Puthiya Karukkal

A Malayalam thriller movie starring Jayaram, Parvathy, Laloo Alex and M G Soman. Set in a hilly,picturesque Tamilnadu place, the movie right away plunges into suspense just like the actress running away from a man,plunges into a stream and then you know you gotta know the end.

 A story within a story, the movie moves back and forth from the past to the present. Jayaram and Parvathy were in love and planned to get married. But the local village goon gets killed by him when he tries to molest Parvathy. Or rather,supposedly killed. When Jayaram serves jail, Parvathy is married off to a rich, kind-hearted, handicapped Soman and now Jayaram is back to kill her.

You may think, the movie may end in tragedy or with a sacrifice on Soman's part to let the two lovers of the past to reunite. But the surprise comes when people are not what they seem to be and identities are tossed in the air for the viewer to catch and place in the puzzle in the right place.

A nice work of suspense but would have been even better with polished performances and strong script. Events seemed to just happen and story seemed to have been shakily written. Even then if I stayed till the end, I guess the 'who did it?' will keep you rooted.

Agreement

The length of an Indian woman's hair is directly proportionate to how good as a wife she can we. This is proved in absolute terms in Agreement, a movie starring Rekha and Rekha and Utpal Dutt. Yes Rekha dominates this movie about husband-wife relationship, the usual stereotypes, the jokes ,assumptions and the rules of society etc.

In a time when actresses essayed amazing characters, the press would have reluctantly given them the credit of  a successful movie,unlike what Vidya Balan or Anushka could do today. Nevertheless, thanks to available access to movies of any era today, we shouldn't mince our words of praise for heroines of those times too. That's why, even though its a weak script and really pathetic acting from the male actor, the film is enjoyable for its quirky and bold take on spouse roles. Its a fun ,time pass watch. You may disagree, ofcourse but what would you rather watch.. A retro time-pass or Sajid Khan's Himmatwala?

Now, girls, women and my fellow fashion enthusiasts, if you are interested in vintage Bollywood styles, Rekha has quite to offer as a visual delight in the many outfits throughout this movie. Do not forget to notice the hairstyles that keep graduating to savvy to Saavithri. I loved the tops and skirts!

All short? Snort!

All's fair in long hair

 I refuse to even acknowledge the 'act'or who 'very miserly gives away expressions' (acts) as Rekha's husband. Reliable and enjoyable roles by Asrani and Aruna Irani,as always.

Itni Si Baat

Husband-Wife movies are no novelty in Bollywood. Where else would the bashing jokes come from?

 Itni Si Baat probably goes a notch further to tell you how to keep the bashing balanced so that no feminists or MCPs can have the last laugh (or maybe laugh together)

A typical household of unit family and the complexes of spouses' roles are shown in Itni Si Baat. Husband is played by Sanjeev Kumar who loves his wife but cannot exactly convey the pressures of a working life for her to understand. and vice versa. Haribhai (Sanjeev Kumar) movies are a delight. His pocketful of expressions are sprinkled throughout any movie.

So when it becomes a fight, they both decide to exchange roles and the comedy starts then. 

I wonder if such situations were to happen today, will Moushimi Chatterjee have better career options than the typical secretarial or sari saleswoman jobs available then.

Choti Si Baat 1975

My favourite movie. My best friend. My rainy day companion. How do you 'review' your best friend? What do you say to quantify the aspects of such an exceptional movie. The thought of writing about Choti Si Baat makes me dig out all the magniloquent and baronial-type words (you get it right?) just to express how much I love this film.

So those of you who haven't watched it-

- Do you exist?

- Whats wrong with you?

I'm not sorry to be rude but cinema lovers and whether or  not you love the flashy Bollywood,Choti Si Baat is a must watch. Not your formula movie, not a historical epic, no morals or message. Just a simple girl boy romance.


Duh!

So you thought the story must be a script worth winning the National award. A parallel flick with some tears,nudity or barren land. Well I respect all kinds of cinema. I appreciate the art and the creativity which comes after a lot of work, ideas and brainstorming. But every art expressed has to be kept simple. Even summarising history of the Bronze Age should be narrated in a simple ,holistic way which the recipient can enclose in the palm of his senses.

Cinema about the everyday life of people like you and me, about the feelings expressed in ordinary sense and tales of relationships are quite tough to make because of the lack of bling in them. There's a lot of thought process and careful scripting which goes in the making of such films.

In laws' torture, revenge, brothers separating, property usurped, crime etc are aspects which have an attraction value equal to the first pizza you see after a long day. Great! But not wholesome are they? I love OhDears and the tears occasionally,but its quite difficult to come across simple homely films,just as difficult it is to make homely food compared to restaurant food.

Choti Si Baat is about the awkwardness of a young man who is secretly in love with a girl. The love is reciprocated but in mutual feelings of hesitance. This is not cowardice but pure sweet confusion. A very different type of comical take on urban lifestyle,the pickle it leaves a single,unsure man in who dreams but doesn't know how to go ahead. So well played by Palekar.

I love how Basu Chatterjee carefully brings out the urban middle-class man's feelings without making fun of him for not being a defiant Angry Young Man or an outright Romantic Hero. No roses, no flashy cars and no villains ...except Asrani who is so endearing as the mock villain that right now I want to stop this blog and watch it for the 3006th time.

Also, watch it for Amol Palekar, Ashok Kumar, Khandala and old Bombay.

Apne Paraye 1980

I was surprised to see a Basu Chatterjee film that I had not heard of, in the YouTube random search list. I thought I had finished most of the Palekar - Basuda films. So this was, as usual, a pleasant watch.

Family movies with the focus on bitching household women and home values is as old as dinosaurs. Apne Paraye is just one of that bundle. Three women - one the neutral eldest bahu, the vamp and then the upright,all consuming,all knowing choti bahu. Though, from a strong, happy, flourishing home to a bickering house the transition in Apne Paraye is thankfully quick and not a string of songs.

Shabana does justice to the role without too much wet handkerchiefs. Infact her strength as a supporting,affirmative wife minus the husband-bashing or patronising value-keeper is a fresh take from the usual.
Palekar plays the quiet, wayward husband as best as only he can. Utpal Dutt, Ashalata Wabgaonkar, Bharati Achrekar all play their roles so naturally that I almost got lost in the big Bengali house and mannerisms only Basu movies have.

Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan

A 1978 movie ,Arvind Desai Ki Ajeeb Dastaan was probably among the first few movies of the parallel cinema club.

Directed by Saeed Akhtar Mirza and starring Om Puri, Dilip Dhawan, Shriram Lagoo, Sulabha Deshpande and  Rohini Hattangadi.

Arvind (Dilip Dhawan) is a introspective guy for throughout the story,with deep thoughts on life,poverty,richness and relationships. He seems to question the viewer as much as he asks himself. He accuses, blames ,argues and yet does the same things which provokes questioning.

He is a rich carpet merchant's son and manages a business lackadaisically. Yet he asks his secretary girlfriend why the city cannot tolerate dirt and slums. He enjoys luxury but doesn't like to cheat in business by raising prices. He has a religious mom and a doting girlfriend, yet feels insecure enough to visit a prostitute.

A man and film of contradictions, it will make you question if the end is about meeting with answers and 'adjusting to life' for Arvind,which he detests but is needed.

Watch it if you love parallel cinema esp when the trend had taken Bollywood by storm. All great performances by the cast and esp Om Puri. Also some old world Bombay charm.

Sandesham

The relationship between parents and children is the most vital ingredient in Indian Cinema potboilers. All formula films and niche films too have to show this relationship and all its facets,mostly as an advice or warning on how to better the bond. Yes,what would we grow up to otherwise?

Sandesham is not a formula film. You cannot classify it as just tragedy or comedy. A mix of some, breaks some grounds but mostly is a family movie, if you must put a sticker on it.

 A retired railway employee returns to retirement in his native village in Kerala. His caring wife and daughter are the only white sheep in the family. The three sons are wayward and sideward. The eldest two, played by Jairam and Sreenivasan are into politics and in opposing parties. Like their father, played by Thilakan, says, 'The sons maybe in politics but without any use to home or to the hometown.'

A good story is which uses cliches to its advantages and yet makes it memorable enough to be enjoyed as an original. Sandesham movie is such. It has all the cliches of a complete family with scaffolding support of good neighbours (played by Oduvil Unnikrishnan) and with some jigsaw puzzle pieces ,which is our version of right vs wrong vs tradition, left to be put together by the viewers. Also the comic bits are by Siddique and Oduvil with their queer and charming personalities respectively.

Watch Sandesham to understand Kerala family nuances against the backdrop of the reality of Kerala politics. Also get some gardening and soil lessons from Siddique. (has to be my fav character in this) A very apt title.