The Bong Connection

I recently saw a work print of this film, and it was simply amazing! The film walks a fine line between comedy and drama, with plenty of great laughs and more than a few unexpected dramatic moments (and one genuine tragedy!). This film is most definitely NOT your typical Bollywood film, and that's part of what makes it so wonderful! Mr. Dutt has made one of the most insightful character-study pieces of the last twenty years! The photography is beautiful, the editing is top-notch, and the performances are wonderful! Overall, this film is one of those rare masterpieces that only a select few will ever know about, much less see, and that's a greater tragedy than anything that happens in this astounding film. If you ever get the chance to see it, don't let it slip away!

One of the better movies I've seen. Just as a film, it is well made. Parallel plots with a lot of convergence. Lot of intelligent (cross) references at different places. The dig at Mira Nair's Namesake was brilliant (I found that movie more than a tad boring). Satayajit Ray's Apu was brought up time and again, and near the end there was a direct reference to it - acknowledging Ray's hero.

As the other comments say, there is much stereotyping. But most of the humor and characterization come from this. Some characters like Andy are too good to be true, but as in all stories, the protagonist is such.

The fact that I could relate to the movie, made it all the more enjoyable. It has nice songs too, which do not spoil the storyline too much, as songs are wont to.

The director, Anjan Dutt usually makes black comedies more close to Bengali intellectuality. He maintains the same genre, but in a more subtle way. The film conveys a stronger message and has a more positive and generic feel to it.

Raima Sen looks great but doesn't flex too much of her facial muscles. Peeya Rai Choudhuri is pretty believable as the American youngster. All in all an enjoyable see.

Anjan Dutta delivers a dud. (Bow Barracks Forever was better any day.)Totally clichéd and lacking subtlety, Bong Connection left me cold. Does Mr Dutt actually know what the usual Bong does when he/she goes to "phoren" lands these days? Parambrata, who fails miserably as an actor here, seems to get into all sorts of trouble the moment he lands there. The situations are unreal and ridiculous, and the De Niro-ish (hope the great actor doesn't ever get to watch this) over-the-top performance by the Bangladeshi taxi driver is laughable.

Halfway through, I felt Shayan Munshi would salvage the film. I could see he was trying his best, and I give the two stars to the film for his role (and also for the gorgeous Raima Sen, who sadly doesn't have much to do), and a song that he sings in a club.

You don't need much imagination to do a remix of Tagore's "paagla hawa" (and it is the "in" thing these days); yet, the director fails even in this. The song doesn't touch you, the visuals don't move you. It seemed forced, as if they were conscious they were doing something new, something great. Ha! In the end, I wished Mir had more footage: he could have tried to at least make me laugh; but laugh I did, at the immaturity of the production and the lack of intelligence of everyone involved in the making of Bong Connection.

For one who has stayed abroad for a considerable amount of time and been in touch with the ex-pats community, this movie comes as a reflection to ones own self.

All the characters are defined to perfection and everyone of them did play his or her job neatly. The characters are real, the situations apt and the portrayal of bengalis be it from kolkata or from houston are made with perfect light and I can proudly say that in recent times, I have not come across another PERFECT movie as this. A few veteran actors were though wasted and could have been done away with.

The character of Hasan is as true as my taxi driver in Abu Dhabi and the typical bengali chit chat gossip in a idle get together on weekends are lifted from my times in London and made me nostalgic.

Thank you Mr. Dutt for giving us a brilliant movie with all perfect cast and technicians. The use of music was good too but the durations could have been cut short by a few minutes each time.

Its a TENner from me.

Who wrote the character of Hasan into the plot? Thats the hammiest performance ever from anyone - the actor looks like he is out of a school play - no, I take it back - I have seen child actors perform with more intensity in school plays.

And who cast Peeya Rai Chowdhuri? She definitely needed Rita Koiral to dub for her shrill voice which made it hard to understand (and along with that forced accent) three quarters of what she was trying to say.

What was the director thinking when he put these two amateurs in the team that had Soumitra Chatterjee, Victor Banerjee and Mamata Shankar in its revered cast ?

And then the beer. You think there will be a sober moment, but no! everyone was drinking and driving and was making merry throughout the time that would not pass as fast as I would want it to, but my friends kept assuring me this will get better.

The only scene that was an original was Apu washing his hair instead of his mouth after throwing up in front of the girl he was trying to charm and that too, right before they started having that mouth-to- mouth kiss. Interesting ... but it would really have helped to spread the word on hygiene had Apu washed his mouth before kissing this chic.

And then the title soundtrack - could it not have been lifted from George Michael's 'Faith' to that extent? Did it not suffice that Mr. Tagore's songs were completely twisted into the new generation theme tune?

Bong Connection failed to connect with me but maybe in some weird ways, there are taxi drivers who happen to have two girlfriends and a relaxed life while driving cabs to make money and maybe there are white American wives whose only job is to deliver drinks to her husband and their guests from morning.

Oh and why was everyone so bitter everywhere? Guess the alcoholism was not helping cool any of them. Perhaps next time Mr. Dutt should use some marijuana instead of beer and chill the characters.