#Pink is the new #Black

I haven’t blogged for a while this year but sometimes along comes a movie that demands a blog and #Pink is one such movie.

Those who know my writing, or the Bollywood shows I presented on radio or TV in days gone by, will know that I have always been an advocate of meaningful cinema as it is such a powerful medium that it leaves an indelible impression.

Cinema may not change the world but it has the ability to alter perceptions provided the viewer is open to the notion.

Images do that.

And this film makes a very powerful and lasting impression.

#Pink is not a time pass movie. Or one that dabbles in artificial Bollywood glamour. It’s also not a feminist film. It’s an adult subject, that exposes a side of society that is well masked, a side that when it does show its face does not realize how deplorable it is, a side that is steeped in blatant double standards when dealing especially with women.

#Pink is a film about prejudice and bullying.

About dismantling stereotypes because unless those stereotypes are acknowledged, and awareness for such deplorable behaviour is created, it will continue to be perpetuated.

And ultimately as #Pink goes about seeking redemption for its protagonists, it challenges its audience to rethink the way we exist.

By challenging the norm, #Pink suggests the norm is abnormal. That for a woman to achieve anything is doubly harder than it is for men. The fact that it takes a man (Amitabh Bachchan) to bring this point across is not ideal, but this is cinema without a star like him would the message of this film been received as broadly as it has? Would men go and see it? I’m not sure and in time I hope that such notions too will change but that said, such a distinction itself is sexist and if anything #Pink tries to get away from such stereotypical behaviour.      

Men should see it to reflect on it. Women should see it to understand their rights. 

Every adult should make a point of seeing it to know and understand where the line is drawn in any relationship, be it serious or frivolous.  

#Pink won’t change the world, but if it is able to alter perceptions and enter into our consciousness (as it has mine), then it would have achieved something.

Set in suburban Delhi, #Pink deals with three young women trying to put a bad incident involving some guys that they met at a party after a rock concert behind them. But the guys are hell bent on revenge and won’t let the incident pass so easily, and the only way for the women to stave them off is to turn to the law. 

Indian law (in this instance the police more than the actual legal system) is notorious for being under the control of certain influential people so what starts out as the women seeking help, ends up with them being charged for soliciting. And through their battle to clear their names a case that addresses the ills of modern society is made.

“No” means No is the obvious point it makes but how it gets to it, is what makes it so riveting. And there are multiple aspects, the abuse of the legal system is juxtaposed with a clear explanation as to how the legal system can actually provide a positive outcome as long as individuals know and exercise their rights, and I suppose the reality too is that wherever corruption is rife, one needs a lawyer courageous enough to fight the system for those rights. #Pink speaks of consent and that anything outside of it is an act of violence.   

  

This tweet below by Ketan Nardhani highlights some of the powerful legal arguments it makes:

“Unflimy” is the best way to describe the acting especially from the three leads Taapsee Pannu (Minal), Kirti Kulhari (Falak) and Andrea Tariang (Andrea). They exude fear where the script demands, show strength where it is required and display vulnerability where it is needed. It all feels so natural that it seems pretty effortless but must have taken hours of rehearsals to get the nuances right. Taapsee cut her teeth in Telegu and Tamil cinema, her first foray into Hindi cinema came via Chashme Baddoor in 2013 and she also featured in the Akshay Kumar starrer Baby, I hope that after this we’ll be seeing a lot more of her. She essays a very demanding role very convincingly.

And then there is Amitabh Bachchan, and it pleases me no end that this icon of Indian cinema continues to land such well written roles, his court room scenes are out of this world, and that climax sequence is going to become one of those scenes that people will remember and recite by heart as fondly as we remember that classic Deewar dialogue “Mere Paas bangla hai, motor hai gaadi hai, tumhare paas kya hai”?   

For him #Pink is the new #Black (Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2005 movie where he played an eccentric teacher)  

It’s not perfect mind you, in fact some of Bachchan’s parts are overly theatrical, his mask for instance – worn to avoid the Delhi smog and his leering behaviour are red herrings to the proceedings, thrown in for effect that might have been avoided but the overall performance is magnificent, an actor whose prime just seems to keep extending, and long may it do so.   

#Pink's story may belong to Shoojit Sarkar who also produced it, but its telling lies in the hands of director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury who instills it with a certain vulnerability and strength that I doubt any male director would have. 

Movies like #Pink are rarities in Bollywood. They shouldn’t be the norm but when they come around they should be lauded for utilizing the incredible power of cinema, to convey a powerful message.

I'm not rating #Pink, such movies need no ratings, as long as their message resides in the back of our consciousness and alters our perceptions, they have rated highly enough...