Some extra intellectual movie buffs (including Desi, N.R.I and the Others) point out that there is dearth of good work in Bollywood and it is all about gimmicks, useless songs and dance sequences. Also they are unable to adapt any kind of literary texts successfully into the silver screen etc . So for them and the rest (the lovers) please take a look.
1.1947 Earth
Deepa Mehta’s movie based on Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice Candy Man, the movie deserves applause for its screenplay, the acting department,and the songs. Aamir Khan plays the antagonist andyou cannot restrain yourself from applauding this genius when he expresses his sexual jealousy. The display of intrigue and the pain of partition creates a tragic tale in celluloid…
check out for the Gulshan Grover’s dialogue-” Happy Independence”.
2.Guide.
The finest Bollywood movie ever, be it an adapted screenplay or an orginal screenplay, everything…
Players – Shah Rukh Khan , Anushka Sharma , Chandan Roy Sanyal
There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who admire Shah Rukh Khan and the zombies. Oh, you are hurt… As if I care…
Jab Harry Met Sejal is a coming of age romance and one of the most honest performances by the lead cast. Shah Rukh Khan once again weaves magic on the 70 mm and Anushka Sharma proves that she is definitely one of the best leading ladies of the Hindi Film Industry.
Storyline
Fuck you 😀 I won’t tell you. It is the Bollywood’s answer to The Lord of the Rings without Sam, Frodo and Sauron. Imtiaz Ali delivers one of the uninteresting plot lines ever.
Songs
Why Imtiaz Ali Why? You could have paid decent script writers with all the amount you invested in making such lame songs. Ok Ok, they have been forced upon the script and mostly upon the audience. Well except, Beech Beech Mein..Because the film glowed only beech beech mein.
Acting & Characterisation
Shah Rukh Khan is Badshah of Romance. He is the God. This film (actually all the films ) belongs to him. You will just love him for his effortless acting skills. Forget Raj, delete Rahul from your memory, Harry is real and hard-hitting. Are you sure SRK that you are not Punjabi? The accent, the mannerism and dialogue delivery- well you are just Chak de Patthey. Most of the men are like Harry, they like to play it rough and sleep with any one but lonely at heart. Harry is the next-door boy who is confused and perplexed with life. That is why Imitiaz Ali cannot be ignored, as he comes up with some of the most honest characters in Hindi Cinema.
Anushka Sharma …you are savage. I am fortunate enough to rub shoulder with few Gujju Baa, Bahoo and Ben..and you have provided one of the most honest portrayals of a Gujarati Woman. They are rich, they show-off a lot but they are very good and brave at heart…just like you Sejal. Chandan Roy Sanyal ‘s portrayal as a Bangladeshi Immigrant is funny and gory at the same time. Sadly you have been over-looked by Bollywood directors.
I couldn’t see any other people on the screen. Jab Harry Met Sejal gives you the honest meaning of Star Cast.
Other
Imtiaz Ali is an honest film maker ..but he has given an above average performance in this film. Cinematography and background score is commendable. The film has some of the finest European locations, excellent acting and commendable characterisation. Enjoy the heart to heart conversation between Punjab da Puttar Harry and Gujju Chokri Sejal.
Do not miss the scene where Sejal provides legal advice for Harry’s break-up with his hot European Blonde. The film has been dragged behind limit…again why Ali why?
This could have been a great romance. I repeat…could have been. By the way, Harry and Sejal will be in your heart for ever and ever. At least this is a practical love story not the Utopian out of the world Bollywood romantic flicks. Lastly, SRK can romance a rock and make it go weak on his knees..toh fir audience kya cheez hain?
Abhas Kumar Ganguly is still regarded as one of the most talented singer of our nation. Mohd Rafi is a singing genius , Manna Dey is the Badshah of Classical and Semi-Classical gharana…well Kishore Kumar belongs to the aam admi and it is important to respect the taste of the mass also. Kishore Kumar is known for churning outs romantic tracks , peppy numbers and heart-wrenching songs. mainly . But this blog post focuses upon those songs which are aimed at life in general . So no Jhumroo and Hum to Mohabbat karega over here. Some songs are contextual while some are for life. After all nothing is more important than life itself. Check this out.
1. Gaadi Bula Rahi Hain , Dost (1974)
This is my favourite and motivates you to move forward just like the mighty trains which overcomes all the blockades in its track and keep moving on with fire in it’s heart. Dharmendra ‘s silence is so beautiful. This is a must song for your travel playlist.
Favourite Line : Aggey toofan , peeche barsaat ..upar gagan pe bijli
2. Zindagi Ek Safar hain Suhana , Andaz (1971)
This song doesn’t need any introduction , just enjoy the long road known as Life. This was a philosophy simplified of the concept known as Carpediem. Life life , make merry …do give a damm about others. Also it reminds you that life is vulnerable and might get lost at any time.
Rajesh Khanna’s lovable friendly appearence and Hema Malini’s smile makes this one a treat to watch. Mohd Rafi did a sad version of the same song but it was Kishore da winning the brownie point the end. Check out Bombay in the 70’s..
Favourite line : Hasste gaatey Jahan se guzar
3. Jeevan Ke Safar Mein Raahi Milte Hain Bichar Jane ko , Munimji (1955)
The song highlights the fact that life is lonely and we are alone .You will have some people at some point of your life and you will part away with all of them..except with life. Dev Anad with his infectious smile ….hard to resist.
Favourite Line : Tanhayee mein tarpa ne ko
4. Zindagi Ki Yahi Reet , Mr.India (1987)
What is Life ?- It is triumph and defeat. It is being happy and being sad…..Brilliant use of metaphors. Anil Kapoor proves his mettle as an actor.If you ever feel depressed , listen to this one…
Favourite Line : Har naya paal naya geet hain
5.Thoda Hai Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai , Khatta-Meetha (1978)
No philosophical mumbo-jumbo over here.It is about the aspirations of the Indian middle class.Some of us need money , some of us need love , some of us need fame.Blatantly originial and hardhitting.
Favourite Line : The whole song..
6. Aane Wala pal , Golmaal (1979 )
The beauty of time and the crudeness of the same. Life is all about the little precious moments , try to live it.Simple and classy-that is Kishore all about.
Favourite Line : Ho saakey toh isme Zindagi Beeta Do
7. Musafir Hoon Yaaron , Parichay (1972)
Gulzar’s lyrics about the evergreen traveller ,who wanders across the land with only one aim , no aim . It is about the restlessness , it is about freedom .. and most importantly it is about the wanderlust of life. Bohemian spirit de-coded.
Let me tell you something about myself , I am from the metropolis of Calcutta-home of one of the most charismatic hero in World History , Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.I have supported the concept of non-violence against the intruders. It was and it is always by war. You name the book , I have been through it . You name the documentaries and other creative works on Netaji and INA , I have gone through all of them. Thus there is no fooling over here ,Tigmanshu Dhulia ‘s Raag Desh comes up with brilliant research work about INA and Netaji.
The story of Raag Desh is so detailed that you tend to stand up and salute to the research team of the film . Few years ago Shyam Benegal made an endearing biographical film Bose-The Forgotten Hero which ended with the staged Taihaku flight accident of Subhas Bose(read the reports of Mukherjee Commission) and the trial of INA officers. Raag Desh picks up the story-line from the famous Red Fort trial (1945)of the three star studded men of Azad Hind Fauj.
Dhulia has been successful in extracting some of the career defining performances from majority of the actors. The three leading men Kunal Kapoor, Amit Sadh, Mohit Marwah doesn’t leave any room for complain. I wonder why Kunal Kapoor and Amit Sadh have been missing from action , dear Bollywood please use them properly . Mohit Marwah’s voice and body language is hard hitting on the 70mm. Kenny Basumatary, as the supreme leader of INA and the bravest leader of all time(yes yes Subhas Bose ) manages to leave a mark on the audience. Kanwaljit Singh is as good as ever in his empathetic role in the film.However it is Kenny Desai as Bhulabhai Desai who steals the laurel of acting department. Loved it the way you articulated your character on the screen.Look out for the journalist in the film(yeah the bad mouth Delhi ka launda in Pink)..you will love him.
As usual no spoilers about the film’s story-line . But there is a weak point in the narration, Dhulia employs excessive to and fro jumps between past and present scenarios in the film and it is tiring at times.
The film falls flat on some of the shoddy fight sequence but manages to compensate it on the court-room scenes in the film. Music is average over here , but the background score is rather very compelling . INA’s theme song Kadam Kadam Baraye Ja is a treat to the audience.
Raag Desh is not the usual loud screeching Bollywood patriotic films. It has been carefully crafted by Tigmanshu and his team. It is satirical and it is free from any kind of jingoism. It is a tragic story of a failed army who dreamt big and worked hard to gain freedom. Subhas Bose appears in flashes but his ideals of hitting the enemy hard reverberates across all the members of INA in Raag Desh. Ironically many Indians also fought against INA soldiers across the North-Eastern front of India , Raag-Desh portrays the dilemma of the INA soldiers shooting their own countrymen(British Indian Army ). It is one of the most heart-wrenching moment of the movie. The film will remind you of court room dramas like Shaurya, A Few Good Men and Twelve Angry Men. But Raag Desh is original and brilliant in its own accord.
When Bollywood is caught up with making ghisa- pita love stories and southern rip off , Raag Desh is a bold move and almost a an epic execution. Watch the movie to know the real heroes of Indian freedom movement. Watch it for real information and real life characters of our nation . Don’t miss this one. Lastly this is not Dunkirk(much behind it) but this one will go down in history. Tigmanshu Dhulia, take a bow. There is only emotion that is love for the nation…it surpasses religion, Raag Desh proved it and didn’t pester forced nationalism and secularism. IMDB gave it 9.1/10 by the way… 😛
Corruption is a crime, and criminals deserve punishment. But what happens when Godhimself bribes a Sailor? Why does he do this, and for what?Kishaant is an aspiring cadet in Merchant Navy, but his life is ruined on-board his ship by a person whom he trusted the most. He loses his father, his girl-friend, his pride and even his sleep owing to this one single incident.But would this bribe change his life once again and bring it on track? Or is this bribe a gate away made by God to make the beautiful Tasha enter his life? Un-decipher the mysteries as you flow through the pages and unveil a true story of a Sailor, now sailing somewhere in a deep ocean.
Review
There are good books, there are great books and then there are some which makes you believe in Life and love. Shalabh Bansal’s When God Bribed a Sailor is one such book which restores your faith upon humanity. Some books should not be judged on parameters but should be enjoyed and most importantly it should be fondled from depth of your heart.
The cover design is unique where a God (in blue) is seen handling over a coin to sailor. It intrigues the reader to explore the narrative. Blue God is either Shiva , Krishna or is it something else? You have to find it out by yourself.
I have never revealed the plot elements in my review and it will be continued with this one also. However I can offer you an outline, this novel speaks about Kishaant – a sailor and this is not his sail diary but his story of his life and his final triumph in the end. Sea is full of terror and obstacles , so is Kishaant’s life. You will be amazed how the author in his first person narrative has lived the life of Kishaant in When God bribed a Sailor. It is the story of spiritual healing and finding the way to live your life again.The readers will feel the adrenaline rush when the God arrives and hand over a suitcase to the protagonist. What is there inside the suitcase? Is Kishaant going to use it ? Well you have to read it and be ready to enjoy the twists and rapid turns in the plot.
The characterization is one of the strong points of the novel, especially the main protagonist and Tasha. I am very thankful to the author for bringing up such a layered woman character. Kishaant is a hardworking young man who dreams big but fate played a game and the narrative is about how Kishaant fights back and rises like a Phoenix from the dark abyss of Shipping industry. Look out for Sister Catherine and Sanchi.
The first person narrative is simple and easily relatable to most of the readers. However there are some portions where thoughts and feelings of the characters have flown like a raging stream. One might find it bit obscure to decipher it and label it as a fault in the narration. Well , this technique is known as stream of consciousness technique and it is one of the most challenging way to describe the psychology of the characters.Saurabh Bansal have succeeded in delivering stream of consciousness in a gripping manner.
Full marks to Mr. Bansal for such a brilliant conception and execution. The book scores high on characterization, writing technique, cover design and flawless plot presenation. Extra brownie points for out if the way nomenclature of the chapters. It would be wonderful to witness this book on 70mm.
You want to experience romance, go for it. Do you need some thrilling moments and suspense? You have this one. Lastly , do you need some spiritual awakening? Well, you know the answer. This is a must buy and it will remain with you for long.
Pros
Unique concept.
Gripping plot and Bansal is a master story-teller.
Engaging Cover Design.
Simple approach to a complex story.
Characterisation in the narrative , look out for Tasha and Kishaant.
Cons
The editing could have been better.
Nothing more
Ratings-9/10.
Buying Link
goo.gl/2keXTi
Author’s Info
Shalabh Bansal”, a successful 1st Engineering Officer in Merchant Navy, was born inMeerut on 30th May 1986. After sailing round the world, he finally decided to pen down his thoughts and experiences in the black and white format. He is already an author of two novels, namely “The Dreams Book” and “A Pluperfect Gift”. The latter one, i.e. “A Pluperfect Gift” got a massive response from the readers and was a good hit in the market.Some famous celebrities like “LUCKY ALI” and “ABHIJEET BHATTACHARYA” also liked the book and promoted it on their social pages. Even the great producer/director“Mr.MAHESH BHATT” also picked up the book for a read and praised it in front of a mass.The facebook page scored over 25000 likes gradually. Subsequently he was invited by the“DainikJagran” newspaper for guest articles and also by the “MERI” magazine for seafares for a column in their magazine.The author was termed as the “BEST UPCOMING AUTHOR” at a ceremony by the very famous “SAILORS TODAY” magazine. The magazine is circulated in India as well as many European companies with a tie up with Video-Tel( in Europe).Apart from this, he is also a photographer and many of his photographs have received critical acclamation.( like the erupting volcano, the midway rain, sharks and dolphins, etc)
Shalabh Bansal is still sailing and enjoys seeing the sunrise and the sunset over the bluewaters every single day. He also received an invitation lately to become one of the social moderator and co-ordinator of the “AAM AADMI PARTY” team, but he declined theinvitation due to his job pressure, which demands quiet a lot of time out of India.While doing his schooling from the very famous “ST. MARYS ACADEMY” Meerut, hiswriting skills were recognised by the teachers and they mentored them to dexterity. He graduated as a Marine Engineer from BITS PILANI, under the elite “TOLANI MARITIME INSTITUTE”, Pune in 2008.
Story by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley (Based on Stan Lee’s Comics)
Who all are there? Ans :- Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr.
Let me get this straight, I have never read any comics of Marvel, except Spiderman. Well there were few episodes of Captain America in my stash, that’s it. It was DC’s heroes all the way. Spider-Man Homecoming has broken the internet with its funky trailer and the most importantly introducing Iron-Man into the film story line. I was bustling with teen like excitements because I was going to watch one of my favourite super heroes Master Spidey on big screen (didn’t watch the previous Spidey series on big screen). At least there was and there is a super-hero with real life problems.
I was truly afraid that Tony Stark’s towering personality might over shadow the baby boy. Well, Spider-Man is there and the movie belongs to him all the way. Tom Holland is confused , bumbling with high level of testosterone and most importantly he is a hero in his own accord. At last there is a Spider- Man with the closest resemblance to the comic book. Cinema and comics are altogether different medium and cinematic liberty is cool but being faithful to the original comics, actually touches your soul. Marvel Cinematic Universe – take a bow for providing such a decent script and presenting the Spidey of the decade. One of the best features of MCU , is the existence of different comic book characters and linking the story-line to something very big, oh yes I am talking about Avenger’s Infinity War.
Tom Holland is perfect. Spidey’s tech support, the cutipie Asian Guy (Americans have this issue of calling Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indians as Asians) provides some comic relief as usual (that is the job of Tech Support , apart from tech support). Robert Downey Jr is a God(Not a typo. It is God) as usual . Spidey’s aunt …mmmm is HOT. The former Batman and Birdman, Michael Keaton is menacing on screen . Keaton looked more convincing as a baddie without the entire freakish Vulture suit.
Cinematography could have been much better. Spidey’s original theme song was refreshing and nostalgic to the core. Action sequences were good but could have been more stylish. But the technical brilliance showcased is really cool. Iron-Man has done some terrific up gradation with the Spidey suit. This movie scores full marks on the acting department and the engaging screenplay across the run time. Some scenes were brilliant, some were let down. Tom Holland is a future superstar. He is so real with his problems and torment. He does not want to be low key local hero but want to make it big among the Avengers. This Spider-Man never cries or breaks down. He is a teen who can control his emotions and hold his tears. He knows what he is doing. He can take his own decisions and at the same time he is a jackass.
If you think it is Iron-Man who can show off his attitude in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ,well here is teen hero who can match him. He carries his pride and he knows his place. He proves it that it is the valour which makes a hero , not the suit.
Pros
Tom Holland’s performance…
Acting is really cool…
Screenplay is also very cool
Technical Brilliance regarding Spidey’s suit is mesmerizing
Background Score…..
One liners by Iron-Man like
“Can’t you just be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?”
That’s not a hug. I’m just grabbing the door for you.
Cons
No origin story (though it was shown in other films but still…………)
Haters will hate, So if you hate Epic Fantasy dramas, just get the hell out of here.
First of all you need to understand what is an Epic? Well according to the Cornell University Professor M.H Abrams it is a long narrative poem about victories and adventures of a hero involving lofty and elegant diction. The fate of the people or tribe depends on the action of that particular hero. The style is filled loftiness and grandeur.Sometimes it involves divine intervention and supernaturalism in its narrative. Think of The Ramayana, The Mahabharat, Virgil’s Aeneid or Homer’s Illiad..you will notice this archetypal pattern of larger than life sequences and grandeur in the action of the central protagonists. S . S Rajamouli’s Bahubali belongs to this group of Epic poetries.Yes yes some of you will think this man has gone nuts.Lol!
Plot
The second instalment starts off with the conversation between Katappa and Shiva ( the son of Amarendra Bahubali ) and the audience travels almost twenty-five years into the colossal kingdom Mahesmati. The story follows the streak of popularity of Bahubali among his subject and his courtship with beautiful princess, Devsena of Kuntai Pradesh.Later on the antagonist Bhallaldeva and his father conspire against the crown prince and what happens next…Find out at theatres near you.As usual ..no spoiler here.
VFX
The treatment is epic in every sense , right from the dashing entry of Prabhas to the highly imaginative sequence of the flying craft…it provides visual delights to its audience.I think Baahubali will be a milestone in the case of VFX usage in Indian Cinema.Yes it is at par with the Hollywood cinemas..but don’t compare it with anyone.You need to feel the grand vision of the director.
Yes, few VFX sequences were pure LOL. 😛
Characters
The Characters were already established in the prequel, so the audience have been able to identify the nature of the Baahubali 2 actors. The film belongs to the mighty hero Prabhas, right from his dialogue delivery to his muscularity…you deserve a high five for such brilliant act as the lead of the film franchise.Ranna Daggubati is a cold blooded conspirator and a true blue villain with a dazzling personality. Ranna’s Bhallaldeva is a man of few words and lots of action. The expression through the dark eyes..were spine chilling to the core. Indian Cinema got a new super villain. He is as good as Prabhas.Kattappa’s character didn’t lived up to the expectation, he was much promising in the first part ..however, you could relate to his pitiable condition as torn soul throughout the movie. Nassar as the father of Bhallaldeva reminded me of Dhritarashtra and Shakuni, a handicapped and conspirator…he was an effortless evil persona throughout the narration.Rajmata Shivagami aka Ramya Krishnan screen presence was royal in every aspect. The surprise package of the movie was Anushka Shetty, right from the introductory scene where she swings her swords to the last scene where she put an end to the evil…take a bow Shetty ..you were a treat to watch. A bold character in every sense..no no not skin show but modern mindset on every aspect. Shetty as the Princess Devasena stood for honour, valour, heroism and rationality.
She is not the one who is going to take your nonsense..thus she questions every tradition and if the necessity arises she wields her sword and arrow to punish the offenders. Kudos to the scriptwriter and Anushka Shetty for providing such a brilliant characterization of radiant feminist.
Storytelling
The script is crisp and full of memorable one-liners. The script draws some elements from Indian Epics and mould it according to the storyline.The opening credits of the movie where Rajamouli freezes the outstanding moments from the previous instalment teleport you directly to the age of chivalric romance and heroism. The screenplay could have been better but Rajamouli’s master storytelling technique takes it to a different level of amusement.The Royal throne is always cursed and Aurangzeb was right when he said “Kingship knows no Kinship”.Experience the bloody saga of revenge.
Feel
People were clapping at the extravagant visual ride, amazing performance of the lead cast and witty dialogues of Bahubali 2. Some of the scenes were truly epic and unforgettable. Anushka Shetty ‘s fiery personality, Prabhaas’ daring heroism, Senthiraj(Kattappa) loyalty and lastly Rana Daggubati’s intrigue and loathsome attitude make the movie an unforgettable experience. The imagination coloured by special effects will be a treat to your heart and mind. Please don’t compare with LOTR, Harry Potter …Bahubali 2 shines in its own golden rays.It is not easy for a regional film to create such a hype and deliver such world class product in India. Cheers to the director S. S Rajamouli for delivering such a visionary piece of cinema.Izzat rakhli …
Pros
Amazing acting by the lead cast
The Indianess in the beauty of Anushka Shetty
The muscle flexing scenes of Ranna Duggabati
The working chemistry between Rana Duggabati and Nassar ( Bhalladeva and Bijjaladeva )
The passionate romance between Devsena and Bahubali
Katappa’s struggle with conscience
Amazing usage of special effect and the dream sequence of Anushka and Prabhaas on the floating boat.Oh the kiss ..grand.
The death scene of Amarendra Bahubali- a solid tearjerker.
The selfless act of Prabhas as Amarendra Baahlubali
The introductory scene of Anushka Shetty and Bahubali
The bow and arrow sequence by Anushka Shetty and Prabhas while shooting the Pindari Dacoits.
Daler Mahendi’s powerful voice in Jiyo Re Bahubali
The final fight between the Uncle and Nephew.
You cannot get enough of Prabhas.
You cannot miss the high impact factor of this Pan – Indian Classic saga of love , jealousy and revenge.
It is a vivid celebration of India’s glorious past. Kudos to the Postcolonialism.
Almost everything.
Cons
The final battle where Mahendra Bahubali took the aid of Coconut Trees…hilarious.
Few animations were loud and funny.
Where was Tamannah? Completely wasted.
Some songs could have been easily omitted from the script.
Prabhas was far more convincing as Amarendra Bahubali than Mahendra Bahubali.
Ratings – Some films are above the calculative ratings.This will be an unforgettable experience for me and I am too small a person to rate such a brilliant work of art.For your information, IMDB rated it 9.3/10.
Do not download the movie…if you miss it at the theatre..it will be a loss. Go to a Cinema Hall near you…
Welcome back everyone to another musical treat of Dr Ashutosh Javadekar…this time it is bigger and better. First born child is always special, so the previous one is really close to heart but the second instalment makes you believe in the exquisiteness of life.
However this time he has been joined by two gifted personalities Mr Sarang Kulkarni and Savaniee Ravindra . I have been fortunate enough to witness the Sarod skill of Sarang Kulkarni beforehand..wayback at the West Zone Inter University Competition at Surat ,Gujrat.Kulkarni’s tunes provides a blissfull aura to the song.The beard suits you…but I missed your locks. Savaniee Ravindra’s vocal quality is so powerful yet subtle in this melody and she is a treat to watch while swaying across the waves of Arabian Sea.
Dr Javadekar did an awesome fusion job with bilingual lyrics. His Non- Mahrashtrian fans were always demanding for a translated version of his creative pieces..but he comes with a boom…he creates an original poesy in both Queen’s language and Majhi Bhasha resulting in the development of AAS.Sir, don’t give up your leather jacket in near future.
Ashu Da ..you have been getting better with age. You are the vintage wine of the music industry who takes his own time to brew and replenishes the thrust of the music aficionados with unforgettable melodies. It takes a lots of courage to experiment with such innovative musical forms and kudos for such daring attempt …no doubt the great Shankar Mahadevan was showering compliments on 9x Jhakkas Live.
With my limited musical capabilities I would like to say…this music video seemed effortless in its conceptualization and execution.The vocal qualities of both the male and female counterparts have complemented each other in this musical delight. The musical arrangement is as soothing as the gentle waves of Konkan beaches and lastly the temperament of the song – it makes you grin…and when an art brings out a glee on your face…it becomes successful.
Keep rocking Ashuda with your Vocals , lyrics and looks..going to be Legendary
Cast – Om Puri,Kay Kay Menon, Rana Daggubati,Atul Kulkarni,Taapsee Pannu , Rahul Singh
War films in Bollywood mean Chetan Anand’s Haqeeqat , J. P Dutt’s Border and LOC Kargil with fuelled up patriotism, study of personal relationships of the soldiers and some unforgettable melodies. Afterall who can forget Mohd Rafi’s Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathio or Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod’s Sandesey Aatey Hain. All of them were great films but suffered one fatal flaw – too much distraction from main war and dragged up a length of the film.
This is where Sankalp Reddy’s trilingual war epic The Ghazi Attack scores 100 % marks for its focus on the core subject ….the WAR between India and Pakistan. This movie is actually the prologue to what we have seen in J. P Dutt’s Border.Border sums the legendary battle of Indian forces at Longewala against the Pakistani army …this movie shows why the Pakistan army declared war against India on December 4th, 1971.Watch…the battle of Indian navy.
No way I am going to reveal the story line..This movie chronicles the voyage of an Indian Navy submarine S21 along the northern waters of Bay of Bengal.
Kay Kay Menon as Captain of S21 does an honest job as the captain of the Indian submarine ,his penache for violence and to hit the enemy vessel is very well etched out. He represents all the defence personal and Police persons who want to hit the enemy at the first instance without waiting for the orders of headquarters.
Ranna Duggabati as (Arjun Varma) Lt.Commander of S21 is the smartest man on duty and one of the most brilliant characters of the film who displays qualities like honour, justice and tactics through his acting skill throughout the film. Well, you could have shaved your beard. Keep it up man..you are perfect.
Atul Kulkarni did the most difficult job as a navy officer being torn up between the law abiding officer and the daredevil captain of the sheep….your experience as an actor shows in every frame.
Tapasse Panu did a decent job as the East Pakistani refugee, so does Om Puri and the other team of supporting actors.
But the man who steals the show is Rahul Singh as the Commander Razaq Mohd Khan of Pakistani submarine Ghazi. It is very common to overlook the counter-narrative approach in a war film , Madras Cafe did some justice on this aspect but The Ghazi Attack provides enough space for the drama inside the Pakistani Submarine.Rahul Singh delights the audience with his expressions and radiant acting skills…You will hate him for his anti-India dialogue. You will love his tactics as a Submarine captain and his frustration when he speaks out:
“Commander hain yaah liftman..upar neeche upar ”
The editing is perfect and not at all over the top.Indian audience enjoyed the interiors of Submarine after Shyam Benegal’s Bose – The Forgotten Hero. There were no melodramatic scenes, the dialogues were crisp and the screenplay is world class to the core.The film scores in building up cinematic thrills and tension across its course of narration and delivers a highly engaging piece of Cinema.Thanks to the special effect, it was beautiful seabed across 70mm.No doubt it has got an 8.7 rating on IMDB.This is one type of film which makes you stand up and salute the unsung heroes of our nation…and it proves that War is always between great minds and it is won by courage, knowledge and the spirit of patriotism.
A must watch ….
Cheers to our soldiers
Cheers to honest film making .
The film is partially inspired by the book The Blue Fish
“I asked my soul: What is Delhi? She replied: The world is the body and Delhi its life. Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib”
― Khushwant Singh, Delhi: A Novel
I have always been enthralled by the notion of city literature. The word city literature does not exist in the world of academics, who cares. I like the books such as Maximum City, Narcopolis, City of Joy..and Singh’s Delhi has always been my hot favourite.
Well, I came across few posts like Mumbai is a fast paced city with raw vibe and Calcutta is a city with soul…but Delhi well…Mirza Ghalib already spoke about it, it is the life itself.
It was the Diwali vacation and just like any year, holiday .it was the time for the annual holiday.Almost eight years ago ..I set my lousy body upon Delhi as a first year English Honours student with my parents and relatives. We headed for Uttarakhand and UP brahmana that time.This time it was Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
My mom and dad were scheduled to arrive in Old Delhi Station at 8:30 pm via Kalka Mail. However being the wild history enthusiast(count me as a Delhi aficionado also).I wanted to have maximum time with myself in order to explore the mad conurbation. I wanted to visit two places..because, during the last visit, I couldn’t get enough of India Gate and missed Jama Masjid ( major missing ).
Now enough of slump epilogue…Let the travel begin.
The date was..forget it..reached Mumbai Central and boarded New Delhi-bound Mumbai-New Delhi Rajdhani Express with lots of hope and aspiration. I have travelled a lot by premier trains( No No I am not rich- so no showing off)…and Rajdhani has been able to maintain its aura. Duronto Express also provides the same type of services..but the quality has gone down drastically. So there was I with a trolly,backpack, some great songs and House of Cards episodes on my mobile.
One of the best thing about this train journey was that ..everyone was having conversations and in this era of smartphones it is quite a great feat. Yes, there were kids and bachelor launde and uncles but all in all, it was a cool one.
The October heat of Mumbai was far far away and instead, a cool Delhi welcomed me with open arms.I made an acquaintance with a budding Al Pacino of Andheri ( on the train itself)who was struggling to make an impact on 70mm in Mumbai .
Nikhil Madnani saved me from the complex web of Yellow, blue, Red lines ( routes) of Delhi Metro owing to his thorough knowledge about the National Capital and we enjoyed do Garam chai ki Pyali followed by…you know what I mean. I was finally sitting at the century-old Colonial feel wala Delhi Railway station after dumping my luggage at the locker room.Now it was the time to set out like a vagabond(…with GPS) across the gully and nukkar of Delhi………
Anushka Sharma …you are savage. I am fortunate enough to rub shoulder with few Gujju Baa, Bahoo and Ben..and you have provided one of the most honest portrayals of a Gujarati Woman. They are rich, they show-off a lot but they are very good and brave at heart…just like you Sejal. Chandan Roy Sanyal ‘s portrayal as a Bangladeshi Immigrant is funny and gory at the same time. Sadly you have been over-looked by Bollywood directors.
