DevD in Delhi-6!

For those who have seen both the movies, I apologize to them for putting both these movies in the same line. Both are I believe complete anti-thesis of each other. But still I saw both movies with eyes wide open. I couldn't believe what I was seeing on the screen. While DevD was showing the generation next, where talking about sex is not taboo, where SRK's Whiskey has given way to ecstasy; Delhi-6 couldn't probably have taken on more cliches than this.

Lemme start with DevD. It was an absolute delight to watch Hindi cinema coming of age. I know the phrase is cliche, but nothing about the movie is. One of the reviews said that it seems that the director showed whatever he felt like, and so he did. The lingo was the one you would actually see around you.. dropping the F word here n there, using Slut to desrcibe even a guy casually. Where sex is not taboo. At times the movie looked a bit abstract, especially during a few songs where 3 men would start gyrating to the wonderful music like the presence of 3 witches of Shakespere. Initially, I was shocked that how could anyone show that on screen. All the 3 actors, Paro, Dev, Chanda couldn't have played it better. I especially loved Chanda! And then am addicted to its music. Keep listening to it in a loop!

And how so much I may nnot want to, I shall have to think about Delhi-6. Disappointment is such an understatement. I was appalled, and enraged. Making a whole movie on something like Monkeyman was a reason enough for me to not like it. Though, initally I was enjoying it very much. Having grown up in Delhi-6 myself, I was getting a childlike pleasure in seeing those areas. But those were only about 5-10 minutes. Then those shots gave way to the artificial sets and the whole smell of the old Delhi was lost. Though all the characters were very good with great artists to help them, but then you need more than good characters to make a good movie. FIrst, the movie got the facts wrong. Monkeyman phenonmenon never happened in old Delhi. It struck east Delhi. N then there was no purpose of the movie. You could see its not going anywhere. And then those in your face morality lessons on caste system, religion, dowry, and what not! I felt like screaming that pplllllssssss spare us the ordeal. And if anyone was expecting a better second half, sorry guys! The monkeyman was being called Hindu from one community on account of Hanuman being a Hindu God, while Hindus accuse the Monkey to be a Muslim terrorist. Thats where I lost all patience. Height if ridiculouness! I was only too happy to see Abhishek dying, deriving a sadistic pleasure, but UTV could not tolerate even that and brought him back to the mortal world after serving him Jalebis in heaven with Amitabh in his most avoidable comeo. The movie is so bad that I have started to avoid one of the finest albums everby Rehman after watching it! I feel like suing Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra!!!

Guys, go see DevD again after watching Delhi-6 if you want to regain faith in Hindi movies. M sure it won't disappoint! You'll like Delhi more in DevD than in Delhi-6 for sure!!

Why so Serious!

Wanna know how I got these scars? My father was....a drinker. And a fiend. And one night he goes off crazier than usual. Mommy gets the kitchen knife to defend herself. He doesn't like that. Not. One. Bit. So, me watching, he takes the knife to her, laughing while he does it. Turns to me and he says "Why so serious?" Comes at me with the knife,"Why so serious?" He sticks the blade in my mouth. "Lets put a smile on that face!" And..... Why so serious?

These lines have been immortalized by late Heath Ledger and like millions around the world, I decided to right about them in this blog. About these lines, about his performance and above all - Joker!

The lines are simply awesome, moreso as they are so ironic. In direct conflict with what they actually mean! Heath Ledger delivers a performance that I personally think is THE best performance i have seen anyone delivering onscreen. He evokes that tickling feeling when he goes on rampage. A feeling that probably your animal side enjoys while watching the Joker. I dunno if I am the only one who enjoyed what he was doing on screen so much.. Ripping apart people, burning money just for fun. Fun, sure he had and so did I! And loads of it!

With his whole face covered in color, somehow you know what expressions he has. You just know it. The brilliance of his performance lies in that. And when he describes why he kills with a knife and not a gun, he reaches his zenith. I almost felt I too needed to know a few of my friends better! ;) Those of you who haven't understood my last line, go watch the movie "The Dark Knight".

But what sets this movie apart is the subtle acknowledgment that its the good that completes the bad. Its the Gods who compliment the Devil and vice-versa. Had there been no good, perhaps there wouldn't have been any bad either.

Poor Raj Kapoor, for he could never imagine what all a Joker could do!

A Mighty Heart

A mighty heart... Was that the correct title for the film? Well indeed it was... What made me write this blog? I really don't know.. Perhaps cos the movie moves u. It moved me cos I knew that it was true. This did happen. And guess what? It continues to happen... Americans are doing it all over the world, somewhere legally, somewhere illegally, even Chinese do it. But don't we Indians do it as well?? Look around the newspapers and the answer lies there.. The Kashmiri separatists, the Naxalists, the ULFA... why is the 10% of the nation fighting it? Are we ready to face a few realities?

Today, one of my friends very casually remarked on how the Biharis have spread all over the place with a contempt at his face as if he was talking about some other species. Haven't many of us felt the same? But are we ready to ask ourselves where would they rather go if the rest of the nation doesn't help its state develop? Do we ever ask why is Naxalite movement spreading so fast? Branding 10% of the Indian population as anti-social certainly wouldn't be a solution!

We pay tips at the restaurants, but would pick up a fight with a rikshaw-wala over 5 rupees. We can spend Rs1000 on a single outing on a Friday night casually, but would ask 100 questions if someone asks for Rs 100 donation for a cause. We would lament that PM relief fund is not being used as the reason for not contributing towards anything good.

We say reservations are anti-merit. What merit are we talking about? Isn't it the same merit being bought in a coaching institute?

I know the questions are difficult and answers subjective. But unless we face them, the way forward is meaningless. I always felt secure away from death and violence. But a few days back only I realized maybe its not that far..

Jolie says in the film that wherever there would be misery, they (terrorists) find people. Ask yourself if you're one of those helping them get one more person... This pain that you can see everywhere now remember is like that of a swallowed tear that swells the throat. Its not the swelling that needs to be cured, it is the pain that caused the tear!