Friday, August 12, 2011

Society in cinematic context!!





Many thanks to Prakash Jha for dealing such a contentious issue (in a balanced way, thanks for telling us question like “do you believe in reservation?” is a silly question, thanks for scrutinizing our education system through a most popular medium (ie cinema) and thanks for giving a deserving and worthy role to Amitabh Bachan (unlikely to movies like budhha hoga tera baapwherein his talent is insulted)

Prakash Jha has not dealt Aarakshan rather our education system as a whole. Reservation is not a contentious issue. Its corporatization of education that has made it an “issue”. Education has become “no-guarantee business” and therefore the most ‘profitable’ one. Its lack of value education that makes reservation a divider between “two Indias”.

Reservation is an issue over which discussion heads nowhere. No one reaches to conclusion. It starts with polite discussion and ends with heavy mind and loud voices. Here Prakash Jha attempted to convey why we don’t reach to conclusion. Because solution lies not within but outside it. In India ‘Siksha’ is a culture. We respect our teachers even today. But what if they start considering us a customer??? What if they are concerned with their balance sheet instead of the result of their students??? What if they start analyzing ‘market trend’ for their business loss rather pondering over the ‘why factor’ due to which ‘his’ student got less marks?? And after this we should expect the respect?? And therefore education has been deprived with its soul.

As a result reservation is not a concerned matter. It’s our education system that has made reservation a fretful issue. we are misattributing resevation as the cause of hurdle in our career. But in actuality it’s the changed notion of education that deceives us.

Due to this changed notion various questions come up - how many of us want to be a teacher??Why not there should be largest allocation of budget on education that is the basis of the human resource?? Why corporatization of education is not proscribed?? Why some jobs (like IAS, IPS, Engineering etc) have been glamorized and being teacher or scientist is marginalized. Why not there be a service like ITS (Indian Teaching Services as suggested in the movie)???

Prakash Jha has raised the alarm. Society should ponder over this.

In cinematic context role of Amitabh Bachhan is commendable. Saif Ali khan has done great in spite of looking over aged. Prateek babbar and depika padunkod are replaceable characters. They would have no justification why ‘only’ they should be given chance. Tanvi aazmi (played Amitabh’s wife) has got the opportunity to portray a very powerful character without much words and she done it well. Manoj bajpai is at his best.

Mukesh Tiwari, Manoj Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Darshan Jariwala and Saurabh Shukla are as usual perfect. You will like Yashpal Sharma in positive character for a change.

Songs are good (Prasoon Joshi after all). I could not understand why song “mauka” made a narrow escape from editor’s desk. In “kaun si dor” you will get an opportunity to listen chhunilaal mishra a renowned vocalist of Kirana Gharana.

“Roshnii” is a motivation background song that connect us with the character’s state of mind.

In crux…if you like thought provoking stuff in cinema then its .. Recommended.:)


13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,

As usual your observation is very very deep (as this movie convey the message why we don’t reach to conclusion, i think it is the soul of whole movie)...and your indite is too good...koi itna soch raha hai...sahi hai.

Reservation has become a big issue and no one could still found the solution on this subject.realy cinema is the most popular medium, and many thanks to Mr.Jha,as he has given a new way to think as ITS (Indian Teaching Services)our society and govt should be ponder over this.... nahi to wo din dur nahi jaise tumne sawaal uthaya hai "But what if they start considering us as a customer???" and all that you know tumhare is sawaalo ne to muze zanzod kar rakh diya hai.Shiksha business ban chuki hai???tumhari lekhni aur kitno ko zanzod sakti hai??

Rest all is in fine way.I appreciate you and thanks to your pen...jo sochne par majbur kar satka hai.

Thanks
Chaitali

Anonymous said...

Kudos !! a nice way to give a film review, particularly movies with a theme. I read some reviews of the film and they were at loss of not having so much of "arakhshan" in the film to justify the uproar. and in their despair the miss the larger picture. Sad, this nation not only does not care for good cinemas, it also does not have a sense to critique a film. it also tells us why the uncouth horrendous trivialization could deflate the focus.I just wish, however that u cud hv given some more space to review the routine things about a film more...like the plot, the editing, compactness, impact, length etc...nonetheless, great effort

maanas said...

@chaitali...
actually!! aarakshan isliye laya gaya tha ki ye hamare bich ke devide ko kam karega...lekin education ke carporatisation aur marketisation ne is aarakshan ko divider bana diya hai....ab ek dost dusre dost ko 'tum' nahi 'tum log' kah ke bulaane lage hai....but they dont even think that this group-ism will destroy their individual identity. we should always remember ki hamara naam pahle aata hai, title baad me.
and many thanks to you for yr encouraging appreciation.
:)

maanas said...

@Anonymous...
i agree with you that we dont 'understand' cinema. we dont have good scripts.directors analyse market when they should listen to their heart while making cinema.and irony is that they get their money back by market. you will soon see my anger on this topic too.;)
and thanx for your appreciation.
as for as the review is concerned i wud not call it a review rather prakash jha gave me a boost to vomit my internal thoughts...but next time i will try to touch the technical aspects u mentioned.
:)

Vivek Pandey said...

“no-guarantee business” ... Education ..... Besically this is the reasion ... Behind oppose the Film .. coz No Govt. want to Aware People on Education Issue.... If people will educate, Govt. will Questioned on evry Step .... and GOVT. dont like "QUESTIONS"

Miss.Tejashri said...

I am waiting for your movie to come now.... for that I wish to write a review.... and Trust me.. you would definitely give me a better opportunity than Praksh Jha...


sahi hai aapka AARAKSHAN ME ITNA NIRIKSHAN.....

I really liked it, the way u described ...

Good Job Mr. Maanas ji... :)
will definitely not miss this movie for sure...!!!!

Purnima said...

I like the way you see movies... infact u have taught me how to see them.. what should be appreciated ...everything....

i never use to see movie like this before..
and as far as your this review on ARAKSHAN is concerned you are at your best ...
:)
i donno abt the movie but really your perception and your comments on the movie has motivated me to see the movie ...
and i know i m gonna love it!!!
:)

Ans i must say ... u have a great eye for cinema.... rather i should say u are blessed with a gift to see beyond the eyes could actually see...

GOD BLESS U
and may u give more of your insight on this ...

maanas said...

@vivek kumar...
yes you are right govt doesnt want to educate people on education...but we should not blame govt always...we are the unit of this country...we have some duties....are we following our responsibilities???Aarakshan jo sawal uthata hai vo pahle hamaare upar aata hai...baad me govt ke upar.
and we are living in a democratic country...it doesnt matter what govt likes or dislike....what we like is that matter.
By the way i was waiting for some insight on writing as well...were u so lost in the issue u forgot to mention it????;)

maanas said...

@tEJASHRI.....
my movie???? reviewing a movie is a different thing and making cinema is totally a different art...and Prakash jha is a craftsman...i am just an admirer.and i believe that creation should not be compared at any cost.:)
and if you wish to review my movie i will definitely make at least one for yr review.:)
so many thanx for your encouragement.
:)

maanas said...

@purnima ...
it seems my so called review is encouraging people to watch movie....and alas!!!its a free publicity....Prakash jha is not going to pay me.:(
and believe me..what you think a different perception,is only my effort to bring out the creator's effort.there are various talents who work behind the camera...they should be equally appreciated.like the cost of a beautiful sunrise scene is paid by the cinematographer in many sleepless nights.:)
thanx for the appreciation.u will soon read my next anger.;)

Akanksha said...

I like thought provoking movies, but I do not recommend this one. The maker has made some issue-based movies earlier too and did justice to them. I do not think he did what he is capable of. Either he got confused in his thoughts or he was awed by the presence of big "stars" and believes in raking in mullah these days.

maanas said...

@akansha di...
Thanx for your comment first of all:)
i would like to say two things here. first, prakash jha is known for issue based cinema.but we should know what kind of issues he has taken before aarakshan.like gender injustice (mrityudand), bounded labour (damul)organised crime(apaharan)public corruption in general and blinding incident in particular(gangajal) etc. now tell me are these issues similar with "reservation"? even a child is asked is kidnapping or gender injustice fair???he/she will straight forward say-no. but can we answer black-n-white for reservation??? its a sensitive issue.it cant be dealt in either-or way.(even the protagonist didnt take his stand on this)
second, in aarakashan, reservation was not the issue.issue was educational reform.due to which 'reservation' has become an issue.and he is very much clear in his thought dealing this subject.
moreover rajneeti had more 'big stars'.and prakash jha himself is a star. people watch his movie in the name of director not stars.
as for as 'direction' is concerned, i will tell you some detail if you wud like to know.
and if you have some better plot then this i am eagerly waiting for yr insight.
:)

Ajayendra Tripathi said...

Ek behtareen lekhan, (jitna main samajh paya ;))
Aarakshan ek bahut hi achi aur kayi ache sandeso ko dene wali film hai.
asli comment bacha ke rakha hai jo hindi me translated post par karunga :P
keep it up bhaiya :)