Aarakshan: All Smoke No Fire
Director Prakash Jha mentioned in an interview, “My upcoming movie Aarakshan will surely leave some remedial influence. I am not sure that my movie will remove or minimize the caste based reservation but I am sure that it will have some remedial influence on the public of our country”.
The National Award winning director released his movie ‘Aarakshan’ on 12th August. He has already given a remarkable share of political movies like “Damul“ (1986), “Gangaajal” (2004), “Apaharan” (2006) and “Raajneeti” (2010). Aarakshan is a socio-political drama featuring the legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Manoj Bajpai, Pratieik Babbar and Tanvi Azmi. It deals with the reservation policy in the education system and even before its release the movie was banned in states like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
The question that arises here is, when movies based on serious issues existing in the society are made, do they bring any change in the mindset of the people, do they help in bringing about a change in the society or end up being mere props with an entertainment quotient? ‘Aarakshan’ somewhere fails in creating a deep impact on its viewers. It is more of a love story than a social issue, and the topic of reservation is somewhere suppressed with Saif Ali Khan and Deepika’s romance. The ‘R’ for Reservation slowly transforms into ‘R’ for Romance.
We are served the clichéd good v/s evil saga, with reservation as an issue being sidelined to a mere plot point. And once the issue has served its purpose (takes barely 30-45 minutes), it vanishes completely from the scene, though Jha does get minor characters to mouth the ‘R’-word a couple of times. What takes its place is the issue of the commercialization of education.
By Parth Shah
“Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ” Music Review
Oops, they did it again, and this time its much better. Trust far out, Farhan Akhtar now trying to do new things and make them work. He proved his mettle as a singer in Rock On! And in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) he’s cajoled pals Hrithik Roshan & Abhay Deol to try out their vocal cords. Well, Going by how well they have sang the Flamenco flavourd Senorita, the good news that the trio between them has the enough lung power to start a boy band. Hrithik has sung before in Kites and Guzarish but he is better here than before and Abhay is revelation. The Spanish portions are sung by Spanish singer Maria Del Mar Fernendez, whose contralto voice controls the boisterous yodeling of the boys.
But if u think this experiment will prove a death knell to singers, think again, especially when you have singers like Mohit Chauhan, Suraj Jagan, Vishal Dadlaine and Shankar himself leading the fary. Alyssa Mendonsa does papa Loy Proud by singing “Khaabon ke parindey” with the right amount of verse and zest and when Mohit Chauhan joins this duet is the pure magic. The song compels you to hit the Play button again.
The film is perforated to be this road movie where a group of friend’s have a good time together and
“Ik Junoon” (Paint it re) “the tomato song” makes the intentions loud and clear. Vishal Dadlani blasts this one out in his characteristic style and he is ably supported by Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noori, Gulzar and Alyssa Mendonsa . It’s a fun party song which forces you to hit the dance floor and what’s more, the remix version is quite groovy. Lyricist Javed Akhtar seems to be growing younger each day!
In short Zindagi Na Milegi Dobora’s music compels you to hit the repeat button over and over again. A 3.5 stars out of 5 for sure!
By:
Prakriti Shrivastava
AMERICAN BEAUTY
‘American Beauty’ is the recipient of the “Best Film” in the Academy awards for the year 1999. Since then, it has been stacked a classic and an all time favorite for many. This film is special in many ways and has the simplified the basic complexities of life beautifully. Directed by Sam Mendes, ‘American Beauty’ delivers the dilemma of American thinking which, apparently, focuses on revealing a ‘happy face’ outside, no matter how traumatic you feel inside. To strive a perfect balance between the inner you and the outer you is the beauty of the film which also stirs sensitive topics such as homosexuality.
This film is a reminder that in a voyeuristic society, we don't see much beyond the surface. Our inner eye and our outer eye fight for dominance and we don't have the opportunity to pursue the middle path, without upsetting the delicate balance between being true to ourselves and sacrificing ourselves to the apparent benefit of the world.
In American society, the outer system is more important and its disintegration is viewed as more catastrophic than internal disintegration. ‘American Beauty’ is lesson one of the catechism of humanism.
‘American Beauty’ is about trying to find the balance. It is an existentialist drama that deals with the heady question of "what does it all mean?". The answer they provide is, "Whatever you make it mean".
Ricky (Wes Bently) likes to pay close attention to the details of his surroundings. After being abandoned in a mental institute for two years because his parents thought he was a danger to society, he perfects a mask to reflect his military father's demands but develops a keen eye for making meaning out of details. He comes off as intense and detached but we discover that he is sensitive and observant and records the poetry of life like a record of the beauty that can exist in the most unlikely of places.
Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) wants to get out of the coma in his life. He goes a little too far but eventually that responsible side of him wakes up. However, we may be mere playthings at the hands of the gods because no sooner does he rediscover the adult to balance out the child that fate places him right inside the more pitiful, repressed and completely locked down personal tragedy of Ricky's father, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper).
Lesters marriage to Carolyn (Annette Bening) has been as devoid of passion as their lives. Carolyn skates through life thinking that image is all and substance something to be literally slapped out of you. Carolyn makes her slow crawl out of her illusions and back into the self she was when she was younger and felt like there was less at stake. But tragedy is in her future.
The only people in this movie who aren't being tossed about by their internal struggles are the gay couple who live next door. Nobody knows why they have their world stacked together, but they are happy, healthy and harmonious among themselves. Their presence becomes important as a theme. Later in the theme we are shown the dark side of repressed sexuality and the implication of certain institutions and ways of thinking in American society.
Everyone in ‘American Beauty’ is either trying to escape the prison they have built around themselves or to strengthen its walls. Someone once said that you create your own hell. By extension, we should be able to create a heaven.
Nothing in this movie is as it seems and the grey areas are explored deeply and emotionally in this film. In ‘American Beauty’, we see the painful side of repression. Mendes explores the question "What would my life be like if it was personally meaningful?" We like to think we are satisfying ourselves, but are we? Who and what do we live for and is happiness within our reach and if so, at what cost?
Stunning performances by the entire cast. This film wants to reach into you and wake up your interior life. Sometimes we all need a kick start and this film alternately screams in your face and gently nudges your mind out of bed.
American society may be "one big commercial to show how happy we are", but the stories hidden inside everyone reveal the truth of life and the heart of living.
In American society, the outer system is more important and its disintegration is viewed as more catastrophic than internal disintegration. ‘American Beauty’ is lesson one of the catechism of humanism.
‘American Beauty’ is about trying to find the balance. It is an existentialist drama that deals with the heady question of "what does it all mean?". The answer they provide is, "Whatever you make it mean".
Ricky (Wes Bently) likes to pay close attention to the details of his surroundings. After being abandoned in a mental institute for two years because his parents thought he was a danger to society, he perfects a mask to reflect his military father's demands but develops a keen eye for making meaning out of details. He comes off as intense and detached but we discover that he is sensitive and observant and records the poetry of life like a record of the beauty that can exist in the most unlikely of places.
Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) wants to get out of the coma in his life. He goes a little too far but eventually that responsible side of him wakes up. However, we may be mere playthings at the hands of the gods because no sooner does he rediscover the adult to balance out the child that fate places him right inside the more pitiful, repressed and completely locked down personal tragedy of Ricky's father, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper).
Lesters marriage to Carolyn (Annette Bening) has been as devoid of passion as their lives. Carolyn skates through life thinking that image is all and substance something to be literally slapped out of you. Carolyn makes her slow crawl out of her illusions and back into the self she was when she was younger and felt like there was less at stake. But tragedy is in her future.
The only people in this movie who aren't being tossed about by their internal struggles are the gay couple who live next door. Nobody knows why they have their world stacked together, but they are happy, healthy and harmonious among themselves. Their presence becomes important as a theme. Later in the theme we are shown the dark side of repressed sexuality and the implication of certain institutions and ways of thinking in American society.
Everyone in ‘American Beauty’ is either trying to escape the prison they have built around themselves or to strengthen its walls. Someone once said that you create your own hell. By extension, we should be able to create a heaven.
Nothing in this movie is as it seems and the grey areas are explored deeply and emotionally in this film. In ‘American Beauty’, we see the painful side of repression. Mendes explores the question "What would my life be like if it was personally meaningful?" We like to think we are satisfying ourselves, but are we? Who and what do we live for and is happiness within our reach and if so, at what cost?
Stunning performances by the entire cast. This film wants to reach into you and wake up your interior life. Sometimes we all need a kick start and this film alternately screams in your face and gently nudges your mind out of bed.
American society may be "one big commercial to show how happy we are", but the stories hidden inside everyone reveal the truth of life and the heart of living.
This film is a soul stirrer and a manifested way to question your satisfaction.
By:
Samridhi Sharma
