Saturday, April 26, 2008

Jodhaa Akbar

Jodhaa Akbar is a sweet movie. It grows on you slowly and makes you feel the impact gradually. I think if one could forget the controversies and the historical distortions that supposedly the movie seems to suffer from and treat it as a work of fiction, the movice is pretty enjoyable.

The camera work is simply awesome, the grandiose of the mughal era has been splashed across the screen in all its vibrance and splendour. Hrithik was terrific in the movie look wise and in his ability to emote, althoguh he appeared like a young prince in the promos, watching the movie made you feel he has the king. Aishwarya Rai was at her beautifull best, adorning wonderfully woven costumes and sparkling jewellery.

The direction was apt and at times it was just cinematic brilliance to the fore, like in the scene where Jodhaa draws a veil to make her angst clear against Hrithik when he comes to the Rajput land to take her back. The casting is really good and you get the feeling that each one is playing themselves and not trying too hard to be what they are meant to be.



At times it seems too cinematic, when Hrithik accepts Jodha's request to habe a small 'Mandir' in Mughal palace but you could accept that when a Hindu princess was being married away to a Mughal emperor.

The highlight of the movie has to A.R.rahman's music. The score is haunting and it blends itself with the movie so well that only in the songs he makes his presence felt and you forget to notice the mesmerising feel he gives throughout the movie



A nice movie you can watch on a lazy evening if you are preppared not to be too critical about the nitty gritty of the storyline!

Friday, April 18, 2008

An Inconvenient truth

Al gore - does that name ring a bell? Probably it reminds you about Bush, as the world witnessed intense battle between these two candidates for the world's most powerful post! Yes, the fortunate or the unfortunate runner up in the 2000 US Presidential elections that saw the tyranny called Bush take over the reigns at White House and the bloody gore the world has had to suffer as its aftermath.




Inconvenient truth is about Al Gore or is it? Here he leaves behind the scars of not becoming the commander of Air force one and wears the cap of an environmental activist. From Iraq bombings he switches track to Global warming. In this 2006 Oscar winning documentary, the former deputy of Bill Clinton issues a Global warning about the impending quagmire that the world will force itself into if the Climate issue is not addressed.

The documentary shot in the form of a presentation that The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner makes to a select American audience is a blend of subtle expression and startling statistics that eases the audience gradually into the core subject matter. With visual aids adorning the otherwise dark backdrop, Al Gore painstakingly pitches in for the need to realize the gravity of the situation.

He leaves no stone unturned in his quest, as he forks in data from the days of his graduation to the recent samples that indicate a total unanimity among the scientific group about the existence and the concomitant ramifications of Global warming. Traveling from the North Pole to the South Pole, from Greenland to Antarctica, covering a host of areas around the globe from the US to Europe to China to India, the documentary is a testimony to the efforts that Al gore has committed to the cause of making people aware of Global Warming.

The documentary lends a personal touch to itself as Gore disembarks from the world at large to experiences in his own life, about how his father gave up tobacco farming after the death of his elder sister, the difficult times he had to face as his son was tethered in the hospital bed and displayed great courage in the face of death. He owes it to his professor at the college for throwing light about Global warming in formative days.

At times he stokes with sarcasm and satire about the American way of political thinking, the audacity of American commercial establishments to disrespect human life with utter impudence, about how the United States acts as the biggest polluter and contributor of Global warming to the tune of 30%.



The photography in ‘An inconvenient truth’ is mesmerizing to say the least, it has enough awe to make the desired impact and leave a lasting impression about the perils of not taking any steps to purge the evils that shroud the earth. From the picture of the Blue rise taken from the Apollo mission, to the muslins formed by molten water gushing through the crevices in ice capped land masses, there is a touch of class about it.

‘An inconvenient Truth’ may not be a bone chilling experience but it leaves your feet cold. It may not be a numbing experience but it has you thinking. It is a sincere attempt sans any glamour or grudge that everyone has to watch as responsible citizens of this world to get a glimpse of the current situation and develop an understanding of the need to look at the future with a certain perspective.

The documentary is a stunning glory for the Gore team in authentically brining out the gory consequences we have to face if we do not act quickly on the burning issue of ‘Global warming’.