Raavan – The Bach

An art film, to me, falls into either of two categories. One kind strikes audience with a brilliant sigh, making us wonder how a complex thought can be so simply put (E.g. Black Swan). The other kind is a folder of scribbles thrown at you, which does not make any sense even if you arrange in any order. Dhobi Ghat belongs to second category. It’s a high profile, big banner, “star” cast, much anticipated commercial-art movie which makes you feel you are reading few torn pages of someone else’s dairy. Probably, that’s the reason wise say you shouldn’t read someone else’s dairy. It’s so freaking boring!

Dhobi Ghat is not a traditional Bollywood commercial-art movie; hence my comments are also not regular ones. Movie is attributed with fine acting and brilliant direction. Bummer – it is pointless and boring. It neither does the justice to the time spent in cinema nor to the pop-corn bought. (Just a thought: Movie like this is the reason why Akshay Kumar in industry, to bring pointless but not boring movies). Dhobi Ghat revolves around a modern art painter Arun (Amir Khan) obsessed with video letters of Yasmin. At the same time NRI investment banker Shai (Monika Dogra) stalks him while successfully manage to get herself obsessed by Munna (Prateik) the Dhobi, whom she meets on her clichéd poverty trip. Arun changes houses! That’s all – I dint miss anything to explain on the plot!

All newcomers (all of them except Amir) have done nice job, justice to their roles, while Amir still struggles with “new age” acting – the natural one. Amir acting still stuck in mid 90s standard of great acting, I feel he was weakest link in acting department. Kiran Rao’s direction is great, even without considering this is her first presentation. Actually this is a relief! Since for a long time now Farah Khan was taking all the sympathy votes for being the only female Bollywood mainstream director. Now Farah can retire and Kiran can take her place with an understanding that her first movie is a mistake and she won’t be making a pointless movie again.

After Dhobi Ghat, I went into depression for a while and was actually looking for an Akshay Kumar kind of movie to undo this effect. We don’t run out of options do we? I chose Vijay’s Kaavalan over “Yamla Pagla Diwana”. As anticipated it was crapy one and boom! I am back to this world again, Thanks to Vadivelu!. Anyways, here are some options; if you would like undo the hangover after watching Dhobi Ghat (I used all three):

Kaavalan: Vijay is a kick boxer, student, body guard, dancer, comedian, singer, honest but innocent, most eligible bachelor as usual! Basically he is almost all the things I dreamed I would become when I was 12.

Black Swan: Amazingly brilliant movie. Watch it yourself, I am running out of words to explain it.

127 Hours: Another brilliant masterpiece by Danny Boyle. It surely will bring you goose bumps (as “The way back” did). Again, I am running out of words to explain the movie. One note on AR Rahman though! One more evidence to show he copies tunes, from his own work! Or, do we call it reuse? Some part of this movie has background tune of Raavan (Behene De to be specific.). Probably he thought the crowd that watched Raavan and watching 127 Hours are mutually exclusive. He is obviously wrong isn’t it?

By this time you would have already read about the review on both versions of Raavan, mostly discouraging. Yes, I am here backing them up. I am writing this review to those who still want to try this. Guys, there is still time, it’s never too late to cancel the ticket. And for any reason if you cannot cancel your tickets, join the party after 90 mins. Tadaa!!, you still caught the whole movie!

Direction sucks! But I still forgive Mani Ratnam. People should be allowed to do mistakes not repeat it, that’s all. Abhishek overacts his way through the movie. His madness seems to be sinusoidal. In a way it is good, at least you can predict when he is going to bray next. Aishwarya and her makeup kit were always attached; wish somebody explained her that she is not supposed to, at least not in this plot. Vikram! I am not impressed. Now I think I can extrapolate the level of over acting in Ravanan.

Cinematography is fine. But can you tolerate beautiful clips with some “star”s trying their “act”ing in foreground? Would you rather not watch “national geographic” 🙂

This movie did not do well in almost all departments. But at the same time it is not stupid. It does not consider audience as stupid either. For this reason alone I would still rate it more than most of Akshay, Shah Rukh and Salman movies.

Graphics sucks! Technology back to 80’s.
What’s up with the rain? It rains almost every scene!
Monologues! Are we officially back to Shakespearean plays ?
Falling off the cliff. How many please? This is not a movie on mountaineering. Please limit it to less than five next time.
Please do not shake freaking camera! This is not “Fast and Furious”.
Aishwaryas’ eyes are beautiful, we get it! You don’t need zoom it in every other scene! Try ears or nose next time.
Song and dance! Are you kidding me? I am going to write this for the last time. Synchronised dance spontaneously is never possible in reality.Period.