Bulbbul Movie Review

 Movie: Bulbbul (2020)

Director: Anvita Dutt

Actors: Rahul Bose, Tripti Dimri, Parambrata Chatterjee, Avinash Trivedi

Let’s travel back in time, go back to the picturesque grand havelis unfolding to the tune of Robindra songeet, to the reclusive zamindars and the regal women, who cover their sorrows with silks and gold. Have you been transported to a Sahib, Bibi and Gulam era? If yes, then you will be hit hard by nostalgia as this lost-in-time premise and its people are revealed in the Netflix movie, Bulbbul.

 

 

Set in Bengal Presidency in 1881, the titular Bulbbul is a child bride who grows into a woman and more, through the course of the movie. Bulbul is a bird, and this Bulbbul, who would rather be perched on trees, gets trapped in the golden cage that is her married home. 

 

Bulbbul, saddened by the absence of her husband, and comforted by the presence of a younger brother-in-law and his stories, reminds one of Satyajit Ray’s Charulata. But with the exception of this trope, Bulbbul is diametrically opposite to Charu. Still being a child, Bulbbul has not developed or given to the idea of sanctity of marriage. She is also more fiery compared to the earthy Charu. That is why she actually rebels, rather than be bent and torn by guilt. And when tradition manages to ravage her body, it only tempers her spirit. Tripti Dimri as Bulbbul exploits the vulnerability and strength of her character, doing full justice to the camera that cannot look away from her.

Rahul Bose explores the duality that has stemmed through this deeply feudal, patriarchal system. The silence of the haveli is echoed in the silent, stately presence of the zamindar, Indranil, and its perversions and madness are expressed in the mentally disabled, Mahendra. And in essaying these two roles, Bose reminds us why he is one of India’s truly understated actor. Satya, the younger brother-in-law, is the so-called face of modernity, but only time will tell if the Western education has managed to get under the skin and the psyche.

Avinash Tiwari plays the suave London-returned Bengali babu with ease. Paoli Dam as Binodini and Parambrata Chatterjee as Dr. Sudip, do not have much of a screen time but leave a strong impact nonetheless. Some critics have said that the horror element of this movie is very transparent but that is not recognising the premise of existential horror.

Anoushka Sharma, as a producer, has been consistently proving to be open to new and promising directors, as well as new artists. She makes a return to the paranormal genre after Pari and Phillauri. Anvita Dutt, the writer and director of this movie. Before this, she has worked as a lyricist on many movies, and her lyrics in Phillauri and Patiala House were specially impressive for me. She makes an impressive debut, as she weaves this drama with ease and does not get trapped to the limitation of the horror genre. Paced leisurely but still tightly paced, it allows the actors to completely explore their characters, without slowing the movie.

 

All this set to a haunting background music of Amit Trivedi, completes this resplendent movie. Yes, comparisons have been made with Tumbbad for its lost-era visuals, but be trusted that the motivations of these two movies are entirely different. As such watch this movie, not for its jump-scares, not for violence, just for its journey of womenhood.

 

 

 

Axone 2020 Movie Review

Food has a special place in Indian culture. Even oldest of the traditions mention food with special importance in their customs. And so no wonder that the Indian palate is so diverse, covering almost every flavour imaginable. But still despite this diversity, this openness to experiment, Indians themselves harbour some deep prejudices about food. We know about the vegetarian-only societies in metros like Mumbai. Ironically enough, we are outraged when we hear stories about how Indian food is made fun of abroad. We hate the term “curry stink”. Yet this does not at all change our own prejudices in any way.

This is Director Nicholas Kharkongor’s third movie, and the first movie about his own background and experience, which the cast has said, made the story very relatable. Axone, pronounced Akhuni, is the comic-satirical perspective of prejudices, that start with food and expand beyond that to issues of race and culture. Set in Delhi, it is a story about a group of young North Eastern kids. When this vibrant group rushes about the screen scurrying about some stuff, you could excused to assume they are probably moving some weed around for an event. But no, in fact, they are getting ready for a wedding of their friend. Why the secrecy then?

This hush hush mood is however a buildup to a comic relief. It is actually due to a special traditional dish that a couple of friends want to cook for the soon-to-be bride, which is the secret here. Akhuni is sold as if in a black market, where the seller cautiously opens door. The fear of being caught by people around is palpable and unreal.

Lin Laishram as Chanbi wants to make her friend, Minam’s wedding a bit special by cooking Akhuni Pork, along with her Nepali friend, Upasana (Sayani Gupta). A little different among these people is Bentang, a musician at heart who has been racially targetted and struggles to find his note throughout the movie. There is also a Punjabi boy, Shiv, who is fascinated by the group and desperately wants to be a part of it. Tenzing Dalha as Zorem has a charming screen presence. Vinay Pathak and Adil Hussain make interesting cameos.

What transpires can now be classified as true Delhi drama; ‘cooking locations’ change a dozen times, loud aunties throw people into panic attacks, eve teasing gains a new angle when guys in question pepper their fantasies with the girl’s North-Easternness and neighbours casually throw in the “You’ll look alike,” remark. When it seems like the Akhuni is never getting it finally does. They are youth, and not from the mainland (hence out of the norm,) two things that makes India nervous. So it is not a surprising they form a friendship with the black kids around them. The movie’s pace is quick and yet the many characters do manage to tell their stories and find a resolution.

Coming to the titular, Axone, pronounced Akhuni is a traditional North Eastern Soya ingredient that just complements the pork; it completes the dish yet it is not main dish itself. Axone, ultimately becomes a metaphor for the youth’s existence that must somehow remain inconspicuous within a crowd.

Writer Mahaswetadevi’s stories have often focussed on this “alien in your own country,” theme but very rarely has Indian cinema or television ever spoken about this in any way. Although, Doordarshan was a great platform for regional cinema but even then despite their best efforts, the language barrier could not be bridged and the foreignness of India’s own various cultures persisted. So it is great to see that the stage has been handed over to some so-called non-mainstream storytellers. 

Gulabo Sitabo 2020 Movie Review

This Amazon Prime released Shoojit Sircar movie is a visual treat with its old Lucknow visuals, complemented by its witty dialogue by writer Juhi Chaturvedi. This Quixotic comedy is not to be missed.

Muzaffar Ali’s classic featuring Rekha as Umrao Jaan was set in Lucknow

There was an era in Hindi Cinema when directors were celebrating the decadence of erstwhile Lucknow, as in Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan, and its declanation in Ray’s classic Shatranj Ke Khiladi, or other classics such as Gaman or Junoon. No surprise there, as the primary language of this cinema being Urdu or Hindi there was a wealth of literature these parallel cinema filmmakers, as they called, could explore.

But as the 80s and 90s dawned and the onus shifted from content to entertainment, filmmakers settled for characters settled for a pan Indian underdog character that sang and danced through the movie till in the end his morality reaches its zenith and he settles the scores with the goons with some dishoom dishoom. So song, dance, clapworthy punchlines followed by punches if that is not rich content what is!

But with the digital age and a learned audience, the demand for diverse content has renewed. And it is no wonder that movie makers are looking at India’s hinterland for their stories, especially in Uttar Pradesh.

And so here are the titular Gulabo Sitabo, the two metaphorical puppets who think they are writing their own stories unaware of a larger system pulling the strings from behind. They live in the shadow of a once glorious civilisation for which they have neither a reverence nor anger. Like most others, they just want to make do.

Amitabh Bachchan’s Chunnan Mirza Nawab cares for neither of those titles which were most likely bestowed on him for free with his marriage to his once-rich now-ailing begum. Instead he is the termite that is slowly corroding the grand Fatima Mahal by selling its invaluable antiques for a throwaway price.

But this termite is countered by a leech in the form of Ayushman Khurana’s Baankey Rastogi who has been dodged the meagre thirty rupees rent since last seventy years, (Since, Baankey seems young we must assume this skill is inherited). This cat and mouse drama could only get interesting with the entrance of a dog, or two, an archaeologist and a lawyer, who are quick to detect ignorance and profit.

Amitabh Bachchan has always been a great performer carving a niche with his subtlety even in the loud Eastman-era of Hindi Cinema. No wonder in such a nuanced character he shines, adopting the mannerisms of the shaky, aging Mirza with ease. If Mirza stands for old dying Lucknow, Ayushman also adapts to the clueless Baankey Rastogi who has clue about the world beyond his home and his flour mill.

This movie helmed by director Shoojit Sircar films shines as much through its signature cinematography as it does with Scriptwriter Juhi Chaturvedi’s dialogues, who seamlessly weaves humour into this existential tragedy. Shoojit Sircar who has a diverse set of cinema in his oeuvre ranging from the war drama Yahaan to the hauntingly beautiful October, has been a consistently incredible storyteller throughout.

It is a look at India on the periphery where people have not caught up with the world (anyone is hardly seen using a cellphone, which these days clearly is a necessity more than a luxury,) and end up being tossed around by bureaucracy. Ultimately, the crumbling mansion becomes a metaphor which reveals itself as the unmanageable juggernaut that India has become where even people who claim to love her, would sell her for meagre profits, and leave her for greener pastures.

Released digitally on Amazon Prime this comedy is not be missed.