Oye Lucky! Lucky! Oye

An effort that deserves praise.

This film is an addition to the growing testament that Bollywood is certainly progressing in terms of providing diverse, unique products in a consistent basis. Probably the most criminal flaw that the film's producers and director have committed is the way the film has been marketed. The makers have resorted to marketing this film as a 'comedy' film, banking on a direct credibility of director Dibakar Banerjee, whose maiden directorial effort was the hugely successful 2006 cult comedy film 'Khosla Ka Ghosla'. It is only logical that the audiences would expect yet another comedy caper along lines of Khosla, but this is anything but.

The film is an unique satire, but certainly its not entirely a comedy movie- and in most situations the film actually respects you intelligence as an audience, which is very unlike most Indian comedies, which tend to be very slapstick-based and often leaves logic out of the door. And certainly, the film has a meaningful message attached to it.

Synopsis:

Lucky (Abhay Deol) is a crafted thief who steals posh cars, music systems, televisions, chairs, and well, even pomeranian breed dogs. The film basically chronicles how the talented Lucky tries to live life on the wrong side of the law on his own terms, causing him to get betrayed constantly, but still he tries to get things going his way. The film is a satire as to how the media exploits even the slightest of exciting stories and transform the thief Lucky into a celebrated celebrity known for his crimes.

Abhay Deol is fantastic in his role as Lucky to say the least. He is certainly an actor to watch out for, as he constantly chooses to do off-beat films and tries our different roles. But it is also high time that Abhay earns some marketability status into launch him into par popularity at least with his cousins Sunny Deol, Sunny Deol or even Esha Deol for that matter because, as honest as I can get, Abhay Deol is far more talented than any of them put together. Neetu Chandra is sweet as Sonal, Lucky's love interest. She too, like Abhay, deserves more marketability than what she is having now. Paresh Rawal is convincing as usual in his three roles. 

Dibakar Banerjee's direction is gripping through the first half and for most parts of the second half but the film lags somewhere towards the end, but the ending is definitely a vintage one. The director's knack for 'Funjabi' music and a constant presence of old Bollywood songs in the film is also an USP for the film.

A film more than worth watching. You may end up knowing more about the Delhi lifestyles and certainly get engaged with the interesting characters.

Rating: 7.5/10

Verdict: A comedy that doesn't insult logic or intelligence is always more than worth watching.

DaSvIdAnIyA- ReVIeW

This will spoil my sleep.

2008 has been one jubilant year for me as far as Bollywood is concerned, the industry regularly dished out unique, off-beat movies, or simply put- path-breaking films. Be it Shyam Benegal's 'Welcome to Sajjanpur', Santosh Sivan's 'Tahaan', Ashustosh Gowariker's 'Jodha Akbar', Neeraj Pandey's 'A Wednesday', Abhishek Kapoor's 'Rock On!', or Nishikant Kamat's 'Mumbai Meri Jaan', Bollywood has oozed with quality all over, films that could stand on par with much of Hollywood products. 

Add to this longing list one more film- Dasdivaniya. 'Dasdivaniya' literally means 'Goodbye' in Russian. Directed by Sashanth Shah and produced by the film's lead actor Vinay Pathak, the film also marks the debut of wonderful soul singer Kailash Kher as a music director. To be perfectly frank, 'Dasvidaniya' is not an original concept. It is just a story of a dying man and how he spends his last days.

But you can't help but agree with the film's tagline- "The Best Goodbye Ever", yes, it most probably is. A great film is a film that grows on you as the hours pass by after the end credits roll by, so this is definitely a great one.

Synopsis:

Amar Kaul (Vinay Pathak) is a 37-year-old single accounts manager at a company in Mumbai who learns that he is suffering from stomach cancer. He makes a list of things he wants to do for the remaining three months of his life, which includes buying a new car, making a foreign a trip, which he does to Russia to meet his long-lost best friend, confessing his long-hidden love to his childhood crush Neha, who is now happily married with kids, make peace with his estranged brother and bring his tiny family together, learning his childhood dream of mastering the art of playing guitar, finally peg back his bully-ish boss, make his mother happy, and above all to find love (which in the most unexpected circumstances comes in the form of a Russian call-girl called Tatiana). 

The film is predictable from the word go, you know what is going to happen- he is dying, so he will live his life to the fullest and realize the value of life by the end of the film, and he will say 'Dasvidaniya' as a goodbye sign. But that is where the film rakes its speciality, despite all the predictability, you will just watch it, and keep watching it and still be moved by the end even though you know he will die.

Vinay Pathak is simply phenomenal in his role as Amar Kaul. Ditto for him for producing and acting in such a quality film. Rajat Kapoor is delightful in his role as Rajiv, who is Amar's best friends. Neha Dhuphia doesn't come for long but nevertheless leaves an adequate impact, but who impresses me most is Russian new face Manoylo Svitlana in the role as the Russian call-girl Tatanya. Sarita Joshi is also wonderful as Amar's nagging but lovable mother. Ranvir Shorey in a cameo, Gaurav Gaura as the brother, Saurabh Shukla as the bullish boss, and Joy Fernandes as the veteran guitarist are all extremely adequate in their roles, I have to say there is absolutely no mis-cast in the whole film.

Shashanth Shah's direction is extremely commendable in this film. Knowing that he has a predictable story in hand, he leaves out a lot of logistics that would have turned out unnecessary scenes. For instance, the film never shows Amar struggling in his deathbed or any melodramatic scenes of Amar telling in detail the truth of his disease, and people sobbing. The film may not have melodramatic scenes, but even the subtle transition of scenes will urge tears from your eyes. One of the most masterly scenes is when Amar's mother discovers about his son's condition. Instead of shoring her sobbing or anything such, the director freezes the shot at her state of denial after listening to the fact and then pans to a scene where his mother brings him to a 'samy' who tells that he can heal any wounds by religious chants. It's a masterstroke to put such a scene just after a serious scene- you will want to laugh at the absurdity of his mother's actions but you will also find tears in your eyes because you know his mother is in denial that her son is dying and cant come to terms with it.

Despite made at such a low budget, the film oozes with delight all over and will definitely have an everlasting impact on you long after the credits roll.

Watch 'Dasvidaniya'- It will make your day for sure!

Rating: 9/10

Verdict: Miss it at your own risk!

Petty differences

It all comes down to petty differences. Yes, very petty ones. Thats what causing the war in Gaza. It all started in 1967, and 42 years down the road, the petty differences have escalated into a pretty big problem on which pure stupidity is at the core of everything.

I read an article in Malaysia's second largest English newspaper News Straits Times where the author conveniently says that Israel has to take the blame for whats happening. They are brutal for attacking Gaza, they are brutal for charging a blockade against Gaza, and above all, Hamas has the right to be originally angry at Israel for entering the Arab Nations territory and forming a Jewish State. He stated- 'won't you be angry if someone just invaded your home?'. Pretty convenient to just blame Israel and justify everything Hamas does.

Lets get the facts straight here. Looking deep into history, Jewsih people have existed in that part of Arab for long periods, and when there are so many Muslim countries, Hindu countries, and Christian countries, it comes as a little surprise that the Jews wanted a country for themselves. So Israel came to happen.

My question is- isn't religious intolerance a part of all this?

If only the Arab nations would just accept Israel and be friends with them, all this wouldn't have arised, right? This is my question- if somebody just simply entered your house, but later you learn that the person has no house at all and you yourself have excessive space left in your house which is hardly used, what harm is it there to be done by raising your hand to another human? Arab Nations can be angry, true, but they should have settled in once Israel earned their indipendence. But they didn't.

Now lets come to Hamas. Israel's blockade of Gaza is heavily understandable. Hamas is a country that has sworn to destroy Israel. Do you think if Israel had given Hamas all the export/import freedom, Hamas would sit quiet when they can access huge weapons to launch an assault on Israel? Your neighbor has taken a public oath to kill you at the very given opportunity, so will you give him the freedom to have a peek to your compound or even the freedom to access to weapons which he will use to destroy your house? Will you? What Israel did was little more than being self-defensive.

The ceasefire agreement ended just days before Israel's attacks started, and thinking of it on a political pane, I think even commoners would know deep inside that for a side that kept firing rockets into Israel even during ceasefire, it will be only be a matter of time before they attacks Israel in someway since the truce has ended. Israel responded with an animalistic instinct, attack first before being attacked.

Its also easy to chastise Israel for killing so many civilians, but the argument doesnt hold any water when we all know there is a political reason why Hamas and Israel do not allow journalists to cover whats happening in Gaza. Firstly, the Israeli authorities are constantly providing detailed descriptions of why and what is happening there, while Hamas does nothing more than giving very general statements. Hamas have simply threatened to kill anyone who takes a photo while they are attacking, and this basically means that both sides are desperate to make themselves look like victims rather than the agressors. Stuck in the middle are the civilians. Hamas is more intent on raging war with Israel rather than trying to protect people of their kind. Israel fired misslies to destroy an UN school, from which Hamas fighters allegedly took a hiding and even fired to Israeli troops from within.

Blame Israel for reacting like animals just because the shot was fired at them, but also blame Hamas for taking little or no consideration at all for their own civilians and instead placing their military operations in the middle of the civilian state. Why? So they could look like victims. Its like lining civilians as a cover for their own motives and allowing civilians to die, so that they could later turn around and say- 'Hey, look, Israel are so cruel.'. The result? More Hamas members will culminate from the people who are left alone or lost loved ones due to the attacks. Israel gathers more haters, Hamas gathers more members. Wonderful pyschology, but its also pathetic that the people never realize this and allow petty religious differences blur their judgement.

Israel is just plain stupid for doing this, they are spoiling for their reputation and resources. And Hamas knows, no matter how many of their members Israel kill, they could use this war as a discrimination propaganda to gather more members. And then they will justify firing rockets into Israel, and will continue to do so.

All this will end in a snap if Hamas would just behave like an organization who democratically administrate the state of Gaza rather than like militants. They have responsibility now, and the main thing they should exercise now is by dropping their mission statement of 'destroying' Israel and rather turn it as 'prospering' Gaza. When that happens, Israel will feel far secure of their safety, and as a result, they will start taking out the blockades on Gaza and both neighbors can live amicably at least for coming times.

At least until another petty religious difference starts another conflict.

Religion is a path to God, so why are we so busy fighting each other under the context of religion rather than fulfilling our main goal in our religions- which is, to reach God? If all of our religions hold for us a similar destinations, why do we kill each other to prove your path is stronger or my path is stronger? Everybody has their own paths, and why don't we just live it that way?

If religion is supposed to make us angels and a son of the God, why are we comitting devilish things under the very context of religion?

Above all, is religion a holy drink or a poison?

Think about it.

What our systems cost us

People try so hard not to meander me into a category of ridiculousness when I state that I'm an anti-consumerist. That means I'm against the world's industrilization. Why, you can even say that I'm a communist. By creating our lingering, not-good-for-anything systems and globalizations, we have created a certain system and working pattern that is so larger than life that it overwhelmes us. "This is how it works over here," how many times have we heard this in our lives, but the question is- who said it works that way? Through this stream of consumerism driven world we have conveniently negated away the facts that three quarters of the world is suffering from poverty, that the 'humanity' that 'progressing' is just a small chunk of what exists.

So, coming to us, the 'progressing' kind, how many of us are restricted by lines and restrictions that our very own hands created but has now grown to be larger than what we are? The mechanical life that we are condemned to living in is for one, coupled by the fact that the globalized and corporatized world has made everything mobile and secure that the world has become so tight to run. One snap in a trasnportation system that people rely so heavily on and everyone gets affected- thousands actually. Its horrifying to think that the more we get used to the commodities and mobility with security, we will simply fall apart when things go wrong for us. Stress causes us to committ suicide, and a system that we created is now overwhelming us and rendering us as ineligible to proceed with life. As a friend of mine remarked recently, our lives are becoming very dependent on a certain Ctrl+S, which literally means the save button in our personal computers. We created a commodity of creating data and storing it with such ease, but we have become so reliable on it that at the end of the day, our lives depend on that data which was only created as a luxury. Everything which was luxury when we created then have slowly grown into a necessity, and this chain doesn't seem to stop.

And it is in the very same vein that landed us to a lawsuit currently taking place in United States. Roy L. Pearson has filed a $54 million lawsuit against a South Korean dry cleaner store for failing to fulfill their main advertising board which sounds like this- "Satisfaction Guaranteed". All they did wrong was to mix up Pearson's pants during the cleaning process and the rest was history. We have laws in this world to even cater to these kind of cases, such a small negligence could make the dry cleaning store lose (lose? I think even if they shut the store and sell it they won't be able to muster the amount of compensation in lawsuit) $54 million to a single man's pants. Pearson is indeed a smart man as much as he is appearing as a ridiculous man, he knew the kind loophole the intricate law that we have created has thus he is taking advantage o it with a view of earning $54 million. Probably he is just a man frustrated by the entire system that he decided to take all he can through the very system that has complicated everything in life. If even dry cleaning has to be done flawlessly and something as subjective as satisfaction (which depends on every individual) would be called into question and be objectively-dressed up to serve a conspiracy, I wonder what the system is coming to.

Karl Max isn't dead, some of us are being reminded of him.

Love beyond age

Love is blind.

Thats what they said, and so it was proven in Germany on the dawn of New Year.

A six-year-old German boy has fallen head over heels in love with seven-year-old Anna-Lena, and she recuperated his love. They were so in love that they decided to get married. But it is winter in Europe and everybody were clad in their sweaters with zero temperatures being the order of the day almost everywhere in the region, and there is no need to mention the fact that the conditions in England, Scotland and Wales are freezing the people in their houses. Its not wedding season either, but Mika and Anna-Lena weren't prepared to wait for a summer smooch and exchange of rings.

So they read in their syllabus and from what their knowledge beholds, that Africa is the Land of the Sun. They are not aware of the blood diamonds or the poverty or what the world thinks of that region, they wanted a wedding under the sun and they decided for it. So they packed a pair of sunglasses, wore swimming armbands, loads of summer clothes, and even a pink Lilo and walked one kilometer (!) to the nearest train station at their home. Well, a marriage, like anything else that this world requires, needs 'proof'. So they decided that they needed a witness. So along came Anna-Bell, Anna-Lena's 5-year-old sister. A kilometer's walk and they reached the train station, and boarded a train to Hanover. And at Hanover, the three of them decided to take a train to the Hanover airport. Well, just like security personnel would, the one at the Hanover train station was perplexed to see three toddlers standing and waiting for the train to the airport without the supervision of any elderly person. So he informed the local police and they came soon enough to 'arrest' the three 'culprits'.

"We wanted to marry so just we thought, 'lets go there' ",  that is what Anna-Lena had to say. Mika said they just wanted to have a 'stroll under the sun'. Hows that for a New Year story?

How many of us are brave enough to even go to Africa after all the perception that the world has of it? For them, it is just a land where the sun rises, and just like how they said, 'the world is your home'. How many of us would walk one kilometers with continuous smiles and no sigh at all when we are so accustomed in this mobile world? They walked, and all they had in their mind in that time is the purest, most unpolluted feeling in the world- Love. They did not know what sex yet or anything much about it. All they wanted to be is married and be together.

There's a bloody war (oops, sorry, a massacre actually) in Gaza.

India is recovering from random terrorist shooting rampage in Mumbai.

An Iraqi journalist is in the jail for throwing a 'shoe' at Bush.

There is civil war in Africa.

But amidst all that, this.

My question is- which story is ridiculous or illogical?

I'd choose Mika and Anna's love story over the rest anyday, anytime. Because that is what Africa actually is and it was created as, a land where the sun rises and stays there. And thats how God has created the world, that the whole world is our home and we should be able to explore the world without any fear what-so-ever. And before we human beings with our incredible greed and desire for a 'system' complicated everything, even up to relationships, that is what we all should look at-pure love. 

Do you believe in love? I do. Maybe their story will make you believe after even if you don't.

Just think of it.

Who said it was bloody New Year?

Life is Beautiful.

"NO REASON IS NEEDED TO LOVE. ONE IS LOVED BECAUSE ONE IS LOVED."- PAULO COELHO, BRAZILIAN AUTHOR.

We need M-a-l-a-y-s-i-a-n cinema

Malaysia is the country's name. It embodies not a particular race, but many to boot with. It really enrages me that the some individuals within the Ministry are already whispering of ideas to double-up ticket prices for Hollywood movies in order to sustain the local entertainment business. While most of audiences are blaming Malaysian cinema for not providing quality cinema, certain select audiences are asking Malaysians to 'watch first' instead of ignoring Malaysian cinema altogether. The film-makers in Malaysia are disgruntled that their efforts are not returning enough box-office returns such as the the recent CGI-driven film 'Antoo Fighter' (Whatever that name stands for). So, it is a complete mess where everyone wants to express their opinions but what we don't seem to be getting to is a conclusion.

If the Ministry goes ahead with its ridiculous plans, it will only cause more rebellious attitudes. The result? More downloads of DVD-quality movies in the Internet, and a complete ignorance of theatre visits. They (the audiences) might as well reduce the frequency of coming to theatres and still go for English movies rather than local ones. At least when you have hundreds of people thronging into theatres just to wash off their stresses to watch some kind of cinema, there is always a possibility that, even not pre-planned, they could sit and watch a Malaysian film by a possibility. Increasing prices will only affect cinema outlets and their business. Its amazing to note how the Malaysian administration never seems to be able to understand what the grassroots, layman civilians think and are accustomed to. They never manage to get to the core and curb the problem, so often they have been so successful in exarcebating things and earning some dumbed-down reputation for themselves. Are the people in the Ministry not Malaysians at all? .

Now coming to the individuals, ignoring Malaysian cinema and just watching Malaysian cinema are both not options. Ignoring will only increase a common sterotype and just sticking by Malaysian cinema no matter what will only frustrate people. A change is needed for Malaysian cinema, and every Malaysian needs to realize what the problems are and take responsibility. Hollywood are for English-language films on the core, Bollywood for Hindi-language films, Kollywood for Tamil, the Hong Kong film industry for Chinese-language films, Thai industry for Thai-language films and so on. We all know that.

The fact is Malays in Malaysia watch mostly local films and Hollywood films, Indians basically watch films from India, and Chinese watch films from Hong Kong. Diversity and complexity is what we have within our society. So do Singapore. Yes, they do have a progressing film industry. But you have to ask- what kind of a progress? Singapore, realizing their multinational potential as a hub, made decent movies but raked more by playing host for Hong Kong films' productions and is also emerging now as a foster home for Hollwyood. A conversation with an American layman who is in Singapore yielded out these thoughts, that in Singapore, 'so many people come in and out so often that I'm not sure whether they really feel Singaporean in themselves'. I mean, what is Singaporean anyway? Owning a upper-class corporate car, living in a condo, going to work to earn $20k dollars per month with incentives, having a foreign maid in the house, and planning holiday trips in foreign countries everytime holiday arrives?

But when the same man is asked about Malaysia, this was his response- 'the people there are more attached, they feel the belonging, they are Malaysian'. There you go. Not all of us may have the luxury of overseas trips for holidays, but what we do have is a sense of belonging, no matter how much we criticize each other for being a lazy race, or a greedy race or a race too proud of itself, (you know what are those), we just love going back in each other's way. Most of us have family reunions and stand up for a 'Malaysian' cause everytime an issue comes up. I don't think even Singaporeans would disagree much with me here. Singapore has become so diverse with a blurred indentity that you don't look across to find another Singaporean and try to help him. But we Malaysians, we know it. We know who we are when we see each other. The 'Malaysian-ness' just shines through. That's what I am saying- we have something called IDENTITY. Thats what our cinema industry needs. Just like India (known for their songs in films) or Hong Kong (for their martial arts) or Hollywood (for their fantasy and smooches, in short for their Kiss Kiss Bang Bangs) or Europe (for the realistic, diasporic, drama-driven cinema) or Thai (for their Ong Baks and horror flicks), lets find our indentity as well, because we do have one. Its just a matter of finding it. For that, we need to start making what I would call as 'Malaysian' movies.

What is Malaysian movies? Movies that has Malay spoken throughout with cheap comedy? Or movies that has Indians aping their from-India format of film-making? What represents Malaysian cinema? Does Antoo Fighter represent the Malaysian identity? Does Cicak Man? Does Ethirkaalam? Does Senario? Does Gol and Gincu? Does Chemman Chaalai? Does I'm Not Single? Does KL Drift? Tell me, which one? Probably Sepet.

Some people said that our weakness is actually that we have so many diverse 'rojak' languages and not a consistent language like other industries' movies. Do Europe? From Spanish to German to Hungarian, their films are all theatre-driven with a common identifiable working system. That could very well be our calling card, our uniqueness to stand alone as a film industry- that 'rojak' ness. Malaysian cinema should not be separated to 'Malay' movies and 'Tamil' movies. Why dont we go broad and take the whole concept as one and whole? Throw some lahs inside, throw some lus, throw some machas, throw some mangkuks, throw some ayuns, but above all, have that sense not to make cheap comedy or over-the-top action, but start by making films that capture the essence of 'Malaysian' culture with realistic narratives structures. Yes, more film like Sepet please, even it may have not been a perfect effort, it went a long way in establishing the kind of cinema we should look at making. Why do we need CGI-driven films or ridiculous Indian action movies that only repeat over what India is already doing in a more cheaper, louder way? Why don't we start by making simple yet beautiful films? Why, can't we entertain and engage audiences without being wannabes through CGIs and constantly trying to ape what other industries have done? Don't we have interesting stories that e have to resort to far-from-reality storylines to entertain local audiences? Is this such a boring country, where nothing much happens that we stall creatively? Nah, just open your eyes.

I would like to end this with paying an ode to James Lee, the independent film-maker who boldly made a girl-girl kissing scene in his latest film 'Histeria'. Can any Malaysian girls vehemently deny that the girl-girl crush never happens in schools and colleges? Lets stop hiding and doing things behind the doors and come out and tell those stories. They are happening.

And thanks Censor Board for not chopping down the film because it has such a scene! Finally, they have come to their senses.

Don't wait for inspiration. It's already all around you. The problem is, you can't see it.