CLEARWATER - AGAIN

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DELHI BELLY (2011) - HINDI

And truly, shit happened.

What is delhi belly? Its about having bad belly in Delhi. It's as simple as that. I could decipher in 5 minutes what was happening, I surely right in the first frame that it was about the package and then how could they get it was the rest of the movie, but hey did they get it, watch the movie please. It's all fin filled and neatly embedded some may say, but for me it was more forced coincidences and puerile humour. Yes, we call each of our friends with the F word, but that does not mean it has to be a language of the movie. Also, the hinglish version uses bad words for every reason it has. I am Okay with this, but what was the point all this movie was about is what it makes predictable.

Tale written well but surely not told efficiently as per me. It just had 90 minutes and with the unnecessary flips like Arup's girl friend and his imagination, Niitn's sting stint for his owner were ot so much needed and the plot would have better focused with the goons and the mischief. If a movie is trying to be cool, then it is very un cool and this movie tries very hard to be. I was reminiscent of Lock Stock and two Smoking Barrels and even and old hindi movie like Ek Se Badhkar Ek. Of course many crime comedy movies have been made and for sure this has a very realistic appeal and feel, thanks to cinematographer and the art director to have created that. 

Acting if any was done by Vijay Raaz and he stood out while others just chipped in. No special mention for other actors is needed and the one line everyone did their piece aptly should suffice. Music, was good and for me I was happy that this not include much of music and all it had was pieces. 

A good one to many and an instant cult film to many more, but for me it was just another movie that was spun out of the mill that surely gave many memorable movies. It was average and it's not as fluid as so many have claimed, it tries hard by digressing but it's just an attempt thus far. For me it's 2/5. (I would be the first one to criticize this movie may be, but I am just being honest with myself).

GRAND CANYON

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DOOKUDU (2011) - TELUGU

Never waited so much for a movie ticket ever. I waited for nearly 2 hours at Sridevi theatre and finally was given the entry to the movie. Thanks to my friend Rajender for ensuring that we had a watch on the first day of release.

A good commercial entertainer that could have been a bit shorter.

A very well acted movie by Mahesh Babu and the credit of using him the right way goes to Srinu Vaitla, the director of the movie. The story though does not have novelty as I take it as an amalgamation of Pokiri (Mahesh's earlier movie) and Goodbye Lenin  and even a tinge of character was taken from Khaleja (Mahesh's previous movie), it was well combined to make a pot boiler that is entertaining thoroughly.

The movie brings out many layers of Mahesh, starting with comedy and ending with emotion he has done action, emotion and comedy very well and I sincerely believe that he is the finest actors that we have around today and should he stick to Commercial cinema, I would embrace every such movie. Please do not make art movies with him and corrupt him, let him be as he is and he is the best certainly. 

Technically, I loved the background music and the re recording work done by Thaman, though I could not appreciate the cinematography much as in few frames, the head or hair was cut and while few frames just seemed to capture dialogues blandly. Of course, direction was top notch but editing wise, 2 songs could have been cut. Also, the stunts should have been a tad short as they are actually pretty long.

Overall, I would say this , in India and specifically in Andhra Pradesh or Tamilnadu, movies are heavens and the film stars are demi gods and everyone, from a rickshaw puller to a CEO of a company go to watch a movie with similar mindset that is to have fun and forget everything else. This movie, sure made me forget everything else and just made me laugh with it's comedy.

Just liked it, and would watch it again for Mahesh Babu. It's a 3/5 for me. The movie could have been better with a better scissor of the editor.

MY TO DO LIST BEFORE I DIE

I watched two movies 1) Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara 2) The Bucket List.
Both had many things in common and the message was similar just the context was different.

"Live your life now, we never know when we shall end" and I strongly believe in this and though I had discussed and made up my mind to do things right away or at least as soon as possible. I would go with this list. You can call it my Bucket List, the list I ought to complete before I Kick the Bucket. and believe me this would mostly comprise of travel and 5 years later I would revise it.

1) A trek to Machu Piccchu
2) A trek to Kailash Mansarovar
3) A visit to Paris and a night in a hotel nearest to Eiffel Tower.
4) A visit to Taj Mahal on a full moon night and see it glow under the moon.
5) An African Safari where I will see the Lions and Tigers wander near by my vehicle
6) Learn Swimming and do a scuba dive. You know what, I am very apprehnesive of water and that's a fear I need to come out of.
7) Visit to Spain and a road trip to many places. Go Barcelona and watch a football match there.
8) Visit to Brazil's carnival.
9) Visit to New Zealand's North Islands.
10) Visit to Germany and Greece. Germany for witnessing and being the epicenter for whole of the last century and Greece for it's mythology and the architecture and sculptures that it has.

So done with travel. Now my personal plans.

1) Have a 500 square yard plot (not more, not less) and within that have a wonderful study room and room to watch movies. That is either have a Bose TV or a wonderful projection system which ever is convenient. Dont worry about the kitchen and bed room as taking care of study and the TV room.
2) Have a lush green lawn and a small swimming pool within the plot.
3) Buy a small convenient car that can take you to a good place if you want to just leave home.
4) Marry a girl who will vow to two things a) It will be very strict register marriage with no invitees.     b) Children shall not be born and shall be adopted. (if she is OK with just one girl but adoption is a must).

And now here come my professional plans.

1) Complete and get out BABU KOSAM asap - target date for now October 9th.
2) Take up the next script and do it by end of next year.
3) Take up either of the remaining 3 scripts and then do it.
4) Finish the pending stories I have.
5) Post first feature film, get the poems published.

Many more things to do and many more things to write. I know only one job and that is to write. Good or Bad, I ain't gonna judge, I just shall keep on writing.

THE BUCKET LIST (2007) - ENGLISH

Death can be hopeful if thought in the right way.

I liked this movie but could not fall in love with it. It's very well made and exquisitely shot and the characters have all the right notes to make you empathize for them. Yet, this film has the missing element the soul of a movie comes not by good dialogues or relatable characters or even great cinematography, it comes when you start rooting for a character. When you think that Carter Chambers would return from the operation when you think that edward Cole would complete the rest of the journey. My heart did not go out for either coz it was all very predictable. A bit of unpredictability would have made this go hay wire and too much of it right from first frame made me just a spectator to an event rather than making me involve. 

The two protagonists touch all the right chords at the right time when they just realize that end is all pervading death and there is no escape. But they loose when they start to plot for each other like Edward Cole sets up a girl for Carter and Carter wants Edward to get back in touch with his daughter. These points digressed the movie and though it made the movie realistic, I must confess they just made the movie miss the point. The point is to get things done which a man wants to do before he ends his life.

It's surely a good one to watch and if there is movie that had an urgent message which says "There's no time left out, just do in this life" and that has been made in last 5-10 years then here it is. I am going with 3/5 for a movie that had all the good things in the bucket but the list should have been completed before the end.

HAVE A HAPPINESS POINT

Originally written – February 10, 2010

Now, for the first time, I will preach (were my other blogs doing something else?). Preach something that I do in spirit(all preachings need not be followed by the preacher either).

All I am going to say to you guys (hey, whom am I addressing to, there are no readers to this crap I write each time) is just have a happiness point and do strive to reach that each day. 

What's this happiness point? It's something that you do and derives happiness as a result. I derive happiness in writing (how much crap it may be) so I just keep doing that as many times as possible coz the process of writing gives me happiness.  

Similarly, you choose what you like to do and just do it. This may not be the same task, I just don't write all through the day at one point I love taking photographs, at another, I love listening to music and so on and so forth. So just have something to do that you love and just have a smile and do. Have a fetish towards something and just go for it.

Remember, just see that you don't lose that smile ever. Coz a smile can light up more than your life (oh, what a thought Aristotle would frown, should he listen). Anyways, I am done with my crap again and just posted it cause I did not blog much recently and just wanna keep what's going in my dirty mind that has sick and filthy thoughts but churns out and throws these crappy pathetic things knowing many may say it's not even worth a read.

PHOENIX - GRAND CANYON

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SINHAGAD

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ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA (2011) - HINDI

If I want to go on a trip then it would be something like this.

This is, in fact, the best boys trip that I had seen in Bollywood. Though it reminisces of Dil Chahta Hai, the other cult movie made by Farhan Akhtar who also acted in this one as Imran, the movie is very very good and is easily one of the best feel-good movies that have been made this year. This movie tells the very old philosophy to Live Each Moment to the fullest or Seize the moment etc with the three friends telling this to each other. They are joined by girls, one is the instructor and the other is her friend and another is for Kabir who is already engaged to Natasha. 

It begins with three guys getting decided to go on a journey that they have decided 4 years ago and now the time has come coz Kabir will be married soon. It shows ironies too like Arjun the busiest of all, who believes that he will make so much money that he will retire at 40 and then start living will forget what he has to do today, Imran has a tragic past where his father has left him and he tries to confront him. Kabir's future is in jeopardy as he is engaged even without him committing to a relationship. So it's like Past of Imran, Present of Arjun and Future of Kabir and how they confront the past, disown the future and try to live in present is what is shown. Also, though unimportant is that the friends are Hindu (Arjun), Muslim (Imran) and Christian (Kabir). 

The movie has the best of adventure sports in the world be is scuba diving, skydiving or bullfight all these are shot memorably and each one's emotion before and after the same is so ecstatic. One moment where Arjun who is afraid of water, completes Scuba diving comes up and just emotes silently with eyes. That one scene conveyed how powerful an actor Hrithik is. Also, Abhay Deol as Kabir is just as natural as himself and Farhan Akhtar as Imran brings out the comic moments all through the film.

There are many positives and the movie is superbly shot by Carlos Catalan and I thank him for showing Spain as it is. So enticing and so beautiful. Surely, I would go there soon sometime with my friends too. 

The narrative is simple yet very well structured and it has the perfect pace. The one scene of Naseeruddin Shah was just on top and as always once again confirmed, he is one of the best actors we have. It's a 4/5. This is a delightful journey to take on.

SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003) - ENGLISH

If there was an inspirational rock movie then here it is. 

All through my engineering that is from 2004 October (when I first saw) till the end of my studies and even today, this movie inspires me with its flamboyance of the JUST DO IT spirit. It's a well written tale and extremely well directed. To take this screenplay and bringing it to life and to extract such great acting from the kids is a serious director's job and kudos to Linklater for having done that so well.

It's a tribute to all those rock bands that have inspired over the years and this movie played a big part for my introduction to Rock music. A bunch of school guys form a band with the help of their teacher. Rather the teacher forms a band with help of school kids assigning them a job and its their journey from becoming a band to making songs. Passionate is how I would say the acting of Jack Black was as he lead the film all through bearing the weight solely on his shoulders.

There was no big star cast except Jack Black in the movie and this modest film budget did not allow the movie to explore may be. However, this movie is extremely well made in all departments. Production deign, editing must be given appreciation. The music selection is also top notch with apt songs coming at the right time.

It's 4/5 for one of the best musical movies ever.

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957) - ENGLISH

A gripping tale of murder and one of the best judgements given ever on celluloid.

Written by Agathe Christie (the master teller of suspense stories) and directed by Billy Wilder (an incredible director who has given very memorable films in 40, 50 and 60 decades) as an adaptation of a play by the same name, this is a masterpiece of a courtroom drama. A very intense thriller (if one may call so) that is embedded in high drama. The movie has plethora of exemplary dialogue that has the touch of Wilder. Like when the nurse says to Wilfred, "Lets get on to bed and get undressed" its very funny but has also is right in the context. On the whole the movie is extremely witty filled with the vital thrilling points. 

I have not read Agatha Christie's story but for sure I believe this could have been the best possible adaptation of the written work.

This movie ain't about anything except for a murder that is committed by a man accused of it and till the very end we do not know if he is guilty or not. It begins with him being guilty and ends with, Umm,  please watch to know this. Filled with dialogues and shot very simplistically as every wilder movie, this tries to permeate into the view point of an audience (as even director and so is every character a viewer except the accused as he and only he knows the truth). Now the choice of a protagonist is a tough one here, coz the one who drives the story is the accused and his wife helps plots a few things but all through movie its Wilfred, the defense lawyer who is shown from first to last frame and how he makes the case out. 

It's a wonderful case that has to be seen to decipher the mystery.  All actors have done well as Billy Wilder has the knack of extracting the right emotions from the cast but specifically, Charles Laughton as SirWilfred is just outstanding.

Superb drama that is concisely and precisely written as the screenplay though nearly 100 minutes seems to run very quickly.  This will standout as a masterpiece for many more years to come. Its 5/5.

DAYTONA

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CAPTIVA ISLANDS

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NASA

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GRAHANAM (2004) - TELUGU

I have watched this movie a month ago and writing a review now which is against the practice I adopt to write a review as an when I watch it. Still, the whole movie is very vivid for me coz its an unforgettable story and the images linger long time after we have watched this. This movie may jolt the beliefs and also make a few question what we stand for actually.

Based on a Chalam story 'Doshagunam' this movie is very placid in narration and slowly but surely enters deep into the mind. No escape can be made from past memories if they were those of Kanakaiah the boy whose story is told. The main protagonist as per me would be Saradamba though as she is the one who drove the story and its more important to know what happens to her.

Chalam, my favorite Telugu writer and trust me there are very few writers in other languages who can match his sensitivity. He has already given such a great story that we just need a bunch of actors and a camera to capture the acting. Taken up by Mohan Krishna as his first directorial venture he should be lauded by telugu film fraternity that has been putting lackluster runs all through last decade with screenplays that either lackadaisical or languid.

Acting is top notch by all who have done but outstandingly it is by Bharani which can be expected as he has the valor in him to carry any character but the best comes from Jayalalitha as Saradamba. She was quite a revelation and it's sad to know that telugu film industry that they were not able to give her apt roles.

The entire film was in black and white and when I watched the movie in CIEFL (now EFL) hyderabad in 2006, the director was specifically asked said why was it in B & W for which the director answered that it was a matter of pure choice whether he wants Black and White or color and it was a just a button he had to play with. I was not i agreement with the answer as the reason seemed to abstract. I would have rather thought that the film wanted to stick to the story and black and white helps enhance the story and the emotions of characters as the colors and the cinematography are less observed also only dreams are in color which would rather substantiate a thought that reality is all in black and white its either good or bad but dreams are colorful as its how we perceive dreams.

Also, a mention to the title music that will haunt anyone. Kudos to K.Vijay, the music director.

I am going with 4/5 for a story thats a gem.  Its rare that it has been made in Telugu, an industry that revels in heroes histrionics and heroines exposure more that the content of the story.

IJAAZAT (1987) - HINDI

Gulzar is the best teacher of subtlety and sensitivity The movie that has such an enormous array of emotions and the trauma associated, is dealt with matchless subtlety and sublime sensibility. This movie brings smiles and also tears along but those come from heart as after a few minutes into the movie, my mind stopped and it was only heart that saw it unfold.

A story that's bound in a waiting room on a railway station is interesting but make no mistake, this is not one of the typical sob sob dramas, its hugely realisitic and highly authentic. Mahender stands as epitome of fickle mindedness but is getting to lead a normal married life that does not involve Maya. In one dialogue, he says I love Maya, this is truth and I am trying to forget her and this is right. Sudha is the epitome of a normal house wife but also is very extremely open minded too and believes to do what heart likes is to do the right thing. Maya is an aberattion who is very strong minded and very firmly believes that marriages ruin lives. So the characters itself are so strong and different that it is really hard to correlate to anyone but still the story as a whole is very relatable to those who have been in an affair prior to their marriage.

Though the film is supremely indifferent to modern day mindset it still roots for tradition and the importance of human values. There is a price we need to pay if we take anyone for granted and that can be our own life  is what the essence I can make out of this movie. 

Technically though, the movie had its share of flaws. Now, in a very low budget movie that is based between hardly 5 characters and 2 or 3 locations these can be afforded but if these were taken care this would have been just so better. Like double shadows of Rekha while is in waiting room, and though the power has gone in railway station, the faces of Rekha and Nasseruddin and clearly visible which would have been better if it was just dialogue in the dark.

Apart from the technical flaws, the movie is still great coz it has a very sensible story. I am very critical of Ashok Mehta, the cinematographer and highly appreciative of Gulzar.

This is 4/5 for a story that is very very poetically told.

MY POEMS ARE ABOVE

For everything, why should there be a reason?
And why does nature change every season?
Why does each poem, need to have a rhyme?
Isn’t it fine, even if it’s not worth a dime?


Sure, my poems do have their own place
But not on mother earth, I must say
Coz, they are taken by stars in space
But not all are stars in our Milky Way

MEXICANO

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LOHAGAD

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WHAT TO ASPIRE?

So there he goes into the sands

To see the lands being ripped off by airs

And then he walked into hearts of men

Most were destitute others had despairs

Some had plenty few were empty

Some tidy some dirty 

All were not alike in attire or thoughts

But same were needs and desires

Some wanted money, some women, some needed powers.

Then he explored hearts of women too

Hardly he found a common desire

One wanted a match another a flame

One to brighten her stove other her life

While one wanted to sleep with many

Another aspired to be a good wife

If one wanted gold

Other wanted iron be it sold

If one to wear then other to clean up the husband

Too weird these women are he thought to retire

As he forgot what he sought to aspire

VEILS WE LIVE IN

If lip-gloss can cover smoked lips,
And a lotion can hide a scar
Then, why is there a quest for more tips?
When things at hand helped thus far 
In conceal, we live our petty lives
In veil, we keep our pretty wives
Then, yet why is there unrest?
When things in veil are considered best
Ain't this thought called hypocrisy?
Well, a few surely call it sycophancy
Whatever it is called, does it matter?
When in veils we are happy
And when we encounter truth, we do falter

CLARITY TO OBSCURITY

Wish we had smiles more
Wish we had the joy to the core
We had these when nascent
Coz then we were innocent

Children so good to be
Childhood so good to see
Lost had we is all I ask
Coz growing up is a tedious task

Life was then living that moment
Now we seem to have lost clarity
Wish I had finished as an infant
Coz I grew up brightly to end in obscurity

BEAUTIFUL LIFE

In fear, we survive and in hope, we end

But what is life for, did we ever ask?

When good happens we say it is a godsend

We may have deserved the gift for a great task

Did we know, what we ought to do

Do we think of what we actually know?

Did we ever got a thought to be

Free of fear and take life a bit slow

We need results quick and we push for that

But what is life for, did we still ask yet?

We know what we need and rush for that

Life isn’t about that at all mate

It gives time for us and takes time for itself too

For us to savor and for life to produce

This is the beauty of it, that life conveys too

A beautiful life is messed now is what I deduce

A WALK IN THE DRIZZLE

Drizzling fairly, and alone he did walk amidst
Moist were his clothes and so was his face

Overcast was the sky and in the air there was mist

He kept on moving slowly at his own pace

No one noticed the joy he expressed in his gait

Others were sad for a drizzle albeit

Looking at skies once in a while he walked with a smile

And in the mist, he faded, after a while

A face so seldom has seen devoid of any guile

Wish there were a few alike in the world that is so agile, so fragile

WHO IS DIVINE?

One must be devoid of pleasures
Of wrath, of glee and of treasures.
Then, he shall find the truth without doubt
And radiance shall surely sprout.
He shall then be deemed as divine
Have qualities so serene so pristine

I AM DIVINE

They shall find a divine path
Who shall defy glee and wrath
Through him, there shall be, shine
Who has radiance within, is only divine
Who has qualities so pristine
Many seem close to being yet so far
Few chosen were just not up to par
Qualities of scriptures are just not pragmatic
To have one with those surely must be a fanatic
Then, I deciphered myself at my own pace
Quietly I did know I had all in my place
Myself was the shrine of the divine
As I have the gut and the Ruth
Only seek of truth shall bring shine
And I have always propagated and now conquered truth

SIESTA KEYS BEACH

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CLEAR WATER

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TAMPA

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VIZAG TRIP (28th AUG - 1st SEP) 2011

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WHATEVER WORKS (2009) - ENGLISH

If I had seen the unseen then I saw it here. There is Woody Allen written all over the movie. Though, he has not played any character he ensured that every character was as stereotypical as Woody Allenish.

The movie begins with old age new yorker delivering a monologue of what it goes through in life then it takes to his home where his wife is upset with is nightmares and histrionics. He then meets a girl and now his life begins. This movie is more inclined questioning if anything, then sexuality and how each one is stuck in cliches and cliches work at times. 

This is not his best works ever but stil it is very watchable for the laughs and the sarcasm that it brings along. The protagonist is Boris played by Larry David and he tells the story all through. He also says into the audience in the beginning and at the end while at most times he is indulged in delivering monologues to other characters. He is so very delightful in this role. Evan rachel wood plays his muse Melody and with him she grows up and realizes there are better things in life. Now her parents so very religious and termed as psychotics by boris transform themselves and if you want to know what happened to them, please watch this little gem of a movie that made me yearn for more such stuff.

It's 3/5 and I would say Just Go with Whatever Works.

UP IN THE AIR (2009) - ENGLISH

For a traveller like me flying means a lot but this film made me re think as to how much do we need to travel.

It made me ask, how much we should do for what? The movie comes across in various layers, a man who flies and is bent on collecting the flyer miles, a man who wants to walk down the aisle on his sister's wedding, a man who sits at a place to fire people. Now it's the same and he has same kind of charisma and persona and a great dignity and in everything he does. He has a very understated style but nevertheless a style for sure.

It's not a comedy, it's serious that does not make it a sob sob, it's a drama relevant to todays times. How do you feel if fired from a company? This film makes and observant look on such emotions but at the same not indulging much as it has got various other things to look at. I am happy to have seen this and each time I saw (3 in all for now) it brought to me the facets of a character that are so humane.  This movie is very smart and slick and has all in it to be considered a modern classic. It is not cult but it's one that deserves a watch fly and fly higher in the air.

It's 3/5 for a movie that is so very relevant in the times that we live.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) - ENGLISH

If there was a quickest romantic comedy then this would be it. It's easily one of the best movies that had been made.

I have firstly watched it without any references just seeing it in IMDB top 250 and that Frank Capra has directed. I completed watching it once, twice and now thrice. It's a simple ride that will be at times too fast as the bus moving in the film and at times lousy as they eat their breakfast. It's not hurried and it's neither slow. This has the perfect pace and Frank Capra, the genius who has given wonderful gems knows how to keep the audience glued.

The time it was made that is 1934 could have been so exciting to have seen this and I discovered this movie only last year that is 2010 and yet I was very excited all through for the first time and even now.
There are moments that have stood the test of time and this I believe will be appreciated simply for it's authenticity for a real life portrayal by characters.

Now coming the movie, it's a tale of a runaway girl who wants to meet the one she loves and along this journey meets a man she falls for. The depiction of such simplicity is strengthened with such conversations that are straight into heart as we can relate to all of those. Like the conversation where our hero helps the heroine save from the detectives while she combs her hair, ah so apt it was. Refulgent this movie shall be for all the romantic comedies.

I hugely thank frank Capra for presenting such a delightful film right in 1934.

It's 5/5 for the earliest romantic comedy that I am aware of and the one of the best I have seen thus far.

CERTAINITY (2011) - ENGLISH

A short film made by me and my friend Raghuveer.

Now the story goes like this. Raghu gave a concept, I wrote a script and he did not like it, then he got an idea, I liked then we sat to make it. Then we got into a different idea where two people talk about two opposite things. For me it was death and for him it was birth. But we ended up writing the same thing a different way. Then we thought, so be it let's make it.

There are evident flaws coz this was our first experiment and even we call this a piece of crap. Nevertheless, we attempted a weird piece and presented it much weirdly.

Editing was completely done by Raghu and I am amazed by his talent. He shall go a long distance and win accolades should he make films. 

For myself, I am a writer and strictly a writer for now.

THAT GIRL IN YELLOW BOOTS (2011) - HINDI

A simple tale told very earnestly and honestly. 

This movie stands true to the spirit of the script and is very honest all through sticking to the girl who wears yellow boots. This movie could have been named anything and it was TGYIB so be it. It's a tale of girl in search of her father, fair enough but this girl is very interesting coz she does very unkind things,  she is not your girl next door even though she may stay next door. This girl has a strong motive and a will. One scene where she confronts her boyfriend revelas her pain and agony. That was one of the best scenes where she cries. 

This superbly acted, well written and aptly directed movie is very evocative and also provocative that asks questions so very pertinent. All actors have done well and for once I felt that Kalki has all the potential to make it big as an actress and I hope she does such cinema more often. The dialogues are very very well written even the small interactions between and auto driver and protagonist, with a client played by Naseeruddin Shah and Kalki, each one has a strong distinction and is very effective. But the one that will stand out will be the one with Chutiyapa (Chtitiappa as it comes in credits) and Kalki. Also impressive are conversations on phone by the receptionist of massage parlour played by Puja Sarup. That was a real life portrayal of many receptionists who indulge in conversations that are totally pointless most of the times.

This movie was a straight cut of a real life portrayal of a girl and is very well captured by cameraman and director so kudos for them too. I first read about 7D when I got to know thats few scenes of this film were shot using 7D (in Anurag Kashyaps' blog)  and now I have one too. 

Music is apt and it traverses from a song in the beginning to a thriller kind of music in the climax. Am very happy there are no unnecessary songs, music or even fights. This is how I want movies to be, those that will stick to the story and nothing but characters take the story forward. 

The language I must say is very realistic and if Kalki has written such stuff all kudos to her coz then I would label her as the boldest girl in Hindi Cinema Industry. Anurag Kashyap still holds the torch high for independent films in India and is now a beacon and the only silver lighting. When most flames are fading away to commercial cinema he is sticking to honest cinema and I can without doubt say is the best director as of today. 

Puja Sarup, Prashant Prakash and Gulshan Devayya need special mention for their roles and acting. But on top of it all we have Kalki who has brought the whole act very very convincingly.

It's 4/5 for a good one thats very effective but is unsettling and also very important kind of cinema.

UDAAN (2010) - HINDI

Subah ki kirano ko roke jo salaakhen hai kahaa

Jo khayaalon pe pehre daale woh aankhen hai kahaa

Par khulne ki deri hai parinde ud ke choomenge

Aasmaan,,,Aasmaan,,,Aasmaan

Where is a cage to hold the morning rays

Where are the veils to cover the dreams

It's time to open the wings for the flight to reach skies

The above lyrics convey a hope to take up dream and pursue it so to achieve it. This is what the film is about, a young boy has a dream he will go for it against the huge barrier placed. Now, this hindrance or stoppage is non other than his own father who becomes an obstacle for his only dream.

A very relevant movie for the times when people are lost in the race to accumulate more comforts through money, one wants a car another wants a villa so on and so forth and to achieve they take a route that fate had given them and not what they chose to do. This film clearly that it's easy to fall prey to fate but it's difficult to go for it. The toughest decision for any human is what would he like to do and end up in life as what. Now this film handles this very most important question in a very simple and a very relatable way.

Surely, there would be many Rohan's who succumb to the wishes of their parents and become what their parents to be. But I could relate to Rohan as I could see myself in him even I wanted to do arts but was put in engineering which I never understood. I want to become writer like Rohan too but yet that's my passion not profession (and the day is not so far when passion becomes profession, hopefully).

The simple story is elevated to very great level by performances of actors. Specifically of the antagonist played by Ronit Roy as Bhairav Singh that is Rohan's father. All others have done their roles really well by bringing out real portraits of stereotypes. 

Narrative pace some may say that it is slow but thats what is the essence of the movie too. It surely does not want to fall in the rat race and is very very uncompromising in it's production. Thanks to director Vikramditya Motwane to stick to his faith and to Anurag Kashyap to produce such an essential film.

Loved this movie and it's for a repeat watch on my list. It's 4/5 for one of the best contemporary movies.

THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) - ENGLISH

What would happen to you if you were in an alien country and your loved one gets lost. Hitchcock might have thought this and build the script.

Profound in tension and thorough with suspense as any other Hitchcock film this one is a must watch for a few lessons on film making itself. First, how to bring tension to the mind of audience from nowhere is what Hitchcock hits upon. And if ever there was any importance for a song then this movie permeates a cut above the rest for it's usage of music and song.

I cannot even think that any other director would have thought on earth that if we shoot a gun when the cymbals crash the noise of the trigger would not be heard and would be lost. Ah, that is what is Hitchcock is all about and shall continue to be.

Okay, done with Hitchcock coming to the movie it's a tale of a couple whose child has been kidnapped in an alien country now they get him back forms the story. In the meanwhile, there are few characters of great importance who form the plot completely. The usage of music is so very important and poignant if for once it is used as a backdrop for a murder then it is also used for a mother to reclaim her child. The acting as expected is top notch. Screenplay is very good and so is editing. Above them all is the Hitchcock direction that takes a plot filled with anxieties to that filled with tension and suspense. It grows on gradually.

Its 4/5 for a great Hitchcock film.