'Jail - Movie review'

My first audio-clip-accompanied movie review


'Jail' - the movie opens with Neil Nitin Mukesh's entry in the jail. When the flashback to happier times begins, you just hope it doesn't go on till the interval like Karan Johar movies. Thankfully, it doesn't. Approximately fifteen minutes later, Neil is in the jail again sleeping in a huge group of half naked bearded men huddled together in one big room.

The movie is VERY Good - because it does not try to be over-the-top or a 'life-changing experience' for its viewers. The movie is, like Page 3 and Fashion and Traffic Signal, a drive in somebody else's car. The movie is good not because it brings before you a world you've never seen or imagined but because it highlights continously the hope and the spirit of people in jails.

Like all Madhur Bhandarkar movies, there are characters and their subplots linked to the story of the main character. AND like all Madhur Bhandarkar movies, these subplots grow as stories with a soul and all these characters gain an identity for themselves.

As a small note, this movie, like Fashion and Page 3, has a character by the name Mukesh Tyagi - played by the same person who played Mukesh Tyagi in Fashion AND Page 3. Madhur Bhandarkar has some obsession with the name, man!

And like all Madhur Bhandarkar movies, the actors have given a fine performance. Mugdha Godse is very good - you do not forget her as a glam-doll. Aarya Babbar is very nice.Neil is amazing as he conveys the choked emotions of this man whose world has turned upside down all of a sudden. I think he has emoted very well. Atul Kulkarni comes in a good surprise appearance.

The song 'Saiya ve' was unnecessary but ok to set the mood of the film. The other 'Bareily ke bazar mein' was VERY unnecessary but then it didn't go on for like more than three minutes, so I don't mind. The movie is slow - so I did catch a nap for like three-five minutes like I always do. :-p


Madhur Bhandarkar has been accused of playing it by the formula - but I surely defend him because if anything, he has a formula of excellence and success!

Each of his movies has come out with a definite human virtue. Like the lyrics of Lata Mangeshkar's song in this movie, this movie is about hope - the hope to get back to a normal life that all of them long for...


Note: I also saw 'Azab Gazab Prem Kahani' (or whatever that name is) and would prefer Neil Nitin Mukesh over Ranbir any day!

Funny job application

Note: Click on 'Play' to hear the blog in my voice. It may be used as a read-along aid/addition.

Disclaimer: Original, like all my blogposts




Respected Sir,

I would like to apply for the post of a reality show contestant in your channel. I don't know which new reality show is coming up. But the rate at which they are going, I am sure there is atleast one. If not two. One of them will surely be a song/dance/music talent show. As it is, dance, song and music are the only 'talents' someone can have these days. So, I am quite untalented. So perhaps a plain show that is about a group of jobless people shouting and fighting around would do. In fact, I think I am eligible. I would like to tell you why.

Firstly, I am from a middle class family. Do I need to say more? Because from all the reality shows that I have seen so far, the Indian middle class is the most reality-show-friendly people because from what I have seen on the shows, we are indeed the most distressed section of people in the world - atleast as distressed as Rakhi Sawant's mother.

Secondly, I also have a collection of choicest abuses from English to Hindi and do a lot of yelling when I give them. In case you don't want me to abuse because you fear to loose the family audience (which let me tell you, you will get if the abuses ARE there!), I can also say "beep-beep" in a way that it sounds like the world's worst abusive word.

Thirdly, I talk to myself. This is one habit I developed when I was in the asylum. This talent of mine will surely take me a long way in the reality show that you put me in - especially after the "how do you feel now" questions that will be dropped every ten minutes.

On second thoughts, I think I will fit in the talent reality shows too. I have practised enough you see! I often give a speech on methods to reduce population of West Tanzania in front of my five year old cousin and when he gives negative feedback, I can very effectively clutch myself and fall to the ground grumbling and weeping. So, I am sure I will do that in front of the judges when they talk negatively about my performance too. In fact, you can make me a judge in one of your shows - after all, even I am considered a sidey performer in my area.

Sir, for the last one year, I have been practising my sms appeal in front of God in my evening prayer. Twice, the marigold petals fell from the God's photoframe. This should speak for the fact that I am good at it. I suggest you try this effect in one of your episodes with me.

The bottomline is that I totally understand that reality shows are as much related to reality as Abhijeet Sawant is to Rakhi Sawant. And I am now sincerely hoping that Abhijeet does not sue me for relating him to Rakhi. I understand that an imaginary Tulsi's love-triangle dilemma does not interest people as much as Rakhi Sawant's love-polygon dilemma and I will strive, as a reality show contestant, to generate this level of attention to the best of my ability.

Thanks and Regards,
Mr. X

Test of time

Note: Audio blog. Press play to start the read-along audio clip.

Dedicated to a friend Sushil who had once said something similar to the message of this blog.



"Hi!"

"Uhh..hi... you back to India?"

"Ya, here for a month..."

"Cool.. so, shopping today, eh?"

"That's what people come here for!" Anita rolled her eyes.

"Chalo, take care!" Sukanya hugged her and they parted ways.

Sukanya was lost in thoughts. Anita, her best friend from school was in Mumbai but hadn't even tried to get in touch with her. Are friendships so weak that they cannot sustain a year of being physically away from each other? Around two years ago, Sukanya and Anita had shopped at the same mall for Anita's brother's wedding. Anita had told her mom clearly that she wouldn't buy anything without Sukanya's approval. Talking about approval, Sukanya had approved Shashank before Anita introduced him to her family. Sukanya had however always wondered why Anita never kept in touch after she went abroad.

Anita was now at the billing counter of the store thinking of the unexpected encounter she had just had. She sighed as she remembered the day Sukanya told her boyfriend about Shashank. She thought Sukanya would keep that a secret. After the episode, each time Anita looked at Sukanya, she could only remember that Sukanya had wronged her.

Anita never told Sukanya how she felt. She simply seemed to have lost trust in her friend. Anita nearly heaved a sigh of relief when she went to the US. She wouldn't have to talk to Sukanya now. Soon, they weren't talking to each other at all.


The friendship that was important to both of them dissolved in the all-consuming poison of lack of communication. Sukanya kept wondering what had happened - Anita did not seem to want to tell her what actually had happened. She thought she was too hurt to allow this friend of hers an entry in her life again.

And where were they today? Looking at each others' pictures on facebook feeling happy that the other person was happy. Yet not having the courage to tell each other that they cared. The block that had been created had choked out their friendship.


Relationships are indeed like plants that need to be watered. Weeds of misunderstanding must be pruned before their roots rape the soil and deprive the plant of relationships of nutrition. Talking out the issues at the moment they arise is indeed a key to friendships that survive the test of time.