Rang De Basanti - RDB
So many have written about it, so if you are in love with the movie. Stop. Hit alt+f4. Bye. But if you are open to views, read on. And hey, I liked the movie okay? But it still carries the baggage of Bollywood, which is the bane of our movies. Well, it was fun but the second half was shit.So, there.
The first half blows you away. Why wouldn't it? For a change they showed the real college life instead of showing a hero chasing a lone girl with his gang of 20 horribly clothed clowns; singing that eve-teasing song, you know?
RDB does away with all that shit. It shows real people, having fun, talking like your college going cousin, drinking beer just like you, eating in dhabas like any of us, hanging out in a lounge bar... In short, the first half tugs at your heart and makes you nostalgic. If you are still in college, you will end up thinking 'hey, that's just like us!' Wham-bam-thank you-box-office. Everyone is happy. The producers are laughing their way to the bank.
Aamir has yet another hit. Madhavan scores an important point towards his resurgence in Bollywood. Kunal, who plays Aslam, is the find of the decade. And Siddarth, the BOYS boy can act! He did a fantastic job despite some really bad hiccups in some scenes. Soha Ali Khan does a decent job too and she is going to give her sister Saif a run for her money. Enough said.
Let's get to the bad parts of the movie:
1) Too much happens too soon in the second half. While the first half was painstakingly crafted with so much attention to detail, the second half was rushed. How can a college student shoot a person from a running bike unless he is well trained? If it were a normal Bollywood movie, I would not pop this question. But in the first half I was led to believe that this movie is closer to life. So, logic
becomes important in this context. The second half jars in contrast to the first.
2) Also, the resolution of conflict (resorting to violence and self-sacrifice yada yada) is very clich�d. I'd have liked to see some innovation there, instead of the 'let's milk their emotions' pseudo-sentimental, regressive trash.
3) Rahman sucks with his background score. He came up with some nice numbers all right but BG score is not his forte and never will be. You can't disagree with me there.
The first half is so good, it saves the second half. End of the story. I recommend that you watch the movie if you haven't already.
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The first half blows you away. Why wouldn't it? For a change they showed the real college life instead of showing a hero chasing a lone girl with his gang of 20 horribly clothed clowns; singing that eve-teasing song, you know?
RDB does away with all that shit. It shows real people, having fun, talking like your college going cousin, drinking beer just like you, eating in dhabas like any of us, hanging out in a lounge bar... In short, the first half tugs at your heart and makes you nostalgic. If you are still in college, you will end up thinking 'hey, that's just like us!' Wham-bam-thank you-box-office. Everyone is happy. The producers are laughing their way to the bank.
Aamir has yet another hit. Madhavan scores an important point towards his resurgence in Bollywood. Kunal, who plays Aslam, is the find of the decade. And Siddarth, the BOYS boy can act! He did a fantastic job despite some really bad hiccups in some scenes. Soha Ali Khan does a decent job too and she is going to give her sister Saif a run for her money. Enough said.
Let's get to the bad parts of the movie:
1) Too much happens too soon in the second half. While the first half was painstakingly crafted with so much attention to detail, the second half was rushed. How can a college student shoot a person from a running bike unless he is well trained? If it were a normal Bollywood movie, I would not pop this question. But in the first half I was led to believe that this movie is closer to life. So, logic
becomes important in this context. The second half jars in contrast to the first.
2) Also, the resolution of conflict (resorting to violence and self-sacrifice yada yada) is very clich�d. I'd have liked to see some innovation there, instead of the 'let's milk their emotions' pseudo-sentimental, regressive trash.
3) Rahman sucks with his background score. He came up with some nice numbers all right but BG score is not his forte and never will be. You can't disagree with me there.
The first half is so good, it saves the second half. End of the story. I recommend that you watch the movie if you haven't already.
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14 Comments:
http://thebangaloretorpedo.blogspot.com/2006/01/rang-de-basanti.html
(In the spirit of the Bangalore Torpedo) What's it about Tamil Music directors and bad BGM ? Ghajini is another case in point - this time it's Harris Jeyaraj - Is the BGM also from the same Harris who composed those numbers that turned the female people crazy ? Waittttu, this is supposed to be about some Bhindi movie ;-)
Loosu
What's it about Tamil Music directors and bad BGM ?
Well, I'd argue that Illayaraja is one of the greats (from any country) when it comes to scoring for a film. Especially note-worthy is his use of silence at the appropriate moments, rather than go over-the-top with maudlin/cloying noise. Unfortunately, music direction in most (all?) mainstream Indian film industries, immaterial of the language or region, has been accepted as being synonmous to writing music for songs, rather than the films themselves. (This is clearly crazy, but it is what the audience and the filmmakers have been conditioned to expect and produce.)
I am not much of a fan of A.R. Rahman or Harris Jeyaraj (although I hate neither), and while I haven't paid a lot of attention to the latter's BGM composing skills (I've seen very few Tamil films in the last 2-3 years), I have always been annoyed by Rahman's lazy, insipid and uninspired turns when it comes to BGM. For example, from the top of my head, in Sangamam (a crappy "film", needless to say), he merely rehashes the (blaring) music from the songs during the "emotional" moments in the "film". Either that, or he just couldn't be bothered to actually write a score (same thing as the previous scenario, really) and told the producers/director to fill the gaps with music from the songs themselves.
Of course, this isn't to say Illayaraja always delivers -- I myself have cringed many a time when he's recycled previous BGM "bits" rather than go through the trouble of actually writing something original and appropriate (he isn't alone, though -- Ennio Morricone has done that a lot . . . and gets away with it as he's written a zillion scores, much like Illayaraja). But, from what I've seen, he's the only Indian music director who even tries -- he actually has an aptitude towards BGM. Although, given the quality of most Indian mainstream films, you can't help but empathise with most music directors' lack of inspiration. After all, most filmmakers and audience members are satisfied if they like the songs in the film. So, why bother . . .
Sorry for taking this off-topic -- not much interested in the film being discussed.
Cheers.
Viv
Hi Suman
I watched RDB 2 days back and I liked it. Its a cool movie with a good social message.
Its very unfortunate that few in the blogging circle dont seem to be talking about the movie's theme or message. All they write about is whether the music director is a tamilian, hero is a muslim etc etc...:(
Its a pity that there's no harmony among us and all we do is accuse each other based on what we are and where we hail from :(
We have lot of issues to ponder over buddy and lets not insult others by means of writing which might be funny only to the those who write...
You talkin' to me?You talking TO ME ?
:-D ha ha Anusha that was cute. BT
Dudes and Dudette, Calm down. Didn't you notice the smiley and the fact that I mentioned that the post was in the Torpedo spirit. I think it is healthy to snipe at each other so long as it is within limits. Relax folks, especially the Chennaites who are working in Bangalore ;-)
Viv, good post, but I wasn't really being serious ... Gawd ... and Anusha, do you sing Maa tuje Salaam even in your sleep ?
Well, Anonymous !
I dont sing "Maa Tujhe Salaam" these days but "Roobaroo" :)
Does it sound convincing?? :)
I would like to ask you one more thing- Why have you posted in the name "Anonymous"? You sure have a name, dont you?
Just curious...
Yes I agree with Anusha,why are you anonymous.Everyone knows you need to put your guts to put your name.And Suman did you mean to call Soha Saif's sister or are we infecting you ?
'she is going to give her sister Saif a run for her money. Enough said.'
o_O
BT: I am infected boys (and girls and others) I dont' know what BT consists of.
Viv, good post, but I wasn't really being serious ... Gawd
What do you mean? I was merely addressing your point. I didn't take any offence or anything to what you said, if that is what you got from my post. If anything, I was putting down the music director(s) you were disappointed by, as well. And I was pointing out that very few actually make the effort when it comes to BGM composing, never mind the state/region they come from. That's all.
Anusha sounded touchy, though. Weird.
Rang de Basanti was presented in an intersting format but what happened in the end was hardly a long term sustainable solution. What is shown is more symbolic. Its impractical actually.
You know... I think my fellow desis need to step back and take a second look at the entire film.
That first half was, in my opinion, horrific! It was all about a white British woman, a direct descendant of colonial jailors, coming to India with some kind of exotic fantasy about Indian history and Indian men, and completely living it out. In the process, she somehow awakens some part of us we never knew.
Last time I checked, whites bringing us cultural awakening was one of the big justifications for colonization to begin with... or am I wrong? Help me, desis... we can't be this pathetic.
I ranted more about this, if you want to read... love, ranjit.
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