Sourya Dash

I haven't seen a film as quirky yet so meaningful in a long long time or dare I say ever , especially on Indian screen . May be the last film that got me thinking while laughing out loud was Jane bhi do yaaron . Thiagarajan Kumararaja's #Superdeluxe is much larger ,much deeper ,a study of contrasts and hypocrisy that exists in society . It is an audacious attempt that needs multiple viewing to understand the full context and complexity. It questions blind faith and celebrates love . It depicts the beauty of life while all along speaking about its meaninglessness and lack of purpose . It questions the very existence that it celebrates. As Rangan Bhardwaj puts it "it is a mix of the sacred and the profane, the epic and the intimate, the earthly and the otherworldly, the pop-cultural and the philosophical. It’s a film you want to view as much with a microscope (zooming in on the details) as a telescope (zooming out to the bigger picture)." The film's script , structure,its dark humour ,its ability to interweave four stories and it's approach to make the audience laugh while having a strong philosophical undertone leaves a profound effect .The actors are absolutely brilliant . At the end of 3 hours Super deluxe will leave you overwhelmed ,craving for several more viewing so that you can concentrate on each of its theme . This is the kind of Art we crave for ,a nine year wait not withstanding! If you haven't watched it yet you are missing something special . P.S. - Thiagarajan's first film "Aaranya Kaandam" released in 2010 is streaming on Hotstar . Do watch it to understand his style of film making .

#Uri : A surgical strike demands tactical planning , absolute, no non sense coordination between the govt , IB ,RAW & armed forces leadership , surgical precision in identifying assets , a contingency plan and most importantly the element of surprise ,the unflinching valor and tactical acumen of the leader , his assault team and their flawless execution. A surgical strike across LOC, if not executed to perfection ,can have huge human casualty and lots of international ramification. And hence it provides a thrilling premise for a film , especially when it is based on a recent , real incident , a retaliatory counter attack, often hailed as one of India’s finest counter attacking responses across LOC , to avenge the attack on the Uri brigade HQ where we lost nineteen soldiers . However, for debutante writer, director Aditya Dhar this scintillating premise was not enough. Hence the film has been garnished with generous doses of factual errors, emotional premises and amateur handling of war room preparation. Taking a leaf from “ Zero Dark Thirty” and Tarantino school of film making , director Dhar splits his film into four chapters . The first chapter sets the context focusing on Indian Army’s success in conducting surgical strike across Myanmar in 2015 to avenge the ambush in Manipur where 18 soldiers from Dogra regiment were killed by terrorists . However from chapter two onwards Dhar lets his figments of imagination take charge rather than actual facts . The inconsistencies are glaring and its a pity since as a film Uri needed none of these . The preparation and the war room moments themselves for a strike of such magnitude , if depicted well ,can be exhilarating and gritty . Dhar, in his attempt to make a main stream masala money spinner loses out on objective film making and ends up making a film that manipulates emotions and facts . There was no focus what so ever on the armed forces groundwork for the strike. The discussions and the war room preparation in PMO and South Block looked down right stupid . Paresh Rawal who portrays the role of NSA Ajit Doval looks lost and inconsistent throughout the film . His drooping body language doesn’t inspire any confidence. May be he just was an accidental choice for the film. And take this for a fact check – the NSA walks to the DRDO head office and finds an intern who has made a drone prototype that looks like a bird. He immediately summons the intern and asks him to join the core team that’s monitoring the operation. The extended hand combats during the strike also defy logic and probably shot to give a sense of macho-ism . In any strike of such type and magnitude, the de induction process (return) becomes most critical as by the that time enemy is alerted and the Ghatak teams have to think on their feet to survive the onslaught and return through treacherous paths . And while filming this Dhar has completely played to gallery at the cost of showing the real trouble that the strike team would have undertaken. Inspite of several glitches, Uri : The surgical Strike will keep you engaged , especially if you watch it as a fictional account . Vicky Kaushal gives a solid bulked up performance and the cinematography is good. The action sequences have been shot well . And yes you also get to see a character looking exactly like Manohar Pariker playing the role of the defense minister . May be that’s the closest that Aditya Dhar came while depicting a story based on “True Incidents” . I will go out with 2.5 out of 5 for this half baked strike . All they lacked was surgical precision while telling us the story of a surgical strike .

#Article15 : Article15 starts with Bob Dylan’s music from “ Blowing In the Wind” playing in the background - “ How many times can a man turn his head And pretend that he doesn’t see” and explodes in your face asking questions that are uncomfortable , that exposes a deep rooted caste system in this country that you & I have been mute witness to or shall I say have been party to and brings forth the disturbing consequences of a system that promotes “ US vs Them” and muffles every voice that asks a question . Will there be an end to this divisive, parochial system ? Will there be an end to the killings? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. Things will probably change when You & I will stop waiting for a Hero and act like one. Bansky had once said “ Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable” and in that sense Article 15 is a terrific film ,right in the league of Govind Nihalin’s classic Aakrosh . Guara’s eye reflect the same anguish , anger and helplessness that Lahanya Bhiku’s eyes expressed . And in almost four decades nothing much has changed . Based on the Badaun Gang Rape and murder case , where two teenage girls had been raped and hanged on a tree to teach a lesson to lower caste , to show them their “Aukat” . Named after the provision in the Indian Constitution that prohibits "discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth" Article15 is a disturbing film about the realities of India , about the procedural mockery, about how caste divides have been created in the name of maintaining imaginary balance and the way constitutional rights have been subverted . It brings out the helplessness the angst of the underprivileged . It reflects how those who are supposed to protect have become the perpetrators . It shows how people are killed because they asked a Rs 3 hike in their wages. Shot in monochromatic frames Article 15 is atmospheric spans out like a thriller. There is a conscious effort to disturb the audience with the close up shots of the corpses and the cleaning of the sewage . The actors are terrific . Ayushman Khurana gets to play the role of a lifetime and he excels in bringing out the vulnerability as well as the steely resolve of a young IPS who had been exposed to a world so far away from the India he knew and took pride in. Kumud Mishra, Sayani Gupta,Manoj Pahwa and Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub have been phenomenal. Article15 isnt just a film .It is a bold statement reflecting the murky realities of India , that gets frequently pushed to page 7 while you & I relish the glitz and glamour of Page 3. It is about our constitution , about the dignity of life . Will you & I wait for a Hero and let things happen or try to be one and lead the transformation is a choice we have to make . And as Zeeshan Ayyub’s Nishad puts it the price of trying to change the balance is going to be high . But then You & I wont be the last one fighting the battle ! I will go out with 4.5 out of 5 for a film that brings out the grim, inconvenient realities of our society . Not sure “How Many years Can some people Exist, before they are allowed to be free ?”

Could have been much crisper . The parallel jail track takes lots of cinematic liberty and has no bearing . Instead they could have focussed more on the investigation and forensic part . Tests patience . Pankaj Tripathi is brilliant. His body language and the finer nuances that he brings to the table are applause worthy.

Kaushik Ganguly's national award winning film is a sensitive ,layered portrayal of relationship that exists beyond convention . It is a heart wrenching saga of Pari ,a women trapped in the body of man and her constant struggle for acceptance ,her struggle to live a life of her choice . Ganguly's film oscillates between hope and despair while exposing a world which is cruelly caring . Ganguly intelligently uses the Radha - Krishna relationship through Kirtan to portray the bond between Pari and Madhu ,a bond that transcends physicality. Nagarkirtan is a bold and sensitive film that needs to be seen . What elevates this film is the extra ordinary performance of Ritwik & Riddhi. As Pari ,Riddhi Sen has given one of the finest and nuanced performances seen on Indian screen ,a performance that won him the national award in best actor category. Torn asunder between Parimal ,Pari ,Puti and Rinku - Riddhi brings out the inner conflict and her vulnerability is so palpable .Mark my words ,you will watch a lot of this 20 year old prodigy in next few years . In him a star is truly born !