Eklavya - The Royal Bore
Now this is really surprising…
Rediff says ” Eklavya is a must-watch “…”Eklavya is undeniably impressive”.
Indiafm says ” must for every cinegoer! “.
… have just watched Eklavya and it was a real BORE.
Now I know you will hit me on this, so just wanted to express my views before the Eklavya mutual admiration society comes into force (suddenly everyone will start going ga ga about “what a brilliant film Eklavya is!”…(just to make the story short…here are the pointers to this disappointing movie):
- Saif is total mis-cast (watch the trailer of TARA RUM PUM during the interval and you will know what suits Saif)…he is just not made for such kind of roles (he just cant deliver, not his fault)
- Movie drags (it will surely put you to sleep…Thank God its only 12 reels).
- Amitabh is as usual…nothing great (I think more than him we need a break from Snr B).
- Vidya Balan must have used a liter of glycerin for her inconsequential role.
- They want to show it as a dark, brooding film (with all dark haveli’s,candles etc. all it does is to make the film more dull, depressing)
- It hardly has a story to write about (which makes me wonder what prompted the makers to make a film on such an ordinary story)
…if the audience reaction is anything to go by, the movie will not last much. I mean I could very well judge that it was a flop show with the single screen audience.
Must mention Jackie for his commendable act, Boman and Sanju acted well.
VERY ORDINARY MOVIE…SKIP EKLAVYA…MAJOR DISSAPPOINMENT.
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= Ueemaa…
so the journey for Vinod Chopra to make a great film still continues? It’s been 18 years since he gave us Parinda… haven’t enjoyed “any” of his products after that.
Shitij… I’ll still see it… all reviewers have been praising the movie and yours is the first negative view that I’ve read so far… darn…
Khalid Mohamed too thumbs it down…
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1929912,00110003.htm
i better see a rolls-royce worthy performance from big B else i’ll have to send VVC a letter asking him to give ME a rolls for sitting thru this one! gonna watch it regardless..
Not surprising. i had zero expectation from this movie..as they say..empty vessels make more noise…Have been getting feelers about it from india..Kartik said, a few frnds also said..”most avoidable”
Vidhu hasn’t really given anything after Parinda..though he gives a lot of hope..like in 1942 and Mission Kashmir( before hrithik became HRITHIK). I think..we shud stop expecting a ton lot from Vidhu as a director..its official
Thanks Oz for that link.
…now thats a surprise…so atleast I am not alone this time :d/.
Never been a fan of Vidhu Vinod Chopra cinema either:
Kareeb [-(
1942: A Love Story /:)
Mission Kashmir :-<
…Vidhu himself has never come out of that Parinda effect…in Eklavya also you will see Jimmy Shergill watching Parinda ,in an important scene.
Second major disappoinment after Salaam-E-Ishq this year.
VVC…
Saza-e-maut, Khamosh and Parinda. 3 home runs! So whose success was it?? Was it him, or his eclectic ensemble cast of Naseer, et al?
I havent seen the film but i have been getting reactions such as urs which are complete contrast to what the media is writing and i am not talking
of aam junta , i am talking of people who understand good cinema, the promos looked such a bore(other than some good looking shots) ..i can understand what the full length movie would look like.
About the reviews :
i am aware of instances when reviews have reached filmmakers and production houses(i m talking about the biggies in the business)
for consideration before being published in any form . elsewhere here roshini sen gupta’s post raised such a point..i m sure
this serves as the best example of how media
manipulates things around.
Read Snr. B was very embarrassed by the Rolls Royce episode…he was annoyed with Vidhu as the latter called the press without B’s knowledge while handling him the keys of the car.
WB, Point to be noted.
So is this the end of Vidhu Vinod Chopra - the director?
Sazaye Maut his first, was more like a school homework, yet it caught our attention. Khamosh was gripping and then Parinda was absolutely awesome in my view. But then 17 - 18 years have passed since Parinda and he has done some 3 - 4 movies, none of them in the class of Parinda. Infact his last two should be labelled as B grade movies…
and now Eklavya seems to be going that way. Perhaps he should forget directing a movie and simply manage his production house which houses some extremely good directors.
publicity ke liye kuch bhi karega :d
Hi Rockstar,
I see as much world cinema as possible and believe me there isnt much difference between the sensibilities of Aam Juntaa and so called knowledgeable class in India ( I mean I could accept this fact for WEST but not for our land)…all those so called knowledgeable class are the most hypocritic people u will ever come across (not true to even themselves leave aside cinema).
A good cinema is good cinema…I mean Vidhu wasnt trying to make something like :
“Little Miss Sunshine” or “Half Nelson”
what he was making was something very ordinary (with all the elements of Indian cinema put into it)…if that is so he needs to pep it up and make for the money people put to watch his crap.
A WHISTLE IN THE CINEMA HALL IS STILL MY BAROMETER AND WILL ALWAYS REMAIN.
//Oz - I am with you on this. Someone who could visualize and write stuff like Parineeta and Munnabhai should be able to direct it as well, is what we would think. But apparently not - for me, Kareeb proved that VVC is not VVC anymore. And based on what I’ve seen so far (off trailors and photoshoots), for Eklavya, the guru (vvc) seems to be emulating sishya’s (bhansali) style
rich sets, zing bang costumes, period look, etc. :((
hey shitij ,
i completely agree …i just made that point about the aam junta so that people should not think i am only talking from a masses pov .
masses and the citi mar junta is the real barometer any day . i was just saying so to avoid the confusion that ppl might think ‘ it is a classes or multiplex film’
just because u made a point about aam junta and single screen theater .
well the reactions i got was from the other audiences’ the multiplex ‘ and from people i trust in their judgement. and those reactions are just as bad.
I spent an evening with Vinod Chopra here in LA in December 2005. He was here doing some visual effects for Eklavya. I remember he had shown me an 8 minute demo reel he had cut together for Eklavkya. Damn thing just blew me away. The opulence and sheer scale of what I was looking at. I remember him telling me he was getting it ready for Cannes in-competition (they all do), but this film looked like it may have a shot. He also mentioned that Sony Pictures was interested in a US theatrical release.
About 4-5 months later, I found out Cannes had rejected the film, Sony Pictures backed out, and some insiders mentioned the film didn’t quite live up to the hype. So I must say I was a little suprised reading the glowing reviews from the Indian press. As AK once said, “Black is a great film for those who have not seen better
you are saying exactly the opposite of what i felt. amitabh was surprising fitting this role. saif was good, vidya - you are right she’s only good looking. raima- you don;t expect much from. boman was good. jackie- nothing great. those loud whispers, the black kajal etc. jimmy- had little scope. sanjay dutt- plays to the gallery, his image more than his acting invite seetis from the front benches- it’s sanju baba for them.
the first half was engaging. the second was a let down. predictable.
BUT DEFINITELY NOT A BAD FILM
script is too tight. it looks like he edited the script after reading syd field.
except for amitabh other characters are not developed.
overall an INTERESTING film.
Hey Vijay,
VVC was interested in making a movie with Dustin Hoffman…64 Squaresnor something…is that put on back burner or what.
And I heard Ralph Fiennes really liked Eklavya when he saw it (I dont know what he found)…Is he really working on Munabhai 3 (I mean Ralph Fiennes is real big man…how come VVC got with him???)
VVC has been buried under his own weight, anyone remember seeing him in “Bollywood Bosses” telecast on BBC (will be repeated on History Channel next week), where he says something like ‘I’m sitting here and u r shooting my side profile in top-angle b’coz I’ve made here it on my own terms”. I wonder what makes so haughty.:d
On reading Khalid bhai’s review I feel it deserved only 1 1/2 or 2 stars.
in the promotional making of videos of eklavya
where he interviews saif , correct if i am wrong he says something like ‘yeara later when we will be old we will watch eklavya on dvd and go gaga over it ‘ or something to that effect …
…delusions!
Hi Ogden,
I appreciate your opinion and yes charecters are as usual half baked (nothing new).
Ya Rockstar,
He said to Saif “years later when we will be old we will watch eklavya on dvd, we will say to ourselves we made a damn good film”.8-}
I missed that :((
I agree with you guys, VVC isn’t what he used to be.
Its unfortunate that a lot of directors, once the “acclaim” gets to their head, they seem to be in this mode to top themselves. Rather than focussing on the content and trying to make a “good” film, they focus on trying to be bigger and better than themselves and therefore focus on making a “great” film. And this is where the opulent sets (compare K3G to KKHH or Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam to Khamoshi, and then Devdas to Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam). In their aspirations to attain greatness for themselves, they lose focus of what makes a good film.
This is what crossed my mind when I first saw the promos for “Yagna”, and the promotional making of for “Eklavya”. VVC is self-absorbed (he admits to not watching any cinema but his own).
This is why I look forward to films by makers who are just trying to deliver good, entertaining films to their audiences rather than achieve critical acclaim. This is also why I think guys like Aditya Chopra, VVC, Subhash Ghai and all (who have tasted immense box office success as well as critical acclaim) have opted to produce films rather then direct, because there would be less pressure on them to deliver, and they can work with concepts that aren’t as “big” or “great” as one would expect from them. This could explain why Rajkumar Hirani is able to make such great films with the Munnabhai series while VVC feels the need to make something royal and opulent like Eklavya.
Just my opinion, what you guys think?
PS - When does Khalid Mohammad like a movie? The guy degrades everything, and yet couldn’t come up with anything decent himself (ok, Fiza was alright, but not exactly impressive by any standards).
only VVC was enjoying those interviews which were bombarded on us by help me god news channels
:-?. he surely has raised the bar as far as term delusion is concerned. if you go anyway near Imax wadala you will find it buried under a cover of pink cloth. it is a white kafan blood soaked with moviegorers blood. if you can see the sign stay away.
Hi Tony,
I will tell you whats the problem:
These have 4-5 great scenes in their minds and they spin an entire movie over it.
As in case of Eklavya, VVC had 2-3 good scenes (almost all of them u see in the promos) and he made an entire film related to those scenes.
Now what they forget is that a movie as a whole should work and brilliance of 2-3 scenes is not enough to make a good movie.
Sanjay Gupta is another one who does this thing.
Just came back from watching it. Have to agree here, it’s nothing great. Came out of the theatre thinking…”And this took him 5 years to write”…http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/feb/15slide1.htm
The story is just not gripping…there are many instances where one hears the dialogues and thinks..oh god…was that necessary..one instance being the sanjay dutt and boman irani’s first meeting…
Also, it looks like the story as a whole would have been something good to read…but while making it into a movie…there have been parts which have been left out, thus making it a kind of disjointed effort…
like the part where eklavya is sent off…to saif writing a letter…(to do what? post it to Amitabh?) to rajjo coming running…and asking gaon waale keh rahe hai ki eklavya ko apne nikal diya…(the news spread pretty fast…what was eklavya doing…ranting about it while leaving the palace?)…to eklavya going and killing Jimmy Shergill…I was so expecting the killing scene to be good….but it started off well..and ended in a whimper…especially after watching the trailer of 13 Tzameti in the other post…this wasnt chilling in any way…
Amitabh is good….but this isnt anything that he has not done before…the rest of the characters are not well defined….at all…you do not get to understand the motivations completely as to why do the characters behave the way they do…
Yaar shitij ur right man, a lot of Indian filmmakers will start with a few scenes and weave a story around them. In theory its not all that bad, afterall every film has to have a starting point… its just that the development is either rushed or faulty…
As for Sanjay Gupta, most of his films are all almost scene to scene copies of foreign films (Hollywood, Chinese… Zinda was a straight lift of “Old Boy”… Google both trailors and watch them back to back.. everything from the way the scenes are shot, to the look of the characters is bloody identical!!)
But thats a whole other rant…
You know why I want to see Eklavya in theatres though? The trailors. Can’t wait to see “Munnabhai Chale Amerika” and this new film “Talisman”…
can anyone comment on these trailors?
I am sorry to say but most of you here are just like the others who take pride in bringing down the film. you make it sound like Eklavya is a misfire.well it is not. it is certainly not a great flm but a kind of film i will be proud of some twentyh years down the lane.guys we should constructuve crticism and not just blabber blabber and make this site just like any other site.
Shitij, VVC has been trying to make Move 5/64 Squares forever now. He announced it right after Mission Kashmir released. Every now and then he throws a little story to the media to stay in the news, that he met Hoffman, and Hoffman loved the script and so on. There has not been any formal announcement of a studio or production company backing for the film.
As for Munnabhai 3, it will be called Munnabhai Chale America or something like that. The promos are already out but they have not started shooting yet. I think they are still working on the script.
He also shot a promo for his next film called Talisman that I hear is airing with Eklavya. Let’s see if he ends up making that one.
Hi Rony,
That is not correct man, and I have just given an informal review of the film (I could have written a lengthy review about my deslikes - but that is not my intention)
I have just given an outlook and it is just for my friends at PFC to decide for themselves whether the film is worth it or not.
I think the dicussion above was more about VVC’s previous ventures than about Eklavya…which is nothing but exchange of views/ideas.
@ Vijay,
Yes man I have searched VVC at imdb and there is no cast confirmed for 64 squares.
Fact : getting Hoffman would be no mean joke, specially with VVC’s resume. (I guess that is what has been happening all these years)
Is VVC directing Talisman or someone from his company???
Shitij … i agree the film is a complete bore .. slept thru this one.. although technically too good… very much ala Sanjay gupta
rony
we are not running down a good film ..
and every one has an opinion ..to each his own …
the reactions here are like first reactions ..they are not just reviews..and these are as important
no one raises a brow when people here run down karan johar’s films or dhoom 2 etc…
and we dont run down every film , salam eishq and this one …because if u r dished out trash in the name of
good cinema u will be hugely disappointed , i would much prefer moves which admit not being great cinema to start with and may dish out mindless entertainment.
can someone here tell me more about the marathi film that khaled mohammed mentions in his review of eklavya…amol palekar’s ‘anahat’…
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1929912,00110003.htm
rockstar - i respect each and every opnion out here because they are point of views and they are important.all i am trying to ask is that, are we killing eklavya because of what we expected from the film because i saw honesty towards the craft in that film. name one producer in hindi cinema who would make a 2 hr film with amitabh bachchan in it.lets give the man vidhu vinod chopra some respect. remember that he is instrumental in giving us munnabhai,parineeta,lage raho munnabhai. films which i consider an important part towards the change of cinema.
Shitij, i am sorry if i have hurt you.never meant to. i am a film student,an aspiring filmamker, a viewer & a film buff. i find the lines blurring when i watch a film. my reaction here was purely as a film student.the reactions i am readin here are a viewer’s reaction & i have no issues with them.
Eklavya may not be a great film, but atleast VVC tried compared to KJo or SLB…
take a look at this wondefull interview at CNN-IBN
http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/33811/02_2007/being_vidhuv_chopra1/cj-students-burn-the-midnight-oil.html
Dear Rony and Indianoguy,
I agree with u guys, we have to give to VVC for his attempt (actually I never thought on those lines)…yes atleast he has come up with something orignal and we should atleast applaud him for that.
As compared to KJO and all those jumping onto remaking bandwagon…Eklavya is a daring attempt.
Thanks for that point guys.
http://brangan.easyjournal.com/entry.aspx?eid=3307343
read this review.
Hi VC,
You are absolutely correct.
Khats,haveli’s,Gaon vale,hukum etc etc 8-}8-}8-}
shitij great to hear that.lets find the positives in a film first and then we can pick on the negatives because no film is perfect.I saw the interview yesterday and i thought that if vvc is half the man of what he said then i would like to work with him.
Dear Rony,
Sure no doubt the man is creative (infact he is one of the most creative person in India…I mean the guy is the man behind Parineeta,Munna Bhai-1,2…so hell for sure he must be a visionary)…let me be frank with u…it is easier to write all the stuff (that how bad the movie is etc etc) than to actually go and make a movie.
My points will always go to the guy who shuts the fuck up and does his work (and proves his critics wrong).
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER SAID THAN DONE.
Refer to the link below:
http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/feb/19box.htm
so Eklavya does make a poor start.
These fuckers at rediff are saying BLACK FRIDAY is a flop…now this is the thing that irks me most, if u come out with a niche product suddenly the whole media wants to bring it down.
…Black Friday is a kind of film that will grow with word and mouth (this kind of cinema starts low but picks up after 4th or 5th day)…and finally achieves a cult status.
Someone should tell these assholes not to jump onto conclusions and give it time to grow…I mean these guys should be the ones to ask their visitors to go and watch the film…this is what rediff movies has been made for.
Black Friday is a kind of cinema which is at par with any cinema of the world and we shud be proud that it has come out of India.
the guy who wrote Eklavya is a bore is probably the type of guy who likes typical bollywood naach gana fare. Eklavya is not for the masses it’s for the classes. The film oozes class, originality,guile & substance. The film delivers a superbly crafted drama that’s absolutely engrossing.Probably amitabh’s best performance to date understated yet totally convincing. Superb cinematography & fantastically deep moody score which superbly compliments the mood of the movie. Well done VVC go get an oscar it derserves one, the guy who wrote Eklavya is a bore go watch some tacky bollywood movie like Kabie Kushi Bubble Gum.
= vajant, Eklavya for the Oscars… you got to be kidding me!!! @-)
Oz,
I agree with Vajant. If (based on current evidence) India is to nominate a movie for the Oscars this year, that movie should be Eklavya.
The movie is technically closer to being on par with international standards. The story is well told. Its length is acceptable to Western audiences.
The exotica defined by the setting, the attire and the manner of the people will keep ‘foreign’ people invested in the story.
Remember, when an ‘indie’ movie makes the Oscar cut, it is a crowd pleaser like Little Miss Sunshine (I hated the film but that’s my reaction to the whole Napolean Dynamite-ization of a certain branch of American cinema).
You probably favour Black Friday as India’s entry to the Oscars but lets face it, that is an Indian story dealing with Indian troubles that barely even registered on the world’s radar. Oscar will honour Rwanda or Somalia-based cinema but only when it’s made by Hollywood-approved directors. Or when a movie is as compelling as No Man’s Land.
Not to mention that the filmmaking in BF is really shoddy in places.
You may not like it, I may not like it, but these are concerns worth taking into account.
If India has to ever win an Oscar in an important category, the first dam that bursts will have to be assisted by nominating the film least likely to offend western sensibilities.
I believe Eklavya could well be that film.
Eklavya and Oscar? :o:o:o
Maybe a Razzie would be more appropriate.
I just saw it last week MONTHS after its release. The story is something that could have been told in a 20-30 min short film, and was just stretched to an hour and 40 mins. So hollow and predictable.
For the people who watch karan johar stuffs or a Sunny deol film this film will definitely bore.
I found this movie very interesting. This is really of the standards of a hollywood studio product. Before writing bad about eklavya, you should have a minimum knowledge about what wxactly film making is about?
i pretty much have to say that eklavya was very much like a shakespearen drama .. n completely disagree that saif was a miscast i think saif did a commendable job .. watch him in that sceme in the end .. he was brilliant .. ter wer many excellent scenes in the moovie lik the one wer sanjay dutt asks amitabh bachchan if he still has it in him n amitabh doies it blind folded .. n the scene wit the camels was brilliant .. the first scene wer sharmila tagore dies…
the only thin tat dissapointed me was amitabhs performance .. i expected much much more outa him! it is a commendable effort on the part of vidhu vinod chopra .. but i wufd lik to ask him .. wad took him 5 years …TIS??! definately not not worth it !!!!!