Bachchan — 303 (Post devoted to Delhi 6)
“‘Delhi 6′ is a unique film. Authentic and timeless. Faultless and sincere. It is a mirror on todays society, its complications and its frailties. It addresses cultures and beliefs, human nature and influences. Despite all the posturing it is never in your face with psuedo sincere monologues, or played to the gallery expositions. There is just enough – subtle, restrained and eloquent all in one.
I am most impressed with the film. I am most impressed with the nuances that it has presented, both in structure and performance. Every character so beautifully cast and etched. Every dialogue, sufficient and effective. Brevity never sounded more sincere than it did in Delhi 6 and it echoed through out, just as dominantly as the voices of the lead pair under the Taj Mahal dome in Agra.”
lot more on the blog…
SATYAMSHOT 
February 20, 2009 at 3:25 PM
My response:
First off let me commend you for a fine interview here. I liked your posture very much here..
I am immensely gratified by your views on D6. Let me start by pointing out for the benefit of those who might not be aware or might not remember (or are perhaps too partisan to care) that you have been very ethical these matters, especially when it’s been Abhishek involved. In other words you’ve never been soft on a film because Abhishek was in it. Though I have quoted these examples here before let me run through them again.
Again I bring this up because when Guru released and you praised the film as well as Abhishek’s performance (more the latter than the former) the media (rather characteristically when it comes to you) suggested that you were doing so out of partiality towards a son. First of all were this true this would hardly be something exceptional. Because if one is an actor one is also a father and one certainly has a right to express one’s opinion, biased or not. The same media never asks those other film personalities who call their friends, their sons and so on the greatest thespians since the Greeks invented such a concept! Leaving aside the politics which is transparent and should be completely obvious to anyone who is even minimally fair in these matters I think it is apparent that you have not in fact supported a film for such reasons of parental obligation!
Here are examples (I have a bit of an elephant’s memory in this regard to the regret of many partisans who regularly engage with me online!):
1)After Yuva, when to a man or woman every person was praising Abhishek to the skies for that role you appeared with him on an episode of Koffee with Karan (which can easily be located on youtube) and when quizzed on it suggested that you found fault with Abhishek’s ‘dialect’ at points. So here was Abhishek, getting his first real moment in the sun after considerable failure, and also appearing on this show with you after the added achievement of Dhoom, and here you were pointing out a ‘negative’ about his portrayal.
2)Next up Umrao Jaan. Months after the film’s release you suggested (though I disagree with this assessment) that the Dutta version wasn’t really comparable to the Muzaffar Ali one and you even compared Abhishek in unflattering fashion to the portrayal of the same part in the earlier film (I should mention here that Farooque Sheikh in a recent interview said that Abhishek was way better than him in the part, he felt Abhishek had got the tone right and he hadn’t but he preferred the other actors in the older version.. at some point I will put up my UJ review, written at the time here).
3)More recently when Drona released you talked about it on your blog calling it “experimental”. You did not praise the film at any point. In fact for anyone who could read between the lines it was obvious that you hadn’t liked it. Even after this when Dostana released and always looked to be a success (and ultimately was) you again maintained a silence about this. If I were a betting man I’d say the gay theme here didn’t exactly appeal to you!
The point by now should be completely clear. You have not supported Abhishek for any reason unless you really liked the film. In this context your extended essay on Delhi 6 means a great deal and I personally find it extremely gratifying. For certain personal reasons I am unable to see the film right away (as is normally my wont) but I shall do so tomorrow and twice before the weekend is up. I shall share my views with you and everyone else here.
A word on the media reception so far. First of all I have the sense that there is a bit of a mismatch between the critical reception and the audience reception. I say this based on all the anecdotal evidence I have been able to gather. Leaving this aside it is clear that the film has split critics down the middle. There are many well known voices who’ve loved it, many who have disliked it, yet even within the latter group there are many who seem to have found it passable if not enjoyable.
I think that one test of a film’s authenticity is that it evokes such strong reactions on either side. In any case from the director who made Aks and Rang de Basanti one could expect a failure, a flawed film, many things.. but an outright bad film is rather unlikely. But reading many of the reviews it’s clear to me that some usual problems have cropped up. For one the film seems to be framed differently as a conceptual matter. Whether it’s Abhishek who’s perhaps a stand in for the audience here, perhaps the entry point into the film’s world or the much commented on climax (which I suspect operates in a visionary mode) or even the lack of a simple plot line it seems to me that as viewers or reviewers we have to respond to what Mehra is attempting to do. We have every right to critique the film and of course ‘dislike’ it but not on grounds that are not the director’s. Some of the reviews are so dismissive it’s hard to believe that those writers have really engaged with the film. The same applies to Abhishek’s portrayal where similarly there is a split. Many consider it one of his finest acting jobs, others find him completely wrong or ineffective. Again it’s a question of trying to fathom what it is that the actor is attempting.
All of this is not meant to be a sort of strike against the critics who’ve been negative on the film. It is a criticism of critics who are unable to comprehend a film, who are often not even schooled enough in cinema to adequately do their jobs, so on and so forth. I do not say all of this as someone who has great admiration for Abhishek (let alone yourself) or some of the films he has become a part of. This has in fact been a constant theme of mine in many contexts. It is completely fair to not like Delhi 6 a little or at all. I am only addressing the way these pieces are written. A director like Mehra calls for greater discernment on the part of the critic than does Anees Bazmee!
In any case these are just my impressions at this point. I have of course not seen the film yet. But again this was a wonderful post not because you have been positive on the film but because you sound completely sincere here. Clearly the film has been a very moving experience for you. I am not embarrassed to say that having read your piece I am even more eager (if that were possible) to see the film. Thanks!
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February 20, 2009 at 4:41 PM
Satyam:
Great comments. Yes I’m with you regarding Amitji’s praise/comments on Abhi’s project. I also strongly believe that Amitji did not respond to the success nor gave his views on Dostana due to subject of the movie. On the other end, I liked Amitji’s blog where he defended Bhootnath after one of the worst reviews from Khalid on HT and others. But here I see truly a great piece from Amitji on Delhi-6 and I liked how he ended today’s post.
Awaiting to catch your review.
Rajesh
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February 20, 2009 at 3:33 PM
A very sincere and a touching response. And agree, wholeheartedly.
May catch it tonite.
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February 20, 2009 at 3:34 PM
I am really unfortunate for not being able to catch it tonight..
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February 20, 2009 at 3:44 PM
On a totally unrelated note, Tiger is back and how he has been missed. Phil Mickelson’s first round 63 yesterday was totally overshadowed by the news of Tiger’s return.
On second thoughts, may be it is not as unrelated. Bachchan and Tiger are unsurpassed in their respective fields.
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February 20, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Absolutely Rajen even if I think that Tiger is more in the Rahman/Tendulkar ‘boy genius’ mould. But also isn’t Tiger the perfect analog in sports to the Obama phenomenon? Even a precursor of sorts with the mixed heritage and so on? And one must remember that while race has not been a barrier in most sports golf is a little different (with due respect to vijay singh!).
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