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The Lunchbox (2013)
And they chose something else for the Oscars entry??
A friend of mine, out of the blue, pinged me. No hi, no hello. She said "Eii! I am bored. Suggest me names of good recent Bollywood movies." or something on those lines. LOL! With a bit more love, of course I was a little puzzled. What should I suggest? Except Dedh Ishqiya, there was nothing that stood out in my mind. So, I decided to do a little digging through the review archives of the Times of India. And that digging brought me to this low budget but excellently reviewed tiny movie called The Lunchbox, starring Irrfan Khan. So, I decided to watch it. See what the hype was all about.
A short synopsis: The 2 main protagonists are Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur. Irrfan Khan plays a widower, whose wife's death has embittered him towards life. He has been with the same office, and, possibly, the same position for 25 years. And now he wants to retire. Nimrat Kaur plays a married woman, stuck in an unhappy marriage. She doesn't know why her husband has no interest in her. So, she decides to use the usual route: the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. She is an excellent cook and cooks these beautiful meals, but she receives no acknowledgement from her husband. It's only by chance that she realizes that her lunch boxes are being delivered to the wrong man, Irrfan Khan. So, she sends in a note, with the lunch, saying "Thank you for polishing off the lunch meant for my husband. Today, I have made his favourite dish 'paneer'. Hope you enjoy it. Ila". She received a note back saying "Dear Ila, the lunch was salty". So, as revenge, she sends the next lunch filled with green chillies. LOL! And this is how they start sharing their lives, through these notes, never meeting each other. She finds out that her husband is cheating on her and wishes to go away to Bhutan. Will Irrfan Khan go with her? That's for you to find out.
Sometimes, the most simple roles are the most complex to play. He is an everyday man with everyday problems, she is an everyday woman with everyday problems. What is so special in them? Nothing. And that's what makes this movie and the performances really special.
Irrfan Khan plays his character of Sajan Fernandes with aplomb. He has always been a talented actor, but I would like to believe that his power punches are packed in performances where he has to play the common man. Restrained, and everyday. Something that he did in Paan Singh Tomar. And now The Lunchbox. It was endearing to watch him play this part. You immediately connect with him, because he is us and everyone around us. It's the same with Nimrat Kaur. So beautiful in her portrayal of Ila. Middle class housewife, husband works late, cooks for the family, takes care of the daughter. And she shares a special relationship with her neighbour upstairs, an old woman taking care of her vegetable of a husband. She is the everyday Indian housewife, our mother, our aunts, our grandmothers, our sisters, even our maids... A fabulous performance was given by Nawaz Siddiqui, in the supporting role. He played the subordinate who was taking over Irrfan Khan's post. An orphan, he is in love with life, and appreciates everybody. I don't wish to say more...
This movie just goes to show how normal our problems are, because a lot of people are facing the same issues. But just because they are normal, it doesn't mean that they are not to be dismissed. Don't blow them out of proportion, don't dismiss them. It's okay. It also celebrates the nature of bonds. A relationship created over everyday notes and letters with a person whom you have never seen (shout out to Florian), a closeness with your neighbour who understands your pain and is a part of your family as much as you are in his/hers without having to really see them, friendship with a subordinate who is soon going to take over your job (played by the equally brilliant Nawaz Siddiqui), a mother who is forced to borrow money from her daughter (played by the amazing Lillette Dubey). It also celebrates the little things in life, funny everyday incidents that give us joy, happy memories from the forgotten tapestry of life (faded at first, but renewed with vigour), an act of human kindness from a stranger etc.. Things that make us go on.
I don't wish to reveal everything because it might get over-hyped for you. So, watch it and appreciate it the way I do.
It is movies like these that keep my hopes alive in the otherwise gut churning regular Bollywood crap. It seems that the Renaissance Bollywood was going through a couple of years ago, where people were experimenting and coming out with more realistic movies, has died again. I blame this on Salman Khan's Dabangg. The Indian audience, of course, decided to regress and such movies barely see the light in India. We have to rely on the International audience to appreciate the art of Indian cinema.
Dedh Ishqiya (2014)
Worth the hype..
An esteemed reviewer for a leading newspaper had commented that the movie spent a long time staring at Madhuri Dixit. Yes, it's true. From the moment she stepped on to the screen, her iridescent beauty threatens to overwhelm the viewer. I felt like she didn't have much to say in this movie. Not enough dialogues for her. But, she is one actress that doesn't need dialogue to stop from emoting and expressing her feelings. As beheld in the song Jagaave Saari Raina, she didn't sing. Just expressed. Naseeruddin Shah's character had expressed it rightly. She became dance. Madhuri's portrayal of Begum Para was nothing short of perfect. The slight hesitation in speaking that comes with royalty (thehraav), the inborn dignity, the chewing of the paan, the show of polite humility yet steely resolve. In many ways, it was reminiscent of her Chandramukhi, but without the tawaif background. She was simply breathtaking.
Playing her sidekick, Muniya, is Huma Qureshi. Her best friend, her confidante, her shadow. She could switch from chaste Urdu to crass Bhojpuri which was fantastic, along with her comic timing. She is not afraid of using sex to get her way. Huma, in a gang of acting stalwarts, made her own mark on the film. If she doesn't get nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Filmfare, I will eat my hat! But, of course, if movies like Dabangg and Chennai Express win Best Film, the future of Bollywood cinema and awards is shaky.
Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi teaming up again for the adorable Khalu-Babban pair is nothing short of classic. We have seen a lot of such before, but not with such realistic portrayals. Their acting is top notch! One cannot find flaws in the performances of the thieving Uncle- Nephew pair. They give and take with all their hearts. Their daredevilry, dialogue delivery, wit and charm are what makes this movie an all rounded entertainer and a classic. Naseeruddin Shah's switching of character between a thief and a Nawab impostor is absolutely fantastic. One minute he would be spouting poetry, and the next minute he would talk about sex. It was crazy! Absolute fun! Arshad's tapori act, one minute begging for mercy and the next minute being the 'bhai' walking on thin ice, was just delectable.
Vijay Raaz plays the villain, Jaan Mohammed. In most Hindi movies, one ends up forgetting the villain. But not this one. At certain points, he overshadowed them all. His rustic evil plans, his comedy, his lust for control and so many things.. Things I can't reveal for fear of ruining the movie... *sigh*
A short synopsis: Khalu-Babban get separated while doing a jewel heist. Thinking that Khalu has conned him, Babban goes in search for him. He finds Khalu posing as a Nawab in an event thrown by the Begum of Mehmoodabad, Begum Para. The Begum's erstwhile husband, apparently, expressed a desire on his deathbed that she should remarry a poet only. The most renowned poets from all over the country have come to win her hand. Khalu is in love with the Begum and Babban falls in love with Muniya. Throwing a spanner into the works is Jaan Mohammed who wants to marry the Begum. At the end of the event, she announces her decision to get married to Jaan Mohammed. But she gets kidnapped. Now, what happens next is for you to find out. There are a couple of twists in the movie. Trust me, they will deliver a Knock Out.
It's not often that I get to see Hindi movies with such powerhouses of talent to steer the ship through. I laughed out loud and shed a couple of sad tears too. It is much better than the previous Ishqiya, but, of course, I am biased here. This movie is not a regular run off the mill movie. Vishal Bhardwaj and Abhishek Chaubey have come up with a brilliant movie, deserve to be remembered.
But the Indian audience, as usual, sucks. They are still too busy watching Dhoom 3, instead of something much more fun and original as Dedh Ishqiya.
Trust me, go watch it. It's money well spent. You won't regret it.