Bollywood in the Panic Room
Zafar Anjum February 21, 2003
#24 Posted by sarwar on July 30, 2003 4:15:23 pm
=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts
view this users filtered interacts
reply to this interact
write a new interact
add to favorites
flag objectionable content
#23 Posted by ashtek on March 4, 2003 9:42:35 pm
Yup ! Very true indeed.
Bollywood must pull up their act & refrain from `inspired version` of flicks. The writing on the wall is - do something that excites the audience or else say goodbye to your money !
Bollywood must pull up their act & refrain from `inspired version` of flicks. The writing on the wall is - do something that excites the audience or else say goodbye to your money !
#22 Posted by Ansari on February 24, 2003 9:56:36 pm
Yeah, Pestonjee`s a really good film; one of the best I`ve seen.
#21 Posted by ana_dobarah on February 24, 2003 4:22:37 pm
harimau...
i think the movie you`re referring to is pestonjee...it was a good film without all the gaana bajaana and the `exotic` locales!
i think the movie you`re referring to is pestonjee...it was a good film without all the gaana bajaana and the `exotic` locales!
#20 Posted by harimau on February 24, 2003 4:17:11 pm
Ref Saminasha #18
[Harimau,
But indie films must exist in India, right?]
Yes, they do. Just the other day Doordarshan screened a movie but I missed the title sequence by about 2 minutes so I don`t know its name. It`s about two Parsi friends in Bombay and their lives. I could recognize Naseeruddin Shah and I am sure the other guy was Anupam Kher. I had to wait till the end of the movie for the credits and the wife was Shabana Azmi; I couldn`t recognize the early Shabana at all. The movie seems to have been funded by the Films Development Corporation of India. No songs, no dances, no running around trees or in exotic locales such as New Zealand. Just an ordinary tale of friendship between two cousins, interwoven with marital infidelity and the lives of ordinary middle-class Parsis in Bombay.
Is there new talent in India? Definitely yes. Will it be allowed to make award-winning movies? Not likely. Will we see a few good movies out of India? Yes, about 1% of the total production of nearly 1000 movies a year.
I am only sorry that movies in Malayalam, Bengali and Kannada are not accessible to you (Urdu/Hindustani speaker). Filmmakers in those regional languages make some terrific (non-formulaic) movies.
[Harimau,
But indie films must exist in India, right?]
Yes, they do. Just the other day Doordarshan screened a movie but I missed the title sequence by about 2 minutes so I don`t know its name. It`s about two Parsi friends in Bombay and their lives. I could recognize Naseeruddin Shah and I am sure the other guy was Anupam Kher. I had to wait till the end of the movie for the credits and the wife was Shabana Azmi; I couldn`t recognize the early Shabana at all. The movie seems to have been funded by the Films Development Corporation of India. No songs, no dances, no running around trees or in exotic locales such as New Zealand. Just an ordinary tale of friendship between two cousins, interwoven with marital infidelity and the lives of ordinary middle-class Parsis in Bombay.
Is there new talent in India? Definitely yes. Will it be allowed to make award-winning movies? Not likely. Will we see a few good movies out of India? Yes, about 1% of the total production of nearly 1000 movies a year.
I am only sorry that movies in Malayalam, Bengali and Kannada are not accessible to you (Urdu/Hindustani speaker). Filmmakers in those regional languages make some terrific (non-formulaic) movies.
#19 Posted by arjun_m on February 24, 2003 10:11:24 am
=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts
view this users filtered interacts
#18 Posted by Saminasha on February 24, 2003 7:09:47 am
Harimau,
But indie films must exist in India, right?
But indie films must exist in India, right?
#17 Posted by harimau on February 23, 2003 6:16:36 pm
Ref Saminasha #10
[How much backing and support would a young S. Ray get nowadays?]
Satyajit Ray didn`t get much support when he made `Pather Panchali` either. In fact, a government official thought that the movie projected a very bad image of India and suggested that Ray should include scenes showing how various government projects were helping to improve the standard of living among the poor folks. Sort of make it into a PRC propaganda movie of the 50s.
By the way, I didn`t think the movie was about poverty. I came out of the theater struck by the portrayal of deep love among the members of Apu`s family.
It is no small measure of Ray`s greatness as a filmaker that the American Film Instritute at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC, conferred on him its lifetime achievement award and to this day his movies are screened in special retrospectives at International Film Festivals.
Don`t expect to see any such thing happening soon for any Bollywood director. The most they can do is to graduate from `Bandit Queen` to `Elizabeth`.
[How much backing and support would a young S. Ray get nowadays?]
Satyajit Ray didn`t get much support when he made `Pather Panchali` either. In fact, a government official thought that the movie projected a very bad image of India and suggested that Ray should include scenes showing how various government projects were helping to improve the standard of living among the poor folks. Sort of make it into a PRC propaganda movie of the 50s.
By the way, I didn`t think the movie was about poverty. I came out of the theater struck by the portrayal of deep love among the members of Apu`s family.
It is no small measure of Ray`s greatness as a filmaker that the American Film Instritute at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC, conferred on him its lifetime achievement award and to this day his movies are screened in special retrospectives at International Film Festivals.
Don`t expect to see any such thing happening soon for any Bollywood director. The most they can do is to graduate from `Bandit Queen` to `Elizabeth`.
#16 Posted by rsridhar on February 23, 2003 8:19:30 am
re: Bollywood movies
There was a time i watched these movies (when i was growing up in India) mainly for the songs. Great singers like Md Rafi, Lata would even make a downright mediocre movie watchable. Some of these movies even had a plot.
Now-a-days, technology seems to have improved. Plot is the same. Gone are the great singers, so that all songs uniformly sukc (some are exceptions; i thought the film Sur with Lucky Ali in it had good songs). It is good that bollywood movies are being trashed by the public. It is high time this industry either improved its quality or perished. GOI has given it the industry status. Some of its ex-actors are ministers in the cabinet. What have they done for the film industry? I think the people are fed up of watching juvenile actors (sons and daughters of ex-actors) doing their monkey dance routine on the screen.
Some time ago i saw a good movie by Mani Ratnam. Made in Tamil, it is called ``Kannathil Muthamittal`` or ``Peck in the cheek``. It showed Militancy in Srilanka and some graphic details of how it has affected some people. I thought this movie should have been sent for Oscar rather than some SH!T like Devdas. GOI never learns. Also, it is influenced by mega-bucks. Bansali (Producer of Devdas) probably bought ministers with money. Anyway, the days of old bollywood movies are gone and it is now a question of improvise or perish.
Sridhar
There was a time i watched these movies (when i was growing up in India) mainly for the songs. Great singers like Md Rafi, Lata would even make a downright mediocre movie watchable. Some of these movies even had a plot.
Now-a-days, technology seems to have improved. Plot is the same. Gone are the great singers, so that all songs uniformly sukc (some are exceptions; i thought the film Sur with Lucky Ali in it had good songs). It is good that bollywood movies are being trashed by the public. It is high time this industry either improved its quality or perished. GOI has given it the industry status. Some of its ex-actors are ministers in the cabinet. What have they done for the film industry? I think the people are fed up of watching juvenile actors (sons and daughters of ex-actors) doing their monkey dance routine on the screen.
Some time ago i saw a good movie by Mani Ratnam. Made in Tamil, it is called ``Kannathil Muthamittal`` or ``Peck in the cheek``. It showed Militancy in Srilanka and some graphic details of how it has affected some people. I thought this movie should have been sent for Oscar rather than some SH!T like Devdas. GOI never learns. Also, it is influenced by mega-bucks. Bansali (Producer of Devdas) probably bought ministers with money. Anyway, the days of old bollywood movies are gone and it is now a question of improvise or perish.
Sridhar
#15 Posted by vanguard on February 23, 2003 12:29:52 am
Though I am not fan of Indian movies, yet I find them better that Pakistani movies. And I never watch Pakistani movies at home, because once u push the Fast Forward Button on the remote, it is next to impossible to take your finger of it till the film ends.
There are usually two reasons to watch PAkistani movies:
1. Either it is preceeded by marketing campaign claiming to use the latest technology (which by indian standards seems arcane). This is a pathetic reason to watch the movie. Once I watched a movie said to be the first digital movie ``teray pyar mein``. The only thing different from other run of the mill movies was that for a half a minute, the heroine ran and for that 30 seconds u can hear her steps pounding on the ground and not some background music. These are big budgeted flops.
2. Or there are articles in the newspaper that the censor board had been very negligent with this movie. THIS IS THE MOVIE TO WATCH. If the story is somewhat digestable, the movie might make money
Other than these, the remaining are the usual run of the mill stuff with nothing to go for. And dont watch them at home because u wont be able to switch to normal playback once u Fast Forward it.
There are usually two reasons to watch PAkistani movies:
1. Either it is preceeded by marketing campaign claiming to use the latest technology (which by indian standards seems arcane). This is a pathetic reason to watch the movie. Once I watched a movie said to be the first digital movie ``teray pyar mein``. The only thing different from other run of the mill movies was that for a half a minute, the heroine ran and for that 30 seconds u can hear her steps pounding on the ground and not some background music. These are big budgeted flops.
2. Or there are articles in the newspaper that the censor board had been very negligent with this movie. THIS IS THE MOVIE TO WATCH. If the story is somewhat digestable, the movie might make money
Other than these, the remaining are the usual run of the mill stuff with nothing to go for. And dont watch them at home because u wont be able to switch to normal playback once u Fast Forward it.
#14 Posted by Ras on February 22, 2003 10:04:42 pm
At least India still has a thriving movie industry.
Pakistan needs to revive its own because it has the talent.
Pakistani TV dramas are great.
Ras
#13 Posted by Naqshbandi on February 22, 2003 12:59:03 pm
I agree1 What they need is to make ORIGINAL FILMS with ORIGINAL plots. Probably the best South Asian film I have seen recently is Usman Peerzada`s Zar Gul. A brilliant film (I don`t think it is on general release yet; I saw it at the Commonwealth Film Festival) which was on a par with Hollywood and European films.
It is quality NOT quantity. Also I think that Pakistan should look towards the Iranian film industry and not produce second-rate clones of second-rate Hindi films!
I thought Devdas was atrocious and at times embarassingly garish! Yet this film wins all the Filmfare awards?!
Idyllic settings, gorgeous leading pairs, skimpy dresses and lots of ass-shaking do not a good movie make! People are becoming more sophisticated now! Also I find that Indian films are trying to be more Western than the West and the result is absurd: step forward Kaante!
Try Mughal e Azam and Pakeezah for two GREAT movies.
It is quality NOT quantity. Also I think that Pakistan should look towards the Iranian film industry and not produce second-rate clones of second-rate Hindi films!
I thought Devdas was atrocious and at times embarassingly garish! Yet this film wins all the Filmfare awards?!
Idyllic settings, gorgeous leading pairs, skimpy dresses and lots of ass-shaking do not a good movie make! People are becoming more sophisticated now! Also I find that Indian films are trying to be more Western than the West and the result is absurd: step forward Kaante!
Try Mughal e Azam and Pakeezah for two GREAT movies.
#12 Posted by Ansari on February 22, 2003 9:37:38 am
I don`t think it has as much to do with starkids as much as it has to do with the industry`s reluctance to try out new filmmakers. A good director can make even the most mediocre actor do their bit if he casts them right. Even Tabu, who`s quite a smart actress, did her share of Ruk Baba Ruk Gimme a Look before she did a Maachis or a Chandni Bar.
Where are the film-makers that were responsible for the art film movement? Shyam Benegal, Sai Paranjpye, Ketan Mehta, Kalpana Lajmi, Govind Nihalani, Saeed Mirza, Kundan Shah.
Ya agar inko (aur inke ronay dhonay waali filmon ko) bhi chorein and we look to more mainstream directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Basu Chatterjee (or was it Bhattacharya?), Gulzar who took common subjects and wove memorable stories out of them. Why did those film work then? What sort of artistic integrity ensured the survival of that work, so that it pleases even today, while newer films expire within days of release?
Where are the film-makers that were responsible for the art film movement? Shyam Benegal, Sai Paranjpye, Ketan Mehta, Kalpana Lajmi, Govind Nihalani, Saeed Mirza, Kundan Shah.
Ya agar inko (aur inke ronay dhonay waali filmon ko) bhi chorein and we look to more mainstream directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Basu Chatterjee (or was it Bhattacharya?), Gulzar who took common subjects and wove memorable stories out of them. Why did those film work then? What sort of artistic integrity ensured the survival of that work, so that it pleases even today, while newer films expire within days of release?
#11 Posted by Sobia on February 22, 2003 7:01:46 am
A major problem with Bollywood nowadays is that stars of the 60s and 70s have started promoting their good-for-nothing, mummy-daddy kids in the film industry (Kareena, Esha, Tushal et al). This new breed of actors and actresses can`t act to save their lives. All they`re good for is waving their cellulite-free asses, bumping and grinding against each other in some insane song (dil ding dong ding dolay - jesus!), and act pretty for the camera.
#10 Posted by UmerMurtaza on February 22, 2003 7:01:35 am
New-age Bollywood and scud missiles work on the same principles...
Umer M.
Umer M.
#9 Posted by UmerMurtaza on February 22, 2003 7:01:35 am
PS. I forgot to mention; anyone have any news on the Iranian film industry?
PPS. Did anyone go to watch that $hithole of a film, `yeh dil aap ka hua`? I went up to the place, paid for a ticket and came out. I only did it to do my part to support, what I consider and hope, a growing industry.
Umer M.
PPS. Did anyone go to watch that $hithole of a film, `yeh dil aap ka hua`? I went up to the place, paid for a ticket and came out. I only did it to do my part to support, what I consider and hope, a growing industry.
Umer M.
listing 1-16
1 2
Interact Index
Similar Articles
- Europe and the Film Culture noman siddiqui
- Revival of Passive Resistance in Indian Commercial Cinema Vaibhav Jain
- Suleiman and Salman Shashi Gupta
- The Magic of Kara - Director’s Cut Zainab Mahmood
- The Second Wave Shandana Minhas
US Elections 2008 Primaries
Get Chowk RSS FeedLatest Interacts
- satyamvada: Murad, You are... Faith and Religion
- akcheema: I must say I... Alcohol and Teenagers: A
- ahmedmadani: ONLY OBAMA IS HOPE,... How real is your
- ahmedmadani: SAD thing Happening. Hope... How real is your
- VRV: 164, T32, Freeedom of speech... How real is your
- ana: I agree with ejaz... Alcohol and Teenagers: A
- mullah_toofani: lahoulawalaquwwat. You should consider moving... Alcohol and Teenagers: A
- ejazharoon: The forbidden fruit is... Alcohol and Teenagers: A
