A masterpiece film and a very good remake.

Bollywood churns out a lot of movies, some of which are very enjoyable.  "Badla" got really good reviews and lived up to them.  I learned that it was a remake of a Spanish movie,"The Invisible Guest" ("Contratiemp") and as usual many claimed the original was the better. Learning it was also available on Netflix a viewing confirmed it was well worth watching and instructive.

Both versions are full of twists, some of which you will not guess.  Both are professionally done.  "The Invisible Guest" was released in 2016, while "Badla" came out in 2019.

A few differences:  One is set in Glasgow and the Scottish countryside while the other is set in the Catalonia region of Spain.  There is a gender switch with "Badla" having a female accused murderer while the original was male.  The lawyer preparation expert  for "Badla" is a male while "the Invisible Guest" has a female actress.

Both movies use a prosthetic devise to entrap a murderer.  The lawyer in both cases is able to cut down on lies and force the accused to be more truthful.  They assure the accused that they can work better with the truth, even when it seems incriminating. 
 
Oriol Paulo is credited as a writer for both movies.  Born in Barcelona (in Catalonia) he has been involved in short films and tv series.  His breakthrough came with "Julia's Eyes" as a co-writer.  Produced by Guillermo del Toro who later also produced "The Invisible Guest."  Oriol has also directed a number of movies including "The Body" which is being remade in Bollywood.

Sujoy Ghosh adapted the script and also directed and produced.  He is most famous for directing, writing and producing "Kahanni" which is at the top of my list for twist endings.  His next project is a tv series, "Suspect X" based on my favorite mystery book, written by Japanese author, Keigo Higashino.

Music for "The Invisible Guest" was by Fernando Valazquez.  I should have recognized his name as I had bought a clip from "A Monster Calls" and had seen "The Impossible" both English films.

The Hindi version has three responsible for the music with a notable absence of the normal Bollywood song and dance routines. Amal Mallik and Anumpam Royl shared composing and playback singing.  Clinton Cerejo was a score producer and playback singer.  All three have backgrounds in composing and playback singing.

Cinematography was sited as a strength for "The Invisible Guest"  Xavi Gimenez also did "The Liberator," "Agora" and "Transsiberian."  He has won 10 awards for his work.   On one occasion when forbidden to use a helicopter for a shot he developed  a remote controlled mini helicopter. 

Cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay was revealing to research as I encountered a few of his interviews.  He started in Kalkutta where lighting equipment was not as available as in Mumbai so he was forced to innovate.  He began with commercials and to date has done over 1,500 and was lured into films by Riturno Ghosh.  Filmed over 25 Bengali films mostly indoors as Riturno thought people more interesting than outdoors.  Avik learned to use lighting to be effective in confined spaces.  His first Bollywood film was "Bunty and Bablij" that had decided to film on location.  They had been warned that Amitabh Bachchan  (see link below) would draw too many people to a railway station and in fact over 50,000 people showed up and the train schedule had to be dropped.  The madness of the crowd was conveyed to the film.  Other notable films for Avik included "Pink" (http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/11/pink-sensitive-film-to-deal-with-consent.html ), "October," and "The Violin Player."

Jaume Marti has edited "A Monster Calls" where he was also the production manager.  He had edited a number of films including "Transsiberian."  He was the production for "The Impossible"  He was brought in as an additional editor for "Jurassic World:  Fallen Kingdom."

Monisha R Baldawa has edited "Neerja," "Begum Jaan" and "Margarita with a Straw." 

Ana Wagener played the lawyer in "The invisible Guest."  She won a supporting role award in "Biutiful." An earlier movie I watched was "Dark Blue Almost Black."  She was the Spanish voice for Felcity Huffman with "Desperate Housewives."

Amitabh Bachchan (http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/05/amitabh-bachchan-living-legend.html) in a gender switch played the lawyer specializing in preparing witnesses in "Badla.".  A versatile actor he has the role of preparing the accused.  If you check out the link you will see he has been not only the most popular actor in India, but also in Britain.  Along the way has won multiple awards.

Mario Casas played the accused who supposedly killed his lover in "The Invisible Guest."  Born in Barcelona he performed in videos at age 9 and at age 18 he moved to Madrid for roles in tv series and his family moved with him.  In 2014 he won award as the most searched {Spanish} performer.  Busy with a variety of tv series and movies including, the English language, "The 33."

Taapse Pannu is an upcoming actress who plays the accused in another gender switch.  She had shared screen presence with Amitabh in "Pink."  She started her career with Tamil and Telegu films including opposite Dhanush in "Aadulkalam."    Learned martial arts for some of her action films.

Barbara Lennie played the murder victim (shown frequently in flashbacks).  She was born in Spain, but moved to Argentina with her family at a young age and moved back to Spain in 1990.  Appeared in many Spanish movies including "The Skin I Live In" and "Everybody Knows" winning numerous national awards.

Tony Luke played the murder victim in "Badla" with another gender switch.  He started with Malayalam films making "Badla" his first Bollywood movie.  He is considered one of the top male models in India.

Jose Coronado plays the father of a second murder victim in "The Invisible Guest."   He is the winner of multiple national awards having started with films in 1987

Tanveer Ghani plays the father of a second murder victim in "Badla."  He was born in England and has mostly appeared in British films with one other Bollywood movie to his credit.

Amrita Singh plays the mother of a second murder victim in "The Invisible Guest."   She must be unique in having been the leading lady for Dharmendra and in later years played the leading lady for his son, Sonny Deol.  She had been married to Saif Ali Kahn although he was much younger.  They had two children who are now both in Bollywood movies.  A few years back she was in "2 States," one of my favorites.

Have I left someone out?  Maybe.  They are both movies that build tension and several times you feel you are onto something, but you aren't.  Most everyone will find the ending a big jolt--but poetic.

THREE BOLLYWOOD FILMS THAT GOT MY ATTENTION

Bollywood  provides some of my favorite movies.  Here are three different, but good ones. Their goodness is not accidental as the cast and crews bring a lot of experience to the projects.

"Gully Boy" offers a view into the rap world in India.  Rap is of interest to the younger crowd, but that means us older folks (in my case boomer) should be aware.  Naturally you hear a lot of rap music, but in Hindi.  The internal rhymes don't deliver the clever word play you might be hoping for except through subtitles.  The movie tries to convey feeling for the local atmosphere.  There is poverty, but also ambition. and not just for rap fame.  We see lower middle class people that are pointed towards medical careers.  Muslims are in a minority and although better off than in many Muslim majority nations still feel some grievances.  One of the characters is stigmatized as using young children to distribute drugs, but we learn they would otherwise starve.  In the end obstacles are mostly overcome and stardom arrives.

The cast is very good.  Ranveer Singh is believeable as a 22 year old rap singer.   Best seen in "Band Baaja Baaraat" "Lootera," and "Dil Dhadakne Do."  Alia  Bhatt adds another character to her long list of successes such as  "Highway," "2 States," "Dear Zindagi" and "Raaz."  Siddhart Chaturvedi is in his first feature film.  He started to follow in his father's footsteps as a chartered accountant, but won a talent contest which led to television series where he increased his popularity. In truth he matched Ranveer and is likely to develop into an equal star.  Kalki Koechliln has a relatively small role, but as usual she is impactful.

The brother-sister team of Zoya and Farhan Akhtar were producers, while Zoya directed and wrote.  In a previous wonderful movie, "Zindagi na Milegi Dobara" they again both produced, while Zoya wrote the script and directed, but this time Farhan played a leading role.   With "Dil Dhadakne Do" Zoya was director and writer while Farhan wrote dialogue, produced and acted.  More on Farhan,  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/11/farhan-akhtar-young-man-on-rise-in.html

Co-written by long time friend Reema Kagti.   Jay Oza  handled the cinematography;  Nitin Baid, was the editor and had previously edited" Raazi" one of the best films last year.i


"Badla" was based on a Spanish movie, written and directed by Oriel Paulo, "The Invisible Guest" with an interesting difference.  In the Spanish version the witness preparation lawyer was a woman while the accused murderer was a man.   Sujoy Ghosh, the man behind Kahanni adapted the script.  He wrote the script and directed "Kahaani" with one of the best twists ever.

It is set in Glasgow and layered with different versions of the same events as we try to find the truth.  Hint they both guard the truth carefully.  A brilliant woman has been accused of murdering her lover and was in a locked room with no apparent exits.

Amitabh Bachchan and  Tapsee Pannu- play the two main characters. Both performed in "Pink," one of the best movies to deal with sexual consent.  Worth learning about  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/11/pink-sensitive-film-to-deal-with-consent.html  

Another important character was played by Amitra Singh who I had seen in a few other movies, but not researched.  She was married to a younger man, Saif Ali Khan and had 2 children with him, both of which are starting to act in films.  Considered very attractive she was able to be the leading lady to both Dharmamendra and later to his son Sunny Deol.  These days she mostly plays mothers as in this film.  She was a very effective mother in "2 States."

Gauri Khan was the producer and co-owner with her husband Shah Rukh Khan of Red Chillies Entertainment that was one of the production companies for this film.  As many of you may know Shah Rukh Khan is my favorite actor http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/06/shah-rukh-khan-worlds-most-famous-actor.html

Avik Mukhopadhyay did the cinematography in Glasgow and the Scottish countryside.  He has also done "Pink," and another I hope to see soon, "October."  Not heavy Bollywood musical, but with good background music from Clinton Cerejo, Anu Malik and Anupam Roy.  Editing done by Monisha R Baldawa who had done "Mom," and "Neerja."

For a comparison with the original, "The Invisible Guest" see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/a-masterpiece-film-and-very-good-remake.html

"Badhaai Ho"continues a string of hits for Ayushmann Khurrana with an excellent supporting cast.  An older couple (in their 50's) become pregnant which is embarassing for sons.  The girl friend of the oldest son is very accepting, but her mother becomes upset to the point of disrupting her daughter's relationship.  There are lots of laughs before everyone not only accepts the situation but celebrates it.  It is common enough, that young people are unconscious that their parents are still sexual beings.

Ayushman has chosen a number of socially relevant topics.  Perhaps most famous for his debut role in "Vicky Donor" about a sperm donor who is ashamed of how he makes money.  Read more about his career and some other socially different roles includes a link to a single film blog:
http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/12/ayushmann-khuranna-actor-to-watch.html   Another blog on Ayushmann for "Article 15' http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/09/article-15.html

Sanya Mahotra plays the girlfriend.  Her first movie was "Dangal" where she played a female wrestler.  Looking forward to her appearance with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, in "Photograph."

Several members of the supporting cast won awards: Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao and Surekha Sikri.  Neena and Gajraj won an award as Extraordinary Couple of the Year.

 Directed by Amit Ravinernath Sharma who also was one of the producers.  Akshat Gildial was the writer who won an award for dialogue.   This film was nominated for best film on several award panels.

As with most of my movie blogs I have bolded the films I have actually seen and have filtered down to only include movies I recommend--most of them very highly.

Amitabh Bachchan--a living legend

My first awareness of Amitabh Bachchan was negative, but that is ok as his roles were very stern.   After two patriarchal roles the next one I viewed he played a bit of a goof. 

My first experience was viewing "Khabbi Khushi Kabhie Gham" (2001)  where Amitabh drove his son (Shah Rukh Khan) to leave the country with his disapproved bride (Kajol). In "Mohabbetein" (2000) he drove daughter to suicide played by his his future daughter in law Aishwarya Rai and co-starring Shah Rukh Khan.  My third experience was watching him in "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" (2006) where he played to my eyes a goofy comic role in a serious soap opera film playing the father to his actual son Abhischek.  These were all otherwise enjoyable movies.

Gradually his versatility and his role effectiveness created a more positive appreciation.

I had no consciousness of how highly regarded he was.  He had been named in a BBC poll as Actor of the Millenium over Charlie Chaplin and Sir Laurence Olivier  At his peak he could attract movie ticket lineups of over 2 kilometres in length.  He was the first Asian to have a wax model at Madame Tussaud's in London.  His name was the answer to a quiz question in "Slum Dog Millionaire" (which I actually got).  Filmfare, the major Indian film academy gave him over 30 nominations for best actor and 9 for best supporting actors, one for playback singer and one for producer.

Born as the son of a poet,  Harivanh Rai Bachchan.  By university days he had befriended Rajiv Gandhi.  He was interested in films, but surprisingly in the beginning his looks were not considered good enough for leading roles, but his voice was noticed as authoritative.  He once got a reference from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (Rajiv's mother) which led to his first big break "Zanjeer"  He starred with his future wife, Jaya Bhaduri.


He played in a variety of roles including a popular comedy "Chupke Chupke" in 1975.  That was also the year he co-starred with Dharmedra in "Sholay" that was the most popular movie to that date. 

For the next nine years he had many roles as the "Angry young man" written for him by Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan.  He was a self righteous man, fighting against a perceived evil, mostly the little guy fighting the giant    "Zameer" (1974), "Deewar" (1975) "Trishul" (1978); Don" (1978), Kaala Patthar (1979) and "Shakti" (1982) were all hits.  Javed Akhtar is father to Farhan Akhtar who is the subject of another post.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/11/farhan-akhtar-young-man-on-rise-in.html

During this time he also played in "Silsila" with Rekha who he was having a public affair with, and his wife Jaya Bhaduri.  Ironically the movie was revolving around adultery. 

At the end of this period with the encouragement of Rajiv Gandhi he got involved with politics, but got out after 3 years.  He did not do well for a few years, but was successful as a tv host and after a business setback he restructured his business and has gone forward ever since.


In "Black" with Rani Mukerji in 2005  Amitabh plays the teacher who breaks through with a young girl who is deaf, blind and mute.  The script was mostly in English  He later succumbs to a type of Alzheimer's.  A big award winner for many of the cast and crew.  This was the movie where I began to appreciate his versatility.

"In Cheeni Kum" (2007) with Tabu and Paresh Rawal  he played an arrogant London restaurant owner who pursues a younger woman.  It was funny, romantic and at one point tragic.  In researching  I discovered the young girl played by Swini Khara had also appeared in my favorite movie, "After the Wedding"and also "Paa."



"Paa '(2009) was released with his son Abischek playing his father. Amitabh was born out of wedlock and had a degenerative disease requiring many hours of makeup preparation.  By flukey circumstances he unknowingly interacts with his father, by now a prominent liberal politician.  A very touching movie with the unusual marketing gimmick.

With "Laksyha" (2004) he played a tough but supportive military leader in a movie starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta.

In "Aarakshan" (2011) he high-lighted a delicate problem in India's education with world wide implications.  Amitabh played a dedicated school owner who wanted to support a quota system for the lower castes against privatization efforts to exclude them.  Read more  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/10/aarakshan-study-on-education-inequality.html

In "Piku" (2015) he played a doddering old father to Deepika Padukone.

With "Pink" (2016) he felt the three women leads should get billing over him, even though he was a a bigger draw and his name starts with an A.  This is a movie that deals with sexual consent and is a masterpiece.  Amitabh wanted to emphasize how polluted Delhi is and insisted on wearing a mask for outdoor scenes.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/11/pink-sensitive-film-to-deal-with-consent.html

His only Hollywood movie was "The Great Gatsby," (2013)  in a minor supporting role as a Jewish gangster working with star Leonardo DiCaprio.

Returning to his voice .  He did narrate "Lagaan" (2001) which was a breakthrough for my interest in Bollywood, but not really appreciated his role at the time.   He also narrated  "Parineeti" (2005), a breakthrough movie for Vidya Balan who later played his mother in "Paa."  A movie with my favorite twist, "Kahaani "  (2012)  was capped by his singing voice over the credits.  In 2015,  "Shabitabh" (2015) was written for him in which he portrayed an actor with a voice to back up a Dhanush character who was mute.  Their egos clashed in a way symbolizing the contest between voice and appearance.

To get to well over 200 movies a lot were duds,   Played 15 duo roles and one triple role film.  His appearance doesn't guarantee a great movie, but he has been a key ingredient in some very top notch movies.  He doesn't appear to be very selective, but he has the advantage of being in such demand that scripts are written for him.  At his age he is more active than almost any actor and I am confident a lot of worthy films lie in the future.

The bolded movies are ones that I have actually seen.

"PINK" A SENSITIVE FILM DEALING WITH SEXUAL CONSENT

Many regard India as old fashioned, maybe even backward.  Gender attitudes are not considered modern in a Western sense.  "Pink" is a mind opening event for those of us who think we are "modern."  The movie drew a lot of attention being given a special screening for the Mumbai Police Department and has been used by politicians wanting to strengthen a new law. protecting women's rights.  This movie offers a lot of reasons to watch as it unravels mysteriously and dramatically, but it really is noteworthy for its message.

"Pink" is not so much about sexual assault, but more sexual harassment and gender equality.  The movie starts off with three women in the back seat of a car and three men in another car, one of whom has a bandage over his eye.  Soon we learn that one of the women had broken a bottle over the head of the bandaged man and the men felt entitled to revenge.  As the men are well connected they turn the tables claiming the girls had propositioned them and got violent when the men refused to pay.  The one woman, Minal is charged with attempted murder.

Some of the surrounding events were witnessed by a neighbor who it turns out is a retired lawyer on medication for a bi-polar condition.  His wife is bedridden.  He gives some advice to the women and later decides despite being on medication will represent them in court.  His first responses in court seem pathetic and we guess he must be too drugged.  However the court case becomes more intense with both prosecution and defense putting forth well prepared cases.

In a clever manner the defense lawyer strips away claims of provocation commonly used to defend sexual assaults:  the clothes she wore, her previous sexual experience, drinking alcohol and smiling in a friendly manner.

Amitabh Bachchan plays the retired lawyer.  My interest in Bollywood came after his hey day and he seemed to play a lot of unlikable characters, but I have since come to appreciate he is a great versatile actor who is always looking for good roles and incidently one of the most popular actors in global history..  Amitabh in his 70's wants to keep active and appears in many movies and tv shows, but they aren't all masterpieces.  He is excellent in this role and helps boost the credibility of this film.  Read more about Abitabh http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/05/amitabh-bachchan-living-legend.html

As the senior well established actor and with the initials A. B.,  Amitabh would normally be credited first, but in the interests of gender equality at his suggestion the three main actresses are listed first. They were all believable in difficult roles.  They were accused of being prostitutes and gold diggers, but in their words they were really "normal."  Tapsee Pannu was slightly more prominent and has been in a number of Bollywood movies and one Tamil film I had seen, but hadn't really noted her name.  Kirti Kulhari had a prominent role in a movie I enjoyed, "Shaitan" (2011).  Andrea Tariang was in her first movie.

Dhritimin Chatterjee plays the judge. He acted with Amitabh in still another excellent movie, "Black" (2005) and one of my favourites, "Kahaani" (2012).  Anglophones can see him in "The Man Who Knew Infinity" (2015)

Piyush Mishra plays a stern and tough prosecutor.  He is mostly a supporting actor and is very good.  I was surprised to learn he has also been a lyricist, a composer and a playback singer.  In an earlier favorite this year he played a storyteller in "Tamasha" (2015) an excellent movie about storytelling.  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/02/tamasha-wonderful-story.html

Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdbury who mostly has been involved with Bengali films and helped write the script.  Ritesh Shah also helped write the script and had contributed to "Airlift" (2016) "Kahaani" (2012) and "Te3n" (2016).   He will be writing dialogue for "Kahanni 2," another movie on my list of movies that must be seen.

A very key person in developing this film and promoting it is Shoojit Sircar, listed as creative producer.  He was involved with the story line, costumes and arranging special screenings.  Earlier he directed two favorite movies of mine, "Vicky Donor" (2012) and "Piku" (2015).  Read about Vicky Donor compared to a remake  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2020/04/vicky-donor-cf-dharala-prabhu.html

The music from Shanatu Moitra is in the background.  I have come to love much of the music in Indian movies, but realize most Westerners think song and dance is not realistic.  India has cultivated a lot of excellent composers and musicians and for decades they focused on song and dance routines that to outsiders seem an intrusion for a story.  To some extent most sense that music enhances emotional feelings.  This movie has no song and dance routines, but music plays a role in setting a mood.  I have enjoyed movies with Shanatu Moitra  ("3 Idiots" (2009) is a classic as is "PK" (2014)) actually bought one song from iTunes and remember a few other tunes.  Read about "PK" http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/03/pk.html

New Delhi is the setting and it appears a stately city, but a strong criticism is implied.  Amitabh, himself suggested he wear a face mask in many scenes to direct attention to the pollution.

During the end credits, the filmmakers elected to show us what really happened at the critical moments.  No surprises, but the point was the exact details didn't matter.  The women should have had their word respected.  The timing was appropriate as the plot unraveled gradually while the message was being felt more directly.

*SPOILER ALERT*

At the end of the trial the defense lawyer is asked if he has a closing statement and he hesitates for awhile and you imagine he is under medication after all the stress, but finally he says "no" and then after another long pause goes on to say "No is a complete sentence" and 'No' means no."  He comments that any one who says "no" whether a girl friend, a wife or a sex worker should be respected.  In this version the accused is let off from a charge of attempted murder and the three men are charged with mischief.  It seems poetic justice and hopefully will be accepted by all society, whether in India, Canada, United States or elsewhere.

SHAH RUKH KHAN, WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS ACTOR PART 1

In North America Shah Rukh Khan may not garner much attention, but in the rest of the world he is top of the movie world.  Not only is India the most prolific movie producing nation, they have made inroads in many foreign countries.  He can draw a massive crowd in most countries including United States and Canada.

I have enjoyed more of his movies to a greater degree than any other actor anywhere.  Shah Rukh Khan is above all charming and masculine  His acting ability seems mixed, but he has won his share of awards.  He has also been in his share of duds and has taken time to make commercially acceptable movies.  Having attracted a wide following he gets offered a lot of very good scripts supported by very talented crews.

My sister Rebecca liked "Devdas" (2004) so much she bought me a copy.  Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and also starring Aishawarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.  A story of a man stopped from marrying his love by his wealthy father.  He self-destructs.  My sister knows me pretty well and this whetted my appetite.

"Kal Ho Na Ho" (2003) is the movie that expanded my fascination with Bollywood to an obsession.  Filming was started in Toronto, but the crew left for New York when the SARS scare happened, however you can spot some interesting local scenes.  I checked this out of the local library and was told it was "very sad."  It certainly was that, but in the beginning it seemed very juvenile like perhaps a stereotypical Bollywood movie.  That was just a big setup to make you feel guilty.  The main actors and most of the supporting cast were very good; Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan and Jaya Bhanali.  The music was also great from Shankar Ehsaan Loy.  If you really like good movies you will be reaching for a kleenex.  After this I looked for movies with Shah Rukh Khan.
  

"Swades" ( 2004) is my favourite.  He plays a NRI (Non Resident Indian).  He represents the successful Indian gone to the United States space program.  He misses his nanny and decides to go back to India in order to bring her to his American home.  Once there he encounters a lot of people who are envious and he offers to help them get to the States, however the romance in the story is a local teacher who won't move.  Eventually with his science and engineering skill he solves a common problem by providing electric power.  He is torn between doing something globally and scientifically significant in the United States or helping elevate the Indian people.  Directed and partly written by Ashutosh Gowariker with music by A. R. Rahman.  With many third world countries the non resident is a delicate issue with most understanding moving to opportunities while other capable people stick around.  Shot in the United States as well as India.  This was considered an artistic success, but not commercially.

"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" (1998) saw Shah Rukh playing a father for the first time.  Kajol starts out as a tomboy friend who disappears when she realizes the more sophisticated Rani Mukerji attracts Shah Rukh.  As his wife, Rani dies.  Shah Rukh raises a young daughter with the help of his mother.  The daughter reads a letter from her mother telling her that her husband, the girl's father should seek out his old friend.  Lots of hokey moments, but a very stirring romance.  First time saw Salman Khan, in a cameo.  Directed by Karan Johar.  Some catchy melodies by the brother team Suleiman-Salim.  This movie started the appeal of Rani Mukerji and you can read more about her here:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/05/anupam-kher-actor-i-now-respect.html

"Khabie Kushi Khabie Gham" (2001) represented a clash with Amitabh Bachchan (who is very good as stern fathers amongst many other types).  Kajol plays the chosen one against the father's wishes (who wished for Rani Mukerji).  Scenes go from India to England and Wales and include a few shots from the pyramids for effect.  Directed and written by Karan Johar as a well produced family drama.

"Khabie Alvida Naa Kehna" (2006) is quite the soap opera.  Shah Rukh is married to Preity Zinta, but soon wants Rani Mukerji who is married to Abischek Bachchan.  A lot of shifting around and lot of anguish, but some really good music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy.  Directed and written by Karan Johar.  Set in the U.S., filmed in Philadelphia and Jersey City.

"Paheli" (2005) with Rani Mukerji again not commercially successful, but its fairy tale story was very slickly done with the pairing of the stars very satisfying.  Another of many movies supported by Anupam Kher and you can read more of him here;  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/05/anupam-kher-actor-i-now-respect.html

"Veer Zaara" (2004)  with Preity Zinta.  This time she is the Pakistani Muslim and he the Indian Hindu in a doomed romance.  He is thrown in jail for decades until rescued in time to reunite in old age.  Rani Mukerji plays a sharp lawyer that gets him released for a late in life happy ending.  Anupam Kher plays the mean prosecutor.  Directed by Yash Chopra.

In "Chakdei India" (2003) he coaches a girls field hockey team--as a  disgraced former international player.  His sin was not scoring at a critical point in a championship game against Pakistan.  Shah  Rukh is a Muslim and many of his roles portray him as one and in this movie he is thought to have betrayed India.  No romance, but a typical sports story very well done. Filmed in Australia as well as India.

"Don" (2006) was a revival of an old Bollywood film made famous with Amitabh Bachchan.  There were skeptics, but Shah Rukh played the dual role of the ordinary guy and the gangster very smoothly.  Priyanka Chopra played on the team chasing Don.  My favourite musical team of Shankar Ehsaan Loy provided the music.  There is a teasing relationship between Don and Priyanka who portrayed a very smart cop chasing him down.  Very spectacular stunts over the two films.  Don was filmed in Malayasia with the climax at the Petronas Twin Towers.  "Don 2" (2011) was shot starting in Malaysia, but shifted to Germany.  Farhan Akhtar directed both movies and wrote the scripts.  For more on Farhan Akhtar:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2011/11/farhan-akhtar-young-man-on-rise-in.html

"Om Shanti Om" (2007) launched Deepika Padukone.  Directed by Farah Khan who had originally been a choreographer very much favored by Shah Rukh.  He plays a dual role, first as a young man who gets involved in Bollywood, but is killed along with a woman he was infatuated with.  Thirty years later after re-birth he is again involved in Bollywood and slowly realizes the back story and seeks revenge.  Lots of complications.

"Rab ne Bana Di" (2008) launched another big star, Anushka Sharma.  At first Shah Rukh plays a bookish type of character who as a deathbed favour marries a girl much younger and active.  We all know Shah Rukh is very dynamic and soon he is masquerading as a dance partner for his wife who doesn't recognize him.  Eventually she is conflicted between her husband and this dynamic dancer.  He proves his love in his bookish avatar in a funny wrestling match.  Anushka emerged as a star in her own light.  For more on Anushka: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/05/anuska-sharma-actess-on-rise.html

At this point I realize I have gone overboard on one actor, but in fact there is more I want to say, but will defer to another post.

Click here for Part 2: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2016/06/shah-rukh-khan-worlds-most-famous-actor_23.html

The Voice in Movies

Movies are thought of as a visual art, but since 1927 the voice has been an important factor.  Some silent film stars did poorly after the breakthrough, but others came to prominence.  Al Jolson took a chance and launched movies with sound.  In elementary school along with some friends I became very interested in the two biographical movies about Jolson and can appreciate he had the stature to get sound movies off to a good start.  I even watched that first original sound film, "The Jazz Singer." My focuses on voice are tone, diction and phrasing with accents sometimes lending an element of charm.  Many actors and actresses were hired to be narrators or voices for animated movies.

Peter Lorre was one of the first voices that I noticed.  He had a raspy voice with a clipped manner of speaking.  He was successful on radio programs and was often parodied by cartoonists. On the other hand he appeared in some classic films "The Maltese Falcon" and "Casablanca"

Charles Laughton got my attention for his way of talking.  He wasn't a hero a young boy could identify with, but his speaking impressed me.  "The Big Clock", "Spartacus,"  "Witness for the Prosecution" and "O Henry's Full House" were some where his voice was noticed.  He had been a stage actor and started his movie career before sound.  Later he made many stage readings.

James Cagney was my earliest movie hero a lot because of the way he expressed himself.  In many of his movies he is ranting, but he could also be soft.  Some of my favorites includes "The Roaring Twenties," The Strawberry Blonde," and "Angels with Dirty Faces." For more on Cagney:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/09/james-cagney.html

Spencer Tracey, appeared in "Inherit the Wind"  "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and I vaguely remember "Bad Day at Black Rock" as well as some of the earlier films with Katherine Hepburn.  His strength was his diction.  He also narrated for a few films.

Boris Karloff was silent in his most famous movie, "Frankenstein" and I don't recall hearing his voice in my youth, but perhaps "The Grinch that Stole Christmas" was my first consciousness of his voice, although I must have heard some of it before.  As a teenager I remember "The Monster Mash" which wasn't really his voice, but a sort of parody.  In my research it was suggested that his voice was the base for Tony the Tiger.

Orson Welles in "Citizen Kane"was  first seen in my university days where many assured me it was the best film ever made.  He was famous for "The War of the Worlds" radio broadcast--he had been involved with radio theatre--and had done voice for animated films.

Geoffrey Rush, (from Australia).  First seen in a small clip of "Quill", which although I have never seen the whole movie greatly impressed me.  He was brilliant in "The King's English," "The Book Thief" and "The Best Offer."  Like others on this list he has done a fair amount narrating and animation voice roles.

Richard Burton to me was a majestic Shakespearian actor and Welsh.  "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and "The Longest Day".  He acted on stage during his movie career.

Clive Owen, first noticed on a British tv movie "Second Sight".  Later watched him in "Inside Man," "Children of Men", "The Boys are Back" and most recently "Words and Pictures."  He has a distinct voice I think particularly effective when speaking softly.

Russell Crowe, another Aussie (actually born in New Zealand), first got my attention with "Gladiator", a muscular role for sure, but playing a man who took on a leadership role.  Shifting gears I next saw him in "A Beautiful Mind."  Some others of his movies seen were "The Next Three Days", "Broken City" and most recently "The Water Diviner."  His voice commands respect and he uses it well.

Roger Allam's voice caught my attention in an episode of "Foyle's War" and I have spotted him in a few other British tv series.  He was a good choice as the narrator in "The Book Thief" representing Death.

Black actors have been noted for their deep bass tones, and some are also very eloquent.

James Earl Jones took a Broadway performance to the screen with "The Great White Hope" where he played an articulate boxer.  He became more famous as the voice behind Darth Vader in "Starwars."  Remembered fondly for roles in "Roots" and "A Family Thing."  Perhaps my favorite voice.  Strange to read that as a youth he had a problem with stuttering, perhaps a reason why he is very careful when he speaks.

Morgan Freeman, has the authoritative voice and demeanor to have played President of the United States as well as Nelson Mandela.  He had a background in theatre including Shakespeare.  I remember him in "The Shawshank Redemption," "Glory," "Driving Miss Daisy"  "Se7en" and "The Bucket List".  Well known as a narrator including tv commercials and animated films.

Denzel Washington ("The Great Debators,"  "Inside Man",  "Taking of Pelham 1 2 3", and "Glory". Recently saw one of his earliest films, "A Soldier's Story."  He usually plays authoratative figures using a commanding voice.

Idris Elba who played Mandela in "The Long Walk Home."  Also watched a bit in "Luther"--His voice can be heard in "The Jungle Book".  He was born in England of African parents (father from Sierra Leone and mother from Ghana).

Foreign speaking movie actors are a bit difficult to evaluate because I have my limited attention focusing on the subtitles, but the voice is one reason I prefer subtitled movies to dubbed movies.

Amitabh Bachchan was the son of a poet.  When he first attempted to make a mark on Bollywood, his looks weren't considered good enough, but his voice got him jobs as a narrator.  Eventually he got his break and for two decades was a box office hit.  Even today in his sixties he has scripts tailored for him.  A recent movie was conceived as a tribute to his voice,"Shamitabh."  The main plot device was that a mute actor needed a voice and stumbled upon Amitabh and became an overnight star.  It then becomes a clash of egos destroying both the voice and the body.  I have seen Amitabh in numerous movies and originally was annoyed  by some of the characters he portrayed, but gradually came to appreciate he is a very versatile actor and has a mesmerizing voice.  One of the movies I most admired was "Black"  Americans got to see him in a supporting role in "The Great Gatsby." Bollywood uses backup singers for even their top stars, but he surprised me  in "Kahaani" where he sang a song over closing credits that was very stirring as a great cap for an especially memorable movie.  more at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/05/amitabh-bachchan-living-legend.html

Max von Sydow has played many supporting roles.  Where I remember him is "The Seventh Seal", "Wild Strawberries" and "The Diving Bell and The Buterfly".   He has appeared in many English speaking films.  Has had his voice in animation and narration in both English and French.  Also his voice has been used in some video games.

What of women?  Women have always felt looks were essential, but in fact a voice can make a difference.

Can a voice be sexy?  Lauren Bacall's certainly used her voice to good effect.  Most famous paired with her husband Humphrey Bogart in such movies as "The Big Sleep", and "Dark Passage" and also on radio programs.  She acted in several stage productions, winning a Tony for "Applause."   She also did some English dubbing for Japanese animated film by Hayao Miyazaki.

Marlene Dietrich used her German accent to get attention.  First saw her in "Pittsburg" with John Wayne, but she made the strongest impression in "Witness for the Prosecution" sharing the spotlight with Charles Laughton and Tyrone Power.

Meryl Streep is a perfectionist in using a variety of accents.  Her voice sets a tone for the rest of the movie.  "Kramer vs. Kramer," "The Devil Wears Prada" "It's Complicated".  She has used her voice in animated films and done some narrating.

Emily Blunt, plays on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.  When she was age 8 she spoke with a stammer until age 12 when a teacher persuaded her to act in a play with a northern British accent and that cured her.  Early in her career she played in an episode of "Foyle's War" which I regret not paying enough attention to remember although one of my favorite series.  I also barely remember her in "The Devil Wears Prada"  Her sparkly voice as well as her appearance and acting ability did get my attention in "Sunshine Cleaning",  "The Young Victoria", "Your Sister's Sister" and "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen."  Recently saw a different Emily Blunt in "Sicario." I am looking forward to seeing her in "The Girl in the Train" as I enjoyed the book and have seen the trailer.  She sings and has been a voice on "The Simpsons" and other animated films.

Audrey Tautou shot to fame with "Amelie" and "A Very Long Engagement."  I enjoyed  her in several pictures with Romain Duris, "Delicacy", "Precious".  English speaking audiences first saw her in "Pretty Dirty Little Things", and "The Da Vinci Code" where her accent was considered charming.

Katherine Hepburn has a very distinctive way of speaking.  "Philadelphia Story" "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?", "The African Queen"  "The Lion in Winter" and many romances with Cary Grant, and Spencer Tracy.

Do you agree?  Does an actor's voice affect your perception of them? Whose voice do you remember the best?

A Tabu everyone should enjoy!

In 2015 I watched three exceptional Bollywood movies.  I mean the kind everyone should see: "Haider," "Drishyam," and "Talvar." A common denominator was Tabu.  Some of my readers might have seen her in English films.  "The Namesake." with Irrfan Khan where the two shared a Best Seduction award from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists.  She also had a small supporting role in "Life of Pi "where she played the main character's mother.  The grownup narrator son was played by Irrfan Khan.

Her provocative name was originally Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, born in 1971.  She speaks Urdu, Hindi, Telegu and English.  She could fairly be described as a stately beauty with class.

"Haider," released in 2014 was a revision of Hamlet, but set in Kashmir.  Tabu was a best supporting actress playing the mother.  This film won several other awards. You can read more at:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/02/haider-bollywoods-version-of-shakespeare.html

"Drishyam," released in 2015 was a remake of a film in another Indian language.  Tabu played a police chief and demonstrated that not only can she be tough, but very nuanced.  In this movie she played a police chief who was trying to locate her missing son with no concern for ethics in a very complicated story, that required her not only to be tough, but also to be the mother of a less than perfect son and the wife of a decent, but weaker man.  She is likely to be nominated for an award. Read more here: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2015/11/driishyam-bollywood-remake-masterpiece.html

In "Talver," also released in 2015 she was really a supporting role, again with Irrfan Khan in another excellent movie that did well at TIFF.  The movie was as good as the other two, but I decided I would rather do a blog post on Tabu herself.  "Talvar" was based on a controversial double murder.

I had been fortunate to see some of her earlier films and looked up a few more.

In 2001 she won best actress award for "Chandni Bar" about an abused dance hall girl.

In "Cheeni Kum" released in 2008 she played a 34 year old, romanced by 64 year old Amitabh Bachchan.  It was mainly comedy but also included a little tragedy.  Tabu demonstrated a comic touch and won the Filmfare best actress award.  It is an enjoyable movie, but not a masterpiece.

In "Fanaa"  released in 2006 she plays a military police woman searching for terrorist Aamir Khan. She is very strong and effective.  Another exceptional movie.

In "Astitva" released in 2000 she played a wife who had a one time lapse and was not forgiven by her adulterous husband winning another best actress award.

In 1997 from "Virasat" she won a best actress award opposite Anil Kapoor.

Tabu won other awards in movies I did not see.  She was awarded a Padmi Shri from the Indian Government in recognition of her contributions to cinema.

Studying the wide range of movies Tabu appeared in, one might appreciate that to qualify for the really good ones requires enduring some that range from embarrassingly terrible to merely just ordinary.  Tabu has been in a number of critically acclaimed movies that weren't commercially successful, but also commercially successful movies that weren't necessarily artistic successes.  Unfortunately there were a few duds along the way.  Three that I watched were  "Khuda Kasam" which was started in 1997, delayed while Tabu replaced the leading lady and after a few names changes was finally released in 2010.  Even less impressive was "The In-laws" released in 1996.  A third film was "Toh Baat Pakki" released 2010 after an absence of two years is ok enjoyable and she is the best part.

She has appeared in Hindi, English, Telegu, Tamil, Malayalam, Maratha and Bengali films.  Doing research for this I noticed the languages spoken by Tabu, but that she has appeared in movies for languages she isn't fluent with,  Tamil, Maylalam, Marathi and Bengali.  India already has a reputation for dubbing with their songs allowing backup singers to make a good living.  I have also heard someone like Katrina Kaif has had some of her lines dubbed because she didn't always speak good Hindi.  I believe some actors are taught to speak lines phonetically when the language is not natural to them. This could be a topic for a future blog post, but I am curious if because of the fame of some actors if they have their lines dubbed in foreign languages.  I am a little concerned about synchronization.  When given the choice of dubbing or subtitles I usually opt for subtitles (which have their own set of problems).

My Favorite Ghost Movies --Fear and Humour

Ghost movies like science fiction turn a lot of people off and on the other hand some people love them.  At bottom, ghost movies are fantasies or contrivances  that allow us to get a different perspective on life and if we let ourselves we can find something of interest.

There is an element of scariness, but also humour and mystery  There are always skeptics who doubt the sanity of whoever is suggesting there might be a ghostly explanation.  The ghosts are present because something has not been resolved.

Technology advances to scare us more or at least to make us realize the depicted situation is not normal such as  bodies passing through solid objects and one another, decapitated talking heads, speeding around in a flash.  We marvel at the special effects.

"Here comes Mr. Jordan" from 1941 is not exactly a ghostly tale, but as one of my all time favorite movies I will stretch a point.  It is a comedy murder mystery with a soul mistakingly removed from a boxer's body and an effort to find a new body.  It is not easy to find a new body and there are a lot of comic and romantic adventures along the way.  It has the humans not aware of ghostly helpers and the communication problems when the hero wants to convince his old manager (James Gleason got nominated for this role) and his new love that he is not crazy.  Evelyn Keyes, Claude Rains and Robert Montgomery make up a wonderful cast in the well written script.

"The Uninvited" with Ray Milland  in 1944 was touted as Hollywood's first serious ghost movie.  Previously ghost movies were either humorous or given a rational explanation.  In this movie the ghost is real.  You did see a ghostly figure and it turns out there is an unresolved family matter.  The  black and white can actually be a bit scarier.  Victor Young wrote the background music and introduced the classic "Stella by Starlight."

Abbott and Costello were noted for really corny slapstick humour, but a favorite ghost movie was "The Time of Their Lives " released in 1946.  I feel a little guilty confessing that as a youngster I watched dozens of their movies using my newspaper carrier earnings.  The unresolved issue in this feature was that our hero was wrongly accused of being a traitor in the American Revolution and had to find a way to redeem his honour before he could be reunited with his loved one in heaven.  Maybe not art, but a very enjoyable movie.

"Canterville Ghost" was originally conceived by Oscar Wilde and updated for a World War II movie.  I  recall very vaguely a detached head of Charles Laughton and that as a youngster more than any other movie this started an appreciation of him.  Margaret O"Brien at about age 7 is his real counterpart and is praised for her role.

I had watched a tv version of "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir "many years ago when I lived in a one channel community (Haliburton), but had not seen the movie.  The black and white version film did not emphasize any of the ghost proofs (disappearing in smoke, going through solid materials).  A romance where you had to wait until the very end for some type of consummation appropriate for a ghost movie.  The story relates to some of the frustrations where the prospective lovers never seem to meet at the right time.  Well done.

"Ghost" with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore is considered a classic love story.  It used a lot of penetration of solid objects to make its point and was scary in parts with violence between humans, ghosts and each other.  The "Unchained Melody" music played at key times demonstrated the frustration of not being able to communicate, but somehow love conquering anyhow.  The movie had problems getting organized as at first the writer did not appreciate the director (who was more known for youthful comedies) and over a dozen actors rejected the male lead.  One of the rejections apparently was Bruce Willis, (husband of Demi Moore) who thought the movie would fail at the box office.  It won Oscars for Whoopi Goldberg and writer Bruce Joel Rubin and grossed over $500 million worldwide.  Bruce Rubin commented in a special feature that he was originally inspired by a line in Hamlet where Hamlet's father's ghost asks for revenge.

"The Sixth Sense" is not a typical ghost movie, but deals with dead bodies, many who don't know they are dead. The young boy feels tortured because he can see dead people.  Not much in the way of ghost proofs.  Known for one of biggest twists of all movies; it doesn't deserve a spoiler for those who have not watched it.   Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment and Toni Collette--key figure is writer/director M Night Shyamalan.  Classed as a horror film there is relatively little violence--the idea is frightening.

"Odd Thomas" used the term "boldac" for dead people, but very ghostly and with a new high tech design.  Unlike other ghost movies though the hero, Odd Thomas not only sees dead beings, but has friends who although they can't see, accept that he can.  One ghostly proof was walking on water.  Odd Thomas gets involved in a major apocalyptic event and saves the day but at a cost.

"After Life" was a Japanese film about recently dead who had to decide what one memory they would take to eternity.  What memory would you want to savour?  The point might be that we should all remember the really important things in life.

"Bhoothnath" with Juhi Chawla and Amitabh Bachchan with a cameo appearance by Shah Rukh Khan.  A house haunted by a ghost who had unresolved family issues tries to scare a young boy, but eventually befriends him.  Lots of special effects.

"Bhoothnath Returns" from 2014 is noteworthy on a couple of fronts.  The viewer is taken to ghost headquarters where ghosts line up for the next life and are told that it is far easier to come back as a mosquito than as a person.  Amitabh Bachchan who in the previous movie failed to scare a young boy is laughed at and decides to redeem himself back on earth.  Soon, as with other ghost movies he befriends a young boy who can see him and does a number of good deeds before another ghost shames him by pointing out that India is poor because of a lot of corrupt politicians.  Bhoothnath is able to communicate with his voice, but not his appearance and performs acts of levitation against humans.  He then decides to run for political office.  The main theme of the movie seemed to be that in order to deal with poverty and corruption everyone should vote.  Boman Irani this time plays the bad guy overcome by the ghost.  Shah Rukh Khan makes a brief appearance to support the notion of voting.

"Hum Tum aur Ghost" with Arshad Warsi and Dia Mirza.  This movie has a low IMDB rating, but it would be enjoyable for those who can put themselves in the right pretend frame of mind.  The idea itself originated with Arshad who was able to get financing and help write the script.  I have seen him in a number of movies and now appreciate he has excellent comic timing.  Boman Irani is a very good match for Arshad. and this is the second movie (the other is "Jolly LLB") this year where I watched the two go at one another creating a lot of laughs.  Having ghosts just adds an element to the usual family drama and romance elements.

When you watch too many ghost movies it might make you more inclined to believe them.  My belief is that there will always be unexplained aspects of life.  Everyone is welcome to take whatever comforting view they can justify.  I also see them as mechanisms to tell an interesting story.

The Power of Sad Movies

Earlier inspired by a Thom Ernst topic on Fresh Air with Mary Ito to do a post on the joyous topic of kissing, the topic of sad movies brought up recently by the same team seems worth pursuing.  I have watched some of the movies referred to and was able to check out some I hadn't.  Memory can play tricks on you and what each person gets out of a movie is often very different.

I can appreciate why Thom Ernst named "Imitation of Life" as his saddest movie.  An element adding to the sadness is that it was just after a personal scandal of Lana Turner's daughter knifing her mother's boyfriend to death.  In this movie Lana portrays an ambitious actress pushing aside personal relationships (her daughter and her true love), but in the end there does seem to be a reconciliation and a realization of what she had done.  An earlier version of the movie in 1934 probably hit a racial nerve.  In the 1959 version we are never told any explanation why a daughter is much whiter than her mother, but know that it was common for an owner to rape or otherwise have sexual relationships with female slaves so that lightening of the skin occurred, but somewhat randomly.  That is the real tension.  Racial attitudes caused such a rift between mother and daughter that literally drove them apart.  What a tragedy that society attitudes, horrible in themselves could cause this further anguish.

As a youngster I watched "Old Yeller" and coming from a dog loving family was upset, but it was an early favorite and taught me to enjoy sad movies. It seemed ironic and unfair that the dog who protected the family paid the price.  The nobleness of the dog also struck a chord.  "Bambi," the classic was also a heart breaker.  A family friend, Bob Morley used to hate that movie as he loved hunting.

Thom mentioned Burgess Meredith's role in "Rocky" that had a very sad scene, but I remember that movie as one of the very few I actually stood up in the theatre (with many others) and clapped because it made me feel good.  I do remember Burgess in a much older film "Of Mice and Men" that rates as one of the sadder movies when Burgess shot his very kind and vulnerable friend played by Lon Chaney who he had tried to protect throughout the narrative.   A second viewing of "Rocky" the sad scene resonated with me.

"The Pride of the Yankees" contains the triumphs and romance of Lou Gehrig, but that just sets up the end.  ALS is now known as Lou Gehrig's disease and is more memorable because of his consecutive game record.  Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright and Walter Brennan help you like the hero. The writers and director were right to end the movie at his farewell speech about what a lucky man he was.

The saddest movie I recall is "Kal Ho Na Ho' near the beginning of my interest in Bollywood.  When I picked up my reserve copy at the local library the young girl checking out warned me it is very sad.  In truth it is classic manipulation.  In the first part of the movie it appears typically juvenile humour and from time to time the protagonist helps patch up some human relations problems but mostly the hero (this was a critical to my preference for Shah Rukh Khan) is cracking corny jokes many in poor taste.  At one point you realize that he loves the heroinne, Preity Zinta and before too long she is ready to reciprocate.  Surprisingly he lies to her and tells her he is already married. Then he works hard to set up her immature school friend which eventually succeeds.  Bollywood music is sometimes a distraction, but here under the guidance of Shankar Ehsaan Loy is used brilliantly.  The title song is first sung around mid point and basically seems philosophical--you don't know what will happen tomorrow.  In the second half you understand he has a dangerous heart condition.  It comes to a climax when he is hospitalized and the heroinne realizes she has been lied to and her new husband feels his happiness had also been manipulated.  Rest of the family and some friends gather around and the viewer realizes everyone present from a young girl to a bitter grandmother owes him gratitude.  Shah Rukh Khan admits to over acting and this is probably a good example, but fits right in.  I felt guilty for thinking the hero was so juvenile.  The music is the same title song, but now officially labelled "sad version" and it is impossible not to sob.  It has had that effect on me every time and when I hear the beautiful song it is also very affecting.

While still on Bollywood (I promise this won't just be Indian promotion) another movie that induces sadness is "Paa."  In it the producers have cast the famous 64 year old Amitabh Bachchan as a 12 year old and his actual son, Abischek  to play his father.  Near the beginning it seems like a romance and a comedy.  The twelve year old has a disease, Progeria and you are warned that it is fatal, but there is so much action with young children that you are more concerned about how the boy and the father will realize their relationship.  It goes in stages.  The background story is that a romance that seemed so promising was disrupted by a pregnancy and a desire not to abort.  The new mother who is studying to be a doctor gets support from her mother and the two of them raise the boy who is badly deformed, but very intelligent and give him an atmosphere of love.  The father,  the son of a wealthy man who is kept out, in the meantime, becomes an idealistic politician trying to do good things, but is being attacked by crooked media and other politicians.  He encounters the young boy who wins a contest and they start to bond.  My first movie seeing Vidya Balan who plays the boy's mother and later becomes a favorite..  The last words of the dying boy hit hard.

While I was researching this project through a flukey set of circumstances I watched a Finnish movie, "Mother of Mine."  It had another source of sadness.  Two mothers loving the same boy, but each having to give him up with the ups and downs of war.  A boy's love for his mother is perhaps the most natural thing in the world, but some unnatural things like war can disrupt the natural course of events.  Circumstances during the Russian assault on Finland during World War II  and neutral Sweden's offer to help whipsaw personal lives.  Most North Americans are unaware of these historical events.  Well done movie in a lot of technical details helps add to the impact.

Sometimes the greatest impact comes from the unexpected, but we usually watch movies for expected feelings. I apologize for the spoilers, but you did realize these were all sad movies! Tragic sad movies do fill a role at different times of our lives and if you are looking for a good cry bring along some kleenex and check out some of the movies mentioned.  If you would rather read about the joys of movie kisses check out http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2013/02/kissing-bollywood-vs-hollywood.html

Aarakshan: a study on education inequality

Recently I watched "Aarakshan," a Bollywood movie containing the usual dances, but dealing with a serious issue with a unique impact on India, and with repercussions for the whole world.  Here in North America we talk about privatizing education.  The movie really seems to demonize that idea while at the same time exposing arguments on the other side.  Much like the university quota system used in the United States, India has reserved education spots for the lower castes.

In the movie there is an under handed move to establish private education at the expense of those who cannot afford it.  Teachers are lured away with money and intimidation.  There are personal tensions that involve different castes, religions and of course personalities.  Some members of both high and low caste do their best to make education available to the disadvantaged.   Amitabh Bachanchan stood on the side of the righteous and Manoj Bajpayee played his creepily best as the opponent.  A little romance provided by Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone.   My favorite musical team Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy provided a few songs.

Education, to my way of thinking is the most critical issue in the world.  It impacts on everything else--war and peace, health, climate change, finance, industry, freedom etc.  Money and the profit motive can have a positive impact on the quality of education, but can we afford not to optimize our resources so that every person has an equal chance to improve?

India is deeply enveloped with religion and castes.  From the movie these factors are integral.  In fact it is resistance to the concerns of the higher castes of their children mixing with lower caste children that is a key issue in the movie.  As in America some deserving members of the more favored castes do get left out and "Aarkshan" acknowledges that problem.  In the movie the dedicated, unprejudiced teacher triumphs over the sleazy profit motivated investor.

Religion is a driving force for private schools.  Religious instructions do not belong in public education and in the minds of some this unacceptable.  What is preferable to me is to improve our understanding of other religions.  This has to be neutral, but admittedly that would not satisfy many people.  One can only hope that after a few generations it will become obvious that those who understand alien religions better are in positions of power and influence that more people will seek that type of education.

Evolution is a trigger issue for many people.  It may be many years before it is more widely accepted, but the sooner the better.  Climate change also seems to offend some sensibilities.  In fact to some people there seems to be a conflict between religion and science, admittedly of concern to fewer and fewer people.

The best education should be provided to those with the most talent.  Identifying talent needs to be part of the education system which will result in arguments not only about measurement but definitions of talent.   It seems legitimate that a society would want our future leaders to get the best education, no matter what level they started from.   That doesn't mean that the rest of us do not deserve the best available education.  Short sighted people will resist the taxes necessary to make all this happen, but it should be a much higher priority if we are to survive.

Everyone is entitled to spend their money for anything legal.  Society owes it to itself to make sure public education is not sacrificed.

Prakash Jha is noted for political movies that make you think.  "Aarakshan" is a good movie to provoke thinking on education.

BOLLYWOOD STAR SYSTEM 2013

Is it safe to assume you are familiar with the Hollywood star system?  It boils down to the fact that the masses love celebrity.  To be charitable part of that is a recognition and preference for quality.  Others would say it speaks of superficial glamour overwhelming quality.  Smugly I like to think quality rules my preferences, but in truth we all tend to act as herd members craving acceptance, but also preferring glamour to ugliness and quality to squalor.  Critics seem to feel that the masses poorly appreciate real quality or understand the factors that underly what we should be seeking.

My expertise is certainly limited, but for those not familiar with Bollywood I can point out some of the factors and names of stars to consider.  Those who avidly follow Bollywood may champion different stars and might contribute different opinions.

Bollywood is no different than Hollywood in the sense that to keep going they have to operate as a business.  That means giving the buying public what they want.  Financing a movie can be scary, because although a success can be very rewarding, the odds are not entirely promising.  To boost the odds it makes sense to seek out celebrities that help draw in paying customers.

How they got to be celebrities was not always by the same route.  Some are physically attractive or have obvious talent and some had a lot of support and some overcame obstacles with determination.  Celebrity is also a relative thing.  Anyone who has appeared in a popular movie has some glamour, but only a few can really act as magnets to assure (or almost assure) a movie's success.

Hollywood and Bollywood have an international audience in mind.  In the case of Hollywood a lot has been in line with economic and political wave of American success.  Bollywood is international in major part because of the Indian diaspora, but also with some attention to international interests.  With a wider audience there can be many niches, but still the risks are most often dealt with using celebrity.  Stars are one of the tools used to break into new markets.

In Bollywood it seems currently there are three male stars that ensure a big enough base they can make a movie a success.  Also if they lend their name somehow and/or have a minor role in a movie their glamour will boost it.  Those males are Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan.  One thing they have in common is they are all in their forties with proven track records.  For women it is a little different, they tend to be younger and only last a limited number of years as a dominant factor.  Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif come closest to assuring a profitable picture, ideally with one of the three male stars.

A few reasons people like these stars include that they are glamourous and they attract a strong supporting team.  They get the better directors, writers, music composers, make up artists and the bigger budgets amongst many details.  As a movie goer you like to think your preferred stars would choose a good script and would attract a good supporting cast and crew.  A few times it doesn't work out that way, but nonetheless as true stars they do attract a much bigger base than their lesser competitors.

Yes, they do have competitors, either those on the way up or those on the way down.  One on the way up is Hrithik Roshan who is younger, physically attractive perhaps the best dancer and with a good track record.  He was actually picked to break into the American market with "Kites", but for a variety of  reasons it failed.   He has been in a number of big budget films and probably is going in the right direction. Shahid Kapoor has had a kick at the can, but has not a very impressive track record lately.

Saif Ali Khan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kummar, John Abrams and Abischek Bachchan each have a significant following, but seem limited in their projection.

There has to be replacements as these old guys are aging and will fade sooner or later.    Some promising prospects include Ranbir Kapoor (son of Rishi Kapoor), Imran Khan (nephew to Aamir Khan) and Rajeev Khandelwal.  These three have all tried to extend the type of roles they will accept.  That will help spread their appeal.  Other prospects might be Emraan Hashmi and Ranveer Singh.

For women the fading can start even earlier. Vidya Balan (my favorite), Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Deepika Padukone are becoming increasingly popular.  Ones that seem to be fading include Aishwarya Rai (may be just a maternity detour), Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Kajol but they could become strong support players building on their current following.  Juhi Chawla was a draw many years ago, but gets offered lesser roles now.  She has also gotten involved with producing.

Kalki Koechlin is interesting.  She is the daughter of French hippies who settled in India.  She has taken on non glamourous challenging roles (with a few exceptions).  She married Anurag Kashyap, a top producer.  She is definitely a mark of a quality movie, although not necessarily a big box office winner.

Character actors can develop a small following.  Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Paresh Rawal, Naseeruddin Shah, are key support players indicating probably a reasonable movie to watch.  Sometimes they are given meatier roles, but usually in a lower budget film.

Farhan Akhtar is mostly a B actor, but because of his other talents, writing, directing and producing is a good indicator of a movie's success artistically and financially.

For me a most interesting actor is Amitabh Bachchan.  A big star from the 70's as romancer and action star he has evolved into a strong father figure and still has the ability to be the main star of movies that are actually written and produced for him.  He has had a number of flops, but can still command an audience.  One of his most interesting roles was in "Paa" where he played the son of his actual son.  Obviously marketing concerns entered the decision, but he and his son, Abischek Bachchan both executed it very well.

Producers with low budgets are always hoping to develop a new star and eventually some of them will succeed.  The publicity efforts are mainly to boost a movie, but inevitably help actors develop their own fan base.  Personal connection is very important.

I have left out many personalities and that is hard to avoid if keeping this post to a reasonable length.  The ones I have mentioned are all capable of not only a good performance, but also drawing in some fans.

The photos represent my favorite stars--the ones that I look to provide a stimulating and entertaining movie.

At top is Shah Rukh Khan in my favorite Bollywood movie, "Swades"
Aamir Khan in "Lagaan"
Vidya Balan in" Kahaani"
Farhan Akhtar with Deepika Padukone in "Karthik Calling Karthik"