Paanch

At the outset, it'd be in order to mention that this is the well-known theatrically unreleased film that was in the news (in 2003 and afterwards) over the ethical exceptions that the Censor Board of India had taken to it while denying it permission to release. It held that the film "glorifies violence; it shows the modus operandi of a crime (killing of a police officer); it shows excessive use of drugs; it has double meaning dialogues (with sexual undertones); it has no positive characters; it does not carry a social message".

That episode resulted in further intensification of the lasting antagonism that marked (and continues to mark) the relationship between iconoclastic brigands of Indian cinema (with director Anurag Kashyap at the vanguard) and the government-appointed sentinels of public morality who run the Censor Board. It was primarily through p2p torrent networks and file-hosting sites like Dingora that 'Paanch' trickled into the audiovisual precincts of movie aficionados and elicited reactions that spanned the spectrum from disturbing/disgusting to captivating/thrilling. It has since then developed a sort of cult following among fans of the 'psychological thriller' genre.

The movie itself is a story of unapologetic evilness and unfettered debauchery and most of all a psychological revelation that unfolds as a chaotic sequence of events in the entangled lives of five individuals... who live on the fringes of social morality and discover (with delight) in violent sadomasochistic self-destruction an accessible means of self-realization.

In giving up, treacherous step by treacherous step, the social fiction of goodness and embracing ruinous crime they discover a seductive freedom of the soul… a primal condition that allowed for (and indeed drew forth) a most authentic, albeit disturbing, response to the fact of existence in a hostile world of urban ambitions, transient fame and chronic estrangement. The protagonist of the movie (Luke - played by KK Menon) is one of the most convincingly frightening and psychologically well-constructed characters in all of Hindi cinema. The script is cogently carried forward by the development, definition and motivation of this character. The plot consists essentially of Luke's psycho-socio-pathology and his domination of the will of the four other characters… a domination that eventually sucked all of them into a spiral of heinous crime and moral degenartion that kept their existences constantly hinged on the edge of egregious bloodshed (and frequently precipitated the same). To think that the times they had together as drug-stealing socially-shunned impecunious musicians were the actually the best they ever had is to betray some sign of how dark their lives were. Amongst the secondary characters, of particular note is Shuile (played by Tejaswini Kohlapure) who discovers a taste for evil most serendipitously… but goes on to unhesistantly accommodate seduction, manipulation, intrigue and cunning in her repertory of sin.

I have to say though, the denouement of the drama suffers a debutant directors' capitulation in face of the conventional need to impose a closure on a story that might have been better left open-ended. The movie ends on note which is somewhat redemptive and life-affirming but mostly a clear reflection of the makers' desistance to sink further into the dark recesses of human psyche which have otherwise been prodigiously explored more intrepidly than ever before in modern Hindi cinema. Anurag Kashyap is genius. He employs the visual medium in its fullness and enhances the cinematic literacy of the viewer. The soundtrack is awesome too. A gem of a flick that ought to have released theatrically and celebrated for its contribution to the coming of age of Hindi cinema.

(see the original review at http://www.voxmentis.com/search/label/Movie%20Review )

Saw Paanch at Osian's at Siri Fort Audi no 4 in 2003..hop and skip distance from my erstwhile home.I,along with others in the Audi witnessed something that could and should have changed the landscape of Indian cinema had it released in its stipulated period.Period!

As the opening credits rolled I started to feel overwhelmed by the visuals..expectation began to rise.It had been a long time that so much of effort had gone into the start of a movie.It sets the tone for what is to come.This movie is real and still not in your face.The characters,dialogues and scheme of things are so spontaneous that you start to think yourself being a part of the film/scheme/plot as a mute character/spectator.

Lets talk about the characters/actors:

Luke(K.K. Menon): I have no words to describe him.One actually can see the Devil/Lucifer/Belial in him in certain scenes (Esp Bus and Conductor).He manages to do it so much panache.That fleeting madness in Luke makes you gawk at him with sheer disbelief.Murgi(Aditya Shrivastav):Brilliant silent performance.He talks away the cake at times from KK and Vijay Maurya(Pondi).Such restrained performance is hard to find.What talent!!Pondi(Vijay MAurya): Amazing timing.I am actually tired of eulogizing every actor and character but cannot help but they are so frigggin good.Joy(Joy Augustine) has his own style and does bring a different dimension to the movie with his presence.I like Shiuli's role (Tejaswini)..very strong character portrayal.

This movie deserves to be seen by all.It should see light of the day!! Had the movie been made at this day and age,we could have witnessed mayhem,carnage,silence,evil,ideology,mania,spontaneity,reality...in best ever celluloid form till date.

Must Watch(8.5/10)

New Defenitions of Bollywood 1)KK is God(Main Khuda)

2)Best Music Director-Vishal Bhardwaj

3)Best Director-Anurag Kashyap(Along with Vishal Bhardwaj) 4)Best Scriptwriter-Anurag Kashyap 5)Best Actor-Kay Kay Menon

6)Best Movie- Paanch

now you can well imagine how good Paanch is!! :D

Wonder if it was released back in 2003, KK would have been the most wanted singer Kay Kay the superstar Vishal Bhardwaj would have been the 1st Indian to receive an Oscar Anurag Kashyap would have left bollywood for Hollywood :D

I saw Anurag Kashyap's Paanch at the Cinefan Film Festival, 2002. It was clearly one of the best movies of the festival, on par with movies like Hero and Osama.

The story depicts what ambition, immorality, greed and angst, unmistakably the products of urban life, can do to an ordinary person. A little mischief for the sake of success leads a group of 5 wannabe rock stars to get entangled in a gory web of murder and betrayal.

What follows is a shocking thriller of a story, supported aptly by some great performances, the best coming from Kay Kay Menon and Tejaswini Kolhapure. The movie has a great musical score by Vishal Bhardwaj. The songs, most of which Kashyap interestingly uses up in the first 15 minutes, are brilliant. So is the background music. Another high point of the movie is the cinematography, which impresses upon the viewer an aura of fast-paced urbanity juxtaposed with dark, ruthless bloodshed. If there's a low point in the movie, it is the few minutes after the interval where which seem ineffective and dragged. However, they are easily outweighed by the compelling tension and gloom that permeate the movie.

Clever, brilliant, yet utterly pessimistic, Paanch is strongly recommended.

7.5/10

Prompted me to chip in after the ROCK ON!! "euphoria". A film I saw at the at Osians in 2003. A film made way-back…..an underground fav. Though a envy worthy status for a film to be loved and sought after even in it's unreleased state.…it's been long and it needs to be out in the open. What if we never got to watch Fight Club or Old Boy ever and just were privy to the downsized Indian Censor friendly Sanjay Gupta's Zinda and what if the only Fight Club I knew was Vicky Malhotra or Chopra or whatever's Zayed Khan starrer Fuzz Club? I would dread it if censors all over the world kept a film in limbo for their own immaturity and stunted growth process.

And now that it's cleared what are the producers upto? Is it a medical product to have an expiry. Will it lose it's value?

For me Paanch still looks fresh and dark/morbid/stark/gritty and this is the movie which patented Anurag Kashyap's neon fetish. When the first poster of Alwyn Kalicharan was released in the TOI some years back…..it read… "This Winter Think Neon"

15 fps shots...time transitions.....great music....VIJAY MAURYA is awesome....as usually towering over the expected SHOW STEALERS....KK and Aditya Srivastav......who are GREAT anyways....the problem is they are so good....you know they are gonna blow you...so you expect it....awesome music......Abbas Tyrewala's legendary "TAMAS" lyrics...they still manage to haunt me......

IT'S ABOUT ROCK…….and there is ROCK…..they dope....they swear…they scratch armpits….they want a better life….Luke wants to be recognized…ever worshiped…and music is a let out…a let out for angst/love/lust/greed and unfulfilled dreams and not just a Sunday relief in their plush Malabar Hill penthouse.

A film which gives me the choice to explore or feel for the lesser evil than the GOOD v/s BAD routine or is PAANCH about EVIL v/s BAD ASS EVIL. How often do we have that on screen?

ONE OF THE BEST TITLE SEQUENCE....ONE WHICH YOU WILL REMEMBER....AFTER SEVEN WHICH HAD A SIMILAR GRUNGY FEEL TO IT.....I LOVED THIS ONE.....PLUS THE CITY CAPTURED IN IT'S PSYCHEDELIC GLORY.

Paanch needs a wider platform to be seen…..to be loved/hated/criticized/debated on.