Remember December!

December, the last month of the year. A time for celebration. A period of festivity. Before reflection and resolutions, it is time to party. And joining the party like each year, is our Film Industry. With the release of arguably the 3 most eagerly anticipated and unusual films of the year, celluloid will do its bit to partake of peoples’ holiday zest. Here’s my take on what you can look forward to, and why.

PAA – A Curious Case of Soppy Father-Son Relationship! (4th December)

So we all thought that Paa would be an ‘inspired’ version of a certain Curious Case. Thankfully the folks at (new & improved) AB Corp and Big Pictures clarified that one. Add loads of publicity and the teaser campaign, we now know that Paa is about a 13 year old boy suffering from the rare condition of Progeria. We also know that in a landmark departure for Indian film casting, Paa marks an inconceivable role reversal. Amitabh Bachan plays the inflicted son, while Abhishek plays father to his real life father! These however are details that are common knowledge. What promises the film holds, is a matter of debate. And it is my duty to present a plausible case, so here goes.

Paa is adman turned film director R Balki’s second outing. His directorial debut, which also starred the Big B, was for me personally, literally ‘Zyada Namak, Chini Kum’! Its this unfortunate trait that a lot of admen-turned-directors intrinsically embody. While production value is guaranteed to be top notch, having dealt with the extra-short ad film format for most of their years, ad film makers aren’t as adept at handling the long feature length saga. As was the case with Chini Kum, the pacing, story-line, and narrative suffers. The film turns out to be a not-so-well-strung series of delightful scenes. There is an overall cohesiveness that a feature film demands, but that’s what doens’t happen!

What these ambitious admen do understand better than most, are moments & relationships. In an ad film, they have a mere 30 seconds to solicit identifiability and empathy for their lead characters. It figures then, that their feature films espouse some very real, believable, and well carved out relationships. No surprise then, even in Chini Kum, that’s where the film’s triumph lay. AB & Tabu’s chemistry, their nuanced engagement – might have been the only, but thoroughly redeeming aspect of the film.

Given this background, I suspect a similar story might be in the offing with Paa. While the film will champion an unseen, and some would say even ground-breaking father-son dynamic; I wouldn’t expect a superlative screenplay. Coupled with the fact that most children suffering from Progeria don’t live much beyond their formative teenage years – what’s on the cards might also be a melodramatic father-son relationship capturing the last months/days of the boy’s life. If that does turn out to be the case, it will get soppy and weepy. Something to keep in mind.

All of this is not to say that you should avoid the film. I am myself rather curious about it, and will definitely watch it. However, as I said earlier, it is my job to present an educated speculation. So be aware, and we can compare notes once the film is out and viewed! Only time will tell if this Curious Case will be a soppy one, or a fun & happy one.

ROCKET SINGH – Speeding To Stardom (11th December)

Ranbir Kapoor is part of a winning relay race team. The only difference is, he’s the only person on the team! If this young actor’s career is anything to go by, its almost as if each lap is run by Ranbir himself, and very successfully at that. He’s emerging as the sort of star that can make a mediocre film a smash hit. His connect with the audience and their yearning for him is obvious in blatant box office returns. So his most anticipated film this year, Rocket Singh, that sees him as a turban-clad sardar salesman, is starting on a comfort cushion. That of Ranbir himself.

That aside, what can we expect from the film? Well, its allegedly a comedy. Which, despite the now-proven Ranbir Kapoor comic timing, worries me. Why? Because though it is being directed by Shimit Amin, and written by Jaideep Sahney; the award-winning combine of Chak De fame – that film was NOT A COMEDY! But who knows, with Ranbir’s charm & charisma and the hope that Shimit is in a positive and funny frame of mind (post the success of Chak De), we might just be served dollops of laughs. If not, we can always count on Jaideep’s cryptic sense of humor, which we’ve all sampled and loved in Khosla Ka Ghosla.

What is assured to a certainty is strong narrative and characters. If anything, this director-writer duo are masters at creating thoroughly layered characters. And the progression their screenplays afford their characters is most real and engrossing. Well rounded, with conclusive back-stories, and motivated in their actions/inactions; the characters this duo essay are extremely enjoyable.

So by the looks of it, the only true chink in this armor is the leading lady. Without mincing words, I have little regard for Shazaan Padamsee’s acting chops. Yes, she may have snagged the odd play (thanks to her parentage), but her performances, few of which I’ve been sadly subjected to, are best forgotten. That she’ll make a metamorphosed turn-around with Rocket Singh, I doubt very much. And infectious as the Ranbir ‘air’ maybe, I hardly think acting is what it’ll rub off on to Shazaan.

All things said, Rocket Singh makes an extremely potent case for itself. I will definitely watch it, as should you!

3 IDIOTS – Fooling You Into Submission?(Christmas)

Now I know much has been made and said about Rajkumar Hirani and the genius of the Munnabhai franchise. Personally, and it may well be credited to my dim wit, I didn’t get it. Neither did I ever understand the humor, nor the cerebral message of the Munnbhai films. To me, it was all Much Ado About Nothing! But then 3 Idiots is not part 3 of Munnabhai … it’s an altogether different film. So what’s in store?

It is basically 40 something year olds playing college kids! It is based on Chetan Bhagat’s 5 Point Someone, a work I do not regard literary genius! My mortal fear though, is neither of these two things! Its worse -  the fact that it has been directed by Rajkumar Hirani! To me, that’s the final nail in the coffin, the bloody icing on the gory cake, the ‘aakhri and biggest padav’ in the Sach Ka Saamna!!!!!

I am aware that as I write this, I am probably essaying my own Pink Slip from an industry I am trying desperately to break into. But what about self-truth and integrity?

Enough of the personal aside. Fact is, on paper, depending on how you view it, 3 Idiots can seem a delectable prospect, or for cynics like myself, a recipe for imminent food poisoning.

Conjecture aside, the film is Aamir Khan’s annual outing. The one film that he, and he alone ensures, clicks. Expect no different this time. As for all you Hirani Hippies and Aamir Groupies, watch the film. Me being the faithful hypocrite that I am, will see it too. Who knows, maybe I harbor a secret longing to be proved wrong!

[Kartik Bajoria, a regular contributor, runs his own creative agency called BOLD & is also involved in Films & Music as a force of habit!]

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