by Kelly

One went to the multiplex with high expectation of watching a classic from Mani but came out of the hall with disappointment writ all over. It was hard to believe that the director of such wonderful films like Bombay, Nayakan, Guru, Roja would hand us this mediocre flick.
Supposed to be based on the mythological ‘Ramayana’ Raavan has failed miserably in adapting it. The film’s ‘Raavan’ (Abhishek Bachan) shrieks and hams to the extent that he climbs on your nerves. Abhishek should stick to playing roles like Bunty or the one in Guru. The amount of ‘mud’ on his face amply symbolizes his acting in the film.

A R Rehman seems to be still busy counting his Oscar and Grammy trophies and had hardly any time to concentrate on this movie. The AR pulse and beat is sadly missing.

Full marks to Santosh Sivan and Manikantan for the breathtaking photography, the only high light of the movie. Choice of locales has been excellent.

Acting wise Abhishek, Vikram & Govinda have given routine performances. Aishwarya though looks good and polished in her acting.

The story line is the weakest point of the film. Even the dialogues have no punch.
Better save your money instead of giving it to ‘Mani’.
Rating: (Reluctantly)

P. Vijay Raghavan

The exceptionally stunning saree is meticulously woven with 12 precious stones and metals to depict 11 of Raja Ravi Verma's popular paintings. Explicitly projected is 'Lady Musicians', one of the painter's very famous works that displays women belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds.

Besides, the border of the saree pictures 10 other paintings of the artist that pays tribute to 20th century artist.

The best part of the saree being that the women in the paintings are intricately hand-woven and beautified with jewels of gold, diamond, platinum, silver, ruby, emerald, yellow sapphire, sapphire, cat's eye, topaz, pearl and corals.

Already in the Limca Book of Records, this 40 lakh saree will be the first silk saree that required the use of 7,440 jacquard hooks and 66,794 cards during the weaving process. Moreover, a group of consummate workers took nearly 4,680 hours.

- by Vijay P Raghavan

Both the Super models had the entire crowd mesmerized with their graceful cat-walk and charming smile. The ramp was literally ablaze with their presentation of the dresses. Be it a florally embroidered chiffon saree or the exotic party gown, it oozed glamour. Young Lakshman Soren, the first adivasi boy to enter the fashion designing world had the most rewarding moment of his life as the present Miss India held his hand and walked the ramp wearing the sizzling purple party gown designed by him. The ovation and applause was deafening added to the spell binding fireworks on the skies.

The couple responsible for giving a new meaning to the ‘Fashion show’ in the Steel City, S. Mohanty and his charming wife Apoorva had been delighting the knowledgeable and appreciative crowd of Jamshedpur with stupendous shows for the past many years. Apart from this show’s celebrities, the City has witnessed many super models of the likes of former Miss India Parvati, Rajiv Khandelwal, Meher Bhasin, Lakme girl Indrani to name just a few. A perfectionist to the core, the Mohanty couple has never compromised with the standards set by them.

Apoorva Mohanty has been running the fashion institute for a long time (formerly IIFT and now the newly launched OIIFT) and understands the importance of such shows as it gives the students face to face chance of meeting the personalities of the glamour world. OIIFT has even tied up with a Malaysian University to provide all the students a chance to keep track of the international fashion scenario.

It was no surprise that both the Miss India had lavish praise for the Mohanty couple and rated the designs of the students as at par with the best. They urged the youth to adopt a positive attitude towards their career and work with dedication to achieve goals. Violence has no place in today’s society and as Reshmi aptly said ‘Aa ab laut chalen’ to the various misguided youths and urged them to come and join the main stream. Very commendable message, indeed!

The Upper Bazar Centre of Eurokids was celebrating its first anniversary. Earlier the 2-4 year old kids regaled the audience with their scintillating performance in the cultural show. The three minute skit on Goldilocks and the three bears was done to perfection. Especially Archisa as Goldilocks, Priyanshu as Bob the Builder and Rohan as Spiderman were outstanding on the ramp. The flying kiss from the three on the ramp brought smiles on everybody’s faces.

Three year old set the momentum by his solo recitation of “Humko Shakti Dena”.

*ing Sharukh Khan, Kajol, Zarina, Jimmy Shergill & others Direction: Karan Johar Rating: ***&1/2

Ignoring the nonsensical ‘hullagulla’ of the Shiv Sainiks, fans of the Khan thronged the multiplex to see the star’s My name is Khan. The full house crowd was not disappointed. The showman that he is, director Karan Johar has done wonders revolving and weaving the slim story of Asperger’s syndrome affected Sharukh. For once the audience are involved with the screen’s Rizwan Khan and not the flamboyant Sharukh image. The chemistry between Sharukh and Kajol is still more than alive and set the silver screen on fire. Word for word and scene for scene the two keep the audience glued to the screen all of 4421 meters of spool spanning 165 minutes.

Rizwan’s mother (Zarina Wahab in a cameo role) teaches the young Sharukh that there are only two categories of humans. The good and the bad. These words get embossed in his heart and brain and speaks his mind even in volatile situations. Artificiality and beating around the bush is not in his character. The matter of fact manner in which he tells (not asks) Kajol ‘come, let’s have sex’ is one of the most sensitive shots of the film without being over dramatic.

The bond between Kajol’s son Sameer and Sharukh is expressed beautifully, especially in the scene where Sharukh blurts of all the animals’ names in a crossword competition to win the prize for the overawed and bewildered lad.

Karan’s cameraman Ravi k Chandran takes you through the beautiful country side of America and the lanes of San Fransisco. The dawn scene of skyscrapers immerging from the morning fog takes your breath away.
The film totters in certain places when the director presses a little too hard on the post 9/11 riots and racial discrimination. These scenes tend to become slightly melodramatic and heavy. The film is slightly long for the audience’s comfort. Music has no place for a film like this and mercifully remains in the background only instead of climbing on your nerves. Full credit to the director for sticking to the single path instead of creating a parallel story or thrusting unwanted ‘item’numbers.

A must see movie for those who love good cinema. Definitely not a film for front benchers!

FilmReview by

- P. Vijay Raghavan

The scene at the venue prior to the screening of the special children’s films ‘Uran Choo’ and ‘Choo Lenge Akash’ was a sight to watch. Dozens of children from the slums around the area came dressed in their best possible attires with a look of expectancy writ all over the face. Many of them were seeing the cine projector and the specially erected screen for the first time. Not one of them even fidgeted in their seat till the screening was over.
The naked reality of the difference between the poor and rich could easily be fathomed here. Not one amongst the hundred odd slum children had even seen a computer let alone handle or surf on it like the many fortunate kids from affluent families.

The effort of SPRIHA, who organized the ‘Sadak Chhap’ show, is commendable. The aim of the organization was not just to entertain the slum children but to motivate them to look upto life as it offered opportunities galore. Pankaj Dubey, the young founder of the organization and the brain behind it, was sure about the fest’s success. It was a pre-tested field for him and was confident of the response it would generate. He was proud of the fact that nearly 12 children from the slums of Delhi & Mumbai have been selected by his organization for training in the various fields of film making. These students were also being paid handsome stipend. Such incentives were motivation enough for the other slumdogs to be more positive in life. He was hopeful that the State government’s Rural Welfare department would come forward to help his cause.

Geeta , the 12 year old child of jobless parents had heard about Sharukh Khan and had come with the hope of seeing her idol’s film but though slightly disappointed she went home with a smile on her face after seeing not one but two movies in one day. 6 year old Bunty and 7 year old Usman were so excited that if given the chance they would have narrated the films scene by scene. This was the first time they were seeing a film on the silver screen. The day was bound to be embossed in their brain for the rest of their life. 7 year old Abhishek Vishwakarma’s mother works as a house maid and his father, a mason doing odd jobs whenever one comes his way. Abhishek had seen some serials on the TV whenever he accompanied his mother to the place she worked but for the first time had the opportunity to see a full length film. He proudly stated that he would also help the needy and not trouble the handicapped, as a moral from the film ‘Uran Choo’.

Uday Sahu of Kuch Khas Events deservedly won praise for the successful and sensitive manner in which the show was conducted.

- P. Vijay Raghavan

“The idea of “SADAK CHHAP FILM FEST” is to take the children's films to the doorsteps of those who cannot afford to go and watch them in the multiplexes.” Says Pankaj Dubey, Founder SPRIHA. A post screening discussion with Children will also be organised by SPRIHA, the organizer of the festival.

SPRIHA is committed to develop ‘Empathy’ and ‘Sensitivity’ in children with tools like ‘film screening’, ‘story-telling’, ‘igniting imagination workshops’. This film festival is supported by Children's Film Society of India (CSFI, Govt. Of India)and World Cinema Portal DearCinema.com. In Ranchi, the event is being supported by the Jharkhand chapter of Youth hostels Association of India and Kuchh Khas Events as Community partners.

Screening of highly appreciated children films like Choo lenge aakaash and Uranchoo would be done to discuss gender, environment, disability, human kindness and many issues centered to the heart of the children. . This is with respect to this context that SPRIHA has taken an initiative to organize a film festival cum workshop for children living in urban slums and in villages regularly by the name of “SADAK CHHAP FILM FEST”.

Sadak chaap film fest is an ongoing festival which will take place in different places of the country. SCFF has already been organised in the New Seemapuri slums in Delhi, Dharavi in Mumbai and New Maruti Seva Nagar Basti in Banglore. It has received tremendous community response so far.

In Ranchi, the screening of films would be followed by a ‘Painting workshop’ for children where children would get an opportunity to express their feelings on the canvas.

Synopsis of the films to be screened

• Directed by Virendra Sahni, Choo lenge aakaash is a film about a 9-year-old girl – Sonu. She lives with her parents and grandmother in a remote hamlet nestled in the hills. Sonu is a conscientious student and quite the leader among her circle of friends. But she has one handicap: a bad limp — the result of an attack of polio. Her parents are anxious for her and constantly worry about her future. This disturbs Sonu. After all, she helps in the home as best she can. So what, if at the end of the day, her leg aches a bit, and needs to be massaged? And yet she has a secret longing. Sometime back she met a nomadic shepherd.

A wise, old man with laughing eyes and a thousand and one stories! It was he who whispered in her ear, that every mountain was meant to be crossed.
The film is also about Gagan — the young prankster of the village. He hates school and therefore is always in conflict with Sonu. Till one day, a major crisis occurs in the village and all fingers point to Gagan as the culprit. But Sonu, proves that Gagan is innocent. Gagan is overwhelmed and gallantly asks Sonu what he can do for her in return. It is then that Sonu expresses her secret desire.

• Uran Choo has been directed by Shivendra Sinha.
A tragic comedy around the adventure of two dwarfs, Pappu and Jumman, whose united friendship, helps them face a hostile world. They quit school because the other children kept scoffing at them. They accept one job open to them which is to work in a circus. Although they can sing and dance and entertain the circus manager and others, even the audience, treat them as oddities of nature, parading them to raise laughs and ridicule. Disgusted with the absurdity of their lives, the two flee the place on their mini motor-bike. The circus manager sends the police after them. A chase across land, sea and air follows, with an absent-minded goofy policeman in town. It ends in a home for handicapped children where the dwarfs see the plight of others and decide to help and

The other movies made by Vithange are included for screening in the Jewel of Asia section, informed Bitopan Barbora, on behalf of the organizing committee in a recent press at Gwahati Press Club. Nearly 40 film woks including the movies by Pedro Almodover, Christian Mungio, Jean Luc Godard, Francois Troufaut, Mahsin Makhmalbaf, Kiarostemi, Kim Ki Duk etc have been selected for screening in the festival. It will also have a retrospective section comprising the films by Pedro Almodovar, a tribute section for film works by Kim Ki Duk and a focus section for the movies by Mahsin Makhmalbaf, Samira Makhmalbaf, Mazid Mazidi, Abbas Kiarostemi and Bahman Ghobadi.

A package of Asian films which had won awards in Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno, Pusan, London festival will also be screened. Similarly, the Indian panorama section includes ‘Golabi Talkies’ by Girish Kasarvalli, ‘Frozen’ by Shivajee Chandrabhushan, ‘Houseful’ by Bapaditya Banerjee, ‘Mohandas’ by Mazhar Kamran etc.

‘Aai Kot Nai’ by Manju Bora and ‘Dhunia Tirutabor’ by Pradyut Kumar Deka are the Assamese entry to the festival, where ‘The Other Bank’ by George Ovashvili will be shown as the closing movie.

In another important section, a competition for short films under the Northeast Shots is organized, where three awards will be offered to the film personalities. Like the earlier festival, three sessions for discussion are on schedule during the festival. The themes of the discussions include Asian Cinema and its Salient Features, Future Roadmap for Cinema on Northeast India, and New Avenues in Financing Short and Feature Film Projects.

Demise of important Assamese film personalities
The first fortnight of the new year brought sad news to the Assamese film industry. Two important film personalities of the State died during the period.

First it was a senior cine-journalist and author Pabitra Kumar Deka who passed away on January 5 after suffering from a heart attack at the age of 70. On the other hand, eminent film producer Sailadhar Baruah breathed his last on January 10 at the age of 69.

The name of Sailadhar Baruah was synonymous with the distinguished Assamese film director of international repute Jahnu Barua. The two acclaimed film makers had given some excellent and award wining movies like ‘Halodhia Choraye Baodhan Khai’, ‘Firingoti’, ‘Kukhal Konwar’, ‘Papori’, ‘Konikar Ramdhenu’, ‘Pokhi’, ‘Tora’ etc.

Sailadhar Baruah was associated with sports and theatre activities since his early years. Later his association with Jahnu brought laurels to Assam. Their films have won national awards (best movie, best director, best actress) to international recognition from Locarno film festival and Tokyo festival.

Died as a bachelor Sailadhar Baruah served the Assam Institute of Mass Communication and Media Research, Guwahati as its director till his demise.
On the other hand, Pabitra Kumar Deka was recognized as the dictionary of Assamese cinema and theatre. Closely associated with Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Deka made his immense contribution to the cine-journalism of the State and also film & theatre word as a script writer and playwright. Deka continued writing for many newspapers on cinema, theatre and television world till his demise.