Frost Nixon is an amazing piece of cinema. Imagine making a whole film based on a set of interviews. How difficult it can be? The character of David Frost itself is so beautifully sketched. A talk-show host taking on a former President, but that’s not it - watch how Nixon butchers Frost in the interviews almost contrary to what audience is actually waiting to see.
Ron Howard is in amazing command in the final lap. The use of close ups and silences. Richard Nixon, the president on television, his face swollen indicating self-loathe. How many such great interviews have taken place on television? The other day I was watching that “over enthu” journalist called Arnab Goswami and how he was interviewing Narendra Modi. Arnab was obviously like a student who was told to shut up and listen, whereas normally he is charging like a bull on some small-time MPs and spokespersons of any party. But look how easily he gave up against whom he should actually have been charging or performing his gimmicks.
The power of Close up reminds me of this year’s best film “Luck By Chance”. Observe how every sequence in the film ends with a close up and a silence. The silence speaks so much when it comes during a Close Up and add to it that Close Up actually ends the conversation or the scene for you - thus leaving so much for you to grope/guess/imagine. Amazing are the elements of cinema. Isn’t it? And for more on Close Up, please watch one of my favourite director’s best films “Close Up”
Showing posts with label Luck By Chance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luck By Chance. Show all posts
Friday, May 1, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Luck By Chance! - By Far the best of 2008-09
Jo palkon ke talle hai apne,
Sapney leke chale woh keh do.
Woh chale sambhal ke…
Na karna koi geele
Kahin jo thokar aisi lage,
Ke sapne toote aanson chalke.
Every time I hear these lines, it chokes me. The next few moments are dizzy. Am so not sure about myself then. At times, I stand in the middle of a railway platform stoned, and feel the world around me going in slow motion. What will this life lead to? What if we fail in our ultimate destination? Several such questions crop up. And then comes the best two lines.
Chooney hai taarein isse,
Chahiye saarein isse.
I am sure everyone associated with films who has “struggled” in their careers or are still in the phase of “struggling” – must have emphasized with Sona Mishra, the character of Konkona Sen. And at least for me, when the film ends – its she who is the lead protagonist of the film. And look how easily the writer-director does that in the final scene. The main protagonist for me just flips from Vikram to Sona – When I go out of the theatre, board a bus, reach home, get up next day – who I think about is Sona Mishra. What would have happened to her next? Will she make it big? I give a damn to Vikram! Although I loved him in his grey shades and his witty thinking. But most of us who are/or has struggled have struggled the “Sona Mishra” way. Ya, but for a film its better to show Vikram Jaisingh’s story coz there’s masala in it, there is ambition combined with shrewdness, but lest we forget the resilience of Sona Mishra. Zoya Akhtar showed us that so beautifully with her final scene and the monologue.
As the end titles began, tears came up in my eyes. They were there till I saw the final logos of Kodak, Pixion, Dolby etc. They were still there when I left the hall; they were still there till I boarded the bus.
Acting against the wish of parents. Running away from home. Eating outside at stalls. Piling on (living with) friends. Walking alone on busy streets. Getting paid, but just about. Managing life in that. Feeling alone in the crowd. Yet get up on the next morning with zeal and have a self-belief that we aren’t like the ordinary. We are here to learn, not earn. Isn’t this the kind of life for beginners/strugglers in this city?
Once in Osian’s film festival in Delhi I saw an old woman, on being so impressed by a wonderful Algerian film – The Yellow House, went ahead and hugged the director. The director, Amor Hakkar had just heard the controversy between Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty, so he took permission of the woman before he kissed her hand in return. It was an amazing thing to watch. I felt same after Luck By Chance ended. But this wasn’t a film festival. So somehow got my little contacts and asked a colleague who worked on Luck By Chance to pass my SMS to Zoya. She did and Zoya replied to my colleague’s SMS and asked her to pass it to me. “Wow, wow I can’t tell you the feedback I am getting man, its insane. Thanks for sending this to me”. Your work definitely touched me. Thanks again.
Felt like sending a ticket of Luck By Chance to my parents, relatives, cousins, schoolmates, teachers, professors, family members, neighbors, friends, brothers, sisters, siblings, rivals, enemies - of whom no one is remotely associated with the world of films. Would have quoted them what Sona Mishra’s monologue says in the end. Wont quote here, as it may spoil the fun for people who are yet to see the film.
But even if you are not passionate for cinema - do go and watch the film, the emotion will surely transcend to the professions you all belong to.
P.S: Would have loved to see Vikram JaiSingh eat at Dhabas of Andheri west, catching local trains, sitting in BEST, looking at empty wallets, renting a car to enter a Studio, and then eventually getting a support in the form of Sona Mishra. But then his character belonged to an affluent Delhi family! Anyways, that for later.
Sapney leke chale woh keh do.
Woh chale sambhal ke…
Na karna koi geele
Kahin jo thokar aisi lage,
Ke sapne toote aanson chalke.
Every time I hear these lines, it chokes me. The next few moments are dizzy. Am so not sure about myself then. At times, I stand in the middle of a railway platform stoned, and feel the world around me going in slow motion. What will this life lead to? What if we fail in our ultimate destination? Several such questions crop up. And then comes the best two lines.
Chooney hai taarein isse,
Chahiye saarein isse.
I am sure everyone associated with films who has “struggled” in their careers or are still in the phase of “struggling” – must have emphasized with Sona Mishra, the character of Konkona Sen. And at least for me, when the film ends – its she who is the lead protagonist of the film. And look how easily the writer-director does that in the final scene. The main protagonist for me just flips from Vikram to Sona – When I go out of the theatre, board a bus, reach home, get up next day – who I think about is Sona Mishra. What would have happened to her next? Will she make it big? I give a damn to Vikram! Although I loved him in his grey shades and his witty thinking. But most of us who are/or has struggled have struggled the “Sona Mishra” way. Ya, but for a film its better to show Vikram Jaisingh’s story coz there’s masala in it, there is ambition combined with shrewdness, but lest we forget the resilience of Sona Mishra. Zoya Akhtar showed us that so beautifully with her final scene and the monologue.
As the end titles began, tears came up in my eyes. They were there till I saw the final logos of Kodak, Pixion, Dolby etc. They were still there when I left the hall; they were still there till I boarded the bus.
Acting against the wish of parents. Running away from home. Eating outside at stalls. Piling on (living with) friends. Walking alone on busy streets. Getting paid, but just about. Managing life in that. Feeling alone in the crowd. Yet get up on the next morning with zeal and have a self-belief that we aren’t like the ordinary. We are here to learn, not earn. Isn’t this the kind of life for beginners/strugglers in this city?
Once in Osian’s film festival in Delhi I saw an old woman, on being so impressed by a wonderful Algerian film – The Yellow House, went ahead and hugged the director. The director, Amor Hakkar had just heard the controversy between Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty, so he took permission of the woman before he kissed her hand in return. It was an amazing thing to watch. I felt same after Luck By Chance ended. But this wasn’t a film festival. So somehow got my little contacts and asked a colleague who worked on Luck By Chance to pass my SMS to Zoya. She did and Zoya replied to my colleague’s SMS and asked her to pass it to me. “Wow, wow I can’t tell you the feedback I am getting man, its insane. Thanks for sending this to me”. Your work definitely touched me. Thanks again.
Felt like sending a ticket of Luck By Chance to my parents, relatives, cousins, schoolmates, teachers, professors, family members, neighbors, friends, brothers, sisters, siblings, rivals, enemies - of whom no one is remotely associated with the world of films. Would have quoted them what Sona Mishra’s monologue says in the end. Wont quote here, as it may spoil the fun for people who are yet to see the film.
But even if you are not passionate for cinema - do go and watch the film, the emotion will surely transcend to the professions you all belong to.
P.S: Would have loved to see Vikram JaiSingh eat at Dhabas of Andheri west, catching local trains, sitting in BEST, looking at empty wallets, renting a car to enter a Studio, and then eventually getting a support in the form of Sona Mishra. But then his character belonged to an affluent Delhi family! Anyways, that for later.
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