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Reviews
Rasan Piya (2015)
A rare gem
A heartfelt thank you to Akshay Madan and Niharika for Rasan Piya. You have made an amazing documentary, a true gem. Rasan Piya beautifully captures the life and Zest of Ustad Abdur Rashid Khan sahib, a classical music singer who at the age of 106 sings like there is no tomorrow.
About 10 years ago, I had once attended his concert live and was amazed by the energy of the 95 year old man. It is so great to see that even after 10 yrs, he carries the same spirit. This documentary captures the lifestyle of Ustadji, from small details such as his tea to his teaching style and puts the focus on his compositions which are so 'Oomda' . Thank you again for this wonderful film and to include the NSIT clip. It brought back so many memories!
Here is a Ghalib couplet explained by Khan sahib and it has stayed with me since the screening -
Magas Ko Baagh Mein Jane Na Dena Ki Nahaq Khoon Parwane Ka Hoga
(Do not allow the bee to enter the garden, it would mean loss of an innocent moth's life). That is to say, the bee will enter the garden to collect pollen. The substance will then be stored in a hive made of wax secreted by the bee. One day a man will pull down the hive for it's honey and wax. The wax will be used for manufacturing candles. When a candle is lit it will attract a moth. The moth consequently will lose its life.
Children of the Pyre (2008)
Moved!
I saw children of the pyre today at San Francisco Castro theater as part of South Asian film festival organized by third I group. Now a group with name like third I (aha - remembering the Spic logo) i had to watch one and Children of the pyre was an arbit selection.
Children of pyre is a story about 6 children who are working to cremate bodies in some holy village in Varnasi. The movie is an account of their work, the environment around them, why they are doing it, what do they think about it etc etc.
In the movie/book Blade runner, humans have devised a test to check whether the entity they are talking to is actually a human or an android. It is related to pupil dilation when some emotional questions were asked. The argument there was that accuracy of tests was questionable. But all they had to do was to make them watch this movie and observe reactions - only an android could not have been affected by such movie.
Children of pyre is a very well made documentary. With a subject that deals with child labour, human rights violation, cremation, poverty, drugs etc and that too it is a documentary, it is bound to be very very heavy. But the brilliance of this film comes from the 6 child actors who simplify everything for us and present their lives in such a candid manner that it is bound to make you laugh. The director's questions to these kids are also well chosen, not only he pokes around about what they think about it, he goes into their lives asking about their girlfriends, family etc. The very fact i was smiling in at least some parts in the movie is a great achievement and it makes the movie watchable otherwise it would have been too heavy for people like us not used to such harsh realities of life. Another thing that i love about this movie is the camera work. The director has been very kind in omitting many brutal scenes of cremation, there are some but i am sure it could have been worse. There is a scene in which the camera is placed on the boat and you see it go up and down as the bloat floats from one side to another. There is a scene where the kids try to perform last rites on a stranger's body. There is a scene where there is a Navratri festival going on 10 metres away where bodies are getting burnt. The contrast was unbelievable. But most importantly, it is the kids, their lives, their tales that move you to the core and ask questions that no one knows. At one point in telling answers, one of the kid says - "If you feel so sympathetic to me, just send a check of 5000 Rs every month to my home, i will stop everything. If you can not do anything then do not question my actions, leave me to my own state"
The movie ends with "Udd jayega" sung by Pt. Kumar Gandharva , written by Kabir. The song fits into the ending perfectly and makes sense.
Vietnam Symphony (2005)
a poignant documentary
Not all who fight for their country have guns in their hands, some fight with music. Vietnam Symphony is a documentary based on Vietnam war during which the Hanoi school of music was forced to shift to a small village and classes were held underground. People who were students in that time share their experiences while the camera moves between images of color and black and white. One thing that oozes out is the passion of people when they narrate their stories, their pain in suffering, its real, its shocking but at the same time their bravery gives hope and optimism.
A well shot movie with good direction and good narrative. Do watch it if you want to experience how humanity prevails during war time!
Dor (2006)
Postcard Movie!
Dor is a well crafted post card movie. The movie at many times moves as if the director is flashing postcards one by one. Set in the backdrop of himachal and Rajasthanm, the beauty of nature is captured very well. Nagesk Kukunoor once again manages manages to create the emotional drama with this film. Solid performances by all stars especially by Gul Panag. She surely had shown potential after dhoop and in this movie she is surely a treat to watch. Miss Takia has also done a good job.
Dor is a story of two different woman handle their dor of life differently and how their life intersects due to one incident.
The story is well written and screen play is good. Mr. TalPade manages to provide humour to this movie convincingly. One place where it lacks is in its ending which could have been a "less bollywood" ending.
But with the script, direction and solid performances it is very good movie 8/10.