I had first watched Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994) as a teenager, and loved it back then. A recent re-watch has changed my opinion. For one thing, the film surpassed Pulp Fiction and Shawshank Redemption in Oscars. But since awards rarely define greatness, let’s skip that part. What really bothers me is the conservative undertone of the film. Continue reading
Posted in Film, Philosophy
Which is of greater importance – the cozy, familiar world of reality or the dizzying, intoxicating world of dreams? Which has higher stakes? Which would you rather lose? During times when poor Hindi remakes have managed to give the south a bad reputation, Lucia (Pawan Kumar, 2013), a Kannada film with English subtitles, notable for its non traditional crowd funding, is a treat to watch. Continue reading
Posted in Film, Guest Post
The Lunchbox (Ritesh Batra, 2013) is a simple story woven together with emotionally powerful and memorable scenes. Set in the hustle-bustle of Mumbai, the story begins with a ‘lucky’ mistake which first brings the 2 protagonists together and unfolds around the blossoming friendship between this unlikely couple. Continue reading
Posted in Film, Guest Post
There is very little doubt that Ashutosh Gowariker is one of the most interesting, and courageous, film-makers of modern India. He has made unique, daring films on lesser told stories. Unlike the trendy candy floss romances and gangland violence, Gowariker, at-least in the best of his films, goes to the villages. And Gowariker’s idea of village is not an array of wavy mustard fields and ancient spiritual values. In both his masterpieces Lagaan and Swades, he has depicted an Indian village as is. Continue reading
Posted in Film, Philosophy, Politics
There was a time in cinema where almost every film would have a scene where a doctor would make a house visit to see the bed-ridden patient. On his way out, his leather bag would be carried by the patient’s son, and the doctor will stop at the door, and reveal in hushed voice about the patient’s suffering from tuberculosis, or cancer. Those gray haired doctors were accessible over phone and often themselves called the patient, just to know how was doing. Continue reading
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सौरभ राय | Sourav Roy 