Where the hell was the plot?
Post-interval, and I was still waiting for the film to begin! Where was the plot? Was it invisible like the ‘kala bandar’? Maybe.
This film was one of the most talked-about films in recent times. Of course, it’s not right to expect the fimmaker to deliver another RDB (which given all its faults and loopholes, was a good watch).
First, the good points. The movie has an eclectic cast and all of them are in top form. So much so, that even AB’s baby manages to act quite decently. Divya Dutta is brilliant. Her act left me wondering, why aren’t the filmmakers exploring her talents? She is simply outstanding. So is Raaz as the corrupt policeman. And what a cast – Supriya Pathak, Om Puri, Pavan Malhotra, Waheeda Rahman, K K Raina, Atul Kulkarni, Rishi Kapoor, Tanvi Azmi – what more can you ask for? Each one a seasoned performer, and each does justice to his/her role.
The cinematography and editing again are amazing. Rakeysh Mehra loves Chandni Chowk – and each frame proves it. The shots are brilliantly taken. With all its chaos, Delhi captivates. And, of course, Rahman’s music just adds to it. From Masakali to Dil Gira Dafantan – awesome – there’s no other word to describe it.
Despite this, the movie falls. The bottom line being – there is no plot. The confusion – often funny, often tragic – caused by the ‘kala bandar’ cannot be expected to carry a film of this magnitude on its shoulders. How I wish, Rakeysh Mehra had tried to explore the going back to the roots theory. An American on his first visit to India – Delhi. Mehra did play with it, but in a very confused manner.
The interwoven Ramleela was again a brilliant concept, if only it could be developed to its full potential. It ends up becoming a farce. The saddest part about the film, perhaps, is that all the characters are lost in the chaos. Rarely have I been so disappointed in a film.
The next day almost everyone I met who had seen the film, was asking – ‘what was the story?’. And, what was Big B doing in the end? That was again one of the most absurd scenes in recent times.
I had expected a lot more from the film, for the single fact that, if Mehra had managed to make a stupid melodramatic story like RDB into such a beautiful film, then he would atleast be making another brilliant film – given the fact that it is partly autobiographical.
Things keep happening without any rhyme or reason. From ‘kala bandar’ to communal riots – how do you explain it? In short, a major disappointment. The film is just a collage of some brilliant scenes and some great music.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Thank God!!! Chalo kisine toh PFC pe sensible review daala. People are claiming elsewhere that they saw something which others could not. What? Some invisible antenna they possess I believe.
Agree with yr post WORD BY WORD.The film cud hv been so much more!!!What a waste!!
Medha I completely agree with you.In fact I’m still in a trance after watching the movie last night & trying to figure what was it that I somehow couldnt place in the movie.Fabulous supporting cast- agreed , but only half of them utilised.brilliant music & cinematography – yes for sure.But uske aage kya?
also, excessively preachy towards the end… with AB showing the mirror to all and sundry, expecting to quell a crowd at the brink of a communal riot. how i wish, it was that easy a resolution.
i actually do think that the kala bandar *could* have worked as a stronghold for the plotline through the film. but i feel the writers got too involved in “complexifying” the film. it could have worked brilliantly, had it been kept simple – simple in its narrative and story-telling, and in its layered meanings.
agree with you entirely with all the brilliant aspects of the film – casting, cinematography, MUSIC! luscious film, and immensely enjoyed moments of it, though the disappointment in the end is far too compelling.
dear poster/people agreeing with this post,
i would urge all of you to read the review posted right after this one. it is sort of a rebuttal to this one. sincerely check it out.
and additionally, i really do feel bad for you poor souls, for whom unless SRK is mouthing a melodramatic dialogue, Salman is flashing his pecks, akshay is romancing the most skimpily dressed women or making the most ludicrous faces in the name of comedy, or bipasha is shaking her oh so fine ass (and no offence to any of these people, they are great at what they do and they do it sincerely, and there is a lot of value and a very distinct place in our culture for it). but when, because of these things, the minds of our janta becomes so dumbed down that they need everything shoved into their faces, thats what makes the situation sad. if you sincerely thought delhi six was boring, then sir, please, rewatch it with no prior notions. you dont have to agree with my taste in film as every individual has different tastes, but to call this one not entertaining. i was sitting in a packed theater and not one person seemed bored for a second, they laughed and cried along at every turn. yes its not perfect, i agree it was weak at points, like for a tiny while midway, and the climax was a bit too hurried, but show me one film EVER that is perfect. please.
Ayush, U r so naive. I feel sorry for you. I like many here do not care about what SRK does and what Salman flashes. Yet, …forget it.. Tum Nahi Samjhoge. U r so naive.
I guess it is not your kind of film…. This film gathers different characters and shows how they live together in this place… The film has many moments, the satire on indian television news, the sufism aspect to look love and god inside you, the kala bandar which is a figment of imagination and takes the demonic proportions. I read in another review hoe people get united on dealing with a common enemy. The film tells this story and tells it subtly. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
well, why not hiding behind “you wont understand” you try to make me understand? either ways, both of us can only benefit from knowing each others POVs
One post that really liked from so many about delhi6- I swear the plot was so invisible like Kala bandar…
Genda phool, massakali songs were picturised well…
DIL GIRA DAFTAN looked brilliant!!
AR Rahman’s music was the only good thing & cinematography…
I MUST SAY – Promos were just too good to cheat. I had so much expectation…
Ayush … Are you paid by someone? No na? You wrote what you wanted…dn feel sad and sick for those who ddn’t like it. REMEMBER THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH Which everybody has! You liked the movie, bask in the glory, do whatever dnt give GYAN man…
i am not. actually, you are the professor, and i am a student. i am basically asking the people who seem to dislike it so much, why they feel that way, so i can see, what i am right now definitely not seeing at all. i mean, yeah, it has flaws, but to diss it to this level as some people are!? i just dont see why. surely, everyone had to see some semblance of brilliance in it that is lacking in 99% of the films we watch and fund. please enlighten me.
@Ayush,
Next time I go to catch a film, I better take you with me – you can explain things I never thought were present!
Ayush, Kala Bandar was surely a good concept. Wait… wait… wait… there was one more concept, ram leela. And then there was coming-back-to-your-roots as a plot. Just try to see the movie as a whole, if you seriously want to analyze the movie. Otherwise, if you like it, you like it, just have fun.
The problem is not with the intention. It is the execution, which is so theatrical and amteirish theater at that.
The biggest drawback of the movie for me is the lack of details and credibility, right from the beginning. What does Abhishek do? Is he a student? Is he working? What is he going to do in India? Doesn’t that figure in his calculation for staying in India?
If it was film by a lesser mortal like David Dhawan, we would be saying this is what happens in a Bollywood film. Compare this with the clarity in Swades. Every character and its motivation so detailed.
” masterclass’ in writing? Crappy and superficial would be my opinion. Rakesh Mehra and Kamalesh Pande can not write anything much better than this of course. RDB is as good as they could get.Also, just consider Abhi’s statement ‘ But India works. It’s the people who make it work.” Now how did Abhi come to the conclusion? Based on his experience in the film, his conclusion should have been just the opposite. ‘Masterclass’ in script writing? hardly.
This ‘kala bandar’ and the mirror business places Rakesh Mehra in the same class as Manoj Kumar with his ‘ Jab zero diya mera Bharatne’ tone.
why the hell does a movie has to have a plot ?!!
@Morph,
Well, if a movie doesn’t have a plot, it should atleast have some exceptional treatment, else it just ends up becoming a collage I guess.
Well Morph, and this is just my humble opinion, I think movies *should* have plots because audiences watch them to experience stories. If we want to see disparate characters in their ever varied lives we have, umm, life. I’m not saying that these stories should all follow the same format (3 act narrative and what not), but the film-maker should understand that the audience invests emotionally in both the characters and what HAPPENS to them. One without the other is incomplete storytelling.
Its not necessary to have a plot..and Delhi 6 shows exactly how it is not necessary..there is so much to discover in every scene..try to look at the characters..so beautifully etched and acted too..look at the expressive eyes..experience the movie instead for looking for something…feel the subtleties…you will never ever get to see a beautifully done Dafatan…I was speechless when I saw that..symbolic,surreal and superb…its a beautiful montage…
Coming to the last 10 minutes..I found that fine… loved the chaos during that period…change of thoughts amongst people…how people change for their convenience…it was absurd no doubt..
The day I stopped watching movies critically I felt was a better movie watcher…Delhi 6 is an experience..be a part of the sojourn..
@Medha ..yo commented..”which given all its faults and loopholes, was a good watch”
It seems you are a difficult person to please…I would like to know the flaws in RDB.
hi guys,
i am surprised. i thought ppl at PFC were at least well read about film theories if not practicals.But i am amused to know that ppl here refuse to acknowledge that there are good films where there is no plot. There are many films made in World Cinema where there is no plot. But i think ppl here just talk, talk and talk. Most of the ppl here are critics. Please understand that good film can be made without a PLOT.
@Upendra:
“Please understand that good film can be made without a PLOT.”
They can be made, sure. but more often than not i don’t like to see such movies in theatre. Writing plotless movies isn’t really tough, you see… you’ll understand if you are a writer (with a little bit of an experience).
Some on who watched this movie without looking too much into metaphors like mirror or Kaala Bandar,it was a disappointing film.As such I knew that it was the story of coming back to roots NRI stuff and expected the usual cliches and I was right,the usual no water in tap,warring relatives,middle class girl who do not want to get married and want to do something in life stuff,Hndu-Musilm brotherhood stuff,inspite of all this oft repeated things I still expected to see something new about Delhi but it was not to be.My main complaint about this movie is that it speaks of a subject which has been handled many times before,but then even if the subject is old wine in new bottle,at least u expect some good writing,something original that was not to be.But some scenes from this film impressed me like those Religious dramas,the way media was going mad about Kaala Bandhar and people’s exaggerated version of their encounter with Bandhar
i think your review shows how little you understand cinema. not your problem i guess thats the way we Indians are championing certain things without actually understanding their true essence. It took t20 to be the grand success it was because we Indians lapped it up, and test cricket lurks in some small town playing to abysmal attendance. The parallel with cinema here is that we are the pop corn munching nation where everything is looked at as entertainment. we will elevate a dhoni to the level of tendulkar if he scores more runs in a series, completely ignoring the latter’s artistry and craftsmanship.
Same holds true for cinema we love it but purely as entertainment. We don’t want to see engaging films but ENTERTAINING ONES. Agreed the last 0 minutes of the film don’t work because thats the only place that the film maker pandered to the tastes of people like you. Had he killed Abhishek Bachchan’s character the end would have been more apt. The rest of it is beautiful. The film is audacious in writing. The use of the metaphor is brilliant and wonderfully crafted in the script, only the explanation in the end spoils it, but then it was required so that the cinema illiterate audience like you can actually have an opinion. Without the explanation in the end, i don’t think you with your limited understanding of films would have had anything to comment on. The film shows a microcosm that represents India. Its like a mosaic where a plot is unnecessary. Where you’d loose the point if you have plot. try and get the blinkers off, put aside the prejudices and you might just have something sensible to say. RDB was juvenilia but this is a mature film, yet that had a plot and people lapped it up because it just spoon fed them.