Interpreter of Maladies
Monday, January 30, 2006
RDB-disturbingly brilliantIts not often that I tread out of the campus for an onerous trip to the erstwhile Calcutta city to catch "another one of the treadmill" movies in a costly cineplex. This time, however, i would have been damned if I didn't make an exception. This was a movie I had been waiting for since long. I was anticipating, how on earth could a director, bring old fashioned patriotism into contemporary lives and make sense of all that. I was also wondering why the songs were not letting me into what the movie would be like. Listen to a Mangal Pandey score, a Lagaan score...very predictable all of these. RDB does not and will not let you in until you take a peek-a-boo into the movie itself. Mr Mehra, I have been a fan of your direction ever since I watched Aks, the very few who saw the movie and loved it. I failed to understand then, why reviewers, crowds et al failed to see the honesty in the film, the undoubtable brilliance and more than anything else, passion...something that makes you sit up and take notice. Even if it was a subject as morose as ghosts, good vs evil, reincarnation what not..the movie made you think. I wished Mr Mehra was given another chance to show the world, his real worth. The Karan Johars, Mr Vermas, Mr Ghais his real mettle. And what a chance this was...
Rang De Basanti is a brilliant movie-a movie that makes you sit up and take notice. How many movies have stayed with you days after you are done with it. How many movies have rooted you to your seats. How many movies have made you question your self worth. How many movies have to be described as only two words "Disturbingly brilliant". The movie had all that I expected of Mr Mehra and Mr Khan. Both perfectionist in their own right. The movie is great because of the way it splits apart into two halves, both halves endearing but very contrasting. In the first half, where college frolic and fun is predominant and life is sugar sweet. There are charming prince on horse, the cosy friend gang, the budding love, the scenic Delhi..everything. And the second half, well I won't let anything out. But it just makes sense after watching the second half, why the first half had to be created. Why we were made to get lost in the dreamlike world of DJ, Sukhi, Karan, Soniya, Aslam, Sue and Ajay. I said listening to the score before watching the movie made me wonder what the movie is about. Just take a minute and get amazed at how the songs actually find their place in the movie. It just shocks you. I realized then, that Mr Mehra has a winner on his hands. RDB is not an epistle that pushes you to take notice or spring into action. The movie in effect never pushes you to do anything. Never tells you to love your country or feel any respect whatsoever for revolutionaries. It never evokes unnecessary sympathy for the gang. Never. It just tells a story without pushing moral cereals through your throat. It just expects an intelligent audience coz for others the movie would not make sense. Just like Aks the movie does not have a broad mass appeal but it has a passion at the heart of it which would make it priceless for the few who watch it. I dont care if the movie is a hit or a flop but the message it has tried to put across, should be heard. That would solve the mission of movies like RDB and many others. The music score is captivating-Rahman is a brilliant music director but sometimes fails to connect- this times however he connects, clicks and charms all together. Talking on performances. It would waste space to talk about Mr Khan-he is above words now. He can make a briliant mark when he wants to and this time it was all evident that he wanted to. Sharman Joshi-what a revelation he was. His character was not like others-he was a kid with bright eyes but he still believes in his friends and that belief shows. Soha, that girl has potential and its time she does something with it. Madhavan, well I love that chap :) so my views would be biased.
If you havent , would recommend a must watch. Whether to love it or not, you can decide post the watch. But the movie deserves a chance...and would live upto it.
