Once Upon a Time in India

I suddenly realized it has been a long time I have given my five rupees on the movies I have seen. So here goes, one more of my quick fire reviews.

Aamir Khan is one of the best marketers I know. He knows his product and his consumers well. He knows how to promote and he knows the power of symbolism. And that’s why he can make a cricket match be nominated for The Oscars. Peepli Live is not a Aamir Khan movie but it takes Aamir Khan to the leagues of Clint Eastwood in making or producing movies that matter. Releasing it just before Independence Day, Aamir made a smart move and also a statement of change. And we watched and laughed and then came out with a painful feeling at our hearts. Every time you look at construction workers now in your cities, imagine the story of a farm lost to greed and ignorance.

Once Upon a Time in Mumbai and Aisha spoke of two different worlds. And somehow I do not see either of them as My India. The underbelly of Mumbai was brought out in all its glory and glamour in the former, when the underworld still valued values. If you remember Shantaram, you would probably remember the transition of the Underworld. Sach or Himmat, slowly gave way. Perhaps that’s what life is all about. Aisha was a funnier story though. All the people I know who represents the world of Aisha chose to distance themselves from her and while the movie clearly was one not to die for, it just tried to speak about a world so shielded from the realities that one often wonders, if it exists at all.

The majority of the Indians I know however went crazy over two completely different movies. The North idolized Chulbul Pandey and while Salman bettered Rajni is terms of action and Govinda in terms of Dance moves, the audience went and saw the movie a second and a third time. But what UP lacked was technology. And there came in the only God of Indian Cinema.

Whatta Movie. I mean Whatta movie. Let’s not get into the details. Rajni creates a Robot who is like Super Rajni, a Rajni 100 times over. Anyway Rajni loves Aishwarya (who doesn’t) and then gives his robot feelings the Robot falls in love with Aishwarya. And then it was the best special effects ever seen in Indian cinema.

Moral of the story – Even robots fall in love with Ms. Worlds