Zests of a Common Man

July 19, 2014 by Keyur Seta 10 Comments

This post is a part of the #ZestUpYourLife activity in association with TATA Zest and BlogAdda.com

By: Keyur Seta

There is a huge difference between living life and merely surviving through it. So in the midst of a hectic professional life, it is necessary to have people, things and situations that add Zest to your life by making it worth living. I am fortunate to have many sources of Zest in my life.

Here’s listing five of them:-

Mussoorie (Picture Source: http://beqesh.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/a-walk-in-the-clouds/)

Nature: Whenever you are stressed out, disturbed, tensed or angry over something, just surrender yourself to nature – be it mountains, shade of a huge tree, landscape, river, lake or sea – and see the difference within minutes. I can say this from many personal experiences. I can stay in the company of nature for hours alone as if I am having a conversation with the surroundings. Needless to say, something that provides you with immense peace has to be labeled as a Zest! It can also be described as ‘Nature Therapy’.

Roadside food: If I am given a choice between a luxurious five star restaurant and a roadside rekdi, I will choose the latter 10 out of 10 times. I personally feel that the taste of roadside food (be it any cuisine) is unmatchable to any of those big sophisticated restaurants. Just think about it – Can you ever compare the experience of eating a spicy Vada Pav during heavy rains to that of eating mannerly in those luxurious air-conditioned restaurants?

Cinema: This is the biggest passion in my life. Although I watch many films, each of my movie experience is special as it takes me to a different world altogether thereby making it more like a spiritual activity, irrespective of its quality or genre. Hence, I address it as ‘cinema’ instead of just ‘movies’. Over the years, I have realized there is a big difference between both. The term ‘movies’ refers to those who watch films just for fun while munching tubs of popcorn. On the other hand, ‘cinema’ refers to people like me who just don’t need anything as we are completely focused on our spiritual exercise.

Company of a cinema buff: When I am in the company of someone who considers watching films a spiritual exercise, I can literally speak with him or her for hours without a moment’s pause. Hence, such a cinema buff is also a Zest for me. And speaking about films doesn’t necessarily mean a serious discussion on great films. It also includes making fun of a lot of bad films and the various ham scenes in it. If you are lucky, you might even witness me acting out some ham scenes.

Company of a Common Man: Just like the company of a cinema buff, having a down-to-earth chat with a simple Common Man (ideally with a cutting chai) provides me with immense peace, irrespective on what topic the discussion is, ranging from movies, politics, cricket to even laughing at a silly PJ. Through my personal experience, I have wholeheartedly started believing that simple joys of life are the most pleasurable and long lasting.

Picture Source: coolage.in

Lai Bhaari (Marathi Movie) Review

July 11, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

By: Keyur Seta

Director: Nishikant Kamat

Producers: Mumbai Film Company and Zee Talkies

Writers: Sajid Nadiadwala, Nishikant Kamat and Sanjay Pawar

Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Sharad Kelkar, Radhika Apte

Music: Ajay-Atul

Genre: Action/ Family Drama

Rating: * * ½

Story Outline: Mauli (Riteish Deshmukh) is a carefree youngster living in the holy village of Pandharpur. As his parents are unknown, he considers Vitthal-Rakumai as his parents. He is in love with his childhood sweetheart (Radhika Apte). His free-flowing life comes to a halt when he gets to know a shocking truth about his past. This revelation also brings him at loggerheads with the evil Sangram (Sharad Kelkar).

Review: From the trailers, Nishikant Kamat’s Lai Bhaari looked like a typical hero-oriented masala film. While it surely is one, the film in totality is much, much more than what is revealed by the promotional material. This doesn’t ensure a quality product though due to an age-old storyline, done-to-death narration and few other issues. However, there are enough paisa-vasool moments due to Riteish Deshmukh’s heroics that make the film a one-time watch for the lovers of this genre.

The surprise element is surely refreshing but it gives you a feeling that the film is a complete remake of a Hindi blockbuster released in 2000 (mentioning the name will be an obvious spoiler). It also makes us feel as if we are watching two different movies in two halves. The first half is quite non-happening since nothing substantial happens until its end. A lot of screen time is given to elements that make the film appear like a high on culture family drama.

The turnaround at interval point takes the film to a different level but one is able to guess the plot twist long back. Nevertheless, the genre comes alive in the second half with many cheering and whistling moments born out of Riteish’s antics.

But barring this, there is nothing much to keep the entertainment quotient high due to some tried and tested situations that we have been witnessing in Hindi films since 1970s. One might argue that such things haven’t been seen in Marathi films before. Although this is true, one can’t deny that the Marathi audience has been watching such genre of Hindi films since decades, more so since last few years. And to tell such a tale in over 2 hours 30 minutes is also not a good idea. Plus, mentioning Vitthal-Rakumai after every few minutes post interval becomes an overdose after a while.

The theme track ‘Mauli Mauli’ becomes one of the plus points of the film due to the overwhelming effect it provides. Apart from this song, ‘Aala Holicha San’ is noteworthy. The camerawork is impressive, especially during the aerial shots. The background score is as per the need.

Talking about the performances, it is Riteish Deshmukh all the way, especially in the second half. The actor packs a punch through a powerful act that is sure to delight his fans. After a terrific act in the recently released Hindi movie Ek Villain, he is going through the form of his life. But despite his towering performance, Sharad Kelkar makes his presence felt through a convincing portrayal of the bad guy.

Tanvi Azmi plays Riteish’s mother with conviction. Radhika Apte, as the protagonist’s love interest, is decent. The actor in the role of a kid girl displays plenty of cuteness. Aaditi Pohankar and the rest of the actors play the parts as per the requirement. Salman Khan is super-impressive in a cameo. Genelia D’Souza too provides the surprise element in another cameo.

Overall: Riteish Deshmukh’s powerful act makes Lai Bhaari is a one-time watch. With the terrific hype and the main lead’s heroics, the film will surely turn out to be a blockbuster at the box office.

Victim of Marriage in 21st century!

July 10, 2014 by Keyur Seta 2 Comments

By: Keyur Seta

Traditionalists keep asserting that marriage is a ‘sacred bond’ and a huge decision so it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Although there is no denying this, ironically most of these traditionalists around me not only take marriage lightly but also make it a cruel joke with regards to the marriage of a girl by promoting different versions of patriarchy.

Right from selecting a groom till the last stages of her life, a woman is forced to bear a lot of evils in the name of ‘tradition’, ‘culture’ and ‘religious beliefs’. People might argue that such things don’t happen in the 21^st century but that is far from the truth. I have been regularly witnessing such weird practices even in 2014 and that too in Mumbai, which is known as the most modern city of India.

I would like to explain myself using the following points:

Picture Source: Inonit.com

Age Factor: Age should be taken into consideration while planning your academic life and career because one needs to enter into a profession at the right time in order to stop depending on your parents. But to force someone to marry just because of age is senseless and that too when she is just 22 or 23. It is absolutely fine if the girl is ready for it but if she wishes to build a career before tying the knot, it is against human rights to not allow her to do so. After all, marriage is not about age; it is about finding the right person.
Beauty Contest: A couple is said to be happily married if there is love and proper understanding between them. For this, it is necessary for the girl and the boy to spend time with each other in order to understand each other’s nature and psyche. But the first criterion a boy’s family’s considers is beauty by looking at the girl’s photograph. If she is good looking or ‘fair’, only then they select her to meet their son. Such a practice reinforces the terrible belief that looking good, beautiful or ‘fair’ is the most important thing for a girl. No wonder these appalling fairness creams and their advertisements are so hit in India!
Only Money Matters: I regularly witness or hear stories of parents pestering a girl to get married to a complete stranger just because he is rich. I have heard first-hand accounts of how parents start having a grudge against their daughter if she turns down the marriage proposal of a wealthy stranger due to logical reasons like thoughts not matching, not being understanding, not willing to give freedom, etc. Parents’ worry for their girl’s future is completely understandable, but forcing her to marry someone just because of his bank balance is more than silly. This will surely take care of her financial needs but not getting a loving, understand and caring husband will make her feel practically poor.

Picture: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk (Click on the pic to enlarge)

Divisive Politics: We are told that marriages are made in heaven (whatever that means). But we are made to search our soul mate not just in our own religion but also our so-called caste and language. Now how can you assume that God or nature has selected someone for us from our own religion, caste and language? Do you really think God or nature believes in such man-made divisions? So a girl opting for love marriage outside the so-called caste is grudged; if it is outside their religion, she is labeled disgraceful, even in 2014. Many a times, children agree to search in their own caste or community just to respect their parents’ sentiments. But how logical is respecting your parents’ sentiments when it helps in spreading something as evil as casteism? This respect has played a large role in spreading casteist feelings. Just look at the matrimonial column in newspapers. The same people who accuse politicians of playing caste politics are more than willing to do the same in matrimonial ads. At the end of the day, happiness of your child should always be above your divisive demand.
Invisible Dowry: Dowry has been banned in India long ago but that is only on paper. Even today in a lot of cases the girl’s family is compelled to give a lot of items as shagun disguised as dowry and also bear the cost of the entire wedding. This gives a feeling that the boy is doing some ehsaan (favor) on the girl by marrying her. Isn’t he also in need of a wife as much as she is in need of a husband? One should not forget that it is she who is leaving her family to live with someone else’s family till the end of her life.
Husband Worship: Even today a wife is forced to consider her husband as bhagwan or God. This is justified by the ridiculous and horrible statement – Patni ki jagah pati ke charanon mein hoti hai. This is not only weird but also hilarious. Just imagine – a boy enters the world just like others. He lives like any other human being as he has the same capabilities that fellow humans have. So how is it that after marriage he suddenly becomes God? A lot of times, this ‘God’ is not even able to make a cup of tea for himself. Although this sounds funny, it is not because it promotes high level patriarchy.
Double Standards: An invisible version of patriarchy is promoted through Karva Chauth. No, I am not against the festival. I am just against the message it gives: the festival is celebrated to pray for husband’s long life. Why is it that only the husband deserves to live long? Why can’t the husband fast for his wife too so that there is equality?

Curse in Blessing: People consider the blessing ‘Sada Suhagan Raho’ (may you be a married woman throughout your life) as the most auspicious for a woman but if you think deep, you will realize it is not. In fact, it is a curse in disguise since it is indirectly hoping that the woman dies before her husband. It endorses the ghastly theory that women are just not capable of living life without a husband so it is better they die before him. How can this insult be tolerated in an era when single women and single mothers are leading a professional life just like their male counterparts? Why can’t it be left to God or nature to decide someone’s lifespan?

Until and unless something revolutionary is done about the above-mentioned points, it will be hypocritical to label marriage as something sacred. Instead of the girl’s parents convincing her to adjust according to these so-called traditions, it is high time the boy’s parents encourage him against such creative patriarchy.

Mardaani against all odds!

July 8, 2014 by Keyur Seta 6 Comments

This is written as a part of I am Mardaani activity exclusively at BlogAdda.com for Indian Bloggers.

By: Keyur Seta

Indians have grown up watching mainstream Hindi films. Most of these films have a common theme – a man (known as ‘hero’) fighting a lone battle against evil forces and emerging victorious. Although we all have seen innumerable films with this theme, we hardly (or never) come across such a hero in real life. Very, very few of us do.

I am glad to have known one such a brave fighter very well. I am more fortunate since that person is also a good friend. She (not ‘he’) is Dr Rita Pal. She is a doctor and a medical journalist. But the reason why I feel she is an ideal Mardaani is because she dared to be a whistleblower against malpractices and corruption in the medical field and refused to give up despite the fact that she was all alone.

This is her story that she narrated to me:-

Originally from Bengal, Rita has been staying and working in the United Kingdom since long. Her story started in 1999 when she was working in the Midlands with the National Health Service (NHS). After realizing the substandard methods of patient care over there, she complained about it. However, the authorities not only ignored her concerns but also labeled them as baseless.

But Rita didn’t give up. She continued her fight by approaching the Department of Health, General Medical Council and the media. But these organizations, however, didn’t take any actions and, worse, started assassinating her character. The scheme of things also ensured that Rita didn’t find other employment; she was able to work with NHS on short contracts in order to conceal her ‘past’.

Sadly, this wasn’t all. The worst was yet to come. It came when once Rita came to know that false rumors about her ‘mental state’ are been circulated on a website. This obviously affected her professional life so much that she had to carry a doctor’s certificate to prove her normalcy. When she tried to find the source of these rumors, she came to know that the General Medical Council (GMC) came to the conclusion after doing a secret inquiry about her mental condition and that too without contacting her or having a look at any of her medical reports.

When the GMC refused to remove the notes of the secret inquiries, Rita approached lawyers but none were ready to help as they felt it is impossible to take legal action against the GMC. She decided to become a litigant and wrote a claim with the help of a friend by going through those thick legal books. Finally, she found a lawyer, a colleague’s friend. This route also wasn’t easy as we all know these lawyers charge a bomb.

After a lot of hardships, Rita finally won the case. The GMC had to remove the notes citing her so-called mental illness. They were also compelled to provide her with a letter stating that there was nothing wrong with her mental condition.

Her story is indeed similar to the theme of a lot of Hindi films. But what she went through was not a film shoot but an actual life struggle that would demoralize many of us, who would have given up when pitted alone against such powerful forces. Unfortunately, the media didn’t cover this case much. But that doesn’t take away anything from Rita’s act of bravery.

I believe fighting a lone battle against such forces and emerging victorious is an ideal example of Mardaani.

P.S: Dr Rita Pal regularly takes part in a number other social causes too.

This is a personal message sent by Rani Mukerji after reading this post:-

Humshakals Review

June 20, 2014 by Keyur Seta 3 Comments

Director: Sajid Khan

Producers: Vashu Bhagnani’s Pooja Films

Writers: Sajid Khan, Robin Bhatt and Akarsh Khurana

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Ram Kapoor, Tammannah Bhatia, Esha Deol, Bipasha Basu

Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Genre: Comedy (???)

Rating: * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Ashok (Saif Ali Khan) and Kumar (Riteish Deshmukh) are the best of buddies. Kumar works in Ashok’s multi-million dollar business empire. Ashok’s father is in coma since 15 years. Ashok’s uncle (Ram Kapoor) is eager to enjoy Ashok’s wealth all by himself. But as he is bound by few clauses in the will, he can’t kill Ashok and Kumar. So he sends the two friends to a mental asylum where Ashok and Kumar’s lookalikes are being treated. But this is not the end as far as the saga of the lookalikes is concerned.

Review: With Humshakals, director Sajid Khan was expected to be back on track or at least produce something better than his last outing Himmatwala. But he has come up with a huge surprise, not in a good way though. Humshakals has not only turned out to be worse than Himmatwala but it also falls in the category of one of the worst mindless comedies churned out by Hindi cinema.

One is expected to keep logic and reasoning away while watching such mindless comedies. That’s fair enough because such films are only meant to tickle your funny bone. But you can’t take the audience for granted and expect them to be completely dumb to get amused by horribly shocking basic plot, twists and many subplots. Try to fathom these points:-

A man keeps funding his friend’s illegal scientific laboratory. What is that? They run it like a professional laboratory so what is its exact motto?
That scientist produces a medicine that can make a human behave like a dog for 24 hours.
A bribed ward boy of a mental asylum mixes that medicine in two glasses of water meant for one of the pairs of Saif and Riteish. The culprit is seen committing that crime through the CCTV footage by the doctor and the dean but no action is taken against him. In fact, he is not even confronted for this!
A man suffering from the third stage of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is highly dangerous so he needs to be kept away in confinement. So what do they do? Instead of keeping him in a different room, he is kept way under in a secret basement. Why???
Nobody knows about the existence of that patient. The main doctor in-charge is also completely unaware about him. However, a ward boy not only knows about him but also has the keys to open the secret place! Huh!
The condition of the supposedly utterly dangerous patient is improved in a jiffy. Not just that, he also becomes able to impersonate someone else. But still he goes into a mental stupor due to one reason. So to calm him down, one just needs to present him with a lollypop!
A lot of plot twists are brought in by using substances like the above medicine, chloroform, seductive deodorants, etc.
If I continue to list down more of such ghastly absurdities, I might end up writing a book. In short – the above points are just a few grams from a kilogram of nonsense.

The bigger problem with Humshakals is that it reaches highly insensitive and sadist levels, especially when it comes to portraying mentally retarded and physically challenged people. These are some incidents:-

Patients in a mental asylum are treated worse than animals. They run around in the vicinity while the doctors and others in charge chase them.
An officer in the asylum dressed up as a security guard tortures the patients through electric shocks. He continues this horrifying activity throughout the film.
Two mentally retarded people play with life-supporting equipment attached to a person in coma; the makers have tried to induce comedy through the poor man’s torture.
The same poor old man’s disability is used to create laughter in a devilish way later on!
This is yet another Bollywood film featuring gays or homosexuals in the most objectionable manner.
There is a dose of racism too with respect a colored African or American. Bollywood still thinks it’s funny!

The film does offer some witty PJs that get you in splits; especially the type of humor Sajid is known for, mostly through his TV shows. The song ‘Caller tune’ is also a rare moment of satisfaction. But these instances are too minute in front of the rest of the torture that has a runtime of almost 3 hours.

When you have such content, it won’t be fair to blame the actors for such awkward performances. Despite this, Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Ram Kapoor try their best and manage to appear genuinely crazily funny at various points.The three female characters – Bipasha Basu, Tamannah Bhatia and Esha Gupta – don’t get any scope and like Sajid’s previous few films, they are just used to expose their bodies. Satish Shah is hampered due to a terrible characterization. The rest of the actors are not worth mentioning.

Overall: Humshakals is a terrible attempt at comedy. Its only achievement is that it is much better than the disgraceful Grand Masti. Due to the hype and promotions, it will manage to get good or decent numbers at the box office in the first weekend. But it will suffer after that.

Filmistaan Review

June 5, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Nitin Kakkar

Producers: Satellite Pictures, UTV Motion Pictures and Shringar Films

Writers: Nitin Kakkar and Sharib Hashmi

Cast: Sharib Hashmi, Inaamulhaq, Kumud Mishra, Gopal Datt

Music: Arijit Dutta

Genre: Drama/ Comedy

Rating: * * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Sunny Arora (Sharib Hashmi) is a crazy Hindi film buff who lives life filmi style 24/7. He is aspiring to become an actor but isn’t getting an opportunity. So for the time being, he decides to become an assistant director for a documentary to be shot in Rajasthan by a group of Americans. During the shoot schedule, Sunny is abducted by a group of terrorists across the border in Pakistan. Will he ever return to the other side of the border?

Review: A border separates one country from another but human emotions remain the same all over the world, including the patch of land across the Line Of Control (LOC) called Pakistan. And when people from both sides of the border share a common crazy interest for Hindi films, the border becomes mentally invisible.

This theory of bonding is beautifully presented by director Nitin Kakkar in his debut flick Filmistaan through a smart mixture of rib-tickling and moving moments. What makes it even more special is that he has given a fitting tribute to Filmi Keedas like us to derive at the point.

Like all content-driven films, Filmistaan rides high largely due to the writing. An interesting story, watertight screenplay and creative dialogues give rise to these winning points:-

Sunny’s lovable character that recites famous Hindi film dialogues throughout the film, even in tense situations.
His close bond with Aftab through the medium of films.
The message of friendship given in a completely non-preachy manner.
A number of memorable scenes including, Maine Pyar Kiya sequence, filming of the hostage, Sunny’s encounter with a Hakeem (easily the most touching scene in recent times), Sunny and Aftab’s antics in the pre-climax, etc.

There isn’t an absence of flawlessness though due to some errors. It is also surprising to see no footage given to the consequences of the kidnapping in India. But thankfully, these points don’t affect you due to the overall content.

There is some smart display of camerawork by Subhansu Das. The background score too excels in creating the right emotions. Arijit Dutta has composed some soulful tracks that suit various situations perfectly.

The performances are of top draw. Sharib Hashmi (Shah Rukh Khan’s Pakistani friend in Jab Tak Hai Jaan) is outstanding! It looks like it was a cakewalk for him to get into the skin of the character of Sunny Arora. It is his act that takes the film to a higher level. Needless to say, he deserves to be seen more.

But despite such a strong performance from the main lead, Inaamulhaq succeeds in impressing with a brilliant portrayal of Aftab. The chemistry between the two actors is incredible. Kumud Mishra is perfect as the head of the terrorist group; he succeeds in speaking mostly through expressions. Some good supporting acts are seen from Waseem Khan, Sanjay Mehta and Tushar Jha. Habib Azmi deserves special mention for his wonderful cameo as the Hakeem.

Overall: Filmistaan highly succeeds in giving a positive message while paying a tribute to Hindi cinema and its fans. The film needs word-of-mouth to make an impact at the ticket window.

Lords to witness history… again!

May 31, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

By: Keyur Seta

Memorable matches are the ones that witness an extraordinary feat by a player, a team or both teams. So naturally, a match becomes memorable after it’s over; in the past tense. Even a World Cup Final becomes unforgettable only if something great happens in it. But a match to be played on July 5 has already achieved a title of ‘memorable’ or ‘unforgettable’, although it is very much in the future tense right now.

Tendulkar during MCC v/s ROI match in 1998 (Picture: Espncricinfo.com)

The said match is between MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) and Rest of the World on July 5 at Lords, the home of Cricket. It is the presence of some legends in both teams that is responsible for the match to be terribly awaited.

Just imagine, Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Rahul Dravid, Adam Gilchrist, Mutiah Muralitharan, Yuvraj Singh, Kevin Petersen, Virender Sehwag, Brett Lee and Shivnarine Chanderpaul together on the field! It doesn’t get bigger than this, can it? Plus, this might even be the last time we would be able to see the likes Tendulkar, Warne, Lara, Dravid, Muralitharan and Gilchrist on a Cricket field. And if we are lucky enough to see a battle between Tendulkar and Warne or Lara and Warne, what more can a Cricket fan ask for?

So the occasion will not only be memorable but also highly emotional for anyone who has grown up watching these great ambassadors of the game. Needless to say, one player that would be looked forward to the most is Tendulkar, not only by Indians but fans from around the globe. After the legendary farewell he received last November, watching him bat again will be a heavenly feeling.

But even if some of these great names fail to live up to the expectations, their mere presence is enough to generate tons of excitement, like it happened in 1998 when a similar match was played at the same venue in memory of Lady Diana. If you grew up in the 90s, I am sure you would remember that contest. Tendulkar and Chanderpaul are the only two out of the 22 players that had played the 1998 match. Interestingly, they both scored centuries in it.

So July 5 is our date with history!

Teams:-

MCC: Sachin Tendulkar (Captain), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Rahul Dravid, Aaron Finch, Brian Lara, Brett Lee, Chris Read, Saeed Ajmal, Shaun Tait, Umar Gul and Daniel Vettori

ROI: Shane Warne (Captain), Tino Best, Paul Collingwood, Adam Gilchrist, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kevin Petersen, Virender Sehwag, Shahid Afridi, Peter Siddle, Tamim Iqbal and Yuvraj Singh

Venue: Lords Cricket Ground, London

Date: Saturday July 5, 2014

Time: 10:45 am local time; 3: 15 pm India time

Highlights of Tendulkar’s innings from the 1998 Diana Memorial Match:

Lok Sabha Election Result: Pre-Result Analysis

May 15, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Tomorrow’s 2014 Lok Sabha Election result is like a match between AUSTRALIA and ZIMBABWE. People supporting the former are sure of victory and have already started celebrating. They will tune in to see the margin of victory. Those supporting the other team will tune it with some hope of miracle. Neutrals like me will only ask from time to time – Oye SCORE kya hua?

But still, let’s look at the chances of major political parties:-

Congress: The question shouldn’t be whether Congress will win or lose. The question is – by what margin will it lose? Due to the abysmal performance in 10 years, especially the last term, this might well be the party’s biggest defeat ever.

BJP: The only party that is sure of winning. The anti-Congress feel, the popularity of Narendra Modi and the crazy marketing campaign will surely work in their favor. It doesn’t look as if there will be an upset. But if the party win’s only around 200 seats on their own, it will surely be an upset of sorts as it will surely raise a big question on the presence of a ‘Modi Wave’.

AAP: They are getting a place in this write-up because of their sudden popularity since December 2013. The Aam Aadmi Party aren’t looking to form the government as this is their first Lok Sabha election. So anything over 4-5 seats will be a great achievement for them. Of course, things would have been different for them had their rule in Delhi wouldn’t have turned controversial.

All in all, the winner of the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections seems to have been declared already. Let’s see whether it turns out to be that way or if there will be a twist in the climax.

Keep watching this space for the results.

Picture Source: Livemint.com

Ajoba (Marathi Movie) Review

May 9, 2014 by Keyur Seta 1 Comment

Director: Sujay S. Dahake

Producers: Supreme Motion Pictures Pvt. Ltd and Illusion Ethereal Film Company

Writers: Sujay S. Dahake and Gauri Bapat

Cast: Urmila Matondkar, Hrishikesh Joshi, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Shashank Shende,s Shrikant Yadav, Om Bhutkar, Neha Mahajan

Genre: Adventure/ Drama

Rating: * * * *

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: Ajoba is based on true events experienced by wildlife conservationist Vidya Athreya between the years 2009 and 2011. A leopard is found in a well in Junnar village in Maharashtra. Wildlife Biologist Purva Rao (Urmila Matondkar) gets the animal rescued with the help of forest department workers.

She fits an electronic chip at its tale and, as per the procedure, frees it. She names the animal Ajoba. The whole idea is to trace Ajoba’s journey in order to learn more about it and its thinking. Although the leopard is on a journey, Purva and his team are experiencing the adventure out of it.

Review: When a leopard enters a city and kills a man, naturally, the wild animal is labeled as the devil. But this is far from the actual fact. Such incidents have a much deeper meaning, which is explored by Sujay S. Dahake in Ajoba in a manner that would compel you to applaud not only his end product but also his act of bravery towards creating such bold genre of cinema.

Firstly, it can be a stressful nightmare for anyone to make a film on this subject. To create such an experience on screen not only requires painstaking patient efforts but also some great talent. As Dahake manages to go through the grind, half the battle is won.

The second half is won by a gripping narrative that either thrills or moves you throughout the duration. Soon you realize that the film is not story-based but treatment-based. The journey of the leopard and the subsequent twists keeps you glued. The smart characterization and the internal drama between characters also play their parts in making sure the film doesn’t go into the docu-drama mode whatsoever.

But there does come a period in the second half where the narration slows down thereby making you a bit impatient. Thankfully, this period doesn’t last long due to what follows. The closing moments and the climax deserve special mention for the soul-stirring effect it produces and the questions it raises about the indirect dangers and hypocrisy of ‘human nature’.

Apart from the above-mentioned point, what can go against the film is that the Indian audience isn’t friendly with such genre of films. Needless to say, those wishing for conventional entertainment might be disappointed.

Shooting such a film can also be a hell of a task for the cinematographer. Diego Romero has shot the entire movie using a hand-held camera. For getting his craft right, creating a visual treat and keeping the frame un-shaky, his work should be described as brilliant. The haunting background score suits the flick perfectly and stays with you. There is also some smart display of visual effects, especially the CGI image of the leopard.

Urmila Matondkar’s thoroughly dedicated performance too is one of the biggest plus points. Her Marathi film debut can move anyone due to the way she gets into the psyche of Purva Rao. It’s nothing short of excellent! After Yellow, Hrishikesh Joshi ones again turns up with an adorable act. Om Bhutkar, Shashank Shende and Shrikant Yadav give earnest support. Dilip Prabhavalkar and Yashpal Sharma create strong impact in cameos. Neha Mahajan and Anita Date are good in their cameos.

Overall: Ajoba is a spectacular cinematic treat; something that you haven’t experienced before. The film surely has a chance of making a good impact at the box office through positive word-of-mouth.

Salaam (Marathi Movie) Review

May 3, 2014 by Keyur Seta Leave a Comment

Director: Kiran Yadnyopavit

Producer: Calyx Media and Entertainment

Writer: Kiran Yadnyopavit

Cast: Vivek Chabukswar, Abhishek Bharate, Girish Kulkarni, Kishore Kadam, Atisha Naik, Jyoti Chandekar

Music: Rahul Ranade

Genre: Drama

Rating: * * * ½

By: Keyur Seta

Story Outline: In a picturesque village in Maharashtra lives Raghunath aka Raghya (Vivek Chabukswar), studying in seventh standard. His father (Girish Kulkarni) works with Mumbai police as a constable; he visits his family in between. Shankar aka Sada (Abhishek Bharate) is Raghya’s classmate and close friend. His father is an officer with the Indian Army.

Sada believes his father’s profession is more prestigious than Raghya’s father while Raghya feels vice-versa. Once, their school teacher (Kishore Kadam) hands over a voluntary task of collecting funds for a noble cause to the students. This exercise becomes the turning point in the friendship of Raghya and Sada.

Review: Kiran Yadnyopavit’s Taryanche Bait was about an obsessive desire of a child and his relation with his father. Although the storyline of his latest offering Salaam is entirely different, it also focuses on a fixated longing of a kid and his relation with someone, this time a friend. The similarities don’t end here as Salaam, just like Taryanche Bait, turns out to be a delightfully moving experience.

The film doesn’t follow a conventional storytelling method. Through the experiences and routine lives of the character, a plot emerges in the background. But this doesn’t test your patience whatsoever. Instead, you are treated to a series of pleasurable moments as the characters go about their business. The beautiful and utterly peaceful locations add to the delight. The effort to pay tribute to army officer and policemen is also laudable.

In the latter part of the second half, however, there comes a point when not only is your patience is tested but you are also left a bit confused by the turn of events. Thankfully, all your doubts are cleared by a soul-stirring climax that pleases you no ends! The simple manner in which Yadnyopavit has presented a pleasing message by just using the visual medium proves he is here to stay for long.

The scenic locations appear more beautiful through cinematographer Abhijit Abde’s lens. From Rahul Ranade’s music, the song ‘Timbacktoo’ is worth mentioning. His background score too goes well with the proceedings. But repeating a particular background tune too many times could have been avoided.

The performances of two kids play a large role in creating an impact. Vivek Chabukswar is excellent as Raghya! It is incredible how he can display such varied emotions at such a young age. Abhishek Bharate, as Sada, isn’t far behind either in a supporting role. Girish Kulkarni leaves a mark in a lovable cameo. Kishore Kadam too deserves a similar praise.

Atisha Naik, as Raghya’s mother, and Jyoti Chandekar, as his grandmother, also chip in with good performances. There are some well-enacted cameos also from Pravin Tarde, Shashank Shende, Savita Prabhune, Suhas Shirsat, Sanjay Khapre and few others.

Overall: Salaam is a gem of a film that deserves a salaam. But it is sad to see such lack of proper hype for such a good effort. Hence, it will struggle at the box office.