Friday, November 18, 2011

WEAKING OF THE PLOT





Films like Bodyguard and Ra. One has made it to winner posts in terms of business. As an Indian living in a metropolitan, one wonders as to what the Indian, bollywood-hugging population really wants? Is it plain masala, action, item numbers or all the above with a pinch of romance and a music release of over 15 songs?
 
There are those once in a blue moon brilliant scripts like the one written by Vikramaditya Motwane, debut director for Udaan, where you have nobody in the audience criticizing the film, after shedding a few tears and having a young laugh. But that doesn’t make it to number one, does it?
 
How come a Ganesh idol; on top of a 4 wheeler; helping G.One save the day, sells more even in the 21st century? Is the Indian audience not matured at all as an audience?
 
The downgrade of the Bollywood plot is no secret. Acceptance of it however, seems to be going nowhere. ‘That Girl In Yellow Boots’ seemed to be taking the audience to a new level of sensitivity, but lacked the zeal a film demands. A good, not even great plot is what most films lack, be that the ace runner Bodyguard and Ready starring Salman khan or even no-gooders like Damadamm and Aap ka Suroor.
 
Taking good plotted films as a case study, isn’t it undeniable that the audience roar in laughter with simple, subtle and in the face humor like ‘Delhi Belly,’ enjoy and rethink life in a megapolitan watching ‘Dhobi Ghat’ and  respect yet enjoy legendary films that have made a mark on Bollywood being, Lagaan, Swades, Rang de Basanti and others. But how many of such films has the year 2011 seen? Ra. One was surely not one of them!
 
As Ashutosh Gowariker stated at the Literature Live festival in Mumbai, “We do not have the resources of say a 300 million Hollywood project and so we cannot pull it off!” But is pulling off a Ra.One and taking Bollywood to the next level good enough?
 
How many Indians sincerely enjoyed Dor? Well it had a brilliantly established plot, unmatchable, talented actors and a well narrated plot. Is the diminishing value for a good plot in Hindi cinema the reason for a bad plot in films? Are we as an ignorant audience demanding an even more immature plot? For now, maybe we should start by choosing to not go watch Ra. One.  

THE MAKINGS OF A BACHCHAN

As an ecstatic Dadaji continues to tweet, Bollywood dawns upon the conclusion that the greatest filmy news for 2011 has just been delivered and the Bachchans’ have stolen everyone’s thunder!
The rumors have been wiped out and the Indian Bollywood-loving, frenzied population will now have to look for other places to entertain their mundane lives! Oh! Yes! The secret is out and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan just brought into this world a little baby girl. Like betted or gossiped upon, not twins or a baby boy, but a beautiful, Miss World Junior, will probably kick start the careers of the next generation of actors, representing the Bachchan family. She may probably move on to other interesting, prospective careers like mausi Shweta, but that would mean denying the entire Bharat ki bollywood paagal jantha the Bachchan legendary talent they crave for.
As Sr. Bachchan tweeted this morning, “I am DADA to the cutest baby girl,” India witnessed a revolution in its own weird sense. Twitterazzi and paparazzi swarmed over the news like drooling hawks and set into motion the uploading, printing and gathering of whatever they could get their hands on about the first grand, much awaited celebrity delivery, like never seen before in the bollywood khandaan. 
Bollywood has finally seen it all, the making and breaking of a film star, the gossip surrounding bollywood families and the ups and downs of grand weddings. However, with the coming in of a baby girl, the Bachchans now have a new favorite family member to talk about and media to go ga ga over. 
We’d all probably wish we had an insider view into the Bachchan family life. For now though, we should probably leave it to the little girl eventually figuring out the dealings of being born into THE bollywood family, where in the literal sense, the whole of India worships her dada and par-dada!