Bollywood : Can we pluheeez keep it away from too much realism?

Watched Madhur Bhandarkar's latest offering, Fashion, last week. It isn't really hard hitting as Page 3 was but i must admit that it was pretty engaging. There weren't too many moments when i grumbled the words "Move on!". The cast is all there doing typical things. So as a movie, ignoring Madhur's history/claim of making movies close to reality, I would rate it 3/5. I do not need to deep dive in a review to shred every piece of expression of the cast to like it.

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Which is why Masand's review pissed me off. I don't know why I watch his show! Masand says the movie is far from reality cause Madhur did not include a single shot of designers at work. All that sketching, snipping, cutting, embroidery etc that goes into making a fashion week. My point is - It isn't a "Idiots guide to fashion designing"!! For gods sake, let it be entertainment and not education!! But i do agree to his point that the movie was better titled "Super Model" over "Fashion"! The only sane point he made in the entire review.

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Which brings me to this whole Bollywood-realism debate and movies closer to actual lives we lead. These champions of realism like Masand are only limited to cities. Go to smaller cities like Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, the two I've been to, and you will see that people love our very own song-dance-high drama fare. It some serious escape from the mundane lives. Its very true that Bollywood sells dreams. It needs to continue so. We sure have place for the so called "mature cinema" but why ape the Hollywood market? I for sure would love to watch the typical Shahrukh-Yashraj DDLJ kind of movies once in a while! I'm not saying no to introduction of new subjects in tune with times, Rock On!, being a perfect example. But then, pluheeez! I still want to see song sequences with long flowing Saree's draped precariously over pretty lasses while Shahrukh stretches out his arms from some absolutely stunning Swiss locales!
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Nice! Really Nice! :-)

Rock On!! - New Age Hindi Rock.

I'm usually not very impulsive reserving my opinions until i've tried things enough. But then i'm also someone who makes up my mind on whether i want to try something again, the very first time! Been listening to the sound tracks of "Rock On!!" since this morning. And i don't seem to get enough of them. The promo's have already built up fair level of expectations for the movie. That the movie will probably have -

1. A great visual feel to it.

2. Some serious hindi rock music.

3. Farhaan Akhtar delivering on all counts - As an Actor and Singer!

4. The storyline - Alas it comes at the bottom. :-) But would be something fresh as we have now come to accept from Bollywood too.

I shall reserve the opnions on the last two, offer some on the first & clap my hands for the 2nd!

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It is easy to expect the film to be visually appealing. The promos are a clear hint at this being a peppy, urbane, youthful movie. With the Band shown on icy white backgrounds, the visuals are going to be very arresting. I'm hoping that Farhaan has been asked to share his DCH experience to work on the look of this venture. Plus, the cast fits the band image hand in glove! Farhaan Akhtar & Luke Kenny lend a purposeful, real-life feel. Purab Kohli must be the drummer, no wonder he stands far away in the background with the wild hair and goatee. Arjun Rampal unfortunately has a very familiar Bollywood tag to him. But still accept him once i discount his credentials of masala movies since he looks the part. Hope he delivers. But he is still the 2nd best looker of the band. #1 being Farhaan! :-)

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Moving on to the sound track, the real deal. From a movie that carries the tag - Rock On!, yes the "!" is on the tag, the sound track had to be the soul of the movie. There are no Rock Movies, Rock Car Races, Rock WWF Fights! There are but Rock Concerts & Rock Music!! So I had huge expectations from the music and I admit - Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have delivered a soundtrack that ROCKS!! After their I-Have-So-Heard-This-Before music in Thodi Life Thoda Magic, they have redeemed and perched themselves back on the highest places on the podium. These guys are on a roll again after their refreshing numbers in TZP.

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The only other serious Bollywood attempt at music that lived upto the "Hindi Rock" was by Pritam in the movie "Life In A Metro". The only other "Hindi" rock band i like is "Strings". Pritam has in the past tried some level of experimentation and i was always under the assumption that it was him for Rock On!. But I'm so surpised to know it was the trio of SEL and not Vishal-Shekhar or Pritam. In fact once i know it was not Pritam i "knew" so confidently that it was Vishal-Shekhar since Vishal still plays with Pentagram. Never Assume!

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Nyways. Rock On! raises the bar by so many many notches over LIAM that its hard for me to accept that i even considered LIAM as rock! S-E-L have managed to actually instill the soul of rock music in these songs. One doesn't need any more proof than just the sounds of electric guitars, drums & the trump card - Farhaan's voice! The sound track is a heady mix of electric guitars, bass guitars, electronic sounds, drums and some very very apt lyrics.
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Listen to the songs -

1. "Pichle Saat Dinon Mein" - this is my personal favourite. Great performance, awsome lyrics!

2. "Sindbad The Sailor" - this one rocks

3. "Phir Dekhiye" - and this one is a love ballad

4. "Socha Hai" - this one rocks too

5. "Tum Ho Toh"

to know what i mean when i say this is real rock! There is a live version of "Pichle Saat Dinon Mein" that completely transports you into a live concert! Hear Farhaan scream "C'mon! Louder!" and you will know what i mean. These are not your regular love songs. These do not depend on the inherent melody and smooth quality of voice of the playback singer. These are songs that are rely more on the composition, instruments, lyrics and finally, the edgy voice of the lead singer! This is where S-E-L have the ace. They could have very well roped in a Shaan or Shankar himself could have performed. But they chose not to go down this way. They let Farhaan take the microphone and boy, he has delivered! It is the imperfections in his voice that truly lend the essence of rock to these songs. The sound is definitely there from the instruments, but a voice like Farhaan takes the entire listening experience to altogether a different plane. I'm sure he has enjoyed every moment of this experience cause it shows in the way he has freely belted the notes. They are far from perfect, but yet, so damn perfect for Rock On! This is going to be a Farhaan movie......

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All the web content says the lyrics are by Javed Akhtar! No Kidding! This movie is going to be so full of surprises! If you had those regular lovey-dovey-mushy set of lyrics, i'm not sure how the lead singer can really convey the angst, rage, passion and what not! Seriously! Can you imagine a drab of a line, say "Mai tumse kaise karu izhaar" being mouthed by a lead vocalist of a rock band? So it must have taken Javed Akhtar some serious level of soul searching, hours of listening to at least some sort of rock to belt out these so fun yet so meaningful lyrics. I'm sure it helps to have your son sing & star in the movie! And then it must have taken the trio of S-E-L so much of breaking-away from their "Kal Ho Na Ho" & some other forgettable ventures to come out with something so fresh and pure.

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So there you are! My opinion on the sound track of Rock On! for you. You will surely forgive the lengthy writing on listening to the tracks. Cause if you are someone like i'm, who is excited by something true in its spirits, fresh coming from some completely unexpected quarters, you will be swaying to these tracks! I know it kind tests your patience when I write all these words only to convey that "It Rocks!". From now on, there is Bollywood music and there is Rock! :-)

Mithya - The truth is a big lie after all.....

Now I don't mean to turn a film "critic" cause I want to raise my hands and clap for Rajat Kapoor & Ranvir Shorey to have blessed us with a brilliant lie. Errr..A Brilliant Bollywood movie. Me saying it is Bollywood fare is almost a lie cause the script is brilliant and Ranvir Shorey goes on to beat the inherent strength of the script by some extremely convincing play. Completely unlike Bollywood right? So after Vinay Pathak's "Bheja Fry", here is Ranvir proving that he too is one seasoned actor.
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It sure isn't a comedy. Parts are funny but thats about it. The underlying tale is all dark and subtle about how life can sometimes make you believe that lies are the ultimate truth. Sounds gibberish and lofty? One has to see the climax to believe what i want to express. But fail to. In short, it is the life of a man who dreams to live big. Fate has it that he does get to "act" like he is big. Fate has it that he loses touch with reality and thinks the "act" is "reality". Fate has it that he is forced to get back to the real "reality" but he refuses to accept that the "act" is after all an "act". In the process, he loves the one who he is supposed to "act" to be loving but lets go of the one whom he "truly" loves. And fate has it that he realizes the truth only at his last breath. The final blow of how cruel fate is comes when he is taken back to the "act" to be laid to rest when he would have now wanted to be left in "reality".
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Sounds crap? I told you i'm no writer. And one can only feel VK's helplessness as his entire life runs by him in that last moment when he calls out -- "Sonia", his true love. If there was ever a movie that has hit me so hard during the climax, it was this. That how life can play lies on you to make you believe it is all true. You realize the truth is a big lie after all but then it is too late.....
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A few though will hate the dark, brooding hues on the screen. Almost as if the script wasn't dark enough and you had to avoid any sun. My wife did come back all mad and angry at watching something so "boring and senseless". Won't shatter any BO records but who cares. It will get its due one way or the other.
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This definitely isn't everyones cuppa. But is sure was just right for me! So can we have an Oscar for this one please? We do have a worthy contender this year and i hope the so called "parallel cinema" continues churning out such brilliant fare that tests the boundaries of what most desi film makers term "hatke hai".

Halla Bol !! - How I miss Sunny..

Watched Raj Kumar Santoshi's (RKS) new venture "Halla Bol" last weekend. Reminds me of RDB (Rang De Basanti for the challenged) and a lot of actual incidents famously brought into limelight by the Indian Media. I don't intend to write a movie review since there will be a lot many out there by now. What I wanted to say though was that "I MISSED SUNNY DEOL!!".
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The movie is good but no RDB. Then again, if RDB had not happened, I would have raved about it cause I actually liked the movie. Of course one exepects a few over the top sequences from RKS and a lot of drama but the message is always loud and clear. Underdogs fighting against all odds to come out triumphant. In the past, especially in RKS' commercial heydays, Sunny Deol played the (muscular!) underdog and how! Remember Ghayal, Ghatak & Damini? Man I was impressed and the movies raked in moolah and great reviews for Sunny & RKS. Cut to the recent past. Now recollect China Gate & Lajja. C'mon, give it a try! I know its hard...Cause whats so missing is Sunny Deol! Of course there are other cinematic elements like a weak story etc but nothing so glaring as Sunny's absence.
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Ajay Devgan is a passable actor at best. Sunny is no Amitabh or Irrfan Khan or Aamir but RKS movies were his best. Pankaj Kapoor in HB is mesmerizing! He scroches the screen everytime he comes on but its not his story unfortunately. I mean Ajay Devgan doesn't even look the part of a man wronged by the "Zalim Zamana" or "Balwant Rai". His spotless Armani's are no match to Sunny's blood soaked, torn Baniyan's & the clothh tied around the head. The scene where Ajay Devgan pees on the Ministers Persian carpet just didn't make the cut with me. It had to be Sunny! I still remember the dialogue "Ye dhai kilo ka hath...." and the expressions on Sunny's face....I sure do missed him!