Mirch Masala

Very well done movie. Good writing executed by top level actors. The film attempts to capture the spirit of Rajasthan and the society quite nicely. The cinematography does justice to the Desert state. Struggle of the females at various levels and the triumph of the brave makes up for this fabulous movie.

Absolutely excellent. The hubris of petty officers, the crisis and tension coming from lust and gratuitous violence, the horrifying banality of colonialism, the abuse and victimization of women: all these elements combine to create a tragedy which the Greeks would not have disavowed. We are the transfixed witnesses of a horrendous, and at the same time, magnificent process: the price of a woman's virtue depends on how much it costs for the community. Even feminine solidarity crumbles when submitted to enough masculine pressure… And yet, does it? The fantastic last scene of the film, when everything seemed lost, shows that women have stupendous resources that make one realize the strength of a resistance in which women take part, and I am reminded of the British resistance to Germany during World War 2, when the wives and mothers of soldiers took part in the war effort, and replaced them in the factories and mills of the besieged island. Hurray for women's valor!

Year 2003. Quentin Tarantino directed Kill Bill Vol.1 which had a climax scene of sword action between Uma Thurman & Lucy Liu. There is a beautiful sequence of shots wherein the two duelist are photographed in close-ups & simultaneously, a long shot where, the two actors are placed on the right corner of the screen while, a pivoted water tap moving up and down is placed on the left part of the screen. Year 1985. Ketan Mehta, India's acclaimed director and in his best cinematic achievement, had directed a similar shot wherein one of cinema's most memorable & immortal villain character played by Naseeruddin Shah counts-down from 10 to 1 alarming the lead actress to come out of her hideout simultaneously photographed with a Water Tap on the Extreme Left of the 70 mm screen, creating a magnificent scene.

And since then, there has been no such cinematography ever induced in any other Indian Movies. For those foreign audience, be noted, that this Movie is not a conventional Hindi movie loaded with songs. This Movie is a serious cinema of high degree of art.

Only 4 words can make a review of this movie: "Watch it on Priority" !

Set somewhere in Rajputana / northern Madhya Pradesh in central India between the two World Wars, this movie depicts the sordid daily humiliation and exploitation heaped upon villagers by an over-mighty landlord (Zamindar). When his attention focusses on the women, they unite and fight back, to the shame of their feeble husbands. Starring Naseeruddin Shah - a leading dramatic actor - in one of his more devlish roles. An historical epic as well as a manifesto for the liberation of the oppressed in rural India.

A Very good narrative on Pre-Independent India where Oppression of Tax Collectors on Villagers is depicted very well.

While I do not want to summarize the Story, I would like to highlight excellent Direction by Ketan Mehta & acting by Smita Patil, Suresh Oberoi & Om Puri. The vulnerability of the villagers is exposed & very few people stand up against the Naseeruddin Shah who is the Subedar.

The astonishment of the villagers on seeing the Gramophone for the first time is also very impressive

I managed to watch it online & was thoroughly impressed. It certainly deserves a 9/10