For anyone who thinks Raja Sen is an objective, sensible and mature film reviewer, just check the following article of his, urging people to go and see the movie 99 (never heard of it?? Don't worry. No one except Raja Sen has done that) because.. He is the dialogue writer of the movie.
But, the icing on the cake was when Rediff published the list of Top 25 Bollywood films of all times, Raja Sen included 99 as one of best all-time greats of Bollywood? Beat that if you can.
Any film critic who glorifies a movie which probably had a total lifetime audience of 2 (because he had a personal stake in that movie)and disses movies like Lagaan and 3 Idiots is a joke and a disgrace.
99 not out, and nervous as hell
A
little over an hour ago, I got a text message inviting me to a press
show. This, as you might imagine given my daily bread-foraging job as a
movie critic, is not an altogether unusual occurrence. Yet, today, it
singularly was.
This is primarily for two reasons: the
first being the ongoing producers-v/s-multiplexes strike, because of
which Bollywood's been watching cricket and people haven't gotten films
to watch in theatres and even Wolverine couldn't make it to India [ Images ] on time.
The second reason is more personal. The film in question is People Picture's 99,
directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK. It is a film I have watched
last week, and one I cannot review. Not because the directors taught me
how to play poker, but because it is my first release: somewhere in the
credits yours truly will pop up and nobody will really notice, but a
fact is a fact. Dialogues by Raja Sen.
And so it begins. You can gloss over here for a quick look at my backstory -- if for any unfathomable reason you would be interested. And yeah, I'm genuinely nervous.
I'm not sure if you guys can relate to this, but it's an immensely disconcerting feeling to be waiting to read reviews on a Friday instead of writing them. And I genuinely have no idea which way the coin will fall.
So why am I talking about my film?
Well, week in and week out we write about other films and get other
creators to talk about their own, and while I am definitely working on
getting Raj and DK to chat with you guys, here's a start: me, as part
of the 99 team, telling you why you should book tickets at your local multiplex now. Like, really.
99 is a clever, wholly
original caper film, set in the year 1999. That isn't the only reason
for the title, as the film's protagonists -- like a lot of us -- have
been through a lot but are still stuck well short of that final single
to take them to a hundred. It's only one run, but it's a big one -- and
the film's script is representative of that urgency. 99 may be a lot of
runs, but the three-figure mark is something special.
As a cricket nut, Raj and DK's
script also appeals to me because it takes an interesting look at
match-fixing, and the 1999-2000 period the film is based in gives it a
unique perspective. We look at a specific incident unfold in real time,
even as we are transported back to horrific headlines and trauma that
made us lovers of the sport weep -- just like our fast bowlers did. And
this film takes us back there and revisits the scandal through the eyes
of people like compulsive gamblers and tough bookies -- and roguish
opportunists who wear cheeky grins.
Not
that it's a serious film at all. It all makes sense, but this is an
entertainer all the way. 'Part fact, part fiction, pure fun' was always
the tagline, and the effort has been to keep it a fun ride. The
decidedly peculiar ensemble cast -- Kunal Khemu [ Images ], Boman Irani [ Images ], Cyrus Broacha [ Images ], Amit Mistry, Soha Ali Khan [ Images ], Mahesh Manjrekar [ Images ] and the one and only Vinod Khanna [ Images
] -- is an indicator of the kind of film this is, a pacy irreverent
film that changes its cities and motives with equal flair. And has a
hoot while at it.
This is an odd piece to write,
because it is by no means a review. Yes, I have watched the film, but I
have zero objectivity on it so far, something that will probably change
over the next couple of times I see it. Not that I can ever review it,
of course.
So why then am I talking up the
film? Purely because I want you all to give it a chance, simply because
I have a massive gut feeling a lot of you will genuinely enjoy it. It's
a fun, zippy film with a cricketing climax that gave me goosebumps
simply because of the memories of the time it suddenly threw back at me
-- and I'd really like to know how you all react to it.
So next week you can all play
critic. I'm opening up next week's Senterfold for your comments, and
the cleverest/funniest/meanest lines get to feature as you guys give 99
a report card. And I promise you, savage my film and do it well, and
you'll see that comment on board next week. Tell us if you liked our
innings or not, but just leave the pavilion and go to theatres.
A few of you out there like me, and
I'm well aware you're in a minority. But my appeal to all of you --
haters and readers alike -- is that all of you at least give the film a
shot before sl*gging it off, if sl*g you must. I'd still wager you'll have a good time.
Watch it, yeah? Cause the road from 99 to a century consists of a winning run only you can help us hit.
Thanks
Edited by Relda - 13 years ago
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