Hit the Road: India

Hit the Road: India documents "The Mumbai Xpress," an annual event held in India where, over the course of twelve days, people from all different countries embark on the journey from Mumbai to Chennai, a 2000-kilometer voyage tackled in rickshaws (or "tuk-tuks"), a famous method of transportation in India. The brothers Baghdasaryan - Gor and Mushegh - choose to focus on Richard Gazarian and Keith King, an amiable pair of men who battle all sorts of hell and highwater trying to get to the destination of Chennai. From complications with the Indian police force, through horrid weather that limits visibility, and quite possibly the worst, most unreliable rickshaw in the history of the vehicle's manufacturing, the two friends try and push through so they can achieve the gratitude of finishing a mentally-taxing race.

Throughout the documentary, both Ric and Keith bring up how hard the race is to articulate to people back in the states because of the fact that Americans' knowledge of India is greatly limited and the idea of racing in another country isn't really understandable to many people who haven't been there in the first place. This documentary already serves its purpose just by stating this fact. Documentaries' purposes are to detail something the masses may or may not have a clear idea about, be it a political/social issue, a person, or, in this case, an event. Hit the Road: India, despite depicting its subjects' frustrations and annoyances while traveling in one of the most colorful and beautiful countries in the world, is a strong, contemporary look at Indian culture from a fly-on-the-wall perspective. In addition, the film is absolutely beautiful in its unrefined naturalism, almost making India a gorgeous, green-land we haven't fully discovered yet.

Its character-personalities are effortlessly engaging, always maintaining high-spirits despite clear frustrations. While the film's focus is intimately confined to these two men, it would've been nice to get a perspective from the other participants prior to the race to see what their motivations to racing were, along with the history of some of the places the two visit. In addition, there also could've been a stronger emphasis on Indian culture, talking with locals and examining certain cuisines.

However, those aren't necessarily flaws or issues. They're simply other focuses Hit the Road: India could've taken but didn't. The aforementioned would've turned a personal adventure into a cultural examination fit for a special on the Travel Channel (not to mention, this is kind of a race). Instead, the film becomes a personal piece - a travelogue of sorts, showcasing the beautiful landscape of a country that continues to fascinate, captivate, and mystify in all of its beauty. We are welcomed to see the enticing visuals of several different Indian locations and are allowed to watch them operate in a unique and naturalistic way. We don't invade, we simply observe.

The film reminds me of Around the Country: The Movie, a film made by the popular Youtube duo of Shawn C. Phillips and M.J. Kelley, who ventured from Baltimore, Maryland all the way to San Diego, California. While the adventure was because of Phillips moving there and it wasn't a race, the film was a personal journey for both parties who, like it or not, were stuck together for a long period of time. This kind of experience is rare and maybe necessary in order to test a friendship and show what you, yourself, are personally capable of.

Hit the Road: India is a bit slight but it provides for a pleasant look at a beautiful country. In the end, we come to the realization why the two men did what they did and how they're rewarded for it, physically and mentally. The film is a good time capsule but the event and pride taken away from it are a monumental achievement for two very kind-hearted souls.

Staring: Richard Gazarian and Keith King. Directed by: Gor Baghdasaryan and Mushegh Baghdasaryan.

Hit the Road: India (2013)

*** (out of 4)

Good documentary about two friends who decide to tackle the 12-day Mumbai Xpress, which is a rally from Mumbai to Chennai and is according to many one of the greatest adventures in the world. HIT THE ROAD: India comes from co-directors Gor Baghdasaryan and Mushegh Baghdasaryan and I'll admit that the subject matter really didn't spike my interest very much. I really wasn't sure what to expect but by the time the 80-minute film was over I found myself entertained. I'm not going to call this a masterpiece or anything like that but if you're familiar with the old James A. FitzPatrick 'TravelTalks" shorts then I think you're going to enjoy this film. Those shorts just had FitzPatrick going to countless places and showing off the locations and the locals. The main attraction to this film is getting to see a city by city tour of India and this here is reason enough to watch the film. I thought the camera-work was quite good for a film like this and there's no question that the directors know where and how to shoot a scene. I'm not going to pretend to sit here and say what the directors were trying to do with this film. However, if it was to show off this event and the beauty of India then they're certainly succeeded. There are many memorable moments scattered throughout the film but I think one of the best things is that it actually makes you want to pack your bags and head to India to live some of this stuff for yourself. This was actually the first time I had ever heard of this race but it was interesting seeing the contestants make their way from various cities and the hardships that happened along the way. I think the one flaw with the picture is that I really didn't connect with the main people very much and I think a little more information about them would have made this journey better.

A very intense , riveting documentary, it was funny, it was serious , it was educational, it was inspiring, we thoroughly enjoyed it. great job to the both of you , Keith and Ric. having been to India ourselves, myself and my hubby can relate to the traffic conditions and how incredibly dangerous it is. it is a beautiful place to travel the people there treated us well, so seeing you both experience this and you made it look so easy , despite what you both went through you made us laugh and you touched our hearts in places with your kindness towards others. the filming was great, the soundtrack was great , we enjoyed the music. for anyone has hasn't been there, it is a learning tool. you get to experience an every day life in India.the extreme danger of it all, alone gave me chills. having meet both keith and ric in our travels to Thailand, we can honestly say ,they did a great job and we are proud of them both .

The basic idea for this documentary is simple. We follow a couple of participants in a race between Chennai and Mumbai in India. The vehicles used are what make it unique. As a nod to their preponderance in India because of their cheapness to run, the contestants all drive the auto-rickshaw, a light-weight mini motor mainly used for taxis. It's the choice of vehicle that ultimately provides most of the drama here, seeing as it is not designed in the slightest for crossing the Indian subcontinent. Unsurprisingly, it constantly breaks down, leading to lots of frustration for the racers. The very fact that this constitutes most of the drama sort of illustrates that not an awful lot actually seems to happen over the course of the race though. The main obstacles are a combination of poor quality roads and the monsoon conditions. The people they encounter along the way, on the other hand, seem pretty much universally nice. The lack of adversity does affect the impact of the film to be honest, as there aren't too many in the way of interesting events along the journey. In this way I guess it ensures that the feel is pretty authentic, however, and you do get a feel for the conditions.

Maybe it could have been edited together better though, as sometimes things suddenly happen and people appear and we have no real idea of why. The narrative aspect could definitely have been stronger for sure. And while the photography captures the road well, I often thought it would have been nice if it caught the landscape the racers were passing by more – it has an authentic feel but visually it doesn't necessarily sell India as well as it could. I suppose though it is not so often that we see the unglamorous back roads of this country so in that respect it's fairly interesting. The two racers we follow seem like nice guys though and it's easy to feel their increasing discomfort in their difficult trek cross country. For a small-scale travel documentary this is fine, even if it lacks an overall dynamism to make it last in the memory.

In our technologically advanced era there is an endless amount of methods for exploring a foreign land and it's often impossible to choose one that will best suit our needs. Given that nowadays even the seemingly most luxurious options tend to be somewhat affordable, people often choose those, which are the least tiring and the most pleasurable. Yet, there is still a small group of people willing to take up the challenge and begin a life-changing journey into the unknown. Although very short, that's an adequate summary of what happens in Hit the Road: India.

Directed by Armenian brothers Gor and Mushegh Baghdasaryan, Hit the Road: India closely follows two friends, Richard Gazarian and Keith King, as they travel across the country in a rickshaw, a means of transport that most would probably call old-fashioned and impractical. It's not an ordinary expedition, however. As a two-man team they've decided to participate in Mumbai Express, a 12-day-long rickshaw rally across India, along with 5 other adventure craving pairs. Although very enthusiastic at first, they gradually come to realize it's a race that demands not only lots of mental and physical strength, but also a great deal of determination and good will.

The documentary doesn't really focus on the race per se, but on the experiences that the two men have during their long trip. Days filled with enthusiasm and luck often intertwine with days marked by pain and signs of resignation, creating a very diverse travelogue of the most engaging kind. Mixed emotions only confirm that even though the decision to take part in the event might've been a bit foolish, it will surely have a greatly rewarding effect.

In the form of an audiovisual travel journal, the boys present their many escapades with the help of camera's attentive and inquisitive eye. Due to many wonderfully picturesque shots the journey is blessed with excitement, vigor, and that rare kind of beauty worthy of a true travel documentary. Complemented by an interesting, often emotional narration by the travelers, Hit the Road: India only proves that India is a country of great allure, but the further we go the more tiring such an unusual expedition might soon become.

Apart from its huge attention to eye-popping landscape shots, the camera offers a close insight into the everyday lives of Indians, who are often enormously fascinated and amused by the presence of white people. Scenes that were the most appealing to me, however, were the ones filmed by a camera hidden inside the tuk-tuk. Those short sequences have the ability to exhibit genuine feelings in a funny and surprising way.

Even though I'm perfectly aware that the directors' intentions wasn't to concentrate on the entire course of the rally, I would've loved to see what all the other participants felt about this challenging adventure. With supplementary, probably completely different perspectives on the whole thing, the film would've gained an additional driving force to give the story a more meaningful tone. It's a lot of fun to watch the guys in action, but there are a few slower moments that could otherwise be improved by an alternative point of view.

Hit the Road: India is not a remarkable documentary, but an inspiring one. What makes the film enticing is its lively and eventful depiction of the journey, meant to encourage the viewers to take a risk and experiment a bit during their own journeys. As I've mentioned earlier, there are really lots of exciting and original ways that will make an initially ordinary getaway unforgettable. So, instead of buying a plane or train ticket next time why don't you just hop on a motorbike and take a cross-country road trip somewhere in India or in any other place that still waits to be fully explored?

Original review here: http://twitchfilm.com/2013/12/review-hit-the-road-india-an-inspiring- and-vibrant-travelogue.html