Ah! Black was a good movie by our very Bollywood mushy standards.
But was that a patch on a subtle film like "Sprash" featuring Naseeruddin Shah! No. It was loud as all Sanjay Leela Bhansali films are and lost out on this very point. The article "why, dear black, why" was equally loud too.
Paheli, on the contrary, was different. What's wrong if it was colourful. Black hammered on black and white all through.
And I guess, Amol Palekar's sensitivities as director needs no certification. Bhansali is no patch on him.
The jury for this year's indian entry to oscars should have been stupid to have selected paheli ahead of BLACK. Black should have been India's entry and maybe this stupidest mistake by the jury has deprived India of showcasing a quality movie in the form of BLACK. I feel even the jury for the selection is fixed now a days.... ha ha
Dear Bhavna, I had posted a message on Mon, Oct 3 titled "Film Critics Are A Sham in India - Part 1,2 and 3" which has not been posted yet and probably won't be anymore. Looks like you didn't like the criticism. It hurt, didn't it?It happens when you can't handle the truth. Ha, I should have known that - its easier to criticize others but when others give back even 10% of that, you cry "Mommy, mommy" and run away. How hypocritical! So much for "Do unto others as you would have others do to you".
I understand this is an open forum and my message didn't have any objectionable material. It is really surprising that one writer after another on rediff talks against censorship in movies and is all for more sex on tv, movies, parks (check out Shobha Warrier's article on kissing in a chennai park) or any other place but a simple message of mine is censored? Is it because these days you guys do not approve of anything that does not have sex?
When I saw the critics why dear black...I was not very pleased and thought that I should write myselve what I saw later in the feedbacks accumulated over the day. That's quite satisfying as the critics were quite upto the mark. I myselve have seen many of the movies wheich were in panel including Black and Paheli. Hazaron khwaisein aisi is one of the movie which could have been one of the very good compititor for paheli but black ofcourse does not stand anywhere. It lacks the very originality and therafter loses the effect. It would not have matter if the same theme have been displayed in some other kind of media but as the movie was made on same theme it was easy to make a comparison with the earlier masterpiece and it doesn't stand it on that point as well. Paheli on the other is a nice portrait of what a rural India is and of our culture. More importantly it depicts that with honesty and with a sense that it should reach to the masses. it has been a success on direction, cinematography as well as performances. Paheli may not be the winning candidature but on that criteria we should realise and accept that we are lacking such movie this year.
Choice for Oscar
by Aditya on Oct 06, 2005 09:27 AM
Too much analysis has been done over a simple fact that the entry will be used for Oscars. That is the basic idea. The films that get nominated in foreign category needs to have something novel in theme, different presentation, more cultural diversity as well as more importantly some authentic theme or directorial brilliance. Seeing recent past trends, the winners have been more into war or realistic movies categories. So, as such both Black and Paheli do not succeed. Black is based on a theme that has been done with a different presentation. It is a really good movie with Amitabh being brilliant and Rani/Ayesha bein great. Sanjay has done a great job and Kudos! to him for bringing it to Indian screen. Paheli comes as a story with rustic Indian background, great cinematography, lyrical dialogues, good acting and a unique story. The film scores high in Indian cultural display, simple but novel in idea and presentation. Amol has done a brilliant job bringing it together, though music could have been better. In total, Paheli is definitely a better package to send abroad for viewing and looking for a chance on nomination. I commend the jury for making a wiser decision this time
I feel the script of the movie and the acting by small gal is wonderful and amozing...and Amitji & Rani has also done a gud job... and specially cinema autography was a brillant..... And that make the movie and this make a movie called BLACK.
Not the movie that doesnt have any story or meaning and if you star the big name behind the movie that does not mean that the movies should go to OSCAR....
If feel that the paheli was not the right choice for the OSCAR...
I was going to add my critique as well but I think all the others have captured my emotion almost to the T. All I would like to add is that Black while being a good movie is jus that.
It has its usual share of melodrama, continuity lapses etc but lets all grow up a little and realise that an Indian movie will not win an Oscar..come hell or high water
Suddenly our film critics, who have tremendous inferiority complex and have this great ambition to be accepted by the West, started shouting Oscar, oscar in their reviews itself!! Shame on you guys.
I have one question for you - if Indian films start feeling, looking, sounding, smelling and tasting like hollywood films, would I rather not watch Hollywood movies instead? Then you all can write an obituary on Indian film industry and....yourself (sorry, you won't be invited by NYT or even the Clevelan Plain Dealer to write a review on hollywood movies)
