Ghoomer: R Balki’s Film Is A Long Justification For Terrible Men |
This is #CriticalMargin, where Ishita Sengupta gets contemplative over new Hindi films and shows. |
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| | Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami |
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HINDI films, especially those centering on sports, often depict male brilliance a certain way. It manifests in tortured, self-destructive men, in a prolonged war with themselves. Two of the most iconic sports films in the last two decades, Nagesh Kukunoor’s Iqbal (2005) and Shimit Amin’s Chak De! India (2007) feature broken and astute men who aspire for redemption through someone else. Granted this is not a definitive reading — but irascible, tormented men are often treated as a shorthand of brilliance just as this distinct brand of brilliance is used to absolve irascible, tormented men. Ghoomer, R Balki’s latest outing, unfolds as a reiteration of this troubled, gifted male coach-meets-prodigy premise, blithely heedless about its datedness and problematic undertones. Padam Singh Sodhi aka Paddy (Abhishek Bachchan) is a snappy, irritable alcoholic who spends his time demeaning everyone around him. He is a prick. Many years ago, in the ‘70s, he was selected in the Indian cricket team. While playing his first match, he suffered an injury which diminished his chances of playing for the team again. Although he made runs at the state level, his selection in the national team remained a faraway dream. Someone else might have started a coaching institute, probably even moved on. Not Paddy. Wearing an oversized hoodie and eyes sunk in, he reeks of bitterness still and uses his membership to an upscale cricket club to drink whiskey during happy hours. Then there is Anina (Saiyami Kher), a bright, upcoming cricketer whose towering talent ensures an early selection in the Indian cricket team. But on the day of the announcement, she meets with an accident and loses her right arm. More From Our Critic | Made In Heaven Season 2: Moral Science Via Seamier Side Of Marriages Seven-feature film-old Balki has a gimmick-sized problem. Take any of his work and his eagerness in opting for quirky concepts surfaces as a nagging pattern: a 30-something woman falls in love with a 60-something man (Cheeni Kum, 2007), a mute actor borrows voice from someone else (Shamitabh, 2015) and tricks the rest, film critics are killed for their dishonest reviews (Chup: Revenge of The Artist, 2022). This, of course, would not have been a problem (Ayushmann Khurrana would have fewer films in that case) if his treatment was not facile. The filmmaker’s preoccupation to dazzle with an off-kilter idea is so strong that it overhauls everything else, rendering the central plot gimmicky in its intent. |
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Mathagam: Ambitious, But Not Compelling Enough |
Prasath Murugesan's Mathagam begins on an intriguing note. A determined gangster is on his way to meet someone, but gets caught by a cop. The former offers a bribe to the latter and almost gets away scot-free. However, Deputy Commissioner Ashwath (Atharvaa), who reaches the spot, nabs him and probes into the thug's his late-night drive. It opens up a Pandora's box, which leads to Ashwath setting up plans to hunt down Padalam Sekhar (Manikandan), a dangerous criminal who is believed to have passed away a while ago. Ashwath has a dedicated team and the support of a couple of senior cops, but Sekhar is equally powerful and has a nexus that is beyond the police department's comprehension. |
| Depp V Heard Is Netflix Being Exploitative & Superficial |
It's possible that almost every crevice of information, every element related to the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial has already been covered by someone or the other out there. The trial, of course, was arguably the most discussed and scrutinised topic in all of 2022, despite the entire world still reeling under the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic, interestingly, could be factored in when we address the mania surrounding the trial because one could reckon that it brought all of us the guilty respite that we deserved. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, under the garb of a defamation trial, unveiled the dark belly of fame. For an entire generation hooked to reality TV, the Depp v Heard trial turned out to be the motherlode of outrageousness. | |
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