In the last 3 days, I happened to watch 3 films

Angrej is the story of a young person who dearly loves a girl, but the girl has a fickle mind and responds to the attention of another person who is wealthier. Heartbroken, he tries to forget her and fails, until love finds him as another person. He realises very late in the movie that this new girl, who accepts him for who he is, is the right person for him. 

The Wife was a little hard to watch, as the film starts with a Nobel literature Award winner proclaiming that his wife is the love of his life, and slowly, the insidious emotional manipulation of a narcissist unfolds layer by layer, and the shocking realisation that she basically discovers the extent to which she has been looted. 

Autumn in New York, like The Idea of You, is an intergenerational love story with the added masala of the young person dying. Richard Gere makes it all worthwhile. Surprisingly, in both films, it was the older actor who carried the day. Perhaps, like wine, all craft needs time to mature. 

There are many, many thoughts in the head. 

First, all popular cinema seems to perpetuate the idea of womanising being the default for a man, and seeking loyalty and monogamy being the default of the woman. Why? What if it were not true? What about the men who want to honour their commitments (like the guy in Angrej) and the women who do not want commitment? Why are those voices not in popular or any cinema? Why does a woman become a slut as soon as she refuses to seek and offer commitment? If men are so unwilling to commit, and a woman says, ok, sure, lets just enjoy what we have in the here and now, suddenly, there is no love story to tell? That is SO FAR removed from the reality of our times. Likewise, why are all the heroes semmi bad boys? Give us the silent guy who stands rock solid behind a woman. Show us the quiet friend who has our back no matter what and doesn't tell us he loves us for fear of losing us? 

Second, inter-generational romance. I just can't find it fair - esp for the younger person, who must have milestones to meet in life. A 20-something year old cannot be expected to never become a parent because their forever love has already crossed that stage of life. It is romantic, but my probably conservative head does not find it fair in the long term. Having said that, both the films - the Idea of You and Autumn in New York were very realistic about the challenges, void, and the potential conflics - The Idea of You more than Autumn in New York. BUT, the idea that two people who are many decades apart can still be beautifully compatible with each other is something I have observed irl around me, and have started to believe in. 

 These are not really film reviews, but a perspective on how popular art can guide the cultural, romantic norms of its time. The Punjabi film shows the man as someone committed and the woman as someone fickle-minded, and it doesnt appear to be out of place. I LOVED the film. 

Film Review: Bad Newz

 

First things first, Dharma Productions is the producer of this movie. How do we know that? From the endless plugs of ghosts of movies-we-hope-you-will-remember-but-nope-you-don't. 

The writers are Tarun Dudeja and Ishita Moitra. They deserve a special award for having the highest number of missed opportunities of humour in a script. 

What I loved about the film is the plot. One will not even blink at a plot about two women who are dependent on the same man because he is the father of both their children. But a woman is having step-fraternal twins - from two different fathers. What's more? The prospective fathers agree to a paternity test AND don't bat an eyelid when they are told the results. 

This could so easily have been a moral science story with a serious lecture in place. The woman sermonising about the general ills of society for women. But it was crafted as a funny script, where the protagonist is an ambitious chef. The situations that lead to the... situation.. appear natural, not forced. 

Tripti Dimri is a good actress. The revelation in the film was that Vicky Kaushal is not just a versatile actor, he also has amazing screen presence. In a character that has probably been played ad nauseum, and for Dilliwallas, is not a character at all, he manages to create something that one continues to want to see. Any comparisons with Ranvir Singh are not fair - for the simple reason that this character is a little more nuanced. The empty bravado that was integral to Ranvir's character is totally missing here.  He is GOAT but also attached to mom and vulnerable and scared of not having his phone on him. 

Amy Virk is a surprise. The casting of Amy Virk is perfect-o. This character needed his calm presence. While both screen time and range for his character are limited compared to Vicky's character, he manages to make his presence felt.  

The storytelling is interesting. In the sense that the situational comedy does not all fall flat. It remains light-hearted, and most importantly, is able to avoid the irritating slapstick flavour that one has come to expect from Bollywood films. Where it does not amuse, it at least does not irritate. 

The cinematography is good, but is more than ably aided by the fantastic locations. The music score did not really lead to humming once the movie was over. The background score made its presence felt in the right way at some places. 

Final feeling? I was amused for the most part. Some chuckles were drawn and once, laughter also happened. Can this trio deliver another comedy? Maybe. But it will be a lot of hard work. 

Film Review: Sajini Shinde ka viral video

It is very hard to keep someone glued to the screen for 1 hour and 54 minutes. If a film can do that, that itself is an achievement in the era of Distraction. 

The plot is taut. The acting is superb. The characters are well drawn out - both in the writing and in the acting. 

The editing is good, though some scenes are forwardable. 

How the story unfolds - a simple school teacher has fun at a pub and her video goes viral. The viral video has familiar consequences - the school's parents want the school to oust her, the principal is concerned about the reputation of the school, the parents are concerned about their own reputation, and the fiancé is busy getting the video deleted all over the internet.  

No one spares a thought for what the girl must be going through. 

In any other profession, a night out at the bar would be filed under "Dear Vodka, you were supposed to make me smart, witty, and irresistible. I just saw the videos of that night, and we need to talk." 

But not if it's a teacher. I am personally aware of several incidents where teachers lost their jobs for dancing at a private birthday celebration, inside the class with kids, et al. So, the film is not entirely a work of fiction. Teachers really are victimised exactly like this. But after that, the teacher, presumably, commits suicide. 

A suicide note is found, but no body. 

The entire film revolves around finding Sajini Shinde - the teacher who was fired after pressure from the parents, who left a suicide note, and then vanished. 

A good story entertains, but also teaches. 

At the end of the film. perhaps, every member of the audience should ask themselves - what if I was one of the parents? Would i defend a teacher's right to party in her personal space? 

What if I was the principal? Would i fire a staff member for the "reputation" of the institution? 

If the film helps you introspect, then it has succeeded. If not, watch it again. Then think of all the teachers who got fired. The mother who recently committed suicide. Think of everyone you have hurt behind that impermeable veil of internet anonymity and/or internet led inaccessibility. 

And if, in the rare case that you look inside your activity history and find nothing, then, smile. In genuine accomplishment.

On the internet, we all have the cloak of invisibility. If we have not used it to hurt someone, then, undoubtedly, that is the mark of a good heart. 

Film Review: Laapata Ladies

 #LaapataaLadies on #Netflix

This film made me realise an important thing - The heartland is to Bollywood what the snake charmer was to the 19th Century English Sahab. It is the single story of India. Or, let me be blunt - it is the caricature of India that they love to perpetuate.

And just like the English sahab, Bollywood crams all its stereotypes of "Bharat" into the motif - snake charmer or heartland.

There is no such thing as "real" heartland. People everywhere are multi-dimensional. But in Bollywood, single dimension humans exist in these single story products - the good chhotu, the innocent Phool, the sincere dulha, the greedy Pardeep, the evil inspector... If you can describe all of your major characters using single adjectives, you are not looking at story telling. You are looking at caricatures. Which is what Bollywood's story telling of India is.

Kiran Rao's earlier work has not been like this. In the Ship of Theseus, she so sensitively brought together the various back stories. So, like many others, I was waiting for this film. But I am angry. Angry that someone gets away with selling pictures of India that have remained unchanged in 50 years. That they can start with a premise so utterly nonsensical that two brides and two grooms will be identically dressed, will get seats in the same physical space, and most importantly, through the journey, will spend so little time communicating with each other that when the time to alight comes, the man will actually awaken the wrong bride! Angry that this snake charmer story telling is being consumed by urban Indians who have never interacted with the smart people who live in rural India, as good storytelling! Seriously WTF.

If you like Laapata Ladies, you have not travelled in an Indian train for a long, long time. But you might remember that as children, when you travelled by train, everyone around you knew where you were getting off. If the station was to come at night, there would be someone charged with the duty of waking u up two stations before, so you can "freshen up" before getting off. There would be people to receive you at the station. Night or day.

If you have not been to the heartland for a long time, you might want to know that a woman going missing is not something that will be taken as lightly as someone filing a police report two days later. The entire village will get on the next day's train, get off on every single station on the route of that train, and ask if a certain woman was found there. And even before that, the two couples would have shared the stories of their lives, not just their geographies. SO, the groom would know exactly where to go to try and get his wife back, and where to take his "bhojai" to her home.

And if you ever find a bride traveling in Indian rail with 150 grams of gold jewelry on her, please take a picture.

Until then, enjoy the snake charmer.

Film Review

 #SheSaid on #Netflix

There are many worlds in our world. But for most women facing sexual harassment at the workplace, there was only one world - the Kingdom of Silence.

Until #MeToo happened. And then, all hell broke lose. Harvey Weinstein went from being a hotshot Hollywood producer to a PNG.

But have you ever wondered how it happened? Who took the first step? Who filed the first report? The first case? How is one of the most important people in the film industry spending 23 +16 years in prison?

This 2022 masterpiece is one of the most powerful documentaries in the already impressive Netflix repertoire. It is important enough to pause other "Continue Watching"s for a day.

Film Review: Fighter

 #Fighter on #Netflix 

Everyone has been panning Fighter, but we cannot underplay one achievement of the director - it takes a LOT to have such terrible casting, incredibly bad choreo, a mishmash of masala mixes that create total confused cacophony, and STILL lend your name to the project. This has to be a broth cooked by too many cooks. One person would have lent SOME personality to the story telling. This is like bhanumati ne kunba joda, kahin ki eent kahin ka roDa. 

It's a proper case of "What were they thinking?" 

I started this film for HR, and he is the only watchable part of the film. But that "Sher khul gaye" step made it hard to even see him! 

Everyone who wanted to see the film already has, but if, like me, you are among the late junta, looking to see some decent movie to kill time, this is NOT it. Unless you are a HUGE Hrithik fan. And even then, its a test of your love. How much nonsense can you tolerate just to see him on screen. #NotExaggerating. 

The only exception being the restaurant "Please" scene - which you can see on Youtube. 

Some ppl have liked the CGI and the action sequences. I wouldn't know. I dont know of a universe in which every other flight goes down with a single hit but one aircraft takes hits like it is a punching bag and keeps going. I also dont know of two aircrafts that collide mid air and the pilots eject just in time, exactly over the battle spot, and continue to become ground warriors. And these are only the parts that one could watch. Baaki to forward karne laayak bhi nahi tha. 

So wonderful is the chemistry between the lead pair that the eventual kiss scene had my brain going - Tissot Meets Rado (Not making this up. Seriously this popped up in my head as that scene played). 

If you are into action cinema, this *might* be your thing. Might. 

For everything else, there's plenty out there. 

Quick Summary: Hrithik Roshan is great, but even he can't save this film. 

Film Review: Vaccine War - Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri's film

 #VaccineWar on #Hotstar

Just finished watching this film. (kind of late to the party)

This is that #NeverForget2020 kind of film.

Apart from the acting, the perfect casting, the taut storytelling, this was a very emotional film for me.

mRNA was being developed since 2012 but had NEVER been approved for human use. And suddenly, on a virus we didn't know, a tech we had never used before was approved for human use.

I read the CDC submissions of Moderna and Pfizer. Both companies had NEVER tested anyone - neither the control group nor the vaccinated group - for the actual presence of the virus after vaccination. The success rate was based on absence of symptoms. Let that sink in. Absence of symptoms. Not absence of virus. Much less proven antibodies to virus.

All foreign companies were given indemnity against adverse reactions to the virus by the US, and made that a precondition to giving the virus to any country globally. India refused to give this indemnity. For many countries, the choices were between Sputnik and China's vaccines.

There are two proven vaccination techs - dead virus and weakened virus. Because the virus was new and lab-enhanced, I relied on the dead virus tech (Covaxin). At that time, everyone around me laughed at me. The propaganda against Covaxin was at its peak.

But in spite of all this, I had never spared a thought for the scientists who would have spent days and nights getting this vaccine out so quickly - until this movie came out. This truly was a war that could only be fought by science - and it was.

The film made me realise that this war was unique for two reasons:

1. It was the first bioweapon based world war.
2. It was also the first world war fought through fake news, misinformation, and institutional manipulation by nation states.

If that's not worth remembering, I don't know what is.

#NeverForget2020.

Film Review: Charming the Hearts of Men

Charming the Hearts of Men is a 2021 film. 

How this treasure of a film was undiscovered is beyond me. 

Grace Gordon comes back to her hometown after her father's death and starts a journey towards bankruptcy because her father was.. well, not well-off. In fact, buried in debt is closer to the truth than buried in earth. 

As a woman, I had to love the film. Ruth and her daughter, the Congressman, Jubilee, Viola, and Walter.. all the characters are so beautifully drawn! 

When Viola stands in the segregated pub and asks - What About Us? - Time stops for every viewer. 

The cinematography, costumes, and art direction make this film a visual treat. The dialogues, while not as brilliant as one would like, are adequate (actually, less than adequate). 

The film is brilliantly written. The actors carry that rather heavy burden very well. Each character comes alive.  

From the Avon lady to the first cafe to end segregation, Grace Gordon carries the day. Somewhere in between, she also manages to convince a Congressman to include women in the Civil Rights Bill, 1963. 

This film is a delight.  

Image from Imdb 

Film Review: The Nanny Diaries

The title was interesting.. so the movie was started. The cast had Scarlett Johansson. 

What a movie! 

It tells the story through the eyes of a nanny who works for a rather rich family. 

All the stereotypes are in place - the philandering husband, the botox-ing wife, the neglected yet lovable child. 

BUT, this young lady is a college graduate. Her mother, who is a nurse and a single parent, has put her through college and thinks her daughter is working in the finance industry. 

There is a neighbour - a "Harvard Hottie" as he is officially called in the film (and it took me this long to discover that Chris Evans is sooooo much more than Captain America (my loss, entirely). 

Unfortunately, all the cliches are true, which makes this a tragic-comic tale of every day life, love, betrayal, and hope. 

The technicals are adequate. The casting is spot on, the costumes less so. 

This film is like a day in early spring - not perfect, but pretty darn close. 

My favourite part? The Mary Poppins reference. Absolutely brilliant! 

Film Review: Nazar Andaz

The retro poster is intriguing but does no justice to the sheer brilliance of the film.

Kumud Mishra..where were u till now? The Nation Wants to Know!

Divya Dutta has been a complete bombshell of talent even if she is on the screen for just 2 minutes. This movie is no different and for once she has a role that does justice to that talent.

Rajeshwari Sachdev has a short and beautiful role. I am a diehard fan anyway.

Abhishek Bannerjee was in stellar company, and he held his own quite remarkably.

The thing that absolutely pops your mind is this - I have worked with this sector for more than 2 decades. These mannerisms of gently avoiding the sun, turning the face in a certain way, these micro expressions.. these cannot be copied. They are very natural, and when an actor is trying to copy the mannerisms of a character that can't see, the squinting of the eyelids and the turning of the face will not occur to them. At least, i have not seen it in any movie so far - EVER. Not even in the iconic Sparsh - the original film that set the direction of my life.

The second thing that gets your attention - wide eyed attention, is the cinematography of the climax shot. You cannot take your eyes off the screen for even 10 seconds.

The third thing that merits mention is the dialogues, music, and lyrics. They make up the audio element of the story and blend effortlessly - both with the story and with each other.

The final feather in the cap of the film is that Sindhi - Gujarati dialect used in the film. Such a wonderful, refreshing dialect. Does anyone know where it is used in India?

Watching this movie made me realise what happens when you put real actors on screen and let them work their magic. Good cinema is not a figment of our imagination. Good storytelling is not a myth.

Film Review: Magic Beyond Words

 This is an unauthorised biography, as per the declaration at the start of the movie.

But this is very good storytelling. At a very taut 90 minutes, the movie is a delight.

Poppy Montgomery gives a performance that should be remembered for some time.

The editing is the first thing that deserves a special mention. Not one wasted scene.

The second thing is the screenplay. It's funny and intelligent and engaging.

The third thing is the acting - by every single person on that screen. The casting was perfect, and every actor delivered.

The lighting is great.

Film Review: Enola Holmes 2

 Oh my dear, dear Enola Holmes 2... what you could have been, and what you ended up being.

You had everything.. a great cast, an Art Director straight out of a director's dreams, great costumes, music, research.. absolutely everything..down to the detail of the chaperone and the dance card - even an actual historical event as backdrop - and you had to fumble on the story and have plotholes?! Why?

When an average movie insults our intelligence with its bizzare plotholes, we feel bad, but it's one factor in many, and therefore, easy to ignore. But when your pathetic plotholes kill an entire movie for us.. My dear, that is so hard to forgive.

#SpoilerAlertFromHere

We love the chemistry and the Oh! So sweet romance.. though why the Lordships rain in films I have no idea.

We love Sherlock.. and the twist to his character.. we miss Dr. Watson and Mycroft.

We LOVE Sarah Chapman, Bessie, and their characters.

That bathroom scene deserves a standing ovation.. for the level of detail that went into it.. the powder stool and mirror, the bathtub, the curtains.. i could not take eyes off that background and the detail in it.

We love the fight scenes.. until that 30-minute climax fight that is part fantasy and a lot more poor lighting. (next time, call Veeru Devgan for these long fight scenes. We know how to do this right).

We don't understand how, after losing his son, the father stands and stares from the railing as the girls support the very thing for which his only son was murdered.

We don't quite get how weeks of campaigning to get the match girls to strike is reduced to a pathetic 5-minute scene involving some stomping of boots and a rather insipid speech.

We don't understand, first of all, why Sarah Chapman needed to hide at all. And that deciphering of the address of the Love Nest.. oh please!!

Dear Enola Holmes 3.. Please be better! You deserve it, and we deserve it. We totally love you. Just not like this.

Film Review: Maja Ma (Hindi)

#MajaMa on Prime Video 

Even if you are pursuing a PhD on the subject, you never know what its like until you have to deal with it personally. 

There is a lot of nuance in this film. A lot of attention to detail. The costumes. The art direction. The hair and makeup. The music. I can't remember the last time such lovely lyrics made their way to the screen in the background while the story played out in the foreground. So much attention to tiny details. 

The way the story has been structured - two children - one pushing her towards "owning her truth", the other urging her to tell everyone that it's all a lie. And how she stands tall above both - owning her truth in her own way, at her own pace, with each stakeholder one by one. It's a slow process - the coming out. The movie takes us through that process as it is likely to really happen. Every character is human. Real. Relatable. Every episode is real and relatable. 

The performances are adorable. Every one of them. They own their characters - some written better than others, and deliver them. 

My favourite two episodes - Kanchan confronting Pam, and then Pam confronting Bob. Tejas is delightful and fresh. Very believable. Right down to his "I have always made you agree to my demands" stint. 

The only character I had trouble accepting is Tara. That character, imho, needed more work at the writer's desk. 

And finally: 

1. Accent sirf American nahi hota, Gujarati bhi hota hai. Its not easy to say "This is your house also now" like a Gujju, if you are not one. Full marks to Gajraj Rao for acing this one. 

2. Madhuri Dixit is a DIVA. She can make mommy roles so full of substance - whether it is Bucket List or The Fame Game, she brings a powerful mother alive on screen, looking effortlessly glamorous while at it. 

Film Review: Dangerous beauty

This film is from 1998, but I only saw it now! - Almost 24 years later! 

The production quality is excellent. Can't speak to the art direction bcs I have no idea what Venice of the first half of the 16th Cent looked like. 

The lighting is good. The costumes look vintage, and the background score is apt. 

The story telling is gripping. 

But the best part of this film is the dialogues. I feel like watching the film again just to record the amazing one-liners. 

It is, at its heart, a love story. A love story that dealt with the social and political truths of its time, and in my book, emerged victorious. A story that takes you back in time where a woman faced religious courts that could burn one at the stake, and a time in which every woman was condemned to eternal lovelessness. A time in which men secured favours through courtesans. 

It is a story about courtesans. About a group that has (almost) everything - access to education, deportment, high officials and intellectual conversations, lovemaking, financial freedom. Therefore, society must take something away from them. Something so important that women would want to avoid their fate. So, they take respect away. From Memoirs of a Geisha to Dangerous Beauty, the stories of women are the same. 

Recommendation: NSFW. Great story telling. No unnecessary nudity. 

The best Rom Coms ever

The Hating Game tops that list at the moment. 

Movie Review: Rakshabandhan

The Post Review: That must come first 

7 hours after watching this film, I am still thinking of it, and just realised two very important things: 

A. In the time I was watching the film, at least 2 women died - like, really died, for the same issue that the movie was trying to educate me on. 

B. If I wasn't professionally qualified, my parents would have paid dowry for me. Its personal. I could have been the sister who died, or one of the 10 women who file a complaint of domestic violence or dowry for the 1 who dies, or the 100 who "adjust" and don't file a complaint. Instead, they raise kids who grow up watching father being abusive to mother, dadi comparing gifts from the two daughters in law. All of that. That "happily married mother" could have been me. 

The Pre-Review: Why I went at all 

Logically speaking, I went for Anand L Rai and Akshay Kumar - professionals whose earlier work I have liked. 

But the honest truth is that since watching the trailer, I knew I was going to watch this movie - reasons unknown. It was just one of those things that would happen. That happens to me very rarely, but when it does, there is no point resisting the mandate. One just does what one is told to do. 

Given that everything today gets political, didn't even bother checking with friends before booking the ticket. Chose a small theater with limited seating and just booked. 

********** 

This movie was a huge revelation for me. I have always believed that Akshay Kumar has a certain honesty in his heart that shines through his work - irrespective of the character he is playing. 

You know those nagging questions in your head that are neither important nor urgent but gnaw at you nonetheless? This was one of those. One usually likes an actor for his own work, but in this case, I knew there was something more, and couldn't place it. Watching Akshay Kumar on screen filled a huge hole in my heart, but I didn't know what that hole was called. 

Within the first three minutes of the movie, I knew why i was mandated to come watch this film. Here is the answer: 

Akshay Kumar fills a Balraj Sahni shaped hole on the screen (and in the heart.) 

Those who know me will now that I have missed Balraj Sahni's presence on screen very, very much.

Akshay Kumar brings the same honesty, the same integrity, and the same magic to his screen presence.

While writing this review, I saw the first few minutes of Waqt once again, and almost cried for joy. 

On to the review  

The most downloaded image from my blog is this: 

This is a graph that shows the number of dowry deaths reported in India - every year from 2011-2016. 

This graph tells you that India loses one young woman to dowry every hour, and has consistently done so for over 2 decades at least. And these are just the reported numbers. The dotted line is the trend line. 

You will read the same statistic in a post script at the end of the movie - I am just putting it out there so you don't miss the post script. This post script is the most important part of the film. Just in case you watch the movie and go, "Are, aisa thodi hota hai?" Exactly aisa hi hota hai. Exactly. Aisa. Hi. 

And now we come to the less important parts of the film. 

There is only one Punjabi dialogue in the film - "Ai enni jehi gall hai?" And THAT is how Punjabi should be spoken.  Had he messed up that dialogue's delivery, I likely would not have forgiven the lapse. That is one of the most important dialogues in the film. After this dialogue, he goes on to provide a guidebook style warning to the majnus of the area. Through that and another sequence, we see a character that does not fight a system because part of him believes in it, even if the only role he gets to play in that play is the rock under the elephant's foot. 

Also the gesture of going back to hit boys who do eve teasing. You will find it hard to believe, but once upon a time, that was the truth of Delhi. If you tried to whistle at a girl in public, you would be physically beaten - first by the girl (hence the Punjabi phrase - Kadaan sandal?), and then by bystanders. You could not do it. Period. 

This movie teaches you the importance of a leading cast and how they can literally carry a film on their shoulders alone. This leading cast has done that, though the ensemble cast is made up of good actors too. 

What comes up short is the development of the characters of the ensemble cast - all the 3 sisters appear as guest appearances only. We can describe them in 1-2 words, instead of the complex characters that each of them is likely to be. And for that, the credit must go squarely to the writer - Himanshu Sharma, and the director, Anand L Rai - their previous work also has not capitalised on the layering provided by ensemble cast in story telling. 

What shines through is the honesty in story telling. What you think is extreme becomes even more sad as you realise that not only is this not extreme, but that, in many, many families, and not necessarily in Chandni Chowk, this is de rigueur, this is matter of course.  

The end might appear hurried to some reviewers, but to me, I think, it was just rightly paced - The sisters finding their place under the sun. 

I wish I could change just one thing in the story - if Sapna and Kedar had married earlier in the film, it would have given us richer story telling, as Sapna's character would have navigated the challenges of the story alongside Kedar, and not from the sidelines. And, I would have liked to see the rubbishing of a promise that itself is steeped in regression. A promise like that deserves to be broken. Especially after his realisation. 

On the technical side, the film does well on sound, background score, lighting, costumes, editing, and art direction. It could have done better on screenplay. 

The camera work was adequate, but given that the movie had a playground like Chandni Chowk, am not sure it did the best it could. 

Special thanks to the makers for not subjecting us to dream sequence song and dance routines, cliched meet-cutes for each of the 3 sisters, random festival songs just because it's Chandni Chowk, useless subplots with miniscule politically correct messages, and other predictable stuff that routinely finds its way into films and every single time insults the intelligence of the audience and wastes their time. 

In the OST (Original Sound Track, for those born after the 1990s): Tere Saath Hoon Main and Bidaai stand out. There are no hummable songs, but that, methinks, is the general trend with movies these days. (Coincidentally, no one plays Antakshari any more, everyone only goes to India's Super Singer or some such, so there is no need for hummable songs either, no?) 

Endnote

I am glad I went. Will gladly go again. 

Review of Rocketry and the dead nuclear scientists of India

 

Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein made Madhavan my favourite actor. Rocketry made him my hero. 

Unlike most people who are watching the movie (and Kashmir Files before this), I was not completely unaware of the injustice meted out to Dr. Nambi. I was also aware of the tragic and sudden deaths of more than 12 nuclear scientists of India, and had read the paper that explained the American connection behind these deaths. Nor was I unmindful of the question that Nambi sir asked at the end - If I am innocent, someone is guilty. Who is that? 

But about Dr. Nambi, did not have the details presented in the film. 

Like with all biographical films, the viewing of the movie was followed by a rigorous fact check. (Wikipedia is not opened during that fact check). It is sad that very little of Dr. Nambi's achievements and academic background is available in the public domain. 

Most institutions have a link to the resumes of all its scientists. I could not find such a link on the ISRO website. 

But I was surprised to find that the story, as told, is largely authentic - no embellishment, no exaggeration, no 'creative freedom'. 

The job of a story teller is to tell a story so no one wants to get up. 

With Rocketry, that is exactly what Madhavan has done. He could have made it a biography story - starting at the beginning and going towards the end. But he chose to start with the climax, and weave the past and the future around that. What is extremely interesting is the format - an interview with the scientist, conducted by an actor, playing himself. 

The story of his life and family integrates into the story of his professional success as it can only for an Indian. Watching this movie helped me realise a beautiful aspect of Indian society yet again - the work is not separate from the individual. Our entire Varna system is based on the chosen profession. Our social identity is based on our profession. Unlike the choice that Dr. Crocco had to make, in India, the interdependence of the workplace and the family is implicit. 

If I have to give full marks to one person, it is the locations and set director. The locations are so well chosen, particularly where the team is shown in France and Princeton. (except, perhaps, the scene where they strategise how to get into a department - in the middle of the street, that, if it really did happen that way, is illustration of truth is stranger than fiction). 

The art direction comes next. But every single technical department truly excels. Costumes, hair, cars, and the volume of traffic on the road - they got all of that right. In all the street scenes, I was only wondering with dropped jaw - How did you find so many working cars of these vintage models? How did you do this? 

Even sound deserves a mention - esp. in the shots related to rocket testing - the sound effects, subtle, but well designed, made the experience of watching the rocket testing that much real for us. 

The background music was subtle and hit all the right chords without intruding upon the storytelling process. 

To summarise: 

It is a well directed film. It has an excellent technical team, and a small, but good cast. 

The story is well told and well edited. 

An actor would have ended the film with the spotlight on himself. A director put the spotlight on the real hero - Dr. Nambi Narayanan. And that, is what makes Madhavan a star. I have never before seen a director do this - bring the real person to close the narrative in his own words. (Dr. Nambi is an articulate person. His interviews in the promotions of Rocketry are quite impressive). 

And, in case you are interested, here are the details of the Indian scientists who have died mysteriously, and whose stories still remain untold. If we look at this list, Dr. Narayanan must have been really special, to avoid this fate. 

BARC has reported 680 employee deaths during the last 15 years. \

92 persons employed with the Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research Kalapakkam have died. 

Within a 15 year period, 684 deaths have occured at ISRO. 

Here is a list: 

1. October 2013: K K Josh and Abhish Shivam

2. 1966 - Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha

3. 2009 - Lokanathan Mahalingam

4. 2011 - Dr Uma Rao

5. Feb 2010 - Mahadevan Padmanabhan Iyer

6. June 2009 - Umang Singh and Partha Pratim Bag

7. 2012 - Mohammad Mustafa

9. 1971 - Vikram Sarabhai 

And here are interesting takes on the NN case itself: 

https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/here-s-the-real-story-of-isro-spy-case-that-rocked-the-nation-in-1990s-118091600109_1.html

https://www.news18.com/news/opinion/hurdles-conspiracies-espionage-to-nambi-effect-the-story-behind-denial-of-cryogenic-engine-tech-to-india-5578081.html

Nambi Narayanan speaks on conspiracy against him & India over ISRO's cryogenic program (republicworld.com)

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Mystery-behind-Vikram-Sarabhais-death/articleshow/3910516.cms

https://indiafacts.org/list-of-indian-nuclear-scientists-who-died-mysterious-deaths/

https://asiatimes.com/2019/07/indias-vanishing-nuclear-scientists/

http://www.sunday-guardian.com/news/pmo-unconcerned-about-scientist-deaths - This link has been removed. 

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/11-indian-nuclear-scientists-died-unnatural-deaths-in-4-years-1229793

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/11-nuclear-scientists-died-in-mysterious-circumstances-in-4-years/articleshow/49272275.cms

https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/01/06/from-the-archives-when-several-indian-nuclear-scientists-died-mysteriously.html

https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/tapan-misra-is-not-alone-isro-scientists-have-died-mysterious-deaths-faced-espionage-charges-531398.html

And Indians are not alone: 

https://listverse.com/2016/08/09/10-leading-scientists-who-died-in-suspicious-circumstances/