Showing posts with label Comedy-Drama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comedy-Drama. Show all posts

Monday, July 17, 2017

AMU

AMU
Released: January 7, 2005
Director & Writer: Shonali Bose
Main Actress: Konkona Sen Sharma
Lal's Rating: 4/5

An interesting movie, especially interesting I would imagine to the Indians who have not grown up in India.  As the main character, Amu is also an indian, who grew up in California.  She has come to India in search of her identity, and her history.  She is searching for a piece of her that she knows and feels in her heart is missing. 

What Amu finds is more than heart wrenching.  If you don't want me to spoil it for you, then please stop reading now and know that its a movie definitely worth watching.  It has a bitter sweet ending, but one that does not make the audience sad, or forlorn. 

************SPOILER ALERT**************

Amu ends up finding out that her adoptive parents were keeping a secret from her.  Her adopted mother knew her real mother.  Her real mother was a Sikh, whose family was destroyed in the Delhi Riots of 1984.  Her mother lost her husband, and watched as Hindus from the surrounding area beat him to death.  She went to the police, who ignored her.  Her son, not even 2 years old was burnt to death, as their home caught on fire.  Amu escaped the home, as she went looking for her mother, but she was too young to understand and she left her little brother in the home.  Amu and her mother had to move back into the same home where her brother was burnt to death. 
Amu's mother eventually committed suicide and left Amu's adoptive mother a note, asking her not to tell Amu the real story of her mother and her family. 
But, Alas! Amu came to India in search of the truth and came so very close to it.  Her adoptive mother eventually ended up telling her the truth at the end of the story. 
Horrible, and heart wrenching, yet it captures the truth of the 1984 Riots
 and all of its atrocities. 

Monday, June 22, 2009

DELHI - 6

Director:Rakesh Omprakash Mehra
Writers:Prasoon Joshi (writer); Rakesh Omprakash Mehra (writer)
Release Date:18 February 2009 (United Arab Emirates)
Running Time: 141 Minutes

A movie about an Indian boy who has grown up in the United States and has to return to India when he is in his 20's and all grown up. He has to go to India in order to take his grandmother back home. His grandmother wants to spend her last days in India, and she wants to live in the home she always knew, which is now old and deteriorating.


It is a coming of age and a sort of Self-realization and of acceptance.
The "Americanized" boy soon comes across forces in India and cultural rules he is unfamiliar withand defiant to. He faces those forces head-on, almost arrogantly, and without fear. But he soon learns that India has its own Rules. Rules that are part of the texture of the town. He slowly learns to adjust to the country he is inherently from.

The boy eventually learns to love his country and he decides to stay on in India, despite all of the controversies and hurdles he encounters. For beneath the superficial fire and chaos, there is an inexpressible love and heart in India which completes him. He also falls in love with a neighbor's daughter and in the end they prance off into their own oblivion.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

"BILLU BARBER"

Director:Priyadarshan
Writers:Gulzar (lyrics)Manisha Korde (dialogue)
Release Date: 12 February 2009 (Australia)
Running Time: 137min


Another very nice Hindi flick about the depth of friendships and character of people. It is a present day story based on the age old tale of Krishna and Sudama. Two boys grow up in the same town, each having their own struggles and each helping the other in their own ways.

One of the boys grows up to be a famous actor. And he other is wrought with despair and struggles through life. The rich actor finally comes to a town where his friend happens to live. The poor friend does not want his rich friend to think that the only reason he wants to be friends is because his friend is rich. But the poor friend does tell his children that he was friends with the actor when they were young. His kids and later his wife start spreading rumors around town and the entire town comes to know that he was friends with the rich actor.


The movie plays out and shows how the towns people love the poor Barber when they find out that he has a Rich friend. And later when the Poor barber is not able to deliver on his promise to bring the actor to meet the townspeople, the people of the town act in such a base manner;even setting the police on him, claiming that he is a fraud. This part of the movie reallly bothered me. How could people behave in such a manner and love you only for your connections?
It maybe true in reality. Actually, it is true in reality but seeing it played out on screen really hit home.
Later, the actor is invited to speak at the local school on the last day and he starts to speak very fondly of his friend and how he loves him and remembers him to be the very reason for his success. His friend the Poor Barber hears this and memories flood back.
A beautiful story of friendship and the ties that bind us all. And a reminder to never forget where you came from....