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Decoding Tezaab (1988)

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The late eighties saw a paradigm shift in the template that Bollywood used in the 70s and 80s – from the stories of angry-young-men to passionate love stories marred by violence. Director N Chandra’s Tezaab, released in 1988, was a movie which blended the two themes with a simpleton-turned-messiah, Munna (Anil Kapoor), at the centre of the story. Tezaab, which means acid in Hindi, also gave us one of the brightest stars of all times, Madhuri Dixit. Tezaab does not boast of anything path-breaking in terms of filmmaking, but gets a mention in the list of movies that define Bollywood for its perfect blend of commercial elements with romance and action. It also marked the beginning of the association of Madhuri Dixit and Saroj Khan, who went on to give us numerous impeccably choreographed chartbusters! And Tezaab gave Madhuri Dixit her first moniker – Mohini and the song she is still revered for – Ek do teen! But Tezaab is much more than just the songs and dance – it is a true-blood
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Decoding Ankhon Dekhi (2013)

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All through our lives, we have been conditioned to believe what has been commonly accepted as the norm. Be it the axiom we read in school, ‘two parallel lines intersect at infinity’ or something as trivial as ‘the lion roars and does not mew’. Seldom have we questioned these, since these were universally accepted facts. None of us ever questioned if a mathematician went to the imaginary space called ‘infinity’ and saw two parallel lines intersect. Director Rajat Kapoor’s 2014 drama, ‘Ankhon Dekhi’ is a simpleton middle-aged man’s take on being rational and only believing what he sees with his own eyes – Ankhon Dekhi. The movie opens with an introduction to a modest household in old Delhi, where the patriarch, Rajesh/Bauji (Sanjay Mishra) narrates his dream to his family over their daily chores. In his dream, he sees himself flying like a free bird. But in reality, he is not free from responsibilities and has a family to feed – a supportive wife, a daughter of marriageable age, a
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Decoding Bhumika (1977)

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Behind the glitz and glamour, the glittery world of movies is often surrounded by the stories of insecurities and failing relationships. The glimpses of the manipulative and often patriarchal Hindi film industry have been seen in various movies – from Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s coming-of-age drama, Guddi (1971) to Zoya Akhtar’s poignant, Luck by Chance (2009) to the underwhelming Madhur Bhadarkar directorial, Heroine (2012). Shyam Benegal’s 1977 drama, Bhumika uses the same theme to depict the life inspired from yesteryear Marathi actress, Hansa Wadkar. Bhumika traces the tempestuous life of a leading actress, Usha (Smitha Patil), who grows from a spirited young girl into a woman shattered beyond repair, even if her life as a film-star may appear to be perfect from the outside.   I also could not help but draw parallels to the tragic life of southern actress, Silk Smitha, who was brought to life for celluloid by the spectacular Vidya Balan in The Dirty Picture (2011). Much like
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Decoding Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)

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As I watched Guru Dutt’s 1959 cult classic, ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, I wondered how beautifully filmmakers and cinematographers of the day used the limitations of lack of colours, to their advantage. Before colours entered our cinemas, black & white films with primitive technology and an expensive film-reel, required tactful mastery. ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, first Indian movie to use the wide-screen Cinemascope technology, also explored a few untouched and unfamiliar shooting techniques which enhanced the viewing experience. Directed by Guru Dutt with V.K Murthy at the helm of the camera, ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ was a brave attempt in Indian cinema – both in terms of the camerawork and the story. One of the most captivating features of the cinematography is the brilliant use of lights and shadows. Any reference to the stunningly shot Kaagaz Ke Phool is incomplete without a reference to the iconic song, ‘ Waqt ne kiya kya Haseen Sitam ’. Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) and Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt)
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Decoding Wake Up Sid (2009)

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Teens and early-twenties is a phase where most of us have been confused about our life and future. This is the time when most of us go through a gamut of emotions, where our minds and hearts are always at loggerheads. One is neither an adult nor a child anymore. Ayan Mukerji’s brilliant directorial debut in 2009, ‘Wake up Sid’ is a coming-of-age drama, beautifully depicting the dilemma that a carefree, college dropout, Siddharth AKA Sid (Ranbir Kapoor), faces and how he wakes out of it. The movie opens with a spoilt rich-kid, sitting on a desk in a messy room, preparing for an exam. Dressed in graphic tees, cartoon boxers and doodling Simpsons – we are introduced to Sid. As is evident from his routine before an important exam, he is a ‘devil-may-care’ child in the body of an adult. Ayan Mukerji, who has also written the movie, gives us a peek into his nonchalance, which may seem annoying but stems from his confused state of mind. Born to a self-made businessman (Anupam Kher) a
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Decoding Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)

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July 7, 2018 I cannot remember watching a movie recently, where the story is centered around the female protagonist, who does not make an appearance until 45 minutes into the movie. Despite not being there in almost a third of the film’s runtime, it is commendable how Meena Kumari gave her career defining performance in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. Based on a Bengali novel of the same name by Bimal Mitra and directed by Abrar Alvi, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a poignant tale of a woman’s longing for her aristocratic husband’s attention. Produced by Guru Dutt, the movie is about Chhoti Bahu (played by Meena Kumari), an unlucky young woman married to the younger son of a Zamindaar, Chhote Babu (played by Rehman). The movie is an agonizing tale of a woman’s craving for her husband’s time, who spends his time away from home at ‘ Kothis ’ – drinking and making merry. Chhoti Bahu’s husband and his family see her demands for his time as unreasonable and deem it to be her move to control h
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Decoding Ardh Satya (1983)

July 3, 2018 Any discussion on ‘Parallel Cinema’ in India is incomplete without the reference of director, Govind Nihalani’s 1983 socio-drama, ‘Ardh Satya’. Co-produced by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Ardh Satya became a landmark in Indian Cinema, for its gritty performances, sensitive handling of social issues and high-quality cinematic craft. When I began watching this movie, the only thing I knew was that it had Om Puri and Smita Patil in the lead. Not even the slightest inkling of the premise or the plot. And, to be honest, I had huge expectations from the movie, owing to the hype surrounding it. But, I must admit, I was left a bit disappointed. The movie is set in Mumbai, on the backdrop of Police and their high handedness. Sub Inspector Anant Velankar (played by Om Puri) is an upright and honest cop. Due to his honesty, righteousness and not conforming to the ugly police-mafia nexus, Velankar is always reprimanded by his seniors and holds a medio
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