An Indian anthology film by the four big names in Bollywood!
Dibakar Banarjee, Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar!
Yummy! :)
“Bombay Talkies” is a film consisting of four short stories
by the aforesaid Bollywood directors celebrating the centenary year of Indian Cinema and the beginning of a new era in modern cinema.
The film starts off with a short by Karan Johar( Ajeeb
Daastan Hai Yeh) that deals with homosexuality. Actors Rani Mukherjee, Randeep
Hooda and Saqib Saleem have done a terrific job of
portraying their characters. Refreshingly understated unlike any other Karan
Johar films, this segment starts off with a sequence that sets the tone for Bombay
Talkies. And believe it or not, this
film is bold, sensible and dark and surprisingly comes close to being the best
of the lot. I wish he continues making such beautiful films instead of the
usual candy floss glossy drivel that he’s so known for manufacturing.
The second short film is by Dibakar Banerjee (Star)
which is adapted from the original Patol Babu Film Star, a short story by
filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray. It revolves around a failed theatre actor (played
by Nawazuddin Siddiqui) struggling to make a living with a
depressed daughter and a cheerful and understanding wife. Dibakar Banerjee is
well known for movies like LSD and Shanghai.
He’s also well known for choosing a perfect cast for his films.
So when a powerful director like him clubs with a powerful
actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, you already know what to expect. :) The duo just nails it
to perfection. The lump in your throat that you get towards the end of this
segment is testament to the fact that both the director and the actor are the
best in business. This short film is simple
and yet delivers an emotional heft that any film lover cannot and should not
miss. ‘Cinema for the classes’ at its best. :)
Post interval Bombay
Talkies dips down a bit and doesn’t carry the complexities of the first two
films.
The film continues with a short by Zoya Akhtar (Sheila
ki Jawaani) which is about a school-going child who unlike other kids of
his age dreams of becoming a dancer Sheila (Katrina Kaif).
Child actor Naman Jain of Chillar Party fame and his father played by Ranvir
Shorey do extremely well. The story however seems to be inspired from a Hollywood movie named Billy Elliot and though aptly
executed, it ends on a pretty contriving note. Yet it’s a sweet film that would
manage to put a smile on your face.
And then comes the fourth and the last one by the great Anurag
Kashyap(Murabba). This short film is about an Allahabadi youngster who is
sent to Mumbai on a mission by his bed-ridden father, to get Amitabh Bachchan
to take a bite and bring back the half-eaten murabba. The whole idea sounds
fine but the execution is underwhelming as there is nothing new. Actor Vineet
Kumar Singh does well but the film gets repetitive after a point.
As the credits roll, a song
showcasing all Bollywood actors lip-synching to a blotched tune shows up on
screen. After witnessing all those mature shorts, this monstrosity is cringe
worthy and all it does is make you quickly move to the exit door.
Final Verdict: Very good cinema for the classes.
Boring cinema for the masses.
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