Given it away…:-)
Watched ‘Meenaxi – A …’ last night. Pinch alternated between exasperation and helpless laughter throughout the film. ‘I don’t understand this, why do they speak such arcane dialogues? It’s easier to follow the songs than the dialogues!’…
Obviously, he hadn’t watched ‘Gajagaamini’.
Well, I have realised that in order to enjoy a Hussain film, one shouldn’t try to draw the film into a plot or a storyline. Instead, one should sit back and enjoy the trip. A bit like ‘Ulysses’ or whatever little I read of it. Enjoy the play of words, the flighty trips of imagination.. the colour and fantasy. Don’t try to limit the medium or draw a conclusion of place, time or person. Imaginary characters float on the screen along with real ones… The video was in bad print. Yet I could appreciate the camera work, the locations, the lovely photography. The film is beautifully shot. Shot in Jaisalmer, Hyderabad and Prague, the film manages to bring out the sheer beauty of the cities. The noise of the bazaars, the festive spirit, the Sufi qawaals… Hyderabad comes across as a noisy and vivacious city. Jaisalmer is bright, colourful, musical. Prague… Nice, European city and that’s all I can say.
Tabu floats through all the reels like an ethereal spirit, lovely and timeless. Hussain does a cameo, a fleeting shot in an Irani cafe.
The film is worth a watch… but you need to be in a different mode to enjoy it.
After the film, I’ve decided… I must go to the Urs festival sometime.
rileen says:
Haven’t watched any film by M.F.Hussain to date – might get the DVD of this one; i also love some of the songs from it.
April 23, 2004 — 10:12 am
Lakshmi says:
Songs are strictly so-so…I thought that Rehman has done much better in the past.
April 23, 2004 — 11:02 am
rileen says:
Well, i love ‘Do kadam’ and ‘Chinnamma Chilakkamma’ in particular – which is hardly to say that it’s among ARR’s finest works, but that’s a bit too much, one can’t expect him to exceed himself all the time …..
April 23, 2004 — 11:06 am
arunshanbhag says:
Already on DVD? Will have to see it next!
Oh Oh! will have to change my comments on Sampada’s post.
April 23, 2004 — 7:53 pm