Kantara , the brilliance of Cinema : Blog # 353

Kantara

What struck me the most about Kantara was its pace. For a movie which talks about the life of people in a village, their beliefs and rituals, it was a very fast paced movie. Not even one scene or frame was unwanted in the movie.

Let us look at the characters first.

Guruva's earnestness touched my heart. His belief was so pure, so unadulterated. His nature

                                              

was child like. When he realizes that the land lord was trying to bribe him, you could see the pain in his eyes. 

I absolutely loved how Leela stood her ground when she had a conflict with her husband and her community. It showed the strength of her character, grit and her need to carve out her own identity.

Murali, the forest officer was an interesting character. He is one of those people who is easy to dislike. However,  towards the end, we realize his heart was at the right place. Could he have done things better? Absolutely yes. However,  that was who he was - a flawed person, much like many of us are. 

Devendra, the landlord fooled me for the first half of the movie. I thought he is a genuinely generous land lord. But then, he lived up to the stereotype of the rich baddie. He got the gullible villagers on his side and then he went around with his devious schemes. 

The lawyer cracked me up every time he came on the screen. All of us have encountered one such character in our lives - either an uncle/aunt, or a friend or an officer. They get angry and they cool down as quickly. No one gets upset with them.

Shiva starts off as a good hearted rowdy. Then, destiny leads him to the glorious path that awaits him. His character is grey too. He is not a perfect person. He does things which are not always right. But, the way Shiva becomes the demi God is stunning. The sincerity with which he transforms is mind numbingly beautiful. 

About scenes that stole the show, Guruva tells the Land lord that he needs to set things right. Later on, he recounts the same to the landlord as the God. That was subtle, yet brilliant.

The scene where Land lord mistakenly feels Shiva understood who Guruva's murderer is. 

One where Leela tells Shiva how disappointed she was that she did not try to see things from her perspective - the hurt in her voice is haunting. 

The scene where Shiva becomes the God and brings everyone together- the villagers,  forest officer and tells them how they need to together protect the land and forest. 

About other elements of brilliance in movie, there is a certain divinity to the music. I am not referring only to the lyrics, but the musical notes and the ragas themselves evoke an unearthly sense of being. 

The colours - the screen explodes with them. Their richness is second only to the strength of the story of the movie. 

I felt there were multiple themes being addressed in the movie - beliefs, culture,  ancient wisdom, humanity, devotion, and the never ending conflict between man and Nature. That, I feel is the success of the movie. Different people are able to look at it in different ways and make the movie their own as how they like it. 

Like a painting that speaks a thousand words to 10 different people and yet, make those 10 people believe that their version is as credible as the 9 others, Kantara does justice to every audience member's wish and hope. 

P.s. I must thank my friend Manie (Manikandan) for pushing me to watch the movie. It is your relentless appeal which made me watch the movie and I am forever grateful,  dear Manie.

Here is a glimpse of the music which will make you feel like you are almost in a trance :) 

Arun.

Blog on Dulquer Salman’s Filmography #7 : Blog # 330

Blog on Dulquer Salman’s Filmography #7

Mahanati: 

Mahanati / Nadigaiyar Thilagam is one of those movies that will be cherished and looked back at fondly when the history of Cinema is written. Dulquer has been receiving rave reviews for his portrayal of Gemini Ganesan in this movie. Infact, the whole cast and crew deserve a  good loud round of applause for the heart they have put in to create the magic that is Mahanati.

In Mahanati, Dulquer essays the role of Gemini Ganesan. What a treat it is to watch! The character is so well written. There is this unapologetic streak about his being. He know his flaws and he owns them. Depiction of Gemini Ganesan is a quintessential today's hero depiction - an image that is not white washed by the moralities of the society. 

There are beautiful moments between Gemini Ganesan and Savitri (played brilliantly well by Gayatri Suresh). Some that stand out in my memory is one when he tells her that he is already married and has 2 kids. Another one is when they get married. There are many scenes where the behavior of Gemini Ganesan is not something we expect. For instance, in the bar. He gets angry but he is gentle with Savitri. There is no negativity in that anger. What those scenes portray is that the anger that Ganesan feels is towards himself and he is careful to let Savitri know that it is not directed towards her. Such was their love.  Dulquer has enacted them with quite some panache. I am sure this movie will endear him towards the welcoming Telugu audience. It will be a crime if I don't acknowledge Gayatri Suresh's acting prowess. Not even for a moment could I see her on screen. All I saw was Savitri. How wonderfully she has essayed the role and with such sensitivity!

Dulquer has come a long way in a time span of just about 6 years. Think about this – 1.6 Million followers on Twitter, 5.1 Million on Facebook, 2.2 Million on Instagram, 72K subscribers on YouTube.  How more popular can you get? By now, his movies have garnered both commercial and critical acclaim across the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh/Telangana as well. If OK Kanmani and Mahanati wasn’t enough, coming soon is the romcom, KKK (Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal)

One was thinking if he will ever make a Bollywood debut. That is when the announcements of Karwaan and Zoya factor came along!

            Apart from movies, he is making some meaningful interventions as well. There was a Facebook post about him meeting the inspiring lady called Dhanya who is a significant part of an NGO called www.amrithavarshini.org which creates awareness regarding Osteogenesis Imperfecta. It is good to see a movie star doing his bit to add to the goodness of society.

            He has endorsements raining left, right and center be it Otto, Malabar Developers, Club FM or many more. Would he have thought while doing the below Ad of Funskool, this was going to be a way of life for him? I don’t think so :) 

Once in a while, comes along some advertisements that stand apart from the crowd. His new ad for Malayala Manorama is one such. And the red Merc, the poetry of a car and the number board - astute move!

Earlier blogs on Dulquer’s Filmography:

Blog 1 : The rise of a new star

Blog 2: Bangalore days and more

Blog 3 : The grand entrance to Tamil film industry

Blog 4 : Charlie all the way

Blog 5 : Comrade in America 

Blog 6 : Spoilt for Choice 

Wild Wild Country ,a Netflix Documentary on Bhagwan Osho Rajneesh : Blog # 327

Wild Wild Country , a Netflix Documentary on Bhagwan Osho Rajneesh

Was Bhagwan Osho Rajneesh an enlightened spiritual guru or was he a conman turned criminal? The beauty of the Netflix documentary, Wild Wild Country directed by Mclain Way & Chapman Way is that it doesn’t confirm either of those suspicions. Rarely does one get to see a documentary that is so balanced and honest. It talks about Osho from the perspective of his disciples, the residents of Oregon as well as the government authorities.

As the film progresses, one can’t stop wondering as to how one individual can have so many people under his spell. The residents of Oregon describe the citizens of Rajaneeshpuram as having a ‘look’. When one sees the visuals of sanyasins, one can’t not notice the strange  look in their eyes – of joy, of bewilderment, of having known the unknown. All of them were under Osho’s magical spell. Seeing them, one wonders what it would have felt like to be in that commune as a believer. Did they truly enjoy joy and liberation?

Although the documentary leaves one thinking about thousands of believers who became sanyasins, their lives, beliefs and doubts, here are a few principal characters from the documentary who have a haunting effect on you.

Ma Anand Sheela – For me, Sheela’s character is the most captivating, may be more than Osho’s himself. Osho was a spiritual being or he claimed to be so. Sheela was human -like you and I. Her journey from meeting Osho for the first time as a teenager to becoming his personal secretary to being the all-powerful Ma Anand Sheela is nothing sort of fascinating. What stands out is her conviction and will. Her conviction of feeling absolutely correct in whatever she did and the will to achieve her goals. The interview clippings from her earlier days shows her as someone who is arrogant, power hungry, wealthy and blunt. But what surprised me was that the Sheela of current day isn’t far too different from her earlier self. Her spirit remains the same. What is disturbing though is an absence of guilt and remorse. She seemed to think only about herself. Not even once does she mention anyone else. One expects Sheela to have changed over time. One expects Sheela to have had an evolved and dispassionate thought process by now. But No. She remains unchanged. One wonders if one should admire or despise Sheela.  

Residents of Oregon & Antelope – As the documentary begins, one identifies a lot with the residents of the tiny town of Antelope. No one likes a bunch of strangers taking over one’s town. The smaller the town, the stronger this feeling. Rajneeshes, as the followers of Osho were known also gave the people of Antelope reasons to be worried knowingly and at times, unknowingly. Repeatedly, the residents say they feared the unknown. Somewhere half way through the documentary, one feels a bit swayed towards the sanyasins. One wonders if the residents of Antleope were being unreasonable with the residents of Rajneeshpuram asking them to leave. But then again, one can’t help but feel bad for the tiny elderly population of Antelope.

Swami Prem Niren – He is a lawyer and a bright one at that. He talks about being disenchanted with life and turning to Osho and his way of being to find solace. I couldn’t help but wonder if startups are today’s Osho. There are so many youngsters who are getting disenchanted with corporate life and turning to startups. Swami Prem is the kind of character who lends a bit of humane-ness to Osho. One tends to believe what Prem is saying. He looks and speaks like a sensible person. Unlike Ma Sheela, there was no arrogance in him. Much in the documentary, he almost speaks in a matter of fact manner about Osho making one wonder if it is the same person who defended Osho in the courts so very vigorously. Later in to the film, one can see that the embers of worship are still burning. He believes strongly that the world missed a chance to lead the Osho way of life.

Ma Shanti B – Of the characters in the documentary, it is easier to relate to this lady. She goes through the familiar cycle of getting spell bound, committing acts that are objectionable, regretting them and now having reconciled with her past. Although she talks about the experiences she has had and cherishes them, she also looks at a moment when she got out of the ‘spell’. The moment in court that she describes when she goes to see her son is quite poignant. Her character is testimony to the fact that ordinary people like you and I will do outrageous deeds under extra ordinary circumstances. Surround yourself with unusual people, put yourself in an uncommon situation and you will surprise yourself with your ability to do commit unbelievable actions!

Osho Rajneesh – Somewhere along the documentary, I felt that maybe I should read his books. I wondered if he was really the spiritual being he was made out to be. The smiles and constant laughter displayed by the sanyasins make one want to gravitate towards the promise land. Something I found strange about him was how less he blinked. Through out the documentary, his eyes blinked for very very few times. To me, those eyes did not seem like luminous wells of mercy and generosity. To me, they felt a bit threatening. I lost the wish to read up about him when he behaved like a mere human towards Sheela. If he were indeed the benevolent being he claimed to be, he would have never talked about Sheela the way he did – dripping with vengeance. I admire his courage to have shown his want for material things. Unlike many other sages, he did not denounce worldly pleasures. Instead, he embraced them.

Ma Anand Sheela – Yes, I am aware that I wrote about Sheela in one of the paragraphs above. But don’t you feel she is one of a kind? I have not seen a character like that in my life! Neither in stories nor in life. What makes her unique? Is it her complete lack of care for others? Is it her deep conviction that she is right in whatever she did? Is it her unwavering devotion to Osho, the Bhagwan? Is it her way of leaving Osho on one fine day without as much as a good bye? Is it the way she faced the court, the officers, the press and people? How does she appear to you? Like a body without a soul OR a heart made of steel? 

‘Tumhari Sulu’ ,the Movie ~ A letter to Vidya Balan : Blog # 321

‘Tumhari Sulu’ ,the Movie ~ A letter to Vidya Balan

Dear Vidya Balan,

I must begin by saying how happy I am for you. I have always admired the way you have shaped your career. There has never been a doubt in my mind about your ability as an actor. But the last couple of films did not meet with much commercial success. I, among your many admirers were feeling sad that those films met with such fate. 

Yesterday, I watched ‘Tumhari Sulu’. The theatre was packed to its capacity. What a delight of a film it is! Right from the first scene to the last, there isn’t even one frame that is out of sync. From the extended family to Sulu’s dynamics with her husband and son, everything is spot on. The characters in the work place, be it the receptionist or the RJ Albeli Anjali or the Poet or the boss played by Neha Dhupia are so life like. I loved the lady who played the cab driver – How she kept gauging your mood through the rear-view mirror. That is exactly how it happens in real life too. The brilliant actor who plays your husband – Manav Kaul - what a nuanced performance! And a special mention to the little power house of a talent, the kid who played your son’s role. His reactions and responses are so natural.

To talk about your character, not even in one scene did I see Vidya Balan. It was Sulu all the way. I did not even see a familiar expression or emotional reaction that you portrayed in any of your past films in any of the scenes of this film. The way you react to your extended family’s constant attempt to contain you or even tame you is nothing less than beautiful. I particularly liked the scene between you the boss, Neha Dhupia and the poet, Vijay Maurya towards the end. It is so full of heart and brimming with innocence. Not to mention how perfect your comic timing is when someone compliments you on your voice and you say “Woh to hai!” :).  Equally admirable is when you ask with all earnestness, if you can get a TV in the place of the pressure cooker.

What I loved about the film is that towards the end of the film, neither did it showcase Sulu’s character doing something unrealistic nor did it shy away from retaining Sulu’s spirit. The scene where she rushes to her husband and her husband says, “Not another idea!” with a smile is testimony to this. The story is neither preachy nor trying to be populist. It stays true to its soul right from the word go till the credits roll. How beautifully each and every character is etched to perfection! We the audience are indebted to the director, Suresh Triveni for this.

Thank you Vidya for making Sulu so memorable. May you have a lot of critical acclaim and commercial success in your long fruitful path ahead in movies.

Arun Babu.

Things to learn from Abhishek Bachchan: Blog#320

Things to learn from Abhishek Bachchan

I feel Abhishek Bachchan is one person we all have been unfairly unkind to. He is made fun of, for no reason at all. Is it his fault that he is the son of a stupendously successful father? Many of us pale in comparison to what our parents have achieved in their lives. How will we feel if someone were to draw such a comparison! It is so unfair to do this constantly.

So what makes this sudden outburst of support for Abhishek Bachchan? There is a twitter handle @juniorbaCCHHan which is the parody account of real Abhishek Bachchan’s twitter handle (@juniorbachchan). I enjoyed following the parody account for a while. It really is humorous. But for a moment, I wondered how it would feel if someone were to make fun of me to this extent? Social media has this strange ability to dehumanize even the best of us. It makes us say the meanest of things which we wouldn’t dare say in person.

Now, why do I feel we are being unreasonably mean to Abhishek? He was born in to privilege. To say that he belong to the first family of bollywood would be an understatement. Inspite of that, have you ever read anything scandalous about him? Has he ever made a misstep whenever he has appeared in the public domain? Has he ever boasted about his lineage? The answer is No.

In the instances where he has addressed an audience or press, he has always been polite. In a couple of instances where he has addressed an informed audience, he has been able to make an intelligent conversation. In all the interviews that he has given, he has been polite and never has he come across as brash. There have been many instances where some of the journalists have tried to instigate him by comparing his career with that of Amitabh Bachchan’s. Inspite of those occasions being numerous, never has he lost his cool. I think that is really commendable.

About his career in movies, all those who make fun of his films should remember Guru, Yuva, Bunty aur Bubly, Bluff master, Dostana, Sarkar, Sarkar Raj, Dus and the likes. Of course, there are flop movies too. But which actor doesn’t?

He is married to one of the most beautiful women (certified with a title that holds across the world over J ). She is far more successful than he is in the field of movies. Inspite of the overwhelming media attention on these qualities of his spouse and the constant comparison with him, he manages to be level headed. He is always appreciative of his wife and proud of her achievements. What more is expected of a spouse?

He is a doting son, devoted brother, caring father and a great friend to his loved ones, if one were to go by the interviews. Now, he is garnering great success in his chosen field of sports management. I think it’s time we cut Mr. Bachchan some slack.

Solo, a Movie Review: Blog#317

'Solo', a movie review

*No Spoilers

I was waiting in anticipation to watch ‘Solo’. The posters, teasers, trailer and everything about the movie screamed style. It promised substance too. Solo is an anthology of 4 films – not something that we usually see on the Malayalam silver screen. Yes, 'Kerala café' and '5 Sundarikal' have done them before. But those movies had different lead actors and actresses in each story. Solo has Dulquer in all the lead roles.

What I loved about the movie is like I mentioned before, the aesthetics about it. The whole presentation is so stylish. Be it the introduction of 4 elements, the pace of storytelling and Dulquer’s different appearances, there is a lot of class in the way the movie is presented. The actor in Dulquer shines through all the 4 stories. One cannot see any similarities in the 4 characters that he has played. If I were to choose a favorite, loved the character of Shiva wherein there is hardly any dialogue. This means that he had to convey all he had to say through his expressions and he did it really well.

What I felt could have improved are the below factors:

1.      Better actresses: I really feel that the movie should have had better lead actresses. I understand the business behind it. One cannot get A-list heroines in an anthology of films. Having said that, may be a little more effort could have been expended in finding better lead actresses.

2.      All the stories were sad stories: Personally, I am not a fan of sad stories. Please don’t get me wrong. I like inspiring stories with a tinge of sadness about them. But, not stories that are just sad. All the 4 stories were sad. Given that it is an anthology; it could have had 4 ‘different’ stories – different in emotions at least. If sadness had to be there as per the director’s vision, at least 2 of the stories could have had an end that was uplifting.

3.      Stories had similarities in the plots: There were too many accidents and too may pregnancies. I could be wrong. But I was expecting an anthology to have 4 different stories in every sense of the word. If not vastly different from each other, at least no repetition in the narration. There were multiple accidents which were pivotal to the stories and the heroines were pregnant which was again pivotal to the stories. The plots could have been different.

4.      The issue with Rudra: I understand that the director has a vision and it is his/her prerogative to treat the movie as per the vision. For instance, in the first movie, there was a lot of shuffling which is fine although it requires some effort on the part of the audience to keep up. But in Rudra, there was a bit of incoherence. The scene with Suhasini and Dulquer. Personally, I did not get it. I also did not understand how what she said related to the context and the struggle Dulquer’s character was going through. Even the climax scene was addressed to the groom’s party. To me, it would have made sense if it were addressed to the leading lady.

     *Finally, I saw the part of Rudra when Solo came on Netflix. I do not know if it was an issue with the print I watched at the theater. The whole dialogue between Suhasini and Dulquer was cut. It was incoherent. And the climax suddenly showed Dulquer folding his hands to the groom. Now that I have seen the scene in entirety on Netflix, it makes sense.

Having said all the above, ‘Solo’ is a brave attempt. Appreciation and gratitude to Bejoy Nambiar & crew for that. We should have more such movies on the Indian silver screen. 

The problem with House of Cards: Blog # 302

The problem with House of Cards

Although a little late into the ‘seasons’, I have begun watching the series, House of Cards. I am in love with the story, the plot, the drama et al. Ofcourse, it goes without saying that the cast and their acting prowess is beyond excellence. Like millions around the globe, House of cards, the sitcom has left me too, sleep deprived and addicted.

Now, what in my view is the problem with this brilliant series? My issue is with the protagonists and the lead characters. They are conniving, ungrateful, materialistic, lacking in morals and human decency. I tried looking at them as characters with shades of gray. NO! Most of them all dark - beyond doubt.

I was discussing this with a friend of mine today. She said that she is happy with the emergence of this new concept in entertainment wherein the lead characters are purely negative. I agree with her. It is a bold and different move. Easier, tried and tested approach is to portray likable characters. This is giving rise to a new way of projection of characters. The difference in approach is always a delight, more so when it is in the field of creativity.

But, what about the impact this kind of portrayal causes on the audience? Is it sending out a message that being ruthless, crude, mean and throwing away values to the wind is acceptable? Does it glorify the approach of achieving one’s goals with no regard at all to the means?

One can argue that a series should be taken as just that – a work of fiction leading to entertainment. One shouldn’t expect it to serve a greater cause. But isn’t that the purpose of art- to serve a greater cause? This series is immensely popular. There are a lot of youngsters watching it. They can buy into the approaches taken by the protagonists. They might as well start approaching their lives just the way the lead characters in this series do. Are you thinking that this is similar to the argument of blaming films for all the heinous acts that people do in real life? No. There is a difference. Whatever we have seen so far doesn’t usually inspire a thinking, educated, well-read person, to turn evil. It is largely, the gullible ones who fall prey to such blind imitations. The reason why the brighter minds did not have those inclinations is because the lead characters were never completely dark. There were gray ones for sure. But I haven’t seen glorification and justification of darkness like what we see in this series.

I am not naïve to hope for only characters with divine qualities in series and films. I understand that people aren’t black and white. All of us have elements of gray in us. But we all make a conscious effort to fight the darkness within. We try to avoid entering the dark zone, however grave the need for realizing our ambitions may be. Stories like House of Cards weaken such efforts and intentions. That is where my concern lies.

Arun Babu 

Why kattappa killed baahubali?: Blog # 293

Why Kattappa killed Baahubali?

This is one question that keeps haunting almost all the billion bright minds of India. Here is an attempt to understand what made Kattappa kill Baahubali? Some probable conspiracy theories ~

Sivagami, the mother: Although Sivagami anointed Amarendra Baahubali to be the king, she was overcome by the love she has for her son, Bhallala deva. To make way for her son to be the King, she orders Kattappa to kill Baahubali. But once the murder takes place, she is overcome by grief, flees the kingdom to save the little kid, Mahendra Baahubali.

Bijjaladeva, the envious elder brother: Bijjaladeva realizes that history will continue to repeat if he lets Amarendra Bahubali live. Bijjaladeva’s children will have no claim to the history of Mahishmati. He tricks Kattappa in to believing that Bahubali's horoscope says that the King will bring ruin to Mahishmati. He reasons that it was Baahubali’s birth that caused the death of the queen of Mahishmati, mother of Bahubali. If one's birth could cause harm to one’s own mother, what ruin will he bring to the Kingdom!Kattappa’s unwavering duty towards kingdom of Mahishmati makes him take the extreme step.

Kattappa, the lover: Kattappa and Sivagami were deeply in love. They realized how their vision and love for the kingdom of Mahishmati were so deep and similar. They understood that it was in the best interest of the Kingdom that both of them take over the reins. They convinced themselves that it was the universe that conspired to make them fall for each other. If Bahubali was alive, they will never have a future and thus, the Kingdom will never reach the glory it deserves. Once the king was dead, they could imprison Bijjaladev (Sivagami’s husband) and live happily ever after. 

Bhallaladeva, the son: Bhallalladeva is in reality, Kattappa and Sivagami’s love child. Bhallaladeva and Kattappa hid their relationship inside the 4 walls of the palace. One day, he told Kattappa " Oh father! I have never asked anything of you. You even deny me the right to address you as my beloved father when a third pair of eyes are around us. I have just one wish, to be the king of Mahishmati. Wouldn't you make your son's desire come true?". In a Dhritarashtra - esque moment, Kattappa kill sBahubali for his son. 

 

Bahubali, the noble King: Bahubali understood that Bijjaladeva had infilterated the ranks and files of his army with traitors. They were planning a coup to overthrow the king. If that happened, there will be unrest in the kingdom and a large number of his much loved people will lose their lives. There was no point trying to fight Bijjaladeva. He thought of approaching his elder brother for peace only to realize he will be imprisoned for life. Too proud to live at another person’s mercy, Bahubali order his trusted aid Kattappa to take his life. 

p.s. These are the reasons I could think of as to why Kattappa did what he did. If your imaginations run wilder, do let me know in comments :) 

                                                                                                                             Arun Babu

Blog on Dulquer Salman’s Filmography #5 : Blog # 292

Blog on Dulquer Salman’s Filmography #5

It had been a while since I had seen a Malayalam movie. I was surfing book my show and happened to stumble up on ‘Jomonte Suvisheshangal’. It was such an endearing movie to say the least. I so loved veteran actor Mukesh’s performance. He has always been a natural. To talk about Dulquer’s performance, I felt he has reached that stage in his career where he is really comfortable in his skin. There is this scene when he is in a bus among a crowd of girls. It is so far from his usual self yet he looks so convincing in those scenes. This is an indication that he is very comfortable doing characters that aren’t urban-english speaking-well travelled- mould. When it comes to real life, this sense of comfort is something we all feel when we reach a certain age. We are no more striving to match up to someone else’s ideals. We know what our capabilities and weaknesses are. The hunger to do well is still there, but it is done by pushing the right aspects of one’s persona to make oneself better. Same goes with actors too, isn’t it? 

It is raining Ads for him, a sign of his soaring popularity. Be it electronics, real estate, textiles or automobiles, he has made his presence felt. He is the brand ambassador for Club FM too. But I still hold the grudge against him for not doing enough interviewsJ.

Comrade in America looks like a very endearing love story set in an interesting backdrop. I loved the way words are used in the songs! Such dearth of lyrics these days in songs and those were a refreshing change.

Oh did I mention that he featured on Discovery channel? Yea! Discovery and no less. How more international can one get? Maybe this has something to do with his increasing fan base across states in India and in the Middle East too, thanks to the Malayalee diaspora there.

         His measured responses to the social situations that the state and the country go through is a testimony to the refinement that his mind has undergone over time. He is prudent enough to not make it overt. At the same time, he ensures that his words convey where he stands on this issue. Very few seasoned public figures manage to get this right. Kudos to that. 

 ‘Vikramadityan’ is one of his most under rated movies, don’t you think? It is like Mohanlal’s movie, ‘Pingami’. No one ever talks about that movie when they talk about Mohanlal’s movies. It is a wonderful film with soulful songs (Remember the song, Vennilavo chandanamo?). There are times when one inadvertently tests the limits of a friendship. A seemingly innocuous joke might drift two people apart. But there is always a hope that a friendship reverts to what it was once and will continue to be. I feel this to be true in life and in the film, ‘Vikramadityan’ too. As much as it was a love story, it was about the portrayal of a beautiful friendship too.

Look at this beautifully minimalist of a trailer. How many micro expressions do you see in a span of about 5 seconds? Here is the magical revelation of an actor's brilliance!

Earlier blogs on Dulquer’s Filmography:

Blog 1 : The rise of a new star

Blog 2: Bangalore days and more

Blog 3 : The grand entrance to Tamil film industry

Blog 4 : Charlie all the way

Blog 6: Spoilt for choice

Is Koffee with Karan becoming the worst TV show ever? : Blog #280

Is Koffee with Karan becoming the worst TV show ever?

I am a self-confessed Bollywood buff. Not the kind that gets intrigued only by Gurudutt’s Pyaasa or Shyam Bengal’s Zubeida or Mahesh Bhatt’s Arth. I enjoy a Veer Zara and a Devdas and a Kal ho Na ho and a Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and a Barfi and a Ye Jawani Hai Deewani too. I understand the business enough to know why movies like Chennai Express and an Ek tha tiger exist and how they work the box office.

I understand the fact that Karan Johar is an astute film maker. He understands the world of cinema in a way few other directors of his time does. This does not mean he is the best director around. What I mean to say is his grasp of cinema is far superior to his contemporaries. I am one of those who enjoy his kind of cinema – light hearted, emotional stories with soul touching music and dance with good looking people and stunning locales. I used to look forward to Koffee with Karan the way we look forward to an episode of Crown these days or Game of Thrones in the recent past. 

But the episode with KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, the cricketers have found a new low for the show. How could Hardik Pandya be so uncouth and lacking in class. He said all the wrong things. If he chooses to speak so on a national platform, what kind of a person will he be in private? More importantly, Cricketers are Demi god's in our country. What influence is he leaving on the youngsters? 

This is not the first time Koffee with Karan is indulging in such lack of class.Remember the Koffee with Karan episode featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Ranvir Singh ?

My grudge is not against the innuendos or the insider jokes or the gestures dripping with vulgarity. Those are what the ‘complete-freedom-of-expression’ brigade calls “comedy”. The bone I have to pick with is regarding the utter pointlessness of the whole interview. After watching it for an hour, there was nothing worthwhile at all. It had nothing to offer but a void.

To begin with, the overt familiarity between the interviewer and interviewees was too appalling to say the least. If the idea is to showcase Karan and friends having a banter, then put up a home video on YouTube. There is no need for a show on TV! There were no sensible questions. And the answers were equally senseless too. Most of the time, the three of them kept talking together making it difficult to know what they were talking about.

You might say that well, Koffee with Karan was never meant to be a sensible show. I beg to disagree. There were times when some tough questions were asked and some very brave answers were given. In one episode, Sanjay Dutt asks Sushmita Sen as to why she hadn’t given up smoking. The one with Juhi and Madhuri was very interesting to watch. It was intriguing to see them taking an effort to be appreciative of each other and yet not succeeding much. The one with Mahesh Bhatt and Alia Bhatt was honesty at its best. The ones with Abhishek Bachchan were quite witty and entertaining. So were the ones with Priyanka Chopra.

From those interviews filled with fun, entertainment and trivia to wither away to something of today’s format which can be described as hollow at best is truly saddening. What is worrying though is how most of today's popular shows are following suit. But then again, when we ourselves spend time in finding the best selfies and keeping track of the narcissistic reinforcements through 'likes', how can we complain!