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Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015)
best mystery-noir period thriller I have ever seen
It very rarely happens that even after a movie is over i keep staring at the screen all through the credits...mesmerized...for I cant believe what I just saw wondering if I am in a dream because can a movie actually be that good!!! This happens to be one of those movies!!! N I cant pinpoint what I loved the most of this movie...the incredible cinematography...the awesome music...the edge-of-the-seat gritty noir-style storyline...or the acting!!! I think...no I am pretty sure that this movie is going to be the yardstick by which all the future plot based dark thrillers...at least in India...are going to be measured on the basis of!!!
The story begins with a narrative that puts the time line of the incidents somewhere around the 2nd World War when Japanese troops are looking for a way to take over Kolkata. Cut to Byomkesh, a fresh college pass-out but already known for his wits who is approached by Ajit asking for help to find his dad who has been missing for two months and Byomkesh makes it clear that he has no interest. Then he bumps into Ajit again after having his heart broken by the love of his life. Either to engage his mind elsewhere or out of sheer compassion or maybe a little of both he finally decides to help Ajit find his father. And thats the beginning of the best Indian movie of its kind I have ever seen. What starts as a simple matter of disappearance leads to a major propaganda led by one of the deadliest villains that can be the end of Kolkata and the rest of the world as we know it. While the fate of Kolkata hangs in the balance its up to our amateur, inexperienced sleuth to match his wits against the evil mastermind and save the city...save the world!!!
Sushant Singh Rajput was perfect as the amateur, inexperienced, naive individual but with a keen sense of observation and powers of deduction second to none. He stumbles along the way...making mistakes...getting used by pretty much everyone including and specially the villain who literally makes Byomkesh dance to his tunes...but he also learns from his mistakes and finally not only fights back but outsmarts the evil genius ultimately converting into the Byomkesh that we know!!! There is an introduction for Byomkesh by a character speaking to Ajit who said "Whenever he (Byomkesh) opens his mouth to talk I feel like breaking his face." Not to mention on their first meeting Ajit gave him a tight slap!!! This is actually a little deviation from the original character. Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay's Byomkesh wasn't a people-person but he was not so obnoxious that people would want to beat him up either. This might be a nod to Sherlock Holmes. You just cant miss the nod to The Hound of the Baskervilles when there is the threat note made by cutting and pasting from newspaper clippings. The story is loosely based on Satyanweshi, the origin story of Byomkesh and Ajit. There are references to other stories as well, ArthomAnarthom.
The recreation of Kolkata of the 1940s couldn't have been more perfect. A special congratulations to the cinematographer for being able to achieve this!!! The music is perfect to say the least. The metal rock at the end left me stunned!!! As far as acting is concerned I would say everyone did justice to their roles. Anand Tiwari who plays Ajit gives a remarkable performance but it is the villain who outshines them all...don't worry I wont say who it is!!! Hats off to Dibakar Banerjee for making the best...rather the only decent...movie of Byomkesh Bakshi!!!
Last but not the least I must say I found it rather interesting that even though the stories of Byomkesh Bakshi always followed the European "whodunnit" style of story where who the culprit is the center of attraction, Dibakar Banerjee chose to tell a Byomkesh story in the American Detective Story cum noir style. Though it is not revealed before midway into the movie who the culprit is the ones who have read Byomkesh should guess it within the first 15-20 minutes. But its doesn't matter...who the culprit is is not the point of attraction but how our super sleuth figures that out and finally outsmarts him is what keeps you glued!!! Another difference is in European detective stories you never really know know what the detective thinks...which is the very purpose of an assistant...someone with normal brains whom the reader/audience can identify themselves with and who keeps you distracted while the detective figures it all out. In the case of this movie nothing is hidden from you...you actually go on untying the knots with the detective...you know what Byomkesh is thinking...what he is doing...what he is about to do. Thats another thing consistent with the American Detective Story style!!!
Dibakar Banerjee and his team deserves a round of applause for making this wonderful movie!!! Its one of the best mystery-noir period thriller I have ever seen...at least in Indian Cinema!!! Cant wait for the next part!!!
The Lunchbox (2013)
a movie to watch... must watch...
Once Rabindranath Tagore says about 'short stories'...
"Simple events of life happy or sad,/ Some sad strings from the train of forgetfulness,/ Not fraught with heavy descriptions,/ Not crowded with events,/ No advice, no philosophy/ Only the feeling that the story is not yet over/ Although there is no more to read..."
'The Lunchbox' is a perfect example of a unique 'short story'. A little love story with some little events and pain... but at the end there is a new beginning.
The story is about a lonely old widower and a young neglected house wife. They connected through a lunch box and some letters, and share some emotional thought and experience of there daily life with each other. They are totally stranger to each other, but love has found out it's own way to enter.
There is a basic question about "Love"... 'Is it possible to fall in love between two strangers'? "The Lunchbox" defines it brilliantly... 'Love has no definition and it never follows any rules. So there is a possibility to fall in love with somebody whom we never meet. People loves to fall in 'Love' again and again, it may be someone we know or don't know or whom we already loved with'.
Irfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are acted very well through out the movie. Direction of Ritesh Batra is just too much perfect. After interval, the movie is a little bit slow, may be it's a situational demand. Overall it's an wonderful experience.
Lastly, the best part of the movie is 'The Ending'. "Only the feeling that the story is not yet over, although there is no more to read". There is something unspoken in this movie. It depends viewers to viewers, where they actually like to go with "Sajan & Ila".
Strongly recommend to all cine goers... please watch it...
Lootera (2013)
after a long time, a classic Hindi cinema...
First of all a warning for general cine goers 1. "Lootera" is very slow and pace less, 2. Basic story is too short and event less, 3. More than 99% audience will definitely hate the movie and don't keep their patience till the end, 4. It's kind of a classic love story, so don't expect so much drama emotion fight etc like a general Hindi commercial, and lastly, 5. Please don't spend your valuable money on it, because it's not for you.
Now for rest 1%, go and watch it. it's a flaw less dramatic satire, where love and lust nourished with magical moments. It's a wonderful exhibition of pain and memory which causes a true love only. Music, background score, acting, editing and directions are just too much perfect. Love Sonakshi and Ranvir for their brilliant performances. In one word, "Lootera" is an exceptional movie in all average Hindi brainless adventures. Highly recommend to classic cine goers.