or like omigod-this-is-so-true..Things that will affect you..a good movie is a movie that will elicit a reaction from you..some kinda emotion..sadness,a mushy feeling of niceness, anything other than a headache.
I really like your blog. Im a movie addict and watch a lot of crappy hindi movies..the likes of Jaani Dushman and all..I have stamina for a lot of crap..What I would like to see? I would like to see a radical change in the themes hindi movies deal with. Im sick of the love triangles, the bad-guy-good-cop stories and the chaadi-bia-movies..Im really sick of them. What I would like to see are stories that really want to be told..simple stories without all the naach ghana rhona dhona.My current favourite movie is Chocolat..Probably becoz I love chocolat..but also coz the story is so simple..and there is still so much to tell and every character develops.. there is character progression if I may call it. I loved Dil Chahta Hai, that was an excellent movie after a longggggg time. Mr and Mrs Iyer was a really good attempt.
I think most pple are looking for normal kind of movies..were sick of over the top movies..where the hero will fight a zillion villains single handedly and not take a single bullet..we're looking for things we can identify with..normal day to day things..that we can relate to..things we can watch with pple and say..oh-yea-thats-happened-to-me.
This article rates as among the most simple, direct and brutally honest ones written so far - without the regular condescension towards indian cinema. thank you prem for a delightful article...
i guess, the only way out for cinema in india is for new filmmakers to break in and make their own films. young people with a new voice and vision! a few of the new crop might turn out something interesting and exciting... they might bring success and prosperity to producers - and in the process of finding their own voice and connecting with the audience - end up pushing the conventionally defined hindi-film boundaries a little more!
well i agree with u some way other. we basically lack in originality of the story. some way or other they are just copies of hollywod or japenese flicks. may be the idea. the exposure of hollywood cinema in india is also some what responsible. but still some one will steal the show like lagaan. ya koi mil gaya is doinn good. but then it is made more indian standards just the idea was taken from hollywood. and above all hrithik performed exceptionaly well.now his critics have to hide behind the bushes.well sir i also like to write stories. and i have atleast 22 already in inventory. i want to know what is the future of story writers in bollywood. how they should proceed?? so that they can make it as career.
Thanks for the article Prem. To describe the state of movies, music and music videos these days, I can only quote Brando in Apocalypse now 'Horror, Horror...'. The argument given by movie makers that audience want the trash thats why they give them trash doesn't satisfy me at all. They might as well be in the hoisery business then, why make movies? Honestly speaking I am not very impressed by Ramgopal Verma either. I think he tries too hard to be different whereas all his movies are very ordinary. Give me a Kundan Shah, Ketan Mehta, Sai Paranjpe or Aziz Mirza (Chalte Chalte doesn't count) anyday.
I think you are hurting indian script writers creativity. Todays Hindi movie are those special dream where you see a story and turn it into a scripts. But god always does injustice to indian writer. Somehow the same dream was seen by someone in hollywood 5-10 yrs back n made big money out of the movie made. Lets also consider movies inspired by old movies like Mai prem ke diwani hu. It had big stars wide rage of emotions,drama,sacrifice , friendship also graphics, yet this special movie failed. I think its the inability of hindi movie going people to appreciate this special art called creative movies. I wish i could see sequals like Mai bhi prem ke diwani hu, Abhi bhi Darna mana hai,Koi aur bhi mil gaya .. Its critics like you who are killing True art of indian cinema. If a person wants to make Failed movies and its failing then its a success for him whats your problem.
I have always been an fan of your comments. they attack to the point and make a detailed synopsis of the on going process of film making in the Bollywood. What I would like you to do is watch the movie Koi Mil Gaya and please review on it so people can really understand what is wrong with the movie. As far as my thinking is concerned I beleive Hrithik was only good until he was unstable once he got better it was back to his stupid acting. Also why dont you critic a film rather than rediff getting all the people who probably dont know anything about movie making writing critics for the film. I would really like to read what reviews you write for a movie.
To answer your question about some good films and the reasons why i think they are good: 1. 'Life is Beautiful' - The movie identifies with bollywood in that it is a love story. The reason why it is much superior than any bollywood love story is that its not a fantasy and it goes through the entire circle of life, unlike the indian love stories which end at the stage where the hero marries the heroine (and lived happily everafter .....). 2. 'The Vanishing' - It is pure mystery for some..... Its a wierd movie for some........its a joke for some ........... its ridiculous for others. I just think its interesting. It's a hitchcock movie. 3. 'No Man's Land' - A movie that can be indianized (rather, 'indo-pakised') and i guarantee a housefull if it is wellmade. It describes the situation in Bosnia, with an underlying sarcasm on the UN/American intervention and the reality of war. This movie won the 'best foreign film' ahead of Lagaan and Amelie.
Almost every industry has manufacturer's that follow a QC/QA process standards. There is, however, no quality control in bollywood, inspite of it being called an industry. Just like a good film enhances the reputation of bollywood as an industry, a series of hackneyed plots converted into boring films is bound to affect its customer-base as well as its reputation. On the flip side, no director (producer, rather) makes a film that he thinks is not going to sell. Boring films are made because they have an audience. When the audience completely changes its mindset, due to external influences, and stops seeing such movies, the producers will be forced to get creative. Its just a matter of time and the 'boring' producers dont have much of it on their hands.
