Phuntroo (Marathi Movie) Review

March 11, 2016 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Sujay Sunil Dahake

Producers: Krishna Lulla

Writer: Sujay Sunil Dahake

Cast: Madan Deodhar, Ketaki Mategaonkar, Shivraj Waikar, Shivani Rangole, Ruturaj Shinde

Music: Hrishikesh – Saurabh – Jasraj

Genre: Sci-fi

Rating: * * *

Review By: Keyur Seta

Director Sujay Sunil Dahake’s debut, Shala was about adolescent romance. His next, Ajoba, gave a strong statement against environmental degradation through the story of a leopard. Phuntroo, his newly-released film, falls in the science-fiction genre.

If you can deal with three hugely diverse topics in your first three films and that too with conviction, there is no doubt about your talent. However, when it comes to overall satisfaction, Phuntroo falls short of expectations. But that doesn’t take away its achievement of opening Marathi cinema’s account in the modern sci-fi genre.

Phuntroo takes place in an engineering college. The story revolves around Vira (Madan Deodhar), a geek obsessed with scientific innovations. He is smitten by his collage mate Anaya (Ketaki Mategaonkar), but doesn’t have the guts to pour out his feelings. Circumstances ensure that Vira lays his hands on an incomplete Artificial Intelligence experiment. As he gets involved in the project, his life starts changing.

It takes time for the viewer to adapt to Vira’s world due to the complexities of his character and the setting. Slowly but surely when you do get accustomed, the experience starts becoming pleasant. It is now that you realize Dahake’s mature handling of the subject, akin to his previous works.

The use of some subtle quirky humor is also praiseworthy. The Atheist Tea Stall, Hindutva Canteen, mention of real-life politicians and the FTII Chairman, are few things that make you laugh out loud effortlessly.

While it might be argued that the proceedings take time to get fully into the sci-fi mode, it works out well for it creates excitement and anticipation from the second half. However, it is in the latter part of the post-interval period that the film starts going downhill due to various reasons.

The creative liberty taken by Dahake is too much to ignore, with some important moments also lacking logic. What is also unforgivable is that Vira’s emotional dilemma isn’t explored much. Lastly, the climax doesn’t provide the kind of kick you expect from such a subject.

It would be unfair not to consider the technical department as a major plus point. The work of the VFX team is triumphant to say the least. The film wouldn’t have appealed without their contribution. But Archana Borhade’s artistic camerawork and Saket Kanetkar’s powerful background score aren’t behind either.

Like his previous two films, the filmmaker once again extracts convincing performances from his actors. Madan Deodhar is excellent as Vira. To play such a complex and difficult character is no mean task. Ketaki Mategaonkar puts forth her best act till date. She is effective as the robot Phuntroo too. Shivani Rangole, Shivraj Waikar and few others too chip in with good acts.

Overall: Phuntroo is an above-average saga that doesn’t live up to the expectations. It is more of an experiment. The film is given half a star extra for its technicalities. With good hype and famous faces in the lead, it is expected to score well at the box-office in the first week. But its chances don’t appear positive in the long run.

Before hailing Kanhaiya as a ‘National Hero’, please look deeper

March 5, 2016 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

By: Keyur Seta

Despite suffering terrible loses in the Delhi and Bihar Elections, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) doesn’t seem to have learnt any lessons. Their latest mistake occured in the ongoing Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) saga. By labeling charges of sedition on the students, including the JNU students’ union leader Kanhaiya Kumar, they have highlighted their desperation.

In my opinion, it is blasphemous to support terrorists like Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, which the JNU students did, as is evident from the posters of their ‘event’. But charges of sedition are applicable only when a person incites a mob to indulge in violence. Exactly due to this, the Delhi Police recently faced embarrassment from the Delhi High Court when the bench asked, “Do you even know the meaning of sedition?” (Read more about the meaning of sedition HERE.)

But what has hurt the government the most its own action of doctoring videos of JNU students’ protest, which quite a few news channels played without checking its authenticity. A senior member of a news channel also resigned after knowing about the tampering of videos, which his channel played. (Know more about the videos HERE). This clearly amounts to villainous tactics to defeat someone. In simple terms, it’s disgraceful.

However, this has given rise to a confusing situation in India. Kanhaiya is been hailed as the true hero of the nation after getting bailed. In opposing BJP and the Right Wing’s actions, people are even hailing Kanhaiya as the only savior of India, just on the basis of a speech.

Democracy allows us to support or oppose anyone. Personally, I am impressed to see someone fearlessly opposing and challenging the negative tactics of the Right Wing. But it is also advisable to look deeper and not get carried away by someone’s oratory skills. In today’s day and age, when we have been fooled often by those heroic speeches, the least we should do is delve deeper and look beyond those fiery words and punch-lines.

The following is my personal opinion on Kanhaiya’s speech:-

– Kanhaiya did raise important issues. But that doesn’t change the fact that he and his fellow students supported Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat. In fact, if you try remembering, this entire saga started off when the JNU students union decided to hold an event in support of Afzal and Maqbool in, what they called, a ‘cultural’ program. It’s clearly mentioned in the posters. Seriously, how justifiable it is to support people sympathetic towards convicted terrorists?

– Kanhaiya and his supporters are clearly advocating leftist propaganda. This is evident from slogans like “Lal Salaam” and “Red Salute”, which they shout during every interaction. For the uninitiated, Leftist ideology can also be dangerous. So, if you are against the Right Wing but ready to support someone advocating Leftist ideology, you need to do some serious research. Plus, in India the Left has gone through a downfall. They hardly have any ground left currently.

– For your information, Kanhaiya is the leader of the All India Students’ Federation (AISF), which is the students’ wing of the Communist Party of India (CPI).

– Lastly, it clearly seemed that Kanhaiya was putting on a show, just like numerous other politicians. The points he raised, his manner of making fun of his opponents, his peculiar tone and gestures clearly made him look like a wannabe politician. It didn’t appear spontaneous even a bit. For the uninitiated, he has already been approached to campaign for the CPI in the upcoming elections this year.

The intention behind this post is not to force anyone to change his or her opinion. It is just an advice to know the whole picture before hailing someone as a National Hero, which is a very precious title.

WATCH the entire Kanhaiya Azadi speech:

Jai Gangaajal Review – Who exactly is the protagonist here?

March 5, 2016 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Prakash Jha

Producers: Prakash Jha Productions, A A Films and Play Entertainment

Writer: Prakash Jha

Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Prakash Jha, Manav Kaul, Kiran Karmarkar, Murli Sharma, Ninad Kamat, Vega Tamotia

Music: Salim-Sulaiman

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * ½

Review By: Keyur Seta

Picture: Jai Gangaajal Facebook page

After Raajneeti, filmmaker Prakash Jha hasn’t been able to show his class in the films that followed – Aarakshan, Chakravyuh and Satyagrah. His latest outing, Jai Gangaajal, thankfully, turns out to be better than these three films. However, it suffers from some strange issues. The biggest one being the confusion over the main protagonist.

Jai Gangaajal takes place in the small town, Bankipur, which is a lawless land. So much so that the cops have become hand-in-gloves with the evil politicians of the town – minister Ramakant Chowdhary (Kiran Karmarkar) and his protégé MLA Babloo Pandey (Manav Kaul). But there are also some like inspector B N Singh (Prakash Jha), who are forced to side with them against their will and conscience.

After the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bankipur becomes too much for the bad guys, he is replaced by the idealist and honest Abha Mathur (Priyanka Chopra). Chowdhary and Pandey are sure that a woman SP won’t pose any harm, but they are soon proved wrong. However, will she alone be able to make a difference in the long run?

Plusses:

– Jai Gangaajal is an engaging affair. Jha’s faced-paced script coupled with some interesting and witty dialogues keep you gripped. The first half, especially, is enjoyable.

– Jha’s in-and-out knowledge and understanding of politics is seen once again.

Picture: YouTube still

– Action sequences featuring Priyanka Chopra are impressive and exciting. It is heartening to see her beat the hell out of the bad guys. She succeeds in providing yet another powerful act.

– Salim-Sulaiman’s songs, all of which are played in the background, add more life to the action sequences. Other technicalities like cinematography and background score too fall in the positive category.

– Jha pleasantly surprises by his mature acting skills, making us wonder why he didn’t go in front of the camera all these years. However, at times, mostly during the action sequences, he appears uncomfortable.

– The film also has fine performances from Rahul Bhat (as the social worker), Kiran Karmarkar, Murli Sharma and Ninad Kamat. But, despite the fact that her character ends soon, Vega Tamotia manages to impress and gives a clear message that she deserves to be seen more.

– But Manav Kaul, the antagonist, is the best thing to have happened to Jai Gangaajal. He is outstandingly brilliant as the ruthlessly corrupt Babloo Pandey. After CityLights and Wazir, he once again forces other filmmakers to make note of himself and how!

Minuses:

Manav Kaul – Picture: YouTube still

– The story of an honest police officer rising against the baddies is badly done-to-death in Hindi cinema. In this case, the confrontational sequences between both the parties too are something that we have been witnessing since decades.

– But more surprisingly, the basic plot of Jai Gangaajal is eerily similar to its prequel, Gangaajal. In fact, a couple of sequences and even a few dialogues are straight out of that film.

– The duration of 2 hours and 38 minutes is too long for such a storyline.

– The climax is truly abrupt. It is difficult to believe that film actually ended this way.

– But the most troubling aspect is that Jha gets more importance than Priyanka. As surprising as it may sound, his character gets to carry out more heroic deeds than Abha Mathur. This clearly amounts to making a fool of the audience by highlighting Priyanka as the main lead in the promotional material. This will not go down well with her fans.

Overall: Jai Gangaajal is an average fare despite an impressive first half. The film is for those who enjoy political dramas. Going by the content and the not-so-positive opening collections, its box-office prospects don’t appear bright.

MAIN SAMAY HOON…. (Based on the mindless JNU battle)

February 16, 2016 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

By: Keyur Seta

Hardly before have I ever felt such horror watching a news clip. The anti-India, pro-Afzal Guru (the man who attacked India’s temple of democracy – Parliament) and pro-Azad Kashmir slogans by a group of students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JUNU) have sent shockwaves throughout the nation. On top of this, ABVP, the group opposing JNU students, has made it worse, as has been their history.

Picture: DNA

And today, it has become even crazier after students from Kolkata’s Jadavpur University too have joined in to support Afzal Guru. The fact that we are required to condemn something so obvious speaks volumes about the number of brainwashed people in our country currently. In fact, I am not getting proper words to condemn these incidents.

So, as an observer, I could only think of the ‘Main Samay Hoon’ feature in B R Chopra’s classic TV series, Mahabharat. How would it react to today’s insane situation?

This is how…

Main Samay Hoon…

Mera astitva jeevankaal ke prarambh se hai aur aanewale pratyek kaal mein rahega. Main KURUKSHETRA ki ladaai ka saakshi raha hoon, aur aaj, Kurukshetra se thodi hi doori par, ek VICHITRA prakaar ka yuddh bhi apni aankhon se dekh raha hoon.

Lekin Kurukshetra ke yuddh ne bhi mujhe itna AASHCHARYA-CHAKIT nahin kiya jitna is vichitra yuddh ne kiya hai. Woh yuddh PANDAVO aur KAURAVO ke beech tha, DHARM aur ADHARM ke beech tha. Parantu yahan toh dono taraf kewal Kaurav aur Adharm hi nazar aa rahe hain.

Yahan prashna yeh nahin uth ta ki jeet kiski hogi. Aise yuddh ke prarambh se pehle hi dono dal PARAJIT ho jaate hain.

Aur DHARM ki anupasthiti ke kaaran, Shree KRISHNA ke aagman ke bhi koi aasaar nahin…

Kala Ghoda 2016 Pictures

February 8, 2016 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

By: Keyur Seta

It’s that time of the year again. The month of February has begun with the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, like it has been the case since almost a decade. And like every year, this year too the vibrant arts of different forms was a treat to the eye.

So, here are the pictures from the 2016 Kala Ghoda Arts Festival:-

(For the full schedule of the 2016 Kala Ghoda Festival click HERE.)

(Click on the pics to enlarge)

Main Zinda Hoon (Hindi Poem)

February 7, 2016 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

By: Keyur Seta

Kuchh log kehte hain main kahin kho gayi hoon.
Kuchh ke anusaar meri kabki MAUT ho chuki hai.
Koi kehta hai main humesha se kewal ek BHRAM se zyada aur kuchh nahin rahi hoon.

Jabki sach yeh hai ki mera ASTITVA tha, hai aur rahega.
Kabhi main BOODHE vyakti ko sadak paar karvati hoon.
Kabhi kisi madhyam vargiya insaan ko DAAN dene ke liye prerna deti hoon.
Kabhi kisi ko durghatna mein ghayal hue ANJAAN aadmi ko aspataal pohochane ke liye tatpar karti hoon.

Agar NAKARATMAKTA ka chashma utaar kar dekho toh main har jagah maujood hoon.

Kal subah ugne wala SOORAJ bhi is baat ki gawahi dega ki…

…main ZINDA hoon.

– INSAANIYAT

Picture: Energyenhancement.org

Kanyadan: Why donate your daughter?

February 2, 2016 by Keyur Seta 2 Comments

By: Keyur Seta

In a conservative society like ours, questioning rituals has always been a strict no-no, leave alone speaking against them. Like some of us, I too found some rituals quite weird, especially the ones related to Hindu marriages. But I never used to speak against them or question them, until recent years.

One such ritual is Kanyadan, wherein the bride is presented to the groom by the girl’s parents. There are mainly three reasons why I find this practice quite weird as well as insulting to the girl.

The learned priest

There are as follows:-

– The bride is not a commodity or a non-living thing to be ‘presented’ to the groom.

– She is supposed to marry, and subsequently stay with her husband, out of her own will and not because she is being ‘presented’ to someone.

– Most importantly, the meaning of dan is ‘donate’. Donations are done as acts of charities. How can you ‘donate’ a human being to someone through an act of charity?

– You do charity to the poor and needy. Is this how you describe a groom? Poor and needy?

Recently, my views on this issue were reinforced by a learned person.

I never show interest in attending those lethargic marriage rituals for two reasons 1) I find them boring and 2) The patriarchal angle. But I was keenly interested in attending the wedding rituals of my cousin Hardik Naik simply because they were supposed to be carried out in Arya Samaj by the aforementioned priest through Vedic practice.

And the priest’s method of performing rituals more than lived up to my expectations and eagerness. Being from the Arya Samaj tradition, the pandit ji was against patriarchal beliefs and rituals, which was truly heartening. He was especially against the practice of Kanyadan for more or less the same reasons mentioned before.

He was also not those typical marriage priests who simply recite mantras, make the couple perform rituals and leave. He believed in explaining his stand and views.

Some of his statements, while performing the marriage, are as follows:-

– “The girl is not a thing to be presented to someone.”

– “If I donate (dan) this glass to someone, I won’t have any right over it. So, do the parents of the girl lose all rights over her after marriage?”

– “In India, women are considered backward as compared to men. But this was never the case during vedic age.”

– He asked the bride and the groom to welcome each other as wife and husband; something I have never heard before.

But despite my clear views on this issue, I used to avoid speaking on it. However, after listening to this practical and sensible person, I won’t.

There is nothing wrong in being traditional, but not at the expense of embracing patriarchy and objectifying women.

Shani Shingnapur Row: Why India needs your support ASAP to fight against sexist bigots?

January 28, 2016 by Keyur Seta 4 Comments

By: Keyur Seta

The Republic Day marks the celebration of the Constitution of India. The Constitution grants equal rights to each and every citizen of the country. Ironically, on the very day, when the country was celebrating its constitutional rights, a group of women were not only meted out unconstitutional treatment but were also treated like criminals, when all they wanted was to enter a temple.

Women weren’t allowed anywhere inside the Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra until 2011 when a number of rationalists like the Late Narendra Dabholkar made valiant efforts and protests. However, they still haven’t been granted access to the core shrine till today. Only men are allowed to enter the shrine and as women are considered ‘impure’.

Circa January 2016. A group of few hundred women, led by Bhumata Ranragini Brigade, decide to challenge regressive sexist practices by trying to enter the inner sanctorum. What happened was utterly shameful. They were forcefully stopped and, at times, beaten by the police. A large group of women from a so-called Hindu organizations also turned up to stop them. The protestors were not even allowed anywhere near the vicinity of the temple. In fact, they were stopped 70 kilometers away!

Picture: Indianexpress.com

The behavior of fringe elements is expected because this is what they are actually. But one doesn’t expect our authorities to be on the side of those indulging in unconstitutional and unlawful activities. Mind you, there is no law that prohibits women or any human being from entering any place of worship.

Therefore, although it was quite heartening to see Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis visiting the site, it was disappointing that he only gave assurances and didn’t do anything to open the gates for women. As mentioned above, no law supports this practice. So, where is the issue? Why didn’t he use the police force in protecting the women from the misogynistic bigots who aren’t letting them enter?

But thankfully, these women haven’t given up, which has ensured that the movement is spreading slowly but steadily. Now, groups of women have also started protesting outside Sabarimala Temple and Mumbai’s Haji Ali Dargah. For those who aren’t aware, women aren’t allowed inside the inner sanctorums at these two places too.

The fact that women have united across religious lines is a strong message to the thekedars of religion. These evil forces should be told that no religious book has ever spoken about stopping women from entering any place of worship and that no God has appointed them as thekedars of any religion. But in case such theories are found in some ‘religious’ books, they should still be discarded. India follows the Constitution, not any regressive ‘religious’ book.

But for the movement to succeed, it is absolutely vital for people across gender, religious and class lines to extend support. This has to become something as big as the 2011 Anna Hazare Movement. However, practically speaking, for a majority of us, including me, it is next to impossible to physically be present at the sites of protest due to our work commitments.

But this is where the power of blogging and social media comes into place. In today’s day and age, governments and authorities have become aware about the voices on the internet. Message them, tag them, email them and use various other options on the internet, but make sure you put across your message. Use the hashtag #RightToPray

The issue is not just limited to these few places of worship. It’s a fight against patriarchy and sexism in the name of religion, which have ruled our society for thousands of years. This is a major opportunity to kick such ideas and kick them hard. Don’t let the movement go wasted. It’s 2016, for God’s sake!

Shaktidaai Drishya (Poem based on Airlift’s flag scene)

January 26, 2016 by Keyur Seta 5 Comments

The flag scene in director Raja Krishna Menon and actor Akshay Kumar’s Airlift is having a profoundly heartwarming effect on the audience. It is a non-verbal sequence that speaks more than a thousand years. Here is a poem based on the scene on the occasion of India’s Republic Day.

Shaktidaai Drishya (title)

By: Keyur Seta

Picture: Still from YouTube

Ummeed na thi manzil paane ki,
Na thi taakat kadam badhane ki,
Namumkin tha shikhar tak pohochna,
Ab toh naseeb ko hi tha kosna,

Khada tha main thaka hua,
Baadhaaon ke saamne hara hua,
Aanthon dishaon se jhele vaar,
Ab tha kewal ant ka intezar,

Par hawa ne ekaek rukh badla,
Shakti ka swar hriday se nikla,
Durbalta ke baadal hue adrishya,
Aisa tha woh shaktidaai drishya,

Kadmo mein nayi jaan aai thi,
Ab toh manzil door nahin thi,
Veerta ki hai woh behti Ganga,
Saadhaaran nahin apna tiranga

Airlift Review

January 23, 2016 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Raja Krishna Menon

Producers: Hari Om Productions, Cape of Good Films, T-Series and Crouching Tiger Motion Pictures

Writers: Vijay Krishna Menon

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Kumud Mishra, Inamulhaq

Music: Amaal Malik and Ankit Tiwari

Genre: Drama/ Thrillers

Rating: * * * *

Review By: Keyur Seta

Akshay Kumar was once known as the king of whacky comedies. But over the last couple of years, he has been associating himself with thought-provoking patriotic sagas like Holiday, Gabbar Is Back and Baby. He continues his impressive run with Airlift. To put it simply, it is an overwhelmingly brilliant piece of cinema, which lifts you in a way very few films can.

The story takes place in Kuwait in the year 1990. Ranjit Katiyal (Akshay Kumar), an NRI, is a shrewd businessman living a luxurious life with his wife Amrita (Nimrat Kaur) and a child. He considers himself a true Kuwaiti and hates being referred to as an Indian. But after Iraq, in the leadership of Saddam Hussain, invades Kuwait, life suddenly turns upside down for Rajiv and the 1 lakh 70 thousand ‘Indians’ working in the country.

Picture: Airlift Facebook page

Firstly, the makers should be lauded for throwing light on this unthinkable achievement of the biggest evacuation ever in the world! It is quite a shame that many of us are completely unaware of such a feat, but let’s not go into that for now.

But good intentions alone aren’t enough to make a good film. To say that Airlift has more than just good intentions will be an understatement since the film excels in every department. The script and Menon’s direction deserves special mention. In a situational-based film, the onus is more on the narration and presentation and one can find utmost precision in both departments. The result is a gripping narrative that doesn’t let you look at your watch throughout.

The biggest triumph for Airlift, however, is the profoundly heartwarming climax. It develops an intensely emotional patriotic feeling without any use of powerful dialogues or punch lines. The effect is the highest when visuals alone do the talking, is proven here. Plus, the final moments throw in quite a few messages, which, once again, aren’t spoken about.

There are a few weaklings though. Two important plot twists, one at the start and other at the end, aren’t explored the way they should have. Thankfully, these issues aren’t glaring at all.

The subject doesn’t offer much scope for music. But the tracks manage to impress. The ‘Vande Mataram’ song surely stands out and becomes an important reason for the climax triggering the desired effect.

There is some high quality work from the technical departments too – Priya Seth’s camerawork, background score, editing as well as production design.

Now, onto the performances. This is yet another film that proves that Akshay Kumar is no longer limited to being a superstar or an entertainer. He has now become a fine artist. The way in which he puts his heart into the character and his decision to select this film will increase the number of his admirers abundantly. This one is easily one of his best acts.

After The Lunchbox, Nimrat Kaur once again displays her talent. An actor like her surely deserves to be seen more. The same can be said about Inamulhaq (of Filmistaan fame), who is impressive as a comical Iraqi Major. Kumud Mishra once again succeeds in giving a mature act. There are convincing performances from a host of supporting actors – Purab Kohli, Prakash Belawadi, Ferena Wazeir and Ninad Kamat, to name a few.

Overall: Airlift is an overwhelming patriotic saga and one of Akshay Kumar’s best films. It has had a decent box-office opening by earning Rs 12.35 crore on its first day. But it depends on positive word-of-mouth to make a major impact at the box-office.

Picture: Airlift Facebook page