rann

hindi movie
amitabh bachchan. paresh rawal

Where has Ram Gopal Verma of yore gone? The director who gave us gems like Rangeela, Raat, Satya, Company and Kaun is miserably out of form lately. And looks like hasn’t regained the form yet. The man, who made quality cinema out of virtually no plotlines in films like Daud and Kaun, fails to deliver with a theme with lot of potential. Rann’s premise is promising no doubt, but content and execution is not.

Initial credits do set good expectations. You brace yourself for some serious stuff… for comeback of RG Verma. But you are let down by the end. Let down by the film and more by the filmmaker. Rann, that promises to unmask those who claim to unmask others, a film that promised to challenge (and maybe change) the route the media in our country has taken to increase TRPs, turns out to be a half-baked, ill-researched and shallow very shallow effort.

Why RGV has to make all his films so dark and gloomy? Agreed it adds depth to narrative, but maybe not every time. Why the background score has to be so loud? Was it meant to excite or scare? Why most of the film is shot from strange angles, through the gate rails, rear view mirrors of cars, key holes, windowpanes, curtains, sofa corners… everything but a straight and full camera frame. It makes already a dark film almost suffocating. It gives a feeling of watching a horror film. RGV tries to add impact and grip by this camera gimmicks rather than taut storytelling. While he has tight control on his cameraman, the story clearly spill through with lots of loose ends.

The conspiracy, that we are believed to have toppled the government in New Delhi, is too simple. Veterans of media and politics and the general public of country today are smart enough not to fall this easily. RGV tries to show that it’s a big conspiracy by filming it from spooky angles in a dark room, an unknown old lady watching TV in next room, a political henchman kind of person sitting wearing khaadi and aviators and speaking nothing in the whole film… hey..! Is this actually a horror film? Vijay Malik (Amitabh Bachchan) who’s supposed to be the last man standing in India’s media, telecasts a sting operation tape featuring 2 men, with potential to overturn the government (run by a man of his liking), without even knowing the source, forget about checking the authenticity. One of the men in the sting operation tape is found dead soon after and still nobody smells a rat. Except for of course our other “last man standing” in making, Purab (Ritesh Deshmukh). Purab is the only one who seems to be having photographs of Vijay Malik’s birthday party, where the other man in the tape was present.

Then the newly elected Prime Minister, Mohan Pandey (Paresh Rawal) decides to take oath on the spot of a bomb blast. I am not sure if that is allowed by constitution. And he chooses Vijay Malik and his channel to present his swearing in ceremony to the nation. Isn’t the national broadcaster (Doordarshan) supposed to do that? Meanwhile Vijay Malik decides to telecast another sting operation tape (again) without checking its authenticity (again). Mohan Pandey gives an election rally kind of speech before being sworn in. Has that ever happened and I am again not sure if that is allowed by the constitution. Then, while the newly elected Prime Minister is being sworn in by the President of India, every body present gets a phone call simultaneously and every single soul moves out of the ceremony leaving the President and Prime Minister wondering what actually happened. Hey…! Is that how you treat the President of India and a newly elected democratic leader of country?

The characters of story are too cardboard and bookish. Everyone is either pure black or pure white. Only Sudeep’s character shows some shades of grey and hence reality. He portrays a heir of media house, torn between commercial success and his father’s ethics, with conviction. But why he has to behave like a drug addict? Every other character is monotonous. Ritesh Deshmukh, who wears the same attire on all occasions, be it party or obituary, does a fair job. Moinish Behl was looking fine until the sequence when he spells out every single details of countries biggest conspiracy to a journalist of competitor TV channel. He has never over acted more. Paresh Rawal, who has done some memorable negative roles in the past, is just passable. We have seen Rajat Kapoor doing far better justice to his talent. And Gul Panag, was that you? After his histrionics in PAA, this looked a sub-standard written role for Amitabh Bachchan. Though he still is the brightest spot in this gloomy venture. Even a below par writing can not keep Amitabh Bachchan down.

Ram Gopal Verma is going through the similar phase as Indian Cricketer Rahul Dravid was going through sometimes back. Nothing was going his way. Nobody had doubt on his talent and class, but still he was failing. Even on good batting tracks, against not so formidable bowling attack… he was failing. There were times when even a man of his temperament seemed to get bogged down, there were times when he tried to stroke himself out of the bad patch with some flashy and adventurous shots. But he failed. Then he did what he does best. Took his time on the pitch and constructed the wall again. Brick by brick.

RGV needs to do the same I guess. Maybe take a break. Try being assistant (and mentor of course) to some of the young directors. He has given us some great young directors from his Factory after all. He needs to understand that big star cast might not be enough. He needs to remember that his biggest success didn’t star any big names. And who knows maybe he should try to cast Urmila again for his next film. Do whatever but give us the RGV of past, back. We miss him.

I am not giving up on RGV as yet.

Rating: * ½ (1.5 out of 5)

3 idiots

hindi movie

amir khan. kareen kapoor

The moon is said to be more beautiful than sun, but because it’s feeble you can see and criticize the black spots. And just because sun is blaring, burning and relentless nobody dares to look eye to eye. Well that by no means implies that sun is not beautiful. What it means is, if you brave to look a while with scrutinizing eyes, you may find some black spot there as well.

3 Idiots, a fine film from almost all aspects is one such blaring sun. It shines throughout, mostly overshadowing its shortcomings. An impelling star cast of Amir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani, R Madhvan and Sharman Joshi, a super hit producer-director duo of VV Chopra and Raju Hirani, a bestseller novel as the basic plot, strategic marketing and sleek packaging… the combination was almost guaranteed to click and it does. It not only clicks but also successfully manages to hide the loopholes.

3 Idiots, on the brighter side is a fun “feel good” film. Raj Kumar Hirani continues with his “preaching coated in humor” style. His film, like his earlier two, raises some social issues, suggests some solution and concludes with basic moral that being happy is more important that being successful. You’ll smile, laugh, chock your throat and shed tears at right time. The film grips the audience emotionally. Majority, if not all, of the audience would come out content, carrying a feeling of 3 hrs well spent. Nobody would be seemingly cribbing the hike in ticket rates that most cinemas around the country have implied for this film. Making someone pay extra for a film ticket and still making him happy itself is a big achievement.

But on the hind side, if you could manage to break the emotional shield the film creates and look closely… there are some questions that need to be answered. For starters, why Amir Khan, who sang “papa kehte hain” in the college farewell 21 years ago, has to play a first year college student. We do have a good breed of young 20 something actors, maybe not at par with Amir, but competent and convincing enough. Amir Khan and R Madhvan look hopelessly unconvincing as first year college kids. It the sheer charisma of Amir and grip of the story that never lets the attention drag on his under eye lines and now starting wrinkles on forehead.

Then there are reminisce of Amir’s Taare Zameen Par. Only difference is at the receiving end of his “let the children do what they wants to do” speeches are college professors and principals instead of parents. But a 40 plus Amir, playing a school teacher, giving piece of advice to student’s parents was far more convincing and acceptable than a 40 plus Amir, playing a under graduate student, giving similar speeches to lecturers, college principals and friend’s parents.

And since when making fun of a paralyzed old man became humorous? In fact making mockery of the whole below poverty line family of Raju (played by Sharman Joshi) was in bad taste. Very unlike Raj Kumar Hirani it was. And our hero is allowed to take the scooter, with loud shout and louder horns, right inside the emergency ward, party and play dart in the same ward without anyone having any issues with it. Don’t we have other patients in the hospital? Well all these thing sting as the film comes from a Raj Kumar Hirani and you expect a director of his repute to have an eye for details. Choosing R Madhvan as narrator also seems to be wrong decision.

Having said all this, 3 Idiots is not a bad film at all. It’s definitely worth every extra penny you spent for that ticket. And you would most likely be satisfied for 3 hrs well spent. Apart from missing some minute details, Raj Kumar Hirani is in full form, once again. He has carefully selected some of the finest performing actors. Amir Khan carries the film on his shoulders with able support from R Madhvan and Sharman Joshi. Omi Vaidya makes an impressive debut. His Teacher’s day speech will remain in our memories for long time. Boman Irani is a fine actor but why he has to don a funny wig is a mystery. Kareena Kapoor, who is accounted for making some fine films bomb in initial phase of her career, has come a long way. She lights up the screen whenever she gets the share in camera frame.

Story plotline, inspired by a best selling novel, was always strong. Add to that some fine writing by the writers and we have a binding tale of humor, emotions, message and drama. Shantanu Moitra’s music serves the purpose.

Raju Hirani adds a filmy touch towards the end in the baby delivery episode, which though very filmy, is actually enjoyable.

VV Chopra and Raju Hirani pair has done it again. But they should not try to hide the deficiencies rather rectify them next time. But overall we can safely conclude “all is well” Recommended.

Rating: * * * (3 out of 5)