A reflection

 After two long years, I finally went to the theatre to watch a film-'83'. Certain films are meant to be watched on the big screen and '83' was one of them. I was hooked to the story despite knowing how it would end. I cried hard for a few sequences and was very happy that there was no patriotism being forcefully injected. Everything that I felt in the theatre was something that sprung from the depth of my heart. The songs encapsulated the situation beautifully and we audience were elated to take the roller-coaster ride of emotions. This film, hands down, was one of the best movie experiences I ever had!!

After a week or so, there was an article which popped up on my feed. It stated ‘Pushpa has eaten up the market of 83.’ I was astonished. A movie which was so beautifully written and executed failed to rake in the numbers? Well, no qualms regarding Allu Arjun’s finesse as an actor and the blood and sweat he sheds to prepare for a role, but I still couldn’t digest the fact.  A movie having great reviews and good word-of-mouth, failed to capture audiences’ attention? Shocking, but not surprising.

In general, there are two kinds of audience. First are those who watch movies just for the sake of entertainment and don’t look for logic, and second are those who are very particular with their choices and scrutinize a film very aptly. Sadly, there are very few people who have the mindset of the second kind.

 “Why should we waste a Saturday by watching something serious, something which requires thinking”, is the first question that will strike a moviegoer’s mind. Anyone watching a movie with their friends or family just to pass time would prefer a breezy rom-com over a thriller or a message-oriented film or a biopic.

So, does that mean that no other genre gets a good BO income? That is not the case either. Films having a decent storyline, good songs and supported by a great performance by the main leads are deciding factors to make a movie successful. If a movie- regardless of the genre- satisfies all these conditions, it is sure to become a great film and something that would be remembered for ages.

Frankly, 83’s case is a complete exception. Maybe the hype surrounding Pushpa and Spiderman, killed the excitement for the film? Maybe people did not want to watch it because the audience was tired of biopics? Maybe they did not want to watch it because of the routine rising-from-the-ashes-like-the-phoenix theme? Nobody knows.

At the same time, there was an update that Pushpa would release on Amazon Prime. I was really excited to watch the rugged look of Allu Arjun and the raw, rustic and slick action sequences.

After watching the film, I had a mixed response. No doubt, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and was completely invested throughout the running minutes. But there were a few things that made me very uncomfortable and raised few serious questions in my mind.

Cinema is a very powerful tool. If utilized in the right way, it can make a profound impact on people. It can break old stigmas and start a new wave of universal acceptance. It can highlight our illustrious culture in an enchanting manner. It can transport us to a whole new different world through picturesque cinematography.

Our cinema has evolved over the years. We have broken cliched stereotypes and are showing progressive, real and grounded stories. But there is only one problem I have with today’s cinema-
‘GLORIFICATION’

If we observe, during olden days there was this quintessential hero, the heroine who was always the damsel in distress and the villain who was a psycho and a guy with flaws. This was the common plot for most of the films then.

But, now-a -days, filmmakers are not hesitating to write about a character with flaws. Actors aren’t reluctant to portray complex characters with grey shades and are accepting such roles with open arms. Audience too welcome this change and there is a breath of fresh air in the industry. The notion of the utopian hero has finally broken and flaws are being embraced as natural human tendencies.

Sometimes, a filmmaker might want the public to hate a character for a particular action. With that in mind, a scene is written. The problem arises when in such a process the imperfections are shown to be cool. This in turn glorifies the hero and the audience, instead of reprimanding the character for his actions, go gaga and pour in their full-fledged support. They start justifying the character’s actions and go to any extent to support him.

 What such people don’t understand is that there is a thin line of difference between reel and real. Characters we see in films- don’t always exist in real life.

I have another objection with today’s cinema. When we have such a glorious history and great source material, why don’t filmmakers make movies on that? Why should we remake most of the films when we have a storehouse of ideas? There are stories of gallantry and innovativeness from different parts of the country. We can reach out their stories to the masses. It is not necessary to have an extravagant budget to get things done. A simple story with lots of inspiration will surely captivate the audience.

One should always view the art over the artist. But it is completely opposite in India. The artist is given higher priority over the art. A star’s film is seen through a partial lens and given a clear chit despite lacking a solid story.

The day when CINEMA will stand for something that Captivates Interests, is Neutral, Enigmatic, not Monotonic and is Associative will be the day when this sheer form of art will achieve its zenith.

                                                                                                                   

                                                               -       Anusha Sridhar

 (P.S I can’t fathom the amount of hard work each and every person associated with the film 83 would have done. To get the cricketing mannerisms right, to select actors who resemble the legends is such a mammoth task. 2-3 years of practice, shooting all the matches in actual locations, I mean take a bow!! You guys have done a fantabulous job! This is one of the biggest gifts you gave to all the cricket fans who weren’t born during that era. We could relive that era because of you! My heartfelt thanks!!)

(P.S I don’t demean Pushpa in any way. It is also a good film. The actor’s conviction towards his character is evident in every frame. Big fan of Allu Arjun and his dance. How he managed to dance with his shoulders like that still remains a mystery for me….)