hbdave_77

Vengeance is back on Indian screen with a baggage of excessive violence. After making one of the worst film of his career, Ramgopal Verma is back with a big bang. He returned to his fort of crime, violence, power, politics and thrill with the original real life story of Andhra criminal cum politician Paritala Ravi. This is his striking and desperate attempt with a punch with all his capable might and madness which either make you hate or just praise him for his daring effort showing you never before unthinkable violence and bloodshed on Indian screen. Though in showing reality of dirty nexus between crime, politics and shifting volatile power and portraying some of his character too diabolic, he crossed the limit of Indian audience and orthodox censor board but while doing it in his limitless frenzy he made another 'original' and 'cult' film for his fans.

This is the only Indian commercial film shot and made with a length of more than five hours and the reason enough why it has to be released in two parts. The first installment begins with impressive shifting of power that gave birth to revenge and bloodshed with mind-blowing treatment, brilliant ensemble cast and striking performances all with what one can expect from RGV's diabolic dark mind. The film is saving grace and praiseworthy comeback not only for RGV but also for Vivek Oberoi and he's the extension of fire what we witnessed in his debut 'Company' with the same mentor. Apart of him, the film has fine ensemble and supporting presence of many RGV loyal cast with certain new entries. The prominent among them is Shatrughan Sinha, who has short but impressive presence with his mustache less face as popular film star cum politician Shivaji with dialogues and attitude that suits his aura; this time his 'Khamosh!' is replaced with 'Topic is over'. Abhimanyu Singh who blew our minds in his short but terrific presence as Ransa in 'Gulaal' has performed one of the most heinous and violent villain you have ever seen on Indian screen as Bukka. It's in portraying him as 'Rakshas', RGV showed certain objectionable violence crossing all possible barriers. But the intensity of Abhimanyu Singh's act is visible in some of the striking scenes with his bloodthirsty rage in expression and pervert body language. Watch the scene where he continuously slapping the lady cop repeating 'Touch nahi karna' or another where he's showing his temper when his brother comes to meet him in prison. Without a doubt he's the villain of the year.

Technically film is almost flawless and has gripping editing with few avoidable distractions and a song. Cinematography, background score and production deserved clapping. The only complain is too dark portrayal of characters shedding their part of violence on screen. It would have been better if Ramu had explored multiple dimensions of their charcterization like 'Satya'. He ended the film on interesting turn with showing you rushes of his second part releasing 19th on next month with the entry of South Indian superstar Suriya to give Vivek enough fire. I'm desperately waiting to see the second part and I'm sure that Ramu won't fall short of my expectations in making this epic bloodbath of his career.

The film is strictly no, no to family audience and achche ghar ki bahu-betiyan. It's all loaded for RGV fans who're as mad enough as him. Watch it at your own risk, it's quite hard to digest for all.

Ratings-8/10

PS- "I am like a hardcore porn DVD. You might hate it, love it, look down upon it or get disgusted by it but if it is in the room you can't resist watching it." - RGV's interesting comment on his blog.

Sorry this isn't happening new age film. Unfortunately the film is more disturbing and hurting personal experience for me rather than entertaining or concerning one. A journalist turned débutant writer-director Anusha Rizhvi has literally ruined the subject of farmers suicide and made a farcical mockery of culturally rooted real India living in small villages. It seems that the film is made for urban audience to have a funny and tongue in the cheek look by lampooning and spoofing the people who lived below poverty line. Rather than highlighting and giving weight to the poor farmer who's going to commit suicide and his family, the major part of the film hammered us with the farce of excess and exaggeration created by TRP mongering TV media, concocted political circus and above all that loudmouth old age mother lying on bed, giving enough laughing moments to urban audience.

Satire works when film drags you into the character or treatment and strikes you at heart emotionally but rather than satire Aamir and Rizhvi have made a film which is high on hyperbole to tickle urban audience in the name of new age cinema by showing hyperbole reality. Satire works in few frames but the excessive one sided picture and too much exaggeration made the film disturbing mockery of rural culture. When public around me laughing out loudly watching live over dramatized coverage and analysis of Naththa's natural excretion, it's hurting me so badly. What a shame!!! Talking about acting, the film utterly wasted brilliant theater actor like Raghuvir Yadav, appeared on screen after long. Any of his earlier films are far better as films and that's why in whatever limited role he played it fits his character so naturally. Rajpal Yadav look-alike Omkar Das Manikpuri as Naththa fits in the frame like a real character but poor fellow has nothing much to do except showing his unspoken expressions to camera. Being journalist, director Rizhvi has given much footage to the rivalry of two reporters. Again spoofing English speaking urban reporter Barkha Dutt and Hindi speaking Dipak Chaurasia. Naseeruddin Shah's presence is suitable cameo but the amalgamated cast of late Habib Tanvir's theater is natural and impressive, especially the characters played by local opportunist Bhaiyaji and local print media reporter Rajesh.

There's just two scenes which let me felt the noble and concerning one. The first is showing the skeleton like man digging his own grave and the last fast and shaky journey bridging the two compartmentalized India- culturally rooted rural to the happening urban, barren village farms to urban skyscrapers luring the middle class to have flat of their own with lucrative hoardings and tag lines. But besides these two, the film is hurting one on many accounts. One has to read 'Everybody loves a good drought' written by freelance journalist P. Sainath. It's well researched and brilliant journalist piece of writing neither just reduced to statistics but making you felt the heart of darkness of BPL India still waiting for development after sixty three years of Independence.

Sorry for being too emotional but rather than burning your bucks on this, watch Satyajit Ray or Shyam Benegal's social reforming cinema or buy the copy of above said book on this Independent day to understand the real rural India from more closer, more realistic and more concerning perspective.

Ratings- 5/10

Few months ago I read an interview of Naseerudin Shah in a daily. The interviewer asked him a question about today's state of Indian films. Naseer responded back quite disappointedly that with advancing technology and prolific role played by media, the producers-directors easily garnered the publicity hype and sell the well packaged material to the audience earning expected profit. Creativity only lies in making frames glamorous, stuffed it well with audience friendly emotional drama and promotes it well globally; yes we are good in wrapping but not in content.

Maniratnam's much hyped modern take on Ramayana reminds me Naseer's words. As an admirer of Maniratnam I was expecting from this film and he's the director who gave few brilliant films to Indian cinema like 'Nayakan', "Iruvar', 'Roja', 'Yuva'. Its noble intention to revisit our epic in modern context but when makers like him fails terribly with poor screenplay, shallow presentation, poor characterization and shoddy direction the epic becomes caricatured and loud product.

The first half of the film is so irritatingly direction less, monotonous and lifeless in everything (except Santosh Sivan's DOP) that I hate to see the second half in the interval. Mani shifted the gear in the second half and attempted honestly to make it gritty and reasonable one with few ingredients of action, twist and turn and wins the character and audience's sympathy for the antagonist. Looking at the performances both Aishwarya and Vikram seems so flat wearing typified expressions. Aishwarya has done nothing except shouting and frowning and she didn't look appealing too. Where's Mani's touch that directed her in 'Iruvar' and 'Guru'? Hope Vikram has done fairly well Tamil edition as antagonist but here he's less than average. Govinda and Ravikishan have stuffed more footage than entertaining the audience. Priyamani is quite impressive in her few minutes presence. It's only and only Abhishek who worked hard to uplift the film and seems impressive among all cast. Don't expect different expressions but watch his intensity and dedication to retain the character in couple of well acted scenes and I mean it that he's the sole reason to watch this film even though having many shortcomings. He saved the grace of Maniratnam as Maniratnam saved his in 'Yuva'.

Technically the film is rich with Santosh Sivan's camera-work as always filming some great landscape locations and Shyam Kaushal's brilliantly choreographed stunt on the bridge 2000 feet above (one of the best I've ever seen in Hindi cinema!) The opinion is mixed; the film entertains in bits and pieces but disappoints as a whole product.

Ratings-6/10