Hit the Road: India

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 .

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.

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

Across the great continent of India, two friends, Richard Gazarian and Keith King make the discovery of a lifetime. Securing a couple of cameras, backpacks and several different conveyances, along with their Motorcycles, these two intrepid travelers make their way across India during the traditional Monsoon. The Director Gor Baghdasaryan follows them as they travel over and through the narrow rain soaked, pot hole infested highway of India. Their dialog is sparse as is their meager provisions. Surviving being pelted by the incessant rain, several accidents and flat tires they nevertheless view India as a tourist would. The two young men remain stalwart in their resolve and arrive at their destination. For those of us who journey with them, a good adventure is in store, One which is envious from those who wish they can only dream of such an adventure, but remained behind in their armchairs. Recommended to the intrepid. ****

I found out about this independent adventure documentary from one of its creators and started with watching the 3 minute long trailer which instantly grabbed my attention. Tight, dynamic, even suspenseful thanks to well-chosen soundtrack, the trailer was a great introduction to the film.

I liked the 80 minutes long movie and given that it was the first picture by the Baghdasaryan brothers, they deserve respect and praise for making an engrossing and intriguing film. The subject of the movie was new for me because I did not know anything about The Mumbai Xpress, one of the most extensive and demanding routes of The Indian Auto rickshaw Challenge, the race across India on the auto-rickshaw or tuk- tuk that covers almost 2000 km. Extremely popular in the urban areas due to their simplicity,efficiency and low cost, driving Auto rickshaw across the huge continent with diverse landscape during the rainy season presents a real challenge. That's why the participants, the teams of two or three drivers from different countries, called the rally 'an amazing race for the clinically insane'. But the madness of the brave deserves a film made about it, and that's exactly what Baghdasaryan brothers did. Technically, their film deserves praise. They were able to create a mood of the travel. Shot during the rainy season, the movie is soaked in rain and leaves impression of danger waiting on the every turn of the treacherous roads. The soundtrack, superimposed on the images of long and often grueling journeys between the cities, helps to feel excitement as well as fatigue and frustration that the participants inevitably and regularly have to deal with.

Of several international team-participants, the Baghdasaryan chose the Team US/ Canada team, which included Rick, a Chicago Realtor, and Keith, a Canadian Chef to follow in their adventures during Mumbai Xpress. Rick and Keith, despite their far from extreme occupation back home (or, perhaps, because of it), were ready for excitement and unexpected turns on the treacherous roads during the tropical never ending rain. It was fun in the beginning to follow them on the trip where the problems with their tuk-tuk happened all the time but somewhere in the middle of the road following their team only became a little repetitive and monotonous. I kept thinking of the others teams and how they were handing the long trip. Especially, I wanted to follow the only female team participants and to experience the rally from their perspective. Another slight quibble I have to the film, it was hard to distinguish one city or town on the way from another. I am not sure how the footage should have been edited to pick the most interesting and memorable signs of each new place but there is something for the creators to improve during the work on the future projects. Now, after few weeks since I saw the film, I think that the trailer was the best part of the experience. But as I mentioned above, Hit the Road: India is quite good as a debut in documentary and I am sure that it is a beginning of the long and successful road for the Baghdasaryan Brothers.