Sponsor PFCOne
(2 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...
Black Friday Movie Review - An Old One
Since I haven’t seen any Black Friday movie reviews here, I thought I would re-post this review I had written when the film premiered in LA in 2005, winning the Grand Jury Prize at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.
—-
By Vijay Venkataramanan
On Friday, March 12, 1993, Mumbai, then known as Bombay was rocked by serial bomb blasts in its most densely populated areas. More than 250 innocent people died and hundreds more were injured. As fingers were pointed and law enforcement investigated the cause, Hussain Zaidi researched and documented the proceedings in tremendous detail in a book published two years ago. Based on the same book, Anurag Kashyap’s “Black Friday”, which is struggling for an Indian theatrical release against the wishes of the Supreme Court of India, is not just a gutsy, gritty, and mind-boggling adaptation, but is also one of the finest films to come out of the Indian film industry in recent years.
As a writer and director, Kashyap tells his story unconventionally, breaking numerous cinematic norms, using a strong Cinema Verite style. The most unconventional aspect of the film certainly is the lack of a central protagonist. This forces Kashyap to juggle several points of view including those of Inspector Rakesh Maria (Kay Kay Menon), accused gangsters Dawood Ibrahim (Vijay Maurya), Tiger Memon (Pavan Malhotra), Dawood Phanse (Gajraj Rao), and their pawn Baadshah Khan (Aditya Srivastava). Given the Herculean task of effectively developing all these viewpoints and characters within temporal constraints, Kashyap emerges victorious, doing justice to them all, skillfully narrating the stories in a moderately paced episodic structure.
Realism has always been Anurag Kashyap’s forte, as is exemplified by his writing in Ramgopal Varma’s “Satya”, “Kaun”, and “Shool”. Now in the director’s chair, he takes his penchant for realism to more pronounced and captivating levels, manipulating the audience, placing them in the heat of the action on certain occasions, and relegating them into a voyeuristic viewpoint on others. Aarti Bajaj’s editing dexterously enables the director to develop this style, uncharacteristically holding longer on Cinematographer Nataraja Subramaniam’s wide, high angle crane shots, particularly during Maria’s investigations. Subramaniam coats the frame in heavy brown and red tones, bordering on a monochromatic, sepiaesque feel. The use of grainy stock and hand-held shots also add to the gritty tone of the film. Holding the realism of the film together is the superior quality of performance from a very low-profile cast. The immensely talented Kay Kay Menon and Aditya Srivastava excel in their respective roles, while Vijay Maurya’s resemblance to underworld don and international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim is shocking.
Despite such strong vision and treatment, “Black Friday’s” directorial voice is subtle and takes the form of an undertone. This in fact works to the film’s advantage as viewers are fed numerous facts and events unfolding constantly, the final judgment left to their intelligence to pass. The only didactic interference from Kashyap occurs in the closing montage of stills and documentary footage from the 1993 bombings and riots, set to Indian Ocean’s phenomenal track, “Bandeh”.
Despite clearance from the Indian censor board, the Supreme Court of India has held “Black Friday’s” theatrical release for fear of this powerful film influencing the sentence that is yet to be passed on the case: a ludicrous excuse, considering Zaidi’s book has already been publicly accessible for over two years. After a Golden Leopard nomination at the Locarno International Film Festival and winning the Special Jury Award for best feature at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles this year, one hopes that international distributors notice this highly significant film and give it its much deserved opportunity at the box office.
N.B. This writer viewed “Black Friday” at its Los Angeles premiere during the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.
Reposted from www.planetbollywood.com
34 Responses to “Black Friday Movie Review - An Old One”
Leave a Reply
Our Comments Policy : The following kinds of comments are troll capped, blocked and/or commenter's identity reported publicly: Verbal abuse, personal attacks, hate statements, spam, trolls, advertising. Please assist us in keeping the comments clean. Use the contact form to let us know if you find unwarranted comments on PFC. Thank you.
- Rangeele Babu : Premchandian revolutionary character dares to challenge the God
- Manorama Six Feet Under (2007)
- Rock On is My Story and Yours
- Rock On… reviews begin
- Maachis: questions it ignited
- Rock On Re
- Rock On is My Story and
- Rock On- Oh For 60 Minutes
- Maachis: questions it ignited
- Himesh Bhai ka Karz
Recent Posts:
Hottest Today:
Heres a latest review from Kunal Kohli published on mid-day moments ago
http://www.mid-day.com/news/city/2007/february/151540.htm
@ Jwalant, thank you for the link.
I think kunal is over-reacting here..going tangent quite a number of times…but i am happy Kunal has given AK an Oscar :)
That’s a great compliment especially considering Kunal Kohli’s brand of cinema is quite the opposite, much more escapist than reality.
Since this post is becoming an assimilation of Black Friday reviews… here’s one… surprisingly… Taran Adarsh (I know reviews from this guy are skeptical, but darn… I’ve never see him praise a serious movie so much)
http://www.indiafm.com/movies/review/12469/index.html
And he’s taken a U Turn from his review ratings based on whether the movie will be hit or not…
“… Certain films are beyond box-office. You don
Kunal Kohli is a fruitcake with competition only from the likes of Taran Adarsh. Anyone who made Fanaa should be tried in a court of law, but I digress.
At the risk of resorting to hyperbole, may I state that I think Black Friday is probably the most important piece of cinema the Indian film industry has seen for a long, long time. It is a must-watch for every Mumbaikar and every cinema lover.
I was lucky to see it at a film festival a long time back. And I mean that word “lucky”. I also feel blessed because seeing a movie in a film festival is so much more different than seeing in a regular cinema hall. Each mobile phone that ring was cursed - loudly - with the most profane of Bombaiya language. But I digress yet again.
Vijay - this was a superb review and among the best I’ve read (I think Qalandar had done on 12th March this year..posted at Desicritics I think - do read that if you want to).
I especially liked this line “Now in the director
:o:o what has happened to Taran Adarsh?
” Do yourself a favor: Watch BLACK FRIDAY. Hindi cinema at its best! ”
Anurag…aap ki tho nikal padi…4 stars by Taran for BF, same as Krrish and KANK…wah bhai wah…:d
Man..my typos…this is how this para should read
“While you
@oz/om …I too read the review by Taran Adarsh today and man!! i was totally surprised…but anyway.. i’ve been hearing a lot of good comments about the movie.. so just wanna say congrats Anurag :) …
I may be singled out in the crowd here but I’ve been an avid follower of Taran Adarsh’s reviews for years now. I think he truly has his finger on the pulse of the audience. He’s as passionate as anyone about hindi cinema and his opinions are well-informed, well-thought out, well-articulated. He understands the changing face of Hindi cinema very well and is almost always right on the money where it comes to the box office. Most of all he knows he knows how to appreciate solid, hard-hitting, brilliant cinema.
Which is why I can’t see how you guys would be so surprised to see dish out the highest of praise for Black Friday.
As for Fanaa, it was cliche ridden, trite and the 2nd half was shockingly regressive (when is hindi cinema going to give up its reliance on ever-so convinient coincidences to move a story forward?). But it wasn’t meant for the thinking audience. It was “mass-oriented” from the get go, a masala film that found its audience.
But that’s a different post for a different day.
Right now all I have to say is that I was looking forward to seeing “Black Friday” before, but after all the amazing feedback I simply can’t wait to see it.
Congrats Kashyap-saheb, looks like the agony of the uncertainty and the wait has finally passed on. I sincerely hope that you feel vindicated with the resounding critical acclaim you so rightly deserve for your hard work and vision.
Kashyap saab - if you read this - you are the best. As long as you are there in the industry, I know there is a reason to go to a cinema hall. Just for you, the industry is a better place. Thanks and all the best. I loved Black Friday.
er..sorry again…that’s “Because of you, the industry is a better place”.
hey aal you guys…OZ,OM,Jwalant,Bombay Addict,Tony…thanks for all your comments, links…we all had a great premiere last night…Anurag has left for Patna International Film Festival…film is having a Premiere there…he will reply to all your comments as soon as he is on PFC…in the meantime i am rushing off to the theaters to find aam janta’s reaction…and please please go and watch the film in the nearest theatre and recommend to as many people as you can(i know you all are already doing that)…thanks…love you all…i am very happy…we all are very happy…i am out of my mind…why shouldn’t i…it has been a long wait!
^:)^^:)^=d>=d> Rajkumar i can see your excitement and why shouldnt you be..i am soo happy for all of you….come here…>:d< i am so delighted to see all the media loving it..you guys deserve it..cant imagine the excitement you guys going thru....sooo happy...will watch the movie tommorrow....>:d<
Rajkumar, the first ticket in Sydney will be mine! Can’t wait to see it on screen. Happy for you, Anurag and the whole team! :)
Anuraag,Rajkumar, the gods have finally cheered. You guys have done it finally man.Feel really happy about the responses that got generated after the screening. Yeeeeeh to all other PFC-ians, guys let’s open the champgene corks.
Does anyone has any idea about when the world-wide release will take place. Dying to see the movie.
Kisse kaayar kahega
Kisse kaafir kahega
Teri kab tak chalegi….
What a song, what a movie…does anyone have the full lyrics ?
Anurag, Rajkumar and all you guys behind this movie - I’d just love to meet you if only to say “Boss maan gaye, maan gaye, maan gaye”
Hi all
its my first post in any blog and i am also a movie addict like u all.
i am big fan of anurag kashyap from last 4 year when i was in b.tech 1 year.
one good news for all u guys,all ticket of black friday till sunday are booked :d but i am not able to get any one :((
= Rajkumar, I’m in office… its 7am my time… and the whole gang is counting minutes for the day to end and we all can rush to the movie!!! :) Many PFC-ians are going to record the crowd reaction and put it on PFC. :)
Yes it has been a lot of wait… but atlast… it’s all good now… Enjoy the show and being a part of the center stage now!!! :)>-
Here my review of Black Friday written 2 years back, Cant wait to see the film and re-write a complete analysis, i have seen this film thrice but still watching it now would be a first.
Black Friday: A Classic goes unnoticed
There has been a gradual evolution of a cinematic genre in India over the past few years, of the movies of the likes of Ram Gopal Verma, where we have redefined the cinema of crime, call it Noire if you will. There has been quite a few movies of this genre or rather ’school’- Satya, Company, Waisa Bi hot hail, Shool, Chhal, a lesser known but brilliant movie called Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar, Ab Tak 56 etc. Black Friday is a welcome departure from this list in terms of quality of movie making and screenplay. It could be attributed to the movie being a book adaptation but I can’t comment on it as I have not read the book. The way the narrative moves back and forth in time is remarkably impressive, Anurag has pulled it off brilliantly, and that gives a sense of timeless, unrestrained cinema. A few sequences from the movie are memorable, they stay long enough with you, the second interrogation scene, the chase sequence, which definitely has to be one of the best ones I have seen so far, the disillusion phase of Badshah where the movie scores beyond the paradigm of a mere gangster flick- it addresses the finer aspects of the human psyche as it reacts to a choice of a lifelong passion-good or bad, the interrogation scene featuring the assistant cop-now watch out for the awesome camera work and lights in this one!, the hotel scene between Badshah and friends that erupts like a dormant volcano suddenly came to life. A special mention for the meticulous work on the music, it simply carries the narrative to starry heights. But there are a few glitches too- a funny Dawood, some undesired sequences in Dubai towards the end that do not carry much meat. But overall, a commendable effort. I have already seen this one twice and rediscovered some altogether new aspects the second time. I think this movie has layers that lay unexplored if you lack an eye for cinematic detail. I will just give you one example- the sequence where Badshah haplessly looks at a man playing with his dog says much more than any amount of dialog or sound could have done or the never ending quagmire of the conflict between objectivity and subjectivity of the facts as they happened. Kudos!
Tushar Shukla
Tushar:
pls bring your full post after your new view of film.
= Ahem… cough cough… Khalid Mohamed reviews Black Friday…
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1923739,00110003.htm
Kahild Mohammad ko film pasanad atee hai?:o
Oz, I wonder if Khalid read Anurag’s PFC post about him. Haha. Even Kunal Kohli, part of the Yashraj camp that Anurag has so vociferously spoken against, praises him to the skies. Well, the movie is just that good. One cannot help but be affected and awed by it.
sure, RK. :)
Masand on IBN…
http://www.ibnlive.com/news/masands-verdict-black-friday/33190-8-1.html
Wow Loved Rajeev Masand’s comment…especially on the ending note: This is the kind of cinema that we shud send to Oscars..show what we are capable of making….
Wow Wonder how AK is feeling right now…
rediff’s Prithviraj Hegde reviews BF here:
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/feb/09black.htm?q=np&file=.htm
If i was looking forward for someone to review BF, it was Raja Sen…:(( unfortunately he has not
When is the AU release scheduled?? dang! wish I was in India/US on vacation… :(
Nikhat Kazmi of TOI reviews BF
here
Is some good performances and a lot of technical finesse enough to make a good movie? I don’t think it is - for a movie that falls into the ‘reality’ genre. The content needs a lot more depth than this one had. Also, I just didn’t understand the purpose of the movie. Was it to tell people how bombs are made or to tell terrorists not to terrorise? I think such movies receive more attention than they deserve due to the controversy they create. Full review at http://withoutgivingthemovieaway.com/reviews/2007/02/review-black-friday.html
what the hell Nikhat Kazmi know abt movies and its craft?? if she gave crap like kabhi alvida naa kahna and childish kkrish 4 star but a she give only 3 and half star to a movie which is a truly classic.
life is just unfair.
Mid-day’s review…..
http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/february/151593.htm
Mayank Shekhar’s review…..Mumbai Mirror….
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article§id=30&contentid=2007021002571114018c343fa
Here a quick snapshot, courtesy of AllBollywood.com, of what the critics are saying about “Black Friday”. These are all out of a max of stars. Rarely does any film get 5 stars. AllBollywood also does this culmulative analysis, based on an overall percentage. The avg movie does a 50-60%. Lage Raho Munnabhai did something like 84%. Right now Black Friday is at 83%
IndiaGlitz
5.0 “…is a must watch film. Don
Here are some international reviews.
Hollywood reporter