All hail the king.
The king is alive and well.
Long live the king.
To suggest SRK is back with a bang is a bit disingenuous because it's not like he has ever been away in the first place but for me the 'bang for my buck' went missing from his recent roles so it pleases me to say this role, or if I count properly these roles, are bang on target.
Here the king dusts off his cloak, spruces up his crown and reminds his subjects, calm down and leave it to me, leave it to the king!
And my blog is written very specifically around him.
This movie is for those who have seen SRK evolve from anti hero, to romantic hero, but who have frowned at some of his recent roles. In fact this is a movie for anyone (points at self) who has desperately wanted to marvel at a masterful actor, and has become a little irritated (points at self again) because for that person (like me) here is a masterclass times two.
So how does SRK get his mojo back?
Well take a man who loves a challenge, and provide him with one, then sit back and watch the magic unfold. Give him the chance to play roles that offer light and shade - and all the many hues in between - and allow him to be. Maneesh Sharma does just that, he gives SRK the platform, the space and the freedom to express himself, by removing him from his self imposed comfort zone and lets the sparks fly.
I've said it before when SRK is good he is great but when he is bad he is brilliant and here we are provided with conclusively proof. The best thing about the movie for me though is that Maneesh highlights the actor's tremendous skill without pandering to his image or to his star status, and it's been ages since any director did so. Maneesh harnesses SRK's image and his status to harvest two of the finest roles he has ever tackled, by creating a thriller of the highest order, a movie that takes you on an exhilarating ride with a thrill around every corner, it shakes, it rattles and it rocks.
The youngster Gaurav Chandna an obsessed fan with his stiff botox upper lip will justifiably steal the plaudits, as it is that kind of role but the other role of the superstar Aryan Khanna is no less intense, a focused professional who understands his worth, a businessman who will do whatever it takes to safeguard his career and his family.
Sharp writing.
The beauty of plot for me is that it fingers the patronizing stance that stars are known to display, "I am only here because of my fans" stars will tell you when they are enjoying runaway success but when those very fans request a few seconds of their time, it is often too much to give.
That in essence is the story; a fan who dubs himself The Junior Aryan Khanna - with a remarkable likeness to the real Aryan Khanna travels from suburban Delhi to the superstar's home on the Bandra waterfront in Mumbai, cherishing just one little hope - to meet his idol and to share an award that he has won for three years running for impersonating him - with him.
His trip from the country's capital to its film capital mirrors the same path his idol followed, even staying in the exact same hotel he first stayed at and insisting on the same room but the moment his idol tells him "stay away from me. You in your place. Me in mine" his world collapses but the movie progresses.
Every ounce of energy that the fan has thus far invested into this love affair with his idol feels wasted, and as with any instance of obsessive and unrequited love, is that the hurt party experiences an 'if I can't have you, I will make your life so miserable that no one else will' moment and at this point the thin line between love and hatred becomes blurred and once that line vanishes, there really is no coming back from it...
That is one way of looking at the plot, from the fans point of view but director Maneesh Sharma also explores the self made star's side, a human-being whose fears for himself and his family are no different to anyone else'. This allows Maneeh to leave one conflicted as to how will it end, or more like how one would like it to.
The proceedings are powerful and disturbing. The action thrilling. The pace unrelenting. And the performances, both of them are scintillating.
Powerful because Maneesh has the guts to target one of the pillars that Bollywood stands on - it's dependence on its stars - and disturbing because it also shows how blind faith in that star system is abused, for instance the global entertainment world is known to foster star rivalries in the media, but the fans of those stars are gullible enough to make those rivalries personal.
If you get a chance take the time to read the responses from Salman's fans to SRK's movies and vice versa and the vitriol that flows is scary, never mind that fans do not have any power to control themselves because some still believe they are capable of controlling or at least affecting the outcome.
Some fans will go to incredible lengths to prove their devotion, some will even push that devotion to the extreme, its a kind of star terrorism carried out by someone willing to sacrifice their own well-being just to uphold their idol's reputation.
Is it wrong? That's not for me to pass judgement on, because its often done out of love. Is it madness, you bet but that's what happens with obsessive love, it displays behavior that borders on madness.
And Gaurav madly loves Aryan.
To make a plot like this work on a variety of levels, needs expert character development, and script-writing which is apparent but just how much brilliance can you cram into one movie without without overloading it?
Going by this movie? Plenty!
The proceedings are embellished with some truly breathtaking sequences; Gaurav's stage show at the fun fair, his attempts to escape the police from the hotel, trying to make himself heard amidst the white noise when he first sees his idol in real life, their first eye-to-eye meeting, the chase through picturesque Dubrovnik, the bonfire of all his favorite memorabilia, his visit to the stars home, the Madame Tussaud's episode and the climax; are stand out sequences, expertly constructed and masterfully executed.
This is the kind of film that will enjoy cult status. Any retrospective of SRK's career will be incomplete without mention of it, just like it is for roles like the one he did in Swades - but the distinction here is that there is no attempt at all for him to emerge heroic from it, this is not a film where SRK saves the world.
In this year's Oscar nominated movie Joy, Bradley Cooper advises Jennifer Lawrence that an actors hands and voice speak more powerfully to the camera than the face does, that while the hands express the truth, the voice convinces the listener and the first time Gaurav uses his idols voice to tell a girl that he has a small crush on that if he had to love her it would be "Dil Se" in a deep baritone voice like his idol would, immediately establishing the connection between him and his idol and setting the scene for everything that follows.
And pay attention to SRK's hands, they are fascinating to watch.
#FAN pays homage to SRK the actor and SRK the star, it is a celebration of both. That and the fact that both character's are instilled with equal but very different intensity shows just how gifted he is, that he can look into the mirror and there are different people on each side and how blessed we are to experience him giving such deep meaning to his art.
Almost a quarter of a century after he announced himself in spectacular fashion in Deewana, he is still raising the bar.
What an actor, what a movie, what a timely reminder as to why this is the @iamsrk we know and we love.
And if the gushing admiration seems misplaced, let me leave you with this thought, kya kare main uska fan hoon, yeh type ka performance mujhe pasand hai, tum nahin samjohge...
The king is alive and well.
Long live the king.
To suggest SRK is back with a bang is a bit disingenuous because it's not like he has ever been away in the first place but for me the 'bang for my buck' went missing from his recent roles so it pleases me to say this role, or if I count properly these roles, are bang on target.
Here the king dusts off his cloak, spruces up his crown and reminds his subjects, calm down and leave it to me, leave it to the king!
And my blog is written very specifically around him.
This movie is for those who have seen SRK evolve from anti hero, to romantic hero, but who have frowned at some of his recent roles. In fact this is a movie for anyone (points at self) who has desperately wanted to marvel at a masterful actor, and has become a little irritated (points at self again) because for that person (like me) here is a masterclass times two.
So how does SRK get his mojo back?
Well take a man who loves a challenge, and provide him with one, then sit back and watch the magic unfold. Give him the chance to play roles that offer light and shade - and all the many hues in between - and allow him to be. Maneesh Sharma does just that, he gives SRK the platform, the space and the freedom to express himself, by removing him from his self imposed comfort zone and lets the sparks fly.
I've said it before when SRK is good he is great but when he is bad he is brilliant and here we are provided with conclusively proof. The best thing about the movie for me though is that Maneesh highlights the actor's tremendous skill without pandering to his image or to his star status, and it's been ages since any director did so. Maneesh harnesses SRK's image and his status to harvest two of the finest roles he has ever tackled, by creating a thriller of the highest order, a movie that takes you on an exhilarating ride with a thrill around every corner, it shakes, it rattles and it rocks.
The youngster Gaurav Chandna an obsessed fan with his stiff botox upper lip will justifiably steal the plaudits, as it is that kind of role but the other role of the superstar Aryan Khanna is no less intense, a focused professional who understands his worth, a businessman who will do whatever it takes to safeguard his career and his family.
Sharp writing.
The beauty of plot for me is that it fingers the patronizing stance that stars are known to display, "I am only here because of my fans" stars will tell you when they are enjoying runaway success but when those very fans request a few seconds of their time, it is often too much to give.
That in essence is the story; a fan who dubs himself The Junior Aryan Khanna - with a remarkable likeness to the real Aryan Khanna travels from suburban Delhi to the superstar's home on the Bandra waterfront in Mumbai, cherishing just one little hope - to meet his idol and to share an award that he has won for three years running for impersonating him - with him.
His trip from the country's capital to its film capital mirrors the same path his idol followed, even staying in the exact same hotel he first stayed at and insisting on the same room but the moment his idol tells him "stay away from me. You in your place. Me in mine" his world collapses but the movie progresses.
Every ounce of energy that the fan has thus far invested into this love affair with his idol feels wasted, and as with any instance of obsessive and unrequited love, is that the hurt party experiences an 'if I can't have you, I will make your life so miserable that no one else will' moment and at this point the thin line between love and hatred becomes blurred and once that line vanishes, there really is no coming back from it...
That is one way of looking at the plot, from the fans point of view but director Maneesh Sharma also explores the self made star's side, a human-being whose fears for himself and his family are no different to anyone else'. This allows Maneeh to leave one conflicted as to how will it end, or more like how one would like it to.
The proceedings are powerful and disturbing. The action thrilling. The pace unrelenting. And the performances, both of them are scintillating.
Powerful because Maneesh has the guts to target one of the pillars that Bollywood stands on - it's dependence on its stars - and disturbing because it also shows how blind faith in that star system is abused, for instance the global entertainment world is known to foster star rivalries in the media, but the fans of those stars are gullible enough to make those rivalries personal.
If you get a chance take the time to read the responses from Salman's fans to SRK's movies and vice versa and the vitriol that flows is scary, never mind that fans do not have any power to control themselves because some still believe they are capable of controlling or at least affecting the outcome.
Some fans will go to incredible lengths to prove their devotion, some will even push that devotion to the extreme, its a kind of star terrorism carried out by someone willing to sacrifice their own well-being just to uphold their idol's reputation.
Is it wrong? That's not for me to pass judgement on, because its often done out of love. Is it madness, you bet but that's what happens with obsessive love, it displays behavior that borders on madness.
And Gaurav madly loves Aryan.
To make a plot like this work on a variety of levels, needs expert character development, and script-writing which is apparent but just how much brilliance can you cram into one movie without without overloading it?
Going by this movie? Plenty!
The proceedings are embellished with some truly breathtaking sequences; Gaurav's stage show at the fun fair, his attempts to escape the police from the hotel, trying to make himself heard amidst the white noise when he first sees his idol in real life, their first eye-to-eye meeting, the chase through picturesque Dubrovnik, the bonfire of all his favorite memorabilia, his visit to the stars home, the Madame Tussaud's episode and the climax; are stand out sequences, expertly constructed and masterfully executed.
This is the kind of film that will enjoy cult status. Any retrospective of SRK's career will be incomplete without mention of it, just like it is for roles like the one he did in Swades - but the distinction here is that there is no attempt at all for him to emerge heroic from it, this is not a film where SRK saves the world.
In this year's Oscar nominated movie Joy, Bradley Cooper advises Jennifer Lawrence that an actors hands and voice speak more powerfully to the camera than the face does, that while the hands express the truth, the voice convinces the listener and the first time Gaurav uses his idols voice to tell a girl that he has a small crush on that if he had to love her it would be "Dil Se" in a deep baritone voice like his idol would, immediately establishing the connection between him and his idol and setting the scene for everything that follows.
And pay attention to SRK's hands, they are fascinating to watch.
#FAN pays homage to SRK the actor and SRK the star, it is a celebration of both. That and the fact that both character's are instilled with equal but very different intensity shows just how gifted he is, that he can look into the mirror and there are different people on each side and how blessed we are to experience him giving such deep meaning to his art.
Almost a quarter of a century after he announced himself in spectacular fashion in Deewana, he is still raising the bar.
What an actor, what a movie, what a timely reminder as to why this is the @iamsrk we know and we love.
And if the gushing admiration seems misplaced, let me leave you with this thought, kya kare main uska fan hoon, yeh type ka performance mujhe pasand hai, tum nahin samjohge...
No comments:
Post a Comment