Few more gems to look forward to…… : NAACHGAANA

Few more gems to look forward to……

September 9th, 2007

Anurag Kashyap’s take on some stuff from Passion for Cinema

I really apologise that i keep adding to my ever growing list of films i am looking forward to but then it’s a great sign that suddenly there are so many films to look forward to..some of the first and final cuts that i saw in last one month and i loved them absolutely..

JAB WE MET;- I loved it absolutely.. the version i saw was on the avid, along with preetam and shivam nair..what a film..If you loved socha na tha, you will orgasm over this one.. I don’t like the title but i lovvvvved the film.. it took me completely by surprise.. IMTIAZ ALI’s sophomore effort proves his debut was no flash in the pan.. his repartee is the best i have seen in a long time on indian screen..kareena kapoor in a stunning performance.. probably the best by an actress this year.. a talkative, self loving, eternally romantic and positive NONSTOP NONSENSE woman and shahid kapoor definitely has never been better.. start to finish , i saw the raw version and didn’t get up from the seat.. even forgot my bag in the editing room because i wanted to talk so much about it.. this is that one mainstream lovestory that comes out each year and becomes the popular film of the year, it just might be the biggest sleeper hit of the year.. fresh, simple yet what a screenplay..go for it

QUICK GUN MURUGAN- the sambhar addict from MTV .. he has an entire film to himself.. and it’s in tamil and english with subtitles.. here Quick Gun fights Rice Plate Reddy’s evil non vegeterian plans and saves the world from Beef.. Laugh out loud funny, Howlarious, with yoriginal yenglish shcore by Illayaraja, sung by S.P.Balasubramanium a la Tik Tik Tik and I Don”t Know what you sayyyy..the south indian cowboy is going to be back on big screen courtsey the yoriginal creator Shashank Ghosh of Waisa Bhi Hota Hai-Part 2.. tenyears in the making

KHOYA KHOYA CHAAND- sudhir mishra, the old warhorse.. film about films .. in the fifties.. haven’t seen the film but read the script and saw the promo and am absolutely waiting for it..

DIL DOSTI ETC- again have not seen the film but love the rawness i see in the promos..
really like Imaad shah and want to see him.. he plays that guitar very well.. heard him once in a remote restaurant in Delhi.. it reminds me of my DU days..

ANTARDWANDA- By Sushil Rajpal.. till now a cameraman.. my senior from Hansraj, batchmate and friend of Tarsem Singh, ex- FTII has made a film.. his first screening and we went because we knew him, no one knew anything about the film.. we sat in the auditorium and the film began.. set in Bihar.. about a boy from delhi university who has appeared for his UPSC and wants to talk to his conservative dad(Vinay Pathak) about his girlfriend who is pregnant, and gets kidnapped by a man who wants him as his son-in-law.. so the boy(raja chaudhary) is tortured, but he doesn’t agree to be the the DAMAAD, but is still married of in a unconscious state,to the kidnappers daughter(a stunning debutant from FTII acting batch called SWATI), like it is the ptractice in many parts of that state, popularly called “jabariya shaadi”.. marriage on the gunpoint.. extraordinary.. the kind of film that should be doing the rounds of the international festivals but then noone really knows about it.. A masterpiece funded by friends.. who all are various partners in the film and mostly from the state.. must watch if it gets released.. a thriller , a reality check , and a point made..

Also looking forward to films like “the fakir” by anand surapur.. the man behind Phatphish who produced QuickGun and completed Frozen and gave us RABBI the singer and much more..the underground superstar of Channel V , whose known work is the “Zaroorat Hai” music video, and “Junction” by Atul Sabharwal, a script that made me feel jealous..and much more..

Believe me .. there is going to be a change in order in this hindi film industry.. there definitely is a new wave.. i have seen it coming.. the world is also seeing it.. which is why Ronnie Screwwala is on the cover of NEWSWEEK and not Aishwarya rai or Yashraj or Amitabh bachchan.. IT’S HAPPENING MAN..

There Are 23 Responses So Far. »

Comment by Qalandar on 9 September 2007:

Definitely sound interesting, every one of them (although Antardwanda I have misgivings about, but will check it out for sure)…

QUICKGUN MURUGAN!!! holy crap, he’s baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Rejoice Rejoice!
Comment by satyam on 9 September 2007:

Some interesting stuff here even if I’m not going to hold my breath for the ‘revolution’ Kashyap is waiting for! Let’s put it another way: if this ‘revolution’ worked it would be the first of its kind in history!

Most of these films are either destined to be multiplex successes (if these are successful at all) and not even universal multiplex successes at that. Or in some even rarer cases these become small town favorites. Either way the cinema remains at the margins.

While I am all for such niche cinema the fact is that for the habits of an industry to change there have to be proper mainstream successes that change the terms of the debate. In today’s multiplex-centric age there is a rare opportunity to do this if one has proper stars.

The great films of the past whether in India or elsewhere around the globe did not operate on the margins. As I said I have nothing against this idea but this is a position of ‘defeat’ if one has radical change in mind. Again in a historical sense great films in the past have utilized industry resources to the maximum while also subverting the dominant narratives at the same time.

Why not try an Awara, a Sholay, a Ghulami or what have you? Let’s make these niche films but let’s bring about the revolution by way of mainstream efforts. Not least because this is the only way possible.

In recent history it was Aamir’s Lagaan that was extremely influential in this regard. In the 70s there were the great Salim-Javed scripts. In the 50s there was a giant like Raj Kapoor (today of course one could even be a more successful Guru Dutt).

Getting back to the niche films, the vast majority of these have an interesting premise to begin with but then fizzle out very quickly in narrative terms. It takes more than ‘attitude’ to make truly important cinema.
Comment by rohitkarnbatra on 9 September 2007:

Satyam, the revolution he’s speaking of is the emergence of “small” film-makers and quirky films. You can’t argue that isn’t happening now more than ever. Contextually, this is important for Indian cinema for the precise point that it’s a new kind of change for the Indian Film Industry.

Let’s be honest for a moment and look at why; firstly, all this falls under the umbrella of show *business* and people are attracted to *money*.

So, for example, if a small JAB WE MET makes tons of money (assuming it will) it means the decision-making heads will see that there is a market for these kinds of films. In a capitalistic society, that is how it works. Something does well - others copy it. That is solely the “revolution” he’s talking about.

Let’s not forget, for the most part, Indian films have always fallen into the Art or Commercial type. We are starting to have a middle ground now. This is the format of many Hollywood Studios, as well. They make their big movies, and have smaller prod houses for “smaller” films.

This opening of a “new” kind of profit veering film is a near-first in Indian Cinema and is also opening up talent that we may have not seen even 5 years ago…
Comment by rohitkarnbatra on 9 September 2007:

I’d like to add that a film like Metro would fall into the revolution as well…

It is a great example of it, actually.
Comment by akshay shah on 9 September 2007:

MANORANA SIX FEET UNDER to add to that!
Comment by Ravi on 9 September 2007:

Metro is a different film for sure but man after some time I lost count of who was sleeping with whom and who was trying to sleep with whom.
Comment by Qalandar on 9 September 2007:

Re: “after some time I lost count of who was sleeping with whom and who was trying to sleep with whom”

and that’s a PROBLEM why?!

just kidding Ravibhai…
Comment by satyam on 9 September 2007:

Rohit: I don’t disagree with much of what you’re saying. I don’t think that Kashyap though is referring to or is only hopeful about the emergence of a cinema on the margins. I think he hopes for something more substantial. The marginal stuff is already part of the current Bollywood system. But this sort of cinema whether in Hollywood or Bollywood doesn’t really disturb the ‘blockbuster’ mentality. Because this kind of cinema ends up becoming ghettoized. Whereas what one should be hoping for is the emergence of more interesting cinema on a major scale. This is why I used those examples from the past. Even Guru Dutt for all his commercial failures wasn’t really making niche cinema. I think much of this radical commercial/art divide really came about in the 70s.

On Metro this was a successful film for sure but I failed to see what was very interesting about it. Was it better than most of the regular stuff. Assuredly. But one expects something more. I think what happens with such movements is that these fall victim to their own kind of complacency. because one has made a small, quirky film that is very ‘different’ from regular commercial fare does not automatically mean that one has also made a very good film. If I looked at major Bollywood films over the last couple of years and then compared these with such smaller efforts I actually don’t believe I’d find better films in the latter group.

Incidentally I also find the ‘independent’ film movement in America a ‘failure’ by and large with some very honorable exceptions. As Nicholson said in this context “we make a lot of clever films” but it’s not the equivalent of a Bergman or a Fellini or what have you. Not because of the pre-eminence of these directors but because of the kind of cinema these talents were attempting.

I have nothing against marginal cinema of any kind but I do admit I find suchlike exasperating when it only revels in its ‘differentness’.

A filmmaker like Jarmusch or a decades old independent film like Killer of Sheep are actually rare exceptions. Most independent cinema in the US is mediocre to the core. And I fear that ’small films’ in India are following this trend.

Another great example from the past would be the cinema of Hrishikesh Mukerjee. Those were small films but inclusive, univeral ones. Or for that matter the ’small Malayalam cinema’ of the 80s. Of course I will also admit that in today’s age it is increasingly hard (if not impossible) to attract audiences to the theater for that kind of cinema. Audiences expect spectacles. So these multiplex oriented films are also structurally limited.

And again I do cheer the fact that such films have been allowed their space where previously this was not possible. At the same time it’s important to keep in mind the fact that we have at the same time lost out on much richer reserves of Bombay film history. Karan Johar and Yashraj have convinced audiences (and the audiences have also convinced themselves!) that commercial cinema is and was something like KKHH! This is not at all the case.

So my points are essentially two here. We need to retrieve a richer and by definition more rooted ‘universal’ cinema before hoping for any kind of renewal or reinvigoration. And also marginal cinema because of its eventual ghettoization does not really ‘disturb’ any equation. Hence no revolution. In US terms Jarmusch does not alter the system (I always mean this in a structural sense), Scorsese does.

The emergence of such voices are always welcome but it is precisely the capitalist system that accounts for such aberrations and ‘normalizes’ them by ghettoizing them. Also remember that the more money the Metro makes the less radical the next one in its wake will be!

On a related note what has always bothered me about many of these new talents is the extent to which they remain disconnected from the truly crucial political, cultural, economic issues (and so on..) in so many ways. For the most part this seems to be true.
Comment by Ravi on 9 September 2007:

Q bhai I thought if this is the way India is now, I should be in India not here.

Nah, I am too old for that kind of shit now, someone like Akshay or Jay who are not yet married this thing will work out not for me now.
Comment by Qalandar on 9 September 2007:

Ravibha: with my luck the first time I tried this in India I am sure someone would wake me up in the middle of the night with a gun to my head and take me to a qazi to have my nikaah performed…
Comment by Qalandar on 9 September 2007:

satyam and rohit: excellent discussion here.

Satyam: on balance I agree with your conclusion that the “revolution” ought not to be oversold, especially when it is twinned to a multiplex phenomenon that is so starkly segmented by socio-economic demographics. However, I do feel that the growth of “marginal” films is in itself something worth celebrating (albeit, with some caution): because it keeps certain interesting possibilities in play…
Comment by Shahid on 9 September 2007:

Satyam: “On Metro this was a successful film for sure but I failed to see what was very interesting about it. Was it better than most of the regular stuff. Assuredly. But one expects something more.”

I found Metro an extremely dull and dry film (save for a couple of Konkona and Irfan bits). The humourless remake of The Apartment really got on my nerves as well. I sure hope don’t we get more such films. I don’t mind multi-narratives, but they gotta be better than Metro for gawd’s sake.
Comment by Shahid on 9 September 2007:

“the south indian cowboy is going to be back on big screen courtsey the yoriginal creator Shashank Ghosh of Waisa Bhi Hota Hai-Part 2.. tenyears in the making”

Shashank Ghosh is coming back? Woohoo!!

Btw, ten years, that sure is a looong time.
Comment by akshay shah on 9 September 2007:

Shashank Ghosh rocks!
Comment by satyam on 9 September 2007:

Shahid: And here I was trying to be polite!
Comment by Arun on 9 September 2007:

OMG! A full film on Quick Gun Murugan..LMAO, Can’t wait!

‘Jab We Met’ sounds interesting as well.
Comment by satyam on 10 September 2007:

“However, I do feel that the growth of “marginal” films is in itself something worth celebrating (albeit, with some caution): because it keeps certain interesting possibilities in play…”

Absolutely Qalandar!
Comment by rks on 10 September 2007:

Shahid:”I found Metro an extremely dull and dry film (save for a couple of Konkona and Irfan bits). ”

My thoughts…Infact on multiple narrative, I found Pyar mei Kabhi Kabhi better than LIM.
Comment by rks on 10 September 2007:

I don’t think a film should be inclusive to be revolutionary. But if it is then that is best case scenario.
ps: Last night saw netflix humorous and serious take on MPAA ratings in “This Film Is Not Yet Rated”
Comment by beldevere on 10 September 2007:

it would be interesting to juxtapose some south indian movies here. being a tamilian - i can speak for tamil movies like autograph and mozhi which would be entrants to this. also hear good stuff coming from the kannada film industry nowadays - mungaru male anyone?

btw - has anyone watched zindagi rocks - i heard its a pretty decent flick
Comment by rks on 10 September 2007:

beldevere:”zindagi rocks”
IMO story had potential but treatment is average. The end was kind of similar to John Q.
Comment by NyKavi on 10 September 2007:

For me the highlight of LIM was shilpa in that hipster sari when she visits Shiny’s apartment. That tiny waist, her bare belly…and the curves going down her sides right above her butt..
Damn..the scene got cut short due to her guilty feelings…saala..zameer galat moments pe jaag uthta hai.
Comment by satyam on 19 September 2007:

To the above long point I’ve I should also add a bit of a clarification. Beyond the obvious ‘economics’ and ’structural issues’ that separate the ‘independent’ from the ‘mainstream’ I actually do not think much of these labels to the extent that these are supposed to be ’self-descriptive’. Beyond a point such labels are really used to ‘police’ cinema in various ways much as the whole idea of ‘genres’ does so in complementary ways.

But I think people often make the mistake of equating ‘independent’ films or ‘marginal’ films with good cinema and ’studio’ efforts as automatically compromised. Taking the Bombay example the smaller films whether independent or financed by the likes of UTV are to my mind as mediocre for the most part as their large scale counterparts. In fact over the last number of years if I made a list of the best Hindi film the overwhelming number would still be mainstream efforts. This is not as true for Hollywood where in many ways independent films have been absorbed into the studio system. Independent cinema still exists but it does not occupy the cultural space that it once did nor does it seem as radical anymore.

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