Mumbai|23 August 2008
Before watching AakashaGopuram at 7:20, we watched Mumbai Meri Jaan 3:15 pm.
When the hindi film show was over my friend, a fellow Mallu, told me something that I totally agreed with: 'This is what Malayalam cinema was 10 years back'. Now Hindi and Tamil cinema has become- engaging cinema. They are honest to their intentions. If they are to entertain they do their best, if they are to provoke, they make you think.
When Hindi and Tamil cinema is encouraging new visionaries like Nishikant Kamat, Malayalam cinema is giving 8 crores to archaic directors like K.P.Kumaaran to make mockery in the name of high-art.
Mumbai Meri Jaan was a moving experience. I like everything about it because it was honest, the script to acting, camera work to sound. The director struck a chord in me. I believe from the reaction in the theatre, it was a moving experience for all in FameAdlab theatre in Malad today.
On the way out, since it was a Saturday and we had time at our disposal we unfortunately decided to watch AakashaGopuram- at 7:20 pm.
In the first 5 mins the audience became restless. We walked out during the interval. It was so bad. (Dear reader please insert the adjective 'fuck' in every space available between that sentence)
Now I can watch a bad film once in while, I am OK with that I would not bother to write about it. What has prompted this post is the public-relation exercise that is being done to save this piece-of-shit cinema/'ttheetam-cinema' (Only Malayalam can express my feelings for this work aptly)
Midday has this to say amongst other things-
...Combining the magic of a brilliant playwright like Henrik Ibsen, a superbly achieved adaptation and technicalities with the likes of Hollywood, this film proves to be the future of Malayalam cinema...
The likes of this review you find online, shows the desperation of the producers who have apparently shelled out 8 crores for this shit. (Frankly I don't think this film has cost that much, unless they paid the western crew as per their standard rates)
The script sucks big time, the acting is over dramatic, the set/art is bad, the graphics shoddy, I was surprised to not have found ancient iris-wipes in the edit... In short- the director K.P.Kumaaran's vision or grand illusion was completely out of touch with evolution of film language. And that is what the above film review has described as 'the future of Malayalam cinema' and the publicity claims 'First International Malayalam Cinema'.
My condolences.
Moral of the story is that: every technician however good, is only as good as the director. Film is a director's medium. This is sad cinema Mr. K.P.Kumaaran. (Reader, please be liberal in inserting the 'F' word)
