Black Friday :::: Reverse Engineering
Film’s major achievement is the creation of many, so lively, scenes that audience forget that they are watching actors, merely playing their roles. There are several such solid scenes right from the begining when a cop slaps Gullu. And creation of such lively scenes in the film is the greatest achievement of Director Anurag Kashyap. Usually emphasis is given on actors who are given important roles and seldom directors put any concentration on supporting cast. Unlike other hindi film directors, Anurag Kashyap takes a different approach and put enough concentration on the performances of actors who have small roles in the film. Film promotes and establishes Anurag Kashyap as a good director. Film has many pluses but it has many minuses also and minuses stop it to treat as a great film.
* * * * * * * * *
There are two scenes.
(1) In first a man in white uniform steals a piece of jwellery and keeps it in his pocket. He has hunger of money.
(2) In second scene, Police officer Rakesh Maria is hungry and he has not eaten for some hours and when he finds bananas in the fridge at Tiger Memon’s house then he is unable to control his hunger and takes one banana but when he is about to eat it, a policeman comes in and Maria feels as if he is caught red handed.
In this world, is there any difference between these two stealings mentioned above? One is to keep surviving, to appease hunger of stomach of a well to do officer and second indicates about the materialistic hunger of a low paid employee.
Is there any judgement given in the film about these two tendencies?
If yes then this is the tone of the film, If no then also this is the tone of the film. It depends on audience how s/he takes the treatment of the film.
Due to director’s different approach, the actor who played Asghar Muqadam, excels over other actors. His is not a powerful role rather he could just be an ordinary supporting cast in any other film but he brings out most genuine expressions on his face and presents most authentic dialogue delivery in the interrogation scenes and make them most authentic in the entire film. He is stammering there in a very natural way. Before that scene also when he is questioned by Rakesh Maria (KK) and given tea and KK says,” aap iske father hain, Samjhaiye ise, jhuth bol raha hai sala”. When Asghar’s father puts pressure on him adn asks him to reveal what he knows, Asghar retaliates first, as he could have done with his father in normal circumstances and he says in an annoying and irritating voice,” bata to raha hun” but in a fraction of second he realizes that its not his home and he is standing there before police and now he meekly says, sab sach sach bata raha hun“.
After that when he is naked inside the jail and KK is asking him and a policeman is writing his statement, he says,” Saab mein job chhorna chahta tha, meine Tiger bhai se baat kee to usne jo ma behen ki gali denee shuru kar dee”. This is the moment of this actor and perhaps director’s also. Anybody who is weak before anyone and trying to produce scene that he too is victim of that powerful man, who is wanted by police, would murmur the dialogue in that fashion only. Why his performance is brilliant because he has got no defined character, like KK, Pavan and Aditya have got. In story itself he is very tiny part of the story. His emotions are not used in the story but he is rather an informer. He leaves behind any other actor due to his performance in interrogation scenes.KK, Aditya Srivastava and Pavan Malhotra are known names and have got main roles in several films and have proved their worth as actors.
KK : IPS officer Rakesh Maria’s character and therefore associated factors bring material in this role. He is an IPS officer in this film who is acting as the chief investigating officer in this very important case. This is sufficient to suggest any actor that role has substance. KK is a nice actor especially when intense acting is concerned and here too he delivers restrained performance required by the charcater. He has one scene which can be said totally belonging to him when he pushes Badshah Khan after saying,” tumharee wajah se hum police walon ko kabhi kabhi begunahon ka marna parhta hai, raat raat bhar jagna parhta hai, salon hamein“. This is his scene where he takes advantage of being given a powerful dialogue and thus proves his worth.
It could have been much better if KK was asked to look after his physical structure before shooting was started. A man can be lean and thin but an IPS officer can’t have disproportionate shoulders which KK has in the film. When he is not in uniform and is wearing blue shirt and simple trouser, he looks bit odd as a police officer. They go for a nice physical training and there they do all kinds of exercises and this physical exercise give them a proper shape, atleast in initial years of their career. If you watch photos of Rakesh Maria, he was thin but his shoulders were just fine. Perhaps KK was a struggling actor then but this factor could have been improved. Not only face expressions but appealing body that matches with the requirement of the role is required, otherwise Director was not needed to search a look alike of Dawood. They could have shown any man having that name. But when its called realistic cinema than everything matters. Aditya Srivasta would have matched better physically with Rakesh Maria and KK could have been same attractive and intense in the role of Badshah Khan, given his skill as an actor.
Pavan Malhotra : Plays the role of Tiger Memon, who is the main culprit behind the bomb blasts and this suggests that he will be having many scenes where he has to be influential over many of his gang wala and he will be having powerful lines and he will be seen on screen in a role which is one of the main role in the story to be shown. Pavan Malhotra, takes every advantage of the role given to him and the fact, that his character is not seen by average people and they don’t know how Tiger Memon behaved or what were his mannerisms, gives him liberty to bring his imazined mannerisms and he does it successfully. The way he says in the scene, when he says,” Gullu Daga de gaya, wo log sochenge kee abhee time hai pan apun Napolean ke mafik vaqt se pehle hee. “-
And he says,” rasul “-, he brushes his hair with his hand and sees the impact of his saying on the gang people. In Dubai, when he is boasting that he arranged the bomb blasts and when he is informed by other fellow that police has got a Maruti van then he brings out beautifully expressions of fear and bewilderment on his face and the way he cleans his mouth with napkin is worth watching. Pavan does it again, (when Badshah Khan is telling in flashback about Gullu) when he stops Javed Chikna and Badshah Khan and says,” ruko mein bhee ata hai” His hand gestures are fantastic in that scene. He has maintained his body language in whole film and when he reaches to training camp in Pakistan then also he raises his hand in a special posture.
He gives his input in the meeting with Dawood’s men and ISI people. He is not seen as a big man in that meeting and he tries to make his recognition and his plan does that. Pavan maintains a sign of cunningness and shrwedness in his eyes and he never looks like a man who is relaxed but a man whose mind is always functioning. Such fine nuances are the part of his performance here.Aditya Srivastava: Plays Badshah Khan who is a person, suffered in the previously happened riots and lost means to earn the money. He is a wounded person and he is filled with revenge but he has to complete a journey where his personality has to face a complete transition from a hard core believer in what he did by killing innocent people to the man who is left by his other colleagues and who then realizes that he did wrong and people exploited him and his emotions. He is a changed man and become police witness in the case. This role brings enough ground for any actor to prove his worth. So many chances are there to bring various emotions on screen.
Aditya Srivasta, has many chances to excel as film has used several scenes centralized on his character only. He had a powerful role and he steals away several scenes from other actors. He is a muslim character. Why he touches the feet of his uncle when he reaches to
Rampur his village? Is it based on some true information or just a trial by director that muslims also do this in several areas of UP?We may see that in all the four, Asghar Muqadam, Rakesh Maria, Tiger Memon and Badshah Khan, Asghar?s role has no special features attached and yet he brings very genuine touch in the scenes when he has to play an otherwise ordinary guy who cant bear torture and is ready to say all including an impression that he too is victim of highhandedness of Tiger.
The actor play character of Dawood is shown always from a particular side pose where he resembles with the wanted Don.Few are policemen and several of them have been seen as policemen in several gangster films and films based on special task force.
Its just first film of Anurag Kashyap which is released and surely he will get multi fold rewards for this film. Time is favourable for him now. He has proved that he has sense of a director whose work will be recognised in future.
Its not a great film that will be recorded in history as classic or milestone film but it covers events happened in Bombay few years ago and try to link these events with past events happened in India elsewhere. Camera goes in investigative manner to find what happened and how it happened in 1993 in Bombay. Film certainly brings recognition to Anurag Kashyap as a director. His command over taking good work from his actors is noticeable.
There are certain flaws in the narration. I may be cynical but they fetch attention.
Asghar Muqadam, goes late in the garage where Javed Chikna and other are keeping RDX in scooters and cars, and he also goes with one fellow near the theatre where Tiranga film is screened. But he tells Police in such a way, or director shows it in such a way as if Asghar Muqadam was present in every matter and every place. When you are showing through flashback then how can you show the events where that person was not physically present.
Asghar is not in the car in which detonator was kept and Badshah khan takes it in his hand and yet he is shown to says all that happened there. How its possible? And on top of it, he says,? Javed chikna bahut dar gaya tha“, but there is no sign of fear on that actor ( javed chikna) rather, one person is shown laughing when Badsha takes detonator in hand. Though they all had training in Pakistan and its shown later that ISI trainer tell everybody everything about detonator and RDX but Badshah and other fellows present in the car, behaves like they know nothing about detonator. It?s a very weak scene in the film, completely gone awry.
When Asghar Muqadam reaches to garage, he meets a sardar, who according to others has gone out for smoking. Does Director again wishes to show contrast because normally Sikhs are not shown smoking on screen. And what a sardar was doing there when it?s a matter of revenge of muslims? May be its just another scene in the book and director took it that way.
Film is supposed to be based on true events and its bit faulty in that meeting scene that so many people are there but nobody?s name comes on screen. The man who talks about killing of Bala Saheb Thakray and Advani, who is he? This is a flaw in the film that film uses several clippings to narrate the story but director thinks audience know all the people shown in the clippings. Either other characters should have addressed that man by name or his name should have been mentioned. After all he was the most spoken person in that meeting.
No where in the film, we feel that Badshah Khan and other fellows are victim of previously happened riots and they are filled with feelings of revenge. When film is not out and out documentary then such shades are compulsory to insert in the story line to make deeper impact of the narration but this film does not do that. Neither Badshah and party look fanatic nor they look like part of a gang which is on mission of revenge. Film does not dwell on any political or social angle of the era when events were happened and is limited to a stereotype story published in Satya Kathayen or manohar Kahaniyan where photos of policemen are published along with the detail how these policemen cracked the case. Black Friday follows that path and this makes it like an investigating serial. It shows political immaturity. 6 March 1993, Sharad Powar takes oath as CM of Maharshtra. He was defense minister in the Narsimha Rao govt. and was asked by PM Rao to take charge of Maharashtra, because Bombay was passing through a very bad time. Sharad Powar was in his office (12-12.30 PM) when he heard the noise. It was explosion near Air India Building and within 10 minutes he was informed that 11 explosions have happened in different places of Bombay. Sharad Powar, knowing every nook and corner of Bombay, immediately realized that all the blasts are happened in Hindu majority areas and he immediately went on TV to announce that 12 explosions have happened and he took name of an additional place ?Masjid Bandar?. He saw a design in the bomb blasts that all are done in Hindu majority regions and Hindus will retaliate and will start killing muslims and as a precautionary measure he announced that blast is happened in a muslim majority area also. He fudged the people to stop the communal riots. In film also we see Tiger Memon has got trucks full of AK56 guns and they were distributed in muslims under the impression that as a retaliation when hindus will attack muslims, then they will kill these attacking hindus and communal scene of Bombay will be more worsened.
But Javed Chikna, Badshah Khan and whole gang watch the TV and its said that at 12 places bombs have been exploded but nobody talks about that 12th place? Why? They just fight over the place where bomb could not explode. Nobody thought that when they did not put any bomb in Masjid Bandar area then who did it?
So its not complete investigation of the explosion case. I have not read the book and perhaps book might have mentioned the Sharad Powar?s fudging but film simply avoids this so important angle. Sharad Powar did what a sensible politician may do in such difficult times and that?s why Shrikrishna commission understood his deliberate fudge. Film ends with lines, Badshah Khan gets bail, and Bombay is Mumbai now. There is no mention of Shri Krishna commission.
Film has highs and lows. After interval when director starts showing clippings of past events then film start dominated by documentary factor. Again there are no names of the people shown in the clippings, like who is Pakistani diplomat, who is Shankracharya, or that monk. Those who know them they know but several know them by names only. When clippings are shown then names should be given.
On one hand film travels with the feeling that everything is based on true events but do you get to know, if Dawood had hands in arranging blasts? When everything is going with names, and clarity then why suddenly this symbolism?Somebody was mentioning that cars are shown of that period. There is a scene when Badshah Khan is leaving the hotel in Culcutta and a boy and a girl, pass through him, purists pls. see the jeans of that girl!Why that long chasing scene? When every other person is caught then why that person is given this much footage? To show that police also does hard work? If police was that capable then when Gullu told them that there was a conspiracy of bomb explosions at different places in the city then they could have taken any notice. Film (or Book) tells us, what happened to that police man who was interrogating Gullu? Was he punished for his negligence? In that long chase scene, that fellow is running in a narrow slum lane and police man is following him, but no other person is seen in the slum though they are passing through the homes also. Where everybody had gone? And its all silent when he enters a place and he just goes 3-4 feet ahead and we hear sound, having dialogues of Amar Akbar Anthony. Sound is so loud that it was not possible that it was not coming few feet before.Sometimes interrogation scenes inside the jail are in normal mode but sometimes they are with red filter. Why this difference? Or was it an experiment? Or it was simply Hollywood effect?Ruk ja re bande, song starts on the term of pop music and could have been more impressive if it was made like Allah ke bande hans de of Waisa bhee hota hai. Film is having different mode of operation and suddenly this song comes as a pop song. Lyrics can be good but song composing does not match with mood of the film. Why showing anger when its a matter of being sad on whole affair?Film is not coherent in nature and therefore does not leave an impact of a film where you are forced to feel something about the subject of the film. It can be a docu-thriller but it does not bring sensitive touch which a true story can bring. This incoherent nature could have been tackled if chapters shown in the film were organised properly. Too many sub branches of the plot destroy the harmony of the narrative. First we go 3 months earlier and then again 9 months prior and again we come back and again go back somewhere. It has no subject like ?12 monkeys? that we are jumping again and again between present and past. Chracters are shown to tell that part of the story with which they are not directly involved and they have not witnessed it so that scenes can be shown in that way. Asghar and Badshah cant be present at many places within 10 minutes of time so that many scenes can be told by them.
Anuarg Kashyap generates curiosity that he is different than other directors as far as his scene creation is concerned. He takes wonderful work from actors played very small role in his film. His camera movement is different and he goes in detail as far as sanctity of a scene is concerned but he misses here the story narration part. There was no Sanjay here who could see whole Mahabharata war and could tell Dhritrashtra, akhon dekha haal. Why he chose this way of presenting his story. How would he justify, showing Tiger Memon, sitting with his Dubai Friend and talking about Bomb blasts? Who told Author or director what happened between the two in
Dubai? Any waiter told it? How Asghar Muqadam or Badsha can know this? Many hindi films do this mistake and Anurag Kashyap is not different here. He follows the same path or showing what he thinks audience should see but through the characters who were not present at the site of happening and that too using flashback technique. Flashback is badly used in the film.Film takes audience in to the dens of Tiger Memon, Dawood Ibrahim and ISI. It shows the glimpse of training camps organised by ISI in
Pakistan. It is kind of first Film, because normally people make investigative serials for TV on such cases or documentaries which too are ultimately shown on TV. Though, mostly all historical or period films can fall in to the same category. After all what is Gandhi? We see actors resembling with the actual people there, acting and bringing events happened in the past in our country. Books are written about freedom struggle of India, historians have recorded almost every single event and meetings and dialogues happened between important leaders of that era and we know. Partition of India saw a big blood shade and Hindu Muslim and Sikhs killed each other and around 1M people were died in those riots. Books are there and films are there which cover the events. Why then this much hoopla was created about Black Friday? Its one another film based on a book which claims to be based on true events. Hindu muslim riots have been subject of several films in the past and Garam Hawa, Mr and Mrs Aiyer type of sensitive films have been made which leave a deep impact on audience. But does that purify us the ordinary people for ever or we loose our senses again and again whenever time is bad and fall in to the violence?
Black Friday does not go for any such search though it suggests through the tiring journey of Badshah Khan that sentiments of people are always exploited by more cunning people.
Somewhere its not a clear film. Don?t know if Anuarg Kashyap will consider later this film as his great work. His satisfaction matters a lot. It was his first film I saw and his name and his films are so much talked about that perhaps that great expectations are the cause for this impression about this film. But somewhere I feel he could have done far better. Its brave to put names in the film and that too of mafia dons, its brave to attempt to make a film on recently happened event, but that?s it, the thrill behind the Black Friday is there but what about sensitivity attached with such mishaps. It lacks sensitivity in narration which Garam Hawa and Mr and Mrs Aiyar could bring. Perhaps that was not the motive of director also and perhaps all those scenes, which we are appreciating, are due to his genius, present in an otherwise very ordinary investigative material.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Oz:
Thanks, I had Oscar, (Wild, great expectations), in my mind. You are the culprit though.
I had thought given AK’s minute observation, his film will not be having many flaws
which usually hindi films have. But this film has flaws. But its 2 year old product and
perhaps now “NS” dispels all doubts:d
You’ve got quite a few things wrong. I stopped reading the post the minute
the most glaring misconception came into the picture. Did u actually see the
movie in a cinema hall? I doubt!
The character “Sardar” does not refer to a sikh. It refers to a guy actually named “Sardar.”
He’s shown walking out of the garage with a ciggerate as soon as Asgar is walking in. They
even exchange ’salaam’s. Watch it again. Btw..there are actually ppl named “Sardar”..be it
hindu or muslim. Anu Malik’s father’s name is “Sardar Malik.” Is Anu Malik sikh? I think not!
= Excellent points of view RK!!!
vikksterr:
I hope that fellow is shown a sikh. But surely I will check it again. I can recall
that everybody get a kind o
… seems it isn’t doing that good, contrary to what I’m reading here… here’s rediff’s report on Black Friday’s box office opening…
http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/feb/12box.htm
I dont understand this rediff accounts! what it suggests?
They show, film is running in 5th 6th week and still call it flop. who is there in cinema hall for which theaters are running the film?
BF will certainly earn a good amount. word of mouth will bring audience atleast once in cinema hall to see it.
Fine! I read the rest of the post just to see what tangents you go off to! Now arent you one frustrated
person just venting truckloads of bile without understanding anything? Seriously, who gives such ppl the
authority to blog on a website viewed by such a large no. of ppl.
I am not gonna sit here and point out every gross misconception of yours (Trust me..this whole article is
a big one itself!) But I will clarify a few things as briefly as I can.
1. Refer to the previous post on the “Sardar” character.
2. Asgar merely states whatever had been told to him by the involved ppl..including the scene in the van
where the detonator goes off. NOBODY was laughing when the detonator was blinking. If u saw someone
laughing..u were not watching Black Friday. And yeah..Chikna obviously look scared.
3. The cop interrogating Gullu in the beginning..why are u even remotely concerned as to what happened
to him. He was negligent..fine. But the aftermath..thats what the movie is about. Such petty concerns na.
4. Film is not coherent..what rubbish! Each chapter is put in there exactly the way it should be to make
the ppl understand what is going on and rationalize things better! Remember one thing..the movie touches
a sensitive subject. It could have gone terribly wrong if not handled appropriately. People would come out
of the theater blaming one community for the entire situation without looking at the other side of the coin.
Hindu fanaticism had to be shown in the end so it stays fresh in the viewers mind and let him/her judge the
content of the film appropriately. Remember, a huge chunk of the movie deals with one community’s languish..
but it doesnt blame the community, rather the mindset, and later explains the mindset as well. I think thats
splendid!
5. The girls Jeans..wow. U really opened my eyes. Her jeans has now completely changed my opinion of
the movie, since after all, it was the jeans and not Badshah Khan or his anguish and turmoil that was important.
6. Do you really want me to go on anymore?
KK – dispproprotionate shoulders ???? He doesnt look trim and lean. I thought he looked just about fine.
There was a sense of ‘refineness and suavity’ to him … which is how some police offers are.
“its bit faulty in that meeting scene that so many people are there but nobody
vikksterr:
I hope you are not involved in the marketing deptt. to promote the film.
First “Black Friday” is not God’s gift to humanbeing that it cant be discussed and if anyone
sees any lacking in the film then its blasphemy? Whats good in film will remain good and whats
bad will be bad. Its not going to help me but Anuarg Kashyap as director if he sees even one
person’s point of view, that what his film is bringing. If you think BF and Anurag Kashyap is
criticised in the post and you as his ardent follower is wounded then this post is not certainly
for you. Your first decision was better when you stopped in between. What your second
reading says?
But your reactions are immaterial. If you find film is coherent. Fine. I dont find it coherent.
(5) If AK had used Indica in the film, was that going to take away pains of Badshah Khan from
audience? After all its about Badshah Khan and his anguish, how does it matter, how India
looked in 1993?
Please stay a little longer and you will find more heated discussion here :d
RK – pls justify perhaps ur dissappointment with more solid examples ….
The restaurant they were eating at was DELHI DARBAR!!! GAWD!!! LOL.
I seriously didn’t even pay much attention to that comment of RK’s.
Dear RK..Delhi Darbar is a very popular chain of restaurants run by an Indian and has various joints across the globe..especially in Asia and Europe.
Regarding why the hell were they speaking to the waiter in hindi..they were probably regulars over there and new that the waiter could speak hindi.
And lastly..Why the hell is this even an issue?? How does it affect the making or the stature of the movie AT ALL????
agreed that “Black Friday
rk i think you should do a course in film appreciation.no film is ever perfect. i repeat no film is
ever perfect.but with a film like this you should appreciate the finer aspects & the positives
rather than the negatives.remember this is passion for cinema and we are all cinema fanatics
so dont write like a critic who knows to drive a car but can’t drive it.
RK dude..there’s a difference. Look at the subtelty and the underlying meaning of the sequence
where he runs into that couple and just looks at them. Did u even understand what was being
conveyed there? It was the most important emotion that Badshah Khan’s character displayed
in the movie. U really think ppl are gonna notice the girls jeans there? (What was with her
jeans seriously? I’m curious now! :D)
I’m not in the marketing dept. for the film. I’ve met Anurag once and thats it. I’m currently in the
US doing something completely unrelated to any movie industry around the globe. I am just
someone who saw the movie and got the real message..something that was apparently
wasted on certain segments of audience who worry more about what Jeans was that girl
wearing during a particular sequence.
The rest of ur response is again pure bile…not gonna respond to it.
Dude..Stick to yashraj type of movies.
hmm..my last response got deleted. wierd. wonder why.
= O Boy! All I can say is guys be a little sensitive towards disagreeing with PFC’s dear RK.
KK:
PFC is the place where every film analysis may be looked like forced criticism. Points are there. when they set deep inside you and you feel all your counter
objections are settled within you, we will discuss tomorrow. because you are in the first phase of reaction, where mere rasing questions are prohibited.If you
adore film, its fine.If you think This is Anuarg’s just perfect work. Its fine, for me not. Call that its a film of any other director like nikhil Advani, I will say its a
great film. I have more expectations from Anurag. If its wonderful work for you. Live with this impression happily.
Re: KK, you did not understand the point. Its not abt his acting. It was his physical appearance. It matters thats why Brad Pitt developed those extra
muscles in Troy. You may take Masjid Bandar spot as cinematic libertyy. For me its ignoring a big fact, while producers are dying to put tagline: its based on true events. That was the true event.
BTW who said Rakesh Maria and his boss: wo chahe Dubai ka raja hee kyon na ho, use koi special treatment nahin milega!
Re:Dawood: ISI captured his boat or some other gang? named Aslam or something?
Somebody offered to bring back his material. Dawood’s man is shown in sitting in the meeting with ISI fellows. Tiger Memon takes name of Dawood several times, like when he put presssures on Peelu Khan. before that ISI meeting Tiger is not that big that can play ploy on Dawood.
and Characterization of that man who says,” thakray and advani ko kabhi bhee —”
is given importance in that meeting. The way he is speaking, he cant be ISI man, he belongs to India certainly and hence his nomination is must.
Hamein bhee to pata chale kaun bhaisaab hain?
Rest you can discuss tomorrow when its early and right time for you. and you have to do your help yourself. Who can help you?:-?
I’m gonna type a bit of it once again..it was too long to type it all up again. hehe.
RK dude..if u’re a critic..u need to handle criticism directed at you as well.
I’m not with associated with the film in any way. My only association with the film is as a member of the audience.
The movie tries to be as truthful to the situation as possible. Showing an Indica would have been absurdity. Yet, in the “jeans” waala sequence..what was more important was the emotion that badshah’s character goes through when he runs into the couple. That was IMHO, the most earnest emotion of all. And much much more important than the girls jeans.
What was with her jeans anyways?? I didn’t notice. Did anyone else notice? RK..clarify na. Kya tha uske jeans pe? I was too busy watching the movie. :D
Hope this one doesnt get deleted now.
RDC:
I will do a film appreciation course. Pleasse send me a link from where I can do it. if its postal then it will be more nice. Yes no film is perfect and never can be perfect.
My goodness I had discusssed first positives of the film. But if there are certain flaws in the film, should I ignore that. I think all of you are showing fanaticism, shown in the film by some characters:) Not ready to see any point. Film analysis is taken as film criticism and that too in negative terms only.
BTW, this is against director of the film Anurag Kashyap’s nature. He does not chew his words and I hope he will be more open than you people to see whats discusssed.
vikksterr:
please watch the film again. This is the motive of my post that you will watch
it again and ultimately film will become a hit:) as more and more people will
watch it again and again to see what they missed.
Ohh my god, you did not notice her jeans?:((
Ummm..RK dude..talking about Troy…Ever heard of the infamous “Helicopter” that “did” show up in the movie??
Even the finest movie can have a certain glare. Its the content that eventually wins the audience over.
Dude..seriously..watch it in a cinema hall. I have my doubts that you’ve seen the movie in a cinema hall.
Are you an appointed film analyst here at PFC?
Oz: No problem bro,
any kind of disagreement will do. If true nature comes through by any means then its very helpful:)
Its just a film, then if people kill for religion then they are not to curse:x
This isnt fanaticism buddy. This is just us pointing out to you to the
finer things in life. If you dont understand..we are gonna go our way..
and u go urs. Nobody’s putting a gun on ur head and telling u to accept
what they are saying.
Learn Learn Learn..and the mind gets brighter.
RK promise me you will sit thru a 10 hour Black Friday with all
your suggestions incorporated….we will all @ PFC walk to the Gateway
of India with candles in our hands and protest we want everything…..
just everything…..we can have 3 tickets issued for the price of 1.
A Friday-Sat-Sun…3 hours each day show. That would be fun.
You could spot the t-shirt the girl in Calcutta was wearing but have not
mentioned the loneliness and frustrations of badshah khan so subtly
shown as he steals glances of girls/women in trams and boats to his lonely
dinners….I see those moments in film…..I like Black Friday for that.
Anyways GREAT effort with the article manseriously
[an "A" for that alone]…..some good observation liked the Sharad Pawar one…
vikksterr:
you are absoluetly right that even finest movie can have a certain glare. so whats wrong in discussing those glares? Perhaps you did not see the post on Sholay.
Appointed: No it just happened that Oz: had given a vaccancy here and I applied and he accepted. Itnee see kahani hai uski to:-?
vikksterr:
yes I am ready to learn and I also see written somewhere: knock knock knock and door shall be open to you:)
Vasan:
BK was so lusty in one scene(in tram?) that girl had to steal away her eyes.:d just kidding.
On serious note I also appreciated that these small things were making him realise that he was losing so many things in life. That jeans factor
was just for cars. When telephones, cars and furnitures can be brought to remind that era why not then clothes?
In every film, they write goofs. Why they cant be in this film? Just effort that this is made on some sensitive issue cant make it greatest film made
in India? or can it make? It has to be analysed for everything. Films are far badly criticized on PFC by several in the past also, but this has really
generated nice reactions. Never saw such quick, truely hot reactions.:o
What is it with the jeans!!!
Can somebody post a picture or something to enlighten us about it! Barrington is too far for me to drive and watch the movie again.:(( (Although I wish I could!)
rk you can get a course done at ftii or xic. i dont know if xic still have that course.btw i am a cinema fanatic and i am speaking from purely from that
view. it has nothing to do with anurag.and you have all the right to have a point of view but your post looked kiddish to me.i wonder how many times
you have seen the film to catch such glaring mistakes. i for one have seen it 5 times and as a film student i still study the screenplay & other
aspects of the film. btw AARTI BAJAJ IS FANTASTIC IN THE FILM. REMINDED ME OF THE GREAT RENU SALUJA.
rdc:
Post is kiddish indeed. Thats the main point. kidding:d
Even Sharad Powar did kidding. and later Chhota Rajan did kidding.
Thanks friend for the names of Institutes for film appreciation courses.
I surely am not cinema fanatic though I love it. Anything you can catch in first watching also and sometimes after several watching, things are missed.
We 5 people saw Dhoom 2 together, and two of us commented at same time that this is Hritik who has played the role of Queen, himself (Anuarg pulled legs of Hritik for his same eyes) and rest three could not get it even after the film and discussed in different way.
I have not seen the screen play of Black Friday or for that matter for any other film so that I may guess how ardent task it was to put everything written in words on screen. Its true with every film. I appreciate the efforts to make the film, and film has many great moments I mentioned in initial lines of the post but to say its all time great film, does not fall for me. I may be foolish who cant understand such films but I have to work with my understanding only. Borrowed knowledge does not help. and moreover this is not first film dissected on PFC. many films get far brutal treatment. Many actors are termed as non actor when they cross 50 years of their age. Its nothing before them. Just few flaws in the film, which I think, If Director and many others dont think there are no flaws in the film, its fine. Live and let live:)
Ok..after tearing this post apart, here are some things I agree with.
1. Asgar Mukkadam – The guy portraying this character is in one word – brilliant!
Fabulous piece of acting. Too bad nobody mentioned him in any reviews I’ve read so far. I would go as far as to say that After Pawan Malhotra and Aditya Srivastav, this guy stole the show for me. (I havent forgotten KK. Its just that this is not his flick. I adore the guy as an actor.)
2. Character intros could’ve been better. Gets a little confusing for viewers who have no clue about the characters of the flick. It just “jumps” for them. For example, Dawood Phanse’s character was introduced haphazzardly. The whole segment related to him went by way to fast for the simple fact that his intro just wasn’t right. If for any reason the movie looses out on any big awards, character intro’s would be it. The only glare in an otherwise flawless film.
Karthik :
your comment :
“It is not reality/fact. It is fiction. It gives u a nice tiring feeling. I mean at the end of the long chase sequence you yourself are tired and it feels you are part of the chase sequence itself.”
How do we know its fiction and not truth? film says its based on true events. BTW I dont know if Directors can have such hope that when chase scene is finished then we the audience feel we are tired. This logic I liked immensely.
You wrote:
what happened to that police man who was interrogating Gullu? Was he punished for his negligence? Who cares ??? most probably he must
RK, very good review. I could never do as I am partial,i feel. But some of the things are like nitpicking with microscope. N sometimes u r asking for bit more re…May be u felt to do so bcz of the hype surrounding the film.
KK,everyone has a point of view. And if RK is rite, it will help Anurag only. Not anyone else. I remember in many of his interviews, Ramu has said again n again that he never gets to know audience’s reaction or any other point of view reagrding his film bcz people surrouding him are either scared or in awe or they respect him too much or they have fear of losing thier job n they just dont want to tell him the truth for any other reason. And so he is made to feel that
every film of his is masterpiece n nothing else. Be it Shiva or something else. Lets not Anurag push into that trap.
Let RK and evryone else put every kind of viewpoint. M still waiting for Subhash K Jha…ha ha ha.
RK u have a point when other films are torn apart we have a LOL response….but why
this for Black Friday. Why? Here is what I think
Is this also turning out to be the case of excellent but flop movie? IndiaFm mentioned it opened to 20-30% and then redif came up with dull opening.
erm, ‘Black Friday’ is behind the scenes and not a ‘Bombay’ or ‘Mr & Mrs Iyer’, so it’s highly wrong to compare ‘Black Friday’ with those kind of movies. For that same particular reason the film was not sensitive or emotional in sense of ‘Bombay’ or ‘Mr & Mrs Iyer’ , but those kind of movies just make you depress and then you forget about it after a day or so. Where as ‘Black Friday’ makes you think and it tells you that you cannot stop this kind of… as long as there are ignorant (or religious bigots) people in our country, that’s what i thought when i saw the movie.
there is a lot of interest in the film cos people would like to know how those tragic events unfolded.
it is based on recorded events, isn’t it?
@ RK – Whoo whoo.
>-
And I thought my post was going to be long. Quite frankly, I shared some of
the thoughts that you did, but at some point those types of details cease to
matter to me if the movie is good, and when the message is more important
than the small details.
That said, I loved what you did here!!!
@ vikksterr – PFC is a community of people who love film, and even if you
disagree with what RK said in this post, please read his others. I am sure you
will understand why he is a PFC author.
@Vasan – LOL!!!! Your point #6 is BRILLIANT!!!
@Rk….Brilliant…Brilliant write-up….Love the way you have broken down the movie and parsed it…Such infinitesimal details is ahem..fantastic..but..wassup
with Jeans..i didnt notice it..what was it? hehe..
Another one which was hard for me to digest was the final meeting..the ISI and Tiger…where Tiger plans to bomb bombay by saying..no point in blowing
away the ministers..instead we shud target the financial capital of India..bombay and that would bring the hindus on to there knees…but, during that period Congress was in regime..and they were believed to be secular unlike BJP….and more importantly the whole motive of revenge against hindus was lost, but then tiger was a shady character ;) so who knows?…no idea if this is what conspired really…
guys.. about the jeans.. i think RK means that in ‘93 women
weren’t really seen wearing jeans to begin with..
just got back from watching it a second time.. and i did catch
the guy drinking the aquafina.. and also the dude wearing the real
madrid #23 beckham jersey which had the siemens mobile logo on
the front (caught that one the first time)
RK, you sure have an eye for detail boss ^:)^ i’m surprised you
haven’t caught anurag’s second cameo in the movie :-? have you
ever thought of entering the film industry as a continuity supervisor?
saare continuity assistants ki tho vaat lag jaayegi! 8-}
@ Stiker another lapse on continuity was during the chase scene..in one scene we see Ghavate with sweat on his shirt..next scene sweat gone and then next scene sweat back again…Aain Khain…bada sweaty lafda hain baap..lol!!!
Yeah yeah RK – u are right. There are flaws in the film. But the ones u pointed out (in majority) are minutest micorscopic details that have been ignored and that is bad…. after all every other ‘reality’ based film in india does not ignore such tiniest details does it ????
Mind u im not against criticism of Black friday (or my personal fav Omkara for that matter) but boss…. criticsim and nit-picking ….are seperate…. And nor am i putting anurag/black friday on a pedestal .. but ur review and foccusing on the unimportant points reminds me of khalid mohammed’s review of Kabul Express !!!
@ OM, “Another one which was hard for me to digest was the final meeting …..”
Tiger was desparate to take his own revenge as his office was burnt out.”Akha mahim jala dalega ….” Then Bombay was the perfect place for him and he tried hard and tactfully to pin down the discussion on Bombay.
That is the point i think BF is trying to show … Tiger, Dawood, ISI all were doing for their own sake … and their army men were doing for jihad.
“tumhe chutiya banaya hai Tiger ne … kyoon … kyoonki tum chutiya ho….” … Pointing toward the mass hysteresis.
@ AP yeah..thanks man..but what i couldnt underatnd was not in the film..but in reality.was that the motive in real life too…but yeah..thanks bro
@ OM … Its very difficult to say. But one thing is very real that tiger was very angry due to his personel loss …. and he took Mahim as tiger’s den … but again its very difficult to say the planning was his form of personel revenge rather than mass psyche.
@ AP ..this is my take on it…i feel that Tiger was already infuriated by the mass-killings..remember just before his shop is burnt…he talks to his wife and says “Inki maaki” and then hangs up..so that seed of anger was there somewhere and the burning of his private prpoerty was the last straw…that infuriated him no ends…but..there is no justifying his deeds…
KK, tune RK ko itna tang kiya ab woh bechara gayab hi ho gaya. RKKKKKKKKK kidhar hai tu yaar ?
@ OM .. ur take is very much conceivable and convincing.
vikksterr:
pls watch film few more times and read post same number of times and then you will be agreed with more points:)welcome to understanding point, from where journey of discussion can be started.
Phoenixnu: I am very much here. But aur bhee ghum hain jindagi mein black friday ke siva!
But rest assured I am not one who would run away from any kind of discussion.
Its very old understanding of Vedantas. “That its very easy to put first question in one direction but what about second question”. sorry, facts are facts :(
HG: Dil ane kee baat hai jab koi lag jaye pyara, dil par kiska jor hai, dil ke age har koi hara.
Krrish was not defended for search of logic. I said It brings good entertainment to kids and elders also. If Rakesh Roshan and Hritik Roshan will claim that KMG and Krrish are like ET meets Forest Gump, then surely I will have objections with that claim.
Do you expect anything from Rakesh Roshan than entertainment? He is not trying to create any genere in films. He is very much happy in songs and dance based films and usual format. He and his films are taken that way only. He will never be kept in the category of Bimay Roy, Gurudatt, Raj Kapur etc. But there have been directors who made entertainment based cinema and people enjoy those films though may not be knowing their names now.
Vasan: Not only “Black Friday” but most of the film ( where director has a passion to make it)needs a lot to put on stake, endless nights, burning of energy, money and then a suffering from creative fear what would be the response of audience. will they be able to understand it ort will they accept it. A lot is on stake.
But I ask you, who put his health on stake? Its Anurag and not his producers. Anurag is a writer of excellence and its painful when he misses things in his script. It was not mandatory for him to follow exactly the case as he did at so many places under the liberty of creative license then why he could not come out of the circle of book – Black Friday. As a film maker and brilliant script writer his area was to see the loop holes in the story of the film. It cant be left on a journalist’s so called research. But perhaps more disagreements or solidones in new post on BF.
rk-bhiayya, i have a question, you in past have defended logic-less
movie Krrish but here when there is logic in this movie you are looking for the reasons? I just do not get it :-?
nevertheless, a good discussion – a lot to look forward to when I really catch the movie (on the DVD).
oh and, about football t-shirt; what i do not get is why do Indian actors wear Football club or England Football team t-shirts(Why England?!!!) in films. And most of the time the t-shirts are fake or of crappy team/player – that irritates me more. They are not designed t-shirts!
HG: when its decided you are making a film on the subject and not a TV investigative serial then whole concept changes. Its not Indias most wanted or sansanee type Khulasa of matters. Film has to have different treatment. Who cares what happened behind the scenes but when you watch ” Hotel Rwanada” then you feel how director has created his scenes and they speak to you in lively form. This is the poinof disagreement. Because logic is lost in the “Black Friday” if you are talking about behind the facts. An audience has to ask, if you have Gullu in your custody then why to make endless searches. When you know its conspiracy of Tiger Memon then why to waste footage on dialogues with Badshah Khan, where this was done, who did this. It may look like nit picking but these scenes extract out a hell lot of energy from a director in real execution of scenes and if bogus scenes are cut then same energy is utilized in making a good film as a brilliant film. Anurag shows tremendous talent in taking work from his actors (other directors may fear now) then why end product is a messed one?
The mere idea that somebody made film on this subject does not appeal in long term. Its kind of bravery which naxalites show. momentary and then what? I have not read the book so cant say that journalist could record all the facts or not. But its better to say that book and film is bsaed on some facts, and not on entire facts.
OM:
it has less to do with Congress in centre. That was the time when BJP had succeeded to get more than 80 seats in parliament while they were just 2 in 1984 election. So a gradual increase. ISI word was almost “nothing significant” word in common Indian psyche till 1989.
Its not Tiger Memon or Dawood as indidividual. Its more about ISI’s direct involvent through these tools in Indian politics and society. If it was Tiger Memon’s revenge that he lost his personal property then there was no need to distribute truck loads of AK 56 in minority areas. Conspiracy was bigger than the 11 explosions. Explosions were just first step and planning was to provide Bombay a complete destruction. It was not possible that if riots are begun then only one section of society is killed, all sections of society has to suffer. So question was not this that muslims will be saved by these automatic weapons. What was Tiger as we see in film, a mere tool used by a big organisation. Did you hear that explosive expert who gives details about an Austrian company and its franchisee in Pakistan. He gives emphasis that without ISI’s involvement it was not possible.
So without understanding political angle, a good book or a film cant do full justice to the subject. If you watch recent explosions in trains in Mumbai, they were done to make target first class paseengers and who travels in those compartments in those areas? Gujarati, marwarhi businessmen and officers. So if you and make a film on these explosions and dont relate the political angle then it cant be said as based on complete research. Then its limited to a part of the event and does not cover many aspects of the event.
Striker: Dost jeans are used by girls since the time of Zeenat Aman, rekha, Neetu Singh.you have to look yourself secret nehind the jeans of girl. watch it 3-4 times more and may be you also see it.
Re: Anurag’s camaeo, I did not think it will be a point to notice, because lot many directors do this. Subhash Ghai always come in a scene so with that impression I could not mention it. But I suspect that after bomb explosions shots, there is a scene a guy goes in front of camera and pulls something, we see only his neck and head from behind and had thought he is Anurag. he wears violet round neck kurta or T shirt in thats scene. I dont know but I got that impression when I saw that scene.
t!: thanks for your comments and understanding and saving true spirit behind PFC.:)
OM: perhaps scene was finished when policemen were carrying him towards jeep and his escape again looked forced. Chase scene did not add any value to the film. If it was finished at that moment when policemen catch him when he is waiting for tea at railway station, then it looked more genuine. That AAA dialogue and slum scenes could have been used before his catch at Railway station. 4-5 policemen and atleast 2-3 are energetic and fresh and yet that seekiyan pehalwan, escapes from their hands. It was forced scene. recall only 2-3 policemen handled a strong and tall man in dairy.
Karthik:
you talk personally with Anurag and have spent a good time with him, watched his working style and yet you could not see the film with objective point of view. It looks a bit concerned thing for me. Sorry for being bit personal here.
Whats nit picking?
You mean Sardar? You are guessing his name is sardar and I guess he might be a mona sikh. Its not my fault. Director has canned that scene in such ambigous way. Why Javed Chikna and others are astonished when get to know he has gone out to smoke. and important point is, what that person named Sardar is doing in the film? Do we see him caught along with other acomplices? Or he is talked by Asghar in his Memmoirs which he reveals to Rakesh Maria?
If you think KK’s physique was more then perfect in the scenes where he wears normal shirt trouser then its fine. You dont expect more from TALENT like KK and Anurag, but I expect more as I know they are more capable.
Film’s treatment raised some questions before me and I wrote them here and if you have answer to appease those questions, please do that rather then to emphasise that these are nit picking. Every question can look nit picking if you cant see depth of the question.
You only could see neagtive points I raised in post and could not see positives I mentioned in post. Why you should not write a post what better things you see in Black Friday. Please do it in detail so that we know ok you saw the film in this way and could understand this way. Its noir film, its so brilliant attempt etc etc dont put any focus on the film. Rather it says nothing about the film. If you wish to counter some points and have better arguments then please bring them in discussion and above all when you fall in to discussion please do it till – either you are convinced or other is convinced by you.
AP: what Rakesh Maria says to Badsha Khan, somebody should say to Tiger Memon also, as he played in the hands of ISI. If Tiger used Badshah and co then ISI used Tiger.
Watever u say RK – perhaps im not objective enough….
I’m scared of trying to explain each and everything point u mentioned …as I know my arguements are shallow and I’m against any form of criticism to Anurag’s work ..since i love him so much !!! Since i have talked personally with anurag … im really really biased to him.
There should be only one film maker in bollywood – Anurag and everyone else should be banned !!!
“nitpicking” means to pick upon the minutest of all details, even microscopic and perhaps unnecessary/innaccurate, and analysing them.
About special appearance in Black Friday:
I also fall now in this trend to see who was there ?:)
Guys can anybody say, if it was Adesh Srivastava, the music director in the Hotel scene when this angry guy (who fights with Badsha Khan later in Jaipur) asks them to press the button of lift?
I recall he was there in Prahaar of Nana Patekar and perhaps he is just standing there with suitcase in his hand. any guess!
KK:
hope your loveria helps Anurag to give us a brilliant product:)
Without talking to him even once, I like his so many things and I dislike so many things he says.
About minutest details, Its not first time I am doing this. I do this almost with every film. I am just doing Anurag’s work. His approach is almost similar. But see pity you love him and you hate me if I do same:d
But no problem. You shd be happy with your understanding about life and I shd be satisfied with my understanding. because our lives are so different.
BTW, if only Anurag is allowed to make films then you have advantage as he cam make hardly 2-3 films a year and then you can watch them, by doing your job also without losing sleeping hrs.
Good luck for your wishes.
@ RK .. “what Rakesh Maria says to Badsha Khan, somebody should say to Tiger ……..”
Is it really necessary to show some1 is saying to tiger …. its pretty evident by the acting of “Pavan Malhotra”.
Thats why Pavan Malhotra stands out in the movie although his role is one-dimensional… he does with sublime articulate performance … u can see his character in either way .. like a puppet or like a anguish, soured and ego hurted person.
AP:
Its not related to film. I did not write it that in film someone shd be shown to say this to Tiger Memon. I was mentioing this abt real life.
Surely Pavan did fabulous job. a super class performance
Nitpicking by a critic is fine as long as the flaws that are exposed affect the flow, narrative or the viewing experience of a movie. And if you are indulging in nitpicking, you better be sure that your facts are right and your observations are accurate!
Dear RK, you are found wanting on both these counts!
Heard Of this Australian term called ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’?
Couldn
Suuuren Babu,
If I am (or anyone is) always right then why God has given you existence? You are there to correct us.
No I did not read this syndrom. Last time, syndrom, I had heard as the last word in AIDS, so this TPS is quite unknown to me. Sorry
I dont like name Roger, but if you send me his books I will read. Wren & Martin kuch sune se lag rahe hain. surely will take their services if I am writing about English cinema.
You are right, Charles Dickens did not deserve to suffer my attempts to sound intelligent and well- informed, he did not make films. :o
But dont you think everybody is intelligent, you are intelligent but bit strange too, you took great pains in writing long comment but did not take little pain to produce your ” well informed” right facts.
We used to discuss before that BF can be sent to OSCAR, because of its subject. A great expectation indeed. ;)
Thanks for your mind blowing informative comments ;)
Thnx RK. Har tarah ka viewpoint ho to maza aata hai. I knwo u r not the one who will run away. Par is Kartik ko kaun samjhaye aur kaun chup karaye…ha ha ha.
Now KK…dont give me that look.
RK,haven’t seen PFC..and maybe wouldn’t be seeing it until there’s a world-wide release before June
(ie. when I will pay my annual visit to India). But would really like to congratulate you in letting the
passion for cinema literally flow through the comments section. It’s the different views of a movie makes
this place so vibrant and that’s why PFC-ians around the globe flock here.
I guess this quote from Tarakovosky that I read at Jaiarjun Singh’s blog
today might be apt in this context of whether BF is a great movie or not.
“It is obvious that art cannot teach anyone anything, since in four thousand years humanity has learnt
nothing at all. We should long ago have become angels had we been capable of paying attention to
the experience of art, and allowing ourselves to be changed in accordance with the ideals it expresses.
Art only has the capacity, through shock and catharsis, to make the human soul receptive to good.
It’s ridiculous to imagine that people can be taught to be good…Art can only give food – a jolt –
the occasion – for psychical experience”
Reading most of the BF reviews I have a feeling (mind it’s only a feeling to be verified after
watching the movie) that it rises to be proclaimed as a work of art. Masterpiece or not ? Only time will tell.
Phoenix:
yes you right. vareity brings value addition and when its related to a discussion then vareity of thoughts are very important.
Bishu: Thanks for comments. Nice quotation.
Certainly Black Friday is important film. But its a past film now especially
for Anurag Kashyap as director. He knows better than anyoneelse about
this film and from different views about the film. Even without reviews or
articles about the film, he might be knowing what are the points he could
have taken care of in better way. But from vareity of thoughts, this is very
much possible that he can see beyond the circle also in which his vision about
the film is residing. Discussion never drags down any piece of art rather provides
longevity and give enhanced understanding to all, (creator as well as watcher).
If this was the case that this film was an official entry of India at Oscar even then
there would have many dissections of the film. This is not crime if a film has faults
and its certainly not crime to discuss about goods and bads in that film. It was
kind of first effort in hindi cinema so naturally few faults can be there. But
discussion is the part of journey after a piece of art is out in market.
A couple of comments on comments.
OM, it makes perfect sense to me that Tiger would not want to attack commercial rather than government interests.
Terrorism 101.
While terrorism by definition is violence toward a government with the intent to destabilize or bring down that government,
the most effective way to do so in a capitalist society is to go after the capitalist infrastructure that supports that government,
stock exchanges, World Trade Centers, etc.
In Tiger’s argument, multiple purposes are served, not only are the symbols of capitalism targeted, but the hindi population, as well.
And, they also went after Shiv Sena offices, but not congress…
RK, you mention the Badshah Khan portion of the film, and I have read similar sentiments elsewhere, and so now I will tell you why
I think it is brilliant.
It is brilliant because by focusing on this character, we can see how a normal person with little hatred and no violent tendencies
can be manipulated into acts of violence.
In his casecase it wasn’t revenge, but to feed his family after his business was destroyed.
He represents so many “terrorists” worldwide, those who join or become affiliated with terrorist groups due to economic circumstance.
Also, because through his journey, we see not only a metaphor for the trials and tribulations of the rest of the attackers after they
were abandoned, but the emotions of a human who has been betrayed, and who is beginning to see the badness of his acts.
He is still a killer. He still deserves what he got in the end.
But, how can we understand terrorism and violence without understanding the humans behind these acts.
To use one character to sum up so many stories and ideas, to use him to present various views without introducing multiple
characters to do the same is brilliant.
okay t! said what i was going to say about Khan. to put it simply he was the only victim (a different kind of victim) shown in the film – he was a bit of Satya and Vishnu(KK in Sarkar) – there the sensitive you were looking for…
RGV in Satya said something like I cried for people who were killed by Satya but I also cried for Satya. A similar kind of thought: I sympathize with the victims but I also sympatize with Badshah Khan – that thought represents Badshah Khan’s track.
:-?
RK sir, great eyes to notice the small things!
Appreciate the fact that u could figure out the things, which we did not:)
Even the big hollywood films with budgets 100 times more than BF have errors.
RK one request please promise me that u will not review my film if I am able to make one:) Kidding
t!
We see in the film that Tiger Memon puts up his plan to affect India’s economy by
targeting economically important organisations but in reality it could have been
different that ISI’s planners gave him these targets.
Shiv Sena is usually seen as anti muslim so its but natural to attack its office
than congress office because that may generate more active reactions. Afterall
plan was not limited to bomb explosions only. Unlike 9/11 WTC in USA, situation
was very different in Bombay in 1993. automatic weapons were distributed for
second phase of operation, when it was assumed that Hindus will retaliate and
then these weapons will be used under disguise of self defense.
True Badshah’s journey is important. Its easy for weak people to feel good when
come in the company of more powerful person than him. Badshah like characters
are there. Tiger is more powerful and rich and influential and cunning than him and
he might have felt safe in his company earlier. But its not only journey of Badshah
who is poor after he lost his means of earning in the past riots. Its story of Farookh
also who is very rich and daily visits five star hotel, owns few cars and belong to
a well to do family. Younger minds are often swayed away by cunning men in the
world because reasoning is weak and vision is very less.
Manjeet:
Moh andha hota hai. If a film wins that Moha in first viewing then its a successful film,
then it does not matter how many small flaws are there. Interruptions and inconsistencies
are responsible factors for halts and then eyes are forced to divide things in good and bad,
better and less better.
Do you think by the time you release your film, I will be alloweed to write reviews?:-?
@ RK – There are too many stories to be told in this movie, and you cannot take an event like this and effectively sum it up into its parts, only use those elements that are necessary to tell the story.
Which is why I liked using the Badshah character to do this. As I mentioned in my post, I would sit through this if it were six hours, just to see all the stories, but since it had to be less than three, then the Badshah storyline is peaches!
I really need to read the book!!! Hasn’t been delivered yet…
I did think the movie was well made, but overall I did not like it. Of course, it is admirable just for the guts it takes to make such a movie. But, my objections were not so much about continuity or the details – every movie has those issues, but you can’t say a movie is good or bad because of them, right? Ultimately it is the overall effect on an individual viewer.
Honestly speaking, I just did not get the purpose of the movie. Was it to tell people how bombs are made or to tell terrorists not to terrorise?
From speaking to various people, reading popular opinion and from reaction to my review on http://withoutgivingthemovieaway.com/reviews/2007/02/review-black-friday.html.
I gathered, that there is, in fact, not one clear message.
Some say, it is to show the futility of religion. I think it is too dangerous to show just one side (in this case the Muslim side). The Hindus were not told their attempt was futile. It could end up beating the very purpose, then, if it incites fury by showing only one side.
Another opinion is, it is just the way it happened, you understand what you want to understand. Again very dangerous because you are using a very powerful media to tackle a very controversial issue. In my opinion, you should not leave any ends loose.
Then there are people who say, it is to show the plight of a terrorist. Why should anyone be concerned with the plight of someone who is trying to destroy the peace they live in?
Its the whole picture that just does not seem right to me.
I put my weapon down when I realised this RK guy defended Krissh at one point of time. period. Not worth pursuing the arguement (this wasn’t a debate) anymore. Its like trying to teach quantum physics to a 10 yr old.
= Vikksterr, it’s RK’s point of view. if you disagree, it’s all good… please don’t try debate an issue with an aim to change the other person’s views… PFC is a vibrant place cause many multiple views co-exist.
just fyi… Anurag himself has much appreciated RK’s views (this very post in particular) and holds them in high regard.
@ Oz: Dude, I seriously have no issues with RK and his problems with the movie. I’ll tell you what really irked me off about this whole article. And this is a general problem with a lot of ppl. It goes like this, one person creates something beautiful and intelligent. Something that creates and attracts a lot of attention. This attention later turns into appreciation and wah-wahs. What happens later is some ppl come out of the dark and want to tear it apart. For what? “Isko log itna accha kyu bol rahe hai?? nahi nahi! aisa nahi ho sakta!” Seriously, what is the motive that drives ppl to do so, I dont understand.
I have no problems with RK. But look at the points he came up with. “Why is there a sardar in the gang? Why does he speak in hindi to the waiter? Why is she wearing a jeans?” – an extreme ly desperate attempt to malign a product. They look like mere excuses to rip the movie apart. A person’s view cannot be held in any regard whatsoever if they are not well researched and well thought off. If that is the case, why did ppl spend 4 yrs (3yr book + 1yr movie) trying to research on the subject and then make the movie? Aise hi banaana chaahiye tha na. Kya farak padhta hai?
Research man research! How can u just write anything about a topic u have no knowledge or details of?
Just checking..for some reason my posts arent appearing..
See I like Meeta’s POV. When she says she didnt like the movie, she’s clear about her issues with the flick. Her views actually make sense as to why she didnt like the movie as a spectator. She doesnt “make up” reasons to hate the flick. Her concerns are genuine.
On the other hand, RK comes up with things like “why is a sardar in the gang?, why is she wearing a jeans? Why are they speaking to the waiter in hindi?” Completely unorganized and and unresearched comment aimed at maligning the movie for simple lack of reasoning.
Look, I liked the movie. I think its one of the most amazing movies I’ve seen. I would rate it alongside movies like City of God. But I’m not saying its not flawed. of course it has its share of technical incoherence. Par koi baat nahi yaar. They aren’t important to the bigger picture. I dont think the pair of jeans the girl was wearing had anything to do with Badshah Khan getting caught eventually, right? :D
@ Vikksterr, dude check your firewall..your comments are being blocked as spam by Akismet spam deleter …
@ Vikksterr
“But I
//RK
@ Meera – One of the things I liked the most about this movie is that it has a very International feel about it.
It reminded me of so many small movies that I have seen where the telling of a story is the whole point.
I would love to hear what Anurag has to say about your comment that there is no purpose to the film, because I agree.
Except, that maybe the entire purpose was just to tell a story.
And, this is one of the reasons I adore this film. I liked the story.
@ Meera … I think BF has its very political stand . The last episode in which babri musjid demolition is shown in documentry style clears that there were lots of tiger memons, Dawoods and Badshah Khans envolved in that demolition …. no point in showing those characters …. remember the movie is still 2 and a half hour long … if these characters were shown we would miss out the details of the characters shown in the movie.
And yeah the depiction of last episode “what was past is prologue” is truely emphatic.
Thanks vikksterr, finally, I found one person who is willing to accept that there could be another opinion. But unfortunately, my agreement with you on this post stops just there.
As pointed out earlier, I base my decision on whether or not I liked a movie on the overall feel while leaving the theater. That doesn’t mean the lack of “continuity” does not bother me. That is why, I really admire how articulate OM and RK are. Shouldn’t the same amount of “attention to detail” be expected from a bad movie, a mediocre one and a really well-made one? Shouldn’t our standards for nitti-gritties be the same for the Karan Johars and the Mani Ratnams as they are for Anurag Kashyap (I am *not* comparing one to the other!
)
t!, this movie is different because it is not fiction and it touches a very sensitive issue. Then, if the aim is to tell the story, you have to tell the whole story. More pointedly, you cannot leave Babri Masjid in the prologue.
AP, I hope I didn’t come across as wanting more of Tiger Memon, Dawood or Badshah. One chase representative of the many chases the investigation must have involved. One Badshah was enough to show the state the blue-collar terrorists were left at.
I wanted more in the prologue, because it is not right to show the motivation of the Muslims and not show the political agenda behind Babri Masjid. In fact, if you leave it at “what was past is prologue” it gives the impression that what happened in the prologue doesn’t matter.
t! and AP, the name is Meeta
t! please post a comment, rather a full post after you read the book.
vikksterr:
Not quantum physics but I was hoping when that pakistani trainer started telling Badshah and co. that RDX is research developed exploxive, then he would tell all other sysnonyms of it. and perhaps will say about its pure state when its made and what kinda mixtures are used with it. But you see films are not made to teach physics and chemistry. They are made for us people who have 10 year old kid’s mind. So naturally we may enjoy watching Krrish.:)
Alas! you are still stuck at jeans, sardar and hindi speaking waiter. Trial was to show you moon and your eyes have limited vision to see only fingers. :((
Is not it very clear that even if you have problems with me , its immaterial. I dont know you, you dont know me, if we have problem with each other, kya fark parhta hai.:-?
@ Meeta .. did u really want to see the political agenda behind babri masjid distruction in this movie. But the movie is clear in that aspect that both events are same on each and every level. If th e movie goes into that agenda it would be of 4 hours long… and above all the impact coulnt be same … after all we movie viewers want an impact .. and i hope it does for most viewers.
sorry for misspell ur name and thanx for reminder.
Meeta Kabra:
It depends on audience if s/he wishes to search any meaning in the film. Like somebody can interpret Badshah’s looking at girls the way he sees the scene.
Or there are stealing of jwellery and Banana. If one wishes one may search any meaning in these scenes. Its a mind game.
Or interpretation of Badshah Khan – that he was doing his jehad and he did it because he and his community faced atrocities of different community in the past.
Or interpretation of Rakesh Maria when he says to Badshah – tum aur tumhare jaise kisi ke pass kuch bhee karne ko nahin hai dharm ke naam par aise hee befkoof bante rahoge.
Now if you take it as rhetoric its fine because its not true that only those who have no work, only they fall for these religious hatred. Often people who have everything they also do this. Its seen in every kind of riots.
Because not only Badshah who has lost his means of earning becomes terrorist but Farooqh is also involved in the explosions.
Then there is uncle of Badshah Khan who says,” koi bhee kyon mare, yeto buri baat hai na”.
Then there are clippings of past events like, demolition of disputed Ram Mandir/Babri masjid structure. If audience go with this version that Director wishes to say that because this structure was demolished and later minorities were targeted in riots then things can go back in to the history, because lot many will scream that what happened in past.
So many things are there. Its a collage shown through film. If director says that things are as they are then one has to go by that logic, if wishes to see the product in the same way with which Director has made it. Else there are so many interpretations. Its history and history is one such subject where no two persons can have same opinion. History is elephant before blind people and they have to touch the different parts of that elephant to know what it is.
wb: Scaring? on the contrary I am the one who is criticised to like the films. Have you forgot other older posts on Vivah etc? I hardly criticise (reject is very big word) a film as bogus film. Several aspects which pull attraction in negative manner can/should always be discussed.:)
RK,dont think otherwise,but just curious,what are your favorite films-all time? Its just I found your thought process interesting.