Article 15- Film Review

If you want topical, meaningful cinema, go no further! Go watch Article 15. By far, the best serious film of recent times. In fiction, there used to be a term used often, "hit him in the solar plexus" -this is that kind of film.

Probably loosely based on a real incident, it takes a realistic look at how things play out in investigating a complex situation (death of two young women) in a caste-entangled small town in India. The slow and deliberate progress of the investigation is unique, and so is the understated playing of their roles by almost everybody in the cast. But the subdued nature of the drama does not for a moment take away from the hard-hitting facts of the case. The direction and editing are superb.

I think this movie forces you to take a hard look at many things. If it succeeds in making people think of moving towards change, it would have achieved a purpose.

Mukkabaaz- Film Review

Given that the film runs its length on two completely new actors in the lead, it's a very good attempt. It's the charming heroine and raw, gritty hero who actually make the difference in a tale that's in danger of becoming a new stereotype. The North Indian small-town ambience leading to turmoil in the lives of some of the protagonists, I mean. A complete anti-thesis of the Karan Johar urban stereotype, this is nevertheless another one. If what is depicted in it is true, it is sad indeed that small town autocrats still function in this way. If it's not, cinema needs to write and tell stories which are more varied.

The good things are Vineet Singh and Zoya Hussain- the lead pair, and the known faces of Ravi Kishen and Jimmy Shergill (who's also getting typecast). The length of the film is a tad too long, and shaving 15-20 minutes off would have made it a lot crisper and more effective in its impact. It drags at times, because you know what's going to unfold.  The subtext of forward versus backward castes is handled well, without intruding too much on the storytelling. Also, the joblessness in small town India comes through, in attempts to get one through sports quotas. The end is a big surprise. Overall, not bad. Worth a look for a film buff, especially if you are not into mindless extravaganzas. The music could have been better.

Bellampalli Memoirs

Bellampalli literally means Gud-gaon. Gud as in jaggery. We lived there for around 7 years, from 1970 to 1977. I was a teen then. It's a small mining town in Adilabad district.

It was a one-horse town, and I will concentrate on the merchants there.

We had a cloth store. It was run by a sweet-talking Marwari called Banwarilal. His patented dialogue, once you selected something to buy, was "Hum aapko purane rate se deta hai. (I will give it to you at the old price)."

Then there was a tailor, Laxmi Tailors by name. The proprietor's name was Mondi. We went and sat in his shop to collect clothes left for stitching, and it usually was a fairly long wait, because the clothes had gone for ironing, or for fixing buttons.

And then there was Jeetmal Moolchand Chitalangi, where we got our monthly groceries. In a narrow lane, the shop was badly lit. But Mr. Jeetmal was always bright, and made good conversation with us, his customers. Maybe we got a free toffee once in a while, or a cold drink if we were lucky. All in all, a pleasant experience.

There was a movie hall, Rama talkies, where I remember watching Haathi Mere Saathi, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Saawan Bhadon, Navin Nischol's debut film.