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TZP: Curious incident of a Lecture on Dyslexia during Movietime!
Author’s note:This is the original version of the precis-ed Ronin submission.
If it does get selected you will see how one ‘edits’ and if it does not then, well, you know why!!
And since I will be traveling in a few days time and won’t be back till Feb I want to avoid the ‘deadline danda’ of one-post-per-month by posting now.
Happy New Year All!!
“The function of education is to help you from childhood not to imitate anybody, but be yourself all the time.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti
Alas! We will never learn.
A repeat of the SWADES [Ashutosh Gowariker, 2004] scenario.
We ooh and aah when we are preached to.
Education must be better than Entertainment, No?
Developmental Reading Disorder aka Dyslexia is better than AIDS, not as heart wrenching not at all fatal and better still curable.
This new dis-ease of choice, is a fad to be afflicted with. A very easy disorder to empathize with and extremely filmable.
But one only wishes that the remedial process was given more screen time than just one song.
That would have been the film’s one redeeming quality.
The Ability Foundation in Chennai organizes a film festival every year
on “Differently Abled” people.
The submissions which are usually of a minute or less have much more punch and zing than this Pheeka Phare called Taare Zameen Par.
It is incredulous; we manage to make a movie about an unheard of disorder
[please its NOT a disease] which is not really a handicap to regular living and Lo! the whole nation sits up to applaud a mediocre film and even worse performances
[just think of the school teachers – ALL of them and Yohaan, Aiyyo!!].
Our bar of excellence is set so low that any high jumper from primary school can break its record. They will tell you it is a ‘brilliant’ film. You will watch it and come out moisty eyed and call it “rocking’. Between these two adjectives we are convinced that we have ‘arrived’.
Oh Come On! Don’t be such a spoil sport, subtitles loving gaddar, how can you NOT like this film?
It is the BEST film of 2007.
You claimed to like JWM, OSO etc HYPOCRITE!
…..Essential difference……..JWM, OSO were not sitting on a pedestal preaching, they did not take themselves too seriously, they were honest in being commercially driven and banking on Star Power. They were loud, garish, funny, well written, plot-driven. No experimentation here, no courageous breaking of the mould.
Plain Bollywood Integrity. Easy to digest.
Fully Fried versus Half Baked.
Other critics have compared TZP to Iranian Cinema, people are whispering about its Poetry, its Realistic treatment, and can’t stop raving about the praiseworthy boy, Darsheel Safary.
Uuyi Ma, he is a find.
Isn’t every child special? Any Other child would also be a Suitable Boy.
Does one have to search among 6000 kids for him?
From Valetin [ Alejandro Agresti,2002 ] to The Way Home [ Lee Jeong-hyang,2002 ] to Nobody Knows [ Hirokazu Kore-eda,2004 ] world over we have cinema which has celebrated the tug-and-pull of childhood with or without dyslexia, sometimes worse has happened as in Turtles Can Fly [ Bahman Ghobadi, 2005,a much more imaginative name don’t you think? ]
But these kids have managed fine, Thank You.
Without scheming music. Without stilted dialogues between children
[ Ishaan and Rajan talking to each other is embarrassing to watch].
Without the ingratiating and manipulative presence of adults who tell them that they are born to excel like Vinci or Van Gogh. What we don’t seem to realize in India is that childhood is NOT a disorder like dyslexia; it is a state of grace, of being in the time of innocence, an essential ingredient for Life.
We are bent upon forcing our adult-erous views on their nubile minds and molesting the children beyond repair, we have to have a Teacher who will forever guide and tell them that they are adults like Einstein in the garb of school kids. Poor Tagore and Jiddu tried their best at un-educating our psyche but to no avail. To replace the three Cs of modern education Compare, Compete and Contest with Co-operation and Contentment has been a lost cause.
The story is nothing exceptional, a boy who is dyslexic is misunderstood till his talent for painting is discovered and awarded by Nikhumb Sir [Aamir Khan].
An obviously loving mother who is quite educated has obviously never take him to the Doctor or a Counselor, who could have diagnosed this in a jiffy but of course we have to wait for the Hero to arrive to do the needful.
Our Hero has suddenly been awakened himself. He has discovered Google. And hence Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and Solomon Islands. He has suffered similar repression, a do-gooder who has the time to traverse across Maharashtra to meet with parents, only to lecture them about their negligence.They take it in! Sullen faces with heads bent in guilt!! He has even found a place to insert poor Wilde, talk of the importance of being earnest!!!
Nikhumb’s character in the film reeks of a juvenile attempt at being worldly wise.
A ‘Jabeen’ is thrown in for providing the politically correct religion and sex, as companion.
Precision is NOT where Dreams hangout, but here we have precisely that, a well boxed and packaged drama which in itself is a better product than most given its simple albeit smooth direction but offering No nuance, No depth, No texture. A straight forward film which does the questioning, thinking and solution providing for us: the Dumb audience.
A little lollipoppy in the beginning and then it turns flat and brittle like Paapad,
Thoda namak, Thoda masala. No you cannot savour it.
Shut it.Watch it. Forget about it.
So instead of Raag Darbari that we were expecting, there is a concentrated effort towards a Ragamaalika by Shankar Ehsaan Loy.
Kalyani, Mohan, Shahana, et al Just as the apartment complex where our young man lives in fear and imagination is aptly named, a mish mash of pranks and a solitary sojourn into the city and Poof! the Shruti is lost. We descend into melodrama with Ma but breathe easy with an occasional Rock number - Bheja Kum .
The thrust of the film is seemingly against Discipline, Obedience and Hard Work [ Jame Raho ] but rarely do we get a glimpse of an alternative world.
That world of Chaos which begets genius or any normal child.
The only place one can find the imaginative sacred place of childhood is in the Lyrics by Prasoon Joshi
“Titli say milnay jaatay hain, Paydon say baatain kartay hain”
When ? Where?
Show us. Please!
Except for some spidery dancing letters, a space trip plus a heartfelt exposition of a Hindi Kavita,
we are left alone with the Pastor on the Pulpit. Felt like Sunday Mass.
Yawn, Yawn,Yawn.
Hey -A-dults Leave them Kids -A-lone!
Ah! Now for the rating : 5*5=2.5
Glossary
————–
Bollywood : Hi-Fi [ Hindi Film Industry ]
Pheeka Phare: Mild fare as in TZP
Gaddar: Traitor as in subtitled movie loving author who despises non-subtitled films.
Uuyi Ma : My Effing Mother
Aiyyo: Untranslatable south Indian expression which could mean ‘omg’ or even ‘fish’
Sarva Shikhsa Abhiyaan: Education For All [ Government Programme which will fail ]
Thoda namak, Thoda masala: Little salt, Little spice
“ Titli say milnay….”: We go to meet Butterflies and Talk to the Trees…[most kids]
Kavita : Poem [ Real Person with Strange Ideas ]
A1: Aamir [ Star person – the actual Taara ]
A2: Amole [ Special person – the priceless Taara ]
155 Responses to “TZP: Curious incident of a Lecture on Dyslexia during Movietime!”
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I havent read an article as unfair as this one.. the author is literally frustrated.. for god knows what…
i agree with just one thing… tht the movie is not a masterpiece… but its definitely not as bad as its protrayed here….
if its not selscted in PFC-Ronin… i hope you realise why !!!
Please learn to appreciate that 5% (a year) of good cinema. Even if doesn’t satisfy everything you are looking for. We all know we don’t get much good movies but be happy with what little we get, and be fair to spread good words about them - that itself will be your contribution towards pushing those 5% number to go up.
If you submitted this for PFCRonin, bound to be rejected because it is having almost double words then rule says (650 words), I don’t know how much you can edit, and what it will become after editing. You are lucky enough to be a PFC author, enjoy that :)
First all of us gushed and gushed over TZP and now we can’t seem to stop thrashing it. What’s with this trend? Whatever happened to objectivity…
KAVITA akka (u dont mind me callin u so na )a sudden urge to show respect ;)… hope u had a g8 b day !!
now abt the post!!
the story is nothing exceptional a roman general gets betrayed and his family is killed, he comes back for revenge as a Gladiator and wins the hearts of the people (Uuuyi maa) to fight against the corrupt prince (hamming at its best “with tongue out of the mouth expressions” ) !!! and FINALLY everyone get killed .. and there is this black guy who says “not yet not yet ” … and ppl call it gr8 cinema .. u know what it even won the academy awards!! ;) :d
after readin reviews here … i have started to realize tat i can never be a reviewer of movies !!! i am better on the other side of the fence cause i dont see a movie the way you do !!!
B T W Gladiator gave me the longest hangover !!!
u shud thank the dumb audience 4 accepting this film…now we can expect better films in future…not the typical bollywood masala films…
a review shud have both adv n disadv but u seem to be on the later part only…best luck…b positive towards things…
“Our Hero has suddenly been awakened himself. He has discovered Google. And hence Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and Solomon Islands.”
noiw lets talk about you kavita…. did u google ‘Jiddu Krishnamurti’ or just happened to know the quote…
no chancfe of being selected in Ronin as you are way above word limit… but even if u were with in the limit, there is no chance of being selected…. not bcoz u r against the movie…. but bcoz the review just shows your lack of knowledge of movies and also bad taste….
all the best !!
Hi Kavi,
Frankly I found it very bad and total time waste article. Another gastric problem shown. I guess
PFC is being exploited by some losers(or in the making) who use it as a platform to vent out their frustrations showing extreme knowledge of cinema.:d
Have a great day Kavi!..Disappointed
Bunkum on toast, this.
Oversimplification can reduce any story in this world to just a couple of ordinary lines, so what’s new here hotshot? And oh, look here everybody, she digs on precious Chinese, Japanese, Somalian cinema but frankly my dear, who gives a toss?
This, an author on a blogsite?
Do one thing. Don’t be back till December.
Hi Kavita - your review may seem harsh to some, but their review of you and your review seems harsher! I agree with a lot of what you say - for me the film was bland and preachy. I too had issues with why a mother who claimed to have left her job to look after the children’s education was not taking a more active interest in her lagging child. There were some brilliant moments that reminded me of my childhood. But overall the film was only middling good. Between 5.5 and 6 for me.
please….not again….was ur problem?????
I think she would have liked the movie if Rajnikant whould have starred as the dyslexis boy ;)
Well…some people think that standing against the wave makes them more intelligent or intellectual…
and about the movie…….i liked it..many parents did like the movie..I would not like not get into the details…bcoz there r already so many reviews…you missed the underlying message and article is of really bad taste..
Spot on Kavita. It was a bad film. With some bad acting by Aamir and the teachers. Only one person, apart from you, got it right: a gentleman named Kartik Krishnan. Do not be discouraged by people’s reaction here. Anything that brings tears must be good, that is the bar for Indian audiences. So they will be angry if you take a contrarian view. Would have loved to see you in the contest. Nevermind. Keep writing.
Although there is some intense disaggreement, I liked this review as it sums up the movie quite well.
TZP is an average film, but to rate it as one of the best of 2007 is going too far. In fact it might not make it in the top ten of 2007.
>>>>we are left alone with the Pastor on the Pulpit. Felt like Sunday Mass
>>>>we are left alone with the Pastor on the Pulpit. Felt like Sunday Mass
can go upto this far only
quote -
TZP is nothing compared to Ugandian Tole Mole Gole (1985) or Nigerian Dan San Wadi(2001). I think bollywood shud make movies like Swahili Dens Per Kwali (1997).
Wot say kavita!
at loss
haven’t seen TZP yet.
you say
- TZP is mediocre
so what
so what
so what
if it makes people cry, it is what i go for
you see nothing is more freshening than few teares shaded, and not only eye soul too.
i gaurantee this much that those who came out of cinema crying. got maximum out of the ticket value.
and that’s what matter.
about poor score on cinematic grammer -
one true incident -
Tagore was translating ‘gitanjli’ in english. he showed the manuscript to the congress leader of that time c s andrwes to check that translation is right. c s andrwes was a politican, nothing to do with poetry. he suggested tagore to replace the four words. these four words in tagore’s translation was grammatically incorrect. tagore replaced the four words.
tagore was in england and reciting gitanjali to yeats and few other friends. after the recitation yeats said that everything is ok. but there is blockege in the flow of the poem in four places. those were exactly the places where c s andrews has put the grammatically right words.
tagore told this to yeats. yeats said to tagore you put the words you used, let the grammar go to hell.
Whenever a contrarian view is projected its almost always met with vehemence. Apparently two different people cannot have two different opinions on the same view. Kavita, please ignore the harsh views and continue writing your thoughts as always.
Btw when i heard the Solomon Islands bit even my mind went - “boy, this dude sure does google a lot” :d
to break the rule of the grammar
one has to be a Rabindranath Tagore
there could be three standers
1. beyond the grammar
2. at the grammar
3. below the grammar
Tagore is beyond the grammar
TZP is beyond the grammar
:o
let me try to reply to you in your andaaz, that is, sometimes you gotta appreciate daal-chaawal. nahi? that is what the film tried to say as well, magar, i don’t mean crocodile, but….
:-)
Hey -A-dolts Leave them Kids -A-lone!
If kids still function the way they used to, I am sure that by now they have created their share of elaborate jokes about the movie.
:)
in the whole history of western cinema ( bergamn,fellini — aur sare jitne bhi top hain) there is not a single movie, which goes beyond grammer.
prose cannot go beyond grammar, only poetry can dare
:-?
i remember two movies now ‘the last temptation of Christ’ by martin scorsese, and ‘zorba the greek’ starring anthony quinn. incidently both these movies are based upon the novels by Nikos Kazantzakis.
:x
chand ko dekh ke jugnu bola
meri tarah tum ud nahien sakte
>:d<
KKD rules
http://www.koreanfilm.org
:)>-
K…K….K….Kavita… w..w…w…what the fkuck……
“titli se milne jaate hain, ye paidon se batiyate hain” is the line…:((:(:-?
this review is a classic example of a complete loss of objectivity…it is actually quite similar to Aamir’s criticism of Black….the review itself is quite manipulative….don’t like the premise and therefore superimpose my views on the film without caring a fig over whether the views have anything to do with a correct analysis of the film…..a good grasp over the language and a good writing style doesn’t make a great cinema review….sigh :(
Bahi aur Bahen logon, K3 ko movie pasand nahin aayi to usne likha ke use kyun pasand nahin aaye, aap logon ko pasand nahin aaye to aap log likho and show your disappointment but why on earth do you people get personal as if someone has snatched your “fishing” candy?
Why you have to prove K3 wrong to prove your own self right? Is it not very against what movie preaches, “follow your heart”?
I think she is very objective in what she is writing and gives a valid argument for the same. If you want to score a brownie cut her arguments, why cut her?
Personally I think its entertaining and important film but its definitely not path breaking. As far as we Indians are considered we want the message in the movie to be spelled out in CAPITAL. Why do you think “No Smoking” flopped?
A list of “must see” films for children compiled by British Film Institute
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/4699393.stm
Aamir is a good bizznesman, he would knew very well from the start that he got a good script and he could well play with the emotions of people.(all of us who had troubled chidhood at school or at home).
You really feel he wants to uplift the society or serve the poor through this film.This film is as manipulative as anything could be.
Whew!!
Melodrama wins hands down once again.
I couldn’t agree with you more Kavita. I am going to watch the “mera jahaan” song again and again for a long time but as for the rest of the movie, We’ll always have Paris (sorry Calvin and Hobbes).
sri
quote -
(all of us who had troubled chidhood at school or at home)
-unquote
bhaiya dhanya ho
psychological references jaroori nahien hain
uske bagair bhi aap pade likhe lagenge
kam se kam is tarah ki cheejien to nahien likhenge
jaroori nahien hai ki sab physoclogy jante hon
main biology ka kuch bhi nahien janta
isliye kabhie anatomy ke refrence nahien deta
kripya aap bhi aainda psychology ki maa-behan ek karne se bachein
:((
@Kavita
haven’t watched the movie so no comments on that but you seem to take a very exaggerated stance against Indian parenting.
Here is what you said above:
“What we don
Array Yaar,
I ask ‘What is Cinema’ and no one bothers to read it except Vishrant/Machchar and Neeraja,
Vinayak: Thank you once again for adding to the discussion with the essential link.
Parth : I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t YET seen the films you mentioned, thank you for telling us about them.
Sudhir/Pankaj/Vivek/Nextreme/Angeleyes/Sri/The Blind Artist : Did not realize that I am human enough to appreciate group support !!! Feels Good!
Fatema: Objectivity in matters of the heart to me is akin to sitting on a fence.Cinema is not a passing fad for me.It is Sacred Space.
Georgie!!! Do not be disillusioned, watch EVERYTHING, Enjoy EVERYTHING till you start thinking about why you are watching and what you are watching……….Film Viewing like all Art needs patience. And you are so young :)
Vishrant: WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY???
Seedha bol baap!
Sucheta: my bad. errata. gustaakhi maaf
[-o<
Neeraja: It is not about ' adultery' that I am taking about - that was just a play of words,
am talking of how we PARENT our kids [ purely observation and experience ] We have to Tell them at every stage what to do, how to behave, when to
think, no? If thats not your experience,your parents are an exception, Good For You! Lucky Gurl :)
To be contd
Dear Detractors:
A critic has a very responsible role to play in guiding the artiste. That can never be done by mollycoddling.
[ though the above is deffy not a 'critique' ]
Aamir I am sure knows what is good with his film.
Did I have to re-iterate that?
Great Kid, Great Concept, Great Music etc
Wouldn’t he much rather know,
how not to, what to, how to for his next?
Who will help him more?
You with your adulations or me with my snarky criticism?
As for Jiddu: yes I googled his ‘quote’ since I am not a Ekasanthagrahi[ one who can remember everything she reads just once ] but I have written papers on him and thus was ‘forced’ to study him.
Inca: “Bunkum on toast, this”
LOVED IT!
Unique phraseology and powerful language.
The whole reply. I mean it.
You should be writing for a movie like TZP :-w
The above piece was my attempt at fusing my love for language, its play, my passion for films and my observations of life and living in India.
It has nothing to do with only 5% good films being made in India so lets at least cheer them attitude……….WTF……………………….
with so much intelligence and talent we can come up with ONLY this?
oh Kavita . . . thanx Kavita . . . finally Kavita someone else other than a gentleman on PFC who agrees with me . . . really, we are so starved of CINEMA that anything vaguely deep is legendary . . . the only hope in here is that from our paathshaala of Bollwyood we have probably entered the classroom of the School of International Cinema but on a trial basis and on the very last bench . . . because we are probably dyslexic as Bollywood! Hopefully we woudl get over this disoerder some day and learn to read, write and spell cinema like the rest of the world does . . . someday . . . hopefully in our lifetime . . .
kavita
quote -
Vishrant: WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY???
Seedha bol baap!
- unquote
lo, jaise mujhe pata hai ki mujhe kya bolna hai !!@-)
:-ss
:-??
Kavita….Jamen Raho…:), we all watched TZP(including You :))we all are making noise about it (including you :))
So…
Its gonna b around for sum time…until another one of em commercial stories takes over…
n we.. all of us (this time I won’t say :))
will start all over again…
but…magar…
I like the way u write… u sure have a style:d
keep writing
:)>-
maneesh
majak mat udao
yaha duniya palatne ki batien chal rahi hain
aur tumhe majak soojh raha hai
sawdhan [-x
Kavita, someone who can play around with words as well as you do,should never ever consider reviewing a movie!
The temptation to write differently would take the focus away from the task at hand i.e to write a straight forward review.
Look forward to your indefatigable witticisms
:)
@ kavita Akka
I dint get u …
i am just tryin to say that the way i view movies is quite different and mostly from the makers perspective … so even in a bad movie i end up spotting the good stuffs like i wrote in an earlier post .. i try my best to find something good even in Tushar kapoor’s acting !!!
to be a reviewer one needs to have a neutral frame of mind !!! with decent knowledge of what goes into making one !! tats one major reason why i dint take part in RONIN
and ya i have ntn against neones review cause just like a movie maker .. its the reviewers perception of it !! but its important for a reviewer to be just and the problem comes here .. how does one know that a reviewer is “just” ?!?!?!?
well tats something tat needs extensive discussion!!
Neone (seen or not seen TZP) who reads this review wud get a feeling that you are Hell bent in pulling down TZP no matter what the movie is meant to be !!! even thou tat myt not be the real case …
and when neone gets that response from the readers then that particular reviewers credibility is doubted !!!
the gladiator para was meant to show the negative perception !!! its easy to pull down even movies like “citizen kane” “the graduate” “taxi driver” … if i have decided to do so !!!
NOTE : i am not drawing parallels between TZP and the classics mentioned above ( even though i enjoyed TZP more than “the graduate” and “taxi driver” )
kavita
i agree with you to a certain extent, the movie WAS a PSA on dyslexia esp in the 2nd half and Aamir fancied himself in SRK mode what with the moist eyes in every scene-it got really boring as a reaction
The movie seemed emotionally manipulative but that is the nature of the beast when you are making an “issues based” movie, like TZP obviously is..still,some things rankled like - why did there have to be a physically handicapped child as a friend of ishaan? kunwaara baap anyone?and those scenes from the “school for special needs” kids where nikhumb taught,were totally unnecessary for telling the basic story..This is where some good editing would have come in handy.. the movie could easily have been 30 mts shorter and much more effective ..
So from an objective view, it was a well made preachy issues movie- i just am not a fan of the genre , but i will not begrudge the emotional connection many folks made with it.. Just not my kind of movie and just didnt stir any deep emotions in me except that “gosh this is sincere and well meaning movie and hope some people get the message from it”.. and no the movie didnt make me cry or come even close to it..
To give a wart to the lines of French aphorist, Chamfort-
A man must swallow a toad before walking into a movie hall to watch a bollywood film if he wishes to be sure of finding nothing still more disgusting before the show is over. A woman can also give it a try if she does not already find even the sight of the poor toad disgusting.:)
@Kavita
I understood your play of words correct.
In hurry now, will get back to you on this later.
Vinayak:
Toads? Disgusting??
Heavens Forbid, How then did I discover so many Princes? Charming too :))
thanx again, been missing you at PFC
K
Georgie
you will know when you know.
Sorry thats A-dult speak!!
I used to be paralyzed before about opening my mouth because I was constantly afraid of saying the ‘wrong thing’, but that fear is good
[ considering how many youngsters blabber endlessly without any understanding on/of anything these days, I cringe FOR them sometimes ]
It helps one to learn, constantly.
Yes, you make films, then you watch films, then you read some more hit Repeat.
At some point of time you will automatically speak with convictiion and not wait for validation,
You will speak not for effect, not for brownie points, not for acceptance that is when YOU will be ready.
As for the ‘justness’ of the re-viewer, well if someone is reading the review to watch a film then such people deserve to be misled!!! I have no regard for paralytic minds but if you are assured of a person’s integrity, her fairness, her ability to analyze, collate, comprehend and if he has a good knowledge of Cinema, then despite her lopsided perspective [ For All Life is a Matter of Perspective ain't it? ] you will glean what is it that s/he is really trying to tell you.
I was, to those who saw, not berating the film at all.In fact I enjoyed some parts a lot, but I couch it by saying ‘praiseworthy boy’, ‘raagamalika’, ’smooth direction’………I am not going to hug Mr Khan for his first attempt and give him a lollipop to celebrate,
Let us push him, prod him a little, wot say ?
aKKa
Comparing TZP with iranian cinema…..may they havent watched the films yet…..where does it stand when compared to “Where is my friends house?”
Also for all those people talking about OSO being a tribute to Hindi cinema and all may be they should watch Makmalbaf’s “Salam Cinema”……
aKKa .. u gr8 !!!
u r ryt !!! :)
yet another “review” . Awesome. This one actually spends most of its time dismissing the hype, as opposed to analysing the movie.
Ranting against a movie in a more fluid vocabulary makes you no different from taran adarsh or any other critic we’re so quick to judge. neither of you has anything substantial to say about the movie, and neither of you has actually told me anything I didnt know, or see things in a new way, or understand the film makers vision in any new way. Both of you have done little more then express your passionate opinion. In short, both of you wrote extremely mediocre reviews.
Sorry if I sound ’snarky’, but film criticism is something I’m passionate about, and hence can’t be objective about. Are these the best reviewers in the country, is that the best we’ve got??
@Kavita
back, went to watch ‘I am not there’ :)
anyway, so what I was saying is that I agree that there is forcing of opinions/ideas sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally (by that I mean influencing a child’s psyche without really meaning to)
Quoting you again: “What we don
“
Thanks Sarang ..very well said
@Kavita - your comment back at my line -
“It has nothing to do with only 5% good films being made in India so lets at least cheer them attitude
Is there something wrong with you? Agreed that the movie is not a masterpiece. But what is so wrong about a movie being made about dyslexia? Was it preachy? Where? If you felt that, probably you did not understand the movie at all. Yes, it had its flaws. But you seem to be one of those people without any compassion for anybody. A person doesn’t have to have a disability for you to empathise with him, and most people empathised with Ishaan, because most people were able to relate to him, relate to the situations that he faces.
And hey, what embarrased you so much in the scenes between Rajan and Ishaan? I fail to understand. Maybe you can explain….
Why are you even comparing JWM and OSO with TZP? They are totally different movies. An isn’t it possible to enjoy all three movies? I did. And not for a moment did I think TZP was pretentious.
And most importantly - that point about talking to trees and meeting butterflies - I think you read enough books to stoke your imagination! Try reaing Tinkle to start with. Maybe you can move on to Enid Blyton and Panchatantra some day. Because, every kid I have met so far has, if nothing, IMAGINATION. Kids thrive on IMAGINATION. Maybe that’s one word you need to learn. (By the way, I have even seen grown up people talking to trees! That is not such an uncommon thing anyway, even if you want to look at it ‘practically’ - which is something that you seem to be pretending to do)
:d
K3 - Stirred up a hornet’s nest here!! Plainspeak has its repercussions. Par sar okhli mein de diya to….
Arre kavita u r back!!! :(
There 3 types of Friends.. there r other types as well but we wont discuss them here..
So one friends is always negative… ur shirt is bad, u r not looking good etc.. U DONT CONSIDER HIS OPINION EVR..
Other one is always positve.. kind of hypocrites.. U DONT LISTEN TO THEM AS WELL
THE ONE U DO LISTEN ARE THE HONEST ONES!! u praise u wen u do gud, u tell u wots wrong with u..
SO U SHUD BE HONEST.. H O N E S T!
So in ur sincere attempt to lift the state of hindi cinema, nobody gives a damn!!!!!
I bet 70% of ppl here havnt even read ur article beyond 5-6 lines…. All r here for very nice n nasty comments!!!
P.S. Stop watching Hindi Movies. Better make one. Lead the way… u r India’s only hope!!
Still learning Misha, you are right, this was just an ‘impression’, a commentary actually and as Sarang said an outburst.Hopefully I will get the hang of it in the coming weeks! BTW why didn’t you or Mini Randhawa participate?
Debashri, anything but Tinkle yaar, that is a Dhobi-ka-kutha, prefer original ACKs anyday.
PS: Boss OSO nahin dekhi kya? What The Fish [WTF ]! I watched it two times already and LIKED it. Hota hai. Acchi film ko chod kar I liked that,
what to do? I am also among the Dumb audience na:))
Congrats Kavita & Thani !!! :)
Ok this is my 10th month on PFC and I have NEVER gotten so many views in TWO bleddy dayz. 800 plus.
Logon, kaam dhaam nahin hai kya?
[I don't have any]
Aur itna Blood Pressure , Desh ka sathyanaash:))
maybe we can all do some Pranayaam together?
Look either I am intelligent, well-read and know my stuff or like you say I am ‘trying’ to be all of the above.
If I am then lets have a conversation without resorting to attacks on me [ which I actually don't mind at all, makes me feel like a Taslima or Salman Rushdie! PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN SWORD and all that.... ]
If not then forget me na yaar.
Why improve my readership and popularity?
This is Kalyug, jitna gaali dogay utna Fame milta hai. You are contributing to my Growth!!
Tauba Tauba soch lo….:)
Kal tak no one knew who I was, now suddenly This!
THIS is my most ‘alien’ piece, becoz the intention was to make it to the preliminary round of Ronin, it did not stem from my own volition. I was told what I should watch, how many words I should write etc etc Left to myself I would not watch the film nor write about it.
But I have paid the same amount or more to watch it and so have you so whats our fight about?
That I have a different point of view?
You want me to bleat like sheep lost in a herd?
I may be wrong, 100% wrong, maybe my brain is working for the extra terrestrials, how about showing some tolerance to a NOBODY who wants to think her own way??
Kyun? Dar lagta hai?
Are you so scared of an independent, non-partisan thought?
If Ishaan was Dyslexic I claim Dementia
[ which you will agree with ]
Will you THEN accept me AND let me have my views?
OR NOT?
Array Sant Mahatma tho Bhagwan tak ko kostay hain
The Bhakti movement is full of Saints taking off on Gods for trivial reasons,
Are you telling me that INDIA of the 13th cent was more evolved than today??
Subrat:
Sar Kata Saktay Hain Lekin Sar Jhuka Saktay Nahin.
@57 Kavita Kisi doctor se checkup karwa lo..
to each their own…
even i agree it is not a great film… but there is something this movie has in the first half and lacks in the second…
Heart…
The first half takes its own patient time, establishing the nuances of Ishaan and his world and his colors. It is beautifully shot with no commercial gimmickry to force it down the audience. I could feel the heart of someone who wanted to make a movie about a kid and his fantasies and problems.
The second half just lost the heart. Aamir Khan is always great and everything. But I swear he didnt have to push it down our throat. His love for kids could have been shown in an understated way. Without teary eyedness and some-water-please-speeches. If he cries at the state of kids in that Special kids school when they are happy, does it show affection for them or pity? I would say he felt pity for the kids; even when they were having a fun time, you know dancing and all.
I dont agree with your review completely, but I look for heart in a movie, and this movie had it in parts. It worked for me while watching Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, and it worked for me while watching Taare Zameen Par, though in parts.
“If I am then lets have a conversation without resorting to attacks on me ”
This will happen especially with a bonus since this is as you have mentioned ‘KALYUG’.
“That I have a different point of view?
You want me to bleat like sheep lost in a herd?
Are you so scared of an independent, non-partisan thought?
Will you THEN accept me AND let me have my views?
OR NOT?”
The reactions are not about ACCEPTING/REJECTING YOU. It is about the way you have presented your thoughts that you have had these reactions to. Extreme, may be, but since you have written so, you need to be prepared. All the leave me alone na yaar things are just un-palatable since you started the post!
If you had qualified your views with necessary information to support, this might have been a healthier debate. Have your opinions, voice them. That’s all fine. Expect all kinds of responses and learn to deal with them. As such I do not have any personal interest in the movie or Aamir for me to support them.
“Array Sant Mahatma …..”
Even though this statement could be totally out of context, I still wanted to say a couple of things.
1) Your statement entirely depends on what evolution means to you and to me and to everyone else.
2) To throw off the Bhakti movement as sants taking off on Bhagwaan for trivial reasons is completely trivializing the entire concept behind their so-called taking off. (The purport of which is definitely another topic to discuss)
Anyway, keep posting and yes, may be do a pranayam to relax. Not a bad idea. Something I do (Once in while)..
Cheers!
Sarang-
Any chance ur surname is Sawant?
Kavita..I have been reading the comments that you have been recieving..lol..it gives me great hope about our art..it’ll survive in spite of all odds..I’ll say why!
History says that anybody going against the grain was ridiculed or muffled, but they went on to create a difference.
Then the ridiculers came around and said “wah wah”..sample - Tagore, Prem chand, Gandhi, Mehboob Khan, Ray, Ghatak, Picasso, Saramago, Zhirinovsky, Nitish Kumar, etc (The same happened with me too when I first sampled the creations of these people..)
But patience helped and today the world cradles their work / efforts!
I don’t agree with your POV but I am ready to look at your view only because it comes from you. If Subrat declared that Lataji had to be guided to tonal purity, I am certainly going to peep into our music history and find out reality. The reason is I believe in what he says. I trust him and his abilities.
I was a butchery assistant in Taj way back and one day I devised a method that enhanced lean meat yield of chicken from 65% to 72% resulting in some savings. You know what happened??
I was driven out of that department!!
Shit happens!!!
Hey Kavita,
This conversation is getting nowhere. The point is not whether you are entitled to your independent thought. (You are!) But your post seems more like a tirade - against a film which most people have found endearing and close to their own lives. A film a lot of people could relate to. I say, a tirade, because you criticize without qualifying your statements.
As for your reaction to my ‘TINKLE’ comment, well, I shall overlook it because I am really not used to fighting without a cause. It was meant as something else.
As for you saying if we have any work or not - Well, I can speak for myself. I do. I have a lot of work. But movies are a passion. And this movie, in particular, I found to be quite nice. So I thought I should defend it wherever I could.
Coming back to your independent thought thingy - well, I loved Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, which apparently no one else did. I saw and enjoyed allusions in it, which apparently no one else did. On the other hand, I did not like BLACK (I find Bhansali too melodramatic!). The point here again is, whether you like or dislike something - you qualify it. That is why I love reading Raja Sen’s reviews on Rediff. I don’t agree with him a lot of times, but I respect his opinion, because he explains what he doesn’t like and why. Not like Rajeev Masand, who rattles off XYZ movies to say where the references are from (I am not even getting to Taran Adarsh :) ). A lot of us passionate about cinema have begun watching a lot of international cinema. Just telling us that this scene is inferior to a similar scene from a Japanese/Iranian movie, doesn’t help. What I need to know as audience is why a comparison is being made in the first place. Once I understand that, I would like to know what makes a scene superior or inferior to another scene in another movie. And it doesn’t even need to be an international movie!
So, before you start off on another tirade, THINK.
I agree with most of what is said in this review. Kavita, you write well and dispassionately.
For me, a lover of Iranian cinema, TZP fired below potential.
But despite the hectoring and grandstanding specially after Aamir came on screen, the larger than life cartoon characters - specially the wildly and improbably unsympathetic adults and the clumsy (unconvincing) interaction between the children themselves, there was something that did end up touching me about the film.
Nonetheless, like you I found it a less than satisfying work, and specially so when the same scenes, same cast and same idiom may have been used to much greater effect.
I found that main conflict of the film was a one note song, when so much could be made of the parents struggle (in a sympathetic way) of coming to terms with their child’s anguish. Their insensitivity was shown, insensitively, indeed. Aamir has gone severally on record to say that this is a parents film, as much as it is a child’s film. A good screenplay was required to bring the intention out (not in the long hectoring passages) but in the action of the adults, and in that sense I found it an unsubtle film.
Aamir’s character too would have benefited with some amount of growth, rather than the universal panacea to all dyslectic troubles that he drew himself out to be from frame one of his appearance. And I really lost young Darsheel in the first ten minutes after the interval at the expense of a major character who dragged us back into the early scenes of Act 1 (while we were close to the end of Act 2). In what was a suspended twenty minutes we came to grips with all things Aamir and then the film seemed to re introduce Darsheel. But by that time, suspended in animation, my interest began to flag. Yet, despite this structural flaw in the screenplay, I must admit I cried obediently (and unusually - I don’t cry in films) towards the end.
Unfortunately, these ‘arrivals’ (rather than ‘reveals’) led to the film (an overlong 3 hour plus) being loose.
The thing that did shine through, was Aamirs sincerity in making it. And attaching himself to a project that, will (being dyslexic myself) open eyes and ears - and for that its not a bad message to send at all. And I can’t but admire his abilities as a producer, for which I think he has a great talent. The direction itself may be smooth yet I find it hard to separate it from the screenplay.
In essence, however, the movie was more in the nature of (an overlong) public service broadcast, with some illustrative characters. The film’s dramatic core was missing, characters simply there for mouthing words, and what emotion did churn was provided by lyrical music and broad and somewhat manipulative melodrama.
I am one of those who feels that cinema is a great medium to send messages through, but not at the expense of drama and story telling. And that really is a big challenge. I think it was brave of Aamir to take this on. But I wish he’d paid more attention to his characters and less to the burden of carrying an issue.
Yours is one of the most incisive reviews I’ve read. Don’t be put off by the responses on this website. I am still trying to come to grips with the very low threshold of ‘excellence’ you rightly point out in our audiences and the response to your post is a measure of that - why d’you think mediocrity is lauded as it is in our cinema? D’you think our audiences are easily convinced? I am and remain baffled at these questions.
badiya hai =d>
mere seene main nahien to tere seene (chhati) main sahi
ho kahien bhi aag leking aag jalni chahiye
o:-)
nikos kazatzakis ki ‘zorba the greek’ ke bare main ek link
chapter 6 page 5
(for uninitiated in hindi his chest is ’seena’ and her chest is ‘chhati’ ) :(
arre llink to chhot gayi
ye hai
http://www.oshoworld.com/onlinebooks/BookXMLMain.asp?BookName=miscellaneous/books%20i%20have%20loved.txt
@Sarang… kahan ho bhai tum, I read your blogs, quite interesting :), wish you become an author here.
@Kavita… my regards to you for your fighting spirit, nothing intentional from my side, or anyone on all these comments trail (my feeling).
No more comments from me now…U WON…
Bazigaar mai Bazigaar…
Heller’s words, Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. comes to my mind. Your commentary (and NOT a review) reflects mine. But it’s horrifying to read the comments, and none of ‘em gave a proper “defense”. Instead, they simply dismiss you off with blunt wordplay. LOL
Tipsk
kahan the bhai
bagair tumhare pfc ka IQ zameen chhoo raha tha
chlo ab tum aa gaye ho to kuch halat sudhregi
bas ab sikayat ki jaroorat nahien hai
ab to bas ek post karo
aur apni buddhimani se jamane ko hila do
Tipsk tum sangharsh karo, ham tumhare sath hain.
=d>
If ‘children of heaven’ were made here, people like Kavita would still find faults and run-down the movie.. why did the kid win the race in the end? is his triumph the only way to alleviate their daily suffering? how come his parents are so careless? how come the girl is shown to be the one who does the housework, babysit while the boy does the outdoor work? doesn’t this smack of gender stereotyping?
Really.. sometimes this whole objectivity and cinematic, philosophical assessment turns out so pathetic!
TZP is by no means perfect, but that surely doesn’t mean that its trash. I bet if it had Irrfan Khan in the lead and Anurag Kashyap directing, you would have called this some sort of miracle in cinema.
The characterization of teachers might be sketchy at best, but that shouldn’t take away everything from the movie!
Come on Kavitaji, be a little reasonable!
Indraneel, Subrat writes sense, so giving him the benefit of a radical belief is valid. This review here is just an excuse to show off the writer
OK Kavita,
Now that I am feeling a little less hot in the neck, I will try and put it in a different way.
I don’t think TZP is path-breaking, clutter-busting, so-and-so cinema, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be good. I think its greatest attribute is that it’s correct. Choosing a plot, a treatment that is shorn of any melodramatic hoo-ha is a perspective which reflects creative maturity. It takes creative adulthood to do stuff that’s understated, and to be able to achieve that in your first directorial venture is not bad at all.
Ultimately, layering any creative work is only as good as keeping it simple. One doesn’t have more merit than the other; it comes down to what is appropriate. And then, ‘it could have been better’ is a theoretical jackhammer fit for any creative enterprise under the sun and thus, doesn’t pack much value.
Aamir has amplified the idea by excluding other possible plot tributaries. It’s not incidental, that’s a creative call he has taken - which does tell about his cinematic understanding.
It wasn’t as if Aamir wanted his film to be noir or jack and messed it up. Instead he took a conscious creative decision to keep it simple, and he achieved that.
That’s why I liked Taare Zameen Par.
children of heaven
good point. much better than KK’s
confusion confusion
children of heaven Majid Majidi wali nahien bhai
main isko confuse kar gaya uske sath
arre woh clive oven ki aai thi na. ‘children of men’
:o
If Children of heaven is made here wo bhi agar Amir thinks of remaking it, He would play the role of the PT master,apne andaaz mein bhagayega ladke ko!
Debashri/Indraneel/DelhiBelly/Azd/Inca etc :
I would have liked to anaylze/compare scene by scene but I was constrained by the word limit and this was a ‘first draft’ for the said 650.
It was easier for me to take a stand/style and write on it than REPEAT what most people had already said and BETTER.
[ eg: Playback/Sreehari/Thani ]
Of course it was about ” how can I make my ‘piece’ [ NOT Review/Critique ] different.” It was a Competition that I was participating in remember.
That said what do I compare this with? Some film that I have seen that is Korean and then will be accused of bringing in a ‘foreign hand’. I did mention a few movies to contrast, pls give them a dekko.
If I have said No nuance [ when Nikhumb tells the class about all the great men who suffered from Dyslexia/ and to Ishaan that he too was dyslexic ]
, No depth [ everyone's expression sits on their shoulder like Betal waiting to jump at the camera/we are hardly left Alone with Ishaan, except in his rooftop scene or a quick hostel scene, shldn't that have been stressed more?], No texture [ I do not mean diff shot angles but even in a much disliked film like Nishabd RGV manages mood and texture with such ease, you get into the skin of the maker and make the journey with him/her ] I meant all this and much more………but yes, if I do not give specific examples it does sound like a rant but I assumed that most of us here on PFC understand the unstated.
Thanks though, makes me think :) and learn……….
//First all of us gushed and gushed over TZP and now we can
I enjoy a good fight PS, should have been a boxer ;)
par not to win, I like ‘fights’ per se. There is too much inertia in the world if not…………….
Sarang: wrt Bhakti Movement, I meant that in an extremely spiritual and holy land, where you allow and appreciate Humans [ Sant/Mahatma ] to take off on Gods, why do we get into a fit if a Human has a difference of opinion against another Human?
Yes, even if it is a rant/unjustified opinion.
One did not know that Meerabai or Kabir or Arunagirinathar or Akkamahadevi or Lalded were to be lauded until after their death for their devotion/poetry and spirituality…..but they were
allowed to exist all the same,
A man who preached Hindu-Muslim oneness,
a married woman who leaves her husband to be on the streets singing and dancing, another woman who chooses to be Naked !!
We do not have that kind of courage EVEN now…….
glad to know abt your Yoga practise, shall do it together sometime if I know where you live.
//An obviously loving mother who is quite educated has obviously never take him to the Doctor or a Counselor, who could have diagnosed this in a jiffy but of course we have to wait for the Hero to arrive to do the needful.//
I’ll respond to that on behalf of my sister ‘Misha’who grew up with a learning disorder. Nowhere near as severe as Ishaan is shown to have had; in her case it was the difference between the first rank and the second. I knew this even though I was too young at the time, because it is still a commonly told story about her at family functions, how as a kid when my uncle asked her to write the alphabet, she wrote the entire A-Z in its mirror image.
The story is told in a “oh how cute..kids do the silliest things” way.
And no, my parents, 2 well published physicists who have mentored several PhD candidates, never got it investigated. I asked them why recently, they expressed a skepticism in the Indian mental health industry, and added “besides she seemed to be coping fine”
was she really? she clearly appeared to be. Yet I have memories of her being chewed out by our mother for not copying numbers correctly from the old phone book to the new. Or her frustration in never getting a 100 in math, though it was a subject she was so clearly fond of in theory.
So I would recommend no one be so quick to judge.
quote-
No depth [ everyone
tipsk-a ‘mediocre’ thanx!
T! -
could you please elaborate on the ‘Good Point’,
I need your elaborate support :))
Kavita,
A girl kissed a toad once and we got a fairy tale.
Your attempt at kissing Bolly warty toad is another tale now. :)
I may have agreed to you
On a scale of trying — Your try of writing a review is far more ahead of amir’s try of directing the movie.. watever it means :)
He wanted to prove a point and you are trying very hard to prove a point..
” Trying very very hard” and thats wat is killing this review.
all the best for next attempt !
I suppose the movie was not about dyslexia alone..it cud have been something else..wouldn’t have made a difference to what the writer wanted to say that “be a little more caring towards your kids”.. thats it.
I got the point u didn’t Kavita. and BTW ur review smacks of another behavior common in kids.. Attention seeking behavior :))
@PS
Thanks for the encouraging words. May be I shall give a try. :) And the rest of the world has to bear it…..
@Kavita
Thanks for explaining a few of your comments. Wasn’t that easy? makes a lot of mis-understanding un-necessary. It might definitely NOT reconcile differences, but helps to a better discussion/debate.
Now to your comments:
My Take on
Nuance/Depth/Texture:
Your point is well taken. The way I see it, they are present in the movie. Look at the scene with Ishaan and the doggies. Well, for that matter, his relationship with his brother: didn’t you see the twinkle in his eye when his brother calls him ‘Champ’? Or the comfort he feels along with his father? For that matter, the ‘pride’ of Ishaan father on ‘taking care’ of his son during the same scene. Didn’t you see that? What about the when Ishaan is going around the city and looks at the man buying ice for his kid? The scene you mentioned also has its nuances/textures/depth too. Does meet what you need out of it is another issue. RSN tells Ishaan about his ‘disability’, he does NOT tell it to each and everyone. He is not going around saying, look I had Dyslexia and now I am fine, look at your kids, don’t dhaao zulm, pyaare bachche, maasoom kaliyaan, baageechaa etc.
Now, not that all these are THE BEST in the world, but the movie has it wonderful moments. You cannot deny that. It could have been better, no doubt.
Even with these disagreements you are entitled to your opinion and I repeat, I am not here to tell you what you should think. I am here to discuss/debate rather than ‘fight’.
Now to get back to the Bhakti movement:
I did underastand you initial comment and thanks again for adding more words to it. I agree we have been becoming a country with more restrictions around BUT, to be ‘different’ doesn’t mean to be totally un-accepting of what you might think as ‘regular/normal’ views or thinking that anyone disagreeing with you is trying to change your opinion. It is the clash of well presented opinions that bring out fruitful discussions. (Nice lecture! Don’t you think? :))
One final note:
“but I assumed that most of us here on PFC understand the unstated”
I agree that you need not ’spoon feed’ your claims/comments/critiques with examples all the time, but to keep them from being ‘lost in translation’ helpful hints are always good to have. Leave some bread crumbs along the way for the viewers to discover what you might already ‘know’.
you are right kavita !! not for wht you wrote in your review, but for wht you said in one of your comments.. we should just leave you alone…
how can anyone try to argue with someone who has the guts to come TZP with OSO
someone who found the latter more entertaining and worth watching..
someone who says that TZP had worse performances and could easily sit for all the hamming done by SRK in OSO…
someone who has no intensity to look at the depth of ishaans performance and expressions and the beautiful lyrics
someone who wants to be left alone because she was attacked for her review ( i doubt u wanted to be left alone if ur had all praises for ur review)…
someone who has issues with AK googling shiv shankar abiyann and soloman islands and wouldnt appreciate the fact the it was informative( for me atleast, though i would not want to assume, that you knew long before about the rights of amntally challenged kids)
why is everything black or white.. if a movie is not a master piece, its not trash either…
yours is not the first review in which the movie is disliked.. but the points you have stated just show how despereate you are to be noticed and different…
the worse part is that you even have issues with all the praises darsheel is receiving… just by saying that he has acted well does not mean that the other kids are not equally special… he had to be searched for from 6000 kids.. bcoz not all can act…
please dont assume tht the readers ill understand the unstated.. simply because what was stated made very little sense…
Ironically the author is critizing the movie and ppl are critizing her for the review
and the Author says
Human has a difference of opinion against another Human?
Yes, even if it is a rant/unjustified opinion
…
Well everyone here is also Ranting against your rant :D
Ah! now I see it a bit more clearly (watched the movie finally!) Einstein, Leonardo da vinci, Van Gogh etc. (by the way, did anyone find Ishaan’s painting for the Art Mela a bit Van Gogh-ish?)
what’s the problem with that if it motivates 1 or 2 kids, trust me, most of them laugh it off.
Movie is certainly not a landmark in Indian cinema, it’s not a masterpiece either, it’s still a nice movie.
They could have avoided the Bum Bum Bole entry of apna hero (who, I think like many other people here, was trying to be too senti at times but he was good in parts)
Loved the spiders in Bheja kum and the notebook painting bit. Also, Ishaan ke bachpan ka video, haven’t seen a more convincing family scene in hindi movies.
Rajan clapping enthusiastically for Ishaan after the result is announced, Ishaan and AK looking at each other after Ishaan looks at his work for the Art Mela…lots of nice moments held attention.
@some people
I don’t think Kavita is comparing OSO/JWM with TZP.
TZP was publicised as a serious/path-breaking/socially relevant movie. Not sure if it qualifies thus or serves that purpose. It’s just another sweet movie.
@Kavita
“Isn
@ Neeraja …Great observation about Ishaan’s Art-Mela Painting ! I agree ! :) Did you know that is the only Ishaan Painting shown in the film which was NOT painted by Amole Gupte ! It was painted by a professional painter called Mr. Mondal. :)
…The same guy painted Aamir’s Painting too ! :)
Talk about Aamir desperately wanting Ishaan to win the “rat-race” ! :D He got a professional painter to do his painting !=))
@P(L)AYBACK
:))
thanks for that bit of information.
By the way, you were looking for me?
Hmmm…yeah ….it was regarding some comment u made,….Damn ! Forgot which Post it was :(
Actually, for some reason, I was reminded of a particular painting of Van Gogh, can’t find it online.
Which one ?
Forgot already? :O kya mazak hai!
It was on Bhavani’s Writer provocateur
Still looking for it online.
I have a small copy of it with me :)
If you are still there, have a look at these two:
http://sun-wais.oit.unc.edu/wm/paint/auth/gogh/starry-night/gogh.starry-night.jpg
http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Starry-Night-over-the-Rhone-c-1888-Posters_i347099_.htm
Can u briefly describe the painting ..:)?
@Neeraja ! ….Bleddy Hell ! :O….this is creepy ! Thats the painting I was about to suggest to u ! :O
really! which one of the two?
why is it creepy?! it’s a nice coincidence.
Starry Night….as in it reminded me a bit of Ishaan’s painting in the Art-Fest
hmmmn…ok. Actually now I am not sure which one of these was I reminded of :D
anyway, you paint?
Used to…a lot ! …dont get the time now….though I do sometimes,…digitally ! :)
:)
yeah, it takes a lot of time and patience.
About those two paintings, even though starry nights is more famous, I like the other one better. It has what I think the impressionists called ‘perspective’.
:) … Thats also called “Starry Night above the Rhone” or something like that ! …Think about this …In Ishaan’s Art-Fest Painting, the long reflections in the water were substituted by trees :D
Oz,…Admin,…anybody there ?
oh right! :)
yes and a bit of land and a boy (two men in this one).
A clumsier Van Gogh :D
:D
:))
junta is sleeping and so should I.
Junta in apna desh is waking up ! :D G’nite !
Oh! haan but not you!
anyway, later.
Good night
(sorry for flooding your post Kavita :D )
Not me ? :O …Am in Mumbai ! :D Laterz then ! :)
Neeraja my pleasure Yaar,
Anything for friends, esp those with
Lust for Life……….
Bon nuit!
@ Kavita,…you are Kavita K Meegama…right ?
@P(L)AYBACK
ya ya I know that, I meant you are not waking up. Night out? Actually don’t reply, I am REALLY off to bed now :D
@Kavita
You are the Best :)
@ Neeraja….Shhhh ! Off to bed ! :)
P[l]ayback,
You remain incognito while I reveal myself?
yeh kaisa insaaf hai doston!
@ Kavita,…nah ! I was just trying to figure out how many of the Ronin Finalists are media/creative professionals :)
So you are IN or OUT, itna tho bata do :)
See there are TWO finalists from Mumbai
The other is THANI,
And Shaayon is a Bong name,you said in some comment ki you are Bangla……
so my jasoosi brain tells me that you COULD be Mr Bhatta?
Haan ya Naa?
Yes to your Q though!
Can you see P(L)AYBACK on the list ? :P …Congrats ! U are IN ! :)
Same to you :d
Though I will not reveal that to anybody !!!
Theek hai aami kicchu bolbay naa
:) Is Sreehari also from Media/Creatives ?
sorry for my earlier comments, it was my lame attempt at being tongue in cheek. I didn’t get around to writing a review for TZP since I hadn’t seen it till the last weekend.
No idea who Mini Randhawa is.
@125
Aisa hi lagta hai….no sign of him after the pronouncement though……..
Must be preparing for the Finals :d
@126
Misha yaar chod na don’t embarrass me….
wish you had submitted though:(
Mini is another one of our kind !!!
@58 Coordinator,
Why is my comment trashed? On second thoughts though, thanks.. I guess its time to move on.
//Is Sreehari also from Media/Creatives ?//
In his head, he thinks he is.. People who know him well though believe his brain’s sending him out all the wrong signals…
//Must be preparing for the Finals//
Oh yeah, I am.. I have been getting up early in the morning everyday since the results have been announced and revising some of those Ebert and Siskel reviews…Can u suggest me some shop where they sell Pauline Kael’s reviews? I can go with a digest or a 21-set. Never had a problem with assimilating a perspective :)
@ Sreehari ! :) Lol ! :)) Congrats !
Thought u had something to do with TOONZ ! :P
**I put this on yesterday but it was taken off, perhaps due to a typo in the email address - here it is again and this time, please let it sit**
I agree with most of what is said in this review. Kavita, you write well and dispassionately.
For me, a lover of Iranian cinema, TZP fired below potential.
But despite the hectoring and grandstanding specially after Aamir came on screen, the larger than life cartoon characters - specially the wildly and improbably unsympathetic adults and the clumsy (unconvincing) interaction between the children themselves, there was something that did end up touching me about the film.
Nonetheless, like you I found it a less than satisfying work, and specially so when the same scenes, same cast and same idiom may have been used to much greater effect.
I found that main conflict of the film was a one note song, when so much could be made of the parents struggle (in a sympathetic way) of coming to terms with their child’s anguish. Their insensitivity was shown, insensitively, indeed. Aamir has gone severally on record to say that this is a parents film, as much as it is a child’s film. A good screenplay was required to bring the intention out (not in the long hectoring passages) but in the action of the adults, and in that sense I found it an unsubtle film.
Aamir’s character too would have benefited with some amount of growth, rather than the universal panacea to all dyslectic troubles that he drew himself out to be from frame one of his appearance. And I really lost young Darsheel in the first ten minutes after the interval at the expense of a major character who dragged us back into the early scenes of Act 1 (while we were close to the end of Act 2). In what was a suspended twenty minutes we came to grips with all things Aamir and then the film seemed to re introduce Darsheel. But by that time, suspended in animation, my interest began to flag. Yet, despite this structural flaw in the screenplay, I must admit I cried obediently (and unusually - I don’t cry in films) towards the end.
Unfortunately, these ‘arrivals’ (rather than ‘reveals’) led to the film (an overlong 3 hour plus) being loose.
The thing that did shine through, was Aamirs sincerity in making it. And attaching himself to a project that, will (having been dyslexic myself) open eyes and ears - and for that its not a bad message to send at all. And I can’t but admire his abilities as a producer, for which I think he has a great talent. The direction itself may be smooth yet I find it hard to separate it from the screenplay.
In essence, however, the movie was more in the nature of (an overlong) public service broadcast, with some illustrative characters. The film’s dramatic core was missing, characters simply there for mouthing words, and what emotion did churn was provided by lyrical music and broad and somewhat manipulative melodrama.
I am one of those who feels that cinema is a great medium to send messages through, but not at the expense of drama and story telling. And that really is a big challenge. I think it was brave of Aamir to take this on. But I wish he’d paid more attention to his characters and less to the burden of carrying an issue.
Yours is one of the most incisive reviews I’ve read. Don’t be put off by the responses on this website. I am still trying to come to grips with the very low threshold of ‘excellence’ you rightly point out in our audiences and the response to your post is a measure of that - why d’you think mediocrity is lauded as it is in our cinema? D’you think our audiences are easily convinced? I am and remain baffled at these questions.
Also - PS - what is with the rabid personal attacks on this website?
I am alive, watching and waiting. Aami Mumbai thake bolchi. Taarpore, aami Bangla jaani naa.
The whole concept of movie reviewing sometimes seems like such a contrived attempt to phrase one’s subconcious .
I think I have reached a point where I believe I know instinctively whether a film or a part of it is working for me or not. I know it but sometimes dont know why it is so. And then u go thru this laborious process of explaining one’s involuntary applause or boo. Most of your efforts to do so dont exactly do justice to that instinctive jerk that u once had.. But, u still ramble along, like a shmuck, tampering with your conscience ,discovering facts that were unknown to u hitherto sometimes even at the risk of being dishonest to yourself all in your effort to justify that instinctive reaction u once had…
Too depressing:)
Too depressing, the review process. But, I do it all the time. In fact, didn’t I just review my “state of mind” ?
Kavita, meeru chaala baaga raastaru, naa manasu cheputondi pfcroninh meerey gelustaarani lekapothe ee vedhavalni champestha…
hope nobody takes an offence… so got a friend to translate this…hope its right.. [bahut papad bela iske leye]
:d:d:d
@ Suchita
Kaunsa language hai yeh?:)
Shekhar, its a secret code..only meant for the recepient…:d
Wow, PFC Middle Earth jaisa ho gaya,. :d
Sahi!!!
suchita:
mee telugu chaala andanga undi,
ekkada nayrchukunnaru?
naynay gaylustaanu ,
mee prema, aaseervaadamula tho, not to worry :)
Sarang:
yaar you say explain more and then Alone says you killed it by explaining, wot to do?
Sreehari:
Zinda ho?
Me too crammin man,
did you Lose It At The Movies Yet?
I agree, I hate explaining myself, I usually work from the Anahata Chakra and it does not usually provide any logic to me :)
I like things/people to remain mysterious,poetic and complicated!!
Mini:
Kemon? Bhaalo?
Crazy gal/Inca/Delhibelly/Jayzee: So many points that you all raised are valid and accepted but as
someone commented above I am writing this for getting ATTENTION :))
SS:
More like DARK AGES !
@Kavita
People and their demands/opinions eh! :)
Cheers!
@ Suchita,Kavita
Telugu chalu tha kya?
India me rahke muze Pata nahi chala kya Language hai woh
Shame on me
SS:
Ji huzoor, Telugu thaa.
No worries, watch a few Telugu films to make up for the ignorance :)
Hi Kavita
I watched Pokkiri (tamil version) not my type of movie:)
I heard Telugu version is Nice, how is it?
Yeah Kavita, I know. It was for a contest, so you had to take a contra view. I would have done the same. Only, in this case I didn’t and I’m not there in the top 10. So, there.
Unless and until you differ, you don’t have dash of steel.
Agreeing is so limp, no?
Dear Author,
First a question:
Was the intent of this article just to see the reaction to such a point of view or do you really deel the way you have written?
I am asking because sometimes people have to speak “Against the motion” in the debate as not all can be for!!!
If it is just-for-the-sake-of-it against piece, I am surprised that such pieces can make it to PFC (which till now had pretty high standards) - and I do not mean because of language but the content.
Its surprising to see how hollow you understanding of the movie is. If the movie is able to make 80% of people cry in the theatre (because of emotion I mean and not because or torture)- it does not make a difference if it is a disease or disorder. We do not need an AIDS or a Cancer to make a good movie. Have you seen Duel (Spielberg’s first directorial venture). You do not have an ET or a Holocaus there. Its still a fantastic movie.
And do you only want such films that only the so-called-critics or pseudo-intellectuals like you can call good. All the films that are universally liked (even by the primary schoolers) are actually not great - even if they seem that way.
Haven’t heard such crappy piece of logic in a long long time.
And last but not the least - have you actually read some of the comments here. If yes, do you still think the same way about the movie!!!
@cinemaisdead
you are right about Indians!
@Inca
did you write your submission in your original style? becoz that was damn good,
I am sure you decided to write a ‘propah’ review,
its not about taking an anti establishment stand….its about ‘your voice’, try that next time? keep in touch…..
@Shreyash
What I wrote is 100% genuine, this is what I FELT at first viewing. I am not lying anywhere and hope THAT has come thru. I would not do anything without integrity.
ONLY the STYLE/STAND is adopted for the competition. I could have been even MORE strident left to myself!!!! Mujhay laga let me be a little civilized, this is a Competition after all :))
Do I feel differently now , Hell NO.
My feelings are constant:)
Though interestingly I feel the same as you all do about the film and Aamir [ even before I read your comments ]
I know and appreciate ALL the positive aspects and THEREFORE do not feel guilty about voicing dissent. Since my piece does NOT stem from dislike or hatred or envy or any such baser instinct. Now that is hard to prove , I agree…….but I am my own worst critic so my conscience is my keeper.
As the Buddhists say: Right Intention.
Kavita:) don’t know telgu ya.. a friend helped..
Shekhar good morning!!:d:d
:d
THEATRE COLLECTIVE with Shirin
In the DC area: HALLA BOL!
Interested parties please contact me.
Shirin has worked with NISHANT NATYA MANCH in Delhi [Director Shamsul Islam is also her father] and has organized street theatre workshops all over US.
Dear Friends,
I am trying to coordinate a meeting of people who have shown interest in doing theater for social change and have done this theater in the past with me or others. The idea, as most of us have discussed in recent months, is to come up with a theater collective so that we are not grappling with trying to find actors when we get a request for a performance and also to hone our theater talents through occasional training. In my mind, another important reason for coming up with a collective is to make new scripts and pool them with our old ones so we have a good repertoire to choose from and experiment with whenever a need to make a cultural intervention arises.
As we can all clearly see, the situation in this country and around the world is atrocious. We are all trying to do our bit to change this situation and we use many different and effective means to do just that. Our theater collective will be part of this effort. Theater is an extremely powerful means. Okay, it doesn’t change things directly BUT IT FORCES PEOPLE TO THINK and thinking can change everything.
To make you all excited, I thought I’ll share with you my idea for our first gala production!! :-)) I am thinking of doing something on the lives of a few women warriors from different parts of the world who have fought against colonialism. It will be great fun, I’m sure.
Lastly, I request you to share this meeting info with any serious and sincere people like yourselves, who you think may be interested. In particular, if you have any African-American and Latin American friends who may be interested, please do get them involved.
I’m sorry for this long email but sometimes it is the only way! Do get back soon.
Justice and Peace, Shirin
Aunty..
(:|
will this come to NY/NJ area?
Badmash baccha
if you invite us to NJ/NY area
[ yes I work with her theatre group ] we could definitely come to conduct workshops or perform plays or do street theatre, take your pick,
or you cld come to DC of course!
Aunty.’ji’ math bhoolo :))
point taken..
couldnt resist teasing you..
would love to come to DC but..
aur bhi gham hai zamaane mein mohabbat ke siva..
but i would love get associated with theater group in NJ/NY area..
would love if you can give any lead..
DEBASE ANY APPRICIATED WORK AND LO !!!!!!!!!! ………..YOU HAVE FLOOD OF CUMMENTS ON PREVIOUSLY IGNORED BLOG. TRIED AND TESTED FORMULA. :d
HEYY KAVITA,
IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE SEEN IN BOLLYWOOD. LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE SOME PROBLEM WITH AAMIR KHAN OR THE DIRECTOR OF THE MOVIE. ANYWAYS, YOUR CHOICE. THUMBS UP TO YOU. ALL D BEST