Saturday, July 15, 2017

Ondu Motteya Kathe: In search of real beauty!

It is not very often these days that you get a Kannada film that is out and out entertaining and stands up in all departments of film making. Well, in the era of so called masala films, entertainment can mean many things – cheap comedy, crude violence, loud music, among others. But here is a film that entertains you by dint of the classic performances of every character.







Director: Raj B. Shetty
Film Clip
Ondu Motteya Kathe (The story of an egg!) is a fresh breather in an otherwise depressingly mediocre Kannada film industry. What makes the film brilliant is the director’s efforts to stick to basics. And one requires a lot of hard work and a lot of convincing to insist on basics. The basics here are an extraordinary narration with not a dull moment, humour that is so realistic and not to forget supreme performances by a cast that has been carefully chosen. Added to this is the very simple storyline that challenges (or mocks) in all its simplicity our obsession with outer beauty and appearance, even at the cost of certain fundamental values and principles.

Janardhana (Raj B Shetty) is on the look-out for a soul mate who can accept him as he is (along with his bald head, of course). However, his search for such a girl gives a peep into the lives of many a damsel, only to be disappointed about himself more than the girls. However, he is ready to move on accepting his ordinary demeanour.

What stands out in the whole narrative of the film is the message that life is much more than mere appearances which can be deceptive. Real beauty of human being lies somewhere deep inside which many a time one fails to explore, being enamoured by the exteriors only. Raj B Shetty as the director and lead actor deserves adulation for his passionate rendering through a film which has all the qualities of becoming a cult classic in Kannada film industry.

- Melwyn Pinto SJ

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Pink: No simply means No!!

No simply means no! No is not just a word, but it is a full sentence! That seems to be the core message the film Pink attempts to impart. If a girl – be it girlfriend, wife or even a sex worker – does not wish to be taken advantage of physically, then the man must respect her decision. When lawyer Deepak Sehgal (Amitabh Bachchan) argues the case in the court on these lines, the judge cannot but nod in agreement, and his judgement states that a ‘new beginning has been made in this case’.








Director: Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury


Film Clip
The film Pink could not have been more relevant for our times. It comes at a time when women’s security is at an all time low in this country. Our country raises the womanhood to the pedestals, even as it writes newer moral codes for them to follow in the public and the private.
The film has been scripted brilliantly. It narrates how Indian legal system works and how easy it is to fabricate ‘evidences’ and get justice, provided you have the money power to employ the best of lawyers who make a killing in such adventures through their garrulousness. At the same time, it strengthens our confidence in the judiciary and the justice system especially when we take recourse to lawyers who are passionate about securing justice to the victims who have been wronged in the legal quagmire. Amitabh Bachchan’s performance in the court will be etched in the memories of the audience for long, especially for debunking the Indian psyche which has caged the woman into perfectly drawn boundaries.
- Melwyn Pinto SJ