India Masala
Bollywood and culture in an emerging India
The Attacks of 26/11: Revisiting the ghosts of Mumbai
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Reuters)
Just before the intermission in Ram Gopal Varma’s “The Attacks of 26/11“, a police constable stumbles around with a rifle, searching for the two gunmen who had just wreaked havoc at Mumbai’s busiest train station. He slumps to his feet on the blood-stained floor and lets out a cry of anguish.
There are prolonged shots of a dead dog, fake blood squirting out of people, and much gore on screen as Varma recreates the horrifying events of Nov. 26, 2008. If the aim of the film is to chronicle these for posterity, this is certainly not how the story should be told.
Varma’s re-telling of the 26/11 attacks is shown from the point of view of a senior city police officer giving a statement to a government committee set up to investigate the attacks.
His narrative is interspersed with the journey of the ten gunmen who made their way to iconic Mumbai landmarks such as the train station and the Taj Mahal Hotel, gunning down anyone in sight.
Kai Po Che: Boy bonding at its best
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Reuters)
I have to confess I haven’t read Chetan Bhagat‘s “The 3 Mistakes of my Life“, the novel on which Abhishek Kapoor‘s film “Kai Po Che” is based. Opinion is divided on the novel, but if it had the material to make a film such as this one, it can’t be bad.
Friendship, politics and sports come together in this two-hour film, and despite the assured acting, the sparkling cinematography (Anay Goswami) and Amit Trivedi‘s lilting music score, it is Kapoor and his control over this film and the obvious affection he has for these characters that shines through.
Murder 3: Doesn’t go in for the kill
The latest addition to the “Murder” franchise is a lot of things, but one thing it isn’t is true to its name. Don’t expect a lot of shooting and slashing.
“Murder 3” is a Bhatt franchise, so the title hardly matters. All movies associated with them have pretty much the same structure and tone, a little bit of skin show, some nasal, high-pitch songs and the mystery element that forms the major chunk of the film.
from India Insight:
‘Vishwaroopam’ and Tamil Nadu’s cinema of politics
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Thomson Reuters)
The most unfortunate aspect of the censorship controversy over Kamal Haasan's new movie "Vishwaroopam," which came out on Thursday, is that it is happening in Tamil Nadu. India's southernmost state has a history of using cinema as a tool of political dissent and expression, particularly regarding the Dravidian movement, but that spirit seems to have vanished with the decision to release a truncated version of the film after Islamic groups said certain scenes offended them.
Special 26: The heist that almost worked
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Reuters)
Bollywood hasn’t had an impressive track record with thrillers. Most have been slow and predictable while some were downright preposterous.
Vishwaroopam: Saga of faith in troubled times
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Reuters)
For a spy thriller that has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, “Vishwaroopam” is surprisingly tame.
from India Insight:
“Vishwaroopam” touches yet another Indian nerve
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Reuters)
Actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan’s film "Vishwaroopam" was supposed to open in cinemas last Friday, but that's not happening in Tamil Nadu after Muslim groups protested against scenes that they consider offensive.
from India Insight:
His name is Khan and he is misunderstood
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Reuters)
When Bollywood heart-throb Shah Rukh Khan shared his views on religious stereotypes in an article in Outlook Turning Points magazine, it turned heads as the editors likely expected. Some media outlets criticized Khan, saying he sought "refuge in Muslim victimhood."
Race 2: Slow and unsteady doesn’t win this race
In the world created by Abbas-Mustan, if you are a multi-billionaire who wants to build a casino and are refused permission by the government, you invite the official responsible out for drinks, dance with him and then shoot him in the middle of a crowded discotheque and walk out without batting an eyelid.
In this world of “Race 2”, you can get away with stealing the Shroud of Turin with something as simple as a decoy bomb and people use “sensor technology” to play card games and spy on their loved ones. It may have looked cool 20 years ago, but now it’s just a tad ridiculous.
Inkaar: Just say no to this one
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily of Reuters)
Sexual harassment at the workplace, office politics and the question of whether women can make it to senior management in misogynistic companies plague many professionals in India.
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