wetNdry Reviews

Mirza Ghalib (1988– )

Truly a winner!

[10/10 · 9 April 2005]

As the name implies, the meaning of Ghalib is Winner. And one of the greatest poet on the planet was indeed a winner. I remember about this TV serial when I was a teen, I never watched it, instead I was criticizing this serial. I saw some portion of the serial on VHS few yrs ago while I was visiting a close friend in Georgia, and it changed my taste towards the ghazals and I was hooked to it. Those who like Ghazals, this one is a MUST SEE. The script is very well researched and written beautifully. Gulzar wanted to make a movie with the script but Sanjeev Kumar died suddenly(as he was gulzar's first choice for any of his movies) so he dropped the idea and went for TV serial. I just wonder how it would have been with Sanjeev Kumar? I have no disrespect for Naseer but definitely SK would have been more enjoyable to watch. This TV serial shows how great Gulzar is as a writer. And on final note, hats off to Jagjit/Chitra for giving their soul to this TV series. The music is very well composed and ghazals are very well sung by J. Singh. It is our bad luck that we could only gathered only 20-25% work of Mirza's poetry, just imagine what if we find 100% of his work? For sure it would change my world.

Katha (1983)

Piece of Art!

[10/10 · 5 March 2005]

I remember, talking my father with his friend about this movie when I was a teen. Who likes Naseer and Farooq at that age, so I never watched it. I watched it first time when I was around 27, during my post-grad yrs and simply fell in love with this movie. Dir Sai Paranjape's details to the atmosphere in chawl, people's attitude, and mostly the facial expression of each characters in the movie is mesmerizing. A brilliant piece of work. It's very difficult to say who was the best in this movie besides Paranjape, but I think it was Naseer who steals the show. Movie starts with Naseer and his "main permanent ho gaya hu" which is very well directed. After that Farooq enters with his magical personality. The treatment given by director for a cup of tea reveals the diff between both characters. Basu gets tea without even moving from his chair, while Rajaram kills himself to get a cup of tea. Then comes the restaurant scene which shows brilliant command of Ms Paranjape. The way Rajaram acts by looking at the waiter, his expressions of his visit to such a restaurant first time are beyond any words. The way he tells Basu to order for him and finally the way Rajaram orders egg curry under the loads of his shyness is brilliant. I can not forget the scene where Rajaram is standing at a bus stop, he hears on radio someone need's blood in hosp, and he goes to hosp right away in a TAXI. After giving blood to a totally unknown person he gets tea and biscuits from hosp and he replies happily "is ki kya jaroorat thi?". That happiness was not from tea/biscuits, it was the satisfaction he gets after giving blood. The whole presentation of his character suffering for himself(standing at a bus stop for himself but going in a taxi for unknown person) was very satisfying for someone like me who loves to watch this kind of very human nature in a movie. Bashu's character also got the director's genius touch. His correction to pronounce GOLF with Naseer, his trying to impress his boss's wife, daughter and boss himself by talking abt his recent love for golf, and his affair with his boss's wife, it was just beautiful! Overall this movie portraits beautifully two totally opposite sides of human nature. Those who love real art must not miss this perfect movie.

Gandhi (1982)

Gandhi: A true warrior without any weapon.

[10/10 · 13 December 2003]

First to understand Gandhi's principles you must read his autobiography. He has admitted in his book that he was having sex while his father was dying. He admitted this when he was known as Mahatma (a great soul). Who can dare to admit such a thing. He vowed that he will never lie in his life. Is it possible for you and me not to lie in life? He took vow about his cloths and wore same cloths (he was half naked in those cloths) while he was in London in winter!!! Just imagine a freedom fight against Britain without any kind of weapon or violence!!! And he was successful. He gave freedom to India without any army. In fact his principles should be followed in today's world. I must say this movie was not enough to describe his principle. He was more than movie GANDHI. No body can capture his principles in a movie. For me he is like GOD because of his principles.

GANDHI: " My life is my message". " I have nothing new to teach this world, truth and non- violence are as old as hills".

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

A real tribute to the world of CINEMA

[10/10 · 26 October 2003]

I saw this movie first time when I was may be 15. I enjoyed it that time. And I really don't know how many times I have seen this movie again and again. A perfect movie. Each shot is without any mistake. I love each shot of this movie. Sergio has taken 200% of all the characters in movie. Unforgettable close-ups, sets, music, acting and direction is nothing but the core of this movie. Try to recall demolition of bridge! My all time favorite character is Tuco, what a greedy character, I haven't seen such a character in any movie. Tuco gargles his mouth with water in desert, spitts in his hand and then puts his wet hand on his face, just to protect himself from sun, I have never seen such acting or imagination in any movie. The way he says "Blondie dont die blondie" when he realized that blondie knows the name of grave. The way he eats with Angle eye when he gets caught. He doesn't eat until Angel eye eats from his plate, just to make sure that nothing is mixed (poison may be) in his food. And his expression " I know I know (food is clean) when Angel eye eats from his plate. The way he tries to convince Blondie in his priest brother's place. "Blondie we both are alone, you have me and I have you...... the way Tuco tries to get name of grave, it is unforgettable. And the way he joins Blondie again and kills Angel Eye's five men, he doesnt care about his own death when it comes to $200,000 gold coins. And finally he runs runs and runs in circle in semetary, that kind of scene is never seen before, again what an imagination of sergio and what an acting of Tuco. And in last shot 3 men with guns and gold coins, unbelievable. And finally Tuco with half gold, or half gold with Tuco. I have never seen characters like Blondie( a real hero) and Angel Eye( the greatest villain of all the time). Just recall your memory and see the way Angel eye looks at everybody, sharp look with sharp direction. This movie is a real tribute to cinema. You can learn so many things from it.

God bless your soul Sergio