not The NaachGaana Awards (nTNA) 2008
Hey NGites. A lot has happened since I last compiled these awards. Back in 2007, when not The NaachGaana Awards(nTNA) was in its third year, I was lonely, unemployed…Qalandar was a dear friend in the virtual world…and Satyam and Tango argued incessantly. 2008: nTNA is in its 4th year and I am very much in love & employed…Qalandar now has a face…and Satyam and Tango…well, some things don’t change. And thank god for that.
I apologize for coming out with these awards this late. Being hard-pressed for time, I haven’t added any categories to the existing ones. Do forgive me for the pedestrian writing as well.
As was last year, the awards cover everything from the creative to the technical to the popular categories. I must reiterate that these are my personal choices, and do not necessarily reflect mass opinion.
I haven’t seen Dil, Dosti, Etc. and Manorama- Six Feet Under. So these films, like Dor and Kabul Express last year, won’t feature in the lists. There is no bias there. Also, my criteria for these lists are simple- the films have to be in Hindi and/or a Bollywood production. So like Water last year, Parzania is not eligible nor are productions like Loins Of Punjab Presents, etc. And like Ayesha Kapur in Black, Darsheel Safary’s performance in Taare Zameen Par hasn’t been considered as I only take into account performances given by actors above the age of 18.
Here are my Top Ten Films of 2007(discussed in detail further below)
01) TAARE ZAMEEN PAR
02) BLACK FRIDAY
03) GURU
04) JOHNNY GADDAAR
05) NO SMOKING
06) JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM
07) JAB WE MET
08) THE BLUE UMBRELLA
09) EKLAVYA
10) LIFE IN A… METRO
Honourable Mentions- Anwar, Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, Nishabd, Saawariya, Strangers
Technical Categories-
Best Art Direction
KHOYA KHOYA CHAND (Gautam Sen)
Otherwise a lifeless and inconsistent film, the recreation of the period, in which the story is set, is the only bright spot in this ambitious venture gone wrong. Gautam Sen can not only claim that he’s done his job well, but hold his head up high proudly.
Honourable Mentions- Gandhi, my father, Saawariya
Best Cinematography
EKLAVYA (Nataraja Subramanian)
Easily the best cinematographed movie in years, Nataraja(Nutty) does complete justice to Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s large-canvassed vision. Lighting up every single frame perfectly, Nutty single handedly turns this film into a visual treat of international standards.
Honourable Mentions- Dharm, Saawariya
Best Editing
BLACK FRIDAY (Aarti Bajaj)
Last year I lauded Shirish Kunder’s work on Jaan-e-Mann for exploiting the technical possibilities of editing platforms. Aarti Bajaj’s work on Black Friday, on the other hand, is basic editing. Yet, simply for the mind-boggling task of weaving together a narrative from hours of disconnected rushes…this effort has to be praised to the skies.
Honourable Mentions- Johnny Gaddaar, Life In A… Metro
Best Sound
EKLAVYA (Biswajit Chaterjee, Paul Pirola and Roger Savage)
Hooves kicking up sand, feet splashing water, gunshots stifled by a shrill cry in the desert…Eklavya’s sound design can boast of many splendid things. But nothing can compare to the wonderful play of sounds when dialogues from Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s own Parinda are used as a device to add tension to a blank black screen in a scene that is action-packed without any action at all!
Honourable Mentions- Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Traffic Signal
Best Visual Effects
NO SMOKING (Avik Banerjee and Rajiv Joseph- PIXION)
This film could’ve done without any effects…but they went for it. Given its budget, the effects could’ve been tacky…but they weren’t. Fingers regenerating, bodies(lives) literally going up in smoke and souls that look like the creature from The Abyss; the effects in this film were unexpectedly good.
Honourable Mentions- Om Shanti Om, Taare Zameen Par
Best Action
JOHNNY GADDAAR (Yusuf Khan*)
Old School Action! Chloroform, Fists, Glass Tables! Wow!
Honourable Mentions- Awarapan, Risk
Creative Categories-
Best Story
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR (Amole Gupte)
A simple well-told story. Ask any screenwriter- that is the most difficult to pen. Amole’s genius lies in the fact that he never lets his characters hijack his story. Sensitively written, Amole never reduces the story only to that of a dyslexic kid but instead broadens its scope and makes it about childhood and parenting in general.
Honourable Mentions- Eklavya, Guru
Best Screenplay
JOHNNY GADDAAR (Sriram Raghavan and Pooja Ladha Surti)
Alfred Hitchcock meets Vijay Anand in this deftly written screenplay that at once pays tribute to the 70s and to the pulp fiction of James Hadley Chase. Clever, taut and full of twists- this is a masterful work of screenwriting.
Honourable Mentions- Chak De India, Guru
Best Dialogues
JAB WE MET (Imtiaz Ali)
Imtiaz Ali is a good director and an even better dialogue writer. In Jab We Met, his lead pair engages in conversations that are random & banal and natural & profound at the same time. You can’t love this film without loving its dialogues.
Honourable Mentions- Cheeni Kum, Life In A… Metro
Best Lyrics
NO SMOKING (Gulzar)
Only a Gulzar could’ve risen up to the challenge of penning an entire album around smoking. He does, and how! From a club track to a ghazal, from a jazz number to a Sufi ode to smoking, Gulzar achieves the impossible in No Smoking.
Honourable Mentions- Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Taare Zameen Par
Best Music
ANWAR (Pankaj Awasthi and Mithun Sharma)
Bollywood took to Sufi music in a big way last year. Everything from dance tracks to raunchy item songs was given Sufi touches. Nothing captured the true essence of Sufi music as Anwar did though. “Tose Naina” and “Maula Mere Maula”, among others, were true Sufi songs…the loyal longing palpable in all its compositions.
Honourable Mentions- Guru, Taare Zameen Par
Best Background Music
BLACK FRIDAY (Indian Ocean)
Indian Ocean provides this film with a background score that is gripping and adds to the mood of the scenes they are played with. It, thankfully, is never loud or sensationalist. Listen especially to the Bomb Planting track, as it builds tension while remaining sensitive to what is essentially happening in the scene.
Honourable Mentions- Guru, Om Shanti Om
Best Playback Singer (Male)
A.R. Rahman (“Jaage Hain”- GURU)
Rahman climbs notes in this theme song of sorts with the same assurance, arrogance and anxiousness of the titular character in the film. Little wonder then that every time I listen to this song, I end up visualizing Gurukant Desai’s impressive ascension.
Honourable Mentions- Adnan Sami (“Mera Jahan”- Taare Zameen Par), Sukhwinder Singh (“Chak De India”- Chak De India)
Best Playback Singer (Female)
Rekha Bhardwaj (“Phoonk De”- NO SMOKING)
Rekha Bhardwaj follows up last year’s “Namak” from Omkara with this song, yet again proving that in her we have Bollywood’s most unconventional female voice. An invitation to die never sounded this sexy.
Honourable Mentions- Sunidhi Chauhan (“Sajnaji Vari Vari”- Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.), Shilpa (“Saiyyan Re”- Salaam-e-Ishq)
Best Choreography
BHOOL BHULAIYAA (Pony Verma)
The minimalist dance-move of “Hare Krishna Hare Ram”, the elaborate set-piece of “Mere Dholna” and the contemporary sway of “Labon Ko” and “Sajda”…the choreography in this film had a little bit of everything for everyone.
Honourable Mentions- Aaja Nachle, Heyy Babyy
Best Costumes
GANDHI, MY FATHER (Sujata Sharma)
The laughably bad make-up notwithstanding, the costumes in this film were done with minute attention to detail. Akshaye’s Harilal in fact, in keeping with his character’s fall, is given paler shades as the narrative progresses.
Honourable Mentions- Eklavya, Khoya Khoya Chand
Best Make-up
TRAFFIC SIGNAL (Anil Palande)
It is one thing to make actors look beautiful and another to make them look less than attractive. Anil resorts to clichés for some characters, but his make-up on Kunal, Ranvir, Konkona and Upendra is a solid and successful achievement.
Honourable Mentions- Eklavya, Khoya Khoya Chand
Popular Categories-
Top Five Performances (Female)
Honourable Mentions- Shabana Azmi (Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.), Rani Mukerji (Saawariya), Aishwarya Rai (Guru)
05) Tabu (CHEENI KUM)
As the strong-willed 34 year old whose charms compel a pompous 64 year old to hopelessly fall in love with her, Tabu gives an amazingly easy performance. Pitted against Amitabh Bachchan, she more than holds her own…even stealing a few scenes with her quiet confidence.
04) Shilpa Shukla (CHAK DE INDIA)
As Bindiya Naik, Shilpa Shukla gives the finest performance in this film. Always in character, I’ve seen this film multiple times only to see her at the corner of frames…still in character even when the focus isn’t on her. She is the only real foil to Shahrukh’s Kabir Khan and stays with us long after the film gets over.
03) Shefali Shah (GANDHI, MY FATHER)
In a film that was supposed to have been about Gandhi and his son, it is Shefali Shah as Kasturba who manages to make us invest our sympathy in her. Shefali takes upon herself the task of giving her character a curve and a definite individual voice. The same sadly can’t be said of the two leads.
02) Madhuri Dixit (AAJA NACHLE)
Madhuri Dixit deserved a better vehicle than this for her comeback. Nonetheless, she doesn’t disappoint and ends up giving a performance so effortless she makes the role look easy. Along the way, she shows yet again that she is the most graceful dancer we have. And oh, no mom’s looked sexier!
01) Kareena Kapoor (JAB WE MET)
Kareena should never be made to act because she’s not too good at it. But when she doesn’t act, she is better than all her peers. Her directors in Refugee, Dev and Yuva understood this. Imtiaz Ali understands it too. In Jab We Met, Kareena is herself and does she play herself well or wot! Impulsive and talkative, her Geet wears her heart on her sleeve and makes us fall in love with her with every single word that tumbles from her lips in a frenzied hurry.
Top Five Performances (Male)
Honourable Mentions- Sanjay Dutt (Shootout At Lokhandwala), Pavan Malhotra (Black Friday), Vinay Pathak (Bheja Fry)
05) Amitabh Bachchan (NISHABD)
The Rockstar Grand-Daddy continues to amaze. That Amitabh Bachchan, after nearly 4 decades, still has it in him to spring up on us a performance that is a revelation speaks volumes about the greatness of this incomparable actor. A man for ages, Amitabh lends his difficult-to-play character with a quite dignity, majorly speaking in silences and muted sighs. And when he uses that baritone, he’s even better.
04) Ranbir Kapoor (SAAWARIYA)
The most assured debut since Hrithik Roshan, and perhaps even better. Ranbir Kapoor has announced his arrival. So the film didn’t do well; but the whole industry and the film-going populace has sat up and taken notice of this blue-eyed boy from the talented gene-pool of the Kapoors. All that Ranbir has to do now is concentrate and channel his exuberance without overdoing it.
03) KayKay Menon (BLACK FRIDAY)
KayKay is known in the theatre circuit as an actor who has reserves of myriad emotions inside him that he taps into as the role demands. In Black Friday, KayKay does a roundabout and instead plays his real-life character in a straight-forward and no-nonsense manner. In doing so, he lends his character with a certain amount of stoicism needed for this role. Riveting to the core, his is one of the most powerful, yet underplayed, performances of the year. That he can follow this up with a rip-roaring turn in Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is testament to what they say of him in the theatre circuit.
02) Pankaj Kapur (THE BLUE UMBRELLA)
What do I know of Pankaj Kapur that only Pankaj Kapur knows! This man, the most underrated actor in the history of Bollywood, never ceases to amaze. In this beautiful little film, Pankaj Kapur gives a wonderfully nuanced performance, making us privy to all the internal thoughts and actions of his flawed but humane character. As the reels unspool, you can’t but look on in awe. An acting lesson for all aspiring actors.
01) Abhishek Bachchan (GURU)
A performance for the ages, Abhishek Bachchan towers over everyone else in this author-backed role. With a little bit of Mammootty, a little bit of Mohanlal, a little bit of Kamal Hasan and a whole lot of Amitabh Bachchan…Abhishek makes Gurukant Desai uniquely his own nonetheless. The performance is especially amazing given that Abhishek manages to naturally change, both physically and emotionally, as his character gradually grows older, wiser and shrewder.
Top Three Directors
Honourable Mentions- Imtiaz Ali (JAB WE MET), Vidhu Vinod Chopra (EKLAVYA)
03) Aamir Khan (TAARE ZAMEEN PAR)
Everyone suspected, if not knew, that Aamir Khan ghost-directed most of his better films. With Taare Zameen Par, Aamir ‘officially’ makes his debut as a director. And as he does with his acting time-after-time, he sets the bar high…not just for those to follow, but himself as well. Aamir looks like a student of the Iranian school of filmmaking, eking out a wonderful little no-frills film that has its heart in the right place.
02) Sriram Raghavan (JOHNNY GADDAAR)
Just 2 films old now, Sriram Raghavan should indubitably be crowned as the real filmi keeda. He understands Bollywood and pulpy thrillers like nobody else. If his Ek Hasina Thi was more kinetic, Johnny Gaddaar is definitely more complete. A thinking man’s action filmmaker, Sriram Raghavan is Bollywood’s first true film noir director.
01) Anurag Kashyap (BLACK FRIDAY)
Directing a material as labyrinthine and sensitive as this would pose a challenge even to the most experienced of directors. That Anurag Kashyap was just one film old when he took this on shows that he is a born filmmaker. Kashyap puts together the various pieces of this puzzle, staying neutral all along…and never once resorts to any sort of theatricality. The direction is top-class, almost a showcase of his talents as a director of everything from fiction to documentary. That he does all of this while keeping the narrative gripping is all the more commendable. Logistically too, the proposition of shooting this film is just a nightmare.
Top Ten Films
Honourable Mentions- ANWAR, EK CHALIS KI LAST LOCAL, NISHABD, SAAWARIYA, STRANGERS
10) LIFE IN A… METRO (Banner- UTV Motion Pictures; Producer- Ronnie Screwvala; Director- Anurag Basu)
At the outset, let me tell that this is an overrated film. The sexual lives of 7 people do not a metro represent, nor can it allude to the collective isolation and loneliness of a teeming multitude too busy to appreciate the value of ‘wasted time’(borrowed from Eagles and Amitav Ghosh). Having said that, Life In A… Metro is still a film that has some genuinely good cinematic moments, and an all-round profundity to its proceedings.
09) EKLAVYA (Banner- Vinod Chopra Productions; Producer & Director- Vidhu Vinod Chopra)
Easily the best film last year from a technical point of view. Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s work is not so much a film as it is an exercise in filmmaking. The best audio-visual experience I had at the cinemas last year, and a film that should be made compulsory viewing at film schools all over.
08) THE BLUE UMBRELLA (Banner- UTV Classics; Producers- Vishal Bhardwaj and Ronnie Screwvala; Director- Vishal Bhardwaj)
Films this modest don’t get made. The charm of The Blue Umbrella lies in the unassuming manner in which this Ruskin Bond story unfolds. The pace some found to be slow, but like all Bhardwaj films…it is precisely that unhurriedness that I’ve grown to love and admire. Wonderful performances, breathtaking visuals and a complimenting score make this an experience worth cherishing.
07) JAB WE MET (Banner- Shree Ashtavinayak Cinevision Ltd.; Producer- Dhillin Mehta; Director- Imtiaz Ali)
There can be different reasons to love Jab We Met, and they’d all be right. Some love it for Kareena, some for the dialogues, some for the story and some for its music. I love it, and envy it, for the effortless manner in which it presents two existential arguments packaged as a love-story.
06) JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM (Banner- Yash Raj Films; Producer- Aditya Chopra; Director- Shaad Ali)
A whacky film, you can either love it or hate it. I know I’m in the minority, but I loved it. Loved its zaniness, loved its irreverence and loved its care-a-damn personality. Too clever for its own good, the film was last year’s ‘true tribute’ to all that we love about Bollywood. Must I even say about the soundtrack?
05) NO SMOKING (Banners- Big Screen Entertainer and Vishal Bhardwaj Pictures Pvt. Ltd.; Producers- Vishal Bhardwaj and Kumar Mangat; Director- Anurag Kashyap)
The most easily dismissed film last year. It’s sad because in Kashyap’s ballsy and self-indulgently personal film, Bollywood had its first true auteur film. Some things work and others don’t…but the film as a whole cannot and should not be dismissed. Open to interpretations, the film to me is about the cost of not compromising, of not falling in line, of not following convention and of not having a herd-mentality.
04) JOHNNY GADDAAR (Banner- Adlabs Films Ltd.; Producer- Jhamu Sugandh; Director- Sriram Raghavan)
Right from its opening credits in Hindi, English and Urdu played to a R.D. Burman-esque background score, Johnny Gaddaar never loses its grip on you, keeping you constantly at the edge of your seat not for reasons common to a whodunit. The smartest thriller to come out of Bollywood in recent years, Johnny Gaddaar does a risky but clever thing in letting you in on the secret. From then on we the audience, think for and like the perpetrator rather than worry about who’s done it.
03) GURU (Banner- Madras Talkies; Producers- Mani Ratnam and G. Srinivasan; Director- Mani Ratnam)
Is Guru a triumphant film about entrepreneurism? I think not. I have come to believe, upon repeated viewings, that in Guru we have an unapologetic film that holds up a mirror to us and leaves it for us to go ahead from there. In Gurukant’s ascension, Ratnam tells us the story of the everyman who aspires and becomes the ‘overman’- a world where Gandhi’s socialism is substituted with popcorn capitalism. And yet, despite all this, Guru works simply as a fantastic epic film as well.
02) BLACK FRIDAY (Banners- Adlabs Films Ltd. and Midday; Producer- Arindam Mitra; Director- Anurag Kashyap)
The greatest triumph of Black Friday is in its dialecticism. While it does recount the Mumbai blasts of 1993, and the events leading up to it, it never once gets insecure and/or stops short of making a statement. As a film too, Black Friday is a supreme achievement for its slick execution of what is essentially a docu-drama and presenting it to us in a non-linear fashion not as a gimmick but as a necessary and incisive narrative device.
01) TAARE ZAMEEN PAR (Banners- Aamir Khan Productions and PVR Cinema; Producer & Director- Aamir Khan)
The cleanest film to hit Bollywood screens last year, Taare Zameen Par was not my immediate choice for the number one film. As I was compiling these lists though, I realized that while films like Black Friday and Johnny Gaddaar I liked for a host of reasons, Taare Zameen Par I seemed to like for some inexplicable quality… something non-tangible. I then realized, that this film, unlike any other, had affected me on a very personal and emotional level. It had truly touched me. That I still can’t express in words why I like this film so much is reason enough for it to be my number one film of 2007.
Now, some of my own categories-
Best Song
“Bol Na Halke Halke” (JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM) Written by- Gulzar; Composed by- Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy; and Sung by- Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Mahalaxmi Iyer
Without a doubt, the best shot song last year. The whole piece acts as a story in itself and is a marvelous stand-alone music video as well. Leaving that aside, the composition itself, coupled with the lyrics and the lilting melody of the singers, is worth listening over and over.
Honourable Mentions- “Ishq Hua” (Aaja Nachle), “Tose Naina” (Anwar)
Best Scene
BLACK FRIDAY- Rakesh Maria interrogating Badshah Khan
This scene is an example of the dialecticism mentioned earlier. The genius lies in the fact that this scene is scripted like a paisa-wasool back-and-forth dialogue-baazi one. And because it is so, its words ring truer. KayKay Menon throws the sucker-punch in this power-packed, bold and fearless scene.
Best Opening Sequence
GURU
Guru begins with some curious tricks. It starts of with a monologue by the titular character, in black and white, and with fade-in/fade-outs. We then dip to the past, in colour, and meet the young Gurukant. We see him grow, witness his street-wit. And yet, he truly arrives when he sees Mallika Sherawat gyrating in a Turkish bar. Gurukant becomes Guru at that precise moment, and this is reinforced as the titles abruptly cut into the song and literally guides us into the ‘world’ of Guru.
Best Closing Sequence
NO SMOKING
Anurag Kashyap’s No Smoking ends bitterly with Kashyap’s on-screen alter-ego Just K having compromised. As a fan of Kashyap though, you are glad that he hasn’t. And then suddenly, bang between the end credits, an item number begins to play. Almost as if Kashyap is speaking to his fans in some twisted code…tacitly implying that he too has compromised and that the Kashyap we know is no more. Whatever- one helluva finish.
Best Entrance
Sanjay Dutt in EKLAVYA I really don’t know why, but just the sheer dominating presence of Sanjay Dutt makes me wanna clap and whistle everytime I see his entrance in this film. And anyway, isn’t an ‘entry’ a phenomena best understood and valued by the front-benchers. I’m sure they’d agree with me…if it’s seeti-worthy, it’s an ‘entrance’ alright!
Best Exit
Pavan Malhotra in BLACK FRIDAY
Pavan Malhotra’s final words in this film fill you with anger and trepidation all at once. Anger because we see him talk about his heinous plan in such a cold fashion, and trepidation because we are actually in awe of that monster.
Best Cameo
Irrfan Khan in AAJA NACHLE
Irrfan Khan is so effortlessly menacing and Machiavellian here, that you wonder if he’d ever have to ‘work’ on any part. All of his scenes, save the last one, are brilliantly acted scene-stealers.
Surprise Performance
Govind Namdeo in JOHNNY GADDAAR
A very bad and hammy actor, Govind Namdeo has either put in a good performance here or the director has used him well. Whatever the case may be, as it stands, this is an unexpectedly fun turn from an otherwise expectedly no-fun actor.
Best Ensemble
JOHNNY GADDAAR
Everybody in Johnny Gaddaar from Neil to Rimmi, from Dharmendra to Zakir and from Vinay to Govind are wonderfully in character. What makes this ensemble so great is that, like the roles they play in the film, they feed off each other in the acting stakes too. Which is why an Ashwini Kalsekar is so wonderful as Vinay Pathak’s wife.
Honourable Mentions- Guru, Life In A… Metro
Hotshot of the Year
Anurag Kashyap
Anurag Kashyap was all over the place this year. His 2 year old Black Friday released to wide acclaim, as did his surreal personal No Smoking and he finished the year with the animated Return Of Hanuman. That apart, he was the pen behind films like Water, March Of The Penguins, Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., Guru, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Goal and Shaka Laka Boom Boom even. Literally…all over the place.
Paisa Wasool Moment of the Year
The Imtiaz Ghavate chase sequence from BLACK FRIDAY
A superbly crafted set-piece, one can literally smell Mumbai as Ghavate runs through those areas of Mumbai that Bollywood films rarely show. The relentless pursuit, with both the one being chased and the ones chasing getting tired, also has a lovely moment when Kashyap doffs his hat to the Manmohan Desai classic Amar Akbar Anthony when an apt line from that movie plays in the background.
Best Promotional Campaign
OM SHANTI OM (Marching Ants and Red Chillies Entertainment)
There is no such thing as too much publicity or bad publicity as long as you achieve what you set out to. Om Shanti Om got asses on seats, and that’s what matters. Did they overdo it? Oh yes. Were they ethical? Hell no. But it was one aggressive campaign indeed, right from the tie-up with the Twenty20 World Cup to roping in cricketers at the premiere to inundating primetime with ads and so on. Om Shanti Om redefined film promotion…for the better or worse is another subject.
And now for some fun-
Disappointments
03) OM SHANTI OM
I was really looking forward to this film right from the time I heard it being announced. Being a fan of Farah Khan’s earlier Main Hoon Naa and her hubby’s Jaan-e-Mann, I expected this to be an very clever and fun take on Bollywood. What it ended up instead as was an unfortunate film that disguised its ignorance of the 70s by poking fun at the 60s and 80s. Even that would’ve been alright, had the direction not been this unimaginative.
02) AAJA NACHLE
That Madhuri Dixit needed a better film is doubtless. But even otherwise, this was such a poorly executed film. Continuity jerks, an all-too-convenient screenplay and stock characters turned an otherwise relevant story into a lifeless narrative that had only a few moments to recommend.
01) SHOOTOUT AT LOKHANDWALA
This was a wasted opportunity. Give this same subject to Ramgopal Varma or any opf his protégés and they’d make a darn good film outta this. For an event so deeply etched in the public memory, this film does everything wrong- tacky sets that don’t look like Lokhandwala at all, listless direction, bad acting (save Sanjay Dutt who seems to be in his own separate film) and the worst of all; a glorification of the gangsters. With a cast this loaded and a story with such potential, it only goes to show that Apoorva Lakhia can turn gold into dirt.
Worst Couple
Himesh Reshammiya & Hansika Motwani in AAP KA SURROOR: THE MOVIEE- THE REAL LUV STORY
I don’t know about anybody else, but I was extremely disturbed to see a 34 year old Himesh romancing a then 15 year old Hansika. Ewww!
Worst Performance
Amitabh Bachchan in RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG
Really! What was this?!? Phuuusssss
Worst Director
Ramgopal Varma (RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG)
Any director who takes the 2 best actors of Indian cinema, has them in a face-off and then deconstructs them in a sick way by reducing them to blowing air form their lips has to have his license to direct taken away. ‘Nuff said.
Worst Film
RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG (Banner-Adlabs Films Ltd.; Producer & Director- Ramgopal Varma)
This film is so bad, I’m convinced that it was made deliberately so. No film can be this bad by accident.
Thank you for enduring me.
Abhishek Bandekar
31/03/2008
*Needs to be confirmed
Comment by Ravi on 31 March 2008:
Very nice Abzee. That must have too up some effort to come up with this.
Hope we have a lot more sightings of you than what we have been having.
Comment by vikschshkr on 31 March 2008:
Wow…Beautifully written and explained. Do not agree to some (choreography for example)..but still…thanks…
And I have to say (putting my neck on the line here) that if we probably had Oscars in India, these “almost” would have been the winning selections…
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Full marks for the effort abz.
As for the list, very little I personally agree on. I guess our taste of movies is radically different. I thought guru and black Friday were pedestrian efforts. Ur srk bias is evident that cdi doesn’t feature anywhere in your list. I guess you will get a lifelong friend in Satyam with this post
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Fantastic, Abzee. A whole lot to agree on and very little to disagree. Obvicuosly, these are views of a cinema student with refined taste and exquisite judgement, qualities that are not ubiquitous. So, dont mind if there are some dissenting voices.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Putting my neck out, these resemble the nariyal awards more than the Oscars. The presence of tzp redeems this stuff a lil bit.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Well ilg, I believe I respectfully disagreed. The way you respond shows the class you belong to very clearly. If you choose to remain in the gutter, that’s your problem I guess.
Refined taste and exquisite judgement…lol
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Chhodo Beld. My response is not directed at you. On the whole you were restrained.
Comment by kmkm13 on 31 March 2008:
good list here ….Agreed on technical Ecklavya ,JG,Black Friday.Rest i think is more personal nuff said
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Ilg, at least be a man and accept things.
Anyway, I think its clear for people to make their own opinion.
And ya I did notice the irony of your last sentence…lol
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
Wonderful post Abzee, written really well. Full of class and hard to disagree on many counts, though I will confess, Kareena annoyed my buttocks. Maybe she was meant to
Like you I saw CDI again, and actually think it’s a lot better on second view. SRK fans don’t have a heart attack, I really mean it! And on your best film choice and reasons, I know where your coming from. Having taught little kids, I found TZP to be a very personal film and hard to put into context what makes it so good, but I think moments have been captured very well throughout the movie. Agree on best male performance aswell, probably won’t be best popular winner at any awards ceremony but for me Guru works because Abhishek worked and the film rests on his shoulders and performance much like Darsheel in TZP. Agree on SOAL being a disappointment but agree Sanju was show stealer in Eklavya. Agree most of the time where I have seen the movie. Yet to watch a few on your top 10 list.
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
Oh and please guys don’t let this post dis-integrate into a ‘personal’ thing.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Aw come on jay. This post is just a person’s opinion and its well written. And I presume you meant srk haters. Don’t try to play the class game here. I can’t believe the level of intolerance here. People can’t disagree or what. It is obvious that this is a biased representation and that is perfectly fine. But to portray people who disagree as people who don’t understand good movies is as ludicrous as it gets. It is a personal best list which we are all giving our personal comments to. I don’t see anything wrong
Comment by Arun on 31 March 2008:
Good that you’ve finally posted these, abzee! Thanks!
Disagree with a few, like the music awards but these are personal choices anyways. Agree with most of the rest, especially the top actors list!
You should post more regularly, miss your wonderful reviews!
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
And the list should read as abz awards and not naachgaana awards.
Comment by sandy on 31 March 2008:
Superlative work abzee!
There could be plenty to disagree with since many of your choices are intensely personal. But then that is also part of the charm with such an endeavour. Otherwise, I admit that CDI’s exclusion from the main categories and Abhishek’s choice as best performer of the year would certainly make me uncomfortable.
For me, this post is especially valuable because such passionate, insightful and original writing is rare to come by these days.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Re:Like you I saw CDI again, and actually think it’s a lot better on second view. SRK fans don’t have a heart attack, I really mean it!
Same here, Jay. I liked it the first time but quite a bit better
on second viewing. I know I am in minority here but this is my personal fav as far as SRK performances go, DDLJ, Baazigar, Darr, Swades not withstanding.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
My main disagreements would be AN and SOAL, both of which I liked. But again as said a matter of personal preference.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Simply outstanding post Abzee. After a long time one gets a personal post of such richness here. I loved going through it and this is so detailed and well done that agreement or disagreement on the particulars seems beside the point.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Beld babu,
It says ‘not’the naachgaana awards.
BTW, would be cool to have NG awards decided by voting.
Comment by Ravi on 31 March 2008:
Perfectly said Sandhya, whether one agree’s with the choices or not, it is a very passionate and insightful and that is what makes it a pleasure to read anything that Abzee writes.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“I guess you will get a lifelong friend in Satyam with this post”
Abzee is a friend irrespective of the choices he makes in posts such as this one. When such intelligence is displayed in one’s writings it is only the curmudgeon who would hold the actual choices against the writer. But trust some here to immediately try and politicize things and be interested in nothing else in the post but the SRK/Abhishek couple (does this post read like something meant to upgrade or downgrade anyone or any film unfairly?!).
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“would be cool to have NG awards decided by voting”
ILG, with some of our ‘esteemed’ membership here I am afraid we will throw up results no better than some of the governments we elect in India!
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
Calm down beld didn’t say any of what you just ’suggested’ and wouldn’t even dream of it! Calling a list ‘personal’ vs ‘bias’ are two different things. The former infers a kind of like or dislike and the latter some kind of hidden undertone which is from where I am standing styfling the forum. If every review or thought is being dismissed as bias then whats the point on even being here.
ILG - Its a well made film for sure and SRK’s second best performance for me after Swades. DDLJ/Baazigar might be more iconic, but found these two superior. I prefer the restrained SRK when he is not being himself much like Kareena I prefer her de-glam roles like Refugee/Omkara to the one’s where she is being herself! And the CDI girls work a charm - my fav was the goalie whomever she was!
ps SOAL sucked.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“Having taught little kids, I found TZP to be a very personal film and hard to put into context what makes it so good, but I think moments have been captured very well throughout the movie.”
Wow Jay.. didn’t know this..! I am referring to teaching kids..
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
I know, Satayam. I think could fall along predictable lines, since things are so polarised.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Tend to disagree with sandy’s assertion. Imo, there are many better original writers in ng including Satyam and street. But I respect that its a personal choice.
Satyam, keep ranting man. No harm in letting out steam.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
One chuckles at the idea that what one agrees with becomes a ‘fair’ choice while the rest is relegated to the realm of the ‘personal’ and therefore ‘invalidated’! Isn’t the whole list ‘personal’? Of course not all ‘personal’ lists are equally sane!
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Agree on CDI, Jay. I think each girl’s character is very well ethced even if at times a little corny. I still disagree with calling it a great film since it is so heavily inspired and some blatant borrowing and jingoism,but quite a bit of thought and skill has gone into this movie and is very enjoyable.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Beld: I find that last comment of yours a little appalling. In any case I don’t consider myself to be better than Abzee or some other fine writers here. Commenting on the Street analogy I find infra dig. But I won’t say more. I don’t want to ruin this very fine thread here by way of these ‘debates’.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Jay, you cool down dude. You can define as you want but I think its fine to have a personal biased list. But it seems its not ok to have personslt disagreements at least for a few here.
And Satyam, for someone as classless and insane as you, talk a little less about those topics pls.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Yup, there is going to be quite a debate and arguments NG masala style, so there should be a separate post for responses, so as not to desecrate this wonderful effort by Abzee.
As far as Street’s writing style goes, lets remind ourselves this is not a ghetto.
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
‘ I am referring to teaching kids..’
Oh yea. It won’t surprise you that I taught Maths for couple of years (one to one tuition, not classrooms) and some were really young. Did a bit of English too. Overwhelming experience overall and the kind of job that makes one feel very satisfied. One experience was completely comparable. Had to teach a 5yr old how to read, this kid had moved about 4-5 times with his family across the country and didn’t know his alphabet. That was something really hard to do, the kid was 5mins concentration and 55mins drifting away! Def got reminded of my experience more as a tutor than a child while watching TZP.
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
‘You can define as you want but I think its fine to have a personal biased list.’
Ok fine, whatever. Lets leave it at that.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Jay: On the ‘bias’ point, and as I’ve said before, I find this to be even an irrelevant idea. Ultimately whether one is biased or not one needs to do a good job explaining oneself in terms of one’s opinions or choices. When one does that the writing becomes valuable even when the reader does not agree. And the reverse is true as well. I could say that Bachchan is best actor around and it would be such a banal observation it wouldn’t mean much. But if I provided reasons for why I thought this was the case it would make for a far more interesting read.
And of course when I saw reasons I mean proper ones. Otherwise one sees arguments that go like — ‘x’ is a great actor, you just have to see him in ‘y’ film! As if it is so self-evident that one simply has to conjure up that film in one’s mind!
There are agendas operative at times and these can be discerned when people rely on ‘extremes’ all the time to advance a particular case.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Ilg your gutter instinct hasn’t left you, I can see.
Satyam, don’t be modest, whatever else you may or may not be, you are a way better original writer than abz. And like I said, its a personal opinion.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
As far as actual preferences go, I am sure Abzee wouldnt mind some discussions and opinions.
Am with you Abzee, wholeheartedly on Guru, Eklavya, Nishabd, OSO,Black Friday. Guess, I liked CDI more than you did as it doesnt figure anywhere. I was let down by OSO only a little less than RGV ki Aag as after Main Hoon Na, I expected a lot more from Farha. But she went in a totally different direction and made a film that can be best called indifferent.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Jay: That’s impressive stuff..
Teaching kids is often the toughest job in the world but only those who have gone through this really know what it’s like. I know someone who teaches autistic kids and this is of course another ballgame altogether but nonetheless this person also found the TZP world a very persuasive one. What I liked most about TZP was that it wasn’t a film about adults looking in on the child’s world but the child looking out. Many films try to do this but rarely succeed in giving us a child’s perspective in the true sense.
Comment by kmkm13 on 31 March 2008:
Kind of bizarre you expected so much from Farah what was her last work MHN.But expected less from the remake of sholay and AB’s perf as Gabbar and Mohan lal.Come on you were against Oso from day Day 1.Anyway doesn’t matter..
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Jay, you started it so leave it whereever you want to. Not as if I give a damn either.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Re:Ilg your gutter instinct hasn’t left you, I can see.
Beld, If you are spoiling for a fight, you are not going to get one from me. I strongly take an exception to glorification of Street’s writing which is at best a string of vicious expletives barely held together by broken grammar and poor spelling. But if you find it appealing, be his guest.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
So just saw the tashan promo on akshay. It looks just like the ticket to song from jbj
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Ilg
You will be surprised but many in ng find street juvenile but palatable
If you are mature enough to read the right parts and ignore the juvenilism, street is one of the most logical writers in ng.
You could learn from him, you know. You seem to have learnt the juvenile part, but alas only that
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Beld: I will again disagree on the writing and I actually wouldn’t have responded again on this except to repeat an important point. I think that there is the move whereby one praises someone’s writing only to completely dismiss every idea contained in that writing! One takes away with the left hand what one gives with the right! The idea is that there can be a very effective writing which is entirely divorced from the thoughts contained in that writing. It isn’t even that there are certain opinions that have been ‘justified’ in that writing but that there is often ‘nonsense’ which is simply disguised by way of nice language!
I think this represents a serious confusion in one’s understanding as to what writing is. I grant that this is often a purely political move meant to discredit certain writers but it rests on this deeply confused and rather erroneous notion that style is completely divorced from thought in writing. I am not even getting into the theoretical debate of why this is a common confusion. I think that I certainly cannot point to any writer at any level who I find interesting, or who writes well in my view, but who otherwise says meaningless things!
The post here is a good example of what I’m trying to say. This isn’t a well-written or well-organized post with actually the worst choices in the world. If the latter were true the former wouldn’t hold. Imagine this very post, designed in exactly this fashion, but with the top worst films or performances substituted for the best ones here. The post would then read like either the parody of a good one on the subject or would simply be a case of bad writing.
people attack me for my Abhishek essays or many of my points in this regard. But imagine I substituted Fardeen’s name for ABhishek’s in all of those posts. No one would find the writing effective and that point even though all the nouns, verbs, modifiers would be the same!
I am not naive enough not to get the political agendas all round but I have taken the trouble to address this point because I think that it’s simply wrong. So if one wants to indulge in a certain kind of agenda one should just adopt a different tack than this one!
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“If you are mature enough to read the right parts and ignore the juvenilism, street is one of the most logical writers in ng.
You could learn from him, you know. You seem to have learnt the juvenile part, but alas only that”
These are some of the most entertaining lines I’ve ever come across on NG. Without doubt.
ILG, you should be ‘mature’ enough to get past Street’s ‘juvenile’ stuff…
Comment by N I T E S H on 31 March 2008:
Wonderful compilation abzee.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
In any case Beld I don’t know why you’re muddying the waters here. And you started it off with this comment:
“As for the list, very little I personally agree on. I guess our taste of movies is radically different. I thought guru and black Friday were pedestrian efforts. Ur srk bias is evident that cdi doesn’t feature anywhere in your list. I guess you will get a lifelong friend in Satyam with this post ;-)”
I don’t understand why there has to be this constant snideness from certain members here.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Beld,
I have said enough on the subject. You seem to be in a rather viciuos mood. So best to leave it at that. Have a good day.
Stayam,
Your point is well made. But if I were you, I would just take the compliments and forget the rest.NG has its share of good, effective writers with Q, Yourself, Abzee, Goodfella and Skeptic from the SB leading the pack. Rest of us, for the most part just express our opinions, only rarely coherently or effectively. You guys actually WRITE.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Gosh, are you always this paranoid dude. I didn’t call you a logical writer. I called you a original writer. There is a difference I believe. Many of the assertions you make on ng are so bizarre but original all the same. So its good fun to read stuff like that. Whether you believe it or not, street and you are the 2 guys I enjoy most.
I can tell you this much. I have never been personally attacked more by anyone more than you…lol so I do have a ulterior motive to read your stuff.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Beld: Street is a galaxy away from that list (not counting myself). It staggers the imagination to think you believe Street writes like Goodfella or theskeptic or Abzee or Qalandar!
As for taking the compliments I prefer the brickbats!
By the way I won’t get into Guru but let’s talk about Black Friday. I don’t insist that everyone should like this film but how is it even possible to find it “pedestrian”?! This when you would consider anyone who didn’t think highly of CDI ‘biased’!
BF is a fine fine film at many levels. I don’t know how one would even begin making the case that this is “pedestrian”.
Comment by Ravi on 31 March 2008:
Beld, you or other people can call that “Juvenile” bcoz you have similar opinions on things that Street says.
I , for one will always say that Street has some very indepth knowledge and knows what he is talking about, that said I cannot for one second condone all his rantings and name callings etc.
For me, you don’t call or say anything to people that you would not like someone to do to you, if you do so and that too repeatedly that measn you are doing it on purpose and to give him a free pass on that and saying ignore the juvenile part of it is not right and I am sure that you or the other people would not be so forgiving of Street if that innuendo was directed towards them.
Also, want to clarify except for initially when I joined , Street has been very civil with me and personally I do not have any complaints but I do not like seeing those words being used against any one.
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
‘Teaching kids is often the toughest job in the world but only those who have gone through this really know what it’s like.’
I think parents have a pretty good idea. But indeed I agree this is one of the most demanding jobs in the world. In fact I would go as far as to say some jobs (like Doctors, Teachers and few others) are not ‘jobs’ par se but require a lot of other personal sacrifice. Kids can be bloody annoying! But in role as teacher, one has to hold himself/herself back completely and be creative. I found the portions of TZP where Nikumbh is being creative etc well played out. Even when I was teaching I had to be creative cos most these kids are pushed into learning by parents, simply don’t want to be there so one has to make it more ‘exciting’ or ‘interactive’ but at the same time the kid’s got to improve aswell. And the mainthing TZP showed was the relationship between teacher/child is important, how really Nikumbh befriends Ishaan more than anything else. Any parent will tell you how subconciously children feel neglected when there is a sibling getting more attention or newborn child comes into family. TZP kind of takes a hardline and extreme case plus it is only one childs story - every kid behaves differently to any given situation. So in that way its not a solution for all kids, but it gives an option in a way of teaching that should be explored a lot more. And your right on TZP it was from a child’s point of view but the film left much to stew on IMO.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Satyam, don’t be a cry baby now.
Ilg, you got what you asked for. As for the vicious mood, well try again pal. You should stick to your jalra stuff.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Beld: Incidentally the compliments/brickbats bit was addressed to ILG with some humor intended! Even I get confused at times! LOL! I didn’t think I would be addressing the BF issue after this and of course I forgot to refer to ILG on that particular comment.
And I picked up on ILG’s list there as example but I guess you disagree on Abzee and you might on some of the others there. But the general drift stands. No matter who would be included in your list Street doesn’t deserve a place. And I don’t consider this ‘opinion’. This is as close as it gets to a factual statement!
Comment by Qalandar on 31 March 2008:
Superb write-up here abzee: a lot of people can and do give awards and do write-ups for categories like “Best Actor”, “Best Actress” etc., but your love for cinema and attention to the art and craft of filmmaking really shines through in your thoughtful write-ups on the Sound design, sets, choreography etc. categories. As wonderful as the last time you did these “awards” — truly some things never change.
Beld: I must say an “anti-SRK bias” is hardly “obvious” to me when so much care, effort, and justification has gone into such a comprehensive write-up. As someone who would certainly have picked Chak de India as one of the year’s ten best films, I must say is it so inconceivable to you that one wouldn’t think highly enough of that film, when we are talking about what is definitionally a subjective discipline (namely film criticism)?
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
”
Your point is well made. But if I were you, I would just take the compliments and forget the rest.NG has its share of good, effective writers with Q, Yourself, Abzee, Goodfella and Skeptic from the SB leading the pack. Rest of us, for the most part just express our opinions, only rarely coherently or effectively. You guys actually WRITE”
Far too kind when it comes to me ILG (though I certainly appreciate it) but I agree on the other names. There are some others I like too but I won’t name them as I would be accused of ‘pandering’! But hey don’t underrate yourself — you’re a master of biting humor (the best kind) here even if you’d never win a PC award! I also think that your concise opinions are usually spot on.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Satyam,
Its another example of politics that you alluded to. Some people when find themselves in agreement with rather twisted and illogical views expressed rather poorly and shoddily, they try to boost its credibility by playing up the writing style and ‘finding’ some maturity in it. It is lost upon them that good writing is not about finding an echo of your sentiments but goes far beyond that.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Good set of thoughts Jay..
By the way why are you pandering to the doctor here?!
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Ravi, points well taken. But if you notice I chose street and Satyam as my fav. And you know what I think of Satyam
Satyam, your last statement is a clear signal of your ego getting the better of you. Doesn’t matter.
Regarding the pedestrian comment, I have said from the start that the only good thing I liked about guru was Abhishek who did very well. The movie imo was one of mani’s worst.
As for black Friday, its a documentary on actual facts. I think the emotive element of the subject is what lot of people are reacting to. The movie as such was ok imo. And the cdi comment was not that abz didn’t have it as no 1 or whatever but not having it in top 10 shows his srk bias clearly imo, not that people aren’t free to hate srk
Comment by Myna on 31 March 2008:
A list that doesnt include the most significant movie of the year..CDI..!!! Surprising.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“Satyam, don’t be a cry baby now”
I cry a lot because you have seen SRK act well many times and I have so far not had the opportunity. Can you blame me?
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
‘By the way why are you pandering to the doctor here?!’
LOL!
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Re:By the way why are you pandering to the doctor here?!
LOL. I personally believe any professional that does his job well deserves respect. Medicine, for a lot of reasons is no longer on the pedestal it used to be. There are still quite a few noble physicians around, but the image has been tarnished by some.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“Regarding the pedestrian comment, I have said from the start that the only good thing I liked about guru was Abhishek who did very well. The movie imo was one of mani’s worst.”
So you think it’s comparable to Pagal Nilavu? It’s a bit hard for me to believe you’d be saying this if SRK were in Guru!
I am supposed to be the Abhishek fan here but I’ve never had high regard for Sarkar or Abhishek’s performance here. It is inconceivable that you could come up with a similarly important film for SRK and find either the film or SRK overrated in it!
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“As for black Friday, its a documentary on actual facts. I think the emotive element of the subject is what lot of people are reacting to. The movie as such was ok imo. And the cdi comment was not that abz didn’t have it as no 1 or whatever but not having it in top 10 shows his srk bias clearly imo, not that people aren’t free to hate srk”
So documentary-like films (taking your terms) cannot be exceptional pieces of filmmaking?
On the CDI point I guess you wouldn’t have Guru in the top ten presumably since you’ve called it among Mani’s worst. So that’s not bias and not having CDI is?
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
Jay
On education and how it is handled, the Indian element is very important. There is very little awareness even among teachers on what to do with challenged children. It is very heart rending to see the plight of these children in schools in india today. What I loved about tzp was aamir didn’t try to address the whole complex issue and make it just of cinematic relevance. Instead it was realistic and will make a difference at leest to a handful of kids
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“There are still quite a few noble physicians around”
Including the ones who can take the NG punishment every day!
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
‘I personally believe any professional that does his job well deserves respect. Medicine, for a lot of reasons is no longer on the pedestal it used to be.’
Totally, actually my point was more geared towards job satisfaction but I won’t try to upset the apple cart here!
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Abzee, it might have been prudent and needless to say, politically expedient to sell your soul and name CDI
in top ten and save a lot of people some heartburn.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“I personally believe any professional that does his job well deserves respect”
ILG, I’m sure you’re including lawyers too!
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
>>So documentary-like films (taking your terms) cannot be exceptional pieces of filmmaking?
and how did you infer that logic. bcoz i said black friday was just ok. but u know what inadveterently your question is a valid debating point. what makes a documentary a good piece of filmmaking?
>On the CDI point I guess you wouldn’t have Guru in the top ten presumably since you’ve called it among Mani’s worst. So that’s not bias and not having CDI is?
if i didnt have guru in the top 10 films and didnt have abhishek in the top 5 performances - yes - you can assume bias.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
>>politically expedient to sell your soul and name CDI
in top ten and save a lot of people some heartburn.
lol…some more ass licking here…becoming your forte ILG.
abz has every right to post his favs - as i or anyone else have to assume that some of it is biased.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
>>I personally believe any professional that does his job well deserves respect
but someone who disagrees with abz, satyam, q, jay, ilg doesnt
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
What is it with the SRK fans and their fascination with the idea of licking certain bodily parts????? I guess if Freud was alive today these fans would have kept him very busy.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
Re:but someone who disagrees with abz, satyam, q, jay, ilg doesnt
Beld,
This is a small part of life. I have no idea what you do for living but if you do it well and do what you are supposed to, why should one not respect you.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
>>Beld: I must say an “anti-SRK bias” is hardly “obvious” to me when so much care, effort, and justification has gone into such a comprehensive write-up. As someone who would certainly have picked Chak de India as one of the year’s ten best films, I must say is it so inconceivable to you that one wouldn’t think highly enough of that film, when we are talking about what is definitionally a subjective discipline (namely film criticism)?
Q - first of all i expressed my individual opinion which is not a crime i believe.
now as for the logic of calling something biased, well let me put it this way. it eventually boils to what every individual thinks and its really not that important, is it. but to me - a movie that probably a massive majority would find among the best of the year - and a performance which a massive majority found the best of the year - if both are ignored - yes IMO - it is bias.
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
Beld: A documentary isn’t just about switching on the camera and letting it roll for 2 hrs or whatever! It’s a genre of filmmaking and is in fact a different kind of ‘fiction’. As such it has it too involves filmmaking decisions much like any other ‘fiction’ film. A documentary that wasn’t also a good piece of filmmaking would actually be pretty boring. The idea that a documentary simply presents what’s out there is misplaced. There is a good narrative, appropriate editing decisions, and so forth integral to any good documentary. Some of the summits of filmmaking have involved documentary filming and in fact right from the very beginning of the medium. A classic early example is Nanook of the North where Eskimo life is depicted. A great recent Indian documentary is Anand Patwardhan’s epic War and peace that gets into the nuclear arms race on the subcontinent but by way of this delves into much deeper issues. So any good documentary is not about ‘reality’ but about casting a certain light on a slice of reality. And of course ‘reality’ itself is a rather loaded term. There are many who are deeply skeptical of such a term and I am one of them. Because our sense of what ‘reality’ is is always a ‘constructed’ one, greatly shaped by our experiences and background and so forth. My definition of ‘reality’ would be very different from that of the Jamjaweed in Sudan currently busy slaughtering and raping their compatriots. So ‘reality’ is a fiction, the name we give to what we consider normal and normative in our lives. Documentaries deal with such fiction.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
>>What is it with the SRK fans and their fascination with the idea of licking certain bodily parts?????
at least its just a fascination - it seems real for some non-SRK fans.
>I have no idea what you do for living but if you do it well and do what you are supposed to, why should one not respect you
are u asking me or should you be asking yourself this question. learn to differentiate between stars and fans. i am surprised at the immaturity of someone so senior and so selfless(i consider doctors and armed forces that).
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
‘There is very little awareness even among teachers on what to do with challenged children. It is very heart rending to see the plight of these children in schools in india today.’
This is something that IMO is getting progressively work (can only speak of UK though). Quality of teachers is getting lower IMO, whereas classes get bigger. Influx of a lot of europeans because of EU laws also means teaching becomes that much harder. Probably stating the obvious but education and health have to be the main priorities of any society. But just get the unearthy feeling that our government is more concerned with where to put the next speed camera. I met a one of my teachers from like 15 years ago and she said kids have all changed. Now they swear, fight, argue, punch more than I was a kid. Childhood frustrations, like Ishaan I guess. Not enough teachers, bigger classrooms just means less attention for kids and more copying of the board. Teachers salaries are ridiculously low IMO for the kind of job they do.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
satyam - thanks for that. if i can request, can you post that last comment as a separate post. i believe it can be a great debate. i have actually wondered what makes a documentary a good piece of filmmaking - to be frank i still dont know
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
“a movie that probably a massive majority would find among the best of the year - and a performance which a massive majority found the best of the year”
What’s the data you have on this Beld? The filmfare polls or the filmfare awards?! But even if this is what you’re relying on these very numbers went to Hrithik for Krrish in ‘06. So he must have acted better here than Aamir in RDB or to take an example you would be more sympathetic to SRK in Don!
Since OSO or Welcome grossed far more than CDI presumably the majority actually preferred those films to CDI! These days a massive majority seems to be preferring Race to JA!
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
>Teachers salaries are ridiculously low IMO for the kind of job they do.
first hand experience jay. do you know that the maid and drivers get more salary than most teachers in renowned schools in bangalore. shocking to say the least. and the fees are exhorbitant. its just a money making business now
Comment by satyam on 31 March 2008:
And I’m not being facetious. I think Guru is a better film than Welcome and therefore see it more times in the theater. I think TZP is a better film than HB and I don’t even see HB in the theater. So grosses reveal that a certain kind of film attracts a greater majority. Your statement then about massive majorities finding CDI the best film of the year is flatly wrong!
Critical opinion is not at all dependent on majorities. But then CDI wasn’t more well reviewed than TZP and SRK’s performance was assuredly not more praised in CDI than Abhishek’s in Guru, even if the media runs out of its own superlatives beyond a point.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
>What’s the data you have on this Beld?
satyam - the key word was among the best. i missed that in the 2nd part but look at any poll, any award. please tell me an award that didnt have cdi or SRK at least in the list of nominees. finally the choice of best one is subjective and we can argue endlessly. but i think its fair to expect the best movies of the year to come in a top 10 list or in the top 5 performances list.
Comment by beld o beld on 31 March 2008:
satyam - please refer my comment again
“a movie that probably a massive majority would find among the best of the year”
i dont have an issue with what is no 1, 2 or 3 - but cmon to say its not in the top 10 and say srk’s performance was not in the top 5 - well lets just leave it to people to make their own opinions - i call it bias - you call it fair.
Comment by ILG on 31 March 2008:
As someone said the stupid arent in majority but they are loud.
And the loudness creates an illusion of majority.
Comment by jayshah on 31 March 2008:
‘first hand experience jay. do you know that the maid and drivers get more salary than most teachers in renowned schools in bangalore. shocking to say the least.’
Well it is not for me to say this is right or wrong cos even the maid and drivers are doing a job. All I can say is teachers should be paid a lot more. To hear though really is a shock. Here, they still get paid reasonably, but not nearly enough. I know a lot of people who would have made good teachers but refused to go in because they wouldn’t survive on suc