SLUMDOGMILLIONAIRE...Since there was so much of noise about it I had to see it and realised that this hype and publicity..even if it is negative will become the reason IF it becomes a hit...very ordinary movie depicting shit..literally, nothing extraordinaire...except the tag of FOREIGN MADE. Since its about slum children, it shows slums and their life, they may have some beautiful moments also, but no..it captures only the ugliness of their life....crime, filth and meagre surroundings. The only endearing moments are a few with the young Jamal...it is all a fairy tale about a slum child getting lucky all the time in his life..........One thing I found strange...when they show a statue of Lord Rama, it looks so much like Shiva.......... .and they crying hoars that it is a movie depicting REALITY.....But i kept searching and dint find it anywhere except in the filth.....what is real...A child going through the faeces for Amitab bacchan, or
Only muslims get killed in riot..or
All the orphans in India end up either in prostitution or in crime depending on their gender or
Not a single person is good in India,
A boy without any knowledge can get a seat on KBC or
he can get lucky in all the questions...I mean its just too muc...coincidence or luck or whatever but everything is so implausible...and here I am not raising the questions some other bloggers have raised...(of KBC not aired live etc)...nothing appeals here.
For my taste too gory at places.....only Irfan Khan and Anil kapoor made it tolerable.
Ghajini......reminds me the movies of 80's..what with the excess of cruelty and violence.Most of the situations and characters are artificial.....I am yet to see a billionaire indiustrialist..so simple and without any family, so much that in his worst condition also..there is no one with him.
A girl so sweet and helping like Asin is there and this situation of telling a lie about affair has been done to death in movies like Sajan(Manoj kumar Asha parekh) and there was one more also, but even then the part with Asin is beautiful, I loved it,She is fabulous and can give a tough competition to all bollywood heroines, where only dresses are considered important.She reminded me of kajol in earlier movies...now sometimes even kajol goes overboard.
Amir is also very good and looking nice in long shots, but in close ups..age is catching up my dear:).......Two songs are hummable...tum mujhe mili and gujaarish, but the second half is too violent and without any logic.....like how he gets this animal strength, and those tattoes,so many loose ends.......................
HEYY BABY..........I like the best scene where........Reitesh and fardeen listen to a young girl wearing a very short skirt talking to her father...saying.....she will wear it because her boyfriend likes it and father's dislike doesnt matter to her..:) and then there conservation..
Reitesh.....our angel will also say one day that we are not important to him and will wear such dresses.
Fardeen.....she wont have any boyfriend..only a husband and that too we will choose for her:):)and he wouldnt be anything like us....hehe
see the fathers talking:), but the first hour of the movie was quite boring with a crass and vulgar comedy.
36 comments:
wow, you are on a movie spree :). I liked Slumdog. I think the angle from which the movie was told is interesting. yes, if i nit pick there are so many things I can find wrong. Did not like Gajani at all. terrible terrible except for Aamir Khan :). I enjoyed Hey baby. hilarious in some place.
now hop over to my blog to accept your award.
I liked the first 2 films in the list..... :P
Ghajini was a good masala flick.... and SDM was ok... though it did hurt seeing mumbai that way
JCMA: I watch one movie almost every day:)..its not nitpicking:), as it is being marketed as a realistic movie..one has to see it that way, even otherwise, i found those scene of the toilet completely gross,where was the need to be so gross...
Thank u very much for the award--u really touched my heart:)
Ajit; I liked something in all the movies:)....if it is really like that in slum, then we need to watch it, otherwise not.
I havent seen SDM and HEY BABY..
I enjoyed watching GHAJINI but it was a bit too violent..
check the tamil ghajini..the songs are good too.. the climax of the hindi one was better anyways..
I liked the three movies in the same order in which you've mentioned them. The problem with SM is since the movie is a little over-hyped, so is the controversy surrounding it.
SWAT: and i though film journalists watched each and every movie:)
me to found it too voilent.
Chriz; I would love to, but sadly i dont know Tamil, Though i am curious to know the end of Tamil Ghajini:)
Rakesh; This is what i wonder..why do we hype any and everything made abroad...its like any other ordinary movie and if it was made by Someone here.like David dhawan, critics would have thrashed it left and right...why in India..more than the movie..credentials matter?
i watched slumdog millionnaire and i actually liked it, as a movie, not that i thought it reflects India, I guess it has been more popular outside India, and I can undertand that some Indians might be offended by the title or miserably that cam out of it. But yeah i guess for once it was different that the musical/colorful happy bollywood stories :P What can u expect from an American movie director!
C.
I didn't think Heyy Baby was worth a watch...
Ghajini - Amir is way too old and its kind of creepy to see a 43 yr old romance a 20 yr old!
Slumdog - Me liked... despite all my reservations, I was curious and I finally watched it...
:)
Cess; Even for a movie..i like entertainment with some positivity, here all the men were shown to be either cruel or sleazy,That is not India..even in slums, in poverty you will finsd some people who retain their values ,goodness, they are simple but good.
Actaully they want to earn money, they are hardly bothered about authenticity and since they cant make a good song and dance Indian movie, they sell this crude picture of india, though it doesnt make any difference to us, now world knows about indians.
Hi Renu, I haven't seen "Slumdog Millionnaire" yet.
However I saw "Trainspotting" by the same director years ago. It depicted England as I had never seen it, and I hope I never see it.
PIXIE: you are right about heyy baby:), but i have to do something to kill the time:)
In bollywood even a 60 year old can be a student..that is the way it is, now all are over 40..Salman,shahrukh,akshay, and heroines are getting younger:)
Helene H; That means he is a veteran in such things:)
I liked SM and Ghajini.Not Hey Baby!I agree with Rakesh.SM has been so over-hyped that its only but natural that its getting all the flak.
Just watch the movie as an entertainment and u'll like it.I really liked it as it had a novel concept and some wonderful music by ARR:)
Deeps: sorry to disagree, but a good movie is a good movie..period, even when lagaan released, i wasnt enthusiastic at all to see it, but my daughter took me to the hall, and once it started, i was glued to it, forgot all my reservations.
The concept may be new, but its all filth and squalor....if they had shown good and bad together, because thats the way life is for everybody rich and poor, would have been good.
Renu, I saw 'A Wednesday' as per your recommendation! Too good. Thanks. I have written in my blog about how much I liked Gajini and Slum Dog! Sometimes we like very ordinary movies also if we are in a happy mood. I liked most part of them. Then, for me, they are just movies! Movie is good - movie is bad, Finished.
You know what? I did not watch the song'Jai Ho' in SDM because I did not like the dance movements of the actors in the first 2 lines. Our choreographers are better. So did not listen to the song and it was out of place also.
I have seen 'Three men and a baby' which was good and I don't think that the Hindi version will be tolerable! Keep reviewing movies and I will select from them and watch! Thank youuuu Renu!
Even I thought SDM was very very very very average. I practically fell asleep while watching the movie. And when it finished, I was like - Is THIS the movie which is getting all the rave reviews?!!!
Ghajini was ok. But too long. Aamir, as usual, acted really well.
Haven't seen Hey Baby. The name was enough to put me off. :P
But I do not agree with you in your response to Deeps. You have said - 'a good movie is a good movie...period'. Which is so untrue. What might be good for you might not be good for me at all. There is no universal definition for good or bad when it comes to something as subjective as a movie. So while you and I did not like SDM, it seems like most others did. I was shocked to hear people raising it to its pedestals, but guess we should appreciate that everyone has a different point of view.
havent seen any of these movies yet :( But Ghajini, i heard, was really bad!
:) You seem to be a movie freak like me ..Of the three,i liked Hey babby more..Tamil Ghajini was more better then Hindi version..Slumdog was a class on its own,cannot be compared with typical bollywood masalas..I tend to enjoy almost all types of movies :)
Good day
Well out of the three movies reviewed by you I have seen Slumdog millionaire. To me I watch the movie without any preconceived notion on how things gotta be...and I did enjoy the movie not that because it was India bashing...but because of the feel good factor which transcend all boundaries....and to me it was because a person of a different faith who happens to be from a minority community actually had the chance to win...the incorrect version of the show...now that is a plus point for a Democratic India...where everyone has an equal chance...unlike others in other places...you should be counting your blessings...
I always look at the positive even in a negative situation...
Phew..the Slumdog debate continues.. :P Oscars koi jaldi award kar do yaar iss saal...else this is going to be a never ending debate :P Not adding anything.
Ghajini....didnt like an Aamir Movie after a real long time. I wated RDB on 26th Jan (yeah patriotic!!) and wondered what the hell was wrong with him in Ghajini.
Hey Baby....the less said the better..
Nice review by the way :)
Sandhya: I think our choices are similar:) You are right..sometimes we like ordinary movies also BUT if a movie is being hyped aso much and nominated for awards..it must have that standard, thats what i thought:)
And i find this routine veryillogical where most of the time best song of the movie com es in the end with titles and not incorporated in movie. This is what i wanted to convey that Rehman has given much better music in many movies, its like Shahrukh getting an award for Duplicate.
REBEL:hey..helloo:) i meant no offence to anybody..its like this whenevr a movie is hit in India..whatever it may be but it has certainly SOMETHING SPECIAL...I may not like it personally but i respect that IT and this movie is not a hit here.....I just feel that we hype everything done by foreigners..be it Oscar, or directors....if the same movie was made by an Indian,nobody will give it a second look,,this is what i wanted to convey, may be i was not clear with my expressions.
PIPER; If you havent watched, u r not missing something:), but Ghajini is not bad, but its haf.n half..half very good and second half not worth it.
nimi540: yeas:) from my childhood, I used to watch all the movies and discuss them:) me too enjoy all type of movies, same as I enjoy MBs as well as classics:)
Thanks for dropping, keep visiting:)
SUKKU: First thing I dont feel biased towards any community whether winning or loosing, secondly its not an Indian movie, In India we have a vibrant democracy and everybody is given equal opportunities and i am very proud of it and so see no reason to be happy or unhappy about any un such thin..... i watched the movie from an entertaintment point only and was sorry that I didnt find it.
SMRITI: In SDM , i ahve locked horns with eveybody I think, but hey:):) each to his own:)
Ghajini has the the story of 80's and Aamir is looking haggard:(
Renu,I'm sorry,but here too we are at total disagreement with each other.A good movie for you may not be a good movie for me and vice-versa.Its evident in the case of SM itself,you found it filled with squalor and filth whereas I thought the movie was a simple love story treated in a unique way.Also the manner in which each answer that Jamal gave related to various incidents in his life was novel and interesting.
Now,if you are telling a story of a boy from a slum,that too,Dharavi,one of the largest slums in Asia,you cant show a clean and tidy slum,can you?
Anyhow,to each his own.I'd say you didnt like the movie and you have your reasons for it and I liked the movie and I have my reasons for it.Period.Lets not delve any deeper into it.
Renu, I feel that Rehmaan has given better music in Roja, Taal, Dil se and so many others. But SDM has reached the worldwide audience and so he is getting the awards. Good. Now they will start looking for his other songs and he is going to be more popular. So I wish he gets the Oscars also, which he definitely deserves.
If I have the choice, 'A Wednesday' should get Oscars for acting, story etc. Very good storyline. But who will canvass for it? 'Welcome to Sajjanpur' songs were good too.
Don't mention about 'Duplicate' and 'Yes Boss' of Shah Rukh. I shudder at the names!
Hi Renu, thanks for regular review of the movies that you see. And i agree with you in Gajjni, like too many loose ends. They leave a lot for the imagination of the viewers. I have not seen the other too. Yes the first girl in Gajjni is sweet.
But Amir is looking better and better as he is ageing, like those western actors of yore developing wrinkles on their faces.
lol...you know what...i loved SM, liked Ghajini and almost hated HB!!
SM is a true dipiction of slum life and how children land up in the wrong professions in life...yes there are some coincidences which are difficult to digest but thats what drama/theatre/movie is all about - magnify the idea which sometimes makes the subject seem unreal...And the techical bits of the movie were brilliant...an outsider getting such a strong and accurate hold on the lives of these people was fantastic i think.
In Ghajini i loved both amir and asin's performance. Yes it was a bit violent but a very interesting concept - imagine how can a person live when they have a memory loss every 15 minutes! On the radio here once they spoke about a man who met with an accident and would forget everything every 1 MINUTE!! and the guy lived like that for 27 years! imagine what a life that would be...
Hey Baby - the child was really cute and the fun ended there for me. i was waiting to get out of the theatre within 30 minutes of the movie...
Deeps;I happily agree to disagree:), Just please dont take any offence where it is not meant....It only shows two individual's thoughts and choices, and thats the beauty of the comments on any post. I love to see truthful comments, rather than wows and nice etc without any meaning:)
Sandhya; i agree:), I have a audie CD of favourites if Rehaman, and it has one song...ma tujhe salaam..its my fav. too and the words are so beautiful and emotional, always make me cry:), I wish him all the best.
Balvinder singh: Yes Asin is superb:) but i find all the heroes looking worn out, we need some young blood now.
Deeplydip:..I dont know whether it was a true depiction, i havent seen a slum so far, got an idea of slums only thru movies.
Too much of violence always puts me off any thing:(, Since i watch all the movies thru TV or DVD, i always take tea breaks , more when the movie is boring:)
My elder sister use to say when I was young ,"Jab picture dhekhne jaya karo tab dimag taak par rakh kar jaya karo" I dont know whether she was right or wrong,but I am still following her doctrine.I see movie only for entertainment.
mkg: your sister hundred percent right:) But some visual are such that i cant get entertained by them and then if they are said to be award winning then I am compelled to say my views:)
and thanks for dropping, keep coming:)
Here I'm glad I agree with you wholeheartedly!Everyone is entitled to his or her views.What fun is there in a discussion if two people think alike,isnt it???
Of course I've not taken any offence,please dont think that.I just voiced my opinions as you did.Thanks for putting up with me:)
Deeps: yessss:), I alwys love to see the other side of coin and sometimes I change my views also, as i am not rigid in anything;)
I rather feel thankful to the commentors like you, who take time in writing their view and they always widen my horizon, and please i am not putting up with you:) but enjoying ur comments.
loved this idiom "done to death in movies" very rare usage.. but i like it a lot..
and pity u watched 3 movies and did not like ne of em so much :)
i liked slumdog.. nothing gr8 but then its got pace and i was waiting to know the nuances.. once i got the drift how the Q&A s are related, i really was a bit enthusiastic to know whts the n ext Q and how mite he hav know the A... hmmm and all the while i thot.. it must hav made a much better book.. intend to read the book for sure...
and yea.. indias underbelly has been portrayed.. but then... as a recent article in toi said, it caters to american audience which has limited vision.. and for them india is this...
but here also, we perceive new york as the city of sky scrapers though it has lot of destitution, brazil with carnivals though poverty is rampant there, italy with mafia though its a flourishing economy...
so let s be a bit obliging :) end of day it was a feel good, optimistic movie for me...and i love seeing the glass half full :)
Amrita: wholesome entertainment is so rare now days..may be 4-5 movies in a year, rest all are watched like this only and liked always in parts.
Even i always feel the half glass full, but like pleasant feelings.
I agree...some movies are so much fun watching on tv only - like i rememeber once you recommended to watch Welcome. I didn't remmeber and went and bought the dvd to realise that my sis and I had walked out of this movie in 30 minutes. But when i watched it on tv, i loved it. I laughed and laughed and watched it a second time too!
Deeplydip;:), I loved Welcome, infact my whole family liked..if its a comedy we dont see logic or reality in it, just have a good laugh and I prefer situational comedy than the slapstic ones where you laugh at fat or language etc.
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