Nargis Farkhri and Amy Jackson are supermodels draped in Indian costumes, with hindi voiceovers from an uncredited artist who says all their dialogues. The way the status of Indian actress is diminished that its a sense of justice that Rockstar and Ek Diwana Tha (EDT), didn't garner either praise or revenues. Brands being sold in EDT are HDFC, PVR, Syntel etc. Seduction via visuals, commercialization and commoditization - it extends to the Indian actress as well. People with film-making resources and talents think of the female lead as ...White skinned. Firangi. Body of the supermodel. Is there a turn on in knowing that under the traditional Indian dress is the body foreign woman. Is there a sense of triumph? Are they assuming Indian audience is thinking from their penis? So they cast such women who cannot speak Hindi (or regional languages) let alone act. When did films get reduced to only the functions of pleasure, seduction or style? I mean we've had item numbers since 60s or 70s and Indian woman's place in cinema has never been such exactly a premium (except for the good old false pride and hypocrisy of Mother India or Kabhi Khushi Kabhi ghum) but I find it a shame that when it comes to the female acting itself is now expendable. Quite literally if she doesn't have a voice of her own - its perfectly fine. Who gives a shit.
The original Tamil film - Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya touched me intermittently even though subtitles were patchy. I loved its ending very much. Its curious that the same director - Menon made the Hindi version which has acting so bad its an abomination. The ending is changed from the original and its a strangling of a dream if Menon ever had one with VTV.
I am biased towards foreign films not because there people as shallow as described above don't make movies but because occasionally someone like Steven Spielberg tells you that audience is so much wiser than you think. I've seen predominantly regional language speaking Indian audience - shedding tears for a film called War Horse. We all pine for good storytelling and acting. What we need are films irrespective of language or cultural barriers that touch and appeal to our humanity and higher sensibility.
The original Tamil film - Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya touched me intermittently even though subtitles were patchy. I loved its ending very much. Its curious that the same director - Menon made the Hindi version which has acting so bad its an abomination. The ending is changed from the original and its a strangling of a dream if Menon ever had one with VTV.
I am biased towards foreign films not because there people as shallow as described above don't make movies but because occasionally someone like Steven Spielberg tells you that audience is so much wiser than you think. I've seen predominantly regional language speaking Indian audience - shedding tears for a film called War Horse. We all pine for good storytelling and acting. What we need are films irrespective of language or cultural barriers that touch and appeal to our humanity and higher sensibility.
3 comments:
:) I can perfectly relate with what you are saying. It will be perfectly justified if they can act. What to do... Katrina Kaif just cant act or even dance... but look at her popularity. You have nothing but the taste of 90% Indian males to blame for these things.
Very true. Unfortunately, for similar reasons I have given up on most Bollywood films and consequently sometimes I miss out on the few good ones also :( Also, yeah you're right about the need for movies without language and cultural barriers - like as I told you, I watched "A Separation" the iranian oscar winning film and it was simply fabulous. Can't get enough of it's acting and superb screenplay. Such a simple but cleverly twisted plot.
very nicely written, Nikhilesh!
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