BLACK FRIDAY- INTROSPECTING?????
This post is sponsored byThe Author loses his authority over what he has created the moment his work is put into the commercial arena, or in the public domain..thats the first lesson i learnt about filmmaking..Black Friday is finally released and i am not able to react..i have been locked in, tired of answering the same questions..seeing all the euphoria around..they are doing to black friday what they were doing to BLACK..Black Friday is not a great film, its an important film..its a necessary film..barring Deepa Gahlot no body says that the film should not be let go without a debate and i agree with her..only one word in khalid’s review i identified with..”searching”..thats how i wanted to do it..thats what my state of mind was ..i was searching..rest is all relative..I wrote “Black is a great film for those who have not seen better” and i maintain the same for Black Friday..or any other film, its all relative..but yes i stand by my film..but to compare it to “the battle of algiers” as a piece of cinema is downright ignorant..yes the importance of black friday could be compared to that of it..and its sad that everyone in India gives away oscars like they are sold at the next Paanwala..lets grow up about it..
Now coming to all those questions i have been asked..First i will write about points i disagree with..Filmmaking is a process..its about making choices..few small continuity glitches are immaterial..Things like Aquafina, or seimens T or the jeans are few of many ..some that none will notice..they are immaterial..they were pointed out on the day of the shoot the moment after they were done..but at that given time the choices have to be made..either do the whole thing again or go ahead with the next shot and get the hell out before they throw you out..we lied to shoot the blast..we shot in the middle of a residential area..cops on our neck..i made the choice..because it was immaterial at that point..like i said somewhere before..what we achieved was achieved in a budget of 4.5 crores..it could have been done only if we saved on time..and the fact that one was looking for continuty glitches right from the beginning and was not in the moment, then one was not involved in the film..and thats my bigger failure..i would say either you missed the point of the film or i failed to show it to you..
Coming to another..the beginning..what happened to the cop that gullu confessed to that there is going to be a blast..i don’t know.. i don’t care.. for me one cop represents the entire system, the police force..and what i wanted to say was the people who are to protect us were informed and they refused to believe it..makes me feel unsafe…you can do things in this country one step at a time..so one had to make a choice..one had to stick to the information available in the public domain..and deduct the meaning out of it..the book was released..we had to stick to it..inspite of that some things in the film are based on research which is out of the book..
CASTING- i don’t think the casting could have been better..only better Rakesh Maria than KK would have to be Rakesh maria himself..I would say that to me his is the most brilliant performance in the film..because the finest aspect of an investigating officer is his mind..the ability to slink into the Background..observe and not be in your face..it is unfortunate that only dramatic and emotional performances are considered performances..his was the most deeply emotional performance..still water runs deep..he was like still water , never losing control..watch his entire body language..that’s a performance..his physique is seriously unimportant..if i would have let him go its easy for him to raise his voice..so whether its his performance or anybody else’s was a carefully studied one based on actual persona or whatever info was available on them..Dawood was the only man we could not find anything about so we chose to play him as an enigma and that is why he worked..he was exactly as the popular opinion expected him to be..no body saw beyond his resemblance to the man..and LOL no one asked why D wears glasses indoors, why he is wearing glasses in the night , when he calls Ram Jeth Malani..that’s where the director fools you and you are happy to be fooled..thats where i am disappointed and the industry is right about what kind of cinema one should make..play to the gallery type of cinema..Now coming to the final meeting..the man everybody is wondering about is Mustapha Majnoon..and yes we named him but naming him got a reaction like “how much do want us to remember” and taking it off meant more curiosity..i chose latter..but he is named in the end credit..
Asghar’s voiceover is merely the director’s POV..the information given is general info about people..it didn’t need the man to be present..the film is realistic and not real..people need to understand the different between real and realistic..it seems real, its a recreation of the real, its based on the real, hence realistic..or else it would have been a pure documentary and to shoot that i would have to be present when it happened and knew about it beforehand..its not humanely possible to show everything in a film that deals withe an issue that took 13 years to find a verdict in a single designated court..with More than 25,000 sheets of legalpaper in three hours..we were not allowed to exhibit the Five and a half hour version we shot..not in festivals..not anywhere..the US version is even shorter because everywhere its about the economics and not the issue..so again we come back to making choices which you have to make..we choose some we ignore some..but the purpose being that if the film manages to shame you, numb you, piques your curiosity then you will go back and read the book..you will ask uncomfortable questions about your own society, your history..you will use your right to information and have a look at the case papers and more..Sad part is most of them walk out of the theatre talk about how good or bad it is as cinema and don’t go beyond that..they only ask me about sanjay dutt and why i showed this and not that..and i am tired of saying that this is my POV and if you have more to say go and make your POV..make a film..
I feel somewhere i have failed..because most talk about Aditya and not badshah khan..how can someone notice badshah touching his elders feet and not be in the moment..obviously i didn’t manage to hook his interest..yes they do touch feet in UP..muslims or hindu..its a custom in the north..another thing about RK’s post it sounds a lot like Wajihuddin’s article..when he talks about the detonator..its how it happened..the blast was not caused by the detonator but in the jeep parked next to passport office as it is explained in the VO ..you were not paying attention..that is how it happened and that exactly was my question..how could they not know and the answer given to me was “they just didn’t”..they were not intelligent people or they would have seen through Tiger’s plan..such people are seldom intelligent..they are more emotional is why they become foot soldiers and suicide bombers..asghar’s VO can be easily explained as what is happening is a FlashBack and asghar found out what happened when they all met later..euphoric with success of there mission and each had a story to tell..if i would have put that scene too in the film it would have merely been a repitition..but thats not why i used it ..the whole planting scene without knowing who these people are was a big tiring sequence..another it was used to show there general connection with Tiger or how they became part of it..it was done in post but no one i guess has the ears to hear the difference in the voice quality..no one pointed that out..a contradiction to that point was another point made somewhere was that i wanted to see how tiger manipulated most of them..well then you are really going into badshah’s POV..we only see him talking to badshah..but end it with all sitting there as the continuation of the scene..i hoped that communicated that everyone had a similar moment with Tiger..I guess i failed there too..Sardar was actually sardar khan..a pathani muslim..the news report shown was a recreation of the DD news report that night..and only thing i suggest is one should read the book..because most are not questioning the fundamentals but the facts and facts can sometimes be stupid, nondramatic, unintelligent and illogical..and i cannot twist what i don’t have permission for..Shrikrishna commission is a different film which i suggest someone else should make and one should also make a film on how the babri was brought down..how shivsainiks trained in the chambal for that and how the masjid was drenched with water over a month as was reprted in the news track and always denied and tapes disappeared..there is a lot thats not there..just an objective view of things ,the intention of which is to stun and numb the very audience that only cares about whether sanjay dutt will go in or stay out, which it is doing..the pakistani diplomat was just that ,a pakistani diplomat and that comes through..his name was not parvej musharraf and which is why it didn’t matter..only the official spokesperson of a country speaks to the world media when asked questions like that..he was just that ..the official spokesperson of Pakistan..Rest of the questions i would just say one thing..choices..Red filter because i didn’t want to either show blood in the room nor did i want to shoot it like its done usually..under a hanging light bulb..chase..i chose to do it that way and was allowed to and i love it..song had to be angry is why rock and not the other way..why should one always do things in a tried and tested way..why can one not have a new approach if he is ready to take responsibility..the purpose of the song was not to touch the audience but convey anger..the film doesn’t satisfy you because its not meant to..it bothers you , you will always feel something is missing and you will always come up with something lame for it..look deeper and you will really find whats missing..its the answers that are missing..to find that you have to ask the right question and look in the right place..go beyond the surface..don’t look at the pockmarks or the pimples..look onder the skin..the film is the skin..one feels incomplete because it is..it drags a bit because its a lot of info..its impact is sometimes immediate sometimes not..some who already have such issues resolved in life will not be impacted but those who have so far chosen to skim through issues will be and some will even skim through this one too..
Yes the film is not a sensitive POV..i did not want to be subjective..when you make movies like this in a country like ours taking real names..you have to make it objectively..you have to see all POV’s..it is a docu drama or whatever you may call it..we chose to make the film on the book and it is a vast book and this is the best i could have achieved..
All said and done a point most of the reviewers seem to have missed is the importance of the film..the debates it should have started haven’t started..that’s where i feel i have failed in what i set out to do..i would suggest one reads the book now that they have seen the film..all the other films made about any riot or exodus or politicl crisis in the country largely have been subjective films much like the Badshah Khan chapter..
As i say all this I am confused too..i am numb and still searching..i want my producers to recover there money..so they don’t lose faith..box office also means a statement by the audience that they want films concerning such issues to be made..that means more freedom of expression..i want to go back to No smoking and Hanuman..I am afraid i will not be making a film like this again..i am hoping i do..expectations are high..capabilities are low..all i know is Black Friday Happened like most honest films do..and it has a lot of heroes..my entire AD team and actors..my producer and Tariq..Aarti,the production, camera,sound, indian ocean,art..all various departments..all credit goes to them..all mistakes and choices i made, i take responsibility and now i want to move on..
I don’t take sides because there are no sides..we are on both sides..only side i am on is “this will continue if we don’t learn to forgive”..when you take sides you only see one POV..and that misleads..i can best explain it with the play i adapted..”when God said cheers”..In my defence i would only say..i made this film with all honesty..and under the circumstances..given whatever i was..this was the best i could do..continuity glitches there are many..and i chose to ignore them..but i still don’t remember the Jeans..i am going off for a while..but will keep dropping in..its been eight years of fighting..and suddenly there is nothing left to fight except my own self..now i am also part of the establishment..now begins the struggle..till now it was a cakewalk..anger comes easily when you feel like a victim..now i have to chose between “doing what i feel is right” or “cater to the expectations after this film”..now i have to stop the two from becoming one..”what they feel i should do “, should not become,” i should do it”..
Every rebel becomes a conformist..my real insecurity begins now..thank you PFC for your honest opinions..i find more honesty here in RK and OM and all else than any newspaper and TV..i hope this site doesn’t become commercial..Keep questioning..I will keep coming up with answers..and in the process i might find some real answers..
Black Friday, Exclusive, Movie Blog, Movies, My Diary
170 Responses to “BLACK FRIDAY- INTROSPECTING?????”
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anurag, we will keep you grounded. just give us honest films. that’s all we ask. keep chugging… “dhoomrapaan mana hai” awaits. best wishes…
“Every rebel becomes a conformist..”
keep up the insecurity Sir .. it is that what drives us to better ..and keeps us grounded.
Thats the beauty of cinema (or any art for that matter) … u go through months of ordeal making a film, creating your baby…and someone with a pen and paper can point and say “u cld’ve done a better job”
I just saw the movie and I must say I didn’t notice the continuity glitches or any such lacuna. For me it was a statement of what happened then. I lived in Mahim for 3 months of training. My pg was literally a stone’s throw away from the dargah. And I still remember all those guys loitering around, looking for work, any work. When people had to go to the station with a lot of luggage, they were advised to go and get the help of the guys wandering near the chai shops. I can see how easy it must have been for people like Memon to brainwash them. After all they were sort of rudderless,an unwanted section of the society. And suddenly this guy tells them that there is some purpose for their lives – religion or whatever it is. something that analysts pointed out even in the Malegaon case. But are we doing anything about it? Don’t know. I felt sorry for myself that all the three months that I lived in Mahim, I had not tried to know these people, didn’t talk to any of them much. Just followed the home-office-home routine. I think Badshah Khan’s on the run sequence was very important. It showed how these people are duped and then left in the lurch. I think the sequence is capable of raising questions in the minds of all such confused youth.
You haven’t failed Mr. Kashyap. But I hope, as do you, that many more such films are made. Because you can only question the system if you know atleast a little about it. And that I think is the problem – no one tries nor wants to know and those who know don’t want to let the others know. It is a good film not because it is a good script or good edit, but because it tells me how many glaring truths I have let go unnoticed.
hmmm…now thats a long reply to many of our queries. Thnx a ton.
But if u have time n energy, I still have two….1)What was Tiger’s motive for planning the blast ? Money n property loss ? Anything personal as well ? Was he also religious fanatic ? and
2)Was chapter wise divison of the film important ? Was there any other way out ? Or because the film has so many characters, its better to put them in various chapters…better clarity for audiences ?
KK, there is a old saying….THOSE WHO CAN…DO.
THOSE WHO CANT…..CRITICISE. And I guess some r horrible in both the places….Khalid Mohd.
No anurag industry is right about what kind of cinema one should make,we just want real and intellect movies and we know you are one of the best choice we have.
Still don’t agree with RK
Phoenixnu…the chapter division mentally prepares you for the jump the story is going to take..or else it would have been even more scattered..
it was personal for tiger..he later became a fanatic..today apparently he has a naval length beard and has lost a limb in some karachi blast..as least reported by some paper years ago..
Guys ask as many Questions..
Anurag, Are there any plans of releasing a DVD which will have the full unedited version of the movie.
i think, you should have ended your movie with your quote.. “this will continue if we don
You were US now you are THEM… its difficult to be WE… fingers crossed.
Garh jeetney ke baad raja kayee baar thande pad jaatey hain…
Mahesh Bhatt:THEN-manzilen aur bhi hain, arth
NOW- MURDER
YRF : THEN-deewar, silsila
NOW – dhoom, dhoom2
This is the most crucial time… but am sure YOU would always be WE…..
Anurag, Loved the movie. This is simply great movie.
IMO, I feel its not right to make a movie about a case where the verdict is not yet out. I mean, if you show some character which did the blasts and if the Court had acquitted him saying he wasn’t part of the blasts, then? But luckily most of the guys shown in the movie were found guilty. So now, do you think you missed some important person who was found guilty and you didn’t show it in the movie or some guy you shown guily in the movie and has been acquitted? I tried to collect all the data and compare the movie and the court verdict. Till now I didnt find any errors. Do you have anything to add on this one?
Anurag..Am yet 2 get my answer… During chase the sound frm TV (amar akbar anthony). was that an on the sets improv or you visualised it while writing
Also, Anurag. I have some understanding of Badshah khan’s state of mind during the ‘bharam bhaap’ song. Can you give your POV of whats going on his mind exactly when he watches the girls(twice) in the song with the lyrics ‘jung ka rang sunehra samjha’ playing? Will appreciate it.
Anurag…you’re in the game finally. Stay there for a long time to come now.
About Black Friday – I loved it. I told you that when I met you in 2005 and I still stand by my words. I hope it releases uneditted on DVD. I saw it in a theater here in a suburb close to Chicago. Yeda Yakub aur RDX waala scene toh kaat hi diya tha. But I understand why.
Keep up the good work buddy.
the two girls – the way i understand it maxy .. imply that badhsah khan’s life will never be the same.
It’s very possible that earlier he might’ve ogled or as u say done “sightseeing” wrt the girls…. but now it doesn’t intrest him .. since he has the pain inside …he cannot return back to the ‘normal’ position.
one question?
its written in the book abt wat happened in Machimaar colony Mahim after the hand grenades were thrown, Rakesh Maria had to go persnally there to stop riots frm beginning again, there were lots of persuasions and the police force also took a lot of credit for the way they handled the post blast scene and prevented the riots frm flaming up again.
Now there is no mention abt the same in the film,
all i m asking is wat made u think tat this incident was not
important enough, was it again a problem of choice ie time
Naren..that sound was improv by Kunal sharma the sound designer..the Qawwali in the beginning was spotted and Borrowed by sanjay maurya the other sound designer..
Maxy- Badshah is just feeling alone and lonely and is longing to be touched..
DK- in the time that the film has been delayed, a lot of data has been lost..the hard disc crashed..the DVD version will have the thapa story..and probably Rakesh Maria’s personal life story..and more interrogations.
Maxy- it being the longest case..there are more stories that can be told..personally thapa’s story was very imp..him bieng the custom officer who let the RDX slip through..
there is also a lot of post script and another strand of the blasts that police was investigating..but this is the official story plus the police brutality which we have added..based on other reports..it was hin ted at in the books but reported largely in the papers..
KK thats an interpretation which is a brilliant one..also proves that the author loses his authority over the subject..
Kaafir..from the point we start the film, it didn’t make sense..we wrote within the script that Rakesh Maria travelling through Mahim..he was the ACP Traffic then..who chanced upon many things..He was there when the scooter was found..the biggest link to solve the case fell into his hands in the form of the scooter key..that simply is how it happened..it was his presence of mind and alertness during the post Handgrenade episode combined with the finding of the key that made samra to ask him to solve the case..
I had to omit a lot..i would suggest everyone reads the book and more..
I don’t think you’ve failed in creating debates Anurag, maybe not the kinds you were hoping for but everyone’s own interpretation of the movie has forced it back to the forefront again. Movies like Black Friday are rare and won’t come often, I do hope you stick to this sincere film making process. Good to hear your after thoughts on the release of this movie.
Hi Anurag!
was you batchmate in college – Hansraj/DU, Pravin Dabas & all of us..Last saw u at Siri Fort, Paanch Premiere with KK…
)…
Found Paanch ( too dark, then) now that Nithari happened could relate to it…
Black Friday , a genre apart!! ( still trying to define that genre
It’s great to see batchmates doing great…Kudos friend..keep up the good work!!
Dear Anurag,
Saw the movie in PVR @ Rs 150.was bit unhappy as to y was it not releasing in Chandan.(balcony 75 to 80).
Go0d docu movie. now waiting for ur entertainer No Smoking.
One question keeps cropping up is to the kind of bad words to be allowed in movies by censor board.
I personally feel words like C%^&^%a should not be allowed( although KK’s dialogue would not have the same impact without this word).
My query is how can censor board allow C%^&^%a and not allow bc^%t in the same movie. does it want to tell us that C%^&^%a is a very common word like stupid n paagal.
On the other hand in movies like Omkaara even bc^%t was passed without a beep.
Y this partiality??or was it an oversight??
hi, anurag. pls pls pls put a director’s commentary in the dvd.
and dont worry about you failing.the audience will react sooner or later. probably the film has to sink in first.
Anurag, yesterday i went for the movie in globus(bandra) though i have seen the movie a number of times before on pirated cds… yes many scenes were edited in the pirated versions…
Right now i am not asking any query..m just worried about one thing..when the movie ended u have provided with the information as wat exactly is the present state of the case and all accused..
At this point of time the theatre lights were on and people thought movie is over..no one mind to see the information provided and also hear the awesome number BANDEH.. i think thats wat gng on in all theatres.. i felt very bad that people just cared about how the movie was and did not want to question anything.. i forced my friends to sit and watch everything till the end… but the theatre dint care to play the music for long as it was off within 20 seconds…
Anurag i wud like u to take some step regarding this cuz this happens with evry film…
the most important thing is that more and more people see it. that is what i think and that is what i tried to say in my letter to mid-day which was published yesterday.
18 Chutiyas given so 4 MCs ad BCs cut.the censor view….the divine ratio….
Shah do listen to the audio interview of anurag. it say it all.
Thanks Anurag. Also, Thanks KK.
Anurag, why should a movie not put out information not available in the public domain? U have worked for that script, researched the story so why would you not show what exactly happened and how the reality got suppressed?
Donno whether u would want to go through all this again but if you were to remake Black Friday 20yrs down the line and when names like dawood, menon, pawar & maria don’t matter no more, leaving the framework of the book would you be showing what you found in your research?
If the material you have is not credible and it may be called hearsay in the public, does a film as a “source of entertainment and pure story-telling” need to get affected? Would you show what u think happened cos you have access to everything that may be there about the subject?
In spite of Badshah being miffed with Tiger…and also claiming he was duped
Could anybody upload the qawwali thts there in the begining.. or tell me whos it by and the songs name..
@vasan
U r right that Badhah khan was miffed with tiger,
but what he does infront of Rakesh Maria had got
to do more with him justifying his actions to
himself, that’s lying to oneself, trying to
believe what he wanted to believe. That was all he was left with, to believe that he fought for a cause, that he was a hero by being a a part of a sacred war. Then later with time(Remember his beared) he could see things clearly but that
wisdom came when he was at a distance from the
events
Ravptor- it never would have made it to screen..the official newsreel of NFDC wasn’t shown..the news track tapes disappeared..20 yrs down the line its possible..but you never know..maybe after the death of these people..
Karthik shah- chutiya in hindi means stupid or bewakoof..its not a bad word..just derogatory in a very aggressive way..Omkara was censored two years after BF..so that shows growth of the censors and not partiality..
Vasan-it was what maria said sent badshah into introspection..check badshah’s exclusive interview in sunday midday dated 11/02/07
actually that scene has a lot of misplaced anger …
It’s pretty much like infighters will fight amongst themselves, but when faced by an outside force (KK in this case) will defend and unite themselves.
I fancy that had he not been used like a pawn by Tiger/Dawood, he might’ve reacted totally differently on being caught.
Perhaps he might’ve been repentent or even silently submissive “Yes i did it … do what u want !!!” attitude
Thanks sumit for pointing that out. Clearly Bashah was lying with himself
Bhavesh-that problem was addressed yesterday..if anyone sees it again ..pl let me know..that’s what i meant when i said a lot doesn’t make it to screen..its all about money..lengthier the film ..lesser the number of shows..less revenue..so they want to start next show ASAP..so the interval can be longer..F&B..someone should write it as a letter to the newspapers as a complaint..
Anurag…waiting for my answer and one more thing.. y did u delete the pics in the end credits
thanx anurag…thats wat i was thinking to do.. thot 1st ill let u know… ill write 1 letter soon….
@vasan
I think by the tme badshah was caught he realized he did something wrong..but he wasnted to know why he did wrong so he wanted an explanation from someone who can justify it… so he confronted maria and expressed his anger…he wanted a justified reply..he wanted to know y he was wrong… he knew his direction..just needed an advice…thats what we do in our life wen v know v r wrong..thats wat i think
anurag i have a sort of a suggestion…. there’s a scene when Tiger memon uses the word Chut*** and Behen*** in front of his family (when Gullu chickens out in front of police) talking to Badshah and peelu khan in his house balcony.
I was waiting for a sort of reaction and response from his bhayya/bhabhi/ family folk of the house. I wish u cldve shown some response (direct or silent) from the family there … wouldve been intresting to see how his family reacts to Tiger’s outbursts. I dunno how to say it .. but for a second i was intrested suddenly in Tiger’s family …
Additionally, when someone uses foul words like that in a house, the other members will definitely come to know that something is suspicious … perhaps they know how foul Tiger gets on occasions…. The film does say that the family knew nothing about Tiger’s plans …
By the way the cop who ignores/beats up Gullu is Mir muneer , the writer of TV Serial Saans right ???
The pictures were deleted in two parts..first censors deleted few pics..the one where the father is carrying his son’s head, and the another of the other decapitated victims body..
two years later , just before the release we deleted the rest to,make the film shorter to fit into the programming requirements of the multiplexes..there are things not in your control when you put the film out in the market..but please let such things be known..write letters in the papers..exhibitors should understand somethings go beyond box office
KK-the silent reaction is there..
Haven’t yet seen the movie…! But I kinda know what this movie is about…a friend was full of praise 2 years ago itself (he had seen it on CD)
Will watch the movie as soon as i get a chance.
Btw, thought of suggesting you do a movie on WTC..apparently it has many such conspiracies !
Also..you could plan to release 5.5 hour movie version on internet
Dear Anurag,
i was talking to smriti in the morning and she said that you were unhappy with the feedback you were getting. You needn’t be. every film, commercial or otherwise has certain missed details, lacunae, things that could have been done the other way round, etc.
black friday is different because it brings out the real you. there were people sitting behind me watching the film. all they could do was to keep saying ‘Go away to Pakistan’, ‘These Muslims are terrorists’ everytime one of the bombers were being interrogated or beaten up. the film has bared all. we now know what the so-called secular Indian society really is…a mass of sadistic, insensitive, fundamentalist idiots…i was so angry, i wanted to strangle them. that is the USP of black friday. it disrobes you completely. it shows you up for what you really are.
why should you not take sides? there is no debate if you don’t take sides.the best thing about the film is that you do not point the accusing finger at one community. the links in the whole chain of events are clearly established, true to Hussain Zaidi’s book (read it last year).the blasts did not happen out of the blue. they happened because the riots took away innocent lives and some people wanted revenge. fair enough.
also read one of your posts on how you found actors for the film. you couldn’t have done better.
hats off to you!
Roshni
If your aim was a movie that disturbs you, bothers you to find answers, congratulations, you have done it, atleast with me! I saw the movie on sunday, today is wednesday and I have been filled with questions, am trying to find out about Babri, communal conflicts, what happened before 6 dec to fuel the incident etc, I am shouting at my colleagues who said they’ll get the CD for ‘Final Solution’ but failed to do it, I am now using search terms like ‘Ram ke Naam Par’ and ‘Father, Son and HOly war’. In fact now that I think about it, I have been feeling restless and ‘why’ is constantly echoing inside me. I can’t discuss it with anyone because it is a largely unconcerned mass out there. In fact, I didn’t just come across this blog just like that, I googled for it, all in the quest to find answers. Unfortunately I am beginning to feel that simple ‘why’ is not a question enough and I don’t know the questions that will lead me to the answers…
and i think you should release a VCD/DVD which has the unedited version of the film…at least I would be interested in watching it.
Yes sir I just read the sunday edition. For those who have not and want to. Here it is.Have pasted the Badshah Khan Interview here.
http://vasanbala.blogspot.com/
and yes, you needn’t worry, because black friday is an honest and non judgemental look at things, it doesn’t take sides and if you dwell on it later it does make you feel that an eye for an eye makes everyone blind. Trust me, nobody as far as I can remember has tried something like this in Indian cinema halls before!
@vasan
Thanx vasan, AK
Kudos to u
Well said…
But I do sense a simmering defeatist tone underneath it all, probably coming from the expectation of a more sincere debate on what Black Friday portrays rather than the debate about the film which is doing the rounds.
I believe that debate is happening Anurag, in the minds of those who watched the movie and were affected by it. You will not find it in a public forum about movies or even less in the news media as it is today. And as you said you have to let ‘the creation’ go and wait for the interpretations to come. Hopefully there will be a healthy debate, but that cannot – should not be your prime concern cuz there are far more issues to be raised, events to be revealed &
battles to be fought…….
Coming to your mention about the Masjid, I have heard (not seen) about Anand Patwardhans In the Name of God being a very revealing documentary about the demolition.
As is the case with truth nowadays, it needs to have a sheen to it to be recognised and valued.
But it SURE will be (the optimist breaks forth)
cheers
‘Religion makes a chutiya of people’, now that I know the exact meaning of chutiya, I can say that this line is putting into words a feeling that I had whenever I heard about any fanatic incident or person! In fact, I think that shud be the message of the film, atleast that is what I feel about religion.
Anurag,
Is there a particular reason that you chose to show the word BLACK in white on the title cards?
Also, I wished the subtitling was done in yellow or something as a lot of the words got lost in the white kurtas and pyjamas – especially for foriegn audiences.
Also, one other thing that bothered me a bit is the red filter for the police station – it looked like a dark room in a photo studio. Could it have been lighter and less obvious?
I was so happy when I saw the NY Times review – it compares the film with MUNICH. Any comments?
Hi Anurag
I don’t think I can add to whatever good has already been said about the movie, but still I’d say that I liked it immensely, much better than Parzania from a filmmaking POV.
I seem to feel most of the things that you said in your post about what you intended to show. However, I particularly recall a few scenes viz. the chase sequence where the cop comes to the brink of requesting mushtaq to stop, just goes to show how frustrated both sides are, the chaser and the chased; the badshah khan chapter, which justifies the “dharm ke naam par chutiya” factor; the deafening sound which comes after the blasts in the beginning and closing scenes which are essentially the same due to narrative style (”tarantino”ish); and my personal favorite: the scene where “stomach” head is being interrogated in the foreground with inspector Dangle with his 3rd degree interrogation in the background, this was screenplay & cinema at its best(chota munh, badi baat).
I saw the film in Cinemax, Andheri with an amzingly clear print and I stayed on till the last credit rolled. Couldn’t stop myself from humming the song till late night.
thodi poetic liberty lekar main sirf itna aur kahoonga:
“…bahut nikle mere alfaaz lekin phir bhi kam nikle”
Mudit
“
Anurag:
Thanks for your post. BTW, who is Vajihuddin? I have seen on TV only one Maulana Vajihuddin, the eminent scholar of islamic religion. Are you mentioning about sam
Hi Anuraag,
I am film student and was blown by your film, it truly desrves an oscar.
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Vasan: “Still don
hi anurag, dis is da first time im visiting dis site, i saw black friday 2 daz ago n i hav 2 say its probabaly da most honest film ever made in INDIAN FILM INDUSTRY….
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Edited by Admin : Please do not use PFC’s comments section to ask authors for work. Such comments will be deleted and the commenters banned from PFC.
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Nice article Anurag. Here in UK, I guess we will wait for the DVD to be released. Any idea, why the producers are not releasing the movie in UK? I am sure there was money to be made here, for such a movie.
Hi Anurag,
I have a couple of questions or observations rather…
1. Pawan Malhotra was a perfect cast as Tiger Memon, and i feel even more so than your initial choice…Nazer, he somehow fitted the bill perfectly wouldn’t you agree?
2. The casting of Aditya as Badshah was a tad problematic for me…even though he’s a brilliant actor and he convinced me every of inch of the character…somehow he as a ‘Muslim’ fundamentalist didnt fit…or maybe i’m baised by seeing him in too many ‘Maratha’ roles…???
Anurag Excellent…How i wish all the movie-makers at some point come out on a public domain and answer the questions raised…any questions…I feel lucky to have you on PFC to do that…but, that leaves another question in my mind…the purpose of reviewing the movie…We have you here..we get the answers for Black Friday…we review, we critic, you answer…what of those movies whose makers do not come and answers and leave lot of questions unanswered…unanswered questions do not make for a faulty movie…the POV…the directors POV is always lost when he doesnt answer them after the release…Does it make for a bad movie or does the fault lie in the viewer for not being able to grasp it..
This brings me to an interesting subject of…have we started making movies which would make a lot of sense on the second viewing rather than the first…The one that comes immediately to my mind was made by Kannada Director Upendra and the movie was titled cheesily “Upendra”…Even before the movie was released..a statement by Upendra said that watch out for the message after the movie and come and see it the second time..it will make more sense..and it did…It could have been an advertising gimmick..but, the question being..If a filmmaker doesn’t convince you the first time…and asks you to view it another one time to understand his work…Is that a success or a failure from the Director’s POV?
Thanks for clarifying Asgar’s track..with all due respect to you..i still get a nagging feeling that it was unconvincing for me….either it shud have been clear that Asgar had talked to the other guys and his version was right on..or a neutral VO would have been given..something like what RGV gave in Company…
Once again thanks a ton for this..You Rock!!!
kartik bhai, silent reaction tha.. of rubina i think.. in pink salwar kameez sitting inside.. over her shoulder u see tiger on balcony..
@KK
Regarding Tiger using gaaliyas in his house. as Anurag pointed out, the silent reaction is der.
And moreover, u cudnt do more than that. the eaction had to be silent.
See, tiger is that part of d society who are happy doing their own small things and dat too with a sense of dominance. tiger’s business was not big but he loved to rule his however small place.
Such a person in his home also wud be dominant. hence whenever he does something that does not fit into the decorum of a househod, d family members, being suppressed under his dominance can only give a silent reaction. even a small resistance thru expression cud posibly further infuriate ppl like tiger. and hence the lady in his house just gives a silent remark.
it is also customary in such households dat women , especially r alwez kept away frm business matters.
hence she didnt react, but the voices told her that something was wrong and she just glanced to ensure whther tiger has not yet lost his mind.
Guess, m rit Anurag?
Hi Anurag,
The Aaj Tak anchor really appeared to have frustrated you with his Sanjay Dutt line of questioning :d I felt like apologizing on his behalf!
Have not seen BF yet; here in the midwest the Desi theatres are scrambling to bring eklavya and guru to the masses so may have to wait for the DVD release. Do you have the clout to get it here??
As another person pointed out, please include a commentary track … and PLEASE supervise the transition process to DVD. So many good films lose their charm when viewed on a poorly mastered DVD
I wud use another word instead of “dominance”.
That wud be “Commanding”. Tiger liked to command.
Courtesy: Vasan’s blog on Badshah khan’s interview.
thanks vasan!
Agree with Santosh on badshah Khan issue…
@ santosh
and if u r mentioning Naseerudin as Tiger, then i guess he wud have looked old for a Tiger memon, considering his current looks in Parzania and th ge of Tiger shown in d movie. he wudnt have been too different 2 yrs ago.
I watched Black Friday at Central Plaza, Girgaum. The crowd was mixed. We saw a very sad thing happen. Everytime Tiger, Badshah or some gangster said a dialogue which upheld their jihad, a certain section of the audience clapped, whistled etc. When the KK calls Badshah chuitya or when gangsters said that thackeray, advani could not be touched, another section clapped and whistled. A verbal duel started. During the interval the situation was tense.
Do you think Indian audiences in the interiors or sensitive areas are mature enough for this?
V.C i share ur thoughts, but sadly we’re in the minority.
If distributors feel they wont recover money from a certain film, they wont give it a cinematic release.
But, who knows, one day we will get a chance to see ‘all’ films that are made in India at certain cinemas.
Or i guess Im thats just wishful thinking??!!!
AK, First of all congrats on getting the movie released, it may not be great for all, but its really good film, specially for bollywood cinema. Hopefully we can get to see your Paanch after the success of this movie. Also whats with the limited release in US, barely 9 prints released and even big city like Houston is left out.
Hi Anurag,
First of all, thanks for writing here. It is awesome to know what the man himself is/was thinking.
As I have pointed out in my comments to RK’s post I had a huge problem with the movie. No, it is not with the nitti-gritties. I was too involved with the movie to notice any of those (or I am plainly not that observant).
Anyway, my issue was with leaving the Babri Masjid episode in the prologue. I didn’t mind the non-linear direction. See, I like to think of myself as a secular person who doesn’t need to see a movie or read a book to realize that mass-killing in the name of religion is futile. So, as far as I can see, I am not the target audience.
Then, the target audience would be the person who can be influenced easily. Both the person motivating and the person who can be motivated to kill – to end someone’s life – has to have some sort of a chemical imbalance in their brains. And as you pointed out, these are not necessarily intelligent people.
Now, when you are addressing such an audience, i thought it was wrong to focus more on the blasts and saying very little about the political motivations behind Babri Masjid. Especially, since the people who can be influenced are not very bright. Even the bomb blasts are past now, why didn’t we leave that past in the prologue too?
You have mentioned, someone else can make a movie on Babri Masjid – it took you how many years to get this one out? How many years do you think will it take to get one out about the December 6 episode?
As my take on the movie on my website points out, technically, the movie is great. But, when you are making such a powerful movie is it okay to downplay such an important issue?
Hi,
When is the official DVD going to release?
PS:Didn’t want to ask this question, but couldnt find the answer on the web and I am in a place where the movie is not going to be released and I am dying to watch it. I hate downloading it from torrents!
Hey Anurag, not sure why, but to me, you seem really defensive. There isn’t a need to be. You made your film, it is released and people are talking about the issues. Isn’t that what you wanted? You’ve achieved what very few have. So, be happy and be proud.
As I emailed Oz, there are things I liked and things I didn’t love cinematically, but “That said, I came out of it depressed. Depressed that the cycle of violence would never end.”
If that was the message you wanted to convey, you got it.
With regard to likes and dislikes cinematically, we each have our own thoughts. No two people will agree. It is your film and you made the choices. To me, the core issue remains the message – “did the message get through?”
With regard to continuity/minor niggles, I’m with you. As a film student, I was struggling over an issue and my editing prof said “if they look at that, you’ve lost them”. But there are people who live to find continuity gaps. More power to them. I’d rather enjoy the film.
So, again, it’s great that you are answering questions on what choices you made b/c getting in the head of the filmmaker is an education. BUT, please don’t feel defensive (even though, I am sure it must be hard!) – to me, your message got through loud and clear.
The wonderful aspect of Black Friday getting released and appreciated is not just the fact that it is a good film, bu the very fact that you, Mr Kashyap, had the guts to make a film like Back Friday after what you faced with Paanch and then Gulal. You did not resort to boxoffice conventions, didnt bow down, did not add excessive emotional scenes and had the gumption to be true to the book and the actual events. In today’s world, just the fact that a person like you exists is a huge marvel. You have openly declared war on the industry bigwigs, you always call a spade a spade and I am sure you have angered many industrywallahs who must have been waiting for u to fail. But you still stuck to your guns and were true to yourself. That itself is very inspiring to people like me who face similar challenges in our line of work. Thankyou.
ANURAAG IN BF
ANURAG HAS PLAYED SMALL ROLE IN A SCEANE
THE GUY WHO BRING RDX IN A BOAT WHO SAYS ‘ INSHAA ALLLAH IS BARR DHAMAKAA HONE WALA HAI’
Anurag, You mentioned that the true length of the film is very long. Also its an important story to tell. So did you think of splitting the film in 2 parts to unravel the incidents and portray various characters to a greater extent. Or making the parts according to different POVs.
Anurag, iss picture dehkne ka soubhagya hum Aussie logonko kab milega? I have called most of the desi movie distributors and none of them have a clue.
(
Point Noted Sir…
I could not find Peelu Khan in the scene when Tiger say abuses. Perhaps Tiger’s brother was sitting on sofa. A lady perhaps wife of Tiger was folding clothes or something like that. Though Tiger was talking with Badshah Khan, Javed Chikna and Basheer Khan was present there as silent member. Tiger’s wife sees towards him when he says abuses and his brother changes his sitting postures but they shd be habitual of such words. He was not a saint before also and abuses shd be permanent factor of his communication. If his family does not react at his order of killing a person then what are abuses? His family was knowing perfectly well that he is planning blasts. Thats why after legal consultancy his brother was caught at Kathmandu and as last information he was trying to enter in to politics.
Holy f**king cow, you guys have seen the movie hundreded of time till now, I am still stuck in the middle east awaiting it to be released either in cinema or on DVD.
AK, till when should I wait??????????????
D wait is humping me up side down.
Out of ignorance…Whats the story of Yakub Memon? Did he surrender or was he really caught in Kathmandu airport?
Anurag after reading ur clarifications on ur making of ur film BLACK FRIDAY i feel very sad. I frankly feel u should not justify such silly arguments. I think u made a marvellous film in the current film scenario. It takes balls of steel to make a film like this. I salute ur conviction level towards the subject of the film. So dont justify or clarify any dumb Questions further. If at all any debate should follow, than it should be not on the continuity jerks or casting of the film but on the social issue raised by the film. But i know very few people will be intrested on that part of the film. Unfortunetly most people today r only intrested in watching truth in a sensational way(as most of the news channel show) which ‘Black Friday’ does not have. Today film stories are packaged,sold & not told. Today a Producer says “Chalo Ek Acchha sa Project Banate Hai…”, they are slowly stopping to make Films.
Anurag one request ‘Plz, never make a project. Never Bow Down. Kisi filmy camp ka ghar jamai mat banna’
We Wanna See ur Films.
Santosh-i love my casting..i don’t see anyone else in those roles today..but then i am subjective..
OM-asgar’sVO was a neutral one though not in a neutral voice..believe me i tried that in my own voice..it has been a complicated film right from the beginning..i did the VO’s before NOWAJ finally attempted them..it just connects..makes more sense..
Asmit-yes you are partially right..by then the whole family had gotten so numb..no one knew what was happening anymore..
AM-audiences are mature about themselves..in the interiors sometimes they lack the worldview..but at the same time they don’t care about issues that do not directly affect them..
MAX-we are increasing the number of prints in us..by the way..whats the us box office of BF
Meeta- BF eventually came out..so far there has been no riots..i did what i had a complete perspective of..someone should do the other..if we all start getting scared of numbers of years it takes for something to come out then we won’t head anywhere..will we?
PHreek,wb-the film is slowly going to release all over the world..it has already been bought for europe..UK, Australia is under negotiation..which part of the world you live in..
Manjeetey meri jaan-isko two part mein tu hi dekhta..ek release karne mein jaan nikal gayi..doosra tu editing room aa ja dikha doonga..
Muzzy-we are trying to release in middle east..but dubai has always denied the existence of D so if the film shows it they might not allow it to be screened there..
AK..”i did the VO
OM- Yakub was arrested in kathmandu carrying passports of the entire memon family..he was blindfolded and dropped to indo neppal border..CBI picked him up from there , brought him to delhi and staged another arrest at ND railway stn..i shot a lot of it but had to take it out because of length reason..will upload it on PFC as soon as i get permission for it..i might not even get it..
US BO FOR BF FROM INDIAFM (TARAN ADARSH) DATED 14th FEB:
* BLACK FRIDAY has debuted at No. 62 position. In its opening weekend, the film has collected $ 25,000 [approx. Rs. 11.04 lacs] on 10 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 2,500.
NEW YORK CITY BOX-OFFICE
* In its opening weekend [No. 38], BLACK FRIDAY has collected $ 7,043 on 2 screens, with the per screen average working out to $ 3,522.
@ Anurag…Ayiila.. juhi Chawla….OM’s greedy self speaking: ” i want to see the 5 hours of un-edited version now” On PFC..or when you are here in LA at IFFLA…:)
Vasu thanks for the BO verdict…AK…are these collections good? considering the number of screens
somebody pls clarify this
i did not see any references or scenes about sanjay dutt…
are they in the movie?
did the distributor for hyderabad chop them?
people from other cities are getting to see those scenes?
hey anurag,
the movie was engaging but confusing for me. but the good thing is that im feeling like watching it again to get a clear picture. the movie managed has raised that interest level in me.
Well, collections are ok..not good
Have you guys recovered the money yet? I know, you want people to watch your movie, but at same time you want… and it’s only been a week, so just wondering
and it’s good to hear the movie will be releasing in UK.
Just on went on Variety and checked. The numbers match there also. As far as Per Screen Average goes, the highest is about $16000 for LIVES OF OTHERS followed by NORBIT at about $10500. BF came at about 19 with regards to PER SCREEN AVERAGE. But mind you this is without ANY promotion here. When I went to see the film, there was not a single poster – not even in the theater where it was playing. So…
www.mohalla.blogspot.com
the best piece i read on my film..its in hindi..by ravish of NDTV..pl read it..thats what the film stands for..
@AK…
U said i was partially right. What is the other part?
“CBI picked him up from there , brought him to delhi and staged another arrest at ND railway stn”
anurag, exactly what was the reason for yakub’s “staged” arrest? ek baar jab pakad hi liya.. tho phir chhod kar doosri baar pakadne ka kya tukk hai??
Anurag: I simply loved the Dawood’s intro scene with Dawood Phanse. Gajaraj Rao did great job at Dawood’s place but not in the police station while accepting charges(also the scene was pretty flat IMO). Also, Real-life Dawood Phanse is supposed to be 69 year old guy during 1993, so why did you take a lot younger man there? The whole scenario and the sequence would have changed if such an old man is shown playing Dawood Phanse. What do you think?
@ Striker..maybe we do not have an extradition treaty with Nepal..and they brought him into India by other means and then “stage” arrested him again…not sure..its a guess..oops but again..For an Indian citizen, you do not require a Visa or Passport to go into Nepal..so extradition…???? donno yaar..
maxy-i cast gajraj precisely for that D intro scene..no one knows what Phanse looks like so we took the liberty to cast a younger man..
Striker-ask CBI..they probably wanted to show arrest..it was also rumored that Yakub wanted to get arrested..he was tired of living like a fugitive..wanted to bring normalcy to the rest of his family..
I am gonna read the book soon. Just ordered it from here Amazon
Point taken Anurag, you are right, we should not be scared! And thank goodness, my opinion is in the minority and thus there are no riots.
Thank you for taking the time to reply to our comments! Greatly appreciated!
Anurag dont you think the movie could’ve been edited more? I think it could’ve got more pace. especially the “on the run sequesnce”..
“Dawood can still carry out blasts”
an interview with Hussain Zaidi
I think the disappointing aspect of Black Friday as you have put it yourself is the fact that it has not evoked any debate.
The main problem is with the film itself.
The fact that the movie has not been banned in Gujarat shows you why?
Though you leave the theatre feeling shellshocked, the take home message might be different for different people.
Prejudices which lead to the kind of violence seen during the riots and the blasts are deepseated and drilled in right from childhood. People who harbour such prejudices and to whom the film must speak if it has to bring about any change in society, can easily go away having enjoyed an engrossing whodunit, rather than actually examine their own beliefs.
People who can see the underlying message are anyways enlightened and awake to what you are trying to say and hence the matter is not going to evoke a debate amongst them.
I saw the movie in Galaxy, Bandra and there was one section which applauded loudly when Tiger Memon spoke of Muslim angst and another section which applauded when KK called the terrorists chutiyas.
So you see, both the Hindu as well as the Muslim fundalmentalists were satisfied with your movie: the Muslim ones becuase the movie chronicled how the Hindus were taught a lesson after the riots (not withstanding the fact that the involved were ultimately caught) and the Hindu fundamentalists because they were ultimately caught.
The movie dwells completely on the investigation and very little on the riots and the machinations of the Sangh Parviar and the cynical manner in which unemployed and disgruntled youth were manipulated to bring down Babri Masjid (all of which was obviously done for votes) and the tit for tat that followed.
If it had showed up the sangh for what it is, the movie would have been definitely been banned in Gujarat and then maybe evoked a lot of debate in the TV channels.
It must however be said here that I cant remember any movie which really evoked the right kind of debate in the last decade or actually evoked any kind of change in society.
RDB was all about pop nationalism.
It didnot disturb you in terms of making you uncomfortable about yourself and examing your chocies in life.
Holding candle meetings and SMSing your support for the Jessica Lal and Priyadarshini Mattoo cases was as far as it went and these were actually convenient protests where you came back feeling good about yourself.
The Kherlanji killings didnot get the urban youth out on the streets, did it?
RDB didnot give rise to any movement regardless of what its makers would like to believe.
The youth for equality struggle during the reservations issue had nothing to do with RDB, I can say this very clearly as I am a doctor. Reservations (which only have helped the elite amongst the reserved castes) are a very potent issue with us since I can remember and there have been ongoing protests since I can remember.
It is just that since the explosion of TV in the late 1990s, the protests are being broadcast and look like it is a new awakening.
?? ??? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?????????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??? ?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??????????? ??? ???
So is that actually what you wanted to achieve through this film? Or is there anything else too? I have probably not mentioned this earlier, but the objectivity in this film is refreshing, there are no stupid love stories or personal life stories. I don’t know my assesment will sound stupid or amateurish, but I still think it is a very different kind of film, it does leave you questioning and looking inside you, especially the end credits song ‘kise kaafir kahega, kise kayar kahega?’
PS: Today is friday so you needn’t worry about the media asking you same questions anymore coz now the attention will shift to the new releases of this week
I am sorry about the number of times my comment got posted. I inadvertantly clicked submit too many times.
Thanks ahutosh. great interview by Zaidi. Even I felt that BF didnt show the police torture too well. I mean, everyone has idea what the situation was during that time. Inspite that Rakesh Maria was shown more than positive. I mean, the Asgar’s interogation scene was the BEST, especially the first part where tea is served to him. I mean, if it was any other movie or situation, it would have rocked. But in a movie like BF, you arrest the main suspect’s(Tiger) manager and start TALKING to him and also offering him tea and that too post-blasts? Highly unimaginable for me. I mean, its not news that TADA was highly mis-used to take revenge of older cases, issues,rivals,etc and lots of injustice to common people. No wonder it ended in 1995.
But what will you debate on Black Friday? For a debate u need to have two different view points but Bombay Blast has only one view.
Anurag, How did Indian Ocean came into picture??
Why did u opt for indian ocean leaving other regular composers???
I mean i loved indian ocean songs in the movie but just a query
bhavesh, if i remember correctly from anurag’s cnn-ibn interview.. arindam (producer) happened to suggest indian ocean to anurag (exact words “how about indian ocean?”) to which anurag’s response was “why not?”.. the decision was made just that quickly. in 2 seconds.
Great Post!!! The film did make me want to pick the book and read. I agree with continuity glitches argument and The prob abt good performances…tht the emotional or loud performances r only considered the bst in our country. Y do we need a character to mouth big dialogues when he is a man of few words by Character. Rakesh Maria’s main concern was to solve the case and not to take a stand about the right or wrong in the communal fights.
I just saw part of the movie ‘Hotel Rwanda’,
I turned off the tv midway as I couldn’t
bear to watch after the whites
left them all. It furthered my belief
that the more things change the more they
remain the same, substitute Hutu tribe for Hindus and Tutu tribe for muslims and you have Gujarat 2002. Substitute the killing
of the Rwandan president for killing of the Indian PM and the Tutu tribe for Sikhs and you have Delhi, 1984. I guess not forgiving
and being made a fool of in the name of religious or ethnic identity is in the
nature of man. Anyway all I want to know is
that if anyone here has seen the movie, what happens in the end, do they all die? or only Paul does…
errr… sorry didn’t want it to be in verse form, only wanted it to be readable in vertical format as horizontally it isn’t that easy
I live in US and A, CT
-There is a theatre which features a hindi film all the time..
-Salam -E _ Ishq was there for a weAk and I thought they are going to feature BF after that, but they now got Eklavya..
Hi Anurag,
jst back from a project….seen ur video and heard ur,, voice on PFC ,,
[edited by Admin... keep your personal matters out of PFC ]
niways as for BLACK FRIDAY,,from a FilmBUff perspective,,its brillnt,, u proved yaself wth SATYA man yeh sab tho baaki aur PAR hai tumhari TOPI ke,,but cnt accept da pseudo scular..ideology..of urs,,HUSSAIN ZAIDI,,or whover,,bhaiyaaa Likhna aur jeeena DO alag cheeez hai likhna is more of Opinion,,ya perspective than FACT,,kya hua kaise hua,,excellent kaabeeley thaarif ,,”idiom,maxim,axiom whetevr u call that EYE FOR EYE…….wala bullshit..well “a Movie for a grave sensitive tragic Incident would make the whole world rewind” to things tht shud nt ve been done but has been done so we need to do somethin!!aur yeh silsila chaltha hi rahega..like memon ne RIOTS ke massacre ko piggyback karke bomblast karaya now u ve given a full fledged garphical veriosn of blast for da repurcussion,to trigger do ya think????MOVIE making is responsibility…agar opinion dena hai,,tho kitaab likho,,loss impact would be less kyon pple drear MOTI/PATLI kitaab… ,,within the framework of the investigation..and the series of events its one dimesional…ab ek kahani jo crux se hi 1 dimenesional hai usko…aap,,,charcters ke zariye virtually mulitdimensional kar sakthe ho but how??? would say it again ,,UR MOVIE IS AN EXCELLENT PIECE OF WORK WHICH tends to make beleive da fictional tale as fact!!!…..yet 2 watch da movie although kuch saaaal pehle,,,did isee da prted vers was fixed to my computer table ,,,till wee hrs pondering bout it……….”Woh na Samjhe hai na Samjhenge meri baat de aur dil unko jo na de mujhko zubaan aur”,,by day YUVA in Tamil version was better than hindi can also give da Rson y if req….wonder who wrote da screenplay in TAMIL????????
pics from black friday premiere can be seen here..
http://nowrunning.com/news/slideshow.asp?newsID=9478&it=1&t=1#mainViewSection
seen the least edited version(in film fest)………so! no complaints……….love the way u spoke abt bf after relesed(i never thought any indian director could do tat,,,,,,i mean they love it when they fuck up & its a hit{coz of stars}…..&get good reviews{coz they hv the right media prmoters})……………best two lines
1)
Sir,
i just saw the film
and ur interview on the channel (filmy)
and i must say
u were gr8….ur answers to the guy, who asked u personal questions and also abt ur carrier.
but u told the truth and reality
and not what most of the celebrities do.
and one more thing is that
each and every character in the film
from havaldar……to informer……to smugglers.
all were very excellent.
their way of delivering the speech and acting…fear…anger….everything.
u must have taken great pain….for such a master work.
and i am (let me correct)…the whole country is waiting for such great films
best of luck…Sir
FIRST WEEK COLLECTIONS:
BF first week figures are on IndiaFM. Looks like they should have released with more prints. It beats TRAFFIC SIGNAL by 75% on per screen average but falls short on net gross.
http://www.indiafm.com/trade/domestic_boxoffice/index.html
Here is my review, which I thought I must share with the pfc community.
———-
There is a shot in Black Friday that will stay with you long after the credits roll out. It
sir where was the chase sequence shot?
some parts which were shown on cd were missing on screen?eg parvez saying dialogue”kya mast tare chamk rahe hain bhai”while getting training in pakistan and lastly is ak in final part of movie were he says inshallah bahut bada dhamaka hone wala hain?
Hello Anurag, don’t be discouraged by US boxoffice collection. I think this movie is gonna be in many peoples private DVD collection when it comes out, have a good feeling about it. What about streaming directly to viewers ?
I am quite surprised that Anurag has chosen to justify or explain the percieved mistakes raised by the audience. Anurag explaining the reasons behind the continuity jumps, does not make the film any better or worse than what it is. I found it quite amusing to read Anurag teaching us the difference between ‘real’ and ‘realism’ and ‘documentary’ and ‘fiction’. Surely Anurag you have traversed a long way and I just hope that you haven’t gone a bit too far. We all love the Anurag who was in touch with ‘reality’(pun unintended)and is not so touchy. Anurag, more than anybody should know, that criticism is as potent as appreciation, if taken in the right spirit.
As far as the film is concerned, I saw it a few days back for the second time(Anurag’s producers will be happy). The first time, I watched it at the MAMI Film Festival (there vanishes fifty percent of the producer’s smile!).I didn’t like it much the first time round. But when I saw it for the second time, lot of things fell into place and I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Having said this, I don’t subscribe to the overhyped view. There is no doubt that ‘Black Friday’ is a landmark film. But it is not because of the quality of the film. It is a good film and there have been quite a few good and even better films that has come out from Bombay in recent times. It is a landmark film because it is the first of its genre in India. It is relevant because its release and acceptance reflect that India’s economic and the consequent social transformation is somewhere treading the right path. Arindom and Anurag are treading on the right path as well.
Having said all these,I shall surely be waiting to watch ‘No Smoking’. I hope Anurag is able to take it a notch above Black Friday.That would be a treat for all of us.
But all this doesn’t take anything away from the red filter. Anurag, it sucked. Also now that you have gained acceptance, stop whining. Let Aditya Chopra fuck himself… You don’t have to soil your dick.
[admin note: putting a troll cap cause commenter gives no reason for the particular comment]
what a load of politically correct bullshit.
Anurag, maybe the only reson why your film didn’t generate a debate was because there was no other way of looking at it. The riots and the blasts and the intricate relationship between them was in place. Your efforst is congratulatory not because its a brave fim, but because its the only non-artisan film i’ve seen til date.
One question….i feel most Indian directors find it difficult to end their film suitably. Whether u were searching for answers which is why your film ends the way it does, should be immaterial for me. But as a viewer, i felt there was little less relavanec given to the end. Leaving a tail less end might seem creative, but still leave a space that film revelers might not want…comment?
I have to disagree with you, anurag- I think “Black Friday” should be compared to “The Battle of Algiers.” Not from a critical standpoint, but rather from a genre and intent standpoint.
It’s fair to compare the films, and also films like Paul Greengrass’ “Bloody Sunday” and “United 93″ and Renoir’s “Grand Illusion” because their intent is to find truth, to investigate, to disseminate the behaviours of common people to do extraordinary things, be they good or bad. “Black Friday” does what Pontecorvo’s film does in that it retains its objectivity, avoids grandstanding, and ultimately delivers a complete picture to a historical event.
I think it is arrogant to say “Black Friday” is the NEXT “Battle of Algiers” because there can only be one of each kind of film. But to say that it belongs in the family of films like “The battle of Algiers” then it is an honour well deserved.
There have been other crap attempts at historical “objectivity”- the ones that immediately comes to mind are films like “Bhopal Express” and “The Rising.” I think these films feel like they are doing some form of justice but in reality they are simply fulfilling some masturbatory desire for the filmmakers’ to think that they are making socially meaningful cinema. That’s garbage.
When I saw “Black Friday” what I gleaned was that this is a film that seeks to be honest and not inflammatory, unforgiving and not biased, and devoid of favouritism. And I can honestly say that the last time I felt this is when I first saw “Battle” and the other aforementioned films.
So I think the comparison is deserved, but only within the correct prism of reference. But I respect your honesty and candoe- as they say in the film business, “you’re only as good as your next film.” “Black Friday” is done and past- let’s see what “No Smoking” can do!
peace and gratitude,
Sridhar.
Hey Anurag, i couldn’t believe my luck when i stumbled across this blog. I’ve been waiting to see BF for a long time now. And have realised will have to wait some more for it to be relased here in England.
Do you remember that conversation we had at dinner at yours many years ago? I’m actually writing a book about it.
Rajesh was asking about you. We reminisced about the KEM days.
Your blogs have only whetted my appetite. Cant wait to see the movie.
Mr.Kashyap, I loved the movie and I appreciate the efforts everybody’s put in making the movie.
I want to congratulate you and the entire Black Friday team on the success of the movie.
Hope to see such epics from you sir.
All the best and this movie has made me a huge fan of yours.
I have been having this question on my mind since the time I have last contributed to this blog.
What is it that stops me from acknowledging ‘Black Friday’
as a ‘great’ film? After all it is honest,
rooted, clinical, doesn’t waver from the primary premise, have good performances, good music and some of my favourite actors. Why is it then, that
it hasn’t lingered on my mind for some time after
I have seen the film? like it had happened after I had seen Maqbool, Ardh Satya, Garm hawa, Aparajito, In the Bedroom, Motorcycle Diaries, The Wind will carry us, Salaam Bombay, Charulata etc.. In fact Black Friday reminds me of films like United 93. They are nice films both technically and script wise but fail to rise
above themselves. When you come out after watching ‘Aparajito’, it is not just the relationship between a growing son and his mother that you remember, but you also discover a little more about yourself. Black Friday has failed to do it for me. That is why it doesn’t earn the exalted status that people are talking about. But Anurag, dude, carry on.
I shall be waiting for your films like an eager child. Hope No Smoking is able to stand on Black Friday’s shoulders
and show us newer horizons within ourselves.
Though the film DID have certain flaws,it still remains to be the best film that was released in 2007.And according to Boxofficeindia,”The film picked up after a slow start and is doing well at most big cities. It should emerge a good earner.”
Loved BLACK FRIDAY.
Awesome Anurag!
I disagree tho when you say that it’s not a great film … just an important one. I think It’s a great film because it’s an important one.
And i really dont think you should upset yourself over not stirring up the kind of reaction you’d hoped for. When the people of this city were revisited by real blasts in july 2006, they packed their tiffins as usual and took the same trains to work the very next day. A film will hardly have any life changing impact.
But thats not because the film fails ….
@Nirad
I have seen some of the movies you have mentioned and I could give you one major difference between Black Friday and Maqbool because I feel I was in awe with Maqbool for quite some time.
In Maqbool all the characters seem to be very intelligent,there are no dumb dialogues which makes it a lil’ bit unrealsitic but in Black Friday a cop speaks a cop’s language,a guy who is not actually a terrorist(Badshah Khan) is gullible so he is shown to suffer and speaks the same language which he should,he’s just a normal guy who is in pain after incurring losses on the personal front so when Tiger Memon speaks a lot of shit to him he replies back “Jaan Laga Denge Bhai…”,this is what I like about the movie, gullible characters, because that’s what the world is made of…….intelligent people and people who are prone to fall in the trap.
Intelligent people use such people for their cause,important thing is that the dialogues should suit that personality,like how Jaaved Chikna is shown as a fool when Badshah Khan asks him “Yeh Tiger Bhai hamesha aisa kyon bolte hain”,he replies “Tiger bhai ne bol diya na….”.
You relate with the characters,the reason why I feel that I felt much more comfortable when I walked out of the theater after watching Black Friday than Omkara or Maqbool because I agree some characters can be intelligent,all of them cannot.
Nidar I think this is why it makes you feel that it doesn’t rise,when actualy it does,it is a movie in which people behave the way they should,very normal,very real,can’t you relate with that,I have watched Black Friday only once and it leaves a mark.
I know there will be exaggerations that the movie is exceptionally well made and I know Anurag himself would know what are the flaws in the movie,but still it comes out so well because you hardly see this in Hindi Cinema,in our Cinema you will have songs inserted after every 20 minutes and that too the timing would be imperfect,so I feel this is a landmark movie that ways which breaks certain conventional rules of film making.
A good movie is made and I think the debate should be about the fact that why we as humans repeat the same mistakes again and again and not about flaws in movie making.The debate should be about whether what is shown in the movie is correct or not.
It does make you think that why all this should continue.The most apt statement I find in the movie is “An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind”.When I hear the song “Are ruk jaa re bande….”,I think the song is the perfect ending to the movie because it is a human voice screaming that Ab to ruk jaa re bande….ki Kudrat Hans Padegi.
anurag
i saw you r film and it was great,i dont understand thatin 90’s the number plates of the cars were black and white,but only in the fiom only the van carrying badshah has shown in black and white,and when they reach the petrol pump the petrol meter shows is digital i guess we never had digital meters in 90’s..? and i need to know that have you done any course on film making? anyways congrates great work done:)
Hi Anuraag
Was just passing by, some of ur piece held me back.U really r a convincing writer.And offcourse a creative genius.But the first para of this piece made me little uncomfortable.
The episode of Balck Friday should be finished for u.U took a historical leap…. yes I mean it. Its one of the best films in the history of Indian cinema. But why Anuraag should justify his aspirations, approach, procedure and ……..? Let ur viewers, critics, historians do their job, gentleman.
Devduttji (a very senior and one of the most respected journalists) always says, nourish ur creative piece like a mother and hate it like an enemy the moment u finish it. U must meet him if u r in Delhi.People of that genre have vanished.I made him watch ur movie.He cried several times in the movie.We discussed the film for next 2-3 days.And ur film really deserves post-show discussions.
Anyways, wht I wanted to tell u that I didnt like the Anuraag justifying his own work. Just because I am too selfish as a viewer.And offcourse I want to see many more brilliant works directed by the same man.Do not want lose another genius. Look at our very own Vidhu Vinod Chopra.A disastrous Mission Kashmir and now Eklavya……… He even needs to revise his perception of aesthetics.
Idea is always more important than a man.U have made ur point and now forget it.Leave it to ur viewers, they will take care of it.
Sincere Regards
Kanak
what does baadshah khan do after he realizes that he was just a tool in tiger memon’s hands? do the cops use any of the info that he givz?
Hi Anurag
I didn’t know how to reach you, so i am just going to comment on your blog eventhough it really isn’t a comment. I am from the States and we have to do this interview and profile our role-moderl. Since, you happen to be the one for me, I was wondering whether you would have any time for interview through e-mail. If you are interested then please do e-mail me at yingc007@umn.edu Thank you * I loved your movie Black Friday, went to watch it at the theater by myself, then with family, then again with my friend. Keep up the good work
regards
yingchuk
I felt terrible when I read this post. Your frequent mention of failure was not balanced with mentions of success.
About your film, I did not feel it was great cinema. But I felt the powerful sensitivity it emanated. Which is why I loved the film.
You explained why you showed the interrogation scene in red. Before reading this the only thing I heard about that scene was from Nutty’s interview on TV. He said that you didn’t want to do it like the way it is usually done and that you kept asking him to make the lights more and more red. What’s new in your article is that you didn’t want to show blood. Why?
Isn’t it all over the film. You are bloody sensitive. Your sensitivity reminded me about an interview with Abbas Kiarostami which I read about a film(i never saw the film). The protagonist of the film is looking for ways to die. Not because he had a dramatic reason but because he wants to die. In the film, in the final scene, the protagonist steps into a grave and lies down. He is covered by mud ?? I don’t know how, it is conveyed that he is going to die. Now the interviewer was happens to be curious about what happens after the death scene.
Right after the scene where he dies, the actor is seen smoking and the unit hands of the movie packing up. So the interviewer asks him what was the significance of the scene. To which he replies that at the moment when he dies people are feeling bad about the protagonist dying. He doesn’t want the audience going away feeling bad. He says films are films… not bigger than life. He wanted people to go home knowing that it was only a movie and nobody really died. So that they would not be sad. That IS sensitivity. He did it consciously. May be you don’t. But you too are sensitive. Probably explains why you want the debate and all that.
It’s too much to expect the audience to react like that. Where do debates happen? In the houses of all those people who looked on silently out of fear or in support at that time?
Do you know what the electoral victory post riots incited by Shiv Sena did to the minorities? Shiv Sena won because of an impotent city that implicitly supported them. Do you expect a debate here?
It is not important why people see Black Friday. I know what they are or were for that brief period. I’ve lost trust. I can’t expect better from the rest of the country.
What is important is that the film is an expression of Zaidi, Arindam, CM and you? The fact is that your agression comes from your sensitivity as does your insecurities. You are an awesome person. The film is a tribute to you and others driven by it.
You’re right about the reviews. Who should care for copy paste job reviews of the likes of Nikhat Kazmi even if they were in your favour? I don’think you have a reason for being afraid that you won’t be the same. All you need to be is true to yourself and you will make ’sensitive’ films.
As for the debate on what happened in Mumbai that day or that year is not as important as the debate on what happens in the hearts of people everyday. In popular values, being associated with a group is important. Being a lost individual is scary as hell and completely unacceptable.
Who are the minorities here and now every day? Is it really important whether it is a religious minority or a social minority or handicapped minority. All minorities need to be accepted, understood and loved. And so does the majority. What we really need to debate is whether it too much to expect to be accepted loved and understood.
And it isn’t wrong to be successful? Please enjoy your success without guilt Mr. Kashyap.
Lots of love.
wow John L lovely comment. Hope AK replies to this…
[I am sorry... I am submitting this again for better readability.]
I felt terrible when I read this post. Your frequent mention of failure was not balanced with mentions of success.
About your film, I did not feel it was great cinema. But I felt the powerful sensitivity it emanated. Which is why I loved the film.
You explained why you showed the interrogation scene in red. Before reading this the only thing I heard about that scene was from
Nutty
Anurag this film is as real as it can get in Indian cinema.I have to congratulate you for having the courage to make this film in India.
You are the best.I hope you go a long long way.
AK boss hearty congratulations. Saw Black Friday one and half year back in India in an worse possible pirated cd (In Gujarat)… saw again now in Australia! a pirated DVD version! Bhai saying pirated pirated means i want to spend money and watch it plz for god sake release it in Melbourne asap! paisaa vasool ho jaayegaa! but do release it man
Hey Anurag,Black Friday..a film which i’ll never forget.I remember getting jitters at various points of the movie.It also set me thinking..why?…why??…why the hell people are doing such things??? Why cant they live in peace??? Why are they so stupid that in the name of religion…they become the masters of disasters???
I’m an editor…and ur work has always been inspiring…be it Satya, Kaun,Yuva.Please keep giving us good films.
Hey
[edited by admin]
I am a student film maker and this is my first venture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncRNEfv9b80
thanx
loved it, Anurag and had to write on it…you can find the write up over here:
http://tangled-up-in-views.blogspot.com/
will be looking forward to your works…
I agree with John L when he says that you are extremely sensitive Mr. Kashyap
Mr Kashyap please make a funny sensitive film..
I saw the film and i really enjoyed it, it toppled dil chahta hai from the my all time favorite top spot. i dont read books but i read S hussain zaidis book the day after i finished watching this film.the reason i did that as i just had to find out why babri masjid was demolished? it was bcos BJP wanted to come in power. but i wanted to know more. who were involved? how it happened? i would love to see a prequel to black friday.Yo,Anurag can you suggest a book about the shiv sena training in chambal?
My 2 cents to you:- be a lot more diplomatic when giving interviews, so producers invest money in your films & we can be entertained & you make more money & less depressed in life. Does that sound like a good plan?
Anurag. at your service-raja has my number. thank you for showing us this important piece of history….in truth. kelly dorji
one word – ‘brilliant’
cant wait for PAANCH, gulal and NO SMOKING…
i am a small time indie south asian filmmaker in NY – http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1355459/
loved the film… u r such an inspiration Anurag!
JMD – manan KATOHORA
[admin note : to avoid being banned from PFC please avoid advertising your sites]
Hiiii
Guess, who’s come forwards to patronise u gentleman? Its Thackeray !!!!!!!!! Saw the ticker on a channel and I was ……. Incidently I was writing a copy on Budget and Food security.Chidambaram ended his speech with 10% duty cut on Pet-Food items.What an irony and what a coincidence …..
I am still trying to decipher this metaphor.
Anyways, ur real fight against system begins now.What u went through was in any case creative but now its time to shield urself because they wd disarm u with their approval.Be it leftist, rightist or mainstrem…. when they cant convert u they’ll ruin ur creativity by patronising u.So beware….
And I am sure, u know the process better as u r into it.
Good Luck
Regards
Hi Mr. Kashyap.
What is your viewpoint on Radhabai chawl from where riots started in mumbai. My friends who watched movie with me said that movie justifies tigers actions after what happened with him during riots. Don’t you think, you should have shown brutuality done by muslims as well during riots rather than just showing it just as retaliation of riots?
Anurag
Chanced upon ur page through someone else’s.Love the way u write and visualise it. Have seen ur both the films.Brillianty made films they are.But I fell in love with the later one Black Friday.Saw it thrice.Can watch it again and again and again.Its just so refreshing to see Indian cinema growing.After Hazaron Khwahishen aisi its the best bollywood film I have seen in last very many yrs.
Can sense ur post release trauma u have tried to put in here in this write up.Dont worry friend …….. this too will pass away.What I did not like here was a link recomended by u …. Mohalla…… U call it the best review ??????? Its all about shabdon ka chutiyapa, I guess.We can listen to Bawra word as many times as Swanand Kirkire wants to put into my ipod but this???? Give me a break, man.If u want to make the statement tht review talks about, I suspect ur intention as a political citizen.I dont buy that arguement even if its urs (becoz ur film is in public domain now and primarily belongs to us ).
Am little too uncomfortable with the idea that u wanted to communicate something like ….. Dharm sabko chutiya banata hai.It was about identity. Try to have a look at the sociology of Babri Masjid demolition and Mumbai blasts.Who took part in these ghastly events? People who were craving for identity……Second rate hindus …converted muslims….. U’ll have the real idea, wht this chutiyapa was all about.Identity, man identity is thing we all want to be grounded.U let urself decay till the day people, idustry recognised u.Think of the people who have been craving for recognition for centuries.
I know rusticity attracts us all.That review has a touch of rusticity. Lekin Kai Hazaar saal ki rusticity insight ke bagair nahi hoti.Rusticity is the purest form of growth.There is always a difference between rusticity and chutiyapa……….
hi
anurag sir.. please let me know, when will the black friday VCD be released.. i am really eager to watch the film again. having seen it once and liked it tremendously, i would like to relive the magic created by u and see it a hundred more times.
chandni
Hey Anurag
This is got nothing to do with Black Friday (btw the film rocks)
I watched some interview of Kareena Kapoor on TV recently wherein she said that the one hero she does not want to work with is John Abraham and even referred to him as expressionless.
What is her problem man? hasnt she seen Jism, Taxi no 9211, Water, Dhoom??
just wanted to say that sir, kindly get your ‘no smoking’ team to update your imdb and wiki page as, now probably many people wld b doing imdbs/wikis on you and nowhere on these 2 sites, do v find a link or even a mention about No Smoking… so a synopsis or sumthing mite get ppl interested/awaiting coz most people when searching for a young upcoming diro/actor(especially after ppl liking BF, they wld want to know more about you), they go by these 2 sites and generally dont google, so even a PFC coming in top 10 pages wont probably help.
is the dvd out ?
http://www.indiaweekly.com/datacart/products/template_dvd.asp?ProductType=DVD&Rental=Sale&Detail=Detail&ProductId=9508
Hi Anurag,
Check out these two links.. reviews of Black Friday.. if it makes you happy
http://movies2.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/movies/09blac.html?ref=movies
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=775
You’ve been put in the same league as some international greats. cheerio!
HI!
Just saw your movie black friday, it was a mindblowing movie…. Music was also gr8…
But you the song Bandeh was insipired by the guitar of frank zappa……
Lodaya
[...] Anurag Kashyap writes about his reaction to the feedback he has been receiving for Black Friday in “Black Friday – Introspecting?????”. He is also graciously fielding comments and responding to most of them. Most certainly worth [...]
Hi Anurag,
I saw Black Friday 2 days ago. Did not go to the theatre and did not buy/rent a dvd, downloaded and saw for free, so I guess am guilty that way.
Saw it with my wife who did not know that this event happened a few years ago so did not know if the movie was fact or fiction. I told her that it was a fact a few minutes after the movie started.
We both believe that it is a great movie. It looked very real. Real to the extent that I kept wondering “was that the real White House?”
It did kindle a lot of emotions: shock, a bit of anger, felt sorry for a lot of people and happy at times too.
On the balance of the film: I got a feeling that there was an attempt to be soft on muslims by showing that
1. the masjid was brought down
2. Mainly muslims were killed in the violence and their property damaged
3. Police attrocities on the family of those arrested
4. Muslim youth were brainwashed and thus they are not as guilty as the act itself suggests.
I concluded that as the book was written by a muslim and the movie was funded by Mid-day, a muslim owned publication, the thought process was slightly swayed into that direction.
Would be glad to be corrected if my conclusion is wrong.
Nonetheless, it is a great great movie and all associated with it should be encouraged.
I will do my bit by buying a dvd of the movie.
Thankyou and hope to see a many more great movies from you and people you inspire.
Ashish
Anurag:
Absolutely marvelous movie, couldn’t have been presented better. Keep on the good work.
— Shailendra
ps: Who sang the Qawwali in the begining of the movie. It doesn’t appear in the credits nor in the music of the movie.
Last Night after long long time I watched Black Friday again. The video was obscured(, an youtube collection)making the crimson scenes in interrogation room look like greyish. And I told myself “For every KJ and Shaad Ali there will be one Anurag Kashyap, and that one who may sell out to big-bad-bollywood in not so distant future would be remembered in every hostel, in every orkut community , in every word-of-mouth publicty and in every unwritten history of our time for giving us the first ray of hope for Indian Nouvelle Vague”
, You have shown cock-fighting somewhere in Pakistan where Badsah Khan and clan was taking ‘training’. How authentic is that? I am asking coz I have a plan for another never to be published screenplay where I will adapt Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s”Nobody writes to the colonel”. In the original story, the colonel’s son left for war leaving the fighting rooster behind…I plan to make him leave his parents somewhere in the mountains of Pakistan to join “Jihadis”…as cock fighting is ‘the’ integral part of the story, I would really like to know , how authentic that bit is.
Just one q Anurag, if this post ever catches your eye(which is unlikely
Regards,
CBM:)
hi,
I saw black friday yesterday. I didnt find it brilliant but definitely it was a worthy and competitive effort.
I have a question here, why did you choose to use blue filter for some scenes and sepia for some? I mean is there a specific reason for that?
Theres another thing i felt. I saw babel two days back, which is also very obviously flawed but one of the good things about it was (just the way it was in amores perros) that it makes you feel privileged that you are not one of the characters and you are not going through what they are. But then this is how you can feel the pain of the characters. According to my observation, it was done by creating appropriate atmospherics through sound, visuals, minimal background score coming at the right time and by exploring different spaces in very detailed manner, so well that you can almost smell the places where it takes you.
I was kind of looking for same kind of experience from Black friday too. I felt it in the opening scene where sound plays a very important role in setting the mood. But then i couldn’t feel that same mood, same terror in the movie subsequently. For me it was kind of lost.
I saw the film but couldnt feel it the way i wanted to. I couldnt become part of the world that was created (and here is the obvious irony that it was based on real events)
The bombay was rather looking beautiful (it might be unintentional) but i thought if it had chosen to go salaam bombay way, the imagery would have been more effective and suited the film.
But there is one scene which I enjoyed the most, that long chasing sequence, i thought it was amazingly done. (there was just one dissolve from one wall to another similar looking wall during the same chase scene which i found little abrupt and weird)
There was another sun set shot in the beginning where time remapping has been done. Because the ocean is moving so fast and because it covers half of the frame, it takes way all the attention in a very weird manner while the sun in the upper part of the frame goes down without registering much.
Then I felt there was too much of background score, in my opinion if only sounds were used to create the atmosphere it would have been more effective.
Lastly, I felt It was too long. But you have already given very valid reasons for the same and I cant really complain. And to top it i even haven’t read the book.
So to put my views in a sentence, I’d say in terms of detailing and imagery, it left me a little hungry and dissatisfied.
But even after considering everything, I’d definitely give it credit for its honesty, non judgmental approach and effort.
Hey Anurag,
Iam the one who met u at fun republic for transformers, we clicked a photo in the smoking room…….remember………..Yaaa..
Man anurag ive seen black friday like 16 to 17 times from start to end each time…..Its really really very mesmerizing
“Black Friday Has Been Black For Me” hehehehehehe…..your words from the making……
each and every actor has acted amzingly, let it be that women in madina manzil who throws some light on the memon family…….or that old man who become curious about that scooter……let it be shoiab ghansare……….let it be faarook pawle..(”Kaun seth hai tera….Kaun seth hai tera…seth ki maa”)….i just loved each and every one of them…..the best casting ever done in any movie till date (after sholay)……..
Arre haan i also want to ask that,why did u not put Thapas scene in the movie………whhaatt a sssscene that was….how didnt that scene tempt u to use it in the movie…..(”What What What What…..hun…..Arre Hum Log CHU**** hai kya…hun…Chu**** hai….Landing ho gayi hogi aur hame pata nahi chala…..Saa** PC Sorkar Ka Jaadu Hi Kya Saa**”)….Ya ya I can understand man where u could have fitted this scene………
Have u thought of making a ganster movie……
I so desparately wanna watch paanch now……
You what anurag sir..you’re da only one to save us.Indian cinema is on the verge of losin its respect or probably it has lost it. water..shool..yuva..black friday..earth..masterpieces dey are. i respect u like somcuh. im into writin music n will soon be doin rounds of ur office or somethin to serach for work.:)
Anurag,
You have really made a fantasic movie and the realistic thought process gone into this is commendable.
Rajeev
Does anyone know how Aditya Bhattacharya got casted as sheikh aziz , Aditya is a director , which charachter does he play in the mvoie
This is my first time on this site. I had to write something coz Black Friday is my best film of 2007 till now.I have seen the movie twice, not seen it on dvd yet. I went mad while watching it like so many others.the acting,direction,cinematography, back ground score everthing about the film. I loved the red lighting of the interogation scenes. That guy who played the manager was simply mind blowing..As real as real could be.I wish such films should get an oscar but who cares?..For me the movie worked big time. I hope the dvd has extra stuff can’t wait to pick it up & I loved the promo of No Smoking..love the shot takings in the promo.Anurag Kashyap is sensational.God Bless.
Anurag
Why didnt you touch upon Sunjay Dutt’s involvement… Your film was brilliant , watched it again on cable.. Boss its a lesson in filmmaking .. perseverance does pay .. isnt it?? but again you spaed Sunju Baba …..
I guess i’m the last person on the planet to have seen this one!
I liked it.
But I need to view it again.
I agree with the person who wanted to see the Sunjay Dutt involvement, but I guess the film already had quite alot of information to contend with.
My favourite scene has to be the scene in which K.K.Menon’s character says, ‘Allah hamare paas hai’!
Now THAT was powerful stuff!
Very intelligent too!
The cinematography by Nutty was splendid!
As were the performances.
Better late than never, eh??!
Anurag, Dont you think that its time to re-release BF again [:)]…purely from the business point of view. I think the time is right set for such a movie. But am sure that the “dudes” in “Big” may not think that way
Hey Anurag,
I really dunno what the whole fuss about Badshah Khan’s chapter was. I felt that was an eye opener. With all the bombings around I (like many others) consider terrorists/jihadists to be highly motivated by deep religious beliefs. But here we see a bunch of guys who are used by the system for they have young boiling blood (a recent Tamil movie Subramaniapuram also does a good job on this subject). Though I’m a big fan of Aditya Srivastava, I must confess that I did not see him. I saw one helpless and frustrated guy.
Please keep making movies like this. Don’t fret too much about the critics. They have their job to do.
Rgds
vj
PS: I wrote the above view on IMDB even before i read your blogpost. So it wasn’t some kind of sympathy/empathy note; just pure appreciation.