మహానటి

(Warning - Spoiler Alert) 
                                 

             

"నేను ఏమి అంత పెద్ద మహానటి ని కాదు లెండి.ముందు కెమెరా లేకపోతే నాకు బొత్తిగా నటించడం రాదు."                                                     - 'మహానటి ' సావిత్రి గారు

ఏదో చిన్నప్పుడు 'మిస్సమ్మ ', 'మాయాబజార్ ' సినిమాలు చూడడం తప్ప ఆ మహానటి గురించి నాకు ఏమి తెలియదు. ఏ నటీమణి కి లేనంత ఖ్యాతి గడించిన సావిత్రి గారు చివర్లో ఎన్నో కష్టాలు పడి , 45 ఏళ్ళ కే స్వర్గస్తులవ్వడం జగద్విదితం. అప్పుడప్పుడు TV లో వచ్చే పాత సినిమాలు చూస్తే చాలు, ఆవిడ గొప్ప నటనా కౌశలం తెలుస్తుంది. ఈ దృష్టి తోనే నేను ఈ సినిమా చూసాను. ఆవిడ చాలా మంచి మనిషి కూడా. ఎముక లేని చెయ్యి. నాగ్ అశ్విన్ (దర్శకుడు) చాలా బాగా తీశారు. చాలా సన్నివేశాల లో కళ్ళు చెమర్చాయి. ఆ మహానటి గా కీర్తి సురేష్ అద్భుతంగా సరిపోయారు. దుల్క్ఆర్ సల్మాన్ జెమినీ గణేశన్ గా పండించారు. ఇంక మిగిలిన పాత్రల గురించి ఏమని చెప్పేది ? సమంత జర్నలిస్ట్ మధురవాణి గా, విజయ్ ఏమో  ఆంటోనీ గా సరిపోయారు. చాలా పెద్ద నటులందరూ వారి వారి పాత్రలకు ఎంతో చక్కగా న్యాయం చేశారు.

1940 ల నుండి 1980 ల వరుకు జరిగే ఈ గాధ లో సందర్భానుసారంగా, ఆ మహానటి జీవిత ఒడిదుకులను ఆవిష్కరించారు. విజయ వాహిని స్టూడియో లో మాయాబాజార్ సెట్, మద్రాస్ నగర అప్పటి ట్రామ్ వ్యవస్థ, బెజవాడ లో నాటకాల క్రేజ్, గోల్డస్పాట్ డ్రింక్స్, అంబాసిడర్ కార్లు, - ఇలా ఎంతో జాగ్రత్తగా అప్పటి కాలాన్ని చూపించారు (Historical Accuracy).

మచ్చుకకి హృదయానికి హత్తుకునే ఆణిముత్యాలు -
1. ఎందరో  ఆర్ధికముగా మోసం చేసి, ఆవిడని వదిలేస్తే, ఆస్తులు జప్తు చేసిన ఇన్కమ్ టాక్స్ ఆఫీసరే 'ఆటోగ్రాఫ్ ' కోరితే నవ్వుతు ఇచ్చిన ఘనత ఆవిడది.
2. 'ఉన్నది ఒక జన్మే అయితే ...' అంటూ జెమిని గణేశన్ గారి తో జరిగే ఒక సంభాషణ.
3. పెద్దాయన ఎస్.వి.రంగారావుగారు చివర్లో 'ఎమ్మా, భొచేసావా ' అని ఆ మహానటి ని పలకరించే సన్నివేశం.
(హాలు లో ఎవరో ఉల్లిపాయలు తిరుగుతున్నట్టు గా అనిపిస్తుంది .)
ఇలా చెప్పుకుంటూ పొతే ఎన్నో...

ఇంత గొప్ప సినిమా గురించి ఎంత చెప్పినా, ఇలాంటి గొప్ప దృశ్య కావ్యాన్ని ఎన్ని సార్లు చుసినా తనివి తీరదు. 




Film - 'Mahanati' (Telugu) by Nag Ashwin, 2018. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7465992/

An Era of Darkness...

"The British Empire in India was so easily won, so narrowly based, so absurdly easily ruled thanks to the devotion of a few and the passivity of many"   

                                                - Eric Hobsbawm,

eminent British Historian

After 'Pax Indica', this is the second book by Shashi Tharoor that I've read. 

For 2 centuries (circa), the British ruled India. Many books were written on the question of the British Rule and Legacy, some being excellent and unbiased historical works. Although many issues highlighted in this book are well known to the students of history especially of the colonial past, the way the book is edited and peppered with views ranging from that of Robert Clive to 'Gurudev' Rabindranath Tagore makes it an interesting read. 

The tragedy of the late 18th century was that as modern ideals inspired by the French Revolution swept across Europe (Liberty, Equality and Fraternity) along with advancements in Science and Technology, in stark contrast, the British won battle after battle in India, forging (and only to betray later) short term alliances, treaties and innovative methods of annexation (Doctrine of Lapse etc), finally culminating in a mindset of 'Whiteman's Burden'. What followed immediately was the complete destruction of Indian self-sufficient rural economy, a drain of wealth so meticulously planned and executed that had no parallel in history. 

There are exceptional cases too, where progress can be credited to the British. Sir Arthur Cotton, who built a dam across river Godavari fighting against his own superiors, comes to my mind as an example and he is also immortalized as the modern day Bhagiratha i.e, the mythical king who brought River Ganges to the Earth (కాటనాం తాం భగీరథాం). But innovations like Railways, Telegraphs were planned with the primary intention of protecting and furthering British interests in India. 

This is neither the first book on British Legacy nor will it be the last one. However, we are with the author, Shashi Tharoor, who frankly questions the way colonial history is taught in Britain, pitching for an informed and fact based debate on the ill-effects of British rule in India. 

'Padmaavat'

(No spoiler alert apart from the quote)

"आसमान में हर तारा चांदी बनना चाहती हैं काफुर, पर नहीं बन सकता!
Every star in the sky wishes to be the moon, Kafur, but can't be so. "
- Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji

When the Poet Malik Muhammad Jaisi wrote the epic 'Padmaavat' around c.1450s CE, he was allegedly inspired by real events during the Siege of Chittor 150 years ago. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is inspired by this work and so renamed the film 'Padmaavat'. We can't debate the actual history and the sequence of events and this is a film - a work of art & fiction at its core.

A grandiose tale on a lavish scale and with meticulous care, the film runs on the trio - Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji, Deepika Padukone as Rani Padmavati, Shahid Kapoor as Raja Maharawal Ratan Singh. Every history loving person would have tears of joy at the near perfect portrayal of Khilji - he is not just displayed as a menacing marauder & ambitious emperor, but also as a confused romantic exhanging 'Shayaris' with the legendary Amir Khusrau.

The ethos of the Rajputs -  Valour & Courage were prominently highlighted so much so that after watching the film, one is left wondering what were the protests all about?  The settings & the locations - the forts of Rajputana, the haunting and recurring back-ground score - everything was perfect. A few detailed battle scenes could've been better. But, like all Bhansali films before, somewhere you'd feel the burden of conversations and a little 'drag'. Apart from that, enjoy the epic struggle where victory and defeat are the same!

Film - Padmaavat (Hindi) by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Murder on the Orient Express (Film - 2017)

(No/Minimal Spoiler alert) 

Agatha Christie's greatest creation, the Belgian detective 'Hercule Poirot' continues to enthrall readers in an addictive grip. Over a period of time, many film adaptions were made. The latest to join the  bandwagon is 'Murder on the Orient Express', basing on the crime novel of the same title, that pits Poirot's famous stubborn insistence on balance and truth against the grotesque reality of perceived revenge-justice. For the simple reason that I'm too much of a loyal fan, biased towards the book, I cannot even attempt to write about such a masterful book. So, strictly it's all about the film.

Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot is nothing like the Hercule Poirot which Agatha Christie described, at least physically (egg shaped brain, tilted sideways). Yet he is suave, different and aesthetically pleasing to watch (what with the accurate description of the legendary eccentricity i.e, 'two oeufs', straightening the tie etc). Staying true to the original book-plot,  an ensemble cast of who's who spread judiciously over the film ensures it's a treat to watch.

Unfortunate & unnecessary comparisons with book may belittle such a wonderful film, yet it deserves a respect for aesthetic authenticity.  On the whole, a well done project and watch out for the witty intelligence of Branagh (Poirot), when he says "I'm at my happiest alone."

As a fan, I've left the theatre saying to myself in Poirot's true style - 'Mais, Oui...More films, please. Merci'.

Film - 'Murder on the Orient Express' (2017 by Michael Green)
Link - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_on_the_Orient_Express_(2017_film
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3402236/

An Enigmatic Half-Lion (Thoughts on book 'Half-Lion')

"He's a hero that Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So, we will hunt him. Because he can take it."

A resemblance, however hyped and uncanny, on Batman from the film 'The Dark Knight' keeps coming to my mind as I read about India's former Prime minister, PV Narasimha Rao in Prof. Vinay Sitapati's 'Half-Lion - How PV Narasimha Rao transformed India'.

Time and again, I self-checked rather guiltily, whether I succumbed to the traps of Caste and Region in admiring a wily politician, genius and polyglot, of whose paradoxical life - I never understood beyond the basic sketch and that too, first in my home, after his passing away in 2004. Reading the Half-Lion, thus, out of fascination was a great experience in knowing about perhaps India's Greatest Prime Minister, as yet, given the practical constraints he faced.

Dealing judiciously with various events (Liberalization, Babri Masjid, Repeated No Confidence Motions, Nuclear Bomb, Relations with Nehru-Gandhi family), the book vividly describes Rao (who famously 'suffered with lack of ambition') surviving and thriving full term as a Prime Minister,despite a plethora of problems. How this Monk turned Monarch was responsible for a great deal of change in the garb of continuity, reacting as 'Lion/Fox/Mouse' a la Chanakya, Machiavelli is an interesting read.

He had his flaws, and some of his decisions did come to haunt him, but unlike many other transformational leaders like Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, Deng Xiaoping, he did not had to face crippling odds. Salman Khurshid laments, 'Rao is remembered for so much that went wrong, and for nothing that went right', but as Natwar Singh rightly pointed, 'Vinay Sitapati has resurrected Rao'.

Today India is a nuclear power and an economic heavyweight, miles away from an India that was deficit-financing driven and politically unstable in 1991. Thus, the legacy of the enigmatic Half-Lion lives on!

Book - HalfLion - How PV Narasimha Rao transformed India by Vinay Sitapati

Arjun Reddy

నా పంతం ఎంతా? ఈ విశ్వం అంతా! 

How do you judge a film in India? Should it confirm to the model standards of morality set forth by the society, whatever they are and indulge in message orientation to an already exasperated and unwilling audience? Should it mimic the mundane aspects of everyday life, the celebration of living? Do films inspire people to commit crimes or indulge in vices like drugs, drinking etc?

Beyond all the questioning and brouhaha, aren't we just forgetting the basic element of watching a film ? Aren't they just a source of enjoyment, however intelligent and inspiring they purport to be?

And then comes 'Arjun Reddy'. What a film it is! The 3 hours! While I would never dream of being or mimicking an angry young man like that, there are elements of the film which offer a raw, undefined connect. Despite the unusual positive end (our obsession with 'Subham cards'), the film delves deep into issues which are rarely scratched in films. While it indeed is a love story, it mirrors the frantic frustration in a bold way, when life does a U turn for us, taking away all the things we deserve and desire.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga, I shall remember the name. Martin Scorsese is famous for combining pleasant and popular music with violent scenes, and you did remind me of that effective technique. When all the hype surrounding the rather bad-taste speech and drugs and alcohol dies down, Vijay Devarakonda got his best role, which he aced with elan. Especially the eyes - hate to do it, but comparisons will be surely drawn and already made, rather unfairly, but nevertheless, with Al Pacino in the Godfather, especially the dining scene in the later film. The cast did an assuredly good job, especially Shalini Pandy and Rahul. And, what of the music & BGM score - haunting!

And, isn't it time for me to check the new app where i can print my name in the film's bold red in the black back ground style!

Film - Arjun Reddy (Telugu) (2017)
Link (Wiki) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arjun_Reddy

13 Reasons Why....

Teen Suicide dramas never appealed to me. Better yet, I should say, I've never been aware or am completely ignorant of their very existence. Until....

One of the chat web sites I was active with was overflowing with the users swooning over the new netflix series '13 Reasons Why'. Like many great shows, it was based on a book. So, it was this book that I delved into on a return journey to home by rail. Just curiosity? Succumbing to popularity? Something appealing in an unorthodox subject?

At it's core the subject is that a teen girl (Hannah Baker) explains why she had to take the drastic step of committing suicide, in 7 audio cassettes, blaming 13 friends, class mates, acquaintances - call it whatever or whoever they are. As the train chugged with inconsistent pace, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, contrasting the 'snow ball' effect of Hannah Baker and the sheer helplessness of Clay Jenson (One of the 13), I was amused at the story and reasons at first.

But by the end, the book did show a refreshing perspective, tackling the subject of suicide. I could go on to say, maybe if she's a little brave or 'if onlies' and 'for buts', but one's suffering should never be a cause of ridicule, whether real or perceived.

There's a raging controversy about the netflix series, as it allegedly encouraged a few teens to commit suicide across the world, but I can not judge as I did not watch an episode of it.

As for the book, it was anything but suicide-inspiring, fast paced and unputdownable!

Book - 13 Reasons Why
Author -Jay Asher
Link -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13_Reasons_Why