The Tashkent Files (2019) [Hindi] : India's Biggest Conspiracy Theory, a must watch, but with a pinch of Salt

The Tashkent Files is a political Conspiracy Theory, a movie genre so rare in Indian films that this fact itself makes it imperative that one watches this movie. 

As the film shows so aptly, we all know 2nd October as Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. But why don't most of us remember, or even are aware that it is also the birthday of Lal Bahadur Shastri, the 2nd Prime Minister of India? The movie succeeded in making me go and look up his page on Wikipedia, with a new respect for this oft-unsung hero of the soil. As the protagonist in the film asks: "If India is a country of Gandhiji and Nehru, then why is it not the country of Shastriji?", as I read the article about India winning the Indo-Pak War of 1965 under the able leadership of this great man, I do wonder - really, why not?

Giving short glimpses into his achievements and virtues (after all, how many of us knew that "All he owned at the end was an old car, which he had bought in instalments from the government and for which he still owed money" - wikipedia) the movie does reacquaint us with the great leader, and succeeds in bringing him back into the ever volatile current Indian social consciousness. But the most important part the movie tries to tackle is not his extraordinary life, but his mysterious death.

The 2nd Prime Minister of the biggest democracy, wins the war with it's hostile neighbour, signs a peace treaty with the enemy on a foreign land, and dies on the very same day. And there is neither a post-mortem nor an inquiry? Even a kid would cry foul play. The government maintains that his death was due to a heart attack. The movie questions this official stand, successfully building evidence to make us doubt the circumstances of Shastriji's death.

The movie is based on research and book by Anuj Dhar, who is also the author of the famous book "India's Biggest Cover-up" (remember Raj Kumar Rao in the web series "Bose: Dead / Alive"?). So, the facts presented are well-researched and convincing. But not some of the conclusions, which clearly reek of the director Vivek Agnihotri's Right wing inclinations. This is the one little unfortunate bad trait, that soured one of my most satisfying movie experience in recent years.

The movie starts off with an interesting premise, flounders on the way, and ends with a bang full of both common sense and non-sense. The facts and hypotheses presented in the movie are very convincing, and leaves the viewer indignant with shame at how we, the common man (the majority "no one", as termed in the movie) are fooled by the powers that be, into believing that which is not true. And the movie successfully attacks all things that are not right in the current state of affairs of our society - right from the politicians who exploit our prejudices to rule us and manipulate us as a nation, to the intellectuals and the media who willingly or unwittingly become their pawns in the Great Game, to the racists whose prejudices are played upon by these selfish politicians to achieve their own gains, to the gullible justice system that sits blindly - knowing all, seeing nothing, to the fake news and social media, which makes a joke and a joker out of all of us who foolishly believe in the digital bullshit floating around the net. It mercilessly lays bare all these pain points that haunt our nation and our society. But then, in the end, it goes one step too far, as those who are not too dazzled by the final revelations will note that its is a pathetic attempt at promoting certain political right-wing ideals. It is almost subtle, this attempt at hiding the ulterior motive of spreading certain political agenda, I agree. But the smell of bullshit cannot hide for long behind the best of fragrances. 

Why am I so vehement in my critique for this movie? Because I feel for the cause that this movie stands for - to finally bring out the truth behind the death of the great and humble son of our soil. To lay bare the dirtiness of politics, national and international, both - that will go to any lengths to ensure the profits of a few and the blinding of the majority common populace. And this little right-wing propaganda ruined, at least for me, what would have proved to be one of the best movies to come out of that ocean of unoriginal celebrity tripe that is Bollywood.

The final twist just goes to prove what the movie claims - no one know whom they are working for, not even the ones for whom you are working for. We are all puppets, manipulated by the puppeteers - the politicians who would sell us progress, exploit our racist mindsets, make us their pawns, letting us believe that we control them by our power to vote and to raise our voice, in their support or against them. We think we can make a difference, all the while doing exactly what "they" want us to do. For that little insight, I give this movie an extra star...

My Rating: 4

Nagrik [2015] Marathi - as shocking as Life, as difficult as Truth

This is the story of the everyday life, from the High places to the underbelly of the city of Mumbai, as seen through the eyes of a Reporter who writes a political column named 'Nagrik'.

"Nagrik" means Citizen. This is the story of that citizen who struggles to expose the truth through his journalism, only to get swept aside like an inconsequential and irritating housefly by the politicos and the rich. It is the story of that citizen who has to make a choice between making a decent living and being truthful to his ideals. A story of that citizen who has spent his life fighting a losing fight against the injustice to the poor worker like himself. It is the sordid tale of that citizen who is unscrupulous in his hunger for power. Too, of that rich builder who will stoop to any level to quench his depraved thirst. It is the story of that poor citizen who is happy to trade the life of his one child in order to save the rest of his kids.

Naming the movie "Nagrik" is quite misleading. They should instead have named it "Life". For, instead of entertaining us, as a movie is supposed to, this flick will leave you squirming in your seat, as it holds a mirror in front of us and makes us see the sordid side of our daily lives. That sordid part which we conveniently choose to ignore as we go about our business of living with a blind over our eyes.

Or maybe, they should have named it the "Truth". For, just like the truth, this movie is difficult to discern and even more difficult to digest, not to mention unsavory and downright ugly. It shows us that, which is right there in front of our eyes, and yet, its so dirty, so real, so fucking clear as the air and the sky, that we choose not to face it. We go about living our lives, blissfully turning a blind eye to the truth around us. Truth, about the perverted and insidious nature of greed that encompasses our politicians, rich-men and god-men alike.

The acting is brilliant. Performances by the dynamic Sachin Khedekar, the veterans Dr. Sriram Lagu, Sulabha Deskhpande and Dilip Prabhavalkar, and even Milind Soman in a negative role, are all executed so perfectly. The direction is quite decent. The dialogues are packed with dynamite. 

And yet, somewhere down the line, the movie fizzles out, as it tries to be as faithful to the real life as possible. And that is where, it fails the viewer who has come in expecting some good action and fireworks. That, and the optimistic, yet unrealistic and abrupt ending. Which is why, this movie is not for everyone. Do not go in expecting some nice action from Sachin Khedekar like he delivered in "Me Shivajiraje Bhosale Boltoy". Instead, be ready to come out with a sense of unease.

We go around our daily lives, earning our bread, chasing our dreams, looking out for "me and my own". And in that process, we become a part of the system. A system where we are supposed to turn a blind eye to the ugly truth. A system where you scratch my back and I will scratch yours, thank you. A system which eats you up and spits you out into oblivion, if you ever dare to oppose what you think is wrong. You do not dare to open your eyes. For if you do, you will see the vile relationship of Man and Greed. Try to change it and the system will change you instead. Or drive you insane. For the sake of your sanity, you quickly close your eyes again, drop your pants and welcome the inevitable pain that has become the part of your life as an Employee and as a Citizen. A system of the Rich, by the Rich, and for the Rich.

The film exposes the ugly underbelly of that system. And that is why it leaves you with a sense of unease. Unentertaining, yet extremely important. Better seen once than let it vanish into oblivion. Failure as a movie, yet shamelessly successful as an eyeopener...

My Rating: 3

Irada [2017] (Hindi) - It was not A Wednesday!

"Jalte ghar ko dekhne walon, phoos ka chappar aapka hai ... aag ke peeche tezz hawa, aage muqadar aapka hai" 

(Loose translation: "All of you looking at the burning house, remember even your roofs are made of grass. The wind is blowing behind the blaze, who knows what fate awaits you down the line?")

With this dire warning starts Irada...

An ex-Army officer loses his daughter to Cancer. An RTI activist disappears after being warned off by goons. The activist's girlfriend publicly insults a big-shot business tycoon, accusing him for silencing her boyfriend and blaming him and his factory for illegally disposing off dangerous waste. Soon after, there is a massive blast in the Factory. An NIA officer is called in to investigate the blast. The CM, whose campaigns are generously funded by the business tycoon, wants the case solved as soon as possible, so that the businessman can claim the Insurance money. Is it a terrorist act? If so then which terrorist group is responsible for it? So starts an investigation that was supposed to be a simple open-and-shut case. But as he gathers evidence, the NIA officer begins to question whether there is more to the blast than a mere terrorist act?

The film is a detective story about this investigation. But truth be told, it doesn't really take a detective to figure out what's going on in the movie. Some claim that its a thriller. But do not watch it expecting a lot of thrills and action. This is certainly not one of those racy mindless action thrillers Bollywood churns out every month. And it is certainly not A Wednesday! But there are undertones to the movie that just cannot be ignored. What one of the characters in the movie says about the city, can also be said about the film - "Ye shahar jitna zameen ke uppar hain na....utnaa hi Zameen ke niche hai". There is more to it than meets the eye. There is as much to the movie under the story than what appears in the story itself.

Irada was not a box office success. People went in expecting a movie like A Wednesday! - and they were sorely disappointed. Which is understandable because, truth be told, even I was disappointed during the first half of the movie. Its like you went in expecting a kadak chai (piping hot strong tea) and instead landed up with lukewarm kaadha (medicinal decoct). It is only later that you realize that the kaadha really did you more good than the chai, and left a mild but entirely pleasant aftertaste. But Indian tastes are so blunted by the excessive bollywood masala that we are incapable of appreciating the fine aromas of movies with actual substance.

The movie boasts a pretty rock-solid cast of veteran actors. Arshad Warsi plays the role of the cocky NIA officer, who plays cool even in face of pressure from the Chief Minister. Naseeruddin Shah is portrayed as an ex-army officer, who loses his daughter to cancer, and may possibly have a role to play in the blast that took out the factory. Sharad Kelkar appears in the role of the powerful, highly influential and stereotypical corrupt business tycoon who owns the said factory. And Divya Dutta has superbly enacted the role of a corrupt Chief Minister, who is hand-in-glove with the corrupt business tycoon. She succeeds in portraying a really bad-ass antagonist that the audience can hate. But the movie fails to give us a protagonist the audience can root for. And this is probably what turned off many of us. With such a dynamite cast, one can't blame the audience for expecting big bangs and fireworks, some good face offs between the virtuous and the sleazy, and the ultimate showdown between good and evil. But all the characters appear underplayed. Even the NIA officer played so well by Arshad Warsi appears hand-tied in most situations. The director had the finest armory of big guns and bazookas. And yet, we are left wanting for some good old-fashioned action. But patience pays off. And by the time the final credits are rolling, we realize that the movie failed to utilize the fire-power of the great actors on purpose. Because it knows that a well timed and well placed single sniper shot is more effective than rockets and mortar.

I read a few reviews that state that the characters are mere cliched caricatures. Of course they are cliched, because they are all side characters. They are not as important as the central character of the movie. And the reviewers all tend to miss it. It makes a brief appearance but leaves a lasting impression because the director and the script writer have taken the pains to portray it at the cost of losing out on unnecessary drama and masala. The central character in this movie is the Punjab Cancer Train. If, like me, you had never ever heard of it before, then that is the glaring testimony of why this film is so relevant. And once you watch this movie, the way you look at our "Wheat Bowl of India", will never be the same again. And if the movie succeeds to do this, then its characterization was just perfect, I tell you.

It would be unfair to compare this movie with A Wednesday! (which is a brilliant movie in its own right), because, though the two films try to tackle socially relevant topics in a similar fashion, the topic that Irada tries to tackle is, I feel, much more relevant and impacting to our future, than the one tackled by A Wednesday!. While A Wednesday! is any time a better thriller and a better entertainer than Irada, I congratulate the Irada team for taking the efforts to highlight a topic which, despite it's seriousness and grave implications, has hardly received any media attention at all.

The movie had the potential to be a good thriller. But the makers purposefully chose to keep out excessive dramatics and unnecessary macho action scenes. With Naseeruddin Shah, one would have expected some virtuous rhetoric. Instead we are just treated with him quoting poems and shayaris. But here is the thing - the poems (just like the one that appears at the very start of the movie) are a warning. So is the movie... A wake up call meant for the people of this nation who have mastered the not-so-subtle art of not giving a fuck beyond me-and-my-own-in-today's-date.

All great movies open our eyes and make us see the world in a different light. Irada might not be a very entertaining thriller, but in doing this, it succeeds with flying colours.

My Rating: 3.5

Ventilator [2016] (Marathi) - Comic as well as touching, pure family entertainment

A prominent director is about to host a screening for the famous celebrity Priyanka Chopra when the bad news comes in. His favourite Gajya Kaka (uncle) suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage and has been put on Ventilator. He hastes to the hospital. Turns out he is not the only family member to do so... The hospital waiting area soon fills up with near and distant relative. Some who care. Some who have their own ulterior agendas. News travels to the native village and a retinue of relatives leave from there posthaste. Some are concerned about the Ganapati festival that's right round the corner. Some are concerned about property disputes that would erupt post Gaju Kaka's death... Hardly anyone gives a thought as to why Gaju Kala was put on the ventilator in the first place. Its been a long time since our famous and busy protagonist has been amidst all these relatives together. Meeting all these quirky characters is a bit overwhelming. Gaju Kaka's son is too busy frying fish for his own career in politics. The fact that all wasn't well between him and Gaju kaka doesn't help. And there is the friction with his own father that the protagonist has to contend with... Will Gaju kaka ever get well?

The first half of the movie is a nonstop ride of fun and frolic as we are treated to a host of weirdest and zaniest characters from Gaju Kaka's nearest to the most distant relatives. A collection of quirky characters that make up almost every big family in the world... Exasperating, endearing individuals who are difficult to live with and maybe even more difficult to live without... The movie captures their quirks and presents them to us in a refreshingly comic fashion, without overdoing it... The underlying satire of people being their usual selves even in the backdrop of a grave emergency in the family makes it both funny as well as a social commentary about us humans. It portrays all these characters in a perfect mix of love, care and greed - the three emotions that define us all most...

In the second half the movie takes a serious turn. While they wait for the neuro-surgeon, observing and interacting with all the near and distant relatives and friends is an eye-opening and humbling experience for our protagonist. The ties that bind a father and a son are not always straight and simple. They are sometimes full of kinks and knots. While he watches these kinks straighten and knots unravel between Gaju kaka and his son, the protagonist slowly begins to understand and appreciate the fragility of the ties under all those knots... And this helps him reconcile his differences with his own father...

This movie is a pure tear-jerker - i.e. It will make you cry with laughter. And at the same time it will also make you shed a tear or two as you begin to empathize and relate with the characters therein.

Most of the actors have acted quite well. Which was to be expected when the movie boasts of a mammoth ensemble of some of the best Marathi actors - including stalwarts like Viju Khote, Usha Nadkarni, Sukanya Kulkarni-Mone, Shashank Shende, etc. The lead protagonist - through whose eyes we see the saga unfold - is played by Ashutosh Gowarikar. And while I will maintain that Ashutosh is a much better director than he is an actor (which he himself agreed in an interview), I would also state that - to be fair, returning to acting after such a huge gap, he has performed quite well. Jitendra Joshi, who plays the role of Gaju Kaka's son has also performed quite well.

Special appearances by Priyanka Chopra and Boman Irani adds some bollywood zing to the movie - not necessary, but good to have...

Marathi contemporary cinema is known to shy away from the usual bullshit that we come across nowadays in bollywood movies. The same can be said about this one. While some of the comic scenes appear farfetched, they are still much better than the lame comedy that bollywood comes up with nowadays. The story touches the heart, mainly because one can relate to it. Its realistic and does not venture into the usual over-dramatic bollywood masala crap. There is not a single dull moment, and the story never ever once loses its momentum. Its a fun and heart-touching ride all the way.

Certainly worth watching at least once, this is a pure family entertainer that can be enjoyed by everyone in the family - from grandchildren to grandparents.

My Rating:3

Phobia [2016] (Hindi) - An extremely well-executed psychological thriller

A woman suffering from a severe case of agoraphobia - fear of the outside world, suspects that a killer is stalking her. She is scared to get out of her house. And, stuck in her lonely flat that has become both her sanctuary and her prison, she is afraid the killer may strike her any time. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place...

Is she imagining things? Is her agoraphobic mind playing tricks with her? Or is there someone watching her? Entering her fortress when she is asleep? Is her neighbour a psychotic killer? Or is she just being paranoid? Is there some supernatural presence lurking in her lonely abode - that makes things go bump in the night, or even in broad daylight, for that matter? Or is she going stark raving mad?

This is an intricately crafted, multi-layered mystery that explores exactly what its name suggests - phobia, extreme fear... The story is tightly woven and well-crafted. Supported by extremely good acting and perfect direction, this is one of the best movies to appear in this as-yet-unexplored genre in Hindi films.

Both, the script and the editing, ensures that there is not a boring moment in the whole movie. Augmented with well-sketched and sometimes quirky characters, almost every moment in the movie offers some form of entertainment. Some quirky characters like Vikki, a teenage neighbour, that lighten the otherwise dark and tense atmosphere. They add funny moments in the movie, which makes one laugh and relieves the builtup tension. But thankfully these moments are not overdone - which would have ruined the movie.

The character of the main protagonist has been very successfully enacted by Radhika Apte, an extremely good actress. Aided by a strong script, she successfully makes us empathize with the character of Mehek, depicting her fragile psychological condition, her fears, her struggle to understand whether what's happening to her is real or just her mind playing games, and her formidable spirit and will in trying to over come these psychological barriers.

It is a difficult task to include supernatural elements into the plot and then manage to tie everything up without landing up with illogical and unbelievable nonsense. The writer has made a great effort to achieve this feat. And the director has depicted it well enough for the common layman to understand the reasoning behind the story. Everything ties up well in the end and appears to make perfect sense. I did not stumble upon any loose ends -which are common in these type of movies.

The film depicts the struggle of people suffering from Agoraphobia like none other has in the history of Hindi films. Though it manages to just scrape the tip of the Agoraphobia iceberg, it does manage to give us a glimpse into a psychological disorder that most people don't even know exists.

There is a 2013 English movie with the same name, and pretty similar plot. Which makes one suspect whether the plot for this movie was maybe copied from or inspired by this one. I have not seen the 2013 English movie (IMDB link). But I have a hunch that even if this was inspired by that movie, it is still a better executed artwork.

For the longest time, Hindi films have managed to churn up utter tripe that gets sold solely by the power of the Superstars and Kids, Inc (read, the Khans, the Kapoors, the Kumars and the rest of the stardom gang). Forget about poor acting, amateurish direction or physics-defying action, even the script and the story are shallow and childish. It is only recently that they have started exploring new ideas, with good actors, writers and directors breaking new ground. Psychological thrillers in Hindi films have mostly been mundane and same-old-stuff. But in the past few years movies like Karthik Calling Karthik are expanding the horizons of this oft misrepresented genre. And Phobia takes it to a whole new level with its brilliant script, extraordinary actors and superb direction.

This movie is certainly not for everyone. While it makes for a good scary / suspense movie, one cannot approach it for simple mindless entertainment. There is possibly a mild dose of the supernatural involve. And the final resolution, while unique and unexpected, may not be digestable to a few. But if you like movies with supernatural overtones, that make sense even as they make you hold on to your seat and avoid crying out loud, then you will certainly enjoy it as much as I did.

My Rating: 4

Before I Wake [2016] (English) - A great idea, poorly executed

A couple, Jessie and Mark Hobson trying to cope with the death of their infant son, adopt a child - a little boy named Cody. The kid is a bit reserved at first. But they try their best to make him as comfortable and welcome as possible. And slowly but surely the kid starts to open up. All is going well... But not quite...

Why is the kid trying his best to stay awake at night, alone in his room? And on nights, when he does fall asleep, strange things start happening. Does the boy possess a supernatural gift? And, they discover that this gift turns into a horrific nightmare...

At the beginning, the movie subtly but successfully depicts the pain that parents can go through, when they lose a child. The father is trying to cope by immersing himself in the daily chores that need to be done. The heartbroken mother is still to come to grips with the loss of her child. Attending alcoholics-anonymous-like meetings with other parents who have lost their kids; battling insomnia; unable to forget the memory of their lost child. What appears to most critics as no chemistry between the couple, is actually the two trying to cope with the tragedy in their own different Martian and Venusian ways, trying hard to not let it rip their marriage apart.

The kid with a beautiful but eventually nightmarish supernatural gift is also portrayed pretty nicely. Jacob Tremblay has acted the part pretty nicely, depicting a kid with a weight on his shoulders - who knows his gift can cause harm and tries so hard to control it.

The movie explores the theme of loss of a loved one. The anguish and the inability to cope with it has been depicted nicely. The movie could have delved deeper into it, but that would have made it lose its momentum.

There are a few loose ends in the story though. And a few scenes are left to ones own interpretations. Some parts of the movie are amateurish and some are just plain ridiculous. For instance, when Jessie loses her husband, she displays no emotion whatsoever. Its like he was never a relevant part of her life. The climax appears rushed and strangely devoid of juice, after a good buildup. Yet, the final revelation and wrap up, though hasty and apparently half baked, left me with a warm glow the same way Green Mile, another unusual movie that has a supernatural gift as its core idea, did (though, no comparison should be made between the two, because Green Mile is a much better movie)

This movie is based on an interesting premise. And the makers could have made it into a much better movie, had they explored the idea even deeper. But instead, they tried to make it into a commercial supernatural thriller. And that's where the movie lets us down. Which is unexpected from writer/director Mike Flanagan who gave us such superb psychological / supernatural thriller like Oculus. Though, the final revelation and wrap-up is complex, unexpected and totally worthy of appreciation.

If you are looking for a horror / supernatural thriller movie, then this isn't it. Like the audience in the theater where I was watching this movie, you will be sadly disappointed. Instead, if you like some new ideas that drive the movie, with a healthy dose of the supernatural, then you will certainly like this movie, the way I did.

This is not an easy movie to watch. Not your regular keep-your-brains-aside kind of entertainment. But for the connoisseur of the unusual and the different, this is an interesting watch. Unfortunately the commercial thriller angle adopted by the makers of the movie will grate on your senses...

Yet, for someone who likes movies with interesting and unusual concepts, this is certainly worth watching once.

My Ratings:2.5

Killa (the fort) [2015] (Marathi) - a beautifully shot coming of age movie

There are events that change us. For better or for worse. Force us to grow up, whether we like it or not. Growing up can be painful, but who has escaped this necessary transition in life? This is a story about growing up.

Chinmay, a 11 year old boy, arrives with his mother to a picturesque town in Konkan. His mother, a widow, and a government servant, recently got transferred from Pune. Such a transition can be very difficult for a kid. Especially someone who has lost his father recently. What such a kid needs at such times are friends. Chinmay manages to make friends with a few kids in his new school. One day they visit a nearby sea-fort. And something happens there that will eventually push Chinmay to grow up.

This is a very simple but touching coming-of-age story which succeeds to entertain in more than one ways.

The movie tenderly and beautifully captures the life of a kid, in school and outside it. (I was reminded of "Stanley ka Dabba", another movie that captured and portrayed the life of kids so beautifully). Chinmay and his new friends in school are so charming, it forms a major part of the entertainment value of the movie. It reminded me of my childhood days.

But let that not deceive you. This is no simple tale about kids in school. Its a beautifully crafted art-piece that portrays the beauty of Konkan like no other movie I have seen before. Kudos to Director and Cinematographer Avinash Arun for making magic with the camera and capturing the essence of the greenery and the coastal beauty of Konkan region. The scenes at the beach, on the boat, and at the fort are absolute eye candy.

The script is so simple and yet so effectively conveys the emotions of all the charaters. Especially the strained yet tender relationship between Chinmay and his mother. The story throws at us some very memorable characters. Bandya (Chinmay's friend), and the fisherman are the ones I liked most. The script does not flinch to depict kids swearing really nasty swearwords. Most movies depict kids as sweet and innocent. Not so with this one. And that makes the story even more realistic.

The pace of the movie can be a bit slow, especially after the interval, when things start going wrong. The Killa - which means a Fort, on which the movie title is based, does not feature in the movie until the interval. And though the events at the fort play a pivotal role in the movie, the fort itself features in the movie only for a few minutes.

The performances of most of the actors was extremely good. I especially liked the roles of Parth Bhalerao who plays Bandya, Amruta Subhash, who plays Chinmay's mother and Archit Deodhar who plays Chinmay.

This was one really good movie experience for me...

My Ratings: 4