Friday, June 18, 2010

Mani Ratnam ki Aag………… oops RAAVAN.

Well, A wonderful camera along with some world class frame captures, Thanks to Santosh Sivan. He held the camera with very subtle and slow movements during the jungle he dreamt. The same camera went eerie during the fight scenes and dances, proving that directorial ventures are not the same for Sivan.

You can compare the body capture of Aishwarya and the jungle during cinematography was similar to Kareena in Asoka. When the camera and elements are both in motion for prolong time, you not only feel headache but a burning question why? Why? Ravan proposed to Sita and accepted his guilt rotating. And above all why Santosh was rotating? Dark Gloomy filled with Multani mitti and turmeric faces was shot perfectly, but I hope they should be shot still to make them as Art.

The story lacks the gripping power of Ramayana, and you can go buy yourself cheese popcorn without adding any further doubts. Valmiki must be cursing Acharya and Mani for this poor adaptation of Ramayana mixed with Maoist. Please expect The mighty Ravana (a great scholar and a capable ruler) as a Hideous Maoist. The Movie opened with a scene from Dantewada massacre and a brilliant casting. Soon the slow motion and weak story prevailed the first half and destroyed it completely.

Weak story was never expected from a director of Mani’s Calibre. Well, Well Well…. Every masterpiece comes with a patch and surely this is the weakest Daub of Mani Ratnam’s career. Ravan’s motives were well justified in a truly gripping scene were Priyamani played a very suitable role. Ravi kisen played the role of Kumbhkaran in a very rustic way. The dialogues were very north but he was holding South style banana leaves for his gastronomic delights. Needless to say that Govinda did justice to Hanuman, but he was not given good dialogues.  Overall the Dialogues were too dramatic and filmi.

Now coming to Junior AB, well he is still a junior and ruined most of the passionate frames with madness. There is always a fine line between Madness and passion. Aishwarya delivered the “Bak..bak.. “Dialogues better than him in the end of the movie. However she carried her Eyeliner throughout the jungle, Mani overlooked the makeup artist’s overdo. Her bruises were very flimsy and never gave an impact (not even with her expression). She was shot brilliantly and her eyes are having gossamer touch.

When you go wrong, you go wrong… Action and choreography was ruined to extremes. The jump scenes were repeated many times. Shyam Kaushal and Peter Hein made use of too many ropes. However last fight scene was shot aesthetically. Even AR Rahman could not do justice to nicely penned lyrics. The last song was heavy with lyrical delights but was overshadowed by light outs. No comments on overhyped south star Vikram. It’s not his fault; he was trying harder when sharing screen space with Aishwarya.


The plot mixes the ethical conflicts equally but failed to deliver into a well said story. When you take a plot from Good vs. Evil and you cannot describe the King from the Demon, you land up watching a King-size disappointment.

Altogether, RGV ki Aag was better than Mani Ratnam Ka Raavan.






Refrences:
Critical reception


Monday, June 7, 2010

God-Political-Father

How can you mess a greatest epic with the greatest novel. If you want to witness that mess--watch Raajneeti.

The movie revolves around two sub-families killing each other and talking through media for the chair of CM. All the drama started with a heart attack and the half brothers started the deadly Mahabarat.



This long movie was no good as the endings were known and the Goldclass seats were too comfortable. This combination was also not good, to sit you throughout. This is one of the Jha’s worst story line with the weakest dialogues. Surprisingly RGV’s adaptation was more grasping and full of expressions.
The protagonist’s choice was expressionless yet thoughtful which was not captured by the rolling camera. Kaif was the chosen girl unlike Sarkar and she messed it up whole time.
Unnecessary kissing and Intimate scenes spoiled the rhythm, with each one night stand turning into a pregnancy. Jha is not great in Romance and female portraits. Apharan, Damul, Parinati and Gangajal are his best and they are no comparison to the newest politically incorrect.
Ajay Devgan was wasted like a side kick to flashy Manoj bajpayi. The story was weakened further by so many killings followed too easily to the same family. The slap by the police officer will make you remember Godfather I, but soon the comparison with Young Al pacino and Young Ranbir will bring you back. Arjun As sunny was not furious and from the intelligent lot. Every killings and hired murders were done so directly that it didn’t go down well. The Gay man, who betrayed on his soul party, just to protect his gayness, will actually make you think about the story writer missing the punch. The Gay partner was murdered like a horse in his sleeping bed. A bad copy. Not expected from Prakash Jha. And to add, I did not see Naseer and Nana stealing a single frame.
Two parties game in the movie is unusual in the Indian Politics, Shruti seth as the bait was even worse and didn’t explain anything. The changing game of the reverse was too repeated that it became mundane. No longer was the thrill held.
Somehow Ranbir’s coldness was depicted well, but Jha tried hard to explain the motive behind it, which was not at all needed. The only thing I liked in the movie was the thought full smoke. Ranbir definitely smokes better than Ajay (in Gangajal). Atleast he held the cigarettes better than the expressions.

However Arjun, Ranbir and kaif should go back to Akhtar’s,Chopra and Johars.
The worst part of the movie was the Kaif’s speech at the end of the movie. Thank god it was her’s first speech and thankfully the last.