The year was 1973 when this movie was first released...and it was not until early eighties when I happen to watch this brilliant movie on a black & white TV set. Even at that time though I could not follow the finer nuances of cinema , it still did leave an indelible mark .
Unfortunately, in todays times there are no prints available in the market yet of this movie, depriving cine lovers of this masterpiece . I managed to somehow request a copy of this movie through a dear family friend, and relived the moments on a Sunday Noon...
The movie is based on a short story by Ismat Chughtai, adapted for the screen by writer Kaifi Azmi.
It is set in the late 40's post partition era , depicting the plight of a muslim family based in Agra, during those troubled times. One after the other, his brother and family and later his son along with his family migrate to Pakistan, not able to withstand the turmoil faced during that time....left behind is Salim Mirza, the eternal optimist along with his family. Balraj Sahni in a role of a lifetime. If anyone wants to know the definition of a subtle yet impactful performance, the reference point should be Balraj Sahni.
Watch the simple story masterly told by M S Sathyu, devoid of any traps of your regular commercial cinema. The shot taking methods used by the director is rarely seen and is way ahead of its time...There are some scenes in which the actor are emoting/conversing facing the camera as if the camera is one of the actors, amazingly deployed.
This movie has a wonderful Qawwali (and the only song in this movie) , performed by Aziz Ahmed Khan Warsi for the Durgah Salim Chisti (Fatehpur Sikri)...mind you these was way ahead of its time, when Qawwali was not an item insertion.... The Picturization of this Qawwali at the Durgah while the lovers are visiting the shrine is again simple and still impactful. Imagine the entire Qawwali, without showing the Qawwali performers...only the shadows of the Saajindey (chorus), clapping to the beats, and camera focussing on the fingers moving on a harmonium.
Classical Background score by Ustad Bahadur Khan. Communicative Cinematography by Ishan Arya.
Then there is this Dadi ma (mother of Balraj Sahni in the movie), who does not wish to vacate the haveli, since it has memories of her life in every nook and corner....she hides in the house, when the family is moving out...and finally her breathing her last back in the same haveli (Post getting evicted)...hearing distant voices of all the members of the family with eyes wide open as if she is searching for the members those who have left the family house and moved to Pakistan....
Movie, also stars Farooque Shaikh in a miniscule but impressive and important role. Shaukat Azmi, A K Hangal, Yunus Parvez, Jalal Agha to name the few.
Reward yourself by watching this simple muslim socio-political drama for the performances,story telling skills by the director and most important BALRAJ SAHNI....
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
DVD Review - Atonement
Review of Atonement
a·tone·ment /əˈtoʊnmənt/ Pronunciation[uh-tohn-muhnt]
noun 1. satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury; amends.
Though I do not like movies with the backdrop of war...so what if by the end every war movie either depicts the triumph of the human spirit or emphasises the futility of war...
Atonement - was a different movie experience all together. Movie based on the best selling novel by Ian McEwan. The journey of the story from the pages of this wonderful novel to being adapted for the screen is flawless...being a reader myself, I would still prefer reading to watching a screen adaptation...since human imagination can never be restricted by any budget and finally a movie is director / writer's interpretation of the book. Having said that.... it has still been wonderfully done.
A good cinema is definitely a great team work of all those behind the screen plus on the screen. Production Designer is such a key player in the team, actually giving the look and feel of the movie. This movie has sweeping Production design by Sarah Greenwood (she should have won the Oscar for this...)...
This movie won an Oscar for Music though by Dario Marianelli...with a mysterious and touching feel (dont miss the clickety clackety of the typewriter nicely entertwined in the music score) to the entire background score to this beautiful love story (okay okay...I know I am a sucker for Love Stories....)
Directed by Joe Wright, Screenplay by Christopher Hampton & the author himself.
Starring - James McAvoy (seen in The Last King of Scotland) and Keira Knightley (looking pretty but anorexic). The love letters exchanged between the lovers were so touching and poetic....
Quotes from the movie
Dearest Cecilia, the story can resume..... The one I had been planning on that evening walk.
I can become again the man who once crossed the surrey park at dusk, in my best suit, swaggering on the promise of life.
The man who, with the clarity of passion, made love to you in the library.
The story can resume.
I will return.
Find you, love you, marry you and live without shame.
I can go on and on to describe the beautiful moments of the movie...but would rather prefer the audience to watch it.
There is a 5 1/2 minute long take in the movie involving around 1000 extra's...watch this sweeping scene (Dunkirk beach scene) !
Those who have not seen the movie yet, do watch it either on DVD or when it releases on BIG SCREEN here....
But surely meant for lovers of good cinema and readers of good novels !
a·tone·ment /əˈtoʊnmənt/ Pronunciation[uh-tohn-muhnt]
noun 1. satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury; amends.
Though I do not like movies with the backdrop of war...so what if by the end every war movie either depicts the triumph of the human spirit or emphasises the futility of war...
Atonement - was a different movie experience all together. Movie based on the best selling novel by Ian McEwan. The journey of the story from the pages of this wonderful novel to being adapted for the screen is flawless...being a reader myself, I would still prefer reading to watching a screen adaptation...since human imagination can never be restricted by any budget and finally a movie is director / writer's interpretation of the book. Having said that.... it has still been wonderfully done.
A good cinema is definitely a great team work of all those behind the screen plus on the screen. Production Designer is such a key player in the team, actually giving the look and feel of the movie. This movie has sweeping Production design by Sarah Greenwood (she should have won the Oscar for this...)...
This movie won an Oscar for Music though by Dario Marianelli...with a mysterious and touching feel (dont miss the clickety clackety of the typewriter nicely entertwined in the music score) to the entire background score to this beautiful love story (okay okay...I know I am a sucker for Love Stories....)
Directed by Joe Wright, Screenplay by Christopher Hampton & the author himself.
Starring - James McAvoy (seen in The Last King of Scotland) and Keira Knightley (looking pretty but anorexic). The love letters exchanged between the lovers were so touching and poetic....
Quotes from the movie
Dearest Cecilia, the story can resume..... The one I had been planning on that evening walk.
I can become again the man who once crossed the surrey park at dusk, in my best suit, swaggering on the promise of life.
The man who, with the clarity of passion, made love to you in the library.
The story can resume.
I will return.
Find you, love you, marry you and live without shame.
I can go on and on to describe the beautiful moments of the movie...but would rather prefer the audience to watch it.
There is a 5 1/2 minute long take in the movie involving around 1000 extra's...watch this sweeping scene (Dunkirk beach scene) !
Those who have not seen the movie yet, do watch it either on DVD or when it releases on BIG SCREEN here....
But surely meant for lovers of good cinema and readers of good novels !
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