Monday, September 11, 2006

Review: Lage Raho Munnabhai

Just back from watching Lage Raho Munnabhai, one of the best movies I have watched in many many years! This is why...

1)It was a complete package as a movie - everything the audience comes to experience - a great cast, lot of fun, some serious messages, songs, beautiful locales.

2)The way Gandhi is presented - very real, very today. Nice examples that most of us will relate to in our day to day lives.
I have some thoughts on Gandhigiri - but that'll be a different blog.

3)The way the jyotishi is handled - again, very real. No drama, no villainy. Just examples - the tsunami, for example, and the question - why don't you use your knowledge to predict those events?

4)The relationship between the daughter and the father. Her faith in him, her question "You are not doing anything wrong, are you?", the way he answers with a nod, and the way she accepts his answer.

5) Goa - never seen the sea so blue! The view of Panaji city, the Cidade de Goa bus, the green fields, the church and the playground, the beaches, the river - so so Goa, and so so beautiful.

6) Mumbai - the clean roads, the historic quarter of downtown Mumbai and the Worli Sea Link - old world charm juxtaposed with cutting edge technology.

7) The camera work and picturization. So fresh and so happy, so beautiful. The orange colors at the petrol pump, the red fire truck, the blue double decker bus, the way Vidya Balan's face in the foreground competes with the awesome beauty of the Goan seashores...

8) Vidya Balan. Her curly locks, her outfits, the beautiful smile, the "shendi" falling across her face, the dimple on her chin...

9) Arshad Warsi. His comic timing is simply the best. Every scene lights up with him around - the "vinamrata" scene in the loo, the scene where he escorts Gandhi to the taxi, the "bhai ne dikhta hai bola toh dikhta hai" scene, his first day in jail... and yes, the scene where they hug.

10) The Happy Birthday song. I think it was very well done!

The list could go on... but I wouldn't really do justice to the movie anyway. Watch it, and try out some Gandhigiri! Maybe it'll work for you too!!

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