Hi,
I take pleasure in introducing my friend Swagata and thank her for contributing to my blog. As you would see, she writes amazingly well. So enjoy!
Though I am not a diehard Amir Khan fan like my friend, Nutan, I had liked most of his movies that I had watched till recently (maybe, I had just been lucky enough to have missed the more horrible ones). However, the last two movies of his have been a sad disappointment to me. These movies are: "Rang de Basanti" and "Fanaa".
Of these two, "Fanaa" is infinitely more boring to watch. But it can be regarded as a forgettable romantic tragedy and forgotten as soon as one walks out of the theatre. However, "Rang de Basanti" is not so easily ignored.
It is a movie which started out with a lot of good intentions - but sadly failed in their execution. The story is about a band of hedonistic urban youths forced by circumstances to become (so-called) revolutionaries. The story-telling involves a comparision with India's freedom movement - an analogy which is totally spurious. The circumstances are not even remotely similar. It was just a cheap attempt on the film makers part to appeal to emotions rather than the intellect.
But what really surprised and saddened me was the huge popularity of the film - even amongst generally sensible people. Why does this Bollywood brand of pseudo-patriotism appeal so much to the general populace? Do they really feel that killing a few politicians and corrupt industrialists by a few trigger-happy younths will rid our nation of a dishonesty which is so prevalent that it has virtually obliterated our conscience? Or do they just feel good that someone, somewhere (even if it is only in a fictitious situation) has tried to do something (however mindless) about a situation that they themselves are too lazy or self-centred to do anything about?
And the solution suggested in the movie - just how laudable or feasible do they think it is? The characters in the movie, after just one attempt at a peaceful demonstration, decide to take law in their own hands. Thank God there are only very few people (at least only few who would actually take action) who think random violence is a legitimate form of protest - else the country would have been in complete chaos. I believe nowadays there are enough media to register social and political dissent without resorting to bloodshed.
Lastly I would like to mention how inappropriate it was to glorify drunk driving in the first half of the movie. I come from a city where, almost everyweek, there is a case of drunken drivers killing and getting killed. In a country where people are killed because they try to emulate the impossible antics of Shaktiman, there are sure to be youth who will be favorably impressed by a much loved hero like Amir Khan racing through the roads on a bike after having quite a few bottles of beer. I wish the film makers had shown enough social responsibility to not to have introduced such a scene in the movie.
Hope Amir Khan chooses his future roles more carefully - and we get to see a movie as entertaining as "Dil Chahta Hai" in the near future.
I take pleasure in introducing my friend Swagata and thank her for contributing to my blog. As you would see, she writes amazingly well. So enjoy!
Though I am not a diehard Amir Khan fan like my friend, Nutan, I had liked most of his movies that I had watched till recently (maybe, I had just been lucky enough to have missed the more horrible ones). However, the last two movies of his have been a sad disappointment to me. These movies are: "Rang de Basanti" and "Fanaa".
Of these two, "Fanaa" is infinitely more boring to watch. But it can be regarded as a forgettable romantic tragedy and forgotten as soon as one walks out of the theatre. However, "Rang de Basanti" is not so easily ignored.
It is a movie which started out with a lot of good intentions - but sadly failed in their execution. The story is about a band of hedonistic urban youths forced by circumstances to become (so-called) revolutionaries. The story-telling involves a comparision with India's freedom movement - an analogy which is totally spurious. The circumstances are not even remotely similar. It was just a cheap attempt on the film makers part to appeal to emotions rather than the intellect.
But what really surprised and saddened me was the huge popularity of the film - even amongst generally sensible people. Why does this Bollywood brand of pseudo-patriotism appeal so much to the general populace? Do they really feel that killing a few politicians and corrupt industrialists by a few trigger-happy younths will rid our nation of a dishonesty which is so prevalent that it has virtually obliterated our conscience? Or do they just feel good that someone, somewhere (even if it is only in a fictitious situation) has tried to do something (however mindless) about a situation that they themselves are too lazy or self-centred to do anything about?
And the solution suggested in the movie - just how laudable or feasible do they think it is? The characters in the movie, after just one attempt at a peaceful demonstration, decide to take law in their own hands. Thank God there are only very few people (at least only few who would actually take action) who think random violence is a legitimate form of protest - else the country would have been in complete chaos. I believe nowadays there are enough media to register social and political dissent without resorting to bloodshed.
Lastly I would like to mention how inappropriate it was to glorify drunk driving in the first half of the movie. I come from a city where, almost everyweek, there is a case of drunken drivers killing and getting killed. In a country where people are killed because they try to emulate the impossible antics of Shaktiman, there are sure to be youth who will be favorably impressed by a much loved hero like Amir Khan racing through the roads on a bike after having quite a few bottles of beer. I wish the film makers had shown enough social responsibility to not to have introduced such a scene in the movie.
Hope Amir Khan chooses his future roles more carefully - and we get to see a movie as entertaining as "Dil Chahta Hai" in the near future.
Comments
As if one moron was not enough.
"Do they really feel that killing a few politicians and corrupt industrialists by a few trigger-happy younths will rid our nation... "
....no for that we have to kill all the canine species in the country.
AND CAN YOU PLEASE TELL
ME WHAT IS YOUNTHS!!!!!!
"I come from a city where, almost everyweek, there is a case of drunken drivers killing and getting killed"
that just proves your city is full of morons like you.
"In a country where people are killed because they try to emulate the impossible antics of Shaktiman"
doesnot say much about the country, does it!...anyway such jokers are better dead...
"Hope Amir Khan chooses his future roles more carefully -"
yeah i'm sure he reads this stupid blog.