Eklavya - The Royal Faux Pas

Never judge a book by its cover – and apparently it works both ways – surprise or disappointment! I’d first seen the trailer of Eklavya 4 months ago and I couldn’t wait. I mean the movie seemed to have everything – a stellar cast, a different setting, probably a story of royal heritage and intrigue, great shots! Well, I finally watched the movie yesterday and I must say, Mr. Vidhu Vinod Chopra has done everything to screw up what could have been an awesome experience.

Dear Mr. Chopra, what happened? Do you remember that you had once made a movie called Parinda? The brilliant story of two brothers and how they embark upon separate paths in life and yet can’t disentangle their lives from each other?? Now, that’s a good movie. Something that haunts people almost 20 years after its release. Please allow me to elaborate why Eklavya is not that kind of a movie.

Story – What’s the story of Eklavya? Well...????…….ummm…???!!??….see, there is this guard….???….and he believes in his dharma…and…????!!??…he is the actual father of the prince….???!??….and then…loads of people die….the end. Mr. Chopra, even a 10 year old knows that most basic ingredient of any movie is a story. A real story. That’s chapter 1, moviemaking for dummies, remember? Within the first 10 mins we come to know (if you hadn’t already guessed it) that Eklavya (Amitabh) is the real father of the royal kids and after discovering this, the King wants to get him killed. And what happens for the next 1.5 hrs is something even the characters in the movie couldn’t figure out.

Screenplay – The thing with Eklavya is that if we look at each scene separately without knowing the context, it would work…almost. The problem is that movies don’t work like that, now do they? Each scene has to logically lead to the next. So much care has been taken to create brilliant sets and camera angels. If only half of that effort had been put in developing the characters and the story - voila, we would have had a decent drama! But no, it’s the age of style and plasticity. So, the filmmakers (pioneered by the esteemed Yashraj films) insist on giving us just that. Forget depth, forget passion, forget beliefs – just make it slick, market it well, tie-up with all and sundry media channels, bully the distributors and make your share of money even before the movie releases!! Great business model, pathetic movie going experience.

Character development – Actually, if you think of it, how can you develop something that doesn’t exist in the first place. The characters discover one secret after the other, people around them die, hardships happen but nothing affects them! Just look at prince Harshwardhan (Saif) – he comes to India after years, his mother dies, he discovers who his real father is, he gets his fake father killed, he falls in love just like that – but he remains as stiff and static as a cardboard! Did his feelings just instantly change towards whom he thought was his father all these years?? Just like that? Another case in point – Rajjo (Vidya Balan) discovers her father died because of Harshwardhan’s plan and leaves him and then very conveniently, in the last scene decides to forgive him because his intentions were good! Is his father’s life more important that your father’s, Rajjo??

It seems as if everyone one in the movie is there just for the sake of it. I guess Mr. Chopra decided that he has to have everyone from his ‘camp’ in the movie (Saif, Sanjay, Jimmy, Vidya, Raima, Boman) and so, we have something where the actors need a script more than the script needs the actors! Absolutely pointless nepotism.

Acting – The thing about taking good actors is that you’ll always have a basic level of performance. But to get absolutely great performances, you need a director who knows what he doing! Why does everyone in this movie look so bored?! Amitabh Bachchan clearly sleepwalks through the movie. I mean, this is the kind of role that he does everyday. The pained, wronged, idealistic angry old man. Even the expressions are becoming trite and a tad boring. Is it really that important to add a couple of more crores to your innumerable crores, Mr. Bachchan?? Did Mr. Chopra promise you a Rolls Royce before you signed on this movie? Have you decided to do anything in which you are a protagonist? I mean, cmon, you are Amitabh Bachchan – not just any other aging star! You have got to exercise some discretion!!

Saif – I don’t know what to say to you. You are sick, so I’ll just be kind and say that after Langda Tyagi, people expect something from you. So, please get a grip and put some passion into whatever you do.

Rest of the cast – Well, I am sorry. I know that you can’t say no to Mr. Chopra, for he gave you guys a career push and that he’s somewhat of a big shot. So, my sympathies. You should have known that there are pitfalls of being part of a camp too.

In the end, a suggestion for Mr. Chopra – please just produce movies (since you are still doing a decent job there) and stop directing as you have clearly forgotten how to. Or better, just revise moviemaking for dummies.

The English Patient

On the face of it 'The English Patient' has all the ingredients of being a regular Hollywood epic - a doomed love story in the backdrop of war, mysterious characters, grandeur etc etc. But that's just on the face of it! The best thing about this movie is that every time one sees it, the interpretation of the story and the characters can take a whole new meaning all together...just like a desert everything in the story is layered and unravelling the beauty of it is not just challenging but also leaves one with an unforgettable cinematic experience...

The focus and backbone of the story are its main characters - Almasy, Hana, Caravaggio, Kip, Katherine and yes, the desert...no other movie in my recollection has shot the desert so beautifully...it speaks its own language, has its own moods and there are times in the movie when the story of Almasy and Katherine seems to be the backdrop! Though the title character of the English patient is definitely one of the most intriguing and attractive to have come on screen but its the other characters that make the movie what it is...the lost innocence of Hana,the scars she carries...the strength and loneliness of Kip...the anger of Caravaggio...the restless and passionate spirit of Katherine...incidentally, I once came across this analysis of these characters from the point of view of psychology and its a very interesting read, even if one doesn't like the book/movie!

Surprisingly, there is marked difference between the book and the movie...of course, the theme and the incidents have been liberally adapted from the book but many things like the sequence of events, the dialogues, certain subplots have been modified...and for once the movie comes out to be better than the book (maybe its because I saw and loved the movie before I read the book!)...some of the major changes are - Katherine is much younger than Almasy, Hana and Caravaggio have known each other for a long time, Kip's character has been much more explored and delved into in the book and many scenes in the movie never take place in the book! I guess, Hollywood has to succumb to the 'pressure' of making a successful movie...hence, after watching the movie what remains behind in one's mind and heart is only the tragic love story...which is both good and bad...good because it indeed has been shot and written exquisitely and bad because the other equally powerful storylines get sidelined...

One of the best things about the movie is the way many scenes and plots have been conceived, conceptualized and executed...the scene in which Almasy asks Clifton whether its a good idea to leave his wife in the desert and then he turns back to see Katherine looking at him from a distance...even though their faces are not shown in this scene but it still says so much...as does the movement of Katherine's hand on the window of the jeep she and Almasy are trapped in during the sandstorm...Almasy's hatred for ownership and how inevitably he himself becomes a victim of it...the bond between Kip and Hana which is just so pure...the poetry, the background score, the aesthetically picturised love making scenes (which are one of the most passionate ones I have ever seen!) and the feeling of helplessness with which everyone becomes a cause and a victim of their own world falling apart...

One can't write about this movie and not mention the actors! Not one of them lets the viewers down! No one could have played the introspective, detached and lonely role of Almasy better than Ralph Fiennes and it doesn't hurt that he is so sexy! Kristen Scott Thomas looks a tad old for her role but totally makes up for it by her acting...as do Juliette Binoche, Naveen Andrews and Willem Dafoe! Just one complaint - I definitely want to see the talented Colin Firth in a happier role once!

"The essence of cinema is editing. It's the combination of what can be extraordinary images of people during emotional moments, or images in a general sense, put together in a kind of alchemy."

-Francis Ford Coppola

Lost In Translation

Strangers in a strange land...always a good theme, sometimes a good movie...but rarely a great one! The thing with great movies is that either one totally loves it or one totally hates it... 15 mins into this movie, you know whether you like it or you don't...

The pace of this movie is kind of slow... but that also is the beauty of it... its the experience, the environment created by what is going on that makes the impact... its all about how sometimes, just sometimes the turbulence going on inside you is matched by what is happening around you... both the main characters, Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), are going through some sort of a dilemma, a conflict which on the face of it can seem just like a mid life crisis or a marriage not going too great... but they both realize or come to realize that its more than that... its about finding peace with yourself and no matter at what stage in life one is, if one doesn't have the kind of security which comes with knowing what one want it can lead to many a sleepless nights...

Both Bob and Charlotte suffer from severe jet lag from the moment they land in Tokyo and can't get any sleep... its not just physical... I guess, when you are so far away from your home and friends where the daily routine and a sort of social (mis) interaction can make you block the agitation you feel go away, the absence of that can't make you run away from your thoughts... and this is what makes these two people drift towards each other... its easier to find someone who will listen to you, but very hard to find some one who will know and understand you more by what you don't say rather than what you do...

To me, Charlotte's character was definitely the more interesting one... she talks less, thinks more, the calm on the face hiding the disappointments and the cracking dreams perfectly... she's lovely... Scarlett Johansson couldn't have done a better job...she's perfect and very believable...the scene in which she discovers that Bob has slept with some one else and when they sit in the restaurant after that, she says so much with just her eyes, her face...this incidentally is one of the best scenes in the movie according to me... how she feels cheated and hurt even though they are not involved and not even in love... I think its about how he has broken the unsaid pact, the commonality between them of not fitting in, of them being able to connect because of being drifters... and then he goes ahead and does something which any one else would have done...

Not to take anything away from Bill Murray! It is said that he is one of the few very under rated actors and somewhere got typecast into unfunny comical characters... but is he good in this movie! He's troubled, sad, happy and yes, amazingly funny!

The movie has been criticized for being racist and for giving a very stereotypical view of the Japanese...well, I agree that does come out some times... but then almost all movies have a bias against foreigners... many many Indian movies also... and in this movie I believe the surroundings were a little dramatized just to bring out the contrast between it and the intuitive relationship that the two characters develop...

A very nice movie and if you like it the first time... one to be preserved and seen again and again...oh, and have always wondered what he whispers in her ear when he says goodbye in the end... Take care? Will meet you soon? Some words of wisdom???

"Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater."

- Roman Polanski