GreyMatter
Uncommon Perspectives by Naveen Bachwani
Filed under TV & Movies | 20 June 2010 |
3 responses
So often, I find that movie critics and reviewers in India fail to recognize the merits of any thing that lies outside of mainstream cinema. Typically, there is such little understanding of the art of story telling, and such little regard for the nuances of movie making, that the essay turns out to be nothing more than a detailed storyline, sometimes accompanied by a thrashing down of whatever the reviewer deemed unsuitable in the movie. However, when I go for some of these films, inspite of the warnings in the papers, I find myself being thoroughly rewarded for my time! Recent such examples in Indian cinema include the fantastic “Road Movie, The Film” and the newly-released “Raavan”.
While I do not have the luxury of time that allows me to post critiques on every Indian and International movie I enjoy watching, I have decided to renew my posts on TV & Movies with occassional posts on stories that made an impression on me. I may include a para or two on the broad plot, for the benefit of those who would like to know what the movie was about. But, the essence of my posts in this category will be subjective opinions and constructive critiques based on my movie watching experience of over thousands of films. This is the first of such posts, and feedback is welcome…
As the official website states, “Raavan is not a story, it is a world.” Wikipedia adds:
The film is a modern-day version and a loose adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana, in which Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, was abducted by the demon (R?kshasa) king of Lanka, Ravana.
Upon release, the film received mostly negative reviews from critics for its content, though its visual style and cinematography was praised by some of the critics.
Therein lies my problem. I did go to the show with relatively high expectations of the quality work that Mani Ratnam has delivered in the past, and I was left more than satisfied!
Raavan is a class act that is clearly not for the masses. Yes, it has all the popular elements of a bollywood masala film – love angle, action, drama, etc., but the “treatment” is refreshingly unique.
Fundamentally, it is a tale of good versus evil, and about the shades of good and evil that lie dormant within us all. Raavan’s main characters are clearly not on any one side of the spectrum, and that’s what makes the story interesting (and also probably unappealing for the common man).
I was impressed with Abhishek’s ability to “get into character” by way of mannerisms and expressions that I thought were remarkably consistent with the persona that he was playing. I especially enjoyed his character’s ability to deal with his inner conflicts, whether he’s coping with new-found jealousy or experiencing fear for the first time.
I was also left impressed with the film’s canvas. Almost the entire length of the movie has been shot in pouring rain – a feat that is not easy to pull off. Yet, somehow, the green and grey palette works like a charm, helping the characters blend-in in places, and making them stand out in contrast, in other frames!
The cinematography is truly exceptional, and among the best I have ever seen coming from Indian movie makers. The makers of the film seem to have taken the trouble to scout some of the prettiest natural locales of the country in which to set the story. I thought that many of the shots were visually stunning, giving the film a very artistic quality. Unlike typical bollywood fare, I was also pleased that the nuances of the film were more-or-less in sync with the way of life of the story’s setting – whether it’s the food they eat, their mode of transport or their attire and living conditions.
If I had to nitpick, I’d probably drop Govinda (allegedly the “Hanuman” element) from the story altogether, since he did not seem to add too much value to the plot. And, it would have helped to see a little more build-up to explain to audiences why the two key characters are hell bent on destroying each other from frame one.
But, all said and done, Raavan is definitely a movie worth watching and represents Mani Ratnam’s best work till date. Critics be damned!
Amborish
Nice…haven’t seen the film yet, but having read this, I’ll catch it soon!
“Mani Ratnam’s best work till date” I’m not so sure…for that to be true, it’ll have to beat classics like Roja, Bombay , Dal Pati, and, the Indian equivalent of The Godfather and Goodfellas, with Kamal Hassan at his career’s best: Nayagan! Then again, will watch and come back…
Naveen Bachwani
* Editor’s Reply *
I should have qualified that comment. I meant from among those that I have seen, which include Roja, Bombay, Yuva and Guru. I haven’t experienced “Nayagan” or any of his Tamil work, yet…
svs
Would love to read your review of Road, Movie. I saw it yesterday and have perhaps a very different opinion.