav (Shah Rukh Khan) from <i>Fan</i>. <i>Main Hoon Na</i> is explicitly referenced when Pathaan is rescued by Tiger in the train sequence. Pathaan comments that he has taken the pin out of the bomb; to this, Tiger comments, "<i>Tere pin maarne ki aadat kab jaayegi</i>,<i>" </i>where<i> </i>he was talking about the last scene from <i>Main Hoon Na </i>when Ram kills Raghavan by the same method<i>. </i>In another moment, Tiger and Pathaan then run to save their life after the train falls into a gorge, and the bridge collapses. Tiger screams, "<i>Bhaag Pathaan Bhaag</i>." In <i>Karan Arjun</i>, Karan (Salman Khan) mentioned the same dialogue to Arjun (Shah Rukh Khan)—"<i>Bhaag Arjun Bhaag</i>"—when they were beaten by Thakur's acolytes. And, then, in a post-credits scene (like it happens in Marvel Cinematic Universe), the two men talk about their old age and wonder if they should give it all up to the next generation (of actors). They feel none of the actors are ready to take up their mantel. They don't take any names (I wish they did), like they never revealed the film playing in the cinema where Pathaan was found (I wish they did). It is again a meta-moment where two aging superstars think about their work and are still not ready to give up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="2830" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkKWXkvi4nNRzY-sBWxtlVGazaZYLt-yADn2l0qCdhTEJsgeed0GYLA-KGeqm9fAVZr-Ke_LaY0OJNG87_nRzXwAu5HooJnbiulAmFf7hlT6G8i0tbBjQgg01SmugdffwK3B8_ah_aoMrXn7AiiuUe2dCR9CEGPo-XM-G5c13oH26Lm-uRUW2wZ0J0VQ=w640-h276" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1256" data-original-width="2858" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1UPY1yYGAGWH6Pt0RONHWhmApNqxourPRxlmfWUojoc9BoHPXCY1xPSZHp4zDgoJJ0-38tew4h7O9YQpvC4pr8kcBOWrmXub8EQAKIszKyB5enGQ8A3558NfUs0_shsAfcXrLXdAks0g_ysNFMjJqrSVZiFUtjBansvJoKYeYbJu-TrYOLFWazFQ68w=w640-h282" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="548" data-original-width="1288" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7apvbfFa8UCH_7KvR917vaXOOA-isFbC6UDSz7-8gfKPrHoEYHXV_9-OeHBwARNACRg2I96GNkk6dmMrk2jG8H6AFq5deEMouwQJPvCBQJxslgt3aE8jcN3jXMe9jeubKpi_IcSA4kPB7tNslGOPawtuzrptNQ9cJyhZ28bYM6NiO5XubMRO3BVoEyA=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This sort of meta-commentary is not new to Shah Rukh Khan's career. His films, especially in the past decade or so, have formed what can be called the SRK Cinematic Metaverse. An entire thesis can be written on the same. This started primarily with <i>Om Shanti Om</i> (2007)<i>,</i> where Shah Rukh spoofed his Rahul lover boy roles. In <i>Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi </i>(2008), he played Raj trying to parody his own lover-boy persona to win the love of his wife. In <i>Luck By Chance</i> (2009), his meta-ness became one of the most compelling about the film. At one stage in the film, Karan Johar discusses his theory of how a new hero is born in the industry. He quotes how Shah Rukh Khan got a break in the industry when all actors refused to make a film. Shah Rukh also appears with his entourage towards the end, giving us a terrific scene. He advises a new superstar to never forget the people there with him when he was a nobody.<i> "Unhe mat bhoolo, jo tumhe jab jaante the, jab tum kuch nahi the. Kyunki bas yahi hai jo hamesha tumhe sach bolenge</i>." This is the same adage that Shah Rukh has followed in his life. In <i>Billu</i> (2009), he again played a version of his superstar actor persona where he maintained a friendship with an old friend.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="2807" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivQU3Q79g79Vxy0adI_B0JTTlTpHQT4gyCh7G7rhquC22SK2-mCoV4YCgUy6qTGh9VruXK4SreCPKPL1u7uwBKyy4xz818xvUwZLVRg8CzQR005hq1tQrgxd9bktLwLlbg-w7DDEjc6ZQSnZQ19z_lAf1wIPKHDt2VloxxAYPvmYflvBOUwjrxan1BjA=w640-h278" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="2834" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1u-ZFFaH1HkoC1sOfsOgQ3HazmxA6LGgz75auNM40ALanMDi4LvE6s42b1he_TMcmvEWCaNqqz-VDQBGth0UHWEf6fbZb_BJLoJrf-s_Bgm99Rarse1A68eyW0SK4YuKvW4BLSIBkkR0fWjhhjGd5AbRRzpotzV18Qqecz3DbI5q3GpuzWemnbHHTHA=w640-h290" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>My Name Is Khan</i> (2010), he played a Muslim who traveled across the US to meet its president to tell him he was not a terrorist. It almost mirrored the underlying distrust in his Muslim identity when he was detained at a US airport during immigration, where he was questioned for hours, possibly due to his last name. And, like in the case of <i>Pathaan</i>, he faced boycott calls over the film's release. The Shiv Sena threatened to disrupt the screenings of his film if he did not apologize for backing the participation of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League. In <i>Ra.One</i> (2010), Shah Rukh added elements of his relationship with his son in the film. In an interview, he said, "<i>The film talks about a father and son’s relationship. It has a bit of my relationship with my son, who thinks I’m not cool. I believe it will teach sons to love their fathers. They are as good as mothers.</i>" His next few films—<i>Chennai Express</i> (2013), <i>Happy New Year</i> (2014), and <i>Dilwale</i> (2015)—again contained ample references to all his earlier films. At one point in <i>Happy New Year</i>, he parodies his iconic <i>sattar minute</i> speech from <i>Chak De! India</i>.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="2834" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBGdOu3hKox6RgDsDfXrLshBiXI92Cd5bQG7HLnNjHO7TtDqwYLHmqIQaGlRwHebuyjIeRmWCnr4N4nJxStg0-Qq8dKOm_MLB-QMZc2yOedAREeALisgbJPAmATpcyML8XBAldp2ElhElrthFncEfppESTUcNW8hb8ngAcaEg--FVJEF3UrTkS-H_cEQ=w640-h254" width="640" /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="2641" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYs2N5ub6-2uEAMQk6HHiT0TCF1rAWC-MxYpyeYK5nfc4OtJDt2Awp_XJf8u6h40tR69sNgQIPjsQsOarTuhtX0NqL7gaPqlCGx-wJ210gMTFPLj0XOq2JtEHH7AVyKPFa5x0VkOga24gH2Ma9lDTbJn83SnUVHsyD2Ar2vWQ8H-LP8sa-oxaqijPuPA=w640-h296" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">In <i>Fan</i> (2016), Shah Rukh gave one of the most fascinating meta-films ever made in Hindi cinema. He played the role of an aging superstar troubled by a young fan who looked exactly like him. The film included elements from Shah Rukh's career. In <i>Jab Harry Met Sejal</i> (2017), there is again a bit of <i>Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge</i>. A man and a woman meet in Europe, fall in love, and the man travels to India to stop the woman's wedding. At some other stage, Harry (Shah Rukh Khan) tells Sejal (Anushka Sharma) that she will have to go away when the time comes. <i>Mudkar nahi dekhna hai peeche,</i> like in the <i>palat</i> scene from <i>Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge</i>. The promotional credit song <i>Phurrr </i>is also reminiscent of the <i>Phurr</i> scene from <i>Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge</i>. In <i>Zero</i> (2018), a scene at the party again provides a meta-commentary on the career of Shah Rukh Khan. Bauua Singh (Shah Rukh Khan) tries to show the magic of making the stars move with his hands. Many actresses who have worked with him in his films appear with him in this scene. There is Karisma Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Sridevi, Alia Bhatt, and Deepika Padukone. He talks about shooting stars and showing his magic to the 'ladies.' <i>Pathaan </i>(2023) again adds meta-commentary from his life, but this time, it comes together more coherently, unlike in some of the films mentioned above.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="271" data-original-width="640" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitmbb4CSzbNtnf35EsurGqJEqp2TGrnvZUPIBSgwvMY-vRK0iImeAqS4m8FsbCcLladkXaghl-OfbhKYuhN4xS6WzMBFUANZJ3uWkQOJdVUSaFvdDMkVcGcwYKNGCY5L5yCGRJ56-dLAcrd6qx2EaZ7Wau0o8sYI2qtqKui8N8kQjgNeS15GNUZ3QrTw=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2830" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf8YClvMsx1ickCi-hp9-wqDLFcwZrJXiBx2J3_OlPw1IZFDlhGtznhywO7LzlH5X8F6Pb3KwAvDK8q6zLuDSlTZkruSvzlGLUExVh9GxgKSTeyos_EwsX9KUYusT8lILUyBfUpOZbZP6_d7Z1EAatPsmo-G6NwgptcwcdXcs1CEl7Whjyafddjrqlww=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div>Shah Rukh Khan's return to films after four years has spurred a return to cinema for scores of his fans. They are experiencing joy by dancing to the beats of the <i>Jhoome Jo Pathaan</i>. They are reading different subtextual elements in the film. Love means different things to different people, and all these are ways of showering love on a man who has entertained them for thirty years. Like the scientist, who still tries to impress his wife even after getting married for thirty years, also said, "<i>Science is easy; love is hard</i>."</div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. <span style="text-align: left;">A few days ago, I wrote a <a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-fathers-in-ranbir-kapoors.html" target="_blank">post</a> on the relationship between the characters of Ranbir Kapoor and their fathers. A longtime reader and friend, Mandar replied that he sees a similar relationship between the characters of Shah Rukh Khan and their mothers in films. It can be seen here again in </span><i style="text-align: left;">Pathaan</i><span style="text-align: left;">. The relationship between Pathaan and Ma'am is like that of a mother and son.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1170" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkcys9haL6NOgMs9GFvtLzPYFirwwd49_2z_-XmhDa3rHpRGijTRDYI-dgpDyTGFBnj6MIrLe469zuaOHZSSUatgZEkNnFZ0-8P7388AFHDA30vhJmHUsHE0r88K9KKtcFLO2HAwPFe6fCg-m_z6PmdDhKPkUq3-lYavUgpswDcXeXC-nWaBGwppjh5g=w400-h278" width="400" /></div><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>Fan</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2016/04/fanof-devotion-and-obsession.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i>Jab Harry Met Sejal</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/08/jab-harry-met-sejalwhat-you-seek-is.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. On <i>Dear Zindagi</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/01/dear-zindagiof-jug-and-chairs.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. On <i>Raees</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/04/raeesof-dhandha-and-gandhian-vision.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. On Shah Rukh Khan and the world of stars and the moon—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2021/11/shah-rukh-khan-and-world-of-stars-and.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">6. On <i>Swades</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2014/06/swades-of-ice-dissolving-in-its-own.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. On <i>Satrangi Re</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2014/07/satrangi-re-seven-stages-of-love.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">8. On <i>Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2014/12/kabhi-alvida-naa-kehna-love-will-find.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Khaunf logon ko andha kar deta hai</i>."<br />—Pathaan, <i>Pathaan</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-47627358616998828962023-01-28T21:44:00.001-08:002023-01-29T15:25:13.707-08:00The Wonder Women of Ponniyin Selvan: I<div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1543" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7fSZKJLSR_gr__XibdScMS2CfKaxCyd-MiFAZNSmlr8ynmocu5owzXyMutUsf-JTRrqbwmU3RYvg86BJmLDWbgjWyK2_M36h8ZOlUMZfz216lrh56P0nh-lB01JsVMm33AxCQeLEtb8Fu9BGghHpx6-yC27KuCMRQg7uir6dzTB10zI2_kYP1JOK-qA=w640-h414" width="640" /></div>In <i>Ponniyin Selvan: I</i>, Mani Ratnam brings to life the epic 1955 novel of Kalki Krishnamurthy. The story revolves around the succession battle in the Chola kingdom and the ensuing threat from the Pandyan rebels who want revenge against the Cholas. Vandiyathevan (Karthi), a young soldier, sets out across the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince, Aditya Karikalan (Vikram), to his father, Emperor Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj), and his sister, Princess Kundavai Devi (Trisha), about a conspiracy. The other son of Sundara Chola, Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), also known as Ponniyin Selvan, is fighting a battle in Lanka. There is Nandini (Aishwarya Rai), Aditya's ex-lover and the wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (R. Sarathkumar), the chancellor of the Chola Empire who is conspiring against Sundara Chola to install Prince Madhurantakan (Rahman) as the king. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="2844" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjetLr5vROJi1i4Xg-NJ3Jne5ZIudHZ-YgWLHqWdtx3iplkTbrleXwOWkW5CuFvuv0ni-9kV_g8x1oBxDrEvN2XLB3wlyVEBx54U2QGnlzNgORhjuHRsZt32UcrkVYgDu_jSALS1nA_F0li2QdoUxrXQ6VkIRX_Soc4pSEtf-kbG8we-YhJ6qYV8io68g=w640-h264" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Ponniyin Selvan: I </i>has its fair share of politics, war, violence, palace intrigue, and mystery, but what stands out in the film is its wonderful women characters. Women in the film are protectors, nurturers, rescuers, manipulators, conspirators, and strategists. They have a role and, more importantly, a voice. They are beautiful, and they are intelligent. And the most interesting aspect of these wonder women is that they enter and thrive in spaces that are dominated by men. They rule those spaces and do a better job than the men themselves. It is worth looking at these women in more detail.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="2833" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOK2fTqR4wE03u3yW45PqpDrjgmESKzL9kagHknqS1thUxOqvOc3WLgpdgI6a5FC1Kajq7eAm4aaouDs0Cp_tsttuxKezDBO3naZgHpMNKQqjL4ntJurojBVxBVF39hOH5IKucZ9ar5sd88BiOR2DgdbMAL7eJ3bK2_QMPPI7vBQJuQpny8ksTlOW0og=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Nandini</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nandini is the wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, the chancellor of the Chola Empire. She was earlier in love with Aditya, but things did not work out between them, as his family did not want an orphan like her to become the queen of the Chola kingdom. She then disappears from his life and eventually marries Pazhuvettaraiyar, a man much older than her. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="2823" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiApRVS40YPR71yfKO9Ufa1xTYKe3zs4t6y_am4lfcKBwclwujua9ymnK3biOwXiEIqwOS0cPkm59zBkvY2kmeL7KBfiCrDjn2xQxlmOuxMg9vv6bRKzAOADq-3iwbha1SovzxoxadtVJf6_142jAhzIjYMqnPg2n7mKV7GTJLu8_3A_NmdIiWS6f5bOA=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first time we see Nandini is in her palanquin when Vandiyathevan tries to meet her thinking there is Madhurantakan in it. Her luminous face partially bows out from behind the curtains. This luminosity and this mystery become the hallmark of Nandini throughout the film. When Vandiyathevan visits Nandini in the palace, light falls on her face making her shine like a diamond. Nandini then guides him through a secret passage and asks him not to be tempted by the treasure inside. "<i>I stand before a shining diamond</i>," he replies, mesmerized by her beauty. Nandini was indeed the shining diamond. Likewise, in the same scene, the closing of the door gradually hides her face, reminiscent of the earlier scene in the palanquin. Later, a similar scene appears again when Aditya talks about his past, where he met her taking care of his enemy Veerapandiyan. Her face gradually appears from behind the door, adding to her mystery.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2034" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizUIRDRtzN4f9fyN89nx7x6ihnWQTw4OUQ1aIV7bgVr5bAfUeelqtYju3KH01gyp2GU8Yp6H8JrHqjub_KcNqtIpQv-xHtIR6aIG0n6ANTWhhyuC2bxBkmAeRkKeAAIHM66YO1ScisLF5VQUq7XoKpCjjD_vCqLG7P5pGIEXcIuSmNBUbhGP9-39ybOQ=w640-h630" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>I stand before a shining diamond.<br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2034" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIW57HVh4NDwcIAd2S2rMNo8vtN4aznXzU39NS451evOIoVjfTLkE0VqEAdhJDmoAm2jq_FFm3cRcQwYu0WY4UJQO6Q6u_HZrmDwD48OqGEtrRW3_97Zz90eDiqwT049gpMjSZ4oCOc5zC9i0Xr4MIrGAvTr_BmpY2eODzHDMFNJi0hSPWIvzjDev3sw=w640-h630" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nandini is the most fascinating character in the film. Her husband might be one the most powerful men in the kingdom, but she controls him through her beauty and intelligence. She is the mind behind her husband's strategic maneuvers. She advises him on political matters leading to consternation among the other chieftains that he is following his wife's orders. She has strong political instincts and strategizes for the future. She is the only <i>woman</i> in the film who dreams of herself on the throne. She has a manipulative streak in her. When her husband is angry with things not going as planned, she uses her charm to disarm his anger and manipulates him into agreeing to a risky idea for breaking the unity of the Chola princes. All she has to do is to turn around and ask him to take off her jewelry. In another similar moment, she tries to entice Vandiyathevan to think about getting back his kingdom as if trying to bring him to her side.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="2795" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2WmpOZmbSyiC0sqrJLQo8hfuiNBraLOW7Pd2hBVgXrg6t0y6gLoxvoSYS2HO4n7skgZ5N-ygqpxE4FMiVBU-HiL_oYqB_LG1HPj6R-1HsoFItrJVooGmLSLq3mFly1aTlmRqKIoMag3gD7HTGweooWu89jRiCD6gOU6ybm1uANbrorAU5dtrc6YUpjg=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="2771" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKYm_v8O78JhGb_Ot6UdxBAnERT2AuQ5T5yg7IUrL7wUlpkV5ltv2RRGNAwd2pz18YpCtym0BXKo8qDfJ8bE96sWz9YKWDOeLWJKA5HRaE3rIs-VI4pi7kII80ReqHG-xWoAw3YUGfZeK-OTK6rgpj6c96RSIWc8mwkaFndeL2ky9LqW_1dOK3U58aRA=w640-h278" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="2820" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirWHrGoUFNOtFylm3dvBTlB6nfKhFFkNj1JBoIZmp4-Oqyc-TRRCeYCB4hADc0cQn2YWFTtkaqQCHnWg-vSeNoF_-XDQfbY1McahMrX2yGFwtHP6WzY2TXvtFAqR_3vlFn0_0R7-hzPeyIoEeLc-FNs1qJVvl93um1rAIOyMFJOniraH85OmnEEg8xlQ=w640-h326" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nandini is in complete control of her emotions and does not let anything come to her. When she is threatened by Ravidasan (Kishore), a Pandya rebel, with a knife, she does not feel scared. He accuses her of forgetting the promise to destroy the Cholas and becoming enchanted with her luxurious life. She shuts him down by saying she carries deep wounds and does not forget anything. The men in the film are praised for their external scars. Her husband, Pazhuvettaraiyar, is described as someone with sixty-four battle scars. There are scars on Aditya as well. Nandini is the one who is battling her inner scars to get her wishes to come true. The only time she shows vulnerability is when she is in her past, requesting Aditya not to kill Veerapandiyan (Nassar).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1413" data-original-width="2754" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYSWd7_U0MS84lKZ3jtPm_lTGQLd3Kt_kXmGkGJrabk2bKLdIzvjJOpoCAidF91q-RVh7vkiDY-MQeaN0-HA73PYbAtpIOWlE_UHRhQl6oj49lGPd8brXviRvk_8UUQj4gv5B4aNJF4CbjCAD9mncwqlyAofbjCUYGe_Rr5JyikNpb-i9pFC66zdFfcA=w640-h328" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="2801" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgymHwmPcwzVbn6xU5TtkuYvbXTKcMmE7Vil9f3K7X5dmGROIvzsYBkWnHorQWMM3tGocBjuVBuXlxyHrTfLgTG4DulR4Sfg8BmVC1NDBNhcYWR37iOgmvd967DbNLJb0EuLAY2s-Q8zoZAja1oEWxI7FtFGodOKcGSZLO-kCM8iMN06op-8qtuegqisQ=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nandini exerts control not only over her husband but also over her past lover Aditya. He does not want to return to Thanjavur because he will see her there. She still controls his life even in her absence. He says he has become a walking corpse as he has died multiple times because of her. All the wars that he is fighting are a reflection of his struggle to forget her. She has turned him into this monster, and he became indifferent to her tears. Since then, day and night, she has continued to haunt him. In the film's beginning moments, Aditya spares the life of a king he defeated in war, saying he did not want to kill an unarmed man again. It is later revealed that he had killed an incapacitated Veerapandiyan when he saw her with Nandini. The man was unwell, and in a fit of rage, Aditya simply killed him mercilessly, even when Nandini begged him to not harm him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1411" data-original-width="2786" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkJ5E5rO0PGfGPt5T7soT30YgsQ4d63w_w79vd-PBYPbCMyIw6PHMJOBuGnM8RDLZvA-khlx5HLt1fPGGBMFzy01u_JoEM6fwUQ97VGy3TSDhMgDQvvQm2DdSKqT7hgUPeNWkvJ0HXs2zDDJ15gEfw9ZjuUxNjtbnV6nbmzLx8V6jUR8p2i0mJYuJn4w=w640-h324" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The inability of Aditya to be with Nandini is reminiscent of the forbidden love of Veera (Vikram) for Ragini (Aishwarya Rai) in Mani Ratnam's <i>Raavanan</i>, again played by the same actors. Both these men have feelings for the wife of another man. They know they are breaking societal mores even by entertaining the very thought. In one particular moment in <i>Raavanan</i>, Ragini prays to the broken statue of Lord Vishnu, asking not to make her weak by showing the goodness of the villagers. The statue is a stand-in for her husband Dev (Prithviraj)—her Ram. Veera asks Ragini about her husband. She tells him that Dev is like <i>bhagwaan</i>. Veera feels jealous of her husband because he gets to be with Ragini and has also fallen in love with her. Jealousy makes him feel like Dev's equal. He acknowledges his human and emotional side. The background music when Aditya talks about Nandini in <i>Ponniyin Selvan: I</i> is also reminiscent of the one in the statute scene from <i>Raavanan</i>.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2034" data-original-width="2334" height="559" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIA8xfPCPwvz_GRKsHbrmGykE3iuYcOZ6Bl5v-NMMTovFbubHLkpr0D4AfzbgcyUdgBKLccHoqocKDxiCqnbo8X4fXmx8DCSGwUXVdgV7u0lzmGNHBGFBujh2cVuQCOuH8ubgjLsrtSHeoHqc903V2hY4f_a-dVKbYGlYam5Rq4epU_w1li5bAFTRt0Q=w640-h559" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Kundavai Devi</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kundavai Devi is the daughter of Sundara Chola. She is the second child of the king and has two brothers, one elder and the other younger. The two brothers are busy fighting wars for the kingdom, and she becomes the kingdom's protector. Like Nandini, Kundavai is a fascinating character. Her understanding of politics is better than both of her brothers. Her brothers trust her. Her father trusts her. In a telling scene, she becomes the crutch of her ailing father. She is also shrewd and manipulative, but these characteristics come from a place of care for her family. In a superb scene, she barges into the secret meeting of the local chieftains who are plotting the downfall of Sundara Chola. She arrives without prior notice causing nervousness among the chieftains. All these <i>men</i> get scared by this woman. When she arrives, she positions herself in the center, becoming the cynosure of all eyes. She then tries to put a wedge between these men by bringing up the subject of raising taxes to fund the wedding of her two brothers. She knew these chieftains would want their daughters to marry the two princes. With this trick, she simply took the wind out of the plans of the Pazhuvettarayar brothers, who are tongue-tied. In this scene, she is the only woman, surrounded by men, and comes out as the most powerful.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="2820" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuc0VidkttH99utbKAxE84-b2NWHu1q3iv-_zCABJxbN8-Lz9lDErqhmxmS21KcGO0AW9Qm_6cZqGepYFJ7L1hwTYOSc5hBcqhXnyKNk-tMgfToXi7OjkwJhza89B1MwYU2zKOkOWkKRaz7kIpMv319wr_ALu7F32NLyw_AvVrGwYi8dnKxEjffKaxmA=w640-h274" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="2816" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidjC1DViuArMBvTPvAaHAgtQaVQbKwNmRsMZ4y_YcGqmUKibHhlZkOfwA9GZMGt_jevo7R8ZsZ3YQGClfBhwEPnDqXk-Ktz2M2rP-ZmRvEqIuJlV1SsX3xJNYwBwoy-Y6ErjwV3kNTVzHW6e2wXHoYsyhhqnyaQVc5JwR7FPkXR9UYDL7jXUAF-qAkLw=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kundavai reads people very well. She can sense when people are hiding something. It is also the reason she is sent by her father to bring some sense to Aditya and convince him to return to Thanjavur. It is then revealed by Aditya that Kundavai was the one who convinced their mother to take Nandini out of his life. Kundavai believes that an orphan like Nandini cannot be the Chola queen; therefore, she opposes her brother's relationship. Here again, she displays a penchant for realpolitik. It might be unfair to Nandini and Aditya, but she plays the role of a <i>princess</i> instead of a <i>sister</i>. She understands that people won't accept Nandini. She knows the pulse of the people. Notice the question she asks the prime minister when she arrives at Thanjavur is again about the people. She asks, "<i>What concerns the people these days?</i>"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="2780" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqxNf00Vni_7jL4YtZrAvKVqcQYvKEyqokYgnfx56vZKO9hIvjWAjOmzUPHVfdbte5IIXHi5-uzEnhl90pn8Ah3h1A1lBTBSleZlBNlRyn3t5tCFLOVHgJSVWoeOqBvnSztg2wlzHbhxziBQS-wcEgnOt3BwVb9GTmkUp8udcSNoc8SthF-tDQ8Fy2gA=w640-h324" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">The meeting between Kundavai and Vandiyathevan is absolutely charming. He tells her that his life belongs to her. If Aditya had shades of Veera from <i>Raavanan</i>, Vandiyathevan was like Karthik (Madhavan) from Mani Ratnam's <i>Alaipayuthey. </i>Kundavai then asks Vandiyathevan to jump into the river, just as Shakthi (Shalini) asked Karthik to jump from the moving train in <i>Alaipayuthey</i>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1419" data-original-width="2829" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4QkadEw2hMzoRhVQ1zhWKHUrZowXeqlXBX6MSw9GdMq-TcrcH_YWRaGOVIcjQbRGyIVJTW11_SAmxV4tCAA3oQt0xP46yBY64XrnV-WGQBI-GO7zn0NTp0XbMO-5bkautd8CPg1PhO0g5SZPSC8XEBvl3_bySorQfPakn8J-ZqibcNH6-Vnphq20Ieg=w640-h322" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Poonguzhali </b><br />Poonguzhali (Aishwarya Lekshmi) is t<span>he boat woman who guides </span><span>Vandiyathevan to Lanka</span><span>. She gets a fantastic dramatic entry scene where </span>she comes out of the sea while Vandiyathevan looks mesmerized by her. It is again worth noting her unconventional profession as a boater, something which has been dominated by men. All the other boaters in the film are men. She is also the one who hunts for fish while Vandiyathevan, the <i>warrior</i>, remains in the boat, feeling afraid as his horoscope said that he will have a grave in water. She then takes out a sharp weapon when he tries to flirt with her. Later, when the Pandyan rebels come to Lanka, she can sense something is wrong. Like Kundavai, she also goes to a meeting of the men of the Chola Kingdom, who were discussing war strategy among themselves. She reveals to them the plan of the Chola soldiers to arrest Arulmozhi. She speaks before the men without hesitation and agrees to help Arulmozhi even if the other commanders were asking her not to do it. In the final moments, she again plays a critical role in the confrontation between Arulmozhi and the Pandyan rebels.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="2848" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL2PSkXxG0xqT9IuXShykGi2Ix5ku6j2_au25vrrQY9sc4nTG3gtVwsX-mnBxRnDshyWtAf2noN9E4Z68B2AHQYwtl0oKRqfivKjoCUkXwyQiemc-IFd5QsmCp7N3pLf-_NYE3wrkHi1MOJWoPtNOK47vTMO9xApIgYQ-xjVjo44PQeEwjpa-hpxaqfw=w640-h272" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="2860" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgX1NBESFt1rU8urVeSUfmaGPs9SowJ0FfxMzWAAV6N4_RYysT-RXR6tIXVthgxjBFoUsr8HI5MzdmUm8H_nth_Ghsr52ZututjN89SHE5fV0r-99L2t9dXhExj0sX1CYequhWXD2HdW6HT3nPmdpoatfapNuy9xLM-AH3YOs0POA6u7o_ZqyYOn1r17Q=w640-h266" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Oomai Rani</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oomai Rani (Aishwarya Rai) is the mysterious woman who rescues Arulmozhi and Vandiyathevan when ambushed by the Pandyan rebels. She uses the might of the elephant to force the rebels to retreat. It is again worth noting that she is the only <i>woman</i> in the scene who comes to rescue the <i>men</i> signifying a sense of power in her. Arulmozhi realizes that he has seen this mysterious woman before in his life. She was the one who saved him when he fell into the river Ponni when he was a kid. Legend was that it was mother Ponni who saved him, but in reality, it was Oomai Rani. In the film's final moments, Oomai Rani reprises her role as a rescuer when she jumps into the sea to again save Arulmozhi and Vandiyathevan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="2841" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjiqsb2OI-9JcIo4oWQIDGqfYPjCxEv0b-IG9XlaDOu2LgLv4w7yG1xSR7vRptMxgrpFClJIvxqvxmicoPi8G85GgyTJjVE6FhcbeeFpP2muAk23-SY5GmXQGQdbI8aPkd2CEg_mnzUBVYNYDQzZ_n7V3wjg6Xx-ddXGQZUMWXK2N_gjKXBdVvF9rqd5g=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The other women in the film might have a small role, but they also make their presence felt. There is Vaanathi (Sobhita Dhuilpala), the princess of Kodumbalur. She has feelings for Arulmozhi and expects to marry him. In the gorgeous <i>Ratchasa Maamaney</i>, she plays the role of Lord Krishna and battles Vandiyathevan, who plays Kansa Mama. The song is a rare one as it does not show Radha-Krishna as seen in other similar songs but focuses on the Krishna-Kansa battle. Then, there is also Sembiyaan Mahadevi (Jayachitra), the mother of Madhurantakan, who opposes his plan to ascend the throne. She refuses to give her consent to him to become the king. And, of course, the film is titled after the son of mother Ponni—<i>Ponniyin Selvan</i>. It is about the son but also about the mother. The film's opening song <i>Ponni Nadhi</i> pays a beautiful tribute to River Cauvery. In the stunning meeting between Nandini and Kundavai, the song in the background says, "<i>Can thunder and lightning coexist together?</i>" It is a perfect description of not only these two amazing women but all the other women who light up the film with their charm, beauty, and intelligence.</div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="2792" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdxRbPwcyDzn361Gkg0c-iir4VPuR6ieIjnIEZ1IUpabOtwcICcO_BNr9U1EQ038VjiO-BTHn08fRi-xprj_osYhLGSxLtDTEn1mRcN5fBpKrvZ1k4q_CF6jUBsaojIEiKiAKJ7Ij8sUl5xLDE5iqKMXD2IIIcNwXpmSQYm_bipyLUEnAnxaYpnvPqOQ=w640-h278" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1. The film mentions Lord Krishna and his 108 wives along including Bhama and Rukmini.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="2851" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh53-JcxnUWqfqZwabpIwbeWajiShcVHiGGWr2UjXfPsN3xtXBuqDw2jF5RAsEeL80BhnRMM5cxQsruix9jb34Spg2EHUSiCxp7p8d--FDxwRTmESVbSrQbmiWSGVMbviSXXkuF2v6dN284zFxcFNsghA7UcJlAYbQ0kUu9nEMTiSNOQhLiE4-GVF3XyQ=w640-h320" width="640" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2815" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinteLaIVJY1_vp_fOqf7PCFMTMqrqCMo87XH_AsecsEiUgUsUcHG62DfQyu4ApS2vxHj-dATkAc73mLwS-LLmqwln6W-m5f0RPKlFM5f1HxJ7R1UOM_WSckeOkTdplPe1al-97rHPteXWw81uaNegzlvmCg9W4B435Ue69fJPBxaBft5zjVHgsCW17Zg=w640-h324" width="640" /></div></div>2. Parallels between <i>Raavanan</i> and <i>Ponniyin Selvan: I</i>.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2334" data-original-width="2149" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGuEXOiYWK9Su_e5CsQZxxpuYLYu4kgqoDy29j4gIHOx_mq4uMw042LmXyGuP5bv0Fh8bRNPbhQbFYnCP0ovtnYxnQH7Uh7JbYmnCilI73HjDX2cJpyCUOOpTbNS6EYesGEkQD_qaK8yC4YZA9BYMCa_CXBxcVQdvzKtRwB761n_ZQ0jXKGSOnVa7v3Q=w589-h640" width="589" /></div>Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>Raavan</i> and <i>Khal Nayak</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-saintly-demons-in-khal-nayak-and.html" target="_blank">Link</a><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2. On <i>Saathiya</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2015/10/saathiyaof-zulf-ke-neeche-gardan-pe-and.html" target="_blank">Link</a></p></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div>"<i>The lust for power surpasses the lust for beauty.</i>"<br />—Kundavai, <i style="text-align: justify;">Ponniyin Selvan: I</i>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-62937660513106428192022-12-31T20:32:00.006-08:002023-03-18T22:26:42.069-07:00Qala and the Many Ms<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1182" height="593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZ--0HunfegeB4QtxITV8O203aa1B4yDHH1mO0364WSwAwb5JkkWjjxJTZX75nJpfoz0ydjQYcGf08vw72O2HNozgf3cdk49Jss874zL7F-ktB_Auzl4rzSj3-LW6e1tuCv686ry8PnWc1v6s-0vN0p7UTzTg4DvAgbVy6LxP1F8gat8F4bBB73gNJAg=w640-h593" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anvitaa Dutt's <i>Qala</i> is the story of a singer Qala Manjushree (Tripti Dimri), and the gradual degradation of her mental health. The film begins with her winning the prestigious Golden Vinyl award. Qala wants to share the news of her win with her mother, Urmila Manjushree (Swastika Mukherjee), but they are not on talking terms. The film then brings forth the demons from Qala's past that eventually lead her to lose her mind. Her past involves another notable singer Jagan Batwal (Babil Khan), an orphan from Solan, who was adopted by Urmila as her protégé. Jagan's arrival strains the fraught relationship between Qala and Urmila and leads to events that change their lives. The film is set in Calcutta and the fictional town of Debisthan in Himachal Pradesh. The period is never explicitly mentioned, but it seems to be sometime between the 1940s and 1960s based on the names of historical figures mentioned in the dialogue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOqf9dL6kKXWOXkPvs0WYbGmaq_ErKbWumC_PHu_ezYbn5rR9weafoFGCsG5yakKIiAWwQCg3cSm-d1mJ5mXaw-M3BbV1sonfFoGsGYfwRAMrpgcxJG9oi1gvFk385JMvJKMlFqP3jnUkKBx7RBOYLeiXq1wavEFOCcbSHD9GsfuVP8SoJ-XUuo-Y-dA=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The themes of <i>Qala</i> can be broadly categorized by the letter M. These M-related themes are as follows:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>Mother</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Qala</i> is the story of a daughter trying to make a home in her mother's heart. Qala<span style="text-align: left;"> spent all her life trying to get her mother Urmila's approval. She wanted to win the Golden Vinyl award not for herself but for her mother. She was not naturally inclined to music but did it all for Urmila. </span>When a potential suitor asks her if she likes music, she replies she hates it. Her mother, however, harbored some resentment against Qala since her birth. When Qala was born, the doctor told her mother that Qala's twin brother died shortly afterward as he was not healthy. He adds that in the case of twins, one child can suck away all the nutrition from the mother leaving little for the other child. Qala was this healthy child who survived while her brother did not, which became the cause of her mother's resentment towards her. At one early point in the film, in what seems like a dream situation, her mother even tries to smother Qala.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnzPdZu66FIiekEHs7IakYXyNFh5I2_LQCT-OvNmZfTMck44tH9x1JuPZDQ4bGmtGclOWgeRbhU7-u33RJg4UfFB2h62CpgJwzYcBf-zaKes5rN3plpah8z_sHEbWQsykFbrpP38NoMkCOCEeKJIwNXTVIj58kVVGAgmrTkaBsUZqyM3EiPA-W757Rtw=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While growing up, Qala learns music from Urmila. When Qala does not meet the rigorous artistic standards of her mother, she is thrown out of the <i>home</i> as punishment. Qala pleads with her mother to let her in while she braves the biting cold outside. In her first public performance, Qala sings a song about why she is losing her <i>mother's home</i>. <i>Babul mora naihar chhooto hi jaaye</i>. Soon afterward, Urmila adopts an upcoming singer Jagan as her protégé and moves with him to Kolkata. Qala is disappointed that her mother prefers him over her. Her mother tries to marry her off to some wealthy suitor. An anxious Qala wonders if she can go back <i>home</i> where she can live with her mother. She even proposes to marry Jagan so she can live with her. Her mother does not relent. After Jagan's death, Qala asks her mother's permission to record a song in Calcutta. Urmila says she cannot allow a <i>gaanewali</i> to live in her <i>home</i> and asks her to move out. Qala decides to take a chance and leaves. She achieved much success when she started singing professionally. She won many awards and always sent them home to her mother. After winning the Golden Vinyl award, Qala calls home to speak to her mother, but she never answers. Qala's mental health continues to suffer. Towards the end, her mother has a change of heart and decides to take Qala back home. But it is too late. Early in the film, a journalist asks Qala how she felt after winning the Golden Vinyl. She replies, "<i>Thak ke ghar pahunchi hun, aur maa ne darwaaza khola hai</i>." She felt like she had reached home exhausted, and her mother had opened the door for her. Qala's death happens in the same way, foreshadowing her words. Her mother opens the door to take her back, but a mentally exhausted Qala had decided to take her life. Qala wanted to go to her mother's home, but death had other plans.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="2698" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9vajvVz3Acxb8zXOtIx7xQWOgbmwjxsvJ-ZNs56Pb_YtiDYz5Mpr0n5_o-Uriz3yjcjlGBF1CORYynXW50mlAgXB5LhTivI08-xLiHhW6vEKAn5DsAC3GePK98tbhZifqyygLMTiY1slOVj-WTLhW_6gBapAi7ese0RLRCd5H18YIJQ4Z0ZEpdPO6_A=w640-h332" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="2758" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd8nQ26c_rFMrU-N9NsUvxoLeLg3TyUyvSynTMMyw50BsoAnDt6RMrDAfNmG_62R-tRa7U7Gt0sQn8H3pyJv-PAZVtMc0KVGaY3CdrqVsNySlSjscptZuazFjlhCeMsDKrLBOstxlBrWXBs6MGdU5bBfUC_9qm3Xz81PkZMRYqDsObeJuSHzFAi9pu8Q=w640-h320" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdtF7zRAx036m-UECrh4VGo8HpNYX4sZyewg_YEKZ5k0EpZzt7kd9gtODEZNRhWL4DO6_Gk0OVfAold4s3gtdNeD1zycToawLjUsdGS68k4VKiNOq_xZEA7qimtPN2D7bSJFNh0yjaFJZfag5jiA3HIhTzpWtDIKiz-5RhV3sTEjUw1rr6RzLL0xd_kw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="2642" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdtF7zRAx036m-UECrh4VGo8HpNYX4sZyewg_YEKZ5k0EpZzt7kd9gtODEZNRhWL4DO6_Gk0OVfAold4s3gtdNeD1zycToawLjUsdGS68k4VKiNOq_xZEA7qimtPN2D7bSJFNh0yjaFJZfag5jiA3HIhTzpWtDIKiz-5RhV3sTEjUw1rr6RzLL0xd_kw=w640-h338" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="2671" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHJpvuCMqey4Eq9PlEHwEMr1AmduA9Zc7Je-68NEM3IXUkjXH6hmBJ0z71WX9Zs5GkQvN07WnuCQcd9WLjYIq1M15pITFrllhQB6POopvbYNDUTuoK6vKBWvsl0YGyKxop5vKv8Ilg-JENPNJ4GpCwmYkWI2mrCt2v_JLCqhTi4-unVSB_UdTPiU2wDQ=w640-h328" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Urmila had an indelible impact on Qala's life. Qala imitates her mother in many ways. She copies her mother's hand movements while listening to music. She copies her mother's dressing style. At one point, Qala sees her mother with the singer Chandan Roy Sanyal (Samir Kochhar) in an intimate position and adopts the same trick to woo Sumant Kumar (Amit Sial). Qala did horrible things to Jagan to make him lose his voice so that her path to success was clear. She wants to become successful to win her mother's acceptance. Qala is not an exceptional singer like Jagan, but she tries. Jagan, however, sang only for himself. Here, <i>Qala</i> reminds one of the similar themes in Chaitanya Tamhane's <i>The Disciple</i>. Is it worth it to sacrifice one's life in pursuing art if someone is mediocre in it? Can one get better, or will one be destined to remain average? Urmila is not against Qala singing as such. She wants her to learn classical music and not film music. A teacher suggests to Urmila that Qala continue her family's legacy of <i>thumri</i>. Urmila is against that, perhaps, because this musical form is connected with dance, dramatic gestures, and mild eroticism. The term "thumri" is derived from the Hindi verb <i>thumkaana</i>, which means "to walk with a dancing gait in such a way that the ankle-bells tinkle." Urmila believes that there should be a <i>Pandit</i> in front of Qala's name and not a <i>Bai</i> in the end.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGi8XahNvYzA7DDNg7aAVwt9rt9lX-jHCv-hpuYzij2B5An3kXL9MT9_ybguJPM4sGS5nroxGiuHwYqudp_6znpZggqTC0Y6ipdpcRhhuEhnsYSz6QLgvDimB70PJpNSCHqEAvInxpdDYxtrIDTB3xm9aJ0a3Q7-9xGHbs6SAn8GTBDTpXlbABrWb_Fw=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Hindi cinema often glorifies the loving and sacrificial nature of mothers. In this regard, Urmila is not like these mothers. The thing to note is that she is not a monster as such as well, but she is not also as supportive. Last year, Renuka Shahane's <i>Tribhanga</i> also tried to depict a different aspect of the mother-daughter dynamic where the mother was interested in pursuing her professional life, often ignoring her motherly responsibilities. There was also Yash Chopra's <i>Jab Tak Hai Jaan,</i> where Meera (Katrina Kaif) became estranged from her mother because she left her marriage with her father to be with her lover.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpqs71wAJbWvFN2wMf_NME698l7mdOzEg3iUDOrAcjaHhCquIkdOev9oQdd2Q-7YpWapva8yfda9H3CiAwfdl5bh1pigeQYp3n6pmiKY5lQsW1hZ-ENkWd8mTlJw5yc5iaEww-tjNAhmjpmbGQ4cZxpoFylMbrUAZ1N-CWcMUT74m9NJDZCARv_ck4MA=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Mind, Maze, and Mercury</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Qala</i> is also a story that depicts the mental degradation of an artist. Qala describes her depression as if something inside her is breaking. A doctor dismisses her problem as nothing serious. Qala, however, continues to hear noise in her head and experience fear in her heart. These were the exact words and actions Jagan used to describe his mental state after he lost his voice. He died by suicide when he hung himself on a tree as he felt he had no identity without his voice. Qala also dies by suicide in the same way when she hangs herself on a ceiling fan. The guilt of what she did to Jagan and her mother's continued indifference toward her took her mental health down the spiral. She never recovered, and her end comes the same way as Jagan's. Another thing that kept coming to me while watching <i>Qala</i> was how it was designed to represent Qala's mind. The events played in the film are like memories. Another discernible thing was how the character placement in some scenes was as if they were standing in different corners of the mind. In one corner, Jagan is standing. In one corner of her mind, her mother is standing. It is as if these people and memories occupy different parts of her mind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1693" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh3IHVylIXnl_SpTr47GjOI5f-xmBD7O_Za-xdErLiS9xrkwtxlxObhFm5G2SSsAPRrrGS0AnxfjaOPsjYeaRr4UIF3xpArj_DG97ITPVMdFfJDVIEBbqbVxHaOYggmYt233kllExnNL1EZqqF_pij4K522ocl6fzM2C58XbFtJ-dtOP88XsZmDuD_JA=w541-h640" width="541" /></div></div><div>The film uses a maze to depict the mind games between Jagan and Qala. Jagan's arrival threatens Qala's position as a singer. In one scene, Qala goes outside her house and sits on the floor. It starts snowing, and Jagan comes outside to cover her up. The camera pans to the top view to reveal that they are stuck in a maze together. This same maze reappears later as a game when Qala plays with the mercury in it. Finally, it is the same mercury that Qala uses to make Jagan lose his voice. In another stunningly-designed scene, Qala plays with her sleeping pills that turn into mercury fragments. I felt it was pretty clear early on that mercury was put in Jagan's milk by Qala, so the reveal at the end did not come as a surprise.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1642" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgns3WmJEnXx13EOPxToMi18NKq4ELvtEBMgvsj2zQXquIM2-RmqQsob2BnBkPs5tVDI_vPbQ_IhHxp9-w11m9jkaTXFXRzD_4lgLEtw2cVAwvOuPNVWluDC9q4VPxqA-0BH1TiHEeoSrfBBN6RlTvRNREWt2EhtNVg-GKvAjfl19iqYbzxXwXfDE4KMQ=w525-h640" width="525" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i><b>Motifs and Metaphors</b></i></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Qala</i> is teeming with many motifs. A prominent one is a moth. It is everywhere in the film, from the opening credits to the costumes and even the light fixtures. A moth is attracted to the flame; 'like a moth to a flame,' as they say. When the moth touches this flame, it dies. It is attracted to the thing that can destroy it. The implication here is that Qala was gradually moving toward her death. At one particular stage, an animated moth flies from Jagan's eyes to Qala's eyes. At another point, there is a <i>Black Swan</i>-type moment where Qala dances in a dress with wings. The film also uses flashes of yellow light to depict this motif. There is also the use of light in other ways. For instance, when Jagan sings for the first time, a spotlight flashes upon him while Qala looks at him from the audience. When Qala performed, there was no light on her. Only after Jagan passes away does the same light show up on Qala, as it is her time to shine.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLRt8iIq0vJIUtajt7MT2G6Py8TBngMai0AtdpPEGBuZD00CBGaP-iGdNN-cvqvC8KO0JaBaRLGWF7Eg3cNTKONhjML8wB46KUPs-Fo9CB_Obba-MPCAtNFIxN8AZYuHLaP0k3DeRO7W2wx60ORkb7dubmLerJYSEvnVgTP1jFccPsVbaVEe_Kii67tQ=w640-h521" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Moths</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1988" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcz56e2FyC6bJQn7TKn075C9jBzftFBca797ynwB0OyI1hrx3zHN9AF2uJ9ZIcFgcjAt2Cl1bWffjAd-vilsGd4QRnIemYaDlE1fHZyVmQUDWmBHY84h3B9F_i3nQk0XPlQ2MQpmrAxUasBOMuhGjmwkdoXqIjavtvsuLgWmePNvkWJsdoK6W0m6Xp6Q=w637-h640" width="637" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Light</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is also the motif of snow. The cold weather represents the chilling state of depression. This is mainly seen in the sequence when Qala records a song for Naseeban Apa (Tasveer Kamil), and she cannot sing. She is frozen as if she is stuck in snowfall. She is not able to move her hands and legs. The surroundings depict her mental state. In the opening credits of the film, Vikramaditya Motwane is thanked. His film <i>Lootera</i> also used snow to represent the coldness of love.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuBHoTqx9R6DhzqRzWNk2hj3qPQLINbiIVQatyZ9Ns5hNsv_bo3i7fz-FWlQRMVJIt7h_eOzYmeO0qh2C_ilF_ndA4_bxEnb9LRMGdS24bu5AeZy1Fi3GLcweefYY9XASrntKeBVt87yaNqag6lTNQ-dbImjXzmh84eXvS4xgzS4ex6PRIDvh9IrI2YA=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Just like the way she took life from her brother, Qala snatches the life of music from Jagan. A music producer calls her a <i>koel</i>. Her mother concurs that Qala is indeed a <i>koel</i>, not for its musical voice but for the way a <i>koel</i> lays her eggs in some other bird's nest. The implication is that Qala stole Jagan's success, and she did not deserve to be there.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="2538" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaKX4loj1zSdVGy0JEcuaz_Iii7JK5Lt5wqlY3MY4CPcKpiF1lmzmOfhmE8Datus-Y-4jw317dfeP8jmLF6xsN0CD9ZrcIqUUXS5Vr0JUXxJUTJdixQST7LYcNUi3xJW_JMeLmrUKbMVlB-HMf1nyPH4oVs2BhQs8TFnZ1YX7iH3WltXWtsQG5pvz5jA=w640-h358" width="640" /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Majrooh</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Qala has a friend and confidante in lyricist Majrooh (Varun Grover), likely named after the famous Majrooh Sultanpuri. Like Dr. Sudip (Parambrata Chatterjee) from <i>Bulbbul</i>, Majrooh is the feminist ally. He wears red nail paint on all his fingers. He is also some kind of prophecy teller. When he observes Qala's emotional turmoil, he tells her that if she keeps her feelings bottled, a day will come when the dam will burst. <i>Sab kuch apne andar</i> <i>daba ke rakhogi, chhupa ke rakhogi, duba ke rakhogi, ek din sailaab aayega</i>. Qala kept her feelings within her and eventually could not take it anymore. Later, Majrooh sees Qala's continued sexual abuse at the hands of Sumant Kumar. He tells her if she allows it, it will keep on happening. Today, the producer has the power; tomorrow, she will have the power. Times will change. <i>Daur badlega, daur ki yeh puraani aadat hai</i>. In the next moment, his prophecy comes true. The camera people who used to follow Sumant Kumar started following Qala. The film depicts this power change through height, where Qala is on a higher pedestal while Sumant Kumar watches her from below. She is mobbed by the media while he stands alone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1550" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOdwyEC4FEZhkKbkRHwCiLmDB2-bC4-PXPaW7JVCEkZTHfMGKKWEKUQPWb-DeqIATFs_gRm8yBolrBH4-Z9rIOzM6lWjQupBW1Avf2Xk0xepCwZezI2aM8MDvgGqykKb5uQGDa138mLrvlGJHMTHN1w8PAXe5mnbULm39HEmEtx9Lo-46jCvGdP_JD-Q=w496-h640" width="496" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Me Too</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Qala</i> makes many points about the state of women in the music industry. When a producer questions her about hiring a female secretary, she says it is unnecessary to call her female. She demands higher pay than her male counterparts. During her media interactions, she brings a woman photographer to the forefront. The first song Qala records for Sumant Kumar is <i>Ghodey Pe Sawaar </i>which is about the dynamics of consent. The lyrics talk about the lover's hesitation while her beloved tries to get impatient during their courtship. <i>Sajaniya ke mann me abhi inkaar hai</i>. <i>Qala</i> might be set in the past, but its narrative shows similarity with the contemporary Me Too movement. In her first recording, Qala struggles to sing as per the requirements of music producer Sumant Kumar. He suggests that she is not ready yet to sing professionally. A desperate Qala does not want to return to her home at this stage. So, she agrees to give him sexual favors in return for his support. Here, the film uses gothic imagery to depict her situation. A gargoyle in the shape of a predatory bird is seen next to Sumant Kumar during the act, representing his predatory nature. Thereafter, Qala is repeatedly sexually abused by him. When Naseeban Apa tries to help her, Sumant Kumar tells Qala to avoid her. But, as Majrooh said, time slowly turns. She became famous and got power. Thereafter, she refused to work with him. In another symbolic moment in the film, he comes to Qala's house, hoping to sign her for his next movie. He looks at himself in the mirror, wearing a pristine white shirt. The mirror, however, is stained and rusted, making his shirt appear dirty, symbolizing the stains in his past.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvBQOt7CkYKrMH0E44wNozTVjmqmBYIL26eBDBZCIwaQW9dBfrNbdBGL4tqCUadK-4XCsbUldDEOHZrs52zP1JAr-OtX0RvjDjNeFK9quMScaZvoVOd_rjynkIdAHGK_qTZbL1O1thbu1I1Y89ZjFh1LXJ2_kjz5bkFfwpzrwitne25Sq0lSQweyVoew=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="2513" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZI-Y1rI4NppxOsaaQhfPwOIwfjGtQjPJyQnOeMV5EROjR-c6QvYXBntBarQQH-iMu6Gkv2W-vbE-tRnm3ccsd4Bb2vkl8427zMlr4Zkhdfkddsy5-t8eIIU_Kf06Z0Ly2K9rOKTb0ie1X0GPzp1t3XlH86MWumZRrobtWbao09Dv5IlCGXTVjQZopBQ=w640-h358" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Meenal Agarwal and </i></b><i><b>Sidharth Diwan</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Qala</i> would not be what it is without the production design of Meenal Agarwal. Every frame has been intricately designed. The film's architecture is inspired by Gothic themes. The cinematography of Sidharth Diwan complements the design. Both these aspects bring out the inner turmoil of the film's characters. The moving shadows on curtains and walls, and the blue-green color palette adds to the film's Gothic themes. At another stage in the film, Qala reads Robert Louis Stevenson's <i>Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde</i>, a defining book of the Gothic horror genre. The book has greatly impacted popular culture, where the phrase <i>Jekyll and Hyde</i> is often used to refer to people with an outwardly good but sometimes shockingly evil nature. Qala displayed similar traits where there is both good and evil in her. I did feel that the production design took over the proceedings of the narrative in some scenes, and the frames felt a bit suffocated, especially in the darker ones where there was no light. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="2417" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxA7TNGUsKC3sGJjoyKAgnHgK7lpG75vTfAo0HjgeEu1dno8ZT7bY8PiOTgNWNZHwZJ8VBHGYv9TucuvniglTgOFmFaPqwuA7d95nLeuK1EJz4w-6FZzdlC5MMWiajBnkA5KwJBSvC9Y8mPmNkI3RX3OHPrVZJ76AMaEAjtx59WJOsqxWcfX-V-GvNCA=w640-h354" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="2767" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjDdaXvJCqKlnrNSPVePg2mRLKsctDUA7ufhror8xCGa65cYkVOAkkYV9II4RGYL-0AzKIbTAoPlrKJfb0oJC_eGDSCe41fb4klpnzZEVEhFaWwB3DRbQhv8w5ByzreghFSjnAQkyhzNRSmZUkOd8qU_wUIwGXh5PZAa4oJp2EQljYVpvplV0yqDmaYmg=w640-h300" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The period when the film is set is not mentioned as such. However, it can be deduced based on some conversations. There is the mention of Gandhi coming to Shimla, most likely around the days of India's struggle for independence. When Qala grows up, she mentions Indira, likely referring to Indira Gandhi. Qala is also referred to as Didi, the same name Lata Mangeshkar was also popularly called. Other characters' names are also a throwback to the famous industry people of that era. <span style="text-align: left;">Apart from the above, the film has lovely details, like how the women held wooden fans in their hands at Qala's funeral. There were bronze coins kept in her eyes.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxm7UUmlWLGY6p3EbcNLx2PWs3nyIX2v09GLwGWrJaJqh4KccP2iZtgc9CgrwEkrroNOL3TiLvlakwEVkX3VXcrbkHqHx0dvl6y5uEov3LfDD6WW7pyjHpJ23ZoJtrvK7zftkqiEQazwxokiDxl34LEyuESjtsT6KVRQBUhlEWylJTTCdd3NT10BgNwA=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Music</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Like other aspects of <i>Qala</i>, Amit Trivedi's music is also a character adding to the themes of the narrative. The lyrics are meaningful and add to the storyline. <i>Ghodey Pe Sawaar</i> is perhaps my favorite. <i>Shauq</i> is beautifully picturized. The film also credits Sant Kabir for some of its songs. There is also a folksy lullaby which is beautiful. Its lyrics, where a mother and daughter are talking about killing a peacock, mirror the story of Jagan and Qala. While the music is lovely, I am unsure if I will listen to it repeatedly. It requires a certain mood, unlike music from <i>Manmarziyaan</i>, which has a lot more repeat value.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpN4s0n0HuDt-xWuaFfKMh5X6_yVfOpHXhjJ6AZEJr38QR5hfz8TYKUvfdmU9D4pYM2PjZUTRUPS_ad5G7VFkFBh2M_EAIztmsee7XsmApm-gTF818SpjHgqZkmTDR1DAkmAMQ678ThwR6t7yENWvyivHdDr8gwLAfLXv_5U8GOAp30R0f5BnaqAS2rA=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Meta</i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Anvitaa Dutt brings her own real-life experience to her films. Her characters often talk about writing, music, and storytelling, similar to her profession. Her films also have understated feminist angst compared to the overt rage of other filmmakers, such as Alankrita Shrivastava. Before <i>Qala</i>, writer-director Anvitaa Dutt has also been closely associated with writing Anshai Lal's <i>Phillauri</i>, Prosit Roy's <i>Pari</i>, and her debut film <i>Bulbbul</i>. These films were also intricately designed and often set in a particular time or place, bringing fantastical elements into them. These films also have feminist and progressive elements in their narrative, with the woman being the central character. <i>Phillauri</i> is the story of a poetess Shashi (Anushka Sharma), in the early 1900s, who turns into a ghost and comes back to life. <i>Pari</i> was a layered story of the horrors women go through in their everyday lives. Every month, the witch Rukhsana (Anushka Sharma) used to take out poison by biting a dog (or a human), a metaphor for menstruation. <i>Bulbbul</i> was about the horrors women had to go through in the nineteenth century and were about a chudail (Tripti Dimri) who eats up the men who harm women in the village.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1379" data-original-width="2782" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8v9R5kUxAm38u397o91NOIAuNzm17Lt_9HyF4M79dDlt-9X8nv6-ZGwyKuybC4TwJrIUaOEt-M7I9qBkLk9El3ZP4Kt8VNKnrcCfRBo56b_xlGZUfznCI4Fn-WAYyIZI3ZzKqJJ8dW3BxWI5mdxiahRqtY2ks1HnqV-zU7-wnguXnIEBehnbLpNx1pA=w640-h318" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><b><i>Majnu</i></b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tripti Dimri made her acting debut in Sajid Ali's <i>Laila Majnu</i> where she played the role of the eponymous Laila. In that film, her lover Qais (Avinash Tiwary) got so obsessed with Laila that he did not even need her to be physically present. He saw her everywhere. Ultimately, he went far too ahead to be the Majnu and became a complete "<i>paagal</i>" consumed by his passionate love for Laila. It is a reversal of sorts for Dimri, who now essays a similar role. From being invisible to becoming the golden light, Qala got everything in life except the love and acceptance of her mother. Sometimes, one can get everything in life, but that one missing thing takes life away. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Veera Kapur EE, the consumer designer of <i>Qala</i>, makes a special appearance in the film. She was also the costume designer of <i>Bulbbul</i> and made an appearance in that film, too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZqniVTgB2gPXJcjoZTwheu0APT7jRnjCU-9ieAktO1LjVfvu0d2a5p-51RTbHjsFh76ZQaGRWbEGm2ILSGB90pm_WdIoppCivfrz1341EyBSMqUH4Y_QnDh-N8k6cd_gkNSsa3taNfQBV7cw3aqwJv8kVPsCA8gR8B1oQHDQ3S8JUyLfELhJ9c9HvOg=w640-h360" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="2828" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ7qTBL9dmUN0Dzv2uh0mWL058OSbv1G0tyua-ERQWQBh-yFx7Ur95TfoTNBCuDeCFMZuIolzGQ-g-Edra9sqggW3gLBuKxA3aeSDwB9sbg9twjFCmGVW9yYi3uI75Sz1SpNkz4IHW41akVN6MX0svNey7DX58wFhH_-pC_vEiBTvc9nuzDIinlh50Kw=w640-h300" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. The opening credits of <i>Qala</i> reminded me of <i>Bulbbul</i>'s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="2708" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxckKh5TQY1h-2y4diaIrUmwkc4P_xPJxkhLE-__OqXKYSYVY0mVVqz6NjkUSIJAWqPd00XdJd-5a0b9T889mtwhvFHlDd28JmHmAFvBlSt3Cgsabt_sqGgLT435R4rWPGTWMhL9kTVpjHj5eaSVluG__bqO2gfbViCs9DqgmyQpK2RBdsDepE37rV0w=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. The website the film mentions in the ending credits is <a href="http://WannaTalkAboutIt.Com">WannaTalkAboutIt.Com</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="2847" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEB_jLpkUKt6j7LtTkxbAZ4qm_9fd-H4chXBKeKgvLD4i47PhG_S2TjEl28fi1wCm5kZZetbn8ptSEdWpLYJ70lTsEE9tuaaqJM-jDB2ocpabCiDrhj_NpxfUJ7j6OzFx5lDBKRG1zyfgnYiO52RW53Z9FBFBXPiGTOlIv4bnS-Uxg29OPVVrI2FMgfw=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Tasveer Kamil who plays Naseeban Apa in <i>Qala</i> is the wife of Irshad Kamil. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj09QpBqdS6RZnFGCflX7np33tieVZlaHVIGiyc8UiXY5ZGTicPhJnEj9qJNt_Wm85kZGcC6e1z_d3Lt1BTs63T2DI3PWf2Iih-X1ktlTeL3ivzc_sJrCqUxxijbuqsWpZMCHG3msBbn6fEZNE_62REo2ER8XzaQbz8X4Vr8GrPI1GvXdCVieD1AGkBmg=w640-h360" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>Bulbbul</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2020/07/bulbbulflying-with-twisted-feet.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i>Pari</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2018/05/pari-not-fairytaleof-inner-demons.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. On <i>Laila Majnu</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2018/11/laila-majnulove-is-madness.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. On <i>Phobia</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/06/phobiaof-birds-and-cages.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. On <i>Looop Lapeta</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/03/looop-lapeta-and-legend-of-savitri-and.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:<br />"<i>Daur badlega, daur ki yeh puraani aadat hai</i>."<br />—Majrooh, <i>Qala</i></div></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-86780652558890869182022-12-17T23:06:00.004-08:002022-12-17T23:16:37.976-08:00Trivia Post 31<div style="text-align: justify;">Some trivia notes for the past few weeks:</div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">1. The sons of Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan on the replica of the iconic bike from Ramesh Sippy's <i>Sholay</i> in Shaad Ali's <i>Jhoom Barabar Jhoom</i>.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj18UFBmLkJ-lLEn3i9DNg1jrznZAL70oHCGWSMhbeCdfm0jU7p6tbEjD03Z2frDkhQ13hO8wGg_O_a8H3sSIlP7VVxY7dyYKhsMTOjwL7h1Q53t-4LeeKVlZ8HZTq-hYv19W4KzfDf3JByEONrDesrhxS-YE1uS-IlqhFoR_FCwLey49p1XdGnR79rWg=w640-h640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Horror film posters in Gurmeet Singh's <i>Phone Bhoot</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><i>Band Darwaza</i></li><li><i>Cheekhti Deewar</i></li><li><i>Dak Bangla</i></li><li><i>Jaani Dushman</i></li><li><i>Shaitan Mujrim</i></li><li><i>Tah Khana</i></li><li><i>Paapi Gudiya</i></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYW_efbbi1fEK5BWYjnejPM3_U9dmzm2olN1cctkKGGQPn2PkrZ2hm940S-VbbmvpsDPaCIH0yb8g10iEjBGd0sf6DX7hAr84ERe5BOxVPzvark00Y3CzkVhm5SC-ZXVOVnJ9ZyfExPqKzQKRSa-Ftjf7vJCiUt3kzIv8d-UB_k5nA4SlcJ-lX9BQj3A=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrIXQxRO3ihkHv4ghisEvYBiAcjAz9LdOgHFiNJNkBRdU423IJxmCtXPbWNbcsrT6wAw3DqDTJG8_0TQ5L5jNJz9nnXQGONdAqUuU_p1AjPCQMsGxp3WEeEXcj3-_Pt3_ksOn0pg457inVJ57wS2m0c8dSth73SUYXeO52Qbyf5wo0XkYO41K1pFZ11w=w640-h640" width="640" /></div>3. The poses of Kundan (Dhanush) in Anand L. Rai's <i>Raanjhanaa</i>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2VooeA7f35J3fEtKaWVkRKpQZozdro7KlqBqj29z3hPQYOq6PHHNWituI_aY1QcAZU7hlAx47YBnhvg-_3fGYcfEDls3oWSuXwV8bU3MrgR5vF93Oye040gGyc9yy1nd9mOFB3g6StfpljyAHOCxg0BLKIM_H2o9--8e3CvHxN_pDLDrWOWJIntxEaQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Movies in movies of Anurag Kashyap— In <i>DevD</i>, Leni (Kalki Koechlin) is often seen watching Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s <i>Devdas</i>. She is fascinated by the dances of Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit), who becomes her inspiration. Leni takes the name of Chanda, and she becomes the sex worker with a golden heart in the neon-lit alleys of Paharganj. Anurag Kashyap, in fact, often refers to other films in his films. In the surreal <i>No Smoking</i>, K's wife Anjali (Ayesha Takia) is seen watching Steven Spielberg's <i>Schindler's List</i>. The film's climax in the gas chambers referenced the same scene that Anjali was watching earlier. Anurag Kashyap used this technique of giving a premonition of the film's climax again in <i>Bombay Velvet</i>. At one point, Johnny (Ranbir Kapoor) is watching James Cagney's classic gangster drama <i>The Roaring Twenties</i>. The film inspires him to become a 'big shot.' In a particular scene, Johnny is watching the film in a theater at the sequence when James Cagney is being shot, after which he dies. This is precisely what happens to Johnny, too, in the climax of <i>Bombay Velvet</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiChznUkaoIMXcumc117Q5295puOWU8VbViJ7-FMq43pwpQcJiGkXUhwedQKCco5pDdS0cZ3d5iTPlJSj1E8NNJL2mYDIiA0TKZSBoJ2RGBtKtrXtH_CeImAxZXjjWbGaeCKVJ4AAA7MJWDP9YqWQ-ha4N2xbaHCjOXMNnnY9zoObkRxXUcNdQ1quzIUQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 5. Amitabh Bachchan as a narrator in films.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1378" data-original-width="1322" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUxYe3aT1o2FVdatXvwomG5hkJ_nEypAVpbta0DAeSSII6POlImbJj1LM9lvQhiRWxktivrCbxVNehewPRJ1Im4e81nDiCK9YbdT5dUT5yVIFSuna5iRztupChOgbwx4hUR5oEMtmpQjannVg0ogLgzeXmtVsvK22ID1esFYpbas-s-enXQZQ-vEDxzA=w613-h640" width="613" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="403" data-original-width="1306" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6HlH6vcCa2HmRNU-unU5vRx3eScReEOGQdwzOlqpaOPjRH_-zuWqhw1uvsRpfz8f-Aklr3orzZw4vmx5AkvgH4V731X7oD9Aa1Qm3vdt6zVdNXZO_vcd2JJv6mxR2dgzQV5aFg2D6_0reK5th-vujBovZc-fOPLjIDhybl7qLqS432Wm7HxNzVL6_KA=w640-h198" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">6. A couple stands across each other while a train passes by in Mani Ratnam's <i>Guru</i> and <i>Ok Kanmani</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitmqTa50CyD7Nq-UkaRVT-BcRCz0O2BVJcCKnVZlPZbgaQUjd72-A45c6KtBHDzNX4meGsNskb7ch3_AC9N9sBxGDfDDAtjS950ZmbmlpyklMJjPh88UBl-8zcZuAP3HiSgOl8qMpAvDDEjfWtSDrjZWW-xHCXnEzkrAS39wGB-icOqtEwZDDdkhgnZQ=w640-h418" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">7. Notes from a script: In Vikramaditya Motwane's <i>Udaan</i>, Rohan (Rajat Barmecha) has a Superman figurine. He eventually gifts it to his brother. However, this Superman had a special significance for Rohan. It was a gift from Rohan's mother. The film's script describes a scene (not present in the theatrical version) in the end where he flies the toy with his mother.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOHkhSjd2oipzFvcXpR6sOe3OkKpYHkCELCYPVU_fPPgJnEVuOl7VbVUtf6-fXpUGx7XyaoVWoPkkjcYww0xOD9o-gYIq3Sog9GZ6-fJgUXKMIuMsuZ94Wc2N0Nu4rZbGlUHJXdX40UNRkOW630wrZ1oi70Sn9XiYaiwSi8qhzJyd7N3jVfz-a29LG0Q=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">8. Notes from a script: In Vikramaditya Motwane's <i>Udaan</i>, the young Arjun (Aayan Boradia) tells his brother Rohan (Rajat Barmecha) that he is like their father Bhairav (Ronit Roy). The father wants to be like his father, a strict disciplinarian, as he asks his young brother Jimmy (Ram Kapoor). The cycle of abuse continues.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1337" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkYUAbZMqiislafmzL9z4jB4YR0x-wGlJ3pdOPbs1Eygbf2cnPErdEbsW3XhxsAyOGRYWVtnCDD4055jRLuKZE-fU_zRkhCWFUFWGAfe9g856TN2GESbowgioptx7z-mSIauMMkU-8FstqLp1C74qtkXsOfRMOA5-r_x6Hg-VSrY_srwme8ZhuC3ugSA=w640-h390" width="640" /></div></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1215" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3wuytjEPlB6cNEqbPKfuOAqr6u1qPSq_ERRxMMrmjcM9cXeyHXOQsxIKUIJ5ZzpCo0up6od_f_bC0M9x3YSs61JHb1Vjo_3Dsu1GdMlvnaApjDXbXBQnV9tPDtWojtDlDiZzJ3YS-R9Q4LZRBCPtlZwGpcxZKQbAC0O9a-d0k0hvlLfBPOKVPQEAjGw=w640-h364" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">9. The knife in the heart in the poster of Rajiv Rai's <i>Gupt</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="2048" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqzgyP1l24UZu3BB9pA3saFpUshI6jkN54eNiKhaVTIZdu19ZSJ_H9a1Khx680d-U5o0ku1jvBwqw1A7ylUcUDG2I4cUiNUMhndwcupO-0Nrly_FRuBiIL0uLgbHACxUJCOXIrHAVZEobUzOw7je8MiTNO1LfILofJUzvQsajamAzgZyUFk45NB4KYKA=w640-h338" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">10. Rats as companions in a survival drama in Vikramaditya Motwane's <i>Trapped</i> and Mathukutty Xavier's <i>Mili</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhYruCWnUI1IaLmaPDxRm3YCTyLSTrtLcjMlH8UtYu_ThkdmbmiJhw2UCLYRlqkjlXBZZ44rWs_28bAHFd-j7toKH_gWARLkLGTnrM5-CDy3w76QXqU6rctAtv-wrH0EnB6QQLgBvkr0MTBwac6FF950OHV0NvCbR-h-NeOFKbwpQ6Km8AhIsGLJ2_W2g=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">11. Some interesting notes from Ram Gopal Varma's biography <i>Guns and Thighs : The Story of My Life</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1170" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigokr-22Uvoi4guvxMCBTs32xs0V-eojDB1Hkq8yjB_1it1jrT2wuo_onExwhXEZlvY6YE_XfNN1d9XP2Dv5kAHCwBdRSgHM9wsXVdd1-u74rXplBXhIPrQxKXt45XTFF_1WzStqYazo4TeZ5UkiAs_ISRIWJ8uqJC4HHNUvpax8lWsT0e70WMAroCNQ=w640-h584" width="640" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1104" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOX5pJaVcaupU55sNgENlaJrlpDS2x71IF8fN1vam7Bdf4TjFXqUlU98f_KPK-0TxghoHKLoJ95VsciIq2ufpARJmnmKrOuoupBtV6YFbkV-c07WGwSNWGnu0-k8cHnBsHPz8Iap1Nq9VQJxyoxXqsmayoUSLU4XqEAmw2UMcPhk7bbt9d3_2Pj2DmDA=w344-h640" width="344" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1169" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPH2fgufxqXLG5axi_r1Kvnm5A3HV4h2N_dh0pyPZIoTVAfawdr3iJFlMIHSqRCq55K6zRrAzP_6H0jlaNTlHCb-O3ExHnMiFcWQ0RLNbGAfE-YfKGBLqW_xjDT7Po35CnvuZvCcTiv6Lgq0khiGJzijnFHlqaeasuOkKZmrRNqLRmH91vVd1MWy-QMw=w400-h226" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">12. In Imtiaz Ali's <i>Love Aaj Kal 2020</i>, Raghu (Randeep Hooda) tells Zoe (Sara Ali Khan) that when he lost Leena (Arushi Sharma), he also lost the person that he was. This is why he keeps searching for himself in other people's stories. The song Shayad from the film also talks about the same sentiment where it says, "<i>Jo tum naa ho, rahenge hum nahin. Jo tum naa ho, toh hum bhi hum nahin.</i>" If you aren't there, I won't be able to survive. If you aren't there, I won't be myself either. They lose their identity without love and become someone else.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQ4uzYpbOrj2A65og6tSXRpiANgXIlEBvcEHmzSFwQuLIlNFxbtQIerK8m8Lu_sExsPOLoYQkJain4WuWL5SW7EgiUtWJA89cF3-qrhkZr-hKxB8JUYhUonxhn9iEUjlSOATqCrOj2FBm1IxBp5D3BUjmFMKbfTJMb5g_8hLjxE33nS4DlNSqvQTCpqA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div>13. Strangers in Karan Johar's <i>Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham</i> and <i>Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna</i>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiw29lhb88UuA1MAanzcz85dX2Bwfb_yMwWAJd_JdHk3edjh5HLpCAeC2eMykWuJ34imgdXhUtLTxfIHfytCkhISDfw7OMphfkRzHpcXpeOyowj0Zr-x7bOuaIGUWeFc3i9TubmDykt3aVV4EaZunfR6tjmvwiK7JBZiQ10AuutsHJ02MYovpRYMVu5hA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS1ZOkYe6BbKES0nBAUNu-_BWotmnOXGmPMM7bWR-H4U7OxiM4pnzfk_Pbc1Z45F5CX10K_L5zz_C_eJmhzobShz-ykI8CxPb5VWd5nGo861FA51n-BTLtxwB9Go9LjL7BV_06QqdjNJ3Zb9zf3kY0HzzGZFJIQbtTntY_JjYkO9VQVXzbrXblWXVY2A=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">14. Hrishikesh Mukherjee's <i>Anand</i> and <i>Abhimaan</i> had Lalita Pawar and Bindu, who were more known for their evil characters, in positive roles.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcmf-0aYdwkY19gXlnwxkAoZa3bnfVJftmulN-ayFBk0jcDLhbHgmLnDNzQdDlo9u-_G1yJUFLL7FzQGNrP5JGKiQPApupRqOxI2RyvhOxaLn5ek76zJQgEUHiL_Ve3cpxSt4dg9Z1ufXWCs8ngezVEstZcRDWhr9DoAB2MjcetSmesu_OQRtsE_xZbw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">15. Amitabh Bhattacharya and Paigambar:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Ban liya apna paigambar, tar liya tu saat samandar.</i>"—<i>Kabira</i>, <i>Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">[You tried being your own messenger of god and crossed all the seven seas.]</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Tu aape sawaali hai, aape hi payambar hai.</i>"—<i>Tur Kalleyan</i>, <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">[You are the seeker, you are the messenger of god.]</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgY6CTIYi3V6PsxxUXuifM0zvvMjCuGy-cGAoQNuN4ivYSgrJL2po0mNtNDkdRM7J8nima6D58cNgh1shYrXQt2HKJ8gx-PV9BTYKMT6nMalT6bcfxbE5lXFnIQnT5ytBiMSqO1wWmqsUVgQg9QHuzvHAe9Ot-h1ND0r-yu3InZtgkQ0_juIUc-D3Axjw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">16. The train played an important role in Imtiaz Ali's <i>Jab We Met</i>. In fact, the film's title was decided by a popular vote with one option related to trains. The audience had to choose <i>Punjab Mail</i>, <i>Ishq Via Bhatinda</i>, and <i>Jab We Met</i>. Not only do some of the most critical things happen related to trains, but there are also a few philosophical references to missing the train, especially from Geet (Kareena Kapoor). At one point, she says, "<i>Pata hai? Mujhe daravne sapne aate hain, kayi maheenon se, ki main na train ke peeche bhaag rahi hoon, aur train chhoot gayee.</i>" In the movie's climax, she says, "<i>Ek ajeeb sa darr lag raha tha, jaise kuch galat ho raha hai, jaise koi train chhoot rahi hai.</i>" Or the dialogue of the station master, <i>"Zindagi rail ki patri hai. Ek inch ka bend aur aage chal ke meelon ki doori. Ek chhoti si bhool tumhaari saari zindagi badal sakti hai."</i> The train also formed a part of another contrasting symmetry in the movie. In the initial scenes, Aditya (Shahid Kapoor) is about to jump off the train. But Geet sees him opening the door and starts her monologue on how he should not open the door; then, a train passes in the background, and everything goes mute except the sound of the train in the background. Similarly, in the movie's final scene, Geet and Anshuman (Tarun Arora) meet. Anshuman is talking to Geet, and then a train passes in the background, and everything goes mute except the sound of the train. She then realizes what a colossal mistake (akin to what Aditya tried earlier) she is making by getting married to Anshuman. The train, thus, became a metaphor for missed chances in life, and again, Imtiaz Ali uses the element of symmetry to make his point.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicje3DFrpXy9xsmhAUAHdybdZS_QMFaztlWzltXWce7c_d0j3uPSghk1AOQLsjB8BcCD1SvmlxcQy1hQcSa6wceuKoZHexXws62qk2baYAAip33C4TmbtQ27V0_OIJTYywmn5Ax8l_OSPW3f19A0RlMzVKktKRP53Y27v3MOtrBQjTFY1rJn-LhDII9g=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">17. Sriram Raghavan pays homage to Hrishikesh Mukherjee's <i>Anand</i> by recreating its last scene in his film <i>Johnny Gaddar</i>. After Sheshadri (Dharmendra) dies, his recorded voice starts playing, startling Johnny (Neil Nitin Mukesh), like it happens in <i>Anand</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9fbk7NoqHD6xcRxxHNDSoapjJ6eFo3beMzYDgJVThPvj8ugrlVKZNZcJ94xMB-WvVc96EYa90CR2E3Hu-7sjjk0YCvhVMLgNAHqsR2ZrLSksDzzkcD9hQ3uGBf56HkbOm9lSKGjVZyRRL16dbVUnMWbq8K4GXlwGyNHinvvxGSGMUuiz46XeZ7YezdA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">18. Chetan Anand's <i>Haqeeqat </i>has<i> s</i>ome beautifully shot frames, like this one where the couple is not shown together in a frame; a barrier comes between the two. Or, the other one, where the smoke takes the soldier to his past when he puffs out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK4Inbx5IGQ9TnuVSOZnvn6MMydCoWBaVILkNbxV0xUOW3fLqHnsWq39XFTco3HhBVcdVY7BZptortb1vK8hUtCtALyoZD1ioAMwTeG5ShxUYl54xfqQX_TXYyBYq4OdhhVCZXrbgyUaobFwfqDCwcLcoEEyw-sBspLJGtl1R3YW9hPpAsdwzTV0ANbw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN-DQJuoEhnN3SwVFUibJC25IzJJkmNqdVAHwcAX_3aDMWvp7SQ4CSci7v49vF-HWWBiFi66LoUsI7IhzLB0kRapr2TsvhvkRWRxWAmfSSmPjTD_n0CkljLGbs7thnPSwBlM8XSc8JIb0Z1CxWLJApM5w9g-iO5gG9hSOJgqqR8kTtqri4tAknkXtGTw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">19. List of Shah Rukh Khan's special appearances:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><i>Pehla Nasha</i> (1993)</li><li><i>Army</i> (1996)</li><li><i>Dushman Duniya Ka</i> (1996)</li><li><i>Gudgudee</i> (1997)</li><li><i>Achanak</i> (1998)</li><li><i>Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega</i> (2000)</li><li><i>Gaja Gamini</i> (2000)</li><li><i>Saathiya</i> (2002)</li><li><i>Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye</i> (2005)</li><li><i>Kaal</i> (2005)</li><li><i>Silsiilay</i> (2005)</li><li><i>Alag</i> (2006)</li><li><i>I See You</i> (2006)</li><li><i>Heyy Babyy</i> (2007)</li><li><i>Krazzy 4</i> (2008)</li><li><i>Bhoothnath</i> (2008)</li><li><i>Luck By Chance</i> (2009)</li><li><i>Dulha Mil Gaya</i> (2010)</li><li><i>Shahrukh Bola "Khoobsurat Hai Tu"</i> (2010)</li><li><i>Always Kabhi Kabhi</i> (2011)</li><li><i>Love Breakups Zindagi</i> (2011)</li><li><i>Bombay Talkies</i> (2013)</li><li><i>Bhoothnath Returns</i> (2014)</li><li><i>Ae Dil Hai Mushkil</i> (2016)</li><li><i>Tubelight</i> (2017)</li><li><i>Rocketry: The Nambi Effect</i> (2022)</li><li><i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i> (2022)</li><li><i>Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva</i> (2022)</li></ul></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA8KtKjEyWD1k4A7J6hzl5rmkW1E_CFSANKrBwJaxMCwlarQv1ARyx96_jLRpxn67mL7Cw4PlNqynspK35rWjtt_6lTaZGH0MCbrg7ZSwVPM6e9hBsO9k_ehnalpzQablJVkHHs1HGJxJWYmczi1HVLGdjhSzD-TDB2UX4ljn1NYj5v9ghUA4aWZM1mQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 20. Shekhar Kapur's <i>Mr. India</i> in Ayan Mukerji's <i>Wake Up Sid</i> and <i>Brahmastra: </i><i style="text-align: justify;">Part One – Shiva.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHeSFRwIndOriJzXi_m4CMFjsD1W2igo2g7vVaNBK_oiuO_Rpp9ngKggRblKuO1uAXOer22yv01u4EfulY0r5Jl_qyyRgCD6IqJbqnJojvsni_oRcCCQVsOz4jcPDyq7tIurJvpavF2BeMXUTUU1fR18TlbKCIg5ixH2I9if1N7211PgBaA84y0mnVXw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">21. Notes from the script of Vikas Bahl's <i>Queen</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="560" data-original-width="1485" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZHMIItwuZaKZNgDDkdtIGsby3z2KyP67i3I8A55lsV5lsK1cy8o7NrWfNuB4zrmYCmTiNofYtx_nmoQPjvpekBo-vxko-t5rDb8qwjR1bVwiUuPOmxM6kEyzaWKeYgvwiJrjxRE0eW8LB6GUX0vPKV8di4ORxxm8b_Rf6aiIjz985CA9O1yincwtnIA=w640-h242" width="640" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxNv4BDhM0k5t9g9ZEa3A31kJ_A9ZIqYKG2_Ef-OjhVEs_22wWiBriT26rq5MbVi3axTvT4SVpQz7XDzszlGjZxUMKjI5a7eNL23SSZErvMujCtzf_2ug9dXT0fuQuDBOvKkUBNHx0fVOgJgO2-4KfT4xOxfj5zNaSt8V1tlx80x97XYMOFWgjIXAhOA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="824" data-original-width="2048" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxNv4BDhM0k5t9g9ZEa3A31kJ_A9ZIqYKG2_Ef-OjhVEs_22wWiBriT26rq5MbVi3axTvT4SVpQz7XDzszlGjZxUMKjI5a7eNL23SSZErvMujCtzf_2ug9dXT0fuQuDBOvKkUBNHx0fVOgJgO2-4KfT4xOxfj5zNaSt8V1tlx80x97XYMOFWgjIXAhOA=w640-h258" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">22. In Vikas Bahl's <i>Queen</i>, the heart piece with the names of Rani (Kangana Ranaut) and Vijay (Rajkummar Rao) is seen in the film's opening moments when the wedding preparations are going on. Moments later, when Vijay refuses to marry Rani, the piece is sent back in the truck.</div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQznPgIZmjrVli8J0RAGGQ4Kmq13fHfdG1DYWT1kVjJ0SI7IwdixQpatjFUZqhVh_MR-tirjyEvA8S-AvzaPcyemfSUpPYWZN59RYP1sk9pRsIgzvGZXuREMfTk4xQNv-9WhBylRBSRsd08ogld-tOxBRgNcNqztkf4jR8qHu59-dKgx-fOHM_J3Yr6w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQznPgIZmjrVli8J0RAGGQ4Kmq13fHfdG1DYWT1kVjJ0SI7IwdixQpatjFUZqhVh_MR-tirjyEvA8S-AvzaPcyemfSUpPYWZN59RYP1sk9pRsIgzvGZXuREMfTk4xQNv-9WhBylRBSRsd08ogld-tOxBRgNcNqztkf4jR8qHu59-dKgx-fOHM_J3Yr6w=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">23. Random trivia on passports:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Isha (Alia Bhatt) is a British citizen in Ayan Mukerji's <i>Brahmastra</i>.</li><li>Harry (Shah Rukh Khan) in Imtiaz Ali's <i>Jab Harry Met Sejal</i> was a Canadian citizen.</li><li>Other passports in Zoya Akhtar's <i>Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara</i>, Anurag Basu's <i>Jagga Jasoos</i>, and Vikramaditya Motwane's <i>Bhavesh Joshi Superhero</i>.</li></ul></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiE7G_AD1hrZxp0ArYiHdQEpyP94GphYVuCKlm_pisrtlEEWdzCzVSIYS8f4U-_El7MxbvZLwuD4D7vMbqpDqv49vGDNY-OCxcxHZr1mLgd_cZ_W0NdTyTW6L6T0ewexRDQV-UYMcG38VGFC7hKOlABzP-T4LD6fhKpL2a3QKGjhoxGOWVZssUI6FwsDg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZv1kgRul9qX8_WtLVgwgFLoEC3fIs4CbgXeuW4i0n7D1H5PcwNFr1xS1T5FE-oMk5-L7LoDrzR3eYRH3fKcAe9C9xp20Ltc3Rvw4AfA9lw_Ss8LC9yGZua4uMPCYI3Hru4HleSZPX29X6l5_9CjkaTG-0saa0344pyFrarByd_NaUn7wrjinCT8gwPQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhITQoeaEBGc2TPqMRm1aN5dtX6T8M1ZMVg0MlqzvUoYlAygiyG2K_mkiOGbm5_ElGqo-yqKw51YaKtrMpGraAH5fMC3kQPKRt1JuMH-C5lZUq0XeGaWLOQL18tukPnVNaAGFn-U8QOnM7HVVqpsObH95xmHrV7_zsnvVE_mVnn3PT_-saz4FcV9yEsHg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">25. In Yash Chopra's <i>Lamhe</i>, Pallavi (Sridevi) gives Viren (Anil Kapoor) a traditional dress. Viren wears it after some hesitation to not hurt Pallavi's feelings. Years later, Pallavi's daughter Pooja (Sridevi) gives Viren a colorful sweater, which again doesn’t go well with his taste, but he wears it to not hurt Pooja. It is also noteworthy the two women give something that goes with their personalities. Pallavi — something traditional — like the way she dresses in the film. Pooja — something colorful — like the way she is in her life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjZIT1p1B1nDrz3oRvDtamys5eCHjb5fhXn_SKjr3fjWv8RKGZZaG3MKXQupDjirRvnFesKnlAGpfnpA3wjOaVTGw8ToNUvhqLbk_xo3S13fEP7gKwq5Z9v3R_lfetPcvylnYMpnAWvqRGsqTElEkcL1m-JlIZwvFOWEmJdGZr4IA_--lLufTbutpvhw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEME5oABVnyz45t5T6JY-FwW7WTGpbNj_gCKdrOM12dsWlItIE2itAZdGbT_3HmTk2mLEmVv7hqg_r8YPjYXFmDcq6YNpr5S7_Un9Q8tE5oj89eNZ5kYF230ex57fMAgGzPgAO8n_lEFb4N3h_v6NRGD_VImnoSISzV_6rtQcOyJWaf0nVWm-h7ypPfQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">26. Sumona Chakravarti as a child actor in Indra Kumar's <i>Mann</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="745" data-original-width="2048" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqsUJrvmcHKlmtyYrdKbWmkPE01R3dO1gIcKZkcLaiMeH5_0jsEOR0JiOGBiizCLEPFLdEDK9MYpxDfr1CRD4exFnzr8rxW7ig3oTR3xVcVw286PWrbcI9Q_0pTpEkEFFhsHlHkvdzg7f-2Qd0wVi4y8I7r66ouZbSv4DNvSVL6Y0RkvWwsVnpvO_ZmA=w640-h232" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">27. A lovely montage from Roger Michell's <i>Notting Hill</i>: William Thacker (Hugh Grant) walking through the area of Notting Hill during the four seasons: summer, fall, winter, and spring. Bill Withers' beautiful <i>Aint No Sunshine When She’s Gone</i> plays in the background as William mends his broken heart over the movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts).</div><div class="_ab8w _ab94 _ab99 _ab9f _ab9m _ab9p _abaj _abb- _abcm" style="align-items: stretch; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #262626; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex: 0 0 auto; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: var(--base-unit); margin-top: calc(var(--base-unit) * 2); place-content: stretch flex-start; position: relative;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6HrVfzgmxjF7CIbFuATeJhymwoNyb-LtsgfAPHReXvEHfUQbH_x8ULXRey1MVxr6M07w7ECTeLYAkFPimRgdAiEWc7mj0XVu9FmqEqLmXYvbTBQKrnS6z9W_C6fbEHP8EDnMsC4Ym72HukXFlQspf5zrZh_L2QvqU8xBSriBfjrk0OKAykItqcRNe5A=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 28. The glass of water from Prakash Jha's <i>Rajneeti</i> marked the turning point for Samar (Ranbir Kapoor), where he joined politics. He drinks water that turns red. The blood could represent family ties, or maybe revenge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiK9cDuifZ-3uh1er7d17wcOpK78p-42CtZkV08SdQ-Pf8jC6Zu2pUoObpkrNATmcBhkd-AwehrAyd7mgwUgWqUgCddJNR7WXVSWaoL_j0ttmnXqIa7ZI9Jk-yhzxpHStXzn8pihmTbZU17wXglhdTvfk5Bx55InOnTiBPkrEAvo-xvOCtPA1eBJjZLzQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">29. An early sign of time travel in Anurag Kashyap's <i>Dobaaraa</i>. How we often think of travel in terms of<span face="-apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;"> time.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNK4uQoUqLHlPEopT8QcJin3Ppvlp8026b8me__mIMcDO9IItRC0_OpQIfFxbJ-hhzn0AgwORTcucKcCRc27VsedsS3Dl_t1Th4UWRV5bL4wuugUuomGKYB9SLksyGXcLirtqW88RuUUcLlb-q3-Ksk9lQOpMDKXo9jHFDbW2HQqqMvb0-AOZQ7V1fLg=w640-h260" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">30. <i>Apna Time Ayega</i> from Zoya Akhtar's <i>Gully Boy</i> on the kid's shirt in Vasan Bala's <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="971" data-original-width="2048" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQePKYi4q-UcqEo0OvSOjQpojMoO8r8f6nIIHPV3jGWsnx_IrKsln_0YOXS_rFXX1esn2iiLuWaVjxdxC5vsHPMkk2Ck0lNOIZv__rlY4MepQErjtgJlBMkskp3gZIJkx7pkm5L1DcZsZzwFlEjXOW1tNbF-DbrbdbbpwAn79XDB7pzrpXVkKXYk6BxQ=w640-h304" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">31. Parallel scenes in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum <i>Dil De Chuke Sanam</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEij0ZzcrK_hI2lz2Jmr_vGG5iA7MZb6N7JxXa0GtW9BK_-HPHdzUZIjrH5F83HOHYxOZZxm3AN9LqNP0s1caLwvBPhZGEbZc9_9-fWF2nket98H2b492Lch9y0EtrWoG9IMgIfa4voGnr54xEquqAmVx2FhX6466v5GEiUhXVSR7sEUG6sSobYgljkRnA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">32. Milind Dhaimade's <i>Tu Hai Mera Sunday</i> is a film about people who do not want to be a part of the rat race. It is seen in the case of the character of Rashid (Avinash Tiwary). His room is dirty, and a rat scurries all over. <span style="text-align: left;">He then dreams of a rat in his ear. </span><span style="text-align: left;">'<i>Rules are meant to be broken</i>' is written on his vest. Finally, in the end, </span><span style="text-align: left;">his room is clean, and the rat is dead.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrqO1gNQm9IU4Z-kM9IISwa7nZ7TA4tCZ1o93o-5pm3etREEcjZt4VdfvykrIcxTmfH5UNjWDzrEI9bnFkcztst4qdZ2WQMJZcIsChN-V5p0G5J67ALpk06YhZoOlIpopm-5__oK5cbrW9pT5eYr505A_Y19YC8y8WWGaHaB00cuQl6EVWg0hq6RsftQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">33. Shah Rukh Khan and the '<i>palat</i>' scene from Aditya Chopra's <i>Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge</i> in Nitesh Tiwari's <i>Dangal</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeDK3nURYp4n-0cFMXQ_awYpE_O1ujROizLKXVILHaaMdS_L0wPMeOyNunM7B-ZZUN0Mot8mftiNYtevKd3GHLJtw6tRus9Gdi8sdm6HEansaEZM6ni4Ln9v1_OL9sfwPzuRT4XWJ9G_PBbNGDq0Hgje3n9WOnCUlUAQ8D2L9IZ8p9n3QWspJ1oI2S0w=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">34. Angels in Nikkhil Advani's <i>Kal Ho Naa Ho</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZGu0mYxrspZ2hakKtiddygDpwEKr7U64YBZXsAiGa2QEeho4oKu-0fUODfjJGdSsHEdjZXO0qa5a0uaAYVwxbK1nvU5B6IsAQlzwBU3bw9ACGgqVzQmckaHcn1u67qXgAVELJ3u_D9TXG08kcaNMVeDvVmLuQ1yKroHQkps2S-8DqmrMrfq_dQ_FnEg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">35. Aditya Lakhia, who played Kachra in Ashutosh Gowariker's <i>Lagaan,</i> has also acted alongside him in Kundan Shah's <i>Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnBNt0bo_Q4yDR1N6EozFSd_Yyaro-Cyfc7RrgoD7ASfpVjvDsVBUfTsmbMwBiRfiwurFDysgtvcunZUmpV7TaniTglWCHRmudkpUvQvB2Irm2Se1WBj-avhcNC7Eg44UEFEgq1G9_PfDY-eutNxcstdLYSZHCsoP5Fbvs_cB7cZv1URZRPyRUlEY-2A=w640-h640" /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">36. Parallels in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's <i>Black</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrPvHF67DCs75e1z21LyKZldT7ZL9lcFSTn1GKMT-SJ78ACg3l6R1er0T_nFTO5fHpmdYz-s1whHuGa6QbTRQ1024Muve5ok5ltgmSfRajt-tGWvHjxydrpGfH3pXxmtcwQGbTF591GXRd2KfWUwdQXI49czYeoPYMjrTghVP9pB4geERE8NdxA8P26Q=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">37. Souls and eyes in Abhishek Kapoor's <i>Kedarnath</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_mnLSU9-5gxa4heuwxSi5iNLceTQEnW8bzRbHwYhb3J5u688iwTepExtOgO9Da63CsB4MNeNT6aSOYD02GokNwLijIE4Kr7oikHF89Jdz_Dk3RbdTgfxZ7v_zH5KECuWQ52-CCI2uvOaBx7x9kvpcevUucYEfatBNkc8QrGNSHgAsW-9jsJHV3zQomQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">38. Art in Sriram Raghavan's <i>Andhadhun</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF3H7iPBPtmN7zfzfLQ5eg12cQF3zPBeVUiYKn72EeAvjrAP-sjXjzi9bydFRdiU2NHJ7pNj63ILoyds2OYH_nR93VgQlmNNdDhnZp0PAl3YHQwyeHSaYyX4Q67UnKXUJj41ivCPZmCRf-RxagcyddF5hTqN8zmtujKXgRk-NHPdg9SMIzYgxuG6_1IQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">39. Sriram Raghavan's Andhadhun refers to Tabu's role in Vishal Bhardwaj's <i>Maqbool</i> and <i>Haider</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJNYOJ9AybptWgGFCwBhGVS5dj2vnKK4uEn5Tj0JGZ3QDtYQWSDJuVzTSwQ1BHhHxZG7JeWDTryyZ4CoxCoOWW-qhhV3V2crjMY4tijYvLZrqe72jxX1utxyI6u4bkDsAa5oE4Z79ZzZUkMZ6EJRqSMriKtuZGxghbNR9Z_6kDLszhpxvHLcYy8Mc5GA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1249" data-original-width="2818" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjy6OqprgiB9hl3AZokvIocRzxuCTvUUjrcfSerIChu12hIg2GFjmhx9voS55T90HXqK0qvj-tj2zPDbY1EzSoFJwo1lnPQ7exrgoSu9mdGRxGxMmquqIvidWikPp0AcTE6oMfAJKx6qZgwPx5W77xT_f5JB9sqg5Wwt2XMC_uUM84ddGluFCNSaXYXiA=w640-h284" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1428" data-original-width="2623" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlBjLxiNgfzIv_-l9dPGoH8MqRYFwDcW25FA-kTwzY5VzU9xbwmRfYOXVGKHobEvbkT27BxGi9ETXpddMEMpE_OWZVIEAGJ7for5yJZ4qzm3E6S7OnFwoNejj4hfT7PKzDkMaV6oG43dbrsdLxl9xE_OF2P2_MQYPtUv1rUWiB0dp_RSJsV6fJnP11Bw=w640-h348" width="640" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">40. There have been a few Hindi films that mentioned or depicted the liberation of Goa. These are</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><i>Johar-Mehmood in Goa</i> (1965)</li><li><i>Saat Hindustani</i> (1969)</li><li><i>Pukar</i> (1983)</li><li><i>Trikal</i> (1985)</li><li><i>Bombay Velvet</i> (2015)</li></ul></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYzQpIENbLGmcVm8zsZK3skmtvrDakOY35s4cdPKOvFd_UNxGU86o12m8rHsVGSAt70-uy4Q2zQXbnlE1L86oACYugBClan8miO3VZgp1jHGridMdc4uvv6YuF-4qR8XbERY41w-ZiSbMwonXw-9FCnlo_kLV_wKvPxoWy9X0gMEq6ASr7nf8XNJdm2g=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">41. Hindi films shot/set in Japan:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li><i>Love In Tokyo </i>(1966)</li><li><i>Aman </i>(1967)</li><li><i>Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi </i>(2008)</li><li><i>Youngistaan </i>(2014)</li><li><i>Tamasha </i>(2015)</li></ul></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIal4q4FaslFEhisPZv7St6Inwp1k-RYwzvKbQUOOY04OT70LyJPFKinLoprYJYkhbo8lF4HdqT6fpOEi4ANzAWTvgHXEs53xC12Y5iW1Y0eFE30iGhwbu4l-dPsWpCIzo5VN1aJDcTmeedjomgcuEBsg4gJAjfb7oZodsO3h0c3PXBxVhOUTEjsv6uQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">42. The first line in Besharam Rang from Siddharth Anand's <i>Pathaan</i> says, "<i>Humein to loot liya milke ishq waalon ne.</i>" This is the same line with one different word from the old song. "<i>Humein to loot liya milke husn waalon ne</i>." Kumaar has written the lyrics. He did something similar in <i>Ghunghroo</i> from Siddharth Anand's <i>War</i>, taking a line from an old song <i>Ghunghroo Toot Gaye</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXZl39r06bADu3VuYadPGkwz0jsjttdMr-u1-hIrDp74Cfn8vrhoJ3Dkfao8r9YF1YsRpPhlimJBbeD-BozQ3FcxrAij-E_pyuuQ1fY5X2hEZDz5tFaiWuOw86ZLXE7e4-U9yqprNSWM7XRiLKQjuOVKn_SzXA-Nj3SJWwhNuUdrZmk9j3jy6ebN0_cA=w640-h640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">43. Vicky Kaushal in Sameer Sharma's <i>Luv</i> <i>Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana</i> and Anurag Kashyap's <i>Bombay Velvet</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeIe2_hSWKaKMaq0bkgclkJQ2ZYoeTNZXHyTI6h3pOuSA3Eed78AzXMnO9Sye_bM8VJxYkVfghGQWdAz2W643frnJFK_SJsaWE8dCr4yq3Zo9x5dTRoWznPzIyoyzRAflMYR_CPJOk3cOtGfdNp8kQ9Zqmu45MroBCPPwflTJg2MHXjTrGbERZqZ1QHA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div>44. Ishwak Singh in Anand L. Rai's <i>Ranjhaana</i>.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj0_P-BBqbJiPVEsrbTeVEg_kIWIoptPY6NVn4RGol7YTk0B0XrWF5eoHv450LyI5Kpi0bTAVSOKHHuwSLpVeahxdF66eS4NUuDA6MYPetP65-B9MmuD9xHxE6oSwqEy9PJLFlT2UKfWRqNutYrSvl3vqY_Pt5Vg2mj7ZnNKPGTbAlkfZB2pqq_n_PrQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="867" data-original-width="2048" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj0_P-BBqbJiPVEsrbTeVEg_kIWIoptPY6NVn4RGol7YTk0B0XrWF5eoHv450LyI5Kpi0bTAVSOKHHuwSLpVeahxdF66eS4NUuDA6MYPetP65-B9MmuD9xHxE6oSwqEy9PJLFlT2UKfWRqNutYrSvl3vqY_Pt5Vg2mj7ZnNKPGTbAlkfZB2pqq_n_PrQ=w640-h270" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">45. The posters from the films of 2022 that I liked. </div><p></p></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="952" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1Yk0fEw7whtzj1mdTrVZ6-2MqdUtNmNBvDcB8T4PjRhDcNy2soUgOs3QVrblQ0cYf7xCVlWwcnA_VWsmqLoz-NAkLjqQ2dAvK8BTEc8nDZgeOYwwSkaDY-zQ3ZjXP9H76khOS-eOq6lWEMIByanIfSq3ptRBkFuDs__yh1sE_F4jY57KK-SDwXa1C7w=w318-h400" width="318" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5Fdhzz1IT9rXCpm64Fw2AfFD36rRE_pF8UoHY1rPKPAnDHiJseQ4uGSoCGNeXPlg728-x7VK079Mu8Esmnrr5XxJ_B-sGDxiNr8E_2i_X1f-VM-YXgpgU69cJ8dhxevmuejvbD0RC2vKbgRPqHQz0T0HkBC9hZuVTzQsV6GLjY-aH8SEDBeCSbge5qg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="1318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5Fdhzz1IT9rXCpm64Fw2AfFD36rRE_pF8UoHY1rPKPAnDHiJseQ4uGSoCGNeXPlg728-x7VK079Mu8Esmnrr5XxJ_B-sGDxiNr8E_2i_X1f-VM-YXgpgU69cJ8dhxevmuejvbD0RC2vKbgRPqHQz0T0HkBC9hZuVTzQsV6GLjY-aH8SEDBeCSbge5qg=w398-h400" width="398" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1038" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiOjD27yzvT57JIw9UphZLZnp_i79TH84vllerUKumk3dNxgD0_edsCYJDhHsE52wwojknih1dh3zvmd3-hIdhXJJy6K2yHqKFdtItgPijpDPDdY4kGpb4XTEQNorl6EOKPdpfv_cbeoE3eG8Xbq825hb7sugvo_0LkCJ4Dqrbs_WPv03h7YbYeWsZ3w=w320-h400" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="1020" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkFkMuVe3RS0SkY2Ga7d6KMuJYDNKB67r1i1WHpKc-Uw3onslpqDQbZLJkBV7SuURtFa38xP9gFq82P9zwzcx1c5Wc45YneNI4tX8NZmQ73MaU_zfhbC2QyN_qUXCBp6LwEpsu1NYH5ZXyGaDOxuCbQIcUpTgle3DeslijZ4pnQF9p1NVLTZw5V7xSgA=w312-h400" width="312" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="820" data-original-width="651" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgv-xerbcFRP7lWBYFISQ7fWhxPlabbH3meMTmcCqkZ-uPhz1ySuxiwN3tjdrT0VuXab-YFBjiSzOJI5zeQU67Zxtve6tpQz3IeQDR0QTs5fhfGBLxKbDjUwGYKB6SzqbS1OzQ-vUjWiXljSRzbZqo-zXD5Xy98HqBHgRciJB5ud4CimV-feBkSbaQXyQ=w318-h400" width="318" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1306" data-original-width="977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFUSwAWPNqJpNSV12wmv0pbih6Z3wg7cEa5vX8Fzm7M1SovYIBXr3iDgBSiqh_cuVEsfg8PD1AGpKS5coDoKC_KzW_zBVizhBufHDvE8HzBg-BuFobQYqFE8toqCOEGQPsVplIOaAWoJlmd0J2qzCgrzWeBccKPwUOcwnrHIfSUusVcnfcJ4A_NXIt8g=w300-h400" width="300" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1302" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnGYZJdK6ac7OQtwjMsehaGuITZGRzlNdYyqS9hNSAQA0dQ1um02ZwtEXQOUNOae59ZzdaDVWjEJPbJh5O_XVpMZzKYsC5S7y9kgSdQ2j7qlkGzYqNeo34J66awSYvX7oowCU3mP92-qP-Fd7YtOKoGuV9dOWAhbDBWdcFoNMBE_uzr6lM_MrBIoUsFQ=w395-h400" width="395" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="904" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMxk5NdBjtjtWa79SS4GxW8JYZ_pccPZW8DJBah44gmmHqkQXe6D5qo3XDD0JysBZQIV0XvGB8frn3517j8K6Irfj987E40wj5t0kPEf5A58XSFOsuUoC8Y6SUtPM409ZEtThNLOVTXqmDSyEFDLtkVwyt3hwbGbp6OxSA0RXSJyM5MJOx38ondMuwzw=w275-h400" width="275" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="913" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaogEHzrQdug3Kgx7wFzqielatkN44Jo4D-ZsuTLkbBWB6knPvM4284fNgbclk7vSIKMSI1YK2rbeFU4_m9xvb-KvVdOqqYyaNr1rZAw7IMYMGlw6-arfseTnYdef2e7RfHpIkojEW2AJ4BuyvkSi6a4hwUnTQdsTBdyMPFzR7GjJDTtd75qxFCivIoA=w280-h400" width="280" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="734" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6OQ0I-M8PBxB4BfcCOn_ZkDD2AOMypgEb1jCiRpI48jDR1f1nSzGDztNfUdAYWBAdz5zvrj2ubxqsSfreoe-FX0-c8GRFQ17rLU_GT8yJA1M3pBrJ363qWu5bSovyatH_CrAGwFjqj74xUoDEWbEq-qSu5IjJ7lorLfKCTLSaGYac2l-4yfxFUOfEew=w225-h400" width="225" /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more trivia notes, follow me on my Instagram account called <a href="https://www.instagram.com/readingfilms/?hl=en" target="_blank">@ReadingFilms</a>.</div><br />Other Reading:</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) Trivia Post 30—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/10/trivia-post-30.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Trivia Post 29—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/07/trivia-post-29.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) Trivia Post 28—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/05/trivia-post-28.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) Trivia Post 27—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/01/trivia-post-27.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5) Trivia Post 26—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2021/10/trivia-post-26_23.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><br />Dialogue of the Day:<br /></div></div><div>"<i>Maybe this is the way forward. Issi ko log development bolte hain. But agar apni roots unko ukhaad do, toh kya bachega.</i>"</div><div>—Rana, <i>Piku</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-79340467004385497822022-12-12T01:10:00.003-08:002022-12-12T01:35:42.555-08:00Monica, O My Darling — Snakes and Ladders<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="752" data-original-width="952" height="505" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjt4cNwRUGlGb0TCEqpsi3e_RMhKVAPvpSMxzMC-zey7soclnkJ1HvtJBbsBwLF1cpZPegH11MaBGJNRBayEo1zzpExBFW9u0c38WBdv-UXZKvFPqB2GXRtTYN5gezDmK7wYRgYH-RD46quUC4cShjM-zBq0NpijaTIqoTOWmkeyS3_2reWfFUMB6pZJQ=w640-h505" width="640" /></div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">T</span>he poster of Vasan Bala's <i>Monica, O My Darling</i> shows three characters standing next to each other. There is Vijayashanti Naidu (Radhika Apte) holding a <i>kulfi</i>. There is Jayant Arkhedkar (Rajkummar Rao), wearing a shirt with a dead man. And then, there is the eponymous Monica Machado (Huma Qureshi) standing in a red dress. Behind them lies a board of snakes and ladders, which points to the film's premise. <i>Monica, O My Darling</i> is about people trying to climb up the social mobility ladders but are bit by snakes (literal and metaphorical) in a game of chance. The film opens in a robotics factory named Unicorn, where a worker, Dev Prakash (Shiv Chauhan), is murdered by one of the robots. Six months later, a corporate worker Jayant is promoted to the board of directors by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Satyanarayan Adhikari (Vijay Kenkare). Jayant is engaged to Adhikari's daughter Nikki (Akansha Ranjan Kapoor), but he is also having an affair with the CEO's secretary Monica. Jayant soon finds out that Monica is three-timing him with Adhikari's biological son Nishikant (Sikander Kher), and the financial officer at Unicorn Arvind Manivannan (Bagavathi Perumal). All three men then decide to kill Monica. Things, as expected, do not go by plan, and someone else is murdered. Then, police inspector Naidu is called upon for investigatio<span style="text-align: left;">n.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYZ5eJJveINyR5BbEqRJBOqdV_zFJp0K4VR2a4G3aBjThgGD56SLGh56H91E8lUW_5PnEOKsBWybMDwQ26KeJxoyua6YSNmMFpN16iUJL4Ejug-RHtfJv86zORysWCyFnShIwwPDYvvhjNva1X3tNB7aF30LJmIvRrRQrd61KNcAe7EYXT6N4eI75ikA=w640-h300" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Monica, O My Darling</i> has been adapted from the 1989 Japanese novel <i>Burutasu No Shinzou</i> (<i>Heart of Brutus</i>), written by Keigo Higashino and made into a film in 2011. Writers Yogesh Chandekar and Vasan Bala also take inspiration from Sriram Raghavan and some of their other favorite filmmakers to create a film reminiscent of the Hindi films of yore. In the opening credits, Sriram Raghavan is thanked, and it becomes clear why because there is a lot of him in the film. The plot of the murder, where Jayant travels to Devlali and then comes to Mumbai via train to dispose of Monica's body and then return to Devlali, has been adapted from Raghavan's <i>Johnny Gaddar</i> (which itself took it from Jyoti Swaroop's <i>Parwana</i>). In that film, Johnny (Neil Nitin Mukesh) traveled to Goa and Pune via fight and train on the same day to steal a huge sum of money. At some other point in <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>, <i>Johnny Gaddar</i> is also seen playing on the television. Jayant is also called Johnny by his friend Gaurav (Sukant Goel). There are other references to Raghavan's films: <i>Ek Hasina Thi</i>, <i>Badlapur</i>, and <i>Andhadhun</i>. At one point, a blind lady calls Jayant by the name of Yogesh (also the writer of <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>, and <i>Andhadhun</i>).<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2838" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicWmcOPeTwhO1-E5N4I8NFUeWhz-vFiV6eLclOxsymfu83dS-sWXnVKk5OX5WWikb-fjrLE6tR_M1vIurwXHqQGcaaQ3Q31COhs3GnA3prFTPHk8cJpCQKfLvdAZQjb_Ot3RkzGZjrzW_8OnkuLu9pxPEhicnC5QoAeWJHdogj1vklraEiB-VWCiU2gQ=w640-h300" width="640" /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="2842" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK_dkSc_QCplcySojykFxzIkLMPOs1wKpUS-dGpKiNhqFFFR0hTau8CP5sfahrtUSJRRqBNF-hKZ1HO0C8ofvCwybU_3G5xbUnQ5uhp83Dl2UzZYJBMpo3zxJ_Zk5O1eXvv4uodeBIV5TqZJJ4WNvWag2mN1xapjd7YEu6pAkAYDaOeq2noTtXFfyQ8w=w640-h298" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1352" data-original-width="2847" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUdPbGBUlTeb_sKddgeXhTwG2vMFP-owItWHf-CIQhzum8oVcnx4M3QydHzh2Nhbb1GY87GfpSi2it_Lf3vh8LGWWoN_cvxY1Z3bskFEMQ8Z27JR7lme8zdn438xBCZG3Np3a8Z9YYwnO6kKyeniedtKHKQXp2MFmGMCqLbvTW8xI_3g-IscFYEVoZJQ=w640-h304" width="640" /></div></div><div>Apart from Sriram Raghavan, there are countless references to other films. Some of these films include <i>Baazigar</i>, <i>Caravan</i>, <i>Hum</i> (a character is called Captain Zattack), <i>Maqbool</i>, <i>Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota</i>, <i>My Cousin Vinny</i>, <i>Nagin</i>, <i>Psycho</i>, <i>Teesri Manzil</i>, and <i>Trapped </i>(the whole sequence where Jayant comes down from the building). There is also a dialogue related to an old Nirma advertisement. The film's most popular scene floating on social media is the one where the names of directors and characters are written as residents of an apartment building. What is interesting about the scene is that it mentions, "<i>Thank you for pausing to read the names</i>." This, to me, feels like an instance of breaking the <a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2018/10/breaking-fourth-wall-in-hindi-films.html" target="_blank">fourth wall</a> where the film director is directly conversing with the audience. Vasan Bala's first film, <i>Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, </i>also had many such references related to films, but it became difficult to care for them after a point. Did those really add anything to the film? I was unsure, and I am saying this as someone who loves finding these references. That film became pretty much unwatchable for me due to its boring storyline. On the other hand, <i>Monica, O My Darling </i>is a far better film and is a lot more fun.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="2790" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiloVjDWg_Cb3nuawY3J0UxN8IOLB6nH7jnjlVk8GXmLdnx2ZR1a4wS7CzSXNJvMmAKc8ozy-mfn9lslCw9mpWsq-8vga72olTC8FJEyNsSJNbxLA-LvMRSxhcUI5je2dAP_4wmpfGPuFImsNwz5yIVRKZ6I7Q1oYpmZU3D73UMFo2QwmwCEK-Z4qVq8g=w640-h300" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beneath the veneer of musical murders, <i>Monica, O My Darling</i> is a story of class and aspiration. Jayant grew up in a middle-class family in Angola, where his father worked as a mill worker, and his mother stitched fall on the sarees. Jayant wanted to escape the hopelessness of his middle-class origins to make it big in life. He studied to get into the premier Indian Institute of Technology and got a job at Unicorn. He then worked his way up to become one of its board of directors. Satyanarayan treats Jayant like his own son, often ignoring his biological son because Jayant is the <i>unicorn </i>in Unicorn. Jayant is reminded by Nishikant that he does not belong there and is a pretender. The perfume he wears does not make him one of 'them,' which also comes back to haunt him in the end. Jayant is even called a parasite, reminding one of Bong Joon-Ho's class conflict film <i>Parasite</i>. <i>Monica, O My Darling</i> hinges on this premise that Jayant will do anything to protect his stature and will go to the extent of killing others. In a wonderful moment towards the end of the film, when Jayant and Monica are fighting each other, Jayant sees his reflection in the mirror, and it hits him how vile and vicious a person he has become.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1345" data-original-width="2860" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAoBpcHU6aooAMVow-zWbIr4WeIppdnWY7dakUR65T5XeYMD2DNui_frQqdlKQcZuU21sn28tWEhUU1Sdu4IinuPYgTwMM9Yt0tlCHQmBJPQJ6Y0TljT-G5tRH4glBDmKn_DEgfx1XF7GIzlHudA-4a24HBN_qIR_O8IW5AGajLQcSgpQkpk_tLq41Mw=w640-h300" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="2813" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_JHa7EryoL6fUbS_oGO3N_Xq1H285bzg48qqIdIM_5d28kv-9dnf_M-QXCZBmHIFaMSVDW9nhTP1kxAKArX5e80vrpf6UJPKCtzE_VxIEA46cyEQXzx_mTLhRZlP5Y6pcd5xKA3iqpznqEdgdcAXXkJND8zYNrtCEbTGdAl2JR6uHT0Et-6pJ0MdV2w=w640-h304" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="2781" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4xI0raWtCpdgLBe-DiYhoAmQ_f0VOuHTHeczJ9DlQV5RCmq2d-WoZq2pQkZF3KGtN-e3NrKCPp0NmVYhRcv80YWyiXr9s7MKxVfc99JCNteIHb8an8X5OmPb917fjnYtGLT1Qy53eUwUM3pJYePt04drygCD95RFoZ6UgVxdnstiPaoqGONMk3cfKZQ=w640-h304" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The story of Jayant's friend Gaurav also brings to the fore a similar element. While Jayant moved on to become Jay from Johnny, Gaurav was left behind. He becomes <i>invisible</i> to Jayant. Even at the time, when Jayant comes up with possible names of suspects who could have murdered Monica, Gaurav does not figure even once in his imagination. He gifts a watch to Jayant, who immediately dumps it in the dustbin (it is Jayant's own watch that saves him in the end). On the other hand, Gaurav is treated as an equal by Nishikant, which is why he agrees to do whatever he is asked to do so initially.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="2795" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZDKlNsWW4pgbvHVImRtE_pz7ijnd7gHC4KJjA7QNszzWtVhL3lyj3QFwFO-7TgJcRMmagKqvYjI9096EME2_I30sNRs7iuwjR52mrIE2ctHCuKbvvrvNrWdBsfB3lFF7qybQVGmUFmz1xL_wXauaV94I-Ozu7DbVWmPPV4lLStaNfUUr34nvImFPFEg=w640-h308" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="2565" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-lfYnyTxoOSWp3w1xqTtdUQveGudP23ZHRE9PdaLhKL_lWBVJiSsTN9lv6jh0zhlG8lKk7sc-qlTmsXxbs_Y_b00oYsbti6jTTEUcctsELF5r_bVDqLNmiJiJeqgqAFpMWJa0vTz9duaBguMfhC0yIscagl0n5arr7e8OiQ8YZrKBmmxZx1-fE-lutw=w640-h262" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this aspect, the presence of robots and mills also adds to the element of being left behind. One of the crucial scenes in the film occurs at Inaamdar mills. These mills used to employ hundreds of workers and even used to appear in films in the 1970s and 1980s. However, they have now been relegated to history as machines and robots have taken over a lot of manual work. In an early telling moment in the film, Jayant displays robots acting as bartenders. It is a matter of time before robots can do almost every task, widening the class gap between people. We saw a bit of mill-related politics in Anurag Kashyap's <i>Bombay Velvet</i>, which Vasan Bala wrote. In that film, too, the lead character is named Johnny, who wants to become a 'big shot.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="2566" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuy2vbDnzJUNThh3Q4zcYwZMccBt1mlsoaECQL49kMfIK8D0mnACDpBKfKlY0MwQQBN7c7YTvWLFofO2WA7V16mVxjkDkBxPWvmUH0mnw6TDpMTAzNtNGWaVdFMM3MyOjgq9td81qSe2UGpPNMCCl-puZG98r9VssUq5-QHU6HSkeMKr6oiI73gHEC9A=w640-h336" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="2657" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIpdLduvYzlIJE1s9SwHZ8sJJIYzq9QuF7Fs1HKVyrcN7Ym7XJa0AVO9ndFvpx6yOqAp3r-xkF26d5ToQSvEXTkIWcuRQqHnWxpEAQRQsuvPqtdN-trgajoZj2-Q2BpojWAdYUf79Pfroky9Vjb2pkeORC01eiKn4a6HzJ1Bj_WUEyTLxrLDN6Vc18rA=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The most intriguing part of <i>Monica, O My Darling </i>was its connection with animals. There are animal-related references throughout the narrative. Jayant calls himself a horse. He is also called a unicorn. His sister Shalu (Zayn Marie Khan) gifts him a frog. Later, when Monica's truth is revealed, she is shown butchering a leopard. After Nishikant's death, a leopard is also shown walking. These animals symbolize the relationship between the film's characters to mirror the one that is like between the predator and the prey. When Arvind and Jayant find out that Monica is alive, the song that plays is about the hunter getting hunted. The fight between Monica and Jayant also gave primal vibes, as if two wild animals were fighting. Post the fight, Monica comments that she has dealt with several <i>bhediyas </i>before in her life. This aspect is also seen in the film's meticulously designed artwork. The paintings on the rooms and the walls of Hotel Prince Amar, where the three men plot the murder of Monica, show animals being hunted. One of the paintings is <i>Dogs Attacking Fallow Dear </i>by<i> </i>Frans Snyders. Another one is the same setting is <i>Dead Lion</i> by Frans Snyders. And the most hilarious of them is <i>So You Wanna Get Married, Eh?</i> by William Holbrook Beard, which shows three bears talking among themselves and replicating the same painting are the three men in the room discussing the plan<span> to kill Monica. Finally, there are the snakes that make an appearance at crucial points, as also depicted on the film's poster.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="2482" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkNmD5mlDKenGWzgotACmNhzY3nmyCxW0GyDQgqFjp14OZdhJe6_y8-m5oqCe53519pW6DB_6ikkAucWMQxIl8_dc_qYD0L7tFpxDqGKOhEDvQQZO3dTRZX_ay3LtbwcbhH3C96Ro2ndXXE_iKxwZ4e_wxinEzZFlcFPtwAbDyehRKwHkBm-ddBO_vVg=w640-h358" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="2477" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjn8hwy6KI4T6e4PsCjwZSMbomhoRvrqozimRDOh4cvpzhPLNGWgrk936cQt80h8i6mUNMKjIaOUx8R61kXVb7BfKgngsFabVbEUGhMXdPpv2yan8FS5rI6w9fl6bhsnT3QBtMUhZCGBObHYmX_sN2mfNX7eVe4QRaJ-ZFG7TuShvQSOc2zb-G8GjFNQ=w640-h284" width="640" /></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="400" data-original-width="655" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj843oUOp0oYwFc7ksSHcCac-pFpTDgTplOwF6z-0DzDstXlL_vjWKSyY9rA83RA_E5sjnD5zk825T-ynSxeszKsdKAcbNc9RmhD1M3Tb-QIfpdE7Ze2OeeeVZ5y6Ie9HeBG5CtDSzHda3cpO7OpACwut8dANKFWeuXMoKGerom67PFkaoA_0eVSPw1Hw=w640-h390" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="2762" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix8rltOgu1H_0xW5tL7Lm8DGz3B6Rxt5yiJ8icQgGjPTXPexId6tRTZDt4zWTFbeC_s6T7-8W5tG_eNXVlYXIESl6FMs9ZmIW-RZkerTAgtz2-aqBPd3eAfjYPNSmyJkpBgFJBpDsbdtQu3CoPjCqIM-uVuGyPVKWktcoEvrdfYFvSgPQroAMo45nF1Q=w640-h304" width="640" /></div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="626" data-original-width="900" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhS7BT_7Fclr-wr9fn0MlmEb64imEhhxs5sQr3R-LvwCBJoZxOHBBM_wQgLvpslgVjroebKM1gx74UMUBsC5GU46if2BPCPrEtsJbig8Wp2MFdbndjdFbvVZFzU1NUb466b2aj9mFmHHUPUFXNjmqepIJac1lFWLBjf-We4ewX8kGtKoiIBJ9Jz3348VQ=w640-h446" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="2632" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipkBCCYj5TF5yIeCCpz9SGeOxKAJWyuv5Vb2LrHYDvnzRwQEo2dVxEMf-nK4CoAo-vx2J-QUnGsBexIHcoQ0njSHoAmBeadeJMRRe3Mhh-8-M2z6b9FzjmHfeob8he0rOdBh1MZnRz5TWZVKjfhE141jOWkv4Y_p_vbJrlb43oS0Rna3pB8YlXnJYPmA=w640-h318" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="749" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjexihVgHIEii01G1-tfituLYP34pGeqUQfgs_nb-rTAtuOQ8vsukB1gwwA7vKdQmvVXo5N3e5I0fUX94BXeaHeQHgoew2I6cKn_broOvAmSwVlSrqeIFILvftijZyMb1NtAOW61RUMESizzoXdr24vem-fH6YxYx41YcbnxV-UspURAqUGZizGj9QZ3A=w459-h640" width="459" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="2662" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZyq5xSfaP6FF1ay2tr9R4IgpUrAGIuCy8UDO2fPb8Yaj1W3pgdXjWDL_da1hTltmFOfY6jY5QLrgNZSmLl-UN3J2d6wuJlV4C7LGH6FXaYoP-Xafq7fZceM8Hk6BsEIoos3xx8ZiK6p-AbRfS2aN3zxN5qcU9-C8OrGsMBISV6l1iulnlr_JLFBJwNQ=w640-h314" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Monica, O My Darling </i>is elevated by its music, adding to its retro feel. The songs composed by Achint Thakkar and Varun Grover feel like they are from an older Hindi film and that we have heard them before, but, in fact, they are totally new. <i>Love You So Much</i> was my favorite, and it reminded me of a Goan folk song. In terms of performance, Sikander Kher was the best. He should do more films. And it is the first time I have actually liked Radhika Apte. She is hilarious in some scenes. Rajkummar Rao and Huma Quereshi are good. It is worth mentioning that Rajkummar Rao's character Jayant is the other end of the character of the one he played in Ramin Bahrani's <i>The White Tiger</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2800" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEqYA3PB4ixw2-k44Ghce2bKawZ2aeA6CMhJ4Ath6uBHcQ0VM8MQMJosUHi_7a4peyFnhyKyZh7mc9t2UugHOty7TqUviL89HrgK-PwDl87ESpaMBYuOXTpubsURD6krr-_edX1FVeAHKHT5F2rzikt-pSf5TQp6J4BT2dLE05H-Kp8rpo-wwAXV_zPQ=w640-h312" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJ8O6OSwxJPV0CRc9s9dJW7mnbYAtGI435-zoCh2p-3QYwAYpMC6Elc-4_Vjjn7Q3vnItWIhYyPgBQKvjEfHttaua79guxYdtUI_W0FG8ZmiAJ3YqfWUsDqlD61UJ0igs5_kVj3O-U6F6MlxZC0srS1DPJuA2N1SDM06IWOyDR2z8zI8stt8B5DNu2mQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="2748" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJ8O6OSwxJPV0CRc9s9dJW7mnbYAtGI435-zoCh2p-3QYwAYpMC6Elc-4_Vjjn7Q3vnItWIhYyPgBQKvjEfHttaua79guxYdtUI_W0FG8ZmiAJ3YqfWUsDqlD61UJ0igs5_kVj3O-U6F6MlxZC0srS1DPJuA2N1SDM06IWOyDR2z8zI8stt8B5DNu2mQ=w640-h280" width="640" /></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Monica, O My Darling</i> has a lot of style. The film is not about who did it but how it is done. There are some questions it never really answers. For instance, it is never revealed who the mysterious woman was in the car? Or, what happened to Jayant's bicycle? But it did not bother me much. Because, as Naidu tells Jayant at one stage, the more perfect the background story is, the more it seems doubtful. Giving some slack to the story and giving it some feelings is better.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="2764" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRzCDVGZ47Lnq9cigkqiBX-ASOdPHqFo6IpWEeoXgmz8Z2V_IWI6iL7aqZgOmNt62Vc6TUiHVxcTEOipdw1qsxaGxyJF5DBYySxMGnhDY7EpYJ5OcwZAQOW9rDdlI6LAb9k1v0s2m2opdg8bVY3nlayRxHmzdSQ-saWG_ixHnBId8xHV7ROuT19ceZGA=w640-h312" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><img data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="2827" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtKKx6iLPyyKIIX_urWdKlKKey21pBVqh2dVSni_Hl4-MILh8gyfylqrel27h1uIMCKF4dKTr8VrShe9yPe5D2dUg0PvKSkZGbrRoGJKF0m3KipEBfoK3w0ua7-NguZXQcSOebL38A0ZDvq4Mzs3LTylXu6YJwmLj8qSrMfhVB52H_zVZd1oyBqkj60g=w640-h306" width="640" /></div></div></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. The official title of the film is <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>, but the posters of the film do not have a comma in the title.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. Dialogues is spelled as 'Dailogues.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1321" data-original-width="2546" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiulca9Ch9unBj1d5wli82r1cGUvxsDEmfB186JWpnphNEllY4vzQxSXy0r72oYeOVb8z-Sat74s9yaYMIBxmVx2thv7i9tSn1L8awyWCPx8-hRKPES3IFkw2dKGNF7r8004_qZQfpDzq2za4ynOXpOsMirOzr-M3WTOdBEJKAq-DEPyVXsCMoBZ5-Pcg=w640-h332" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Radhika Apte and noir in <i>Lust Stories</i> and <i>Monica, O My Darling</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="317" data-original-width="640" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzuCG1GavW9ExuxyEhDmhDMNw4_ro4b7ySELrUUW_1OXS19VYjQDaODW_x5T9siepgux4ya0Jf3K6b16bJc9jnA0gLFP8k8d_VcYntn2dKfOU5gZ3pzkBW4MJtSpZ47_f1sG87dpYwim_6X4pKoozMOWSbVLzwRLGHcFxGgrm0pKl3VI-tn0z4gf5NIw=w640-h318" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="2569" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwYSTLc9z58e7tq_1fqI2KUvyr5nUVYyTuKENb0WrzzztLEiTDQuRA2UVYcETU538ujw79uFMJ4RBSD3h86O072-U7baep_jD7OrkkGbKotoqWr7Tph7WsSd2z45rzoY0uQwd03dAiO8bfHGe5nmSXHA5ZQX90JHL1je0ayoh0tPMrZwpKp3HtF9ymlA=w640-h320" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. The poem that the young Jayant recites is Kusumagraj's <i>Kanaa</i> (meaning spine). Its Hindi translation, done by Gulzar, is titled <i>Reedh</i> and is available <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2k3mXp8BVM" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div>Dialogue of the Day:<br />"<i>Somvaar ko main sab pe vishwaas karti hun</i>."<br />—Naidu, <i>Monica, O My Darling</i></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-39486997266067724272022-11-21T00:05:00.008-08:002023-01-08T20:18:26.668-08:00The Fathers in Ranbir Kapoor's Filmography<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div><span style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2821" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHJ737W2Z_1oY8o8i4Nzb8eMntbkgXNtehmH4pTkl9bJR-eob5VDB57UvDkGz46POghjvWuyetr8ogWMXyBJkoAW6ga8ZYuqlc_qYKbH6xCp8vAWxW87tZGxYh7P_k7E_Q7pPrh3c2iLNQwa-sLdFH_At_f6IfsfaPVzhkUK2mOry7E1HIgv54d7UQXQ=w640-h454" width="640" /></div>Ranbir Kapoor has often spoken and written about his reverential and formal relationship with his father, Rishi Kapoor. In the foreword that he </span><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/ranbir-kapoor-on-relationship-with-dad-rishi-kapoor-i-wish-we-could-be-friendlier-7292440/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">wrote</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> for his father’s biography </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored</i><span style="text-align: justify;">,</span><i style="text-align: justify;"> </i><span style="text-align: justify;">he says, "</span><i style="text-align: justify;">I am closer to my mother. I feel that Dad modelled his relationship with me on the one he shared with his own father. And it is true that I have never crossed a certain line with him. But there is no sense of loss or vacuum here. I do wish sometimes that I could be friendlier with him or even spend more time with him</i><span style="text-align: justify;">." He also mentioned that he was </span><a href="https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Findianexpress.com%2Farticle%2Fentertainment%2Fbollywood%2Fwhen-ranbir-kapoor-said-he-was-petrified-of-dad-rishi-kapoor-never-watched-mom-neetu-kapoor-films-7537362%2F" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">scared</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> of his father as a kid. However, he became closer to him during his father's last years when he was being treated for cancer.</span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFyF_Fk_6UZ9pnpFqwfyXQyIrS6CEc7DszJO7nNgKSi4k4rX6yOOtcO0-KmgWNWWfLruIMVuEwjmqYFwGgIIH6vPIxxUYhQwPHIjUbSaXL00Fwu5Di-qLDjYJb5_zGPzFZlOPpcu00Ofv1H5Gl66Xr5TjeCjRZANcbF6_kUUywW31oVaAPseds28nizQ=w640-h360" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggL48vudoEZRrIT22z3O0kI8rSwFyfzcSCPqPZumIwB7_3YjsyP2qpuSByQQ-K14YNhEO_aW0-5FYP97LUz6MIgt1Y25ZM3rsUmQbSszcttCLzMj0xbYMuK1U6S8YYV1_rTdtImB2Vr9Q8r578iUitgbVlZMz06MpPnbYjF3ThOzSYZJF5tpM8VUBXvw=w400-h400" width="400" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Relationships with fathers, whether loving or fraught, are present across the breadth of Ranbir's filmography. These include the ones with both his real and reel fathers. There have been many films where Ranbir's relationship with Rishi Kapoor is mentioned. In Ranbir's debut film <i>Saawariya</i>, Sanjay Leela Bhansali makes it abundantly clear that Ranbir is related to his father and grandfather. Ranbir is named Raj after his grandfather Raj Kapoor. The bar in the film is named RK bar. Raj's cap is the <i>awara</i> cap, made famous by Raj Kapoor's <i>Awara</i>. At one point in the film, Raj says, "<i>Main ek dum awara hun</i>." When the song <i>Saawariya</i> in the film<i> </i>starts, Raj asks the audience, "<i>Doston, kya aapne kabhi kisi se pyaar kiya, maine bhi kiya</i>" referring to the memorable line of his dad, Rishi Kapoor, from the song <i>Meri Umar Ke Naujawaon</i> from <i>Karz</i>. Ranbir's second film, Siddharth Anand's <i>Bachna Ae Haseeno</i>, was titled after his father's famous song from <i>Hum Kisise Kum Naheen</i>. Ranbir also paid tribute to his father by recreating the song in the film. A few years later, Ranbir also worked with his parents in Abhinav Kashyap's <i>Besharam</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2321" height="551" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8OtQqil1k4rfMOHs2F0PH9ztT1oVtZAKa2uUFlVeGl4U8A5xbL6lwzJ7_GXCMX6frtwpUiRRfByk2aIJSt78glY3HaM_hYmTvgwe5elnUxlrvPhbzjmDvOTsCifCD_laL-K7W1q-elamITThsR68f-5eoVhsNpbL_sY3npDTkEKttuD1CLDC3C_pyUw=w640-h551" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ranbir has also done many films where his character's relationship with his father is part of a major plotline. Ayan Mukerji has made three films with Ranbir, and in all three, there is a depiction of a father-son relationship. In Ayan's first film, <i>Wake Up Sid</i>, Ranbir plays Sid, a spoilt and directionless lad living off his parents' wealth. He has no aim in life. His father, Ram Mehra (Anupam Kher), wants his son to join their business of bathroom furnishings. He tries to bribe Sid with a Porsche if he comes to the office for a month. However, Sid does not last more than a week as he has no interest in joining <i>Flower Showers</i>. After failing his college exams, Sid fights with his father and moves out of his house. He moves in with his friend Aisha (Konkona Sensharma) and finds a calling to become a photographer. When he finds a job at a magazine, he meets his father. Sid realizes that he got this skill from his father, who was also a photographer once. His father told him that his purpose in taking photography was to click his son's pictures. Once Sid grew up, he stopped. His father is happy about his achievement and advises him to put his heart into whatever he decides to do. Sid gifts his first paycheck and reconciles with his father. Sid finally <i>wakes up</i>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiAKnXxthUtbfzESMociuyE4yP6zZrpydqBOqwymHdCD9hoV3O_kvmIAcmZLdopKI9sI3jUY9NfDAZS62hu2OJRFL4OAJat7ciU_tZa5uPQC67ZRCOYBQsdWf4031ePQHkU8KUgvmzq8Mh14BEX-CCVUoZG7gxLmil6p076D_AmeielSuzgyFTVtNsIg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1213" data-original-width="2782" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiAKnXxthUtbfzESMociuyE4yP6zZrpydqBOqwymHdCD9hoV3O_kvmIAcmZLdopKI9sI3jUY9NfDAZS62hu2OJRFL4OAJat7ciU_tZa5uPQC67ZRCOYBQsdWf4031ePQHkU8KUgvmzq8Mh14BEX-CCVUoZG7gxLmil6p076D_AmeielSuzgyFTVtNsIg=w640-h280" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="2845" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_f6TTtW5tQE1TaQgVy8QJXP2VfM5-g6I9mYieU_zk1DI5p-nodaVPp_X9Yzypwzo9TMAhDgwegIzh3NmzTFwZFONOnDR4ZyihtM7j2NZ_Kpyj0ej8xGusqQLGVUljga-u74jQnQgLRTMHj7_7FFFqoYnaRFC1_XfQUQwc7vYutwrz7XtCs2HBOTHz0Q=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Perhaps, the most wonderful of the relationships between a father and a son is depicted in Ayan's <i>Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani</i>. Ranbir plays Kabir, also called Bunny, a wanderlust-afflicted young man who wants to travel the world. His father, Sanjay Thapar, played with absolute charm by Farooq Sheikh, does everything for him. There is a touch of rebellion, with an equal amount of love and concern between the two. On one side is Bunny, who wants to live independently and on his own terms, but at the same time, he does not want his father to worry for him and does not want to disrespect him. On the other side is his father. He wants Bunny to live his life fully, but at the same time, he worries for him a lot. He wants Bunny to do whatever he wants, but at the same time, he silently cries because he does not wish Kabir to leave him and go to Chicago. It is portrayed so beautifully because, in some ways, relationships with parents are—complex, awkward, and loving. Bunny gets to live his wish, but he gets so engrossed in his life that he misses the news of his father's death and does not come to his funeral. But his stepmom tells him that he gave his father the most happiness, so he should be proud of it. "<i>Kyunki tumne kabhi khwaabon ka peecha nahi chhoda, apni zindagi apni marzi se jee, woh jaante the apni marzi se jeene ki keemat kya hoti hai</i>."</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="2854" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibPIIaCR1suLkXLDCU7toDHl78fAhxYKUfsf6dRdo1fW3EjlTn7NgaKo9YakJVNGwXUMTiqXxL7-QgkyKq6QZDDtHI8AjbbQICGuUC9AbyVkSVpmcJNnw78bOj4HyueB-0nHxuSOV8FCIqHb-U_YnDF6tby-yrDx8zaIY5s3LWHthZvYadD3UjIt4mDg=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1226" data-original-width="2804" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGDTPYGubdpgqDopuTFiXdvBU5qdDxfACURWEJnIoz5DcKnHrZR1Oi8Oxopbw6n0uVzcTjjBW5B-8uzTUQNhDirI3Ssu66DohcUcVsPHCpZTA38FaqcsOwdKreKG5jezcSHnxUNpxGP6AuSlUSvcePXnzMW0DwsAB7hKxWAGD2oigntj1tmmDDAP6ujQ=w640-h280" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Ayan's most recent magnum opus, <i>Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva</i>, Ranbir plays Shiva, a disc jockey living in Mumbai. He soon discovers that he can control fire and is related to the secret society of guardians responsible for protecting the greatest <i>astra</i> in the universe—the <i>Brahmastra</i>. The film is based on the theme that love conquers all. Shiva's mother, Amrita, had died protecting him when he was a young child. He does not know much about his father, as he disappeared before his birth. He calls him Mr. India. Shiva then finds out that his father was named Dev, who went rogue and was trying to get the <i>Brahmastra</i> for himself to become powerful. The first part ends with Dev getting a new lease of life, and the second part is likely to be a conflict between the father and the son duo, fighting the good and the evil battle.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP3qIYJ-Oh8pSkI_1Vce3f_dSbBYytWMnk_xOIXiMz85zB92V1eMKFBORaPhHr-LvlGxtYSmIZDvRLPTiG-URU_NEFAXOOcltTiVSjo89IlKVootCc_96OTrceUXm5tIikuDxJ6h19Zhq0wSCFuTbqThSK670yN-57EcGqBzmKafLKPTILsy7kAb4wZQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP3qIYJ-Oh8pSkI_1Vce3f_dSbBYytWMnk_xOIXiMz85zB92V1eMKFBORaPhHr-LvlGxtYSmIZDvRLPTiG-URU_NEFAXOOcltTiVSjo89IlKVootCc_96OTrceUXm5tIikuDxJ6h19Zhq0wSCFuTbqThSK670yN-57EcGqBzmKafLKPTILsy7kAb4wZQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1920" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3ZGF0GJ1YmyhPiRjWh8rSAGBD97zHaEjszhgYLbRkcF_TDO6DO7Q-d_SF9hds0LmrDLY2777ZH1Vcpt9b_JeimLD8nzshzc62b8Z0HDab1IpKD0b9H16-hXH5N5ki-HSH3K2wQUrJsv0KKK7LVoteAYEt9d7vhEfpHLeMg51434CFmhg_N7wzz0rHTg=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anurag Basu's <i>Barfi! </i>had another charming portrayal of father and son. Ranbir played the titular role of Barfi, a deaf and mute boy living in Darjeeling. His mother died during childbirth, after which his father, Jungbahadur Johnson (Akash Khurana), brought him up. He has a close relationship with his father, as they sometimes sleep hugging each other. Barfi often troubled his father with his tricks, asking for money. There is a heartbreaking scene where his father suffers a cardiac arrest and calls for help. However, Barfi is unable to hear him. The money needed for his father's treatment forces him to loot a bank and kidnap Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra). Ultimately, it proved futile as his father passed away. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="2762" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiv6xAOnAFY4k-qcqd9Xblfhae5xIO6gGNUcTjZSuoStFoEoSMmIf3XFB1XFKF2Y9zaankbrqZnWaW9oWaAH6rTDBNtkHzxwwFbf3L-xLkLdw_907pR68J_EXgs7fjeXk77YN05m2y-tsjEvuIKfN_6nTLh4k0gee8tRVs2ikahNFrDAfY558vJjr3KHw=w640-h278" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="2771" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKCEYT3NzHgUDgQktBOJ49DAS1YF_qczQP2V0wK3usgZ2Ljcj2whIuVdr4WdLMFgTqJb0TOTmDkD-NIbIeAr-Jb_IdXhUIeh_NACSHhNk7LbKDbtSbiOXFkSi8Z6xBmiWcSS3cvVM1udTnQYTR36ElHbrc3rHj8S-o9Iz8JBf96n2RSTh8NvYfF_3HqA=w640-h286" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Father and son appear again in Anurag Basu's delightful <i>Jagga Jasoos</i>, where Ranbir plays a young detective Jagga. Jagga was adopted by Badal Bagchi (Saswata Chatterjee) when he was a kid. Badal, whom Jagga also refers to as Tutti-Futti, disappeared after admitting his son into a boarding school. Jagga's only contact with Badal is a videotape he receives yearly on his birthday. Jagga then decides to find his father and ultimately reaches the mythical land of Shundi, where he is united with his father. The relationship between the father and the son is close like it was in <i>Barfi!.</i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyVW78ipk1z5QURjJNGwvPZ70OEVcyPkzLdR4y9n52j1uw2b-4flODZiMkAXO3MDLimG-qq0-bIwOg88miq44kbFKrgfMSL1_i4IXVWbayTOAgE3OuZyC6px5AUmtQt0zpD9GH9CuP7nmRn9NTXchgasxbITb2B7HNfV0lax9puVZSZCogDY9tzahNdA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="2824" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyVW78ipk1z5QURjJNGwvPZ70OEVcyPkzLdR4y9n52j1uw2b-4flODZiMkAXO3MDLimG-qq0-bIwOg88miq44kbFKrgfMSL1_i4IXVWbayTOAgE3OuZyC6px5AUmtQt0zpD9GH9CuP7nmRn9NTXchgasxbITb2B7HNfV0lax9puVZSZCogDY9tzahNdA=w640-h270" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="2811" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNjw562lkjNpzOPLer6FBT7e0f9dr4eQnCGmP-17E96INEVIHanIIoq7c4vNPVaUq9Bx2wzva7tJ81PB48MdvKVDz1j8Vy0Qas3zWqS0xksWRWxXYQ-UQHbaycI49s5MTmqhzqpBtv20PNMIpxUeqp1Jia7Z4JDDgDiLOr88_9XeFfI8FAJvDeM9VAWw=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ranbir has another lovely relationship not with his father but with his grandfather in Shimit Amin's little gem, <i>Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, </i>where he plays Harpreet Singh Bedi, a budding salesman working for a computer company. He lives with his grandfather P.S. Bedi (Prem Chopra). They share a sweet relationship where his grandfather raised Harpreet all by himself. He wants Harpeet to do well in life, so much so that he even breaks his savings to gift him a scooter. When Harpreet's scam of establishing a company-in-a-company is revealed, his grandfather admonishes him for acting like a thief. Harpreet responds that it was because he did not teach him how to do a thief's work; if he'd taught him, he wouldn't have become a thief. It shows how important an upbringing affects a person's actions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="2792" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgT__bA2qxQ6iQqTrDLhHSxNGaaLhvj1T5gOhclfeKKY2h-4WbtL3wFTLySpwpyI8Rbmjd_gBejHi2HaYn3EeDwvgUJuWaAFi49aqrjEk4fq7wiJ_d2I3-3c4pUReYsbuMPjflm3zvbpw7E6stQ_GWD8PFRA-jHrpvHxjiHwo0fY-7wY-qTefVGyiitiA=w640-h276" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="2687" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDuOc7L7xFqO5EFCYHPMjjjyJ2ICRcdQHYmnvc2HCJlRyGyzx9un-w2-KLU8Pg4IMXx6NXUx8IRIE2EA3Hi9oXrs_R0MpF7leyCtQ3E_fXZupm-GJTgn_r7v6CDdhhg9CpacTPgqROatL0OGWtn7KJ5v7jz_h_hkgpcwbQdxL0ZVMwKpZ8LOGnS-GjbQ=w640-h334" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Siddharth Anand's <i>Anjaana Anjaani</i>, Ranbir played Akash, a Wall Street investment banker dealing with depression after suffering huge losses during the 2008 financial crisis. He decides to take his life. He meets Kiara (Priyanka Chopra), who is also suicidal, after discovering that her fiancé cheated on her. After going on a road trip, they both come out of this depressive phase. Akash finally calls his father and speaks to him after years. In Prakash Jha's <i>Rajneeti</i>, Ranbir plays Samar, the son of a politician Chandra Pratap (Chetan Pandit). He is pursuing is Ph.D. in English literature in the US and comes to visit his family. Unlike his brother and father, Samar is not much interested in politics. However, his father loves him even if he does not have enough time to talk to his son. There is a scene where his father accompanies him to the airport. Before he leaves, he says he does not know when he will see them again. And, like in other films, Samar and his father share a hug. His father's prophecy turns out to be true, and he is shot dead by a rival. Samar returns to support his family and avenge his father's death, eventually becoming Arjun of the <i>Mahabharata</i>.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="2792" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmv8LJp9ICjiuWKOaz9qwqElO61SLc2Ndlf5I8JI64Oclhs2kwUst2YLBLIs8Awi5dQxfMLLRQ5Cpz1jj6UW-vEI0DPh1rKkbY8x1XG2fvjRlIe4fxELHPx4zw3xBGCORtIK0qfXQRDlzM3wPSS6EK0ApuubXmEWFNL7PFUsu52HUbL7V5zMshSYoRqQ=w640-h276" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="2832" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgT26zt3TSny4W7hZWHqGwURuJbg26SXZ1mwjP_9dozbTEXiEKdO4vs68nnGuxSxB2m-NUwyZXP-XIxEgNd-yFl9xbICPbt_SfAiO1jkKor0qRu8qaZDKUUHRaFVeKI2fv78vvoFBpmtDIbNhe_pJy-N2Bnz8pGSX_l0cZQuiNnr8c4jNKZo4mke04oAw=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ranbir portrayed actor Sanjay Dutt in Rajkumar Hirani's hagiography <i>Sanju</i>. The film deals with Dutt's relationship with his parents—Nargis (Manisha Koirala) and Sunil (Paresh Rawal), his drug addiction, and his arrest for illegally possessing firearms. In this film, the father-son relationship also forms the film's core. Sunil is his protector, saving Sanju from many crises. The film also recreates the <i>Jadoo Ki Jhappi</i> moment from Hirani's <i>Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.,</i> where Sanju and Sunil hug each other. Sanju comments that even after the director spoke cut, the two of them did not let go of each other for a few more moments. Sunil passes away before hearing a speech that Sanjay wrote for him. Towards the end, Sanjay tells his children not to be like him but like Sunil. His life was struggling, but Sunil made him a great actor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0KGBvnqDAuWDssE39Q9IR3dZHfWkVHfPfXHpgbe-PN7NUPFLgdAtFEy6FpZbXfcn8hUJSrjn5CJ9QOs-NkKaX6_Fb7YHVGYBd70ZSPC_gYyArXl6W5npeBbyg-08ZCvoIV-cTCUitEvm8wCdMS9Hb9hYIT-4itE76Ul_t09pi5dWZIgnu-3tktOo7Ag" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="2517" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0KGBvnqDAuWDssE39Q9IR3dZHfWkVHfPfXHpgbe-PN7NUPFLgdAtFEy6FpZbXfcn8hUJSrjn5CJ9QOs-NkKaX6_Fb7YHVGYBd70ZSPC_gYyArXl6W5npeBbyg-08ZCvoIV-cTCUitEvm8wCdMS9Hb9hYIT-4itE76Ul_t09pi5dWZIgnu-3tktOo7Ag=w640-h274" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="2797" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzD9iN6O4UVmiv5OtUzUjxfQnv7lcD4nXf8p8f3tjamW94LccHWR7GkXPG_X1ptLZKrvhmBW_FvOd4nfpnrmaFO5Hu_5QM-Gqbwddybr7psiiF7pEcZXnKjkyaovw2vkz91zBoOXIdWF_5QeHFNLr1nJn4RsS5h11M_DwzLAfPgPx15iSXA04H7RzoDA=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Imtiaz Ali's <i>Tamasha</i>, Ranbir plays Ved, a storyteller hiding under the garb of a corporate product manager. He took the conventional path of studying engineering as his father, Brij Mohan Sahni (Javed Sheikh), reminded him of his duty to make a life for himself. Ved could not clear the engineering entrance exams, and his father had to give a donation for his admission. Ved then joins the corporate rat race. However, Tara (Deepika Padukone) makes him realize that he is losing his excellence while working in a job where he feels stuck. Ved undergoes a mental and emotional breakdown and eventually gets the courage to tell his father that he is happy being a storyteller. He will choose the end of his hero's story and not live a life running in the rat race. Beacuse it is his story; <i>apni kahani hai, ending change kar lenge.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM4UU_NHqGGHQbJgwjldQQhN4X0dMYRNKq44TeVRr3a88dZTYMIS35xP3nY5Fn5Kq59Y2Aq3_mhPaqZoad7pYfPTq6uBtbJxZpPExTqXtQKkAvOC_DpNrbQ43AparSV5vV2uGfF6uYVBERXQhVhd1oIgZeRcCLqj4rBcoTm3TTNQ5sHD5achZXrTW74A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="2861" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM4UU_NHqGGHQbJgwjldQQhN4X0dMYRNKq44TeVRr3a88dZTYMIS35xP3nY5Fn5Kq59Y2Aq3_mhPaqZoad7pYfPTq6uBtbJxZpPExTqXtQKkAvOC_DpNrbQ43AparSV5vV2uGfF6uYVBERXQhVhd1oIgZeRcCLqj4rBcoTm3TTNQ5sHD5achZXrTW74A=w640-h266" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="2728" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOEYHOpFMPyzmvwzmBDm2xwxqwuY8k6A1CbYxgjdBF0A7TuqDjSQ7q9fPJQaWBnrTKgr4C-jWgt-nH3iYS7d9dQRDZah_L0a6jfx_5JfwXkJIlZao0QiQCHU0Gz9srCh_DTWuvgp7oXv0QWIwGtGGkeVCBmHfD5rwyEigBxfKQN5bCsGXGoPJWVorHnQ=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Karan Malhotra's <i>Shamshera</i> is yet another father-son story where Ranbir plays a double role of father and son. The film is the story of Shamshera (Ranbir Kapoor), the leader of Khameran tribe, set in the nineteenth century. Shamshera is trapped in a fraudulent peace-keeping deal by the British officers, leaving him and his clan in a state of oppression. He is eventually killed and branded as a traitor while trying to escape captivity. Shamshera dies just before his son Balli (Ranbir Kapoor) is born. Balli has no fondness for his father, even though he has a striking resemblance with him. In fact, Balli wanted to join the police, supporting the same force that kept his tribe oppressed. However, as the truth about Shamshera's goodness is revealed, Balli takes up the leadership of the tribe and finishes his father's task of obtaining freedom for the Khamerans. <i>Shamshera</i> again depicts the central role of the father in a Ranbir film.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="2847" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN3slVCNe_92tsPNAzllDrHuNwekUCI_3-WGbA8YSFxyWFj3x5Db_6VxxnxCzLktNS436iikLoZk-6V-2pOrajBcG74easYV94Nh9s9bsodkmcumEBMuHgsZY5rd35rBbbkxiMYM9E6YkwTq9K8ZDB-9Riqt6FV_LqqkjYF9vWJB_WKj0netu_ecjG2g=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thus, we see that in more than a dozen films of Ranbir, fathers play a pivotal role. And, he often aces with them with aplomb. Perhaps, it has something to do with his own lived-in experience. A few days ago came the news that Ranbir had become the father of a little girl. It will be worthwhile to see him in the role of a real father and, hopefully, a reel father on the other side.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Other Reading:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. On <i>Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2021/07/yeh-jawaani-hai-deewani-through-prism.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. On <i>Tamasha</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2015/11/tamashaof-stories-and-storytellers.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3. On <i>Jagga Jasoos</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2017/07/jagga-jasoos-and-magical-world-of.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. On <i>Saawariya</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2013/10/saawariya.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. On <i>Rockstar</i>—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2014/08/rockstar-away-from-wrong-doing-and.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Apni kahani hai, ending change kar lenge.</i>"</div><div style="text-align: justify;">—Ved, <i>Tamasha</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-59792031063499671682022-10-30T20:59:00.015-07:002022-11-26T01:12:34.782-08:00Laal Singh Chaddha—An Ode to Stories<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="2802" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg_67YZbQZHPdJ54A3RlaegynIjA54c53JdP-JiK4KWlrHbqwyCUBSrO3Af6LcxGDzlIiNfXZKwaWX4Naz3MJDeQs3iOPOVJCKq_rxm6Eh8uB9lDYY3_JJWdN3Uu63al-87LaIyQurV9qc62OcXaVZAM_z9BmOG3XVF1X1TEMwvqOU8iAkB8A1pe5Mog=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Arundhati Roy opens her book <i>The Ministry of Utmost Happiness </i>with the lines:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;">"<i>How to tell a shattered story?</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>By slowly becoming everybody.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>No. By slowly becoming everything</i>."</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Advait Chandan's <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i> tries to tell a shattered story by slowly becoming everything. The film is based on Robert Zemeckis's <i>Forrest Gump </i>and has been adapted to an Indian context by Atul Kulkarni. It stars Aamir Khan as the eponymous Laal Singh Chaddha and tells his personal story juxtaposed with the story of contemporary political India. Laal's story, like other stories, is filled with characters. His mother Mrs. Chaddha (Mona Singh), his childhood friend Rupa D'souza (Kareena Kapoor), and his other friends, Bala (Naga Chaitanya) and Mohammad Paaji (Manav Vij), are the pivotal people who shape the narrative of his life.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="2829" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghR5r277yfo_TDJIxC-Mqc7Wp6upTrX94tM5S-jELZixVdQ_0WdgKIYwAwL3CWgM3hZTZJ7AD95S6lIvSLrCO-iJvpVNeobjl2ACZ3Y0Zz1WTSKBYeiTb5D55DHY7x4PUwF0plHwnxnMDv_Bzs2A6UDeY8ZuIM4oNjX6yI3gxPhhg-zIbWfmgtgCtHGA=w640-h276" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i> is an ode to stories and storytelling. There are various levels of storytelling in the film. First, there is the story of Laal. In the film's initial moments, a lady comes and sits opposite Laal on the train. He tries to be friendly with her, but she remains busy with her cell phone. He introduces himself and offers her <i>gol gappe</i>. He then makes some weird sounds. She is a bit annoyed by him and looks around. No one else seems to be bothered. He then compliments her shoes and begins sharing <i>his</i> story. He talks about everything from his childhood to adulthood. The film keeps moving between the past and the present throughout its narrative, giving us glimpses of Laal's life. And whenever it comes back to the present, more fellow passengers gather around him, listening to the twists and turns in his story. Majrooh Sultanpuri wrote, "<i>Main akela hi chala tha jaanab-e-manzil magar, log saath aate gaye aur kaaravaan banta gaya." I set off alone toward my goal, but people came along, and it began to turn into a caravan</i>. This couplet perfectly describes the story of Laal's journey, both on the train and in his life. He keeps meeting more people as he chugs along in life, like how more people start gathering around him on the train. He starts with his mother, finds friendship and love in Rupa, and then further cements close bonds with Bala and Mohammad Paaji. Like the fellow passengers on the train, these people leave him at different points, getting down at their stop until Laal reaches the station where it is time for him to leave them. It is then entirely befitting that the film is set on a train. The journey of the train mimics the journey of his life. The same phenomenon is again observed when he starts running in the end. He starts alone, but then other people start running together with him. He says initially, a single man started running with him, then a few people joined him, then a few more joined him, much like the people in his life. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3569" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmdWFMLekV1NCmbD2xRkPAEVV-bx5dgav3R6T6WdJ0jjok8FAwKeyE7E10mdTBg7w8JOsy_urU1a00s9PUS8mpUvSwNzzobyIzhDSqdB07RxGye4hoU0ZRhWD9gdnfhnLqQPlvfkypExl6aucRjiwWs7tpxOn9WDahdwdtRhxawq0WbBHW623fHqq3aA=w640-h358" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Intertwined with the story of Laal Singh Chaddha is the <i>story</i> of India itself. While talking about his story, Laal narrates the pivotal moments in the story of India. Epochal events, such as the Emergency, the Operation Blue Star, the anti-Sikh riots, the Mandal protests, the Rath Yatra, the Kargil War, the India Against Corruption movement, and the rise of Narendra Modi—all make an appearance. The conspicuous absence of the Gujarat riots is also a story of present-day India. Laal is personally impacted <i>by</i> some of these events. Like how his mother had to cut his hair to protect him from the mob. He personally impacted some of these events. Like how he taught Shah Rukh Khan his signature dance step. And he is only a bystander in some of these events. Like how he watches Lal Krishna Advani's <i>rath yatra </i>from the sidelines. The most engaging parts of the story are the ones where Laal plays a personal role in the story of political India. As they say, personal is political, and political is personal. The people that Laal meets are also a representation of Indians. Laal is a Sikh. He is in love with a half-Christian. His friend is a Hindu from the South. He saves the life of a Muslim. It is only befitting then his son is named Aman, meaning <i>peace</i>. Even the daily quote on the board in Laal's class in his school reads, "<i>Unity in Diversity</i>."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="2851" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFOkqtakHY9zzJLZSwIH3Z91ZoiLnFsX5IHfpF15IfBvU5J9VnTWvsvclMyVqE6brP8o1lESPAKy3KYl_NV6xG1_hoD95NSkIjTq7Am15SApBWAgkJDcC4VbrCd6AWPeYKsULMWSpjsH6MkfQxBYk_B3JL1E_0i39Cq0jIQzsiBIWSIA5lythqafdhZQ=w640-h268" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third level of storytelling in <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i> is how the story has been told. The film talks about the randomness of the stories of our lives; however, its own storytelling follows a well-crafted pattern. There are continuous throwbacks and flashbacks in its screenplay. There are recurring events at different stages of Laal's life. The same events keep occurring again and again. It is clear here that the storytellers of <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i> have invested a lot of thought in writing his story.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Early in the film, a few young kids bully Laal while he is playing with Rupa. She then asks him to run away from them. "<i>Bhaag Laal Bhaag</i>," she tells him. Laal sprints across the field; magically, his paraplegic legs gain strength. He does not need the leg supporters anymore. In college, a similar scene happens when college kids chase him in their car while Laal runs as fast as he can. When he is at war in Kargil, his friend Bala asks Laal to run for his life, and he starts running. Years later, an injured Laal visits Delhi after his stint in the army. During a chance encounter, he sees Rupa in a car and runs after her, and as it happened earlier, his leg gains strength, and he does not need a crutch anymore.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3108" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLWd0DQX2HupIz4zDdlCvwgtvzQ8U9deI3f6lxgUOaizwAL4IRwZheOlxm0veSK5iLPNywsAb2zrW-we8bY0PQ4I6m-hTV8MAiwGTQD-KmCk82a24mSXPj1-YdJ1oUTVb-Kaq_fVI71jySIVxeMm8vKi0MknGDYV8zpZVQtpxDK_6wQKumGUuQbDxCNg=w640-h412" width="640" /></div></li><li>When Laal joins the school, the other students don't accept him easily. He looks for a seat in the class, but the kids refuse to let him sit next to them. Then he sees Rupa, who offers the seat next to her, beginning their lifelong friendship. A similar situation occurs again when Laal joins the army. He travels via bus, and other cadets refuse to offer him a seat. It is only Bala who offers the seat next to him and thereby begins a lifelong friendship, replicating the scene from school.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3108" data-original-width="4000" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFO_euVYNwH5qyrdyWrlxf0dv-2p8sQaueIOEHCYGT7i0DD2xOBTsUNsB_Z_j5lwT7Jtl-4kveAiibLHNW7atPNOpJsl9IUlCqFeclrjMt119lgqjOrGZ9RMkXU8CSxqIACsnB0BzuuLUZyg9vsrd7Bc0WWzIm7AlQr5sQ_y10lH0tJPbUTP2V-GVXMw=w640-h497" width="640" /></div></li><li>Rupa used to love having <i>gol gappes</i>. When they are in college, she asks Laal to bring some for her, which he does. However, she is annoyed that he did not get the spicy water in a separate tumbler. In the film's opening moments, Laal eats a few <i>gol gappas</i> and puts spicy water in them from a bottle. It all makes sense because Laal was going on a journey to meet Rupa. He brought <i>gol gappas</i> for her and remembered to carry the water separately this time. The film again brings in a throwback element.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3108" data-original-width="4000" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi11EGLFrB0OB0SDPpenIq2UWOmU9LTKu58zYuanCh0BA3Uytw_nyKc4KXrqlq0H-Uj6vx5mcwwC78DDVKTXhDHCzneOy6-WgVus1JQfi_kjluSSJKW-pNNeQ-6-AnDpQ34h5SdnuL1ow5cwb_0ZBx0oV1CEnDZGyY8rRHJfMSnizRMhUwrhhR_q4wY7A=w640-h497" width="640" /></div></li><li>When Rupa and Laal are in school, they sit together for a class photograph. All the children face the camera. Laal, however, has his eyes only on Rupa. Later, the exact moment is recreated when Laal and Rupa spend a night out roaming the streets of Delhi. When a photograph is clicked, his eyes are only focused on Rupa.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3108" data-original-width="4000" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhijFrdcEYzrPvmBNC6LLg1IBobijyHAPhNR-1rNWCqDcFG8T1FEt-sj70_uvIobUsaFTfjX9weubBMXmjNX4hOI5hmQZOk1b-3axJlDIgx37Np0wl1C0mR9x2emIxcD_rsPmIEte98syc6HYZQQsQ2x5JlonZES4lRCf5z-Dexc_pPDD5Mt7WvOaygYw=w640-h497" width="640" /></div></li><li>In college, Rupa starts seeing other men. One of them tries to be forcefully physical with her, even though she is not comfortable. Laal is furious at seeing her discomfort. He comes charging at the guy and hits him. The same scene is repeated at least twice again. After Rupa moves to Bombay, she is charged in a case for indecent exposure. A few men protest against her. Laal assaults one of the men shouting slogans against Rupa. A few years later, after taking his leave from the army, Laal lands in Delhi. He sees Rupa, follows her car, and sees the gangster Abbas Haaji (Harry Parmar) slapping her in front of people. Laal again charges at the man where he beats him blue, reminiscent of the earlier moment from the college.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBd6fYlQqeGFiJggoxEmmF1QXGbCWDCOMoRNEpNjPeUdV1yUCJ11CwpDs0q_aTseirIVSahdCSpqGJU7xDexffctxeNTJWtVcUq-z4ohu7o3GzBC2RxLWzjvDe8xqMy034VovSXrgwPTkmkJ1N1yqWy9eNm4yDG1qSkGB3GWi0YxTJpWIjkTQqjvN9wA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></li><li>When they were kids, Laal called Rupa a magician as she did a magic trick where she caught a plane from the sky and put it in her hands. This plane also keeps appearing in the film repeatedly as a reminder of the magical moment. When they are in Bombay, a plane flies by, reminding them of their magical moment from childhood. And it is this magical moment that actually saves Rupa's life. After facing a barrage of abuse from her shady lover, Rupa decides to take her life by jumping from a high-rise hotel in Dubai. However, a plane passes by at that moment, reminding her of Laal. She remembers his words and decides not to end her life.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmlNWcGDByKsajgRYPy7JNpsJg8ez1EcxmsOVBvkQcst78pTQm0oFNAWnmU9EomIuNUOuGjEDN5ox3YknVIQ88nI8tsykqYkB86JdiDHMBGL8tF1IgU2ee8e1sgS8waboQwesswICmAJ0L5AHBs671K_Hh1U5zodipEoFM0RPpy-yFVYS_dpb0RylXaA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div></li><li>The question of marriage is another recurring plot in <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>. Since childhood, Laal keeps asking Rupa to marry him. "<i>Mere saath vyaah karegi tu?</i>" he asks her while they sit outside looking at the sky when they were kids. Rupa does not answer, and the fireworks go off. The scene is repeated when they grow up into adults, but each time, she refuses or remains non-committal. It is only near the end, when they are together, that it pops up again, but this time, it is Rupa who asks Laal to marry her. The scene is also designed similarly, where they always sit together in the same pose.<br /><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3307" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjChQlicyPjnCJ5qCsNycBDTpcytxAqNGP8h8DoAT03yhXylnjtlMfzH29tMPKJTEWGbmhMpU853KFDf7fVHZkvEc8L0d5hFXQZOE0TjXTn89Y5Hf998RGzMuIA9A02JLRc7w5KbeMkT2Y1POlKqqHrkZBp_EC3lR6EO3j46zNHLeEB-cu4LvuJRt1hNw=w640-h388" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></li><li>Laal and his mother get stuck in the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. Laal's mother cuts his hair to protect him from the mob. She prays to Guru Nanak and apologizes for taking the step. Laal grows up as an atheist. When he is in the army, Laal sees a man tying his turban. The same scene is repeated in the end when Laal embraces the turban, and <i>Ik Onkaar</i> plays in the background. The moving scene closes the earlier one where his hair is cut by his mother.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="3307" data-original-width="3288" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFNsMybb2D1CEM4pFz44ZKDCMclKK2LKfj3EAQPZboI_cI0uP3gwnsfrNVXeGaHCnNgHVBoveldgDOgZE_pwvyQGEHW5rWi3Ds7cO2u5fXvZnQDBMVTv-als9KAapwkv-pTIzHeAeHoArEb0BqR1_1xw2hlwn2tPQqZe1wdm9vKffbT8PQIUK49WDk5Q=w637-h640" width="637" /></div></li><li>The stories of the great-grandfathers of Laal and Bala follow the same template. They are shown similarly. Laal's grandfathers' stories are related to war, while Bala's grandfathers' stories are related to the innerwear business.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs3NKVcJV3SveNjwbSeseF7itJfka2CZU3Qco4HUfExrWdHbwhBIgjIU66GxnfJ6Sui0PLNvtF_-1fXfPgstxS13JKC7q70-Gs7_ZMiQixzqY9VL4uSENqXiJsnK2L84uwUUc7_-lGfmr-IMnPLMYGVRXFFyO4C5kRKnvZ44AaXy2638JCZ_xUVLOwjg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></li><li><div>The tree outside Laal's house becomes another motif in the life of Laal and Rupa. It was the place where they met as kids. After they got married, they played with their son under the same tree. Rupa is also buried under the same tree after her death.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2741" data-original-width="3938" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizvb-E_vb3fHATHF9d307Jw6MKZUsRjgMI4EjjzGCCKGIHz2zYs3ggJHJLHV4CGZMgyrrqqWzKtAwNpBl7wxWNOCTyGn67iwkaXqNmrGC-kTFq-cgUboIWzllDr5Gahz39NP83oOwZCcRyDgqlxROKJmYrXccO9XmxUV04srUUl2pbB8dHZb8kqxp0gw=w640-h446" width="640" /></div></div></li><li><div>When riots break out in the country, Laal's mother tells him that malaria has spread, which becomes another recurring theme of the film.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1435" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSfq3etgfqk6FfUWFOv_ETpW5-66ECQInaoP4vU8B0KFDMUVijf1FL8RDsxPuQyug7ph0643Yyy0B_Dh96pzpdhMd6h5mBpTxDPJl64BnOxHHG0G8W6-K_i_PieUBaDjKjt7RTcV6-ojvKstwQ-qTFl3ZWtEIAAJgkffYW8Cx5aS_0hhcbxBdw3XOZqA=w459-h640" width="459" /></div></div></li><li><div><div>The feelings for the people Laal met in his life also had a similar structure. For instance, at one point, he says that after his mother, Rupa, and Bala, he also started missing Mohammad Paaji. When Rupa goes away, he writes letters to her. When Mohammad Paaji leaves, he says he will write letters to him. These people also keep leaving him. Bala dies in the war; his mother departs the world; Rupa leaves for heaven; Mohammad Paaji goes back to his country.<br /><img data-original-height="2731" data-original-width="4000" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmX6uRP1LchuRqxt-lF_PP2xlEBIBVyi29waAthDVAkmgVwi2Qjaa17WfkuSm-YuCeFwb8xc1ZPmSsSpUV5GApVV28b-9486UkOfwRZ7aibR2MMk-92WxCD43-6Mdu7Pj-Hl0FLOeRftWsjY6GvbaSOMejRUW1KJtH9Hpz224tnI_nXbDQ4hW-_nUEpQ=w640-h436" style="text-align: center;" width="640" /></div></div></li></ul></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>Thus, we see there is a discernible pattern in the storytelling of <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>. I do not remember much of <i>Forrest Gump</i>, so, likely, these were also present in that film. <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i> further adds more elements related to stories. At one stage, an old lady, played by the lovely Kamini Kaushal, tells Laal he is a wonderful <i>storyteller</i>. "<i>Badi dilchasp kahani hai tumhari, beta, aur tum sunate bhi kitna accha ho."</i> The film's most poignant scene also talks about the stories of our lives. After Rupa's death, Laal visits her grave at the burial site and talks to her about stories. He says that his mother told him everything in life is pre-destined and written from before, although he does not know who wrote it. He wonders if the things that happen to us are under our control or if we are just drifting along. Perhaps, it is a bit of both, he concludes. Even the song <i>Kahani </i>mentions a similar feeling. <i>Kya pata hum mein hai kahani, ya hai kahani me hum. </i>Are we the story, or is the story in us? Stories are everywhere in <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1221" data-original-width="2850" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEit3BNzpuBJoF9nbGdzOzPDvS27EN1nkjQAcfPeYx_pxa975y6D6NmwHbueNH0n1hmFFGU3dl_WwvpyR_cIZVV7oIIHZ-abe2KHXQ4_90619S5gsMymq-ppZqm6uRDJDAteTrPqDaQkSwEkdnD6-ZdKmI3Gp1jZvDJ2rDJJ2tEO6ajBoRB3WKx6oaCxyQ=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="2806" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVS_7RGvVQ16RYXZGhx8JIV9ZF50_wnVLWxFQHYOjU1zg054L4jMLd8S0kcVg9OzL8iCVdynUrjWgeLWnNUJlCIeYvfwFELtcxGcLTK0r20s9_44LgtKfbKfdEOMNV12f1kMePIoKInCCefa1jqvz6z-gu5XvsGXcG3lgcSOGPboy0S0HayKpeT6GSDw=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The film starts beautifully. It loses track in the middle. The events related to the Kargil War and the Mohammad Paaji do not really work. Aamir Khan also does a lot of over-the-top acting in the middle, though he redeems himself slightly in the end. The last forty minutes are simply beautiful. A toned-down Aamir makes these moments memorable. However, it is Kareena Kapoor as Rupa who carries the film. She, like always, is terrific, especially in the emotional scenes. Mona Singh as Laal's mother is wonderful. A special mention to Ahmad Ibn Umar, who plays the young Laal with so much grace that one cannot help but fall in love with him.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="2772" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf17ibvcfCEjJ4r-dewTA0CqdK6ZDaYVFIFpIJgG02TJdtPLUd5SzJ_qeun7vmNJmy9whZH6pHhAxu4MT7r3ZfB9r2qq4WvYKnXRVrb9CR7ymkn1odbyhX0WbpHe7JSJRNuFwS1DYPRNG8FI3ZkJ00bslKOht0JEAFQFAVzw6WQGhlD7KZZKf8Qg5mbw=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Advait Chandan, who made his debut with <i>Secret Superstar,</i> shows strength in scenes with the kids. In<i> </i>his first film, there was Chintan (Tirth Sharma), a faithful ally of Insia (Zaira Wasim), who kept all her secrets and literally helped her cross all the barriers (such as the locked gate) on her path to success. There is a beautiful moment when Insia writes her email password in his hands. He blushed because she chose his name as her password. In <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>, when asked to solve a puzzle, Laal writes Rupa as the answer to all questions. It is one of the loveliest and cutest moments in the film.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQ9yp0oD1Fi3_inHqttV97NQJBHwB0yvFZqXqfI58Elya_ACX3fqKlgKOJX8BFdGLoUCUQbdTob3UOxd1t-zbfUh5EvNUTz7KnbWxv6tRVOX6pJkiSDMSSnncegQibs43jwYZeSrEvcS9582rs9kTpax5wU1CHmr3J8p86q8rTuEDrV2OTxmCOa8ya3Q=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>The film has some gorgeous cinematography by Satyajit Pande. The best bits are the ones in Punjab. Music by Pritam and lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya are among the finest this year. I loved <i>Kahani</i> and <i>Tur Kalleyan,</i> which are simply beautiful though I was left a bit confused by some parts of the lyrics of <i>Tur Kalleyan,</i> which did not really suit the film's story. <i>Tur Kalleyan</i> appears in the end when Laal starts running. He then never stopped and went on a tour of India, covering its four corners. One day, he simply stops running and decides to go home. The run was a representation of the randomness in life. People assigned motives to his running, but he was simply moving along. Its lyrics talk about how we will meet people. <i>Hai zindagi ke kisse kayi</i>. Some people will stay with us for a long. <i>Milte ho saare kisson me tum</i>. But at the end of the day, life is a journey we traverse alone. <i>Tur kalleyan</i>. Walk alone. I felt the parts that did not fit the story were the ones where the song talks about letting go of the lover and setting them free.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="2847" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUXNoMJT7dTvCIzIGNORqLH6Sl6s-k6cJYTEiFHEmdgJWlO9yuf-jFsrTXiakIUrlM-CKZm5MVEjdN5ukHkp8dxdFnMDrduNxLMFO4S_ulRaTeOZvvA1icES2wRuWo51PVjVcPcdl9Y4JlWLo_G1Rlp0Mr9wL1omQyYevYDIX0dWRDk2ssCX0SSf39dg=w640-h268" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1177" data-original-width="2829" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEil8sN1Du6S0l3EGfx0FzmOmKLIvvQqgNSHRpp49hCB8mrYNX33H7FMKZWZMhjZyLgGVRLvuoKHp0T2CF8ygtTn8F962kBNPwUIH0a2Mp2ukEbi74E-U0liy1-CMcm9Y8X6aFHI5eqSv3RB779_mCqjA4xNwjSXd1JKU05W7jXeKZIGoZ-wxi5apRZMJg=w640-h266" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="2842" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRLjRVAQrvelGraNUjoEwhXFlEEdz3uufsqxzxyTvTELf2i--tLRtmbxMXn9caoQHDDzqID5y_6ok6Nz9bPLC9bwyHiRoFdG54mbXw4lpoFILHBdTq3-DXKZa4drJlqzInoEEwWl9rz27fGI3ybTxWVcYXE9dDFnxZ02EBFaCzYW_Hf3LeevBExyhaCQ=w640-h266" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="2840" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirkJ4s1IL89koC9jT2-YcxSM9goYyQc4UJHA3XMkcMNFq_1zoJlBDbwlqB2n2AKEcdUa0W40w2uYa447MK9BuW-gC47cWc2Jd2IpGNaegjNY63TeDvz49JuJm1l2puySr3Fa2cL8PA4QpwHoCMYKU_bt3NfpBkIKFpxfcPJbY4xgCum38N4vhhaW2PSw=w640-h270" width="640" /></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The names of the film's principal characters also have a connection. Bala's family was into the underwear business. His grandparents used to make vests. Laal's last name is Chaddha which sounds similar to another term in Hindi that means underwear. At one point, even Bala refers to them as <i>chaddi</i> and <i>baniyaan</i>. Then, Laal decides to make Bala's dream of opening an innerwear business come true. He names it after Rupa, which is also the name of one of the largest knitwear brands in India.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1233" data-original-width="2804" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPUYGuSjrn2nsU2TFUFsFU3jmPjJfPBQSJoi4I5RjSUp6zia2mhxtHhsCKK0dg6mb2-3zk4XGXrbdP1mVnuOYcqqekvzb12yPAEgSP-dn5NeeiUFjGz4bkwq9f8WBM_79uHn_v5q_q6bwshTv8KiSRQbOwIVC9kLdSgp4s0CXQQ8faZsDfkTaf48ILYw=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="2809" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia0_r0pC7-y-Ix5InCXwbICc-BF__j-QaUoOlCg4myihVrStFoZqxoPGTJnC51Dt7y1S9pINoSym1Jj3K26C7-jpKJkwnpoBeppC0zJPQVb5FQBkzCD6S-5OFfPubiVtl1r7BNRgmUtLXW2nh_SPuOBRhT_lniij_3QAvwkIgy1k3oASdwBgR2DlAyzg=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>'s most fascinating character for me is Rupa. She and Laal are like <i>aloo</i> and <i>gobhi</i>. Her initial years were spent in a household where her mother was a victim of domestic violence. She ultimately lost her mother, but her story shows how trauma can impact someone all their life. Years later, when she saw another woman facing domestic violence, it triggered her. Her trauma was also why she wanted to become rich and famous. She then took the wrong steps in her quest to fulfill her ambitions. Like Sona Mishra (Konkona Sensharma) from Zoya Akhtar's <i>Luck By Chance</i> and Mahi (Kareena Kapoor) from Madhur Bhandarkar's <i>Heroine</i>, she becomes a consort of a small-time producer Abbas Hajji. She only got small parts in films, such as a background dancer in David Dhawan's <i>Bade Miyan</i> <i>Chote Miyan</i>. Ultimately, she becomes entangled in the underworld as Abbas becomes Dawood Ibrahim's henchman. Her story is inspired by Monica Bedi, the girlfriend of Abu Salem. Laal, however, never forgot her. He was there at every step to protect her. She remained with him even if she was not present physically with him. At one point, Laal prays to God to make Rupa richa. And, as they say, being in someone's prayers is the purest form of love. And, like Laal, Rupa was also running—running from her past. She traveled all over but ultimately realized her home was where she started, the one with Laal. There is a lovely moment when Rupa returns to Laal's life. They both live together for a few days and spend time dancing together. Laal remarks that he had not been happier in life and felt like a family together. He was the <i>father</i>, and she was the <i>mother</i>. It seemed to be a curious choice of words. He does not refer to them as lovers but as parents, which adds to his innocent ways of thinking about life. But it also gave a sign of their future role in the film when they actually become parents.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1144" data-original-width="2829" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgx_59xZK9Vg7tNL11_oGWJIDGqWtUg7m57dOyAK49TnRUx5sDOQZAnzJ5MoC_2R6L8Zr3sgzUAcYZ1WPfRUbMuiJd57nkpRJFL0kUo8tX5aS2dWepcBxbAsVF67ZbWedWrMDqcYEiFuET6YcIVh5cmQcCeVNDfhhdNDg61oip1p95iDwjkRtqSSnzrTw=w640-h258" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="2801" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiexOG39E2Mbp9pRRpER4ZwzA5XnCKk7_ut_ntQGLvPuPknrWnIeO-j5ECyRj97Gp8DBSW7xz2JU0NeVbOb6x6DkYHUFC-a52vULPEIc5Kc9gbkxg4myYFRaipejK7cCd2_f-Kjh-9Lt2AVSWn1E88iSNzsMcN-0CAIiI5ehmN3Yn3r8gMgW8Miy2ZvbQ=w640-h270" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>As<i> Laal Singh Chaddha </i>is inspired by stories, it concludes using another common storytelling device—the circular narrative—where it ends at the same place where the story originated. The film opens with a feather that goes through a journey, telling a <i>story</i> of its own. It traverses a meandering path and ultimately lands at Laal's feet. The same feather appears again in the film's concluding moments. It falls from Laal's diary and drifts again to a new destination. The story of the feather is the story of <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>. Like he told Rupa, "<i>Jo bhi honda hai woh hum karde hai ya hava wich aiveyi ud de phir de hain"</i><i>. </i>Life also comes full circle for Laal when he drops his own son at the same school he had studied and imparted the same message his mother gave him—to work harder than everyone else. Laal keeps hoping his son will also ask him to wait like he had asked his mother, but he does not. He, however, decides to sit on the bench, reminiscing about his Rupa and wondering about his story if <i>yeh hatheli ki lakeeron mein, likhi saari hai, ya zindagi humare iraadon ki maari hai</i>.</div><p style="background-color: #eaeaea; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16.96px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2731" data-original-width="4000" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlAEg3DJBpfEplGB7OEYY8k1yHBPM1Oo8y-jlNDPoBB6XEmi-oHJT-IbTWyjewAJ5LYf2RFu2N2vSW6XLyNbvO0bkIhNrwnLpzrzb_xmhfxuS6iXu3WmkCMBed4ncbrIaQtV1NZbdAO8bOPW_z7HDSx-Ot9e4ySbkiQN_MkAbGM_iY_jDIeXulbL1XlQ=w640-h436" width="640" /></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. [Corrected] <i>Ik Onkaar</i> from Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's <i>Rang De Basanti</i> is used in <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i>. </div><div><div>2. I once received a message on Twitter from Advait Chandan. :)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="569" data-original-width="640" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixXhw677NRBah_ctaPzYXpHZRUkZycMm09dqRFKJU6xaiit6uu_qterqJBR8FkkRlcrWxqWMp-Itk3XtJG-zuHLFxhpkRSORH9wRrIGiLJul98iF7S5_FU2rlHJHkeuS0OSCXyTuv3PEUTnofF1qPxcI7arzjrI6xzLp20Bf1PV5BUOuN72w0LxUMZcQ=w400-h356" width="400" /></div></div><div>Dialogue of the Day:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Maa kehti thi zindagi golgappe ki tarah hoti hai, pet bhale bharjawe, mann nahi bharta.</i>"</div><div>—Laal, <i>Laal Singh Chaddha</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-52352928020464551772022-10-08T20:39:00.004-07:002022-10-09T15:35:43.720-07:00Trivia Post 30<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Here are some trivia notes for the last few weeks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1. Ram Gopal Varma's <i>Rangeela</i> and <i>Mast</i> are complementary films in some way. In <i>Rangeela</i>, a common girl becomes a film star. In <i>Mast</i>, a film star goes into hiding to become a common girl.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1599" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUQJNPUPVUbEd6IPuHHtQ1BFOPDJo_ZMpke3LMFGsGwycOjsL12eqfb6qZuzhIkujIgHlvgUpMeaIixwjjzypnNDv-8sZuiMDqobo1e21vXpaSYGFo6SOBlDSLEZoPjAiiNqMRrros6v_kbMuADmCf4IdsQXA0dTCh6w1cwE4moU3b0g18YaoMmOYqbA=w640-h360" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1569" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidtorKZqepBL2thRoi42zWKF3AJFZrmuy968tCvPoGeA2haRWqMXpKwySL_EbLtf52gyBhlWa3gvApKXSox9_83TwWd8Xp6YI1sywczOJSm-UP0Fq2g9wj0Rk4Vy9bEwbT_gFohJOTyMx9ACguWYVfBBJWOzYwzWzf5HQbspIug1aoYCo3hNwGpcWl5g=w640-h304" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. At one stage in Jasmeet K. Reen's <i>Darlings</i>, a character watches <i>Kaun Banega Crorepati</i>. Some time ago, I had written on other <i>Kaun Banega Crorepati </i>references in the post<i> </i>on<i> </i>television in films <a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2020/08/television-in-films.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div class="_ab8w _ab94 _ab99 _ab9f _ab9m _ab9p _abaj _abb- _abcm" style="align-items: stretch; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #262626; display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex: 0 0 auto; font-family: -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: var(--base-unit); margin-top: calc(var(--base-unit) * 2); place-content: stretch flex-start; position: relative;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAgNQw9t_A6uLlMjemySkA-Yw3E67uCc9iFruVC70lELOthlw_whUiV5xdldo4OA1A7XFH6bN7J0El3aqQ_1PvtbE_vTDAw8QrleJdJhvYKN9vU3gfFFqXA5ywdgX5UR3wLTL1kphz3SN3AzZW6EdccszZgZocJ-ykYqnYK4ga3y3OKouXndcxJUwKuQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 3. The two brothers in Farah Khan's <i>Main Hoon Na</i> are named Ram Prasad Sharma and Laxman Prasad Sharma, inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee's <i>Gol Maal</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="908" data-original-width="2048" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgESJXvgdD5yoFxNx_s3rBAkRfRcuZyY38TKUh-sKm42d1FW8WaV9Co64SN2DKdE5DBrS4LyhM93qkGzBFILmCHjXZ3XkbbRuEMD9vzGIosjw2rBUN17I9foswVO1ykHmSeKkmsEDHNHt6T422UoFqEncnBcg814yT7ZNX_98COEyQmgkQvK_x9_VkzSQ=w640-h284" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4. Women and their confusion about choosing from two SRKs: Amol Palekar's <i>Paheli</i> and Aditya Chopra's <i>Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHvy4gCOEmN9zZsov_qmMUYEUADHgG7lrkfeNL_sVGp2tnFnq2P6KAnoXTGTHQUHW4MKGUVlqBM8UMLKPlguYxpSnkXvMAH1kFIDy9P419u37sy7xeBrZ784bkW8Qsxxuw-X_3gCeEu_C5zJWzQSC0X26IipMejoy-p6UFs8Yrns9NqGC32PxMbOmQmA=w640-h640" /> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">5. Shah Rukh Khan in shadows and silhouette. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMKXJOKtpeORq1KG0laCqouSH8eLb7vX3qvB83wVwG5SObG9lEyvPQmlgqSeB4RLujxuIZB6m3v2_Wlm7RgXJ3wWaLUrcXGkTYFO3sLrWC8jw8KNlnhshOsEht9QHBca43evzefbzUaJFREj9cohrw1_lWSsoWWzBjov3M3AmfPQmIa9MtfsEsyjkWvw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">6. Lights in R. Balki's <i>Chup: Revenge of the Artist</i> and Guru Dutt's <i>Kaagaz Ke Phool</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7pBywslLMsCqJh7SK9BOAAX8RRkE8z7ipXcN8xsM3ZOXjPpD9pXhQBz50kaXUuAhJA5sUpQ1PkmzPL516MlpjGjsNLMoNUgde5EfA51HAoLR2CkoARIVF0TmRBf3nWDmpKLP38IzgeOKEyK7biWQ40_VhRAHWZ4y-WMzMKamlRakpxAwYlPfcEaJIcA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 7. I asked a few quiz questions to guess the film on my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/readingfilms/" target="_blank">Instagram account</a>. The first answer is Shoojit Sircar's <i>Gulabo Sitabo,</i> and the second one is Ritesh Batra's <i>The Lunchbox</i>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitM79ay5YIL5rHMAcYkdryFA1sNJnLLWjv3d0VSpI86YtGdpOswNiBqWn4PrxwCi97mmRajMi25aJXLvJRA8iTOMJaOyK_-Mhqlvtv44AIxNGukkwvLJnZKqJVa2hQ2SVtMLGKsTppjYNC-_tB-28AlOGsCv3Iwkd6_epReL1r3lQcn1G9-1WU0oWGJw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Gulabo Sitabo</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibWMfE8mf2RFRs-ZFisbsHVDTtxKSCMgz5N_zZJDZ48XdlrM0lCSRfKDCYhjCw8uZ9pXAGHrxqX5S6Sj1_9kZ-rEAepP9apLjfppLYPrhHOy3HUONIqfsnekkvH5ZjQDdEYpoC774idxD6VG44q0Ze6zzQNNdD-GU88_9M9W-5aSfm5-jT0IYZC_2kTA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The Lunchbox</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">8. R. Madhavan with a rose in Anant Mahadevan's <i>Dil Vil Pyar Vyar</i> and Gautham Vasudev Menon's <i>Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtsGeNUZJiQ9SRJYXJEKkDZATNMmSQvjZ_zGq3nzD3YndqwPAJ7mX7spuQhC0V97_b3dz-OmokNrIg58-NM8ZGeaO3tFuVdqbq1lLz60j1i7C-DRg9Q5QJ4a7FerL8cDGqkInQxlKUgGawtof6GL3AaZHjxApbq58Wma8DsXl4MHHeNewdRx-1s4lEkQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">9. "<i>Hansi badi mehengi ho rakhi hai duniya mein.</i>" — Indu, <i>Omkara</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="2784" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrDn7dAISvrKnRw96lD-6-66VB7odK01bmTSCEpFInUMt7jZIfTteVpNbfdlSRDqQvMDjw1ZeOWTfiaRlHqOP9S_h0o-iOhkRNKoyeEY0_oYeAbcZLrGfa-lRuvKIi8vh3KqV1W1bCJ2ijADmnaehR1YoQufw_4Nz2TChtMZsRO8zFNWnyYEpyddCh8g=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">10. Love comes in its own time.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Pyaar ke liye chaar pal kam nahin the, kabhi tum nahin the kabhi hum nahin the.</i>" — <i>Dil Kya Kare</i></li><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Har ishq ka ek waqt hota ha, woh hamara waqt nahi tha, par iska yeh matlab nahi ki woh ishq nahi tha.</i>" — <i>Jab Tak Hai Jaan</i></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZkORLorVCJjVGUldnedgO8WzDyuYj7hDKYn5A_oSwEbbm0j8y_FaFjY2iyU_Q9roImBPUqFPAygH3MHK6PQ7TFqzivUTMdAsbg9w5yoN4PlGTqIvHlmh3UnzLTEGkxfnssKR-O368Xf88xaW6wWXeB43HYQmpMu4N4aDRkZj3izhitzIoJlo3TTrDpQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">11. Deserts in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's <i>Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQk7kZPHDOIN59RX9p0qwORhoZNGO5bmlsST5sQNn6FCZDE1Cwq21VqtZ_4u1_c0gBTzY9aR89_gHOdUFnHDRUA65ApsK_Hv-poiVd5GlSQt_5b9-evDYklfaSoAVxHV4E56BnsTHO9ldecko8ycdPLcHHSqosTC0YMqvpz3q0TF2p11ZUnHcJ0trEKA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjducvZdbkmeY0rMCshT9Ixt4-kYudOji20IaidVLswlkx_hxdTWwCks99ZDEhgZxrh-h8HG8DCvtghf4BbkGLBWFL9Jfdi3Cpp47Ng31ZrTYISk7eKBVUjzgKNJ48ZT6q2Ef8fFRHWyNNC6wYwew2IGSjfh_eBCQqVFXegzl0mtqWNSzv0V7ddazHi2g=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">12. Some related terms on film distribution in India. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYtvcKNdaKVJ-EqjJum1jWchbHx7T-eMCuLBUSn5BQ-xAWxPXuBtIXhHw3KfCOwV1ZMz-49aRickeeKWwwTTcy9ijwyoRbtJgw6BzqpXRSL6vAkHrBYjN0OgOu03tHpOt9t2gipwoP48VLPLixZonRZrDbaIkqUYlu1bHLvxAWmm6-QCdRtAQwZ3WrzA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcpD2RW4zwGBM_tcLIckDM7nqZ1oLSpONAKOvhlo4jhDXM9WPMqbvu4qIWS48BSE7z_NJ72Lu7QW84UMh3l1l2U79rnYSXo6jpvSb-u2Yhh4Refh29OHbJHjNw-LCavfhgfPYMQNoxg8ybb9HWYHSeQqbZXbNpdcWJrb55RiTvADWroFnF0gyeJXn0EA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3EeYWwW_fOaBgHcvzwFEdLMt28-A3zqRXHMtgTGflMvu52VJVcGJsPx-EZV7OqEynsm2VW2zf659mDxJDylB8muVhVyXxoosE1u-QSJhKp4qKKvZXMqaQyGN3jyReXSPx4ecq9bU91bAwENmp2Gm6veBVcbCI9w4Ve6oT_cH2CrCzABUps9szhnJEkw=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG9xkeb7C3iSsAsfYc2rZCVFJ1N1QRa_c3764D22No2UQfZO3n13twNqI2LiGuXy3LA-RzZgSF8U2MGg1Hb15oocg6zROj-3YqdrgUm6KjiyeGNnZE4lgywMiUDpvNV06B9pkmtIiITsUIFboMg8ACKZq67zY9sFRj7mvgFmURs8C3VgOBjCkNR4cjiA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">13. The song <i>Haule Haule</i> from Aditya Chopra's <i>Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi</i> summarizes the theme of the film perfectly. "<i>Khud se khud ki kaisi yeh jung hai.</i>"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8gVwttOQ0wyrfCemHbGwZ0F12lRvNE-1YOehRHe4T2aQFXNI0M4h5YJ8gk4yJjOZNtyNSOeLC2psH52Oteltclk9jDiSdAw6u9JaYUAwGfZibFyoCw8VFOiTyjAfSul1sxC5b7m9B2vzqglSuFlrjkx3C9NE5bRmtTEuTtRHdoaCsPr0KbZ--fWJh8Q=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">14. Meeting in a graveyard in Shakun Batra's <i>Kapoor And Sons</i> and Habib Faisal's <i>Ishaqzaade</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoRVh5at8dLjCNwzXyAWrYltpg2uik25aMLJfbN0JDb_qDMSkl-iiIFUyIkWi8X58TO33wf8AdE9-eLS2G0bIETcivuEAoj8K7Kf1HDbnMT1-6QXBazwh8iGGyRCwZoyb7QZX6-DwrDMS4JLonZ07_Zk5mSYW15gFtyzCNU7xo8a7UB48tJlmFGX1KAg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">15. <i>Pareshaan</i> from Habib Faisal's <i>Ishaqzaade</i> is a wonderful song. Kausar Munir's lyrics are beautiful, describing the state of confusion when someone falls in love. Some of the lines are lovely.</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Naye naye naina mere dhoondhe hain, darbadar kyun tujhe</i>." — She sees someone with a new set of eyes.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Chaahat ke chheente hain, khaare bhi meethe hain</i>." — The drops of love are salty but feel sweet.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Zara zara kismat se ladne laga dil mera</i>." — Her heart has begun to fight against fate.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Zara zara kaanton se lagne laga dil mera</i>." — Her heart started to feel a little love for the thorns.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Kuch To Hua Hai</i> from Nikkhil Advani's <i>Kal Ho Naa Ho</i> and <i>Saawariya Saawariya</i> from Ashutosh Gowariker's <i>Swades</i> are some of the other favorite songs where women describe the perplexing feelings of love.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipkW6-sFMaY-TUU6FpgvhEKladPyGrqW8JammpghFgycUmUzyWWTynKWg3ZjV47qV18cp9FTUv-Z_MorVw6iG_gSMA-TTaPUNoMISRoDEUoKadrQtzs06GSdqYSHGcDF4l6pFtn5Qd7Jhsr36544BGLre6oB8InCo-VIRDXwEF4kiXvGl7xe6Mx-2bXA=w640-h640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">16. The Twitter bio of Amitabh Bachchan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1170" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSROut-hRcNsbdf_-6QNfIXmz1yb7NqLo-vc5aAr3fKdeVlipBlMJkAor3sDgJxyZIeFGRu4ItqI5V0AkfFOoqcjUT6YYoUcrAr-l-8O4m6470XdzEPxx_lZCU4nCPANewS0F5dGQDpfiBW3y_pqnMk-0wdAmbYAXvYWsbSN5N0OYdWH1HH1gwgOFM6Q=w640-h586" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">17. Butterflies in Hanu Raghavapudi's <i>Sita Ramam</i>.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlANLhlwpqI1NfWajtgagPtxqpYbK6EAe60Gl_aNUZcFs7Wr3qg_3tlhQ0qAGcUV9AsOW2xS64ZXMLgr5zH9Hu8W_trI8NcFfBqlirbDW76XVVWQU9-H4L9FHwXVMWkcGq-nSmWD25o-zT2mGqQZfzrmEUC2fDLFYczhFFkOg_CIpX0KZh77HY-FVVqA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div>18. Parallels in <span style="text-align: justify;">Hanu Raghavapudi's</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Sita Ramam</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> and Sanjay Leela Bhansalis' <i>Saawariya</i>.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgniRaJZKv_Cc2ktaA-yGHsQhpIpb7CU8FxKDAZuw2Ha62OgyQREgRS9AEzbyBc8S301F_A46SP_NYueaGQDzQkBfo0oP3LnmjzN-wg8vclBEm597-OyntHR8ruP4L_4HkBI53__yt5CgC348nByDGr0W_wiqVk3O9LTP-B2mYEvB7KVUpq6VU0FnsI9A=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">19. A beautiful line from Pan Nalin's <i>Chhello Show</i>.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtvX7izKA6knODqg4kbrEM_AC3hptTquV4SubebBkVzHcBxAchTvGghd-E5-GwlN4fZPKdi88ToTNpQrVoDlRGvgiqB6_aJvP_lZ5HSLAg9uuLHJu7JFvL_0TLtpJLlWYe5jECU1n2-1NtLkLDX0ihF2O_xrEmXUQ7i423Wmp8jIVX_yNaS6XGXXqUsA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">20. A few days ago, Bharati Jaffery passed away. She was the daughter of veteran actor Ashok Kumar. Bharati married twice. Her first marriage was to Mr. Patel, a Gujarati gentleman. Through this marriage, she had one daughter, the actress Anuradha Patel, who married the actor Kanwaljit Singh. Later, Bharati married Hameed Jaffery, the brother of the actor Saeed Jeffery. By this second marriage, Bharati also acquired step-daughters, Geneviève and Shaheen, who were Hameed's daughters by his first wife Valerie Galway. Geneviève married a businessman named Jagdeep Advani. Their daughter is actress Kiara Advani. Thus, Ashok Kumar has no blood relationship with Kiara Advani, but he is related to her. Another trivia: Bharati played Naani in Neena Gupta's television show <i>Saans</i> where she was the mother-in-law of her real-life son-in-law Kanwaljit Singh.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5AjJg_psF78DaAtn2O2OpgUogXFvfui5cSniqs6fyRnsmTF7iLkJJX29XbkNRzEs4BNyXaK0UC2IxZrsjFfmoJf9uPCxxLcatNRV0jPCi_yB1vYycQ2ax6cmKG3TuIl5J-L-8BXEKODg3QNMSm7WJs42kQl46dbR9ZMLkPBPgfz2hprYB3HywFMZdZg=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div>21. <span style="text-align: justify;">Shefali Shah in </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Mohabbatein</i><span style="text-align: justify;">, </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Rangeela</i><span style="text-align: justify;">, and </span><i style="text-align: justify;">Aarohan</i>.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9Cq2rlhLdmu6TE2tOGRHr3fy3ryyAVGt_zY9P7hD6TRihCYBlpbJkBO1OhZFjo7a15yIzNcPSLVhYdJT_FWh0vDux7EfmRAqgau2cbG00fahOY5zitRA0FYSk9qtk3n1-bl1LZD9Kgn1Hxpu1gok2aRsMLyK8791BenTO_vFFwuSDtSA0HLaFDTfa7Q=w640-h640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">22. Pista in the lyrics of Gulzar.</div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Tere liye kishmish chune, piste chune tere liye</i>." — <i>Tere Liye, 7 Khoon Maaf</i></li><li style="text-align: justify;">"<i>Darte darte hum to dry fruit ho gaye, pistey pistey hum pista ho gaye</i>." — <i>Pleaj, Darlings</i></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgadodFj5YuloF7YjaSctimcdSt11AUgFdFi49SEWii51DOrwcBE8ft1DVDJgYg5sGgxACRA55DRkuBRkk9_fn1BpnzhxVnIMVXFFxx1lLFhRmxYdQ0zJcCiOLhRHrEb9zFDPsZ334MV8XRP0HMIQdoV3prTRYfELhjZyFfcnQ3-q33eqhFcMr4tXlc8A=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 23. Ram Gopal Varma's love for Sridevi in <i>Mast</i> and <i>Rangeela</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="981" data-original-width="2048" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgc2wd2VNeQ8ovSOXBcjsRyUKjFBMPEwuBJTFga-hig1x8Mj1WIMwDbpoPTuZfG9RBr9anDKNgU4aZb0t8OfTmbaFvzmom5WR2zTeK7tv2aMBIBTXdi4Lhfouo-v31tTH_IPlPbubqRHZ6m3ssOdsrayE1cEQn4Xo_kJsP5GlzlX9DXNYl6obLb5txDfQ=w640-h306" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="962" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRcLcU-dhw6MA76Q1kUXoJvoI2eELyO3qsDvWtEXsNvJ5WtQI1rj8YOF6l6BAR-j0dKTmKk3g4Pt5s723W3bJL_2TNIKef36lAbpUfn3dUP3TUaqp8kWktLTi-qROfBkZ8TFE47i5PImQdrLB0jyr8-2moYPiUnXVJA-O3NyKiDJF_vJp1KfQ65SHrzw=w640-h300" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="953" data-original-width="2048" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiji0tBONjolLX3k52z6_DNa_8_P4NXEfhzglN4wmoe80WLt8m9a891d23XlAWO-iqjyJhSuZul8T42BXMqUc8Sqr3EfJHoNO3vBQrHAIz__1ar9OvgFQGzgXArdCi784_7iOQCgsbzV0bmIG1MNMfSLLmIMd4KGQzBMx10wz1dc6HLzYIN4e7wywiexQ=w640-h298" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="916" data-original-width="2775" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-b2pLlulmARk2samuuGstV0a9WJc08AynWav_wiXZ-guqdSzrunKCNmnPNRun9Y0YTL8DTSSog-evCDk_e7m7FeemqA5WInuxSK7CCbcoujRNjqUmnO33LMxfaCauwCGqbJciRZRuihmKiO8NahQpXJo5YbPrEIEr_IsXtEse9q7YLpvwD16GDwOLkA=w640-h212" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">24. In Siddharth Sen's <i>Good Luck Jerry</i>, the lead character is named Jerry (Janhvi Kapoor). She shares her name with the lovable mouse from the cat-and-mouse cartoon show <i>Tom and Jerry</i>. Another recent film using Tom and Jerry in the narrative is Shoojit Sircar's <i>Gulabo Sitabo</i>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjY0i-kR5gOEYz8VeyYjFY41bryokP5kdwkHXx1_h0XCFLfrdC69dnGIdROnhO5TaVW6I6_HhlI6cOcJp2gCL9RHGzrkEQhJSddw7XiyxA5UHLSF6bINTp59oiRlSzRuwFtLueYKeTIsfIFzXmLjYKNlmd7V3gEnFjjP3n2ipyrkMENK9HNmM6wmu4tow=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">25. In Sanjay Leela Bhansali's <i>Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam</i>, Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) is married to Vanraj (Ajay Devgn). Their wedding was a rushed one. But it is only in the final scene that Vanraj ties the mangalsutra on her, and a voice chants the mantras; in a sense, they truly get married now. The mangalsutra had its own journey in the film.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="350" data-original-width="670" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh42Y1cYoTW4XWNCXFTxx50jlo7PwPwHw1l8JnX0gs8ShffQFf_1miiMpFJlLIsDfETVJgTsPk32Xnvv4rOQl878-B9i_-h8yHHw0mXSBM3DHMXb7MAodnzw_ad4wZRM0Sjo9-uRUU_ZyMSiVAWSEctae8arQK6UGNQW1IlGW31LjYIVsLYhM822F7JOQ=w640-h334" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="350" data-original-width="670" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4vKQPYR5yR0DTRNndQxlBSF5wrZ-Tyf90OwTHk8iklP4X6_gH0Klz8381XqIucxugVzEoKoC3as29YZE-5aaeCQLw82eBeaTLbSPtApRWywi-UnF4q_t07YlcOk6HRTOgWPE0yTj5EyarZY-mRhWbkJrY3gQBDyR9L6N8mbPQS4YAYC_14qnKCtEk0g=w640-h334" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="350" data-original-width="670" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJFPqVllLjPd8-4mw3tObwej2vQIlM7YXktxUcR2TSEXxcZtb-JtFUq0aM_QON9UYAYQSdkc5luLrcFmTVy32x3F6LoJK9CynsG4WwbnIob18lyuGFp-He_0OhgkZvO1K_55k6uJUu7liXDsCq31Yo2byKVDx85rXaoLGUUDRl9XwxviGGrOeAtz13JA=w640-h334" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="350" data-original-width="670" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7x3c4Ve5Qaxky5LSRI31QgJHRMvfKnIRlb62GGQGXf18aWj3zPMEiZKyHxaWs1ylO7Ss4VsMjElFVoXmp7xsrODwkCNs9AbwSL213NCFUTvJ07mYY8YbySOHYRxZyawE54gtcvOL-4OFY4-xGbDEaZRANcJXpN8F0OZrSR9hbxm2R2wQa0XtMTMvbSQ=w640-h334" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: justify;">26. In Shoojit Sircar's <i>October</i>, Gitanjali Rao plays Shiuli's mother, Vidya, who has an immense strength of character. The scene between the mothers of Shiuli and Dan is heartbreaking. They are talking about losing their children. "<i>Hamari zindagi sochte sochte nikal jati hai kahin unhe kho toh nahi denge</i>," says Dan’s mother Smits (Rachica Oswal). One mother has lost her child to a tragedy, and in some way, another mother has also lost her child to a tragedy. I also think of another moving scene about a mother talking about losing their child in Ram Madhvani's <i>Neerja</i>. Rama Bhanot (Shabana Azmi) gives a beautiful speech at a function after her daughter Neerja’s death. She says is no greater pain than losing your own child. Shabana Azmi delivers the speech with empathy and humanism without a single false note. All these mothers are united by their sense of loss.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizZZBpk4g-4vMzkZzIn6FhrKHaehjITOtYT_XEywhQ99cawqsB2T3qW7RlIp261PuNJR7mxsJ4NGqBZIuYe6kk_Tti46hCATBlq4cWdRqHOruCY7PwzGGbUOhl2JhRm2zGi0eeiM7KN8xa0sEnXBKZ0QCRsXSjBQRPFsF-eR5tqPeRLGAo_X2g5ulc6w=w640-h640" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">27. Water in Ashutosh Gowariker's <i>Swades</i>. Mohan (Shah Rukh Khan) embraces the water of the motherland after encountering the young boy at the railway station. Earlier, he was always drinking water from a bottle.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSIGHdZNRifpmG2g1JH6RkOgfQbSsaOLVfvNQnosZDNoor8dTLG-MZUaB1gRYJMDYTVpOJLaXZwPXcyCLHjXeflrsrvDFJBQzIurM4pz9ykFd7OtJlJs_AgkjeqBCwoRG0crf2XE8wMx6tkwmTOJgVdQ_2CzaKl9Bbqcqz8LNyYjGaC5jH9XsBKiV95w=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">28. A thoughtful line from Reema Kagti's <i>Talaash</i>. Rosie (Kareena Kapoor) was the answer, who was sitting right in front of Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Aamir Khan).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigMHmiYvDGdCs4Onp1tQxTc-XOsH_eeUeymE-KNaD7JQeKXB1sPbipqi3OyYhAvY2mYkIaKM5qP-_2X52pXZSuH2yJGhV5NwBfZd3PrVita5A5XajOc2E7FMYPY0LMqzqMFLY1B7jc2ARtqlqG1qKbWfa34UTKtl2IxhHW-lxVZjSKk_lOxjCZOWhdVA=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">29. The series of <i>Aankhen</i> films in Hindi Cinema.</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Aankhen</i> (1993) by David Dhawan.</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Aankhen</i> (2002) by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Aankhen </i>(1950) by Devendra Goel.</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Ankhen</i> (1968) by Ramanand Sagar.</li></ul></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2d8Ul_QoGvRk-ngV82RUwoUP6BLlkRkYE6qd25S1J2mMf_IxehtUhg1DDlfCNsK-7SNh7VPlZqe86wrqsnWxiv1ClMFNNcbr85ddfvWzfKNQhvLP5dVBNwJNRL3gvaUOWEn3WPQwGfFMkvAu_TdUfCsDeVKmWNEBufOYxtXiAk2WGxHxNBd70X7dIqQ=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">30. Some lovely stills from Mira Nair's <i>Monsoon Wedding</i>.</div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8Nwn_U8Ux4IUfUXUq4eKwD8Na88zONHcyggQ11Kiar2IPh7fUwoZLBLYrTfMQU56LCO5-LSQSl35Z8kjWcm9heTfeBAKhDrxYnXqNm8BJhFO7sbDm-BmwKn3NeVFxVMH4n_FL_3ERhZHPM5SoDVMKGJy5ufjuUHZA_5YbO2sO6e3uGvzVYh0iWtnG7Q=w640-h426" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2901" data-original-width="4259" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTdzpk3_RF2xtfjZXwCXea59ooUxWGEAX2uoTw9EU6UV3bUVQtTShDCpdV9wC99rkjBEVVVILcKcSCRCKP3Q3j--vJvnC3X2yVMbK9SmsLKabaZwY9t4LZDTjJx8IQpXcqAo443IlSGDv091pHgb2RVIIm0d-bwQkytIsVrB9p8Y7Hw8HSQVFK1IkAaQ=w640-h436" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF206fKJpUAsOy42dAj3smdVRtXOcOs2i374O1eSdtD4PMbMKdxvnP8o07ikcGt3WHhn8Tho7-SU24RZWVr0eXO8zeWdzW_x0WIWfh9srrq64WvqaVU3qtJ4T2hyiulGSVGCYL42gwvkI9g4rhZA_idy0hN-xfEdV9Srl5Yh5otu4jU2PssKSqb2oC1g=w640-h360" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRT8wG9st-jUrCXeSwYLMNQwz74JKvGxYegj5dURXL5YCu3lhZhUVI2qVT49zkrkxHxcgOGWMZ0eLBAebu004dTEA-hPivIg7V68C9zkGLaJw5_OI2xU4P_Q5Z1qOi_k6YQiYMHA_e_5Vfvd6ZPhdeegeTt3hcRAclCwjaAzS_ZLUALj_5KBEvqo5l4A=w640-h336" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">31. The physical distance between the characters represents the emotional distance between them in Raj Mehta's <i>Jugjugg Jeeyo</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2026" height="632" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5kVsg-xMLPpmy9BkGFvJWuVToiGMANlGyDsaU0CIyNJiG8-BZEP7QPqOEEI5aNHRNLG7nVgFd2lhXysEyn5y8IuRbYMVE5xPuQ2EshZMcpQBE60Ez4qvuxqGBr-lBeaP6E_jre_1NaL3--TFYEktpFvvzXOVPTj0qCBJtT2xkcIRW7vKXm2LNPq6QBA=w640-h632" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">32. A poster of Raja Nawathe's <i>Gumnaam</i> in Suresh Krissna's <i>Love</i>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="2818" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6z1Gg-qpmmFSj0VI5J9mhalsI3BcpVbLGUn1-ej6v2CnEXALbYxDtujrgZ6o4iSbGrauAnUqlbOSuhyFiHnQa58y7RfkI4rWJFBlwSTy2N-7rnvSPpOonvr0fva7Cn4ioY5b6ydkDKYVyXUvUsTEAh3W2tqw7nS8PTve241Gq-eYXuxgGTZYNdC4JBw=w640-h300" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">33. Udumbke (Damian Thompson) of Gauri Shinde's <i>English Vinglish</i> in Tom Dey's <i>Wedding Season</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="970" data-original-width="2473" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg54qqkoxTMY16lkquA-wUil9Mx2bACGw0KB2vF24-0Hs910taLedbC4TWovIEQKlS5dOD1kmrFJvmvnSalt1VCyQbN11aLR9yri8rrJN_hO6Qq5ILwzhHPGfvotAWK9yQCKSmKUvUI3Gg4DP9BCzePvy-lg8nK8o_W7A_mbQj0ufwRA2oegmdKgwwOwA=w640-h252" width="640" /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">34. In Remo D'Souza's ABCD 2, Navjot Sidhu says a beautiful line,"<i>Ek patthar chot khake kankar kankar ho gaya, ek patthar chot seh ke Shankar Shankar ho gay</i>a." One stone turned into pieces when it was hit, and one turned into God when it was carved. When pain hits us, it can break us, but for some, it makes us strong, like the repeated hammering of stone leads to a fine statue. I also remember a similar dialogue from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's <i>Padmaavat</i> when Padmavati (Deepika Padukone) says that beauty is subjective. "<i>Kisi ko patthar me bhi Shivling dikhta hai, aur kisi ko Shivling me bhi patthar</i>." Some see God in a stone, while some see God as another stone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_4AZujHPfqkhbvXgnyVQGBUjpVxFjB-bGW84lRfR4Elz5qu28ZSLejmlH9tgv06GleqenjSF7N0jZYthBIOymAS-weqw5A891rSmwqFzeeeWqtIBgh19HzYGPxBzJN3DNqbrEcWXzM67tJ7g5uN-7nFtzTznRVhE6kHL7KqOC2ILNqDRm8RoQbhPr7A=w640-h640" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1419" data-original-width="2784" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihNSomKLoMFM4F4rLgmXwdN0SyB9RrFrPA8SB9r_mWTlyER33FMF2lSbfzodA3-hIBDV1TZc7RXOv7Y5ska82NZMPTYdHT84kJnmMZ1HSyU4f60VVJYnQhZCVaXkRmrVKMIpBEL0mkgGwjVic7PAuB2EdtG85HFSt0jWy032F1K6rgaW3N8GPh6KpnlQ=w640-h326" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">For more trivia notes, follow me on my Instagram account called <a href="https://www.instagram.com/readingfilms/" target="_blank">@ReadingFilms</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Other Reading:<div><div style="text-align: justify;">1) Trivia Post 29—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/07/trivia-post-29.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">2) Trivia Post 28—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/05/trivia-post-28.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">3) Trivia Post 27—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2022/01/trivia-post-27.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">4) Trivia Post 26—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2021/10/trivia-post-26_23.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div>5) Trivia Post 25—<a href="https://dichotomy-of-irony.blogspot.com/2021/09/trivia-post-25_11.html" target="_blank">Link</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div>Dialogue of the Day:</div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbwk-qPT_QxdZSpoa7S7nyAW0BPJijty6TCFHkcj_Wgc363UfPR0-8X9B2gBL_JRFCXEs3DvYf3oMIPw9KMeNBeqSpTd0lSxXfX5nWdqsAfOO9i9gLDYO4tb6v9H5XEUau_hcjpG9SMaspZZrt2iFWBdBzJKmfuRwzCjMZ0tjtNOL3r-imGAMmsauI8A=w640-h272" /></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8510041980458050293.post-11804074962883499172022-09-25T01:16:00.001-07:002022-09-25T23:36:05.885-07:00Good Luck Jerry—The Usage of Innocence<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1888" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLNswn2kTSezy2OI70AF2a5knsq3H0LH2L8PaLCmQdyWGeTE0MJmqbztowhNoVSqHkn09FCkjaYmUhFUEyGBJ5Ut4pjeA0BjML_DvVX9pso0D6rcSfGC3GTHXGoCNWrLbewQ9_K1bfocTDdYOjABEEXlwuPhbt1iFeBLemJ0MU8nogpM9x5C_WiiMbxQ=w640-h270" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Siddharth Sen's <i>Good Luck Jerry</i> is the Hindi remake of the Tamil film <i>Kolamaavu Kokila.</i> It stars Janhvi Kapoor as the eponymous Jerry. Hailing from Bihar, she lives with her mother Sarbati (Mita Vashisht) and younger sister Cherry (Samta Sudiksha) in a town in Punjab. She gets involved with the drug mafia to fund her mother's treatment for cancer. She tries to get out of the mess after a while; however, things go awry.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1902" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVowRbWkZbLLds3pH7Y83BUfHj5aUxTmPxKRlcHy46oOWYoMS9fXCjC1RYOVRawuQp8SFbMrYycFYQXJmrM3mkuQjQ5CsC11GlRtmLkyLm6qsVYLnFSGXIVxk3EArggmI8rRndHP5HYQy335d66sIqGUdyGC-ENyDskToUeyghHSJKYKLQd2nmhyXoGg=w640-h256" width="640" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Jerry, whose real name is Jaya, shares her name with the lovable mouse from the cat-and-mouse cartoon show <i>Tom and Jerry</i>. Jerry is an intelligent mouse who is able to easily outsmart Tom during their shenanigans. He thinks of innovative ways to escape or dodge attacks in dangerous situations. Jerry from <i>Good Luck Jerry </i>is modeled on similar lines. Early in the film, she compares herself to a mouse who wants to move out of the rathole. Jerry is also able to come out of sticky situations with her intellect even if she does not have the physical strength.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1897" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXG1AbKJsxvASSVHdfMBe6y3p8RRZYqVNVD0SD2pOKr-O42V4vrCRgu9dc__S6IPBw4inIE9eLIiAs7mxg1P5tH93OKYgsJ8Sw4YhV0VndC0eBS2DSTSK8rr2QsFQuOYDYbNEhnG-vycxTThNC4M00bqZQeVN7lrGeSXCakLFdQR_EINxfjyaJuWEzYQ=w640-h312" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More importantly, Jerry uses her femininity and innocence to her advantage. She almost weaponizes it to her advantage in her life. There is a point in the film when she tells her mother that she is aware that she is a girl and knows when to cry or smile. Timmy (Jaswant Singh Dalal), the drug supplier, uses this for his benefit as the police will not suspect any girl of getting involved in the drug trade. The other men are routinely beaten by the police, but she can get past them quite easily. In the film's final segment, Jerry devises a plan to transport the drugs, and she tells her mother and sister to pretend to be innocent if caught by the police. Perhaps, the most interesting scene related to this aspect is when Timmy understands this trick of hers. He tells her that she is '<i>bahut chaalaak</i>.' She knows the different situations to address him as Sir, Timmy, or Timmy Ji to her advantage. Like the situation where Jerry makes him kill both his men even if one of them was innocent. When the film starts, it shows Jerry dealing with 'bad luck,' and it feels that she is like Shruti (Katrina Kaif) from <i>Jagga Jasoos,</i> but it is not the case. There have been many films that depict women using their sexuality as a weapon to get things done. <i>Good Luck Jerry</i> depicts a woman using her <i>becharapan</i> to her advantage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="898" data-original-width="1909" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5ko6eRSmjSZc7YS-dvXbL0hqJ89fQfYYnc8wcEcvZDHa2d0VNpkSDWYDvB-vNgTVnagnZJCWY_OH6ZRW5drspO8RgPrAmTK1z-Jvxze99fJ2wxrLWVM4e-HqPWhVbhQ2zn0SW9vrQQo4Mh43EDw98H8z2-huQll6duDngLKJi99yR-Rn8xyFSCHH0BQ=w640-h302" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1884" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7zWthe6BruHVyVP-I4iq6eVZkyp43YkTzhsINmJxmjEdHNc4NWHC5qrelTX2pJ_NCp1jVCqn0UQKpp8EDzsTx631ynribfD-HzWecc_PtfjngqvHqBSZqHe2ubiU7h2Smp18fxarNinUu20JbrIsJFH_atbB3VGKra2JgJs3w7M2K5meh7Nqwgibqmw=w640-h308" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1886" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXHyrQZ9eAvg3Uwk4OVCV2FgozngxB4MvHA6AtbYUI7b3RkjtVu2B0ijCZEt7RVRsESc7rK4mo5MlIDrA-PuWq36bF6G-423UlHC1PzYCyfVxLJTtyau4304xA1VxUtjGsopN2Ahqllrrm_hqQfpRNvO_Zxmtv1ZaJvtItHPae1B_hM7zfEMBvCVtnRw=w640-h304" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1879" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNoiWA1dBy0wp2J8nQr4lTE7ZzxBVnTrA-YodMI_MyvatwTIZfazVwHoYevfsDDo57EMmcmTl9KSBVgC0xuEHKwyIvUPlmYnzDCfWyC1yOdgSige1yujWaAXkFPkjthK7WjYU00KU3qtJuC2fRka198JS0vF82qD8uz278-27CJ4tjnKYxtEagyCVLGg=w640-h312" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this sense, <i>Good Luck Jerry</i> has a premise similar to Sujoy Ghosh's <i>Kahaani</i>. The Vidya Balan-starrer film told the story of a pregnant woman who comes to India to find her missing husband. Using her pregnancy as a ruse, she can trick a country's entire security and intelligence establishment to take revenge for her husband's death. A character pointed out that nobody suspects a pregnant woman of anything suspicious. Therefore, she was able to get past easily through many dangerous situations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1280" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrj1ik2EIigNPYByWPYn5uiUZvU87ajy7wK1qFUIYfVTgG1oSYwb9vRc6nXXXCrBYRYCyPjzqaxmm6MN-Ft7h7bA7UECgltxLcgLsW0A0RQX0Uy0HfVKB5CYeSNET8F-0DTvWacdrbxmuJRnELggFxMfsFk2OJQPNOyljulY4V1v_3dabDnkz9vuxJeg=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There have been comparisons of <i>Good Luck Jerry</i> with Abhishek Chaubey's <i>Udta Punjab </i>because of a Bihari family living in Punjab and getting involved in the drug trade<i>,</i> but I was thinking of Pradeep Sarkar's <i>Laaga Chunri Me Daag </i>(coincidentally, Mita Vashisht had given vocals for the film's title song). The film also told the story of two sisters, their mother, and an absent father. Vibha (Rani Mukerji) moves to Mumbai looking for a job when her family falls upon hard times. Possessing no real skills that could find her employment of any kind, she's left with no option but to become an escort. There was a moralistic and perplexing premise to the story. Jerry in <i>Good Luck Jerry</i> faces a similar dilemma, but the film does not adopt a preachy tone to her choices. She works at a massage parlor even if her mother does not like it. She is fine with her choices and knows how to navigate the circumstances in her life.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="2496" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJ6LnFFjKeNyyIT13wlQkc0BI-zggqnKqAYOEeKCCjdvRa8vFaTiW8bhGB992H-rbCHaBKLADbV7FOFnoNCswhqM9e8WSchJSzoV7CaXzrl9u1qTnhY2lJLQ1VbTmw0Pie016KHxCSyR0XlSWtLd612IoqajPMGjzs3M6bIMoMVgA1q_O5eoYL4tPVaw=w640-h282" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Towards the film's end, Jerry faces another hostile situation where she is again on the verge of being sexually assaulted. The scene happens in a sty, and the camera repeatedly tries to show the pigs. Maybe it was the film's way of representing the men literally as chauvinistic pigs (MCPs). Jerry, her sister, and her mother fight off the man while the other 'heroes' sit outside and helplessly cry, imagining the horror happening inside.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1897" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEZ6Ws6HO1p-l5tDlzcjmu8kFfpCT-DtrhFkKUx7yCx4RVbW0m5sKvJ6krOgk3dysEFPqOx5ry8S958niv4AUp5CwJTFMvzEfyJ6jlrngjp8WQp7PdOntVgdeyV0JG9c7ayXMO9SBwO0GmV-_I8sQPdNOJuQdij-yaqI-Or0EnDNJ1iziPajYdQJy0XA=w640-h270" width="640" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1848" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGhgopDRNOiRjfve84LhIt1zEoPJBihpim91rM8PJAoUDZDK6oHbp6K_VQ6dDaZrpQO5uHCcUOAm5yjo22WEtihKn01910Xn5hTsyfcD3hcWVkS4lhGWdBLbHO7k4IBPAKGd2lHl2VDxLlQpQuM-b2DSjKTXGZ-G0dP_TX8LgOIogoIiAg-MVryGpLrQ=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Good Luck Jerry</i> has the typical quirks of characters that we expect in a black comedy film. At one point, a bunch of gangsters capture the policemen, and they say the <i>police ko chaaron taraf se gher liya hai</i>. The film frames are teeming with bright colors, sometimes even distracting the proceedings. It is also, perhaps, for the first time that a film set in Punjab shows fish farming instead of the usual <i>sarson ke khet</i>. The music is quirky as well. There are songs titled <i>Paracetamol</i> and <i>Snake Bite</i>. I wish the film was a little shorter as it loses a bit of pace in the second half, and the climax is stretched.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJYGT6DkCfJ8kjrRMa5NXi-fzQOVf9lN3s9G2MbcRHWbuNBFeDOU0DTsH467OXSmNZ131RGkET_YoD98nZf8Oz5lsJiryROLdCe4__ps6KQhXmii7ekIflooYs4256OVF2CLjIZjBsaXgxvdGwnh5cW8PrA8RjO5dGS0s6iKUSq_688g4SpIeDt5XQdg=w640-h267" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A frame from the film: The colors of the parrot match the ones on the walls.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="789" data-original-width="1874" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmlJXHXnRXe4klp_8Sm7CQ2hNB6YydwgDlJYE-el8S00aITJNQVfG2Oy45nQg6YiA_j9mWK1YdwKYjpr_Pe8lX6Z3PMmlHW3ndAuh7Wd84hVuGWUtd1_DZ9vL0_PbRf-hwzRlE67emgsoPw_7ZcuRK8X4NDudl4Xdigg6q9mHY-LX2c7gTeacuFaxxDg=w640-h270" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Janhvi Kapoor as Jerry is quite delightful. In many an interview, she has said that she is not as innocent as people think her to be. She brings the same to her advantage in the film. Also, for the first time, I saw a glimpse of Sridevi in her, not acting wise, but in how she looked in the film. Compared to her contemporaries (such as Sara Ali Khan), Janhvi is getting better with every film. The other performances, especially by Mita Vashisht, Deepak Dobriyaal, and Sahil Mehta, are noteworthy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1885" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFBusUdS4LcaS1-bk9mN5Lc-im-nhllojxswVFtlXeLetnYqGpE_u0R7Hp51bExPzVdKzB8pR2uGb1lYy7LtFvAUM-NQOyKgEO7OMpX8FR2Bsz90GZqTvxgL2HfJ3naUcd3IHwobeS77bvSK4xl6heKxFrYKTK2GLIyVYC0TLsEyNDBS_7kMIdHC8X_Q=w640-h272" width="640" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Good Luck Jerry </i>ends with Jerry and her family coming out unscathed. She ends the film talking about being brave, but at the same time, she acknowledges it was luck that helped her out. Films often depict heroism and bravery but, in life, it is not like that in real life. It is good to remind ourselves of the survivorship bias. As Upamanyu Chatterjee in his magnificent book English, August, "<i>Remember you are not James Bond. You only live once</i>."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Trivia:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Books In Movies: <i>An Introduction To Political Theory</i> by O.P. Gauba.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1874" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2qPLHr9qA5DctovqlioTpARFQqHuPvRm2vzBtbPXyxjN_mfbt_6VAd8FRPOF8Y6nXmJxgooZoIFIA8K9e-eDbXFjWQaw9jgiXBc45kcAJ8lzox1H2q8ftnFHvL4jbYZwgsdm0LxHrfCO5k8qD65E7u-TeXuG2saqP8EoFLoRGbf0RajbmgObUCvUmJg=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></div>2. <i>Achhe Din </i>in <i>Good Luck Jerry</i>.<div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1898" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4OcoLkoImyB2eqoL4Xe_ynxEQ1RqtyLeskVRqGHO9a9E0zrTqAaWumzbEgNF2G7OacD4OguqDyAaBCHdBou8GJZuMDDCNp17mNxD3PFHlA1GZ5pp71emKDTALlA5huAHE0nwI0HeKSJAx9oLFLOKsJN3rDNjuZS_yQRqyrn_vnIdguOtqVBJsPekhBg=w640-h308" width="640" /></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;">3. Anal Sachdeva (Saurabh Sachdeva) from <i>Manmarziyaan </i>is Malik in <i>Good Luck Jerry</i>. Also, see the fishing posters in the room. </div></div><div><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1854" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEis-OL7QZYkjQcl5hI-Y2weeYUlrSuwCG-WO9HVy4RGCPNwAtggiqEe5LpXI2Y91g1stLsBAJNuBsGukTBeD6NCnAf6PDymKfA3xO7uPuelbO3b2ujsZbHz4QSgaqs8eRDkehvdtV9MHXONFuioryK_rDI8_vIV-Y964rPyTEBo1T5SkFJvaGflfRo-fA=w640-h274" width="640" /></div></i><div>Dialogue of the Day:</div><div>"<i>Darr se bas do-teen kadam aage hi ek duniya hai jahaan jaane ke liye na rickshaw lagta hai na auto. Lagta hai bas thora sa himmat.</i>"<br />—Jerry, <i>Good Luck Jerry</i></div></div>Pankaj Sachdevahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12467425159910785639noreply@blogger.com1