Madgaon Express review

Goa is by far the most glamourous destination in Bollywood, its beaches replacing any other seen on the celluloid. Add to that the Goan music, the techno beats and visuals of beach shacks and Indian actors in beachwear, Goa seems more attainable than the beaches one sees in US or South East Asian movies. The visuals of drugs, hippies in dreadlocks and Russian mobsters gives it some edge too; Goa is not just  beach paradise, theres some danger too, it says. So to present a Goa that turns most of these tropes on their heads, or at least sideways would seem like a bold move.

Madgaon Express, directed by Kunal Khemu, takes the Goa that viewers often see on the big screen and turns over its head. Sure there are the beaches and shacks and cocaine and Russian/firangi folks, but there is also homegrown mafia, narrow bylanes, three-star lodges, unreserved train coaches.

By no stretch is Madgaon Express a perfect film. On the contrary, it suffers from pacing issues, disjointed narrative, and minimal to zero chemistry between the main characters. The movie starts with the chawls of Mumbai and then proceeds to wander in the by-lanes of Goa. The Goa seen in this movie is not the glamourous place we have become accustomed to.

Starting at the beginning, the storyline of Madgaon Express seems disjointed, with may concurrent storylines, each with their own potentials. Kunal Khemu set out to make a caper buddy film, and he nearly succeeds; I say nearly because he falters in a key film-making aspect - actors. Kunal Khemu did go for fine actors, but there is little to none interplay between them. Each seems to have prepared their roles in solitude and not bothered to do together. As a result we get each actor doing their part but their energy levels rarely match. Divyendu as Dodo, Pratik Gandhi as Pinku, Avinash as Ayush playing childhood friend don't get that well to be convincing as chaddi buddies . Amaong the supporting characters, Upendra Limaye as Mendonza bhai, Chhaya Kadam as Komal Komdi as the antagonists don't come across as menacing or funny..

As I said earlier, Kunal Khemu eschews the regular celluloid haunts for less glamourous location, not just for Goa but also for Mumbai. This gives this film a more grungier, grounded look. Even the Goa beaches look desolate and polluted. In place of glitzy hotels, we have a three-star lodge with window ac. The part about the actors talking of the beauty of the Konkan region, only for the viewers to discover that the train travels at night is both funny and relatable at the same time!

On the plus side, Kunal Khemu's love for Goa shines on the screen. He has been visiting Goa on and off, and knows its nooks and crannies. There is little to no glamour in the Goa that we see, but a lot reality vibes, which is possible if one has been visiting a place for a long time.

Kunal Khemu makes a few appearances and each of his appearances are a delight.

To surmise, Madgaon Express, though not a well crafted movie, still has  some charma. It is well suited for an afternoon watch with friends.

Sultan of Delhi, a book review

I finally got around to reading Arnab Ray's Sultan of Delhi, and found it more entertaining than the other books of his that I have read. The reason for the same is simply the accessibility of the material. While The Mine is a horror novel which aimed at suffocating its readers and Mahabharat Murders is a thriller that is heavily inspired from an epic, Sultan of Delhi is more relatable on account of it having a lot of Bollywood references. The book is a testament of the author's maturing as a storyteller.

The book is ambitious in its scope, starting off with the Partition and stopping at the economic liberalization of 1990, with a detour through the Emergency. These events, in addition to being historically important, serve as important placeholders in the story as it is during these times that the titular Sultan of Delhi Arjun Bhatia faces his own nadirs. The Partition is when a 10 tear old Arjun is forced to grow up in a night. During the Emergency he is down on his luck and borrowing money, but after Emergency his rises up from ashes. The 90s Liberalization is when he is looking forward to growing further, but is also aware that a storm is coming his way.

While these three events are the poles on which the storyline hangs comfortably, the role of Bollywood to take the narrative forward is a good choice. Arjun himself is not too much into movies, but people around him are, and the changing tastes in music serve as an aid in moving the story forward. From the debate between Rafi and Kishore in the beginning to the talk about remixes at the end, Bollywood songs serve as a creative way to note the passage of time.

The character of Arjun is sketchy, leaving the reader to imagine him accordingly. Bangali is even sketchier. As far as character sketches go, all of them are defined loosely. This serves the story well, as the reader can visualize each character as they wish.

Arnab has set his ambitions high with Sultan of Delhi, but the book shows some inconsistency. Descriptions of the Partition, Lahore, Delhi and UP are bare bones. But he excels when writing about Kolkatta. In fact, the Kolkata parts seem to be written the most earnestly, moving as they do at a leisurely pace. The hurried pace of the non-Kolkata parts make for the novel to be a frenetic read, but they could do with some more descriptions of the place.

I must give kudos to Arnab to talk about caste in one of the novel's pivotal moments, and not in a perfunctory manner. The mention of caste underlines the lawlessness of UP, ostensibly in the 60s or 70s, but seems timeless. It also serves to show the cleverness of Arjun, how he navigates the north Indian mafia. Not just in one point, it is the caste, though not said explicitly, that earns Arjun a place in the smuggling gang. I have not read many Indian pulp authors, but from what little I have, this mention of caste is used cleverly by Arnab. Caste is mentioned openly in the 60s and 70s, but after the Liberalization, it is only spoken in a coded manner, showing how things still haven't changed, even though the language has.

To sum up, Sultan of Delhi has a lot of ambition in its scope but is let down by the hurried pace it takes to achieve it. The story telling is fast paced but does become inconsistent at time while some passage pull the reader in with their words. Arnab has said that he will probably not do the sequel to the novel as he had intended, which seems fine as the story ends at a place where things still hang in a thread but the story still seems to have reached a nice conclusion. Arjun is till the Sultan of Delhi, having fought adversities that destroyed his family in childhood, saw him at his nadir and then rise again to a position where he has the pulse of all that happens in Delhi. The reader closes the book that Arjun is still the Sultan, which may be construed as a happy ending.

The book is not a page turner, but keep at it and the reader will be pleased when it ends.

Some Thought on Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya...

 Bollywood doesn't have a good sci-fi tradition. In fact, all the memorable and successful sci-fi movies that have come out of Bollywood can be counted on ones finger. Off the top of my head there's Mr X in Bombay (invisibility formula), Mr India (invisibility device), Kkrish (superhero and alien technology) and maybe more. Rajnikant's Robot was not actually Bollywood so it doesn't count.

So, after a long time when a new sci-fi movie from Bollywood was set to hit the screens, I was intrigued. The premise also seemed topical, as it looked like it dealt with robotics and artificial intelligence.

The paucity of sci-fi as a genre in Bollywood has meant that there are no tropes to fall back on. The genre is ripe for setting tropes which future Bollywood movies can follow. Mr India did it brilliantly by explaining away the science behind it in a few dialogues by Ashok Kumar and later setting up what could be done by such a premise in the ensuing hijinks. Kkrish too set up the template for Indian superheroes. While Shenshah had done it earlier, the movies managed to update it. Which brings me to the move in question: Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (TBMAUJ).

Going into the movie, I was aware what to expect, what with the trailers not bothering to build any expectations. The movies is based on a flimsy premise and an even flimsier story.

Shahid Kapoor as the brilliant robotics engineer with no time for love seem to be chanelling his Kabir Singh persona to portray an unconventional and free male. His family consisting of many forgettable characters (including, surprisingly, Dharamendra!) want him to get married, but Shahid just wants to be free and do whatever he is doing, which is not much.

Kriti Sanon as Sifra the robot is required to be expressionless, which she does admirably. Her Sifra is emotionless but that does not mean she is inept. But she is let down be ho her character is written. The super-intelligent robot that can master everything fast can is a simpleton most of the times, not able to grasp the nuances of language. 

Since sci-fi does not have established tropes in Bollywood, TBMAUJ chooses not to establish  new ones itself. Instead it chooses to walk the path of 90s comedies movies and family dramas. Watching all the hijinks on screen I had a feeling of deja vu as most jokes seemed to be a variation of earlier jokes. That and the supporting characters having been 90s and early 2000 staples nearly convinced me that I was watching an old film instead of a new release. In fact, the movie's title track was also an indi-pop hit in early 90s!

The premise of a human, that too the brightest robotics engineer, falling for a robot is fantastic as it is. But the movie does not explore this premise. Instead it moves on to an even more fantastic premise, where the bright robotics engineer attempts to con the extended family into marrying the robot, the family being none the wiser. I can say with confidence that a person that is fooled into falling for a robot is not bright, whether a robotics engineer or not. Period.

All in all, TBMAUJ tries to entertain by basing itself on an unbelievable premise. But the film's reliance on 90s and early 2000s entertainment tropes makes it seem like a nostalgic trip instead.

American Gods: Some notes

Finally read Neil Gaiman's American Gods, years after watching the first two seasons of the TV show. Before the TV series I didn't know such a book existed. It was the pace and intrigue of the first season that drew me to the book, and the snooziness of the second season that put me off it. But I did endd up reading the book in the end.

Coming to the book after watching the series, it was hard for me to imagine the characters other than the TV actors that played them. So, Shadow was Ricky Whittle for me, and Mr Wednesday was Ian McShane. Reading the book, however, I could see that the characters in the book were a different from what I saw on the TV, but it's hard to get rid of an image once it is settled in your brain.

American Gods can be a little daunting for someone not familiar with US or world mythology, what with the book having large doses of both. But with enough patience, the story pulls the reader in. The story of a mortal caught between warring gods, unaware of what is making them do so, becomes intriguing as one progresses. Shadow Mood, fresh from prison and mourning his wife, finds himself taking up a new job as a driver to a mysterious character named Wednesday. His job takes him on road trips across the American land, searching out gods that were brought to American shores by believers and then abandoned by them as they found newer gods. These gods live on, surviving on the fringes of American society, seeing their relevance diminish in favor of newer gods.

The book, with its myriad sub-plotlines and characters that are never explained, is a taxing read, but in the end. It takes a long time to set things up. The first and second acts are fast paced as they introduce newer characters, only for them to disappear and come later. The main characters of Shadow Moon, Wednesday and Laura are well fleshed out, but others are sketchy, asking the reader to imagine them as they please. In fact, the first two acts take up a major chunk of the book, leaving a very short third act to wrap things up. Neil Gaiman is a gifted story teller, and knows that the trick to telling a good story is to speak a lot, but tell as little as possible, thus building up stakes. A lazy reader or a someone fed on constant visual simulation may find their attention wavering; a habitual reader, however will appreciate the bits of info drops throughout the story, that fit together in the end.

Which is not to say that the story does not meander. The entire track of the Arab seller and the djinn may accentuate the loneliness of foreign spirits, but is a djinn reall a God?  Even the plotline about the thunderbirds goes nowhere, till a subtle hint of the consequences ends it.

American Gods was published in 2001, when Internet as we know it today was beginning to take shape. Reading habits were different then, and people had longer attention spans with lesser distractions. Reading it in 2024, I was aware of the change in habits that has occurred in the intervening 23 years. I could only imagine the characters like how I'd seen them on TV. I found myself re-reading passages because my attention had wavered. A certain impatience has crept within the readers to move things faster. All of this was made worse by the fact that I was an Indian, living in India, reading about an American man's journey across the USA in the service of forgotten gods looking for relevance. The credit for me finishing goes in large to Neil Gaiman's skill as a story tell and weaver of fantasies.

Some Thoughts on Merry Christmas

 I watched Merry Christmas a month ago, so what I write down are not some fresh opinions, but well weighted considerations.

I only heard about Merry Christmas the movie just a few days prior to its release. The marketing of the movie was non-existent, and unless one followed any of the persons associated to the movie on social media (I do not), its easy to miss.

On the whole Merry Christmas seems a series of misdirections strung together. To a person used to the current Bollywood fare, the story may seem to meander and drag, searching for a  plot to develop. But all the slow pace of the first half pays off handsomely in the second half, as the actions become more apparent.

The plot seems simple enough: Vijay Sethupathi, on his first night upon releasing from prison, meets Katrina Kaif, whos date runs out on her after discovering that she has a daughter. Two lonely souls connect on a Christmas night. Things take a turn for the worse when Katrin's husband is found dead, apparently having shot himself. Vijay's reluctance to be involved in any police procedural, even if it is a straight case of suicide, results in him witnessing the same events occur before him, though with someone else (Sanjay Kapoor) doing what Vijay did earlier. The plot thickens, and as the mystery unfolds, the viewer is rewarded with 'ooh' moments galore. All that the audience saw earlier was not just story development, it was the story itself.

The roller-coaster of character development keeps the viewer guessing about their true motivations. Why was Katrina looking for a date on a Christmas night daughter in tow? What crime did Vijay Setupathi commit? Is Sanjay Kapoor just a creep who wants to score on a lonely woman? How much did Luke Kenny charge for his role?

The movie does a good job of setting up a noir look; Mumbai noir is enticing. It sets up the characters expertly and then toys with the viewer's expectations. Vijay trying to adjust to his new life as a free man is perfect as the weary loner. Katrina with a kid in tow convinces as the vulnerable woman that can pull the weary hero's heartstrings. Her character turn in the second half transforms her into a femme fatale, all the while building up a mystique about the little girl. Sanjay Kapoor enters the story as a good samaritan and progressively transforms into a creep. In fact, his clean looks and jovial demeanor lend well into his good guy act. Vinay Shukla's performance in the last act effectively pivots the movie from a crime thriller to a cat-and-mouse game. He may come across as a comic foil, but it is this turn that gives a new direction to the happenings..

I enjoyed the shots of Mumbai that are rooted in a particular location rather than zooming out to the entire city. The close of the city adds to the atmosphere of the film. The repeated use of the same location makes the movie more lived in and familiar.

To end, Merry Christmas is the kind of film that stays in your mind even a month after viewing it.

Bunty Aur Babli - How times change

 Watched Bunty Aur Babli 2 on Amazon Prime and frankly, the review was bound to be predictable: the sequel is no match with the original. However, I was a little intrigued because of the how the makers make the story move forward. Bunty aur Babli are retired and living anonymous lives and their names are usurped by two thieves that carry out impossible crimes. The original pair, feeling indignant about the turn of events are forced to throw their hats in the ring. So who'll be the better one, Bunty-Babli 1.0 or Bunty Babli 2.0?

What a story sirji!!

As far the movie goes, this is where it peaks, at the story idea. Another novel way of connecting to two films is the use of Pankaj Tripathi.

Lets get to the story now.

So Bunty and Babli have retired and are living anonymous lives, coping with their daily routines. But their legend lives on, and two upstart youngsters decide to assume their mantels to carry out audacious heists. The police is bamboozled so the officer in-charge asks the original pair to help him in nabbing their successors.

As the characters of Bunty and Babli goes, Rani Mukherjee manages to some extend to channel the original Babli. I say she manages to some extent because Babli 1.0 was a Sikhni from Bhatinda (?), and this showed in her mannerisms. But the older Babli could be any north Indian housewife that is bogged down by the daily grind. The Punjabi tadka is definitely missing from this avatar. Saif is completely miscast as Bunty here. While Abhishek Bachchan made Bunty a loveable fraudster, Saif is just plain hassled and would not be able to take anyone into confidence the way Abhishek Bachchan did. As regards Bunty aur Babli 2.0, they are two Genz Z yuppies that look good but don't seem to have any personality, only justifications for what they do. They do look good, but their reasons for doing elaborate scams don't make any sense.

In a way, the difference in the characterization of the lead pairs is an indication of the way we are as a society and how do we see ourselves. While Bunty aur Babli 1.0 (BB 1.0) were innocent persons with stars in their eyes and big dreams, Bunty aur Babli 2.0 (BB 2.0) come across as more driven and focused in what they want and how they want it. While BB 1.0 stopped dreaming and started enjoying the easy money they came into, BB 2.0 are doing what they do because they have goals, and will stop scamming when their goals are achieved. From 2005 to 2021, we as a society have moved from being aspirational to knowing what we want. The 2021 India what is inundated with brands and looks is a far cry from the 2005 India where Babli would get dresses sown from the local darzi after tearing photos of film stars. Also, the presence of parents in BB 1.0 gave an emotional heft to the movies, while in BB 2.0 the absence of the same underlines our intensely individualistic approach. This is not to say that BB 1.0 were more grounded; it just highlights the shifting of ground between BB 1.0 and BB 2.0.

Some smart story writing: the plot about BB 2.0 just taking over the legend of BB 1.0 to do heists ties in both the movies, at the same time making them distinct from each other. It allows both stories to have their own arcs. Also, the placing of Pankaj Tripathi as a constable in BB 1.0. I rewatched the movie and can say confidently that he wasn't in the movie. These two changes tie both the movies together, while giving a hat tip to Amitabh Bachchan who is not present in the latter film.

As far as performances go, the characters are not memorable. While BB 1.0 had a great cast apart from the three leads, the second movie doesn't have any memorable characters. Pankaj Tripathi, capable actor that he is, seems to be dialing in his performance. The music too is not memorable. As I write this, I can't remember any song from that movie. This is in sharp contrast to BB 1.0, which had the memorable Kajra Re, and also the peppy Dhadak Dhadak.

To sum up, Bunty aur Babli 2 is at best an honest effort, but it needn't have attached itself to its more memorable predecessor.

Sonchiraiya

A group of policemen..er, dacait or baaghis are walking silently in the bright and arid Chambal ravines. They see a dead snake up ahead, run over by a vehicle. They start to retreat, choosing to look for an alternate route when the leader steps forward, kneels and prays to the gods and orders his men to trust God and march ahead. A good beginning that seems to foreshadow something.

Instead it doesn't.

The trailers of Sonchiraiya had me excited for a good daaku film after Paan Singh Tomar in 2012. A nice blend of the good vs evil formula, with some interesting characters. While this film does have interesting and memorable characters, it suffers from the inconsistencies in its direction. Director Abhishek Chaoubey can't seem to decide which way he wants to steer the film, whether it is to be about a contrast between Vakil Singh (Ranvir Shorey) who wants to carry on being a baaghi and Lakhna (Sushant Singh Rajput) who is looking to surrender and thus turn a new leaf. Or is it to be about the baghis and Indumati (Bhumi Pednekar), who is on the run with a child. Into the mix is the whole caste interplay between Rajputs, Gujjars and Dalits. The movies touches on all these points barely before moving on. So there is some friction between Vakil and Lakhna about the baaaghi ka dharam - baaghi code of honor - in the beginning but it does not surface again till the end, and even then it is forced. Indumati appears mysteriously enough, carrying a girl to hospital, but all mystery about her vanishes soon, only to return at the most unexpected moments. The doctor of the baaghi sets the ball rolling with the caste frictions between a Rajput and a Dalit, followed by later by one more friction between a Rajput and a Gujjar, but then again, these dissolve and are never brought up again.

To be honest, each of these points would not have been so evident had a better actors been essaying the roles, The present cast, though talented, fail to mesh together to be convincing. The actors seem to be emoting in a vacuum without playing off each other. As a result, there are some fine performances but no cohesion. Manoj Bajpai as the head baaghi who is willing to accept the will of the goddess is good but doesn't convince is place in a group of hardened dacoits on the run. Seriously, he would need more wits about him since he is running away  from the law.

Sushant Singh Rajput delivers what is expected of him suitably. As the baaghi who questions the baaghi dharam, he portrays his doubts quite well. But other than that he can't portray friction against Ranvir Shorey or any sort of connection with Bhumi Pednekar, wirh whom he spends a lot of time on road. He is Manoj Bajpai's blue eyed boy, but even here, he doesn't sow chemistry with Manoj. It is at best a servicable performance.

Bhumi Pednekar too is in the far end of the pool as Indumati Tomar. Her one expression is one of being dazed, with intermittent shows of emotions. Her Indumati is not convincing as a woman running away from a deeply misogynistic society after committing a crime, the onus falling on the narrative instead.

Ashutosh Rana is a real treat in this movie apart from Ranveer. He brings a certain ruthlessness and sense of rustic morals to his characters. He has his own motives for going after the baaghis, which is revealed quite later in the narrative and adds another layer to his character. From being ruthless to cunning to impulsive to displaying sadness when alone, he brings out the humanity in what would have been a one dimensional villian.

Where the movie fails miserably is the characters of the two girls. Thematically, both girls are meant to be the plot devices that move things forward; innocence lost and about to be lost respectively. One haunts Manj Bajpai and Sushant Singh, while the other is the reason Bhumi is on the run, but neither shows any emotion n their faces. Just the presence of kids in a frame does not signify innocence. The girl whom Bhumi carries is supposed to be fatally injured, but does not show any signs of being in pain, maintaining instead just a poker face. Done well, both of these girls could have been the pivots for the major character arcs in this film. Instead, they just act as place holders.

Sonchiraiya is a film that tries to tackle a lot of things without resolving them. Its shows ambition but fails to achieve them.

Talvar

I finally got around to watching Talvar after hearing gushing things about it (not least because I subscribe to TOI, and the movie is produced by its sister concern.

The Aarushi Talwar double murder case has been obsessed over in media and in conversations, and will be for a long time to come. This is not without a reason; it appears to be a perfect crime, a crime of passion, one of alleged honor killing, also because the ineptitude of the Noida police has been well documented.

I went in the movie with great expectations, as names like Vishal Bhardwaj, Gulzar, Irrfan and Konkana Sen Sharma have been associated. Plus, the pre-release hype for the movie promised a Rashomon-like experiment, where no one theory was right, and it was a case of perceptions. Sadly, the final product underwhelmed me.

In tackling the Talwar murder, director Meghna Gulzar takes on a challenge that she does not manage to convincingly win. There are a few expert punches, but overall, the director takes on an emotional and commonly held views: that parents can't kill their children, that the police are inept, that office politics trumps the quest for justice.

Talvar doesn't take it's name from the Talwars, but from the talwar that the statue of blind justice carries, that people often overlook. In fact, the family heres are the Tandons, whose daughter Shruti is murdered. I found this name change confusing, since the director and the producer have said in interviews that the story is based on Aarushi Talvar murder case. Why then did they need to change Talvar to Tandon is perplexing. Last minute jitters about litigation?

Instead of the promised Rashomon-like differing perspectives, we get a linear narrative of what happened. The Aarushi case becomes an excuse to highlight a an inept police, an over inquisitive media, nosy neighbors. Understand that Talvar is less about the double murder and more to do with talvar that the statue of Justice holds in her hands. The actual murder and it's aftermath are rushed through, with more emphasis being on the CBI investigation that followed. This is where the movie starts to come apart. Talvar posits a theory that the CBI actually cracked the mystery of who killed Aarushi, but professional rivalry among the officials was the reason it was unable to present a plausible case before the courts. The theory proposed by the movie rests easily on 'the butler did it' argument, only in this case, it is the butler's friends that did it. This is a very simplistic solution to the murder mystery. Aarushi was killed under mysterious circumstances, and the idea proposed by Talvar, though radical and requiring a leap of faith, may not be entirely wrong. But like I said, it requires a certain leap of faith in the director for the viewer to completely disregard what the newspapers have been saying to their readers as well as how the courts inferred the facts of the case. That would require a solid case against the established facts to be presented, which the film fails in doing.

The reason the movie fails is the character development. The Talvars, or in this case the Tandons, are cardboard characters instead of the fleshed out persons that they needed to be. The viewer must empathize with the characters before they agree with their arguments or justifications, but the movie portrays them one dimensionally. The result is a protagonist that fails to connect.

The film makers may argue that the movie is about the investigation but even the characters that do the investigation come across as one dimensional. It starts with the paan chewing inefficient cop who poses for for photos and is forever on the phone. Looking at him the viewer knows that he will bungle up, which he does. The second person to talk about the investigation, the senior police officer is ready to believe in heresay to make the claim about wife swapping; again by-the-numbers.

The movie is supposed to be anchored by the CBI officer who conducted the investigation, the one who nabbed the actual culprit. He is expected to be a well rounded person that can engage the viewer and make them agree with the film's position. What the viewer gets instead is a protagonist in the classic mould of a weary and beaten cop who has seen the ugly side of life and now lives for the small things in life, like sharing liquor with the Chinese food stall owner. Even his marriage is falling apart, making him a complete nomad in the society. He has no ambition in taking up the case, except to get to the truth. His colleagues, however, have their motives in twisting it to meet their ends, and looking at them it becomes obvious. While the protagonist is a loner, his colleagues hunt in packs. Over simplification anyone? An aside: Irrfan as CBI officer Arun Kumar in glasses is the definitive Gulzar touch. There is no doubt about whom to believe.

In taking up the Aarushi Talvar murder mystery, director Meghna Gulzar has shown that she has the guts to tackle a complex subject. She instead deals with it in a manner that panders to our distrust of those who have less than us, but who we can't do without. We tend to blame those working for us for faults that may not be theirs without a second thought and by taking this line, the movie panders to the majority view. It takes certain faith to think that maybe, just maybe, the parents might have been at fault - after all, honor killings are a reality in our society. The inference drawn by the movie seems to be a way of playing to the gallery, be crowd pleasing. The parents are exonerated of any crime, the blame is on the servants. The viewer who paid good money to watch it in the theater feels vindicated in belief that it is the others, less fortunate ones that commit crime.

Which is a cop out.  

Editor Unplugged...

Vinod Mehta has said all he wanted to say in his autobiography, Lucknow Boy. So what is the reason for a sequel? Do autobiographies have sequels? Is Editor Unplugged a sequel? The answer to the third question can be: perhaps.

Editor Unplugged, to be clear, is not an account of Vinod Mehta's life and in that sense, is not an autobiography. But the book brims with his thoughts and beliefs, and how he came about to have them. These shed a better light on the person, and would qualify as an autobiography.

Vinod Mehta is famous for coming on Times Now debates, and more recently, taking a swig from a glass of single malt on TV. Before that, he was the editor who blew open the Radia Tapes story. But such stories, though throwing light on the person, do not do complete justice to him.

In Editor Unplugged, Vinod Mehta talks about the things that matter to him, his views on TV journalism, the people who inspired him, people he was hoodwinked by (an entire chapter on him!). In tone the book feels like it takes off from where the last book ended. To read it is to feel that once Vinod Mehta has finished talking about himself, he sits back and waxes on topics that come to his mind. To that end, the book is a perfect follow up to the earlier book. A valuable read,

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Added on 9/03/15

Vinod Mehta's passing is a bolt from the blue. Suddenly, this book seems like the perfect swan song to an interesting lifeled.

Badlapur: When Revenge is Vintage

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
                                            -  Klingon saying

The modern discourse is populated by calls for revenge and retribution. Revenge has gained acceptance in popular culture as justified if one feels slighted. But what about the revenge seeker? When does the yearning for revenge die? What if it stays alive?

Badlapur doesn't tackle these questions head on, but it does visit them. Let's not forget, first and foremost, this is a masala film, and it stays true to the genre.

Sriram Raghavan, a master of thrillers, tells a story of revenge, but true to the genre, presents it with a lot of twists. People expecting a straightforward revenge and redemption story may be disappointed but those that love a good thriller will find it satisfying.

The story, told in a linear fashion goes thus: Raghu's (Varun Dhawan) wife Misha and son Robin, while returning home one day end up becoming hostages to an escape from a bank heist. Both are killed and the culprit, Laik (Nawazuddin), is jailed for the crime though he claims that his partner did it without revealing his name. Liak is a free man after fifteen years and as he goes to collect his share of his booty, discovers that Raghu had killed his partner Harman and his wife, and his love is a rich man's keep.

The theme of Badla or revenge runs prominently throughout the movie, but a subliminal theme also is of a badlav (change). Time changes everyone.  As Raghu waits for his revenge, he undergoes a badlav from a man mourning over the death of his family to a loner who is looking for a chance to avenge the murder of his wife and son. Liak, too,  metamorphoses from an eternal optimist in the prison to a jaded person once he manages to come out.  People change, as does the times. Holding on to memories - tragic ones for Raghu and happy ones for Liak - is no protection against the present. There is no redemption to be had in memories.
Liak's coming out of prison sets into motion a chain of events that forces to audience to view the protagonist and the antagonist in a new light. To paraphrase a Gulzar song, भला बुरा है, बुरा भला है।  As tables turn, one wonders if there is any absolution for the players. Raghu lost his family in one brutal incident, while Liak lost his love over the years but only realised it when he came out of prison. Both face their demons in their own fashion.
Varun Dhawan is a revelation, in that he can pull in a performance. Though not fully convincing, he shows that he is ready to push his limits, which is a good thing. Nawazuddin puts in a great performance that has come to be expected from him, and then takes it a notch higher. His Liak is at once reprehensible as well as pitiable. Huma Qureshi, Vinay Pathak, Radhika Apte also put in convincing performance. Pathak, especially, is a treat to watch, as he belies expectations from his character convincingly. He deserves a movie of his own and not of the Bheja Fry kind.
The director loves the jump cut as a plot device to move the story forward. It takes a little getting used to, but in the end, makes for an interesting narrative.
Badlapur is not your typical Bollywood revenge saga, but is told deftly to interest even a hardcore masala lover.

Still here

Been ignoring this space for no reason other than laziness. BTW, this is my post from my mobile phone. Yay!

Happy Holi 2013

A Very Happy Holi to anyone visiting this blog

The revolution so far...

So the Rebels have lost, the Party has won.

I was skeptical about the Jan Lokpal movement from the outset, when Anna had fasted at Jantar Mantar last year. It was too idealistic. But it had a person of theandnbsp;statureandnbsp;of Kiran Bedi, which was a good indicator. I finally visited the Jan Lokpal movement during its second innings at the Ramlila grounds, and came back a changed man. Looking at the electric atmosphere there, where the people braved the elements are listened to people like Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal, Om Puri and many others speak. I started believing in the Jan Lokpal movement, but not in the methods. Anna's movement did bring the idea of the Lokpal to the people, but to believe that his fast could bring about that change would beandnbsp;naive.

At Ramlila grounds, looking at the sea of humanity and the throng of celebrities, it was obvious that it would be a tough act to follow, a fact that was proved right a few months later in Mumbai. The fatigue had set in. People would not be willing to take time out to hear Anna speak again.

So, when Anna announced a fast again, people had a right to be skeptical. Since Ramlila, a lot had happened. The people India Against Corruption were not the saints they were a year ago. Stories, real a well as planted, about the mismanagement of the movement had tired the people.

That would have been a good opportunity to separate the movement from the people - Jan Lokpal should have been placed above Anna and Kejriwal. But the movement started worshipping Anna and Kejriwal, thereby undermining it themselves. Kejriwal even proclaimed that the Jan Lokpal was above the Constitution of India! So much so for humility!

To be sure, this movement didn't implode by itself. The government too planted stories about Anna and Kejriwal, leading to a lot of misinformation.

As things stand, the Jan Lokpal movement didn't achieve what it set out to achieve. Even the presence of Anna in the anshan could not drum up the hysteria of a year ago. The government chose to ignore the latest protest, and even the public stayed away, largely (I know, I was there).

The final nail in the coffin was announcement by Anna of forming a political party. The rebels had lost and the powers had won. While their demand of a Lokpal Bill was unfulfilled, the government's demand that Anna join active politics was fulfilled. Score one for the Institution!

By giving in to the demands, Team Anna have dashed the hopes of many Indians. What brought a diverse group of people together was a common dream for a better society. By going political, they have again divided them along regional, religious and political lines.

Happy Independence Day

Wishing all visitors to my blog and Googlebot a Happy Indian Independence Day! Long live the Republic!

Dongri to Dubai: A review

Crime reporter Hussain Zaidi attempts to chronicle the Mumbai underworld, which is a monumental task, considering how widespread it is, and with a history that is not documented at all. Each generation has its own stories and gangsters, with only a tenuous connection between them. A layman would not be able to connect between Haji Mastan, Vardarajan and Haji Mastan, and fewer still will be able to recall who came before these three. The era of the D-company, though well documented, has its own urban legends, and it is difficult to separate truth from the fiction. By attempting to provide a history of the Mumbai crime world right from when it was a small fishing village is a daunting task, but Mr. Zaidi, who has been covering the crime beat in Mumbai for a long time is just the right person.
Mr. Zaidi is famous for his books on Mumbai blasts, as well as the women crime lords of Mumbai. Plus, he has the sole distinction of interviewing Dawood Ibrahim after the Mumbai blasts. These facts point to his resourcefulness in gathering facts, which would be a key aspect for a job of this kind.
The book, in a nutshell, is uneven. Mr Zaidi uses his journalistic skills to tell the story of crime in Mumbai well, starting from the beginning of the last century. He explains the importance of the Dongri in the book's title as not being just the place where Dawood Ibrahim operated, but rather where it all started. Dongri is the epicenter of the crime world in Mumbai. We also come to know about the earliest gangs of Mumbai, the Muslim gangs and the Christian gangs, as he chronicles their skirmishes. Without this book, the exploits of Bada Johnny, Chota Johnny and Chikna Johnny would have been lots, as would the stories of the Lucknowi Gang, the Rampuri gang and the Jaunpuri Gang. These parts are the interesting parts of the book.
Mr. Zaidi then moves to the era of the Big Three (Haji Mastan, Vardarajan and Karim Lala) and tell of the rise of three, and in turn, of the beginnings of organized crime. The narrative gradually goes to tell the rise of Dawood Ibrahim.
Mr Zaidi has done a lot of research into the subject, and it shows. But a little more research would have helped, a little restraint, since the book reads like a report on crime on one side, while it manages to throw pieces of information about the characters we did not know. Like the meeting between Haji Mastan and Vardrajan in a jail at night, or the striking up of a partnership between Haji Mastan and Karim Lala over an iftar meal. The narrative reads totally filmi, right down to the dialogues supposed to have taken place between the protagonists. Granted that Bollywood has always played a big role in Mumbai underworld, but the canniness is disturbing. To think that a dialogue from Sholay gave the impetus to the rise of Dawood Ibrahim. Or that a pir forretold of his greatness/infamy. Its too hard to believe, but difficult to disbelieve as well. As it stands, these are the best bits of the book.
The portion dealing with the Dawood era chronicles his rise to the top of the underworld well to the detriment of others. Even if Dawood was the biggest fish in the pond, there were others who help him, and still others who challenged him. The do get a mention, but not much is told about them, which is a shame since they were his foot soldiers, and a more public face of his.
The book does not dwell too much on the Chota Rajan - Chota Shakeel rivalry, explaining it as just a professional rivalry. In fact, reading the book, one gets the impression that the Dawood Ibrahim - Chota Rajan rivalry was started by Chota Shakeel, and Dawood had nothing to do with it. The book also misses out on the sensational murder of Sharad Shetty by Chota Rajan, It seems, the works of others pales when compared to the Big D.
Like I said earlier, the book is uneven. It skims over certain events, while suddenly delving into others in depth. Also, the exploits of some gangsters scores over the other. Haji Mastan and Dawood Ibrahim are given move space than Vardarajan, Karim Lala, Abu Salem and Chota Rajan. That Dawood should concentrate on Dawood since he is the biggest ganglord of our times is understandable, but to ignore his associates in the process in the process does not do justice to the ambitious book.
Dongri to Dubai is an important book in Indian publishing, but the importance is lessened by the lopsided storytelling. But for an initiation into the violent, compelling history of the Mumbai mafia, here can't be a better book.

Gangs of Wasseypur

Anurag Kashyap attempts a magnum opus with this one. Telling a story story that spans generations is tough, one that spans three generations is tougher still. One that also is a reflection of the changes that happened in the intervening years is a very tall order. But Anurag Kashyap is not one to back out of challenges, and the end result is a mixed bag.

Gangs of Wasseypur attempts to tell the story of warring Khans and Qureshis,the Khans and the Singhs and also the rise of the coal mafia in this small town. Here, Anurag Kashyap loses track occasionally, concentrating on on character to the detriment of others. The story of the warring factions is not directly linked to the coal mafia, so in effect, Kashyap attempts to tell two stories in one. 

Therein, the problem arises, as he flits between the two stories for the first thirty minutes, and then intermittently. But look past this flaw, and what emerges is an engrossing story, well told. The actors paying their parts being out the characters wonderfully.

The story matter is dark, populated by people who curse, beat and kill. They are darker than the coal mines of Wasseypur. Shahid Khan, a Pathan who robs trains as Sultana daku picks up a fight with the Querishis and is forced to move to Dhanbad, where he works in a coal mine. The first time he meets Ramadhir Singh on screen is when he is being stopped from going to see his wife who is expecting his child. It is clear that their relationship is uneasy, and the son is remotely involved.

Later, as things progress after India gains independence, Ramadhir Singh gets to oversee the mines and Shahid is  his enforcer. Each is getting more ambitious. The wily Ramadhir puts an end to Shahid's ambitions and nearly kills Sardar as well but he survives. Into this mix, come the Qureshis, once again. 

Manoj Bajpai plays the grown up Sardar Khan, hell bent on revenge, his only motivation. Sardar is darkness personified, having no conscience or guilt. All his actions are geared towards eliminating Ramadhir Singh, who has no idea about him. But for all all his bravado outside, he is at the receiving end of his wife's jhaadu. Richa Chadda has played the fiesty Najma, wife of Sardar Khan with conviction. The sight of a heavily Nagma chasing Sardar through a brothel, jhaadu on one hand, and of her going to spy on her husband with her kids speak of her range as an actor. Her wide range of emotions is a perfect foil to the single minded focus of Sardar Khan.

As the film progresses, we see Sardar Khan returning to Wasseypur to take on the Querishis, who have been terrorizing the other Muslims. He takes not time in making his presence felt. When he does meet Ramdhir Singh, he does not introduce himself with words, but with artifacts. Ramadhir is stunned, knowing he made a mistake long ago.

In the mean time, he also get a Hindu mistress for himself, the Bangalan Durga. The sequence of their courtship is among the few light moments in this otherwise dark film. Reema Sen as the seductress Durga is captivating.

Sardar loses no opportunity in hitting at Ramadhir. His clout has grown, and Ramadhir knows about him, but he is more of a nuisance to him than a threat.

In the mean time, two of his sons, Danish and Faisal have grown up, Danish being the good son and Faisal being the rebel. Faisal is the only innocent soul in the movie, a charasi who has taken refuge in the world of drugs and movies to escape the harsh realities around him.

From the beginning till the end, one expects violence to erupt on screen, such is the tension created by the characters. When Danish manages a truce between the Khans and the Qureshis, it would seem Sardar will have one less enemy to worry about. But the final attack on him at a petrol pump awakens him to the vengeance he had promised himself: the total annihilation of Ramadhir Singh, which still remains. Riddled with bullets, struggling to stand straight, he is again reminded of his aim, and sets out to pass on his vengeance to his sons. That is the perfect ending to the saga of Sardar, and the beginning of rise of Faisal Khan. One looks forward to the sequel.

Shanghai

Dibakar Banerjee gets together an ensemble cast for his fourth outing, a mix of regulars (Abhay Deol), expected (Kalki Kochelin, fast an alternate cinema favourite) and completely unexpected (Emran Hashmi??!!??).
Shanghai takes off from the promise that politicians make, about bringing about development, in this case, compared to Shanghai. Shanghaied also means to swindle someone. In the case of the move, the title can refer to either.
Based on the Greek novel 'Z', the setting has been Indianised. The aspirations of small town India aiming to be in the big league, 'progress' and 'modernity' trampling the traditional, the film covers everything.
Dibakar Banerjee has an eye for details, which catches the smaller nuances in a scene. He employs this sharp  observations to good use to capture the feel of a small-town India. His Bharatnagar is a claustrophobic town, filled with people aiming to move up in life. Pitobash wants to learn English, so that he can become a manager, Emran wants to earn money so that he can go home, and many more such stories. In the middle of all this, there are huge celebrations by the political parties celebrating their city that is about to become another Shanghai.
The Bharat Mata Ki Jai song appears to be ill-fitting in this setting, but in the smoke and mirror goings-on in the film, it is the most direct shot of reality. Calling the bluff on all the positive surroundings, the song, instead, revels on the truth of the visible India, the gur as well as the gobar.
The bleak environs of the movie are a stark contrast to the candy floss that is served up every week in theaters. That itself sets apart, but what elevates it is the performance of the principal cast. Of special note is Faroukh Sheikh as Kaul, the face of the government, as he goes about ironing out the issues, and also, the actor who plays Pitobash's mamu through all the mayhem, he is concerned about his truck, while being consumed by guilt. Though he speaks less, his eyes speak volumes.
Whit this movie, Dibakar Banerjee serves up another intelligent far. If three strikes is a hat trick, what do you call it when a person strikes four times?

Anurag Kashyap: an ear for music

Anurag Kashyap has blazed a trail in directing movies and writing them. Every since Satya, his skills have never been in doubt. He brought a fresh perspective in the bubblegum movies of late nineties with the hard hitting Sayta, which he co-wrote with Saurabh Shukla. With Paanch, this grittiness was given a visual feel by him.
Since then, AK has gone on to make movies he believes in, mixing stories with his levels of real-life slices and his trademark drug trips (go through movies directed by him, and there will be a pot-smoking sequence).
But what many have missed, is his ability to get good music in his movies. For a Bollywood, having a good ear for music is as essential as having an eye for a good face. A look at the best directors shows that they usually have nice music in their films, with a few exceptions (Raj Kumar Santoshi seems to be completely tone deaf). Right from Paanch onward, the music in his film stands out, like his films as being off beat, but also catchy. Paanch had the superb Yeh Kaisa Hai Shehar as well as the moody Pakaa Mat. All in all, Paanch is a nice compilation, with immense repeat value. His next was Black Friday, which had music by Indian Ocean, once again an offbeat choice by Bollywood standards. Bu the quality of songs delivered is something else. Each song on that album is a gem. From Bandeh, which is a plea to the terrorist to stop, to Karam Bhaap Ke, which portrays the aftermath of committing a sin, it covers a range of emotions. Next up was Dev D, which people remember Emotional Atyachar and Pardesi. But the entire album is filled with gems, that cover a range of emotions and feelings. Dev lamenting with Saali Khushi, Paro rejoicing with Dhol Yaara, Chanda feeling happy with Aankh Micholi. I haven't seen or head That Girl in Yellow Boots, so can't comment on that movie (did it have a soundtrack?). With Gangs of Wasseyour, AK again shows his ear for music. He has gotten Sneha Khanwalkar to churn out music that is rustic, earthy, but at the same time, accessible to everyone.
Truth be told, it seems that AK has a monopoly in this kind of music, an earthy, true-to-roots kind of music, which melds with the movie.  But it takes a certain belief in yourself to go against the tide and do your won thing. The common thread amongst all his music has been that they have a certain melody to them, and fit neatly into the stories. No rock anthems for GOW, and not classical songs for Paanch, cos they would not fit.
In future, if there is a retrospective of AK, he should be mentioned in the same breath as Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Subhash Ghai. Looks like for all his rebelliousness, he is turning out to be one of them!

More Truths...

Another episode of Satyamev Jayate, and this time, Aamir spoke of dowry. As issues go, dowry is an evergreen cause to take up, given how it still needs to be eradicated from out society. A lot of it has to do with societal aspirations. The better placed a groom is within the society, the more value he can get for himself. The brides, on their parts, also aspires for a well earning husband, who has a standing in the society, Into this mix potent mix add money, and you have a heady mixture of dowry.
Watching the show, I was amazed at Aamir's theatrics, his long drawn gasps at hearing the heartbreaking stories , while keeping a poker face through it all. While Aamir must be applauded for taking a stand on issues, his theatrics do get in the way. If his heart bleeds for such issues, then he should not be afraid to show it.  Or maybe he is not to the type to show his emotions, letting his actions speak or him. If that is true, he should not be hosting a talk show.  Aamir later wrote and article in the institution. Reading it, one doesn't find any intellectually invigorating stuff. It may be written with the best intentions, but it is not the best piece of opinion pieces.
The show itself, has been losing its steam. Even Aamir can't force people to watch serious stuff on a Sunday morning, no less.
Aamir has chosen the wrong medium to vent his emotions about the society.  But I am more inclined to believe that he is looking for a far greater role in the society as a politician/conscience keeper.

A trip to Nizamuddin

There is a perception, in Delhi, that a trip to a Muslim locality means lip-smacking non-veg food, and a home grown exotica, as Muslim roam in their skull caps, and the more enterprising even wear the Dishdasha, the long white dress worn by Arab men. On the roadsides are people barbecuing  delicious kebabs, pieces marinated chicken hanging from skewers. Then there is a grand mosque, which usually form the nodal point of the place, where the residents go, and where the visitors (non-Muslims) go, to get a different experience. For all its claims of being multi religious, India is still segregated along religious lines, and Hindu visiting these localities finds them to be exotic, even switching to rudimentary Urdu to show that he fits in.
The most famous of these places, undoubtedly, is the Chandini Chowk/Jama Masijd area, but there are other. Theres the Matka Pir near Purana Qila, and also, Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah in Nizamuddin.
Thursday night, was a get together for a facebook group, which purpotedly meets once a week to visit little known places in Delhi and to taste the local cuisine. The plan was, meet up at 7 pm, go visit the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin, listen to the qawwali, retire to a nice non-veg restaurant and gorge on meat.
Me, my wife and a friend decided to go, but we reached an hour and a half late. By that time, the others had already left, so it was left to us to explore that area. This was not the first time for me, as I had visited the place earlier, searching to the tomb of Ghalib, reaching early morning. I had found the place to be pleasant, though unremarkable for such a historical place. A regular basti.
This time, however, the scene was completely different. When we reached the place, it was thronging with people, all heading towards the dargah. On the sides were hawkers selling flowers and chadars to be placed at the tomb. It was like a visit to any Hindu holy place, except that this was a Muslim place. Lots of crowd, hawkers selling you pooja materials, or ibaadat materials, as Muslims would call it.
To get to the main dargah, one has to go through a very narrow lane, lined on each side with more hawkers selling more chadars. The lanes themselves are quite bright lit, crowded and full of life. If you have seen Rockstar, you know what to expect.
The first view of the dargah is a sight in itself, coming as it does after a long walk through narrow lanes, never expecting to see any open spaces. There is a main dargah an a smaller dargah, which comes first. A long line had formed outside, as people lay chadars and prayed. But there was a shortcut as well, where people could simply touch heads at the walls. The only catch was that the persons who made it happen would then ask for a small donation. The same thing was witnessed on the main dargah as well, where we were able to bypass a serpentine queue by making a donation of Rs 200/-. Reminded me of my Tirupati trip, with its variously priced tickets that can get you faster service. I was able a get a quicker darshan by paying a small dakshina, which I am sure will be used towards the dargah maintenance.
The praying over, no it was time to get down to the real purpose of the visit, namely qawwali and some nice non-veg food.
Unfortunately, the qawwali, which was scheduled to begin at eight, hadn't begun till nine-thirty, and there was no telling when it would begin. Looking at the crowd around me, I wasn't too confident about it starting too soon, so we had to abandon that idea.
The other part of the plan was food. We set out to savour what the galis of Nizamuddin had to offer. The jostling in the crowd had increased my hunger further, and I looked forward to some nice mutton. The first disappointment was that most of the restaurants at the place did not serve mutton. It was only chicken or beef, neighter of which I wanted. Only one restaurant in Nizanuddin served mutton, and that was at the beginning of the street, so we had to walk a long way back, only to be told that there was a waiting period.
We were able to get a table soon enough, and gorge on som nice mutton.
Alas, the food did not live up to our expectations! To be fair, we did not know what to expectation there. Our expectation were solely based on the experience of Chandini Chowk and the Matka Pir, both of which had been good. But the Nizamuddin experience was found lacking. For starters, the kebabs did not have any salt in them, neither did the tandoori chicken. The rotis were too hard, and the mutton gravy was sweet due to too much onion. This kind of food is not acceptable at a regular place, let alone at a place which is a tourist attraction and also a place visited by so many pilgrims. The service was bad as well, as it took more than twenty minutes for the order to come. Even the cold drinks took time!
A simple meal, which could be had in half hour took nearly on hour. Not a good service, and that too, after an exhausting trip.
All in all, the best part of the trip was the walk to the dargah, through the narrow lanes.
Also, I realized that I should not generalize. Just because I am going to a Muslim dominated place that has a famous monument as well, does not mean I will get good food as well. For that, I just stick to Matka Pir.