Brn Saxena

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"गुलाबो सिताबो"- फ़िल्म रिव्यू एक रहे मिर्ज़ा जो जवानी में अपने से 15 साल बड़ी औरत से निकाह किये रहे यह सोच के कि बेगम की हवेली बाद में उनके नाम हो जाएगी । एक रही बेगम जो मिर्ज़ा से निकाह इस लिए की कि उनके महबूब उन्हें लंदन ले जाना चाहते थे और मिर्ज़ा घर जमाई होने को तैयार थे। और एक यह हवेली रही "फातिमा महल" जो अब नबाबों के शहर लखनऊ में घिसीपिटी हालत में बरकरार है अपने दसियों किरायेदारों के साथ। जैसी हवेली वैसे किरायेदार जो दोनों मकान मालिकों के अल्लाह को प्यारे हो जाने के इंतज़ार में हैं और ऊपर से सरकारी पुरातत्व विभाग इस जर्जरा को स्मारक बनाने और दूसरा बिल्डर इसे ढहा कर नई इमारत बनाने को बेताब। न मरी बेगम न मरे मिर्ज़ा न ढही हवेली बस निकाले गए सब के सब । बेगम मिर्ज़ा के टुच्चेपन से आज़िज़ आकर अपने पुराने आशिक के साथ भाग गईं। बस इतनी सी कहानी है "गुलाबो सिताबो"। फ़िल्म शुरजित सरकार की है सो एकदम ऑथेंन्टिक हैं। क्या लखनऊ क्या हवेली क्या उसके रहने वाले और क्या मिर्ज़ा और बेगम का गेटअप और क्या कैमरा मूवमेंट, सब के सब गज़ब। अमिताभ सुपर गज़ब और उनके बाद बहुत दूर अंशुमान। डायलॉग अच्छे, पार्श्व संगीत कर्णप्रिय और फ़िल्म की गति भी ठीक ठाक। बस समझ मे यह नहीं आया कि यह कॉमेडी रही या फैमिली ड्रामा या चारित्रिक चित्रण या फिर आर्टिस्टिक भड़ास। ससुर न खुल के हंसी आई न आंख ही भरी, न आह ही निकली न वाह हो पाई। सो गुलाबो सिताबो को यूं समझो जैसे मार्कशीट में डिस्टिंक्शन और नौकरी के लिए परेशान। देखना तो बनता है।

22 July The film has an account of a day in 2011 when a terrorist killed in cold blood 77 innocent Norwayian students when they were camping on an island. It deserve a review by me as it is an honest story without any twists and turns as put in our films. The terrorist is a person with a mission which sticks to , he calls for a lawyer by name and that person accepts the responsibility to defend him in court sincerely by even suggesting him to play insane to escape maximum punishment that he initially accepts. But then the terrorist decides to put his case in court so that his point of view is heard by the court and the general public since in his mind he was fighting for the public. Meanwhile an inquiry is set up to analyse as to whether the attack could be prevented by the government ? The inquiry examines the popular Prime Minister also and squarely puts blame on him for not responding to the indications when the terrorist purchased ammunition and bomb making materials and when his personal security was increased. In the court as expected the terrorist put forth his case and it was difficult for the witnesses who had suffered to stand and describe their agony sighting him but they did. The film makes it an important point to portray this part. The court pronounce the terrorist guilty sent him to indefite solitary confinement till he rains a threat to society. The PM appears before the public accepts his guilt and apologise public repose their confidence in him and request him to remain PM and to serve the nation. The story ends , nothing was unexpected , the story was real. PM is now president of NATO and all other characters are living normal lives. The film shows that how a story can be told honestly by showing pure emotions without suspense and twists on the strength of some very good acting, direction and terse editing. Bollywood has to learn some lessons out of such work.

Raid - A Good One The mainstay of the film are it's Story/ Screenplay and the performances. As it says in the beginning ,it is based on true stories, the plot comprises of at least three raids conducted in 1988 or so. One on an MLA, one on a Mill owner and one on a jewellery dealer. Those all conducted by large revenue teams supported by adequate police force. A sizable catch was made but the violence and the drama has been a deliberate part of a well chiselled screen play which gave a believable shape to what could have been only a police investigation story. The screen play writer technically ensured from the early scenes that main characters assume definite colors I.e. the ITO is an established honest government servant ,tauji is a crook and the wife of the inspector id truly middle class, lovely , loving being reconciled to the truth without excuses. This makes the story to tread smoothly till it ends. I had been asked ,if the ITO should have allowed the crook to leave the house ? The writer has managed to say several things by that unusual move, one that ITO is a real man that reacted to the situation ,two the system that allows a crook to develop can not allow him beyond a point if an honest officers is opposite him, third the political leaders too do not come in way of a straightforward officer in tricky situatIon. So the writer succeeds in his move cleverly. I also heard that the wife slowed the pace of the film; no, it gave strength to ITO's character although love songs though wee not totally unnecessary ,were a bit lengthy. The film would be discussed for its performances. For me Ajay Devgan is superb for his focussed ,no nonsense , impeccable and honest portrayal of a kind of a government servant that may be rare now days but still not non existent. The intensity of purpose that it carries in his eyes throughout the film is second to none. I am a fan of such intense Ajay Devgan but of late he is not doing such roles. This one is great. Saurabh Shukla the crook is matchless but he is such in all his roles in last many films including Jolly LLB I &Il. While the ITO is intense the crook is vocal and the variation of pitch in his dialogues is superb. Ileans D' Cruz is controlled, less glamoured, and middle-class , she has limited but well thought out role and did it well. One role done by an 85 + old lady as mother of Saurabh Shukla steals the show every time she comes on screen . It is delightful to watch her. Editting has some issues in some scenes she ITO goes for collection of information etc otherwise it is good. Background music is ok but songs could be shortened or placed outside the main length of the film. The film is more than good and would get mouth publicity day after day. Go watch it tomorrow.

The Test Case Just finished watching "The Test Case" a TV series made for Alt balaji app also available on Vodafone Play. The series of about 3hrs in ten episodes is a second "Prahaar" ( Nana Patekar) but for an specific issue of induction of women in combat forces. The series as far as the story is concerned is very interesting , stunningly fast paced without any nonsense song or dance, leaving you intrigued in the end of every episode, very near to real exercises in forces. Acting wise everyone lived up to his/her role Nimrat being the most. Anoop Soni and Juhi Chawla , Atul Kulkarni and Rahul Dev were among the more known faces but to me Anoop Soni despite having a plum role didn't appear to be fitting in the army environs although he acted well. I am all praise for the Series. I went through all ten episodes in one go last night. Watch it.