You cannot define
Bollywood . Not in one film with four short stories, it is simply too complex. But when four of the brightest filmmaking brains of GenNow come together to capture the frenzy that drives popular culture in India, the attempt has to be special.
Look beyond the mandatory tribute item frill featuring 20 top stars, and Bombay Talkies - Bollywood's toast to the 100 years of Indian cinema - is doff of the hat to the common cine-lover who drives the biggest industry in the world. It is an album of celluloid that tries understanding how cinema regulates dreams, passions, hope, despair, joy and sorrow in this country.
The film is impressive for the thought process gone behind each story in the anthology. Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Karan Johar may belong to different schools but have one thing in common - they are efficient storytellers. Bombay Talkies thrives for the way its creative brains bring out the essence of its subject.
Each story picks a different slice of life. The film starts off with Karan Johar's tale about a journalist couple (Rani Mukerji and Randeep Hooda), seemingly happy. Turmoil creeps into their home by way of a junior colleague of hers (Saqib Saleem), who is gay. K.Jo delivers a surprise punch of realism despite retaining trademark melodrama and lets a talented cast make most of well-penned characters. The film beautifully hails the power of Bollywood music to stir emotions, at the same time making its point about social taboo over sexual orientation.
Dibakar Banerjee's short unleashes Nawazuddin Siddiqui at his glorious best. Based on a Satyajit Ray story titled Potol Babu Filmstar, the segment casts Nawaz as a struggling actor trying to keep his bedridden daughter happy with tales about filmstars. He gets the story of his life to tell her one day, with the chance to do one scene in a film with Ranbir Kapoor. Dibakar has crafted an unforgettable film.
The most enchanting tale comes from Zoya Akhtar. Her film is about a kid (Naman Jain) obsessed with superstar diva Katrina Kaif. Dad (Ranvir Shorey) wants him to play football, to be tough, but the kid loves dancing. Fantasy blends with reality to let Katrina, gorgeous as only she can be, appear as herself in the boy's imagination. Straight off the TV interview he is watching, to leave a vital message.
Zoya has given a stunner that operates at multiple levels. On a simple note, the film makes a point about parents forcing their dreams on children. Importantly, her story is a strong psychological snapshot on the impact that filmy passion has on the impressionable mind which, if moulded rightly, can actually be a good thing.
Ironic wit throbs all through Anurag Kashyap's whopper of a finale, about a young man (Vineet Kumar) in Benaras who sets off to meet Amitabh Bachchan to fulfil a wish of his ailing father. Anurag gives a fitting tribute to the small-town fan whose aspirations are driven by the larger-than-life Bollywood hero, typified here by the magic of Big B. This is Anurag at his best, succinctly defining what superstar madness is all about.
Bombay Talkies lets us celebrate ourselves as viewers. It leaves a warm afterglow reminding us that cinema in India flourished thanks to its audience. Bollywood in its 100th year has given fans a nice gift.
A coming-of-age story with more than a few moments of menace, the film's languid pace matches the humid atmosphere of the Mississippi delta setting. The visuals are amazing, with a tinge of surrealism. The cinematography is lush and the dialogues deftly delivered. The Southern folks embody values like trust, a good work ethic, honesty and loyalty. Ellis is, however, the true hero of this film. Note: You may not like this film if you don't like stories about human relationships.
