Archives for October 2019

Saturday Nights Review: Deep statement on loneliness in a crowded city

October 29, 2019 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

Lives of sex workers or prostitutes, as they are called, offer a lot of scope for storytelling in cinema. That’s precisely the reason why characters of sex workers are explored in films across languages and genres.

Director Shibu Sable’s short film Saturday Nights is also based inside the chamber of a prostitute. However, it’s not just any other story based on one.

The film tells the story of Vishwas (Sable himself), a middle-class and middle-aged widower staying in a humble colony in Mumbai. People from his locality gossip about him visiting a prostitute’s den every Saturday night.

They are right. Vishwas does spend his Saturday nights in the apartment of the call-girl Tara (Pradnya Manwatkar). But there is a twist here. Vishwas isn’t like any of her customers.

During the starting portions of Saturday Nights, you wonder where this 14-minute film will lead to as the two protagonists start chatting. But soon enough the twist in Vishwas’s tale wins you over.

Through his character, the film makes a deep and powerful statement on loneliness. The city of Mumbai, or any other metro in India, is overcrowded with people. Yet a lot of people don’t have a single person in their life to whom they can pour their heart out, especially without getting judged.

The moment when Tara asks Vishwas the reason for visiting her and he replies with, “Halka hone,” is the moment of the film. Similarly, the film says a lot without saying much. Having said this, they should have delved a little deeper into the back story of Vishwas, like they have done for Tara. This would have helped the audience in feeling more for him.

Both Sable and Manwatkar perfectly get into the skin of their respective characters. Sable has been and filmmaker and writer and this time he has ventured into acting. Manwatkar has a proven track record in theatre.

Overall, Saturday Nights is a moving take on loneliness in an overcrowded city.

Director: Shibu Sable

Writers: Jaidev Hammady and Shibu Sable

Cast: Shibu Sable and Pradnya Manwatkar

Rating: 4 out of 5

By: Keyur Seta

Watch the short film:

Additional reading:

Saaho’s major similarity with Baahubali (SPOILERS alert)

Why people in their 30s should stop believing they are 70

October 19, 2019 by Keyur Seta 4 Comments

There was a time when 7-8 of us would play cricket. We used to enjoy it. But as much as playing the sport, our constant jokes, one-liners and banter used to delight us. As years passed by and all of us started working, playing cricket slowly faded away, which isn’t surprising.

But thanks to What’s App, we started a group few years ago with the hope that we would regularly revisit those days of fun and laughter.

But strangely, the atmosphere in the group was nowhere similar to the time we used to spend years ago. There were only serious talks. Jokes had no place. Even after I tried numerous times to create humour, it fell on deaf ears. There was just no response. Finally, I gave up.

Weeks later, a friend, one of the members of the group, bumped into me. I straightaway asked him the reason for everyone being so serious on the group and what all happened to their humour. His only reply was, “Ab humne 30 cross kar liya. Ab kya hasi-mazaak?” I stood frozen there, not knowing what to say. I never knew hasi-mazaak had an expiry date and that too so soon in life.

But this is just one example. As the months passed by, I regularly kept hearing similar things from people in their 30s. While having conversations, it is a must for them to say things like, “Ab toh umar ho gayi hai hum logon ki,” “Hum toh buddhe ho gaye hain ab,” etc.

It seems as if they have started believing that they are 70 +. But on second thoughts, I am reminded of how people even in their 80s are seen having fun and laughter while sitting on the fence of Shivaji Park maidan. Also, my Yoga teacher is 80 but I have hardly seen anyone so cheerful and funny. My aunt and her friends are in their 50s but when they meet they behave like teenagers.

But having said this, each one is entitled to live and think the way he or she likes. So, if friends who are in the 30s feel they have become too old to crack jokes and laugh their hearts out, it is their choice. Some of them have also stopped exercising or doing any kind of physical activity thinking there is no hope now for them to get into a better shape or health. I don’t have a problem with that too.

But I do have a problem when they assume that I also think and feel the same. I have a problem when they say umar ho gayi hai ‘hum’ logon ki and ‘hum’ buddhe ho gaye hain. Boss, please replace ‘hum’ with ‘tum.’

While you would be busy spending your evenings with a cup of tea while staring at the sunset thinking life mein ab kuchh raha nahin, I would be taking a jog or thinking about some idea for my next funny write-up or meme.

Never knew I would feel generation gap with people of my own age group.

By: Keyur Seta

Additional reading:

Why arranged marriages are nothing but shopping?

Murder In Mahim – Book Review

October 7, 2019 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

The dark, underbelly of Mumbai has attracted many storytellers and filmmakers. Generally such crime stories are about the underworld or some serial killer. As the title of author Jerry Pinto’s novel is Murder In Mahim, you expect another whodunnit murder mystery.

The story is about Peter, a retired journalist staying near Shivaji Park, who gets to know that his son Sunil might be homosexual. Just as he and his wife Millie are trying to come to terms to it in case it turns out to be true, a gruesome murder takes place inside the toilet of the Matunga Road Railway Station.

Peter has a habit of accompanying his close friend Inspector Jende in investigating crimes. He does the same while investigating this murder too. What looked like another murder turns out to be the starting point of a mystery that runs deep into the dark, homosexual world of Mumbai, which we hardly get to notice [The book was written when Section 377 was not absolved].

The initial portions of the book itself make it ample clear that the novel is much more than a mere murder mystery. The murder and the type of crime explored in the novel stand apart from other stories on crimes in Mumbai. It is real but at the same time surprising enough even for Mumbaikars staying in the city for decades.

Like, how many of us know that gay prostitution is so common in Mumbai and that railway station toilets are known spots for the same? And that there are various unofficial spots in the city where unknown gay men meet up to have a good time? Likewise, Pinto’s geographical knowledge of Mumbai, especially where the story is based, is top-notch too [having stayed in the same locality, I can vouch for that].

The author’s narrative is the clear winner here as it tackles police’s role in solving murders, social commentary on homosexuality and the lives of the underprivileged. He has woven all these aspects naturally into the narrative with not a single one of them being the odd-man out. The book also fulfils the criteria of a whodunnit taking you by surprise with a revelation in the end.

Along with the geography of a city, it is also important to know the type of conversations that would take place over there, irrespective in what language your book is. This is another plus point here as the dialogue between the characters are real, interesting and, at times, amusing. This is seen the most during the conversations during the investigation.

Also read: Book review: The Coup India Missed – Glimpse of an alternative India

There aren’t major negative points, except slight complication with the plot in some areas. But I have an issue with the title. The murders take place in the toilet of Matunga Road Railway Station, so why is the book named Murder In Mahim? One might argue that the jurisdiction comes under Mahim Police Station [as claimed in the book] but the crime has, nevertheless, happened in Matunga.

Overall: Murder In Mahim is a well-crafted tale of murders that also makes a strong social statement.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Author: Jerry Pinto

Review By: Keyur Seta

Additional reading:

Short Story: The Orange Garlands of Bharatpur

Book Review: Decoding Life Post 8/11