POETRY ON CANVAS, DHOBI GHAT

Cast: Prateik, Aamir Khan, Kriti Malhotra, Monica Dogra

Directed by: Kiran Rao

Kiran Rao’s maiden directorial venture, “Dhobi Ghat” peeks into the lives of four individuals with diverse backgrounds and their quest for survival and hope in Mumbai, known for its resilience and indifference to human emotions. How their lives get intertwined with one another other is what forms the crux of the film, which runs a little beyond 95 minutes.

Aamir Khan dons the role of “Arun”, an artist who moves in to a new house and accidently topples over a few tapes of the ex inmate, “Yasmeen Noor” portrayed by newbie Kriti Malhotra. Arun’s revelation about the person  that “Yasmeen” was through her video letters where she pours her heart out to her brother which eventually never get posted, elevate Dhobhi Ghat to a level of cinematic excellence very few films have managed thus far. “Arun’s” soul connection with “Yasmeen’s” “character, reeling under t he aegis of a crumbling marriage and the sympathy it evokes within the artist, whose life itself is shrouded in miseries proves beyond limit Rao’s mastery behind the camera.

An aspiring actor cum dhobhi cum watchman, Prateik Babbar breathes a lease of fresh air into “ Munna” and his mannerisms, innate innocence and mellowed histrionics would swoon the audience off their feet. However Rao does fall prey to the clichés like the Bollywood dream and the mafia connection, an inhibitor that could have been avoided.  “Shai” played by Monica Dogra meanders through the by lanes of Mumbai clicking pictures for her project, while her heart pines for  “Arun”, who unceremoniously shows her the door after a one night stand. The brewing one sided love between “Munna” and” Shai”, though engrossing ultimately falls  prey to the usual love triangle formulae.

Amir Khan restrained performance once again reaffirms his mettle as an a ctor. However, his dialogue delivery in the Queen’s language needs polishing. Monica Dogra delivers a convincing performance as the NRI investment banker but not without minor hiccups in form of her accent which at times appears fake. Prateik Babbar gives enough proof of his versatility and the ease with which he gets into the skin of his character is a signal that he would be a force to reckon with in the future. But over powering all the three of them, is Kriti Malhotra’s rendition of Yasmeen.  The seamless transition from the new cheerful bride to the lonely hopeless woman speaks volume about her potential in the industry.

The guerrilla technique of cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray transports us to a surreal world through his lenses. The hand held camera angles, the point of view shots open and the fact that at times his frames overshadow the characters is the best alibi for Ray. Nishant Radhakrishnan has done a splendid job at the editing table and nowhere does it meddle with the narrative or the continuity of the script. Academy Award Gustavo Santaolalla should get full credit for giving able assistance to Rao with his music, which runs like a strong undercurrent in the scheme of things

Writer-director Kiran Rao whose love affair with Bombay is palpable has painted an engaging portrait of the Maximum City and guides us through its myriad roles. Her mature treatment of four dysfunctional characters desperately seeking for a silver lining in the ever evolving and unpredictable city establishes Rao as a compelling story-teller.

The short budget and an even shorter duration make Dhobi Ghat commercially viable. More numbers of shows a day and cost recovery through non theatrical rights would ensure that the film turns out to be a profitable venture. However, the audience in the tier 2 and tier 3 cities could feel a strong disconnect with the film’s theme. But beyond the minor follies, Kiran Rao paints a beautiful picture on celluloid, an overwhelming portrayal of Mumbai that lingers on in our minds even after the credits have finished rolling.

BOLLYWOOD CHRONICLES

From the importance of “ek chutki sindoor”, to the era of “live in relationships”, from the weeping “maa” to the ultra cool “mom”, from the mundane nine to five job to interesting night shifts; Bollywood has developed and evolved with the times. The era of joint families is passé; heroes don’t perform action stunts anymore to save their heroines from getting raped. Instead, they shout for help (Amitabh Bachchan in Cheeni Kum!) The Hindi film industry has undergone rapid change in the last decade and how! With a new generation of actors, directors and new ideas, revamping of the industry has been done. Over the next few words, we will try to see the changes that have come about in the Hindi film industry, both professionally and personally.

 Rahman winning the Oscar-

The Indian maestro, A. R. Rahman made the country proud by bringing home not one but two Oscars. The Indian Mozart bagged the awards for his compositions in the much publicized “Slumdog Millionaire”. Born as S. Dileep Kumar, Padma Bhushan A. R. Rahman has put India on the map of global music. He has changed the outlook of people around the world towards Indian music. The biggest achievement of Indian cinema in this decade by far has been Rahman’s triumph on not only Indian but foreign shores as well.

 Aishwarya- Abhishek wedding-

When the world’s most beautiful woman ties the knot with India’s most eligible bachelor, it definitely makes news. The Aishwarya Rai- Abhishek Bachchan wedding made headlines in every sense of the term.  From front page coverage to round the clock coverage of the designer wear, the wedding trousseau, the guest list, the security arrangements, Indian paparazzi had never behaved in such manner.

Salman- Viveik spat- Drama defines the Indian film industry in one word. True to the definition; affairs, scandals, fights have been a part of Bollywood since time immemorial. The yesteryear sophisticated off screen rivalry among actors and actresses took a u turn on April 1, 2003. Viveik Oberoi called a press conference making allegations against Salman Khan that titillated the nation. The Hindi film industry along with the whole country stood a witness to the off screen spat our heroes indulged in. The event was received in bad taste by the whole fraternity. The Indian film industry was promoted in bad light after the incident.

Lagaan’s entry into the Oscars-

Amir Khan aka Bhuvan made history by not only winning the cricket match against the “angrez”, but also surged Bollywood ahead. With this Lagaan became the third Indian entry to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, the film drew both critical acclaim and the audiences. The simple yet enriching story of a villager and his battle to save himself and his community from the huge tax burden was both gripping and entertaining. Lagaan’s entry to the Oscars did change the face of Indian cinema, though partially.

Niche cinema for niche audiences- One thing that certainly has changed over the past decade is the advent of niche cinema. The multiplex age has dawned in and brought with it an array of small filmmakers and actors that are eager to present their talent to the audiences without bothering about a big banner backup. Such films boast of a pool of talent with actors such as Rahul Bose, Ranvir Shorey, Vinay Pathak, Nandita Das, Konkana Sen Sharma making their mark. The size of their audience, though small, is on the rise.

New breed of directors- The likes of Yash Chopra and Mani Ratnam taking a back seat, this past decade has given birth to a sea of new directors. From a certain Farhan Akhtar to Kunal Kohli, from Tarun Mansukhani to Anurag Kashyap. Bollywood has been a witness to all. These young directors are topping the charts, bringing freshness of ideas on the story table. The transition of the 1955 Bimal Roy’s Devdas to that of Sanjay Leela Bhansali in 2002 was perhaps not enough, to represent the emotions of gen y and Anurag Kashyap stole the show with a superb Dev D.

Star Kids-

The decade started with Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa Pyar Hain . It brought with itself, an era of star kids. From Abhishek Bachchan to Kareena Kapoor, from Ranbir Kapoor to Sonam Kapoor, from Hrithik Roshan to Esha Deol, this decade has seen them all.  With the novices taking to the wheel and the matured taking a backseat, this decade has once again done what India is best at doing; taking the lineage forward. Acting has become a family profession. Some like Kareena and Ranbir are climbing up the success ladder while the likes of Esha Deol are still waiting to get noticed. Still, a new star kid takes birth in the industry every day.

Big Production Houses- Corporatisation of Bollywood grabbed a huge spectrum in the last decade. The advent of industrial barons like Ronnie Screwala and Anil Ambani gave our filmmakers the momentum they had been waiting for. This decade has also been a spectator to the success story of the Dharmas and the Yash Raj Films. The production values of films have sky rocketed and new marketing techniques for film promotion have taken the industry by storm. Big Production Houses have taken emerging filmmakers under their wings and replenishing for their big flights.

 Proximity to Television- September 12, 2010; a typical Bollywood pot-boiler is released worldwide. October 12, 2010; a month later popular television channels telecast the same.I am not busting a piracy scam; rather I am bringing to your notice the growing importance and reach of television.  I am talking about the film “Dabanngg” here. This is just one example from the plethora available.  Over the past decade, Television channels have become very active when it comes to screening recent box office successes. Cinema goers now have the option of restricting themselves to the comfort of their homes yet enjoying the latest flick. Though this trend has it’s share of profits and losses, but for the public in general, there has been a remarkable change.

 Remakes-

The era of remakes is here. Aag apart, one thing that the Indian film Industry knows well is to lift stories from foreign films or choose one from the desi pitara and then make it again! Remake can hence be interchangeably used with modern day plagiarism. Be it the suave yesteryear Don, or the enigmatic courtesan Umrao Jaan, from the classic Sholay to the drunkard Devdas. Bollywood despite having the talent and the money chose the safer option of a yesteryear classic to bring the audiences to the halls. With more filmmakers opting to walk on the already treaded path, the remake phenomena of the Hindi film industry has definitely been one of the upcoming trends in the industry this decade.