Sunday, May 12, 2013

Indian cinema coming of age

It  might sound like a cliche now, but a firm one at that one might add. Indian cinema is getting better by the year. The days of old hero-villain masala and one taste for all, are well changing closer to the more complex modern realities. New, relatively unknown faces turning up convincing performances and story-lines that keep one guessing.

Five back to back movies that I saw have reinforced that,
First, Table Number 21 - A gripping drama played about an young, familiar-as-next-door aspirational couple being led into a trap of a reality game for a very meaningful end. Who was the bad guy? It fluctuated and in the end it was a social malaise more than any individual. Fantastic movie.
Second, Special 26 - based on a real life drama and enacted to near perfection by the cast and the crew. Suspense that could not be guessed using any of the old formulas.
Third, The attacks of 26/11 - RGVs adaptation of the trauma that India withstood on 26.11.2008. Very realistically made and tense, painful to watch in the recurrence of events that was created. It was hard watching from beginning to end, but it played out the facts and serves as a chronicle for India to visit and hold.
Fourth, 'Shaitan' (devil) - a modern day setting of complex corporate lives, social ladders, rich children going astray to the point of ending up in life destroying situations.
Fifth, Jolly LLB - again another plot akin to what India has witnessed time and again, on the power-play of wealth-politics can defy justice and the fight of an amateur lawyer driven on his conscience to reverse that. Great story, great characterisation throughout, excellent fare.

Not to say that the genre of mass consumption flicks are not getting better. Quality production, cinematography, music, clever plot-lines are making them better as well.

Maybe not just yet, but a Mumbai film industry production matching a Hollywood major globally is on the horizon. I'll give it 3-5 years, but its coming.

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