Post by Havai on Nov 26, 2013 23:58:27 GMT
I finally got around to watching this movie over the weekend, and I loved it! I liked Imran's scruffy revolutionary avatar (he reminded me of a few friends from college, so I really identified with the old friend, now married, he goes to for help at one point). Pankaj Kumar was new to me, but I'll definitely be looking for more of his work! And Anushka, with her "Mujhe Meena Kumari complex hai!" and her wacky tatoos, was a lot of fun to watch. I also really enjoyed the upstairs/downstairs vibe that gave equal screentime to life in the village and life in the big house, and how they influenced one another. So often we just get to see the folks in the haveli!
Someone posed a question in the forum on the old board about the ethics of the ending, which essentially got us to root for the alcoholic to give in to his addiction in order to save the day. I liked the workaround the script writers found--especially given the character's literally sobering discussion with a very drunk Bijlee, and all the role reversal in that scene, it didn't make sense for Mandola to go back to drinking (though I was ready to believe it as an emotional/stress response).
One other thing: the South African dancers. I loved the role they played (albeit nonspeaking) in helping with the harvest, playing cowbells behind Mandola's back, and generally getting involved in village life. It softened the shock of the 30 year lease (is that legal??! that can't be legal).I checked, and it seems they were played by a dance troupe dedicated to representing traditional South African culture around the world... I'd love to read their impressions of life on the set of a Hindi movie! Maybe Filmi Girl will do another Outsider in Bollywood post...
Someone posed a question in the forum on the old board about the ethics of the ending, which essentially got us to root for the alcoholic to give in to his addiction in order to save the day. I liked the workaround the script writers found--especially given the character's literally sobering discussion with a very drunk Bijlee, and all the role reversal in that scene, it didn't make sense for Mandola to go back to drinking (though I was ready to believe it as an emotional/stress response).
One other thing: the South African dancers. I loved the role they played (albeit nonspeaking) in helping with the harvest, playing cowbells behind Mandola's back, and generally getting involved in village life. It softened the shock of the 30 year lease (is that legal??! that can't be legal).I checked, and it seems they were played by a dance troupe dedicated to representing traditional South African culture around the world... I'd love to read their impressions of life on the set of a Hindi movie! Maybe Filmi Girl will do another Outsider in Bollywood post...