Mangal Ho.. to Iqbal !

Watched the movie Iqbal with Mridul last weekend at the Forum, Koramangala. And I urge everybody who can find time to have a look. It worth a one time watch, and reassures you that Nagesh Kukunoor still hasn't lost his touch of producing refreshing cinema. It tells you that maybe all the shying away from limelight and purposefully deglamorizing yourself from your Page 3 peers does in fact keep your vision unpolluted, and maybe helps in better film making. Way to go, Nagesh.

Just a fortnight ago, I had watched my hopes on Bollywood finally doling a good (read 1 year post-production , 6 month edited, 4 year hiatus worthy) product dissipate in thin air when I saw Mangal Pandey - The Rising. The only things I could take back from the film were Amisha Patel's long tresses and the awesome jugalbandi of Kailash Kher and Sukhwinder Singh on all the 3 renditions of "Mangal Mangal ho ". What do I say about Kailash, he is one of the top 10 in my list of people/ things to watch out for in the next year. (For more details, maybe some other blog post later). But the rest of the film was surprisingly passe. Aamir is expected to do that bit in his performance, but 'twas nothin special. A R Rahman DISAPPOINTED, Rani looked a misfit in the role and I think totally out of place in "Main Vari Vari". For the lovers of the "Queen" it might help comparing the song with Madhuri in "Kahe Chhede More" or Rekha in "In Aankhon ki" to put things in perspective.

I was also disappointed at unnessary bloating up of certain issues which the director found very important to portray in that light to try and bring the audience closer to the period of play. Bhang being drunk left-right and center, an English man fighting 100 men to rescue a Sati widow, a English lady viewing a Kaneez-sale where the seller tries to hoist up the skirt of a girl to show whether she is still ...

Overall a mediocre screenplay and non powerful characters for the main few actors of the film, giving it a sort of patched black and white look, as if the director is attempting to give the characters a mellow outlook as well as trying an instigate some kind of building of pent up patriotic emotions etc. For me, it was unsuccessful in both accounts. Another hilarious thing was that Tantiya Tope comes personally to request the services of a regiment in far away Berhampur, West Bengal, and pleads them to start the rebellion since they are the only ones capable of tackling the British might ! Ha ha ! The good factors though are an aim to establish the opium trade cycle, not much of a detour on the final happennings (except for the public hanging) and maybe yes, the performance of Toby Stephens playing Captain Gordon.

Anyways its a difficult ask to be close to "history" when even historians are unable to ascertain whether he was really our first freedom fighter or just a crazy guy who ran berserk and was elevated to a hero.

For an exact textual version of Mangal pandey's trial and the events, this one is good
http://www.chapatimystery.com/archives/univercity/the_trial_of_mangal_pandey_i.html

I would term Iqbal as an exact invert film to Mangal Pandey.Its not a masterpiece, you can view its flaws, but its a very refreshing film. Mangal Pandey was an attempt to glorify a hero, whereas Iqbal starts from commoner's poor background roots. The closeness of the film to fields and farmlands, a common village household and everyday life firmly establishes the setting.

Iqbal, the protagonist, is a deaf and mute, but never once does once Nagesh attempt to stir up the pity or the sympathy factor. He is the underdog, is a handicap, but that doesnt affect the flow much, he is scolded by his farmer father, as would any normal one to his lazy 18 year old, and since there is no different behavior in the whole film , and you actually end up forgetting that this guy is deaf and mute at some parts of the film.

Low budget films cant afford an year of editing, so there might be fallacies alright. They cant afford Symphony and London Orchestra celebrated Music Directors like AR Rahman, dishing 5 stellar songs.. but Iqbal was impressive on the music front too.. "Aashaayein" the theme song played throughout the movie was pretty good :) both me and Mridul loved the guitar strumming and KK's high pitched powerful voice rising in crescendo to the background chorus. Lovely song.

The most important aspect was its handling of a sports based theme. The story is about Iqbal, a small-village boy who for years wants to make it big in cricket, about his love and passion, and how inspite of all the shortcomings, facing adversaries and difficulties, he achieves his aim of securing a place in the Indian national side.I dont think apart from Aamir Mangal Bhuvan Khan, anybody had the guts yet to meddle with such a over obsessive and emotion packed subject to the Indian audience as cricket. 5 years ago I had heard Saurabh, my friend, calling me from outside the now defunct Liberty cinema in Delhi saying,

"The junta is dancing in the aisles man !! Each shot Bhuvan hits, the cinema goers are applauding and cheering as if Sachin has pulled Shoaib for a four in a Indo -Pak final. Lagaan is a sure hit! " ..

Nagesh Kukunoor's "Iqbal" doesnt stir up such emotions but tackles in right earnest the modern sport and its politics, and ofcourse in a sensitive way. You have a closer to life setting, and all the common problems that make sports only for people gifted enough to have some leisure time in India, but more importantly , it displays a perfect emotional setting, between a mother and her son, the sister and the brother, the coach and the student. All the relations have been handled with finesse. And augmented with expert performances for sure. Naseruddin Shah is wonderful, tho he didnt make for a good drunk.. :) , Shreyas Talpade is wonderful as Iqbal, most importantly has a lovely bowling action !! Girish Karnad is a usual masterly perfomer, but the best performance is Shweta Prasad (found the name from the internet) playing the school girl sister. This film is half Iqbal's and half hers, and she performs the role to such perfection.

Iqbal also delves into the power of dreams, the scenes of how the lad's mother and sister support him , about his haystack made enclosure where he hides his Sportstar cut cricket icons evoke good memories in any of us who have grown throughout our childhood playing the game everyday for hours and hours and hours.

While I know that this film wont be a huge hit since it doesnt have the good old 500 films and 600 adverts Shahenshah Amitabh Bachhan or the 45 year old college goer Rs 2000 perfume branded Shahrukh Baadshah Khan, its definitely a better movie than some of what these giants of the industry keep giving out for the Indian audiences to rave about and fill the coffers of the producers. If not much, the filmdefinitely caters to an audience that prefers watching realistic films, maybe makes you wonder aloud whether this is our Munaf Patel? or our Irfan Pathan?

Keep it up Nagesh.

On the personal side, its cricket there as well !! Both watching and playing.. I have been doing my 3-4 hour sessions of cricket with my colleagues every saturday and that has definitely helped reduce the side handles a bit !! For sure :)

And have been utterly overjoyed with Ashes.. ! 3 nail biting matches at Edgbaston, Old Trafford and Trent Bridge ! England at their very best battling a resurgent and resilient Aussies and leading 2-1 at this stage. Wouldnt miss the last one at the Oval for anything, who cares about the Ind-Zim-NZ tri series !

On the Indian front Sania goes into the 2nd round match today in the US open.. ! Not bad. ! What say?

And lastly for the Bangalore Boys ! Whenever you watch a movie at the Forum and have dinner plans, make sure you go to Grameen at the Raheja complex and book for your comfortable time, beforehand. Thankfully the manager honors 3 hour ahead reservations.

Whats more funny is the look on the crowd's faces who are waiting for say 1/2 to 1 hour to get a table and you just arrive at the scene , mutter your name and are ushered in immediately , a la - VIP !! Ha ha !! Have done this twice already !

Thats all for now ! Phew !!


Currently on the Jukebox --
"Urzu Urzu Durkut" - Yahaan - 2005