Bolly Volley Volume 5
Ah, Diwali is less than a week away! It always brings back memories of the days when it was okay to burst a loud “chocolate bomb” just about anywhere. Words…
Photo by WarmaFiesta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Arup specializes in any job that requires stretching out his legs - whether it is on a reclining chair at the beach, or in the Economy Plus seat of United Airlines, or on the shoulder of the person sitting in front of him in the theatre. And when dreaming, travelling for work and watching movies is not keeping him busy, he tries to write. He lives in Naperville with his wife and son, who are cinema freaks as well.
A monthly shower of Bollywood previews, reviews and my unsolicited views
by Arup Raha
Ah, Diwali is less than a week away! It always brings back memories of the days when it was okay to burst a loud “chocolate bomb” just about anywhere. Words like decibel and pollution were limited to Physics and Chemistry books and launching rockets to hit strategic targets (grumpy neighbor’s window) was an art, not science. The lights, sound and action may have paled a little bit for me now, but the spirit, excitement and joy of Diwali remains. My excitement is perhaps partly fired up by another Diwali highlight, the tradition of big Bollywood releases. Yes, Diwali is when big films make big money! Think about it, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge , Hum Aapke Hai Koun, , Raja Hindustani, Dil to Pagal Hai, Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai, Veer Zara, Don, Om Shanti Om, all were Diwali releases. Of course there have also been many Diwali releases that have “bombed” but in general the formula Big Banner + Super Star + Diwali Release = Super Hit usually works. It has probably worked the most for Shahrukh Khan and no wonder he is going to try and do it again with Ra.One. Whether this superhero movie will be a superhit is yet to be seen but it has definitely achieved an amazing super-hyped status. Besides all the unprecedented spend on advertising, Ra.One games, contests, action figures, licensing of content/music rights, and sale of merchandize of all types and sizes will probably ensure that the movie is a hit irrespective of whether the theatres are full or not(see link to store at the end of this article).
Talking about superheroes, I must say that Ra.One is definitely not the first superhero movie of Bollywood. No, I am not talking of Krissh, Drona, Ajooba, Indian Superman etc. Haven’t Bollywood heroes been performing superhero acts for many decades now? “Superheroes” of Bollywood can stop a bullet fired at them with their hand and throw it back to kill the shooter. They can jump and pull down a helicopter from the sky to stop the villain from escaping. They can also come back to life after being dead for hours (though with a little help from the temple visit by a well-wisher!). So what can the Ra.One superhero do? Can he do something new? . We will see.
One person who is super-heroic enough to release his own movie against Ra.One is Himesh Reshammiya! His Damadamm will also release on Diwali. It is not a bad strategy, I would say, given that Damadamm has been produced at a small fraction of the cost of Ra.One and being a comedy it might just be the respite that many people could need after a superhero extravaganza.
Now that I have done my bit to add to the Diwali release craze, let’s talk about other movies. Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster, which I wrote about in the last edition before the movie’s release, is definitely worth mentioning. It is not outstanding but gets my full marks for the interesting plot, impressive acting and just for being different amongst the current lot. The script does stray a bit in between but it is still very interesting to follow the minds of the three main characters all of whom have a negative tint. The movie also reminded me of the Guru Dutt classic Sahib, Biwi aur Ghulam (based on novel of same name by Bimal Mitra). If you happen to be in a mood this weekend to retreat to a black and white classic, you can watch it on YouTube (the entire movie 2:34:23 in length is up there, in good resolution, but I am not sure if it has been uploaded legally!). SBG was India’s nomination for Oscars in 1962-63 and apparently the Academy responded that it had not been accepted because a woman drinking alcohol was not a taboo in US (and hence Meena Kumari’s character was difficult to relate to).
Winter is about to set in and I can see myself spending more time indoors which means more movies (at home or in theatres)! This is probably true for many of you. Nothing can beat the cold better than stretching out your legs with a cup of tea, or a glass of coke, or a pack of popcorn in your hand and watching a good movie that can draw you into its own world. It takes just a couple of buttons on our remote to transport us to the tulip gardens of Holland (as in Silsila) or to the Tomatina Festival in Spain (as in Zindagi Na Mile Dobara). So happy viewing this winter! Now here are some of the new releases I am looking forward to after Diwali.
Coming soon to a theatre near you
Rockstar – Releasing Nov 11. The most awaited movie next month. 3 reasons – Ranbir Kapoor , Director Imtiaz Ali (Socha Na Tha, Jab We Met) and Rahman’s music (already creating waves). As the name suggests, it’s a movie revolving around making of a rockstar, his self discovery etc with lot of music and romance of course.
Coming soon to a store near you
Dirty Picture – Releasing Dec 2. This will be an interesting movie with Vidya Balan playing the role of Silk Smitha, the sensational actress of South Indian films in the 80s and 90s . This movie which also stars Naseeruddin Shah and Emraan Hashmi will tell the story of the actress /dancer who started as a make-up girl and went on to become one of the most popular names in the industry. While one may not associate Vidya Balan to this role, I am sure she can pull it off!
Keep sharing Bolly Volley, let cinema rule!
And now, as always, I close with a question for you. Please leave your answer in the Comments section. The person with the first correct answer will get a chance to decide the question for the quiz in the next edition!
QUIZ
Simple, what is common between jeans, earth and hot winds?
Links:
Ra. One store http://www.raonemovie.com/store/
Read recent editions of Bolly Volley:
http://thoughtfulindia.com/2011/09/bolly-volley-volume-iiii/
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