Sau Gram Zindagi......

Yesterday, we went to watch Sanjay Leela Bhansali's latest movie 'Guzaarish'.....Bhansali is known for his larger-than-life portrayal of stories, scenes and the characters. His films transcends the viewers to a different world, to a space which is somewhere beyond reality but falls short of absolute fantasy.....thus leaving a lone cinematic possibility of being and the incidents happening.
'Guzaarish' dishes out the same intrigue and uniqueness and to top that, the film is shot by cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee with an excellence which seems less of a lens-work and more like an artiste's stroke on canvas....only it is celluloid...!!!
The story is plain....it just is about a well-known magician (played by Hrithik Roshan) , who, 14 years ago, met with a near fatal accident which leaves him quadriplegic. Being paralyzed physically, his health gradually deteriorates and after living, loving and suffering through his condition, he finally appeals unsuccessfully for Euthanasia (mercy killing). 
The story, as plain and with some constraints in the weaving of its details, acquires a certain level of drama with the maneuvering of the characters, their passion and demeanor, and the associated sequences. The gaps in writing has been somewhat covered by the camera and the director's expertise in the portrayal. The performances by the lead and character artiste's deserves mention. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's (playing the nurse to the ailing magician) mettle has been redefined, giving an impression that only Bhansali can understand, work out and make her come up with the best. Hrithik Roshan reasserts himself with respect to the acting skills as well as his drop-dead charisma, in this piece of cinema. The film expresses itself and flashes back into the incidents happened earlier in a very different and stylish manner ( I won't come out with the details here for keeping the magic intact for those who have not yet watched the movie), the scenes and colors are equally distinctive and used with defined sensibility. The costume and music, because of its unlikeness, went well with the narration.
For me, it was an experience worth having, except for a tad bit of melodrama in bits and pieces throughout and especially in the closing shot. Moreover much of the narration leaves many a things to the perception of the viewers, the expressions not as detailed as in his earlier films.......and this perspective of the movie may do either good or pose as a disadvantage for the movie  depending on the audiences' demand for clarity. 
'Guzaarish' is about the celebration of life and its moments.....the love we feel, but the movie does not blurt out the message, loud and clear..it flows underneath along the length of the film. 
I would have loved it rather more if it ended giving out a brighter sense of optimism as it intended to do, it seemed....but fell short for whatever reasons......
          "Thodi si teekhi hai, thodi meethi hai....
                 sau gram zindagi..........samhaal ke kharchi hai"

I Hate Bad Love Stories

For a movie buff like me, to sit through a bad movie can be very very depressing....and after that I'm venting it out by writing. I thought the ideal fun on a lazy Saturday afternoon will be to watch a movie...and going by the recent mass adulation on 'I Hate Luv Storys', I decided to watch that. But what was this?? I can't believe this came out of Karan Johar's production house. Now, for the critics here of KJo, let me tell you, like it or not, I'm a huge fan of his cinema. The sincerity and love with which he makes not-so-real and not-so-possible things believable, touches my heart and gives me immense joy.


But I am disheartened with IHLS. The only consolation is that it is not exactly a KJo's film.....like, as in, he didn't direct it, and I'm sure it would have been far far better if he did. The film is childish to begin with,very immature in both conceiving and conveying, nobody cared about the story, acting was mediocre(the lead actors were not even half-used), the script totally lacked the conviction and focus...oh...!!!! I guess, the director hardly even knew what he's trying to portray...how can it ever come across as believable? The film gets awkwardly predictable with clichéd lines, clumsy sets and very commonplace costumes. It was not even a tenth of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Johar's most naive creation. This film awfully lacked the wit, passion and smartness his banner exudes. I wonder whether he ever was present when the film was shot....!!! 


I am disappointed will be an understatement. For one like me, who takes films personally, this was a terrible experience. But for the songs, nothing in the film stands out. Wake Up Sid, another recent film of the same production house was a way too good.


 I love love stories but this was a bad one..