I have been waiting for long to write the review of a movie. But all my hopes were quashed, by the series of mind numbingly silly films released, till now! But here comes a film, that I truly admire, which has inspired me in many ways. I haven't felt like this in a long time. Probably the last Hollywood film that I was tempted to see again and again was The Pursuit of Happyness.
The plot of the movie is taken from the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup. An illiterate slum kid from Mumbai goes on the local TV version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and comes off winning Rs. 2 Crore. So why would you want to see something that you could have already seen in 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'. Well, for starters, it has not much to do with the game show. The underlying plot shows us how destiny plays a huge role in helping 'Jamaal' (a sensational Dev Patel) in answering the questions on the show.
You won't find many fairy tales that open with a graphic torture scene. The cops think 18-year-old 'chaai waala' Jamal Malik is a fraud. Goaded by the show's host (the superb Anil Kapoor), the police inspector (Irrfan Khan) is determined to beat the truth out of Jamal before he goes back on the show and hits the jackpot of 20 million rupees.
The film has got everything from humor to tragedy, from suspense to complete silliness. Yet it is nothing like the ubiquitous Indian Masala movie. Director Danny Boyle gives us a probable Oscar winner here. With amazing screenplay and sharp editing, the film pulls you towards it more than gravity does you to earth. The heart-wrenching story told through a series of flashbacks is aweinspiring. We learn the background of Jamaal and other characters, his wild older brother Salim (an outstanding Madhur Mittal), and his adored Latika (the achingly lovely Freida Pinto) in flashbacks, and as he answers the questions, we come to understand how his life experiences(believe me, this character has more 'life experience' than most of my friends put together) have helped him in answering them.
Every answer he gives, has been learnt in a hard way, and all the knowledge he has could have killed him. Accepted, the plot bends coincidence to the breaking point. But as I said before, the film is not about the quiz show, but Jamal's traumatic youth. Boyle makes magic realism part of the film's fabric, the essential part that lets in hope without compromising integrity.
A R Rehman has composed the score for this brilliant movie. Lot of hip-hop numbers. But the most I liked were the Instrumentals. Especially One track - Mausam & Escape is amazing.
Overall I would give this movie a 4.5/5. A must watch for any movie buff, and also non-movie buff's. This is how a film should be made.
The plot of the movie is taken from the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup. An illiterate slum kid from Mumbai goes on the local TV version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and comes off winning Rs. 2 Crore. So why would you want to see something that you could have already seen in 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'. Well, for starters, it has not much to do with the game show. The underlying plot shows us how destiny plays a huge role in helping 'Jamaal' (a sensational Dev Patel) in answering the questions on the show.
You won't find many fairy tales that open with a graphic torture scene. The cops think 18-year-old 'chaai waala' Jamal Malik is a fraud. Goaded by the show's host (the superb Anil Kapoor), the police inspector (Irrfan Khan) is determined to beat the truth out of Jamal before he goes back on the show and hits the jackpot of 20 million rupees.
The film has got everything from humor to tragedy, from suspense to complete silliness. Yet it is nothing like the ubiquitous Indian Masala movie. Director Danny Boyle gives us a probable Oscar winner here. With amazing screenplay and sharp editing, the film pulls you towards it more than gravity does you to earth. The heart-wrenching story told through a series of flashbacks is aweinspiring. We learn the background of Jamaal and other characters, his wild older brother Salim (an outstanding Madhur Mittal), and his adored Latika (the achingly lovely Freida Pinto) in flashbacks, and as he answers the questions, we come to understand how his life experiences(believe me, this character has more 'life experience' than most of my friends put together) have helped him in answering them.
Every answer he gives, has been learnt in a hard way, and all the knowledge he has could have killed him. Accepted, the plot bends coincidence to the breaking point. But as I said before, the film is not about the quiz show, but Jamal's traumatic youth. Boyle makes magic realism part of the film's fabric, the essential part that lets in hope without compromising integrity.
A R Rehman has composed the score for this brilliant movie. Lot of hip-hop numbers. But the most I liked were the Instrumentals. Especially One track - Mausam & Escape is amazing.
Overall I would give this movie a 4.5/5. A must watch for any movie buff, and also non-movie buff's. This is how a film should be made.
8 comments:
Okay.
Now I want to watch the movie!
So when shall we watch it???
I wonder why our Indians cant make movies like this except one or two guys??? Although we would have hundreds of stories in the country of billion people.
Sri
Well, Sri, I presume you live in Bangalore and I live in Pune, so we can't watch it together!!!
But jokes aside, I guess it depends on the common population and what they want. When "commercial" movies sell so much and movies like this do not, it is very clear which brings in more money. And as you very well know, cinema is a business these days. Unfortunate, yes, but true.
You need to be much more than a Amitabh fan to do what the kid does in the movie
Athos Porthos :)
Oh my goodness, I agree with you, Satish. Just saw the movie last night! A very well made movie, I must say.
@Anu:
OOps sorry I had not read your comment when I wrote mine. I was actually asking Madhu when shall we watch the movie??
Anyways it would be great to watch this movie when you are in Bangalore.
Jokes apart I believe the Indian audiences are maturing by the day.TZP was a movie like this and it made a lot of money. I guess its time when movie makers make many movies like this. I believe lot of people will watch them. Ofcourse I agree that they need to have an excellent advertising team to make people believe its a good movie initially.
@Sri
Well, Sri, I totally agree with you about the maturing of the Indian movies and the movie makers! Once they start seeing that aggressive marketing coupled with a sensitive and intelligent movie does bring in the big bucks, maybe everyone will start trying harder.
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