Ramleela trailers (updated)
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SATYAMSHOT 
September 16, 2013 at 9:18 AM
Effective trailer. Wish he’d cast someone other than Ranveer Singh. Have never liked him at all. Find him somewhat offensive! But this trailer seems to be about Bhansali taking some steps in Vishal Bharadwaj’s direction or at least that larger trend of the ‘rustic’ / small town representation with assertive, sexually candid ‘belle’! Some visual elements from HDDCS on display here as well though the operatic flourishes seem to be toned down. Certainly seems to be Bhansali’s most energetic film on the basis of this preview. Perhaps a loose Romeo and Juliet adaptation as well. But liked the trailer quite a bit.
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September 16, 2013 at 10:03 AM
Certainly seems to be cut with more energy than his usual work, and there does seem to be a few masala flourishes in the action sequences – perhaps Bhansali has shifted in this direction after his Rowdy Rathore experience! On the Vishal Bhardwaj connection there’s also the rumor that this is a Romeo and Juliet adaptation.
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September 16, 2013 at 10:15 AM
yes as I mentioned in the comment there definitely seem to be some Romeo and Juliet touches here. And you’re right about Rowdy Rathore. It might have loosened up Bhansali a bit and I’d say for the better!
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September 16, 2013 at 11:47 AM
Well some rustic-ness looks authentic but on rest it is usual Bhansalisque gaudiness of color. I don’t mind it, but I can see the artificialness.
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September 16, 2013 at 9:58 AM
This looks like it will be my favourite Deepika performance, by a large margin, and even Ranveer appears bearable for once! It looks like Bhansali has learnt from his past mistakes and cut down on the self-indulgence quite considerably; I only hope that the fiery romance does not give way to saccharine melodrama a-la Devdas.
All in all, this is a much better trailer than expected, and now my most-awaited film of the year!
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September 16, 2013 at 10:07 AM
Also, toilet humour in a Bhansali film? Will wonders never cease! 😛
And one minor quibble: as fabulous as this trailer looks, I would have liked to see a little more local colour (aside from the colourful Gujarati costumes). It appears that there is a standard template of an artfully rustic, lawless badland peopled by perpetually fiery villagers that is adopted by every ‘serious’ filmmaker in Bollywood who wishes to portray rural India: be it Bharadwaj, Kashyap, Bhansali or even YRF (in Ishaqzaade)!
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September 16, 2013 at 10:09 AM
Deepika is really coming into her own as a star. This might well be her most effective turn in this sense. I haven’t found her noteworthy in this sense so far and though I’ve always preferred her to much of the competition I would never confuse her with an ‘actress’. But again one can be effective as a star without being one in any pure sense. Unlike someone like Katrina who can be neither and even in the ornamental sense her appeal continues to mystify me. She is utterly insipid. But given the blandness that finds favor in Bollywood one very sense of the word perhaps I shouldn’t be so surprised. In the post Madhuri era I still haven’t liked a Bombay actress as much as Rani (the highpoint remains for me very easily Yuva.. but next up might be her limited role in Hey Ram or her somewhat longer one in MP) and it’s always sad to reflect on how she suddenly self-destructed after a very promising period in 2004-2005.
Incidentally there’s a rumor doing the rounds that she has been offered Ratnam’s next and that she has to choose between this and Dostana 2 as both start shoots in Nov. The latter had Katrina but looks like Johar might have changed his mind now with Deepika’s current spell. But not sure if the news is true otherwise. Didn’t think Dostana was beginning any time soon. And lots of rumors surround Ratnam so it’s hard to tell. He does need a safer film this time around. In Hindi he had Raavan (Tamil version did ok) and then Kadal became the equivalent of Raavan in Tamil. Crazily maligned by everyone, the film also sank at the box office. It was actually surprising to see this sort of reaction in Tamil outlets. Ratnam has never got this sort of reaction before even though he’s had many high profile disappointments/failures. Earlier there was a rumor that he might be thinking of a Partition tale (though the North has never seemed to be his kind of scene).
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September 16, 2013 at 10:32 AM
If this is true, I obviously hope that she will take up the Ratnam film! It would be wonderful to see her portraying a more nuanced character for once; as promising as this trailer looks, Bhansali’s films tend to fable-like and peopled with archetypal characters.
On the other hand, Ratnam always manages to humanise his heroines wonderfully, creating highly relatable female chararacters who embody Indian domesticity whilst still conveying strength of character and spiritedness. As I’ve said before, it’s much easier for the audience to accept unconventional behaviour from a Westernized sex symbol or a village belle, than from a respectable Indian girl who manages to simultaneously represent and subvert middle-class morality!
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September 16, 2013 at 10:45 AM
yes if there is such a choice Ratnam would seem to be a no-brainer! But it’s sometimes hard to refuse people like Johar without offending them.
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September 16, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Achchha hai. Rekived to see SLB come to his senses and the narrative sanity and artistic flourish of his best film, HDDCS. I only wish the music was not by SLB himself..but since this is generic folk territory it might not matter so much. This will do for Ranveer what Lootera could not. As for Deepika she is already the reigning queen, where can she go from here?
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September 16, 2013 at 10:29 AM
yeah she’s pretty much stolen up on Katrina overnight! Having said that Katrina is loved in a way Deepika isn’t. The latter is accumulating the hits but Katrina seems to be part of a certain fantasy structure of the present in ways that Deepika probably can never be. I find it strange but people seem to adore her. Of course Deepika’s lining up all the key projects in the meantime.
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September 16, 2013 at 10:43 AM
I don’t think that Deepika’s success is going to be enduring, even though I obviously wish for that. Unfortunately, no heroine today seems to be able to manage the consistent popularity of a Katrina, as inspidity and talentless as she is.
In the last few years, everybody from Kareena to Vidya to Priyanka have had their brief moments of being celebrated in a euphoric fashion, only to be immediately replaced in the spotlight by another heroine. Katrina has never had that ‘breakout’ moment or role, but she has always consistently been the number one.
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September 16, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Deepika is not about being just a fantasy girl. She is buikding a solid body of work, that no one among today’s heroines barring Vidya Balan can match. She dazzled in Cocktail, stole the limelight from Ranbir after Barfi in YJHD, and overshadowed Shahrukh in Chennai express. I am sure she will be incandescent in Ramleela and champagne-frothy in Happy New Year.
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September 16, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Never saw Cocktail but much much before Cocktail she was very very good in a small movie called ‘Break Ke Baad’ which didnt do well at the BO. That was the first time I really liked Deepika and saw her acting. I also liked the movie very much- much better than your average rom-com.
This movie seems to be the most interesting movie of Bhansali since HDDCS which incidentally remains his best work for me. For starters he seems to have used some real sets here unlike other movies which are all set in Alice in Wonderland.
I do agree with Satyam though that this guy Ranveer is plain offensive and I wish there was a better hero.
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September 16, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Here ranveer is downmarket compared to SRK, Ranbir and Saif.
If this film does very well, surely deepika will get the credit and rightly so. after Vidya, deepika has overtaken. She is the masala Vidya.
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September 16, 2013 at 11:14 AM
after khamoshi, this is the only bhansali film where he appears to bother with real situations and real characters, unlike his previous works where he seemed to stumle upon some ignored Broadway musicals. the first impression is definitely good, but not sure where this is headed.
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September 16, 2013 at 11:24 AM
“where he seemed to stumle upon some ignored Broadway musicals.”
LOL…that’s an appropriately biting comment.
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September 16, 2013 at 12:06 PM
Finally..something that gets my attention. I like the trailer and see from all the comments so far where all the trends are. The torch has been passed currently it appears to Ms. Deeps. and now she can be paired with somebody not referring to her height. If there is an on screen visual as much as I liked Anushka ..Ms Deeps has it for the moment. But true there is a long ways to go..and its not that she hasnt had help along the way. Pa launched Vidya and Dirty Picture sealed it. So ..down the stretch in this horse race there are still a few veterans in the wings..Kajol..Ashwariya..Rani..Kareena ..and as for Katrina I agree with Satyam..
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September 16, 2013 at 1:55 PM
I thought it was Khamoshi where he ‘seemed to stumle upon some ignored Broadway musicals.” from Bahon ki Darmiyan to that dance with Helen. It was by and large OTT melodramatic stuff. I think HDCS was his most rooted film, featuring sensitive story-telling, and great picturization of songs in a meanigful way, from Nandini title song, Tadap Tadap, to Dholi Taro, and the title song.
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September 16, 2013 at 2:43 PM
“I think HDCS was his most rooted film”
yes if you can overlook Budapest masquerading as Italy and the neverland in the first half where there is this great mansion in the middle of a desert somewhere!
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September 16, 2013 at 2:42 PM
Just like Indian food in west has found its way from one restaurant in the country to every major city having more than one… This is where we have come to, from the time of Haasil.
This is like those Indian food that you get in the frozen section.
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September 16, 2013 at 3:01 PM
Satyam: Some of us lesser mortals are not that well-travelled to know the difference between Budapest, a city and Italy a country. And i didn’t know it mattered if Deeoa Mehta passed off some part of Sri Lanka as Benaras. And I thought great mansions in the middle of a desert is not a geographical or physical impossibility. And I did not know that being rooted implied this sort of surface realism, especialluy in the key that Bhnasali was telling his story.
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September 16, 2013 at 5:20 PM
” Some of us lesser mortals are not that well-travelled to know the difference between Budapest, a city and Italy a country. ”
So one could present Paris or London or Stockholm or Venice or Melbourne as Italy? Actually I would find it appalling if Benares were represented by just any place. Because certain sites are far too iconic to be represented by others. You could represent the Swiss countryside by the Austrian one and it might not matter. You could present Himachal as Kashmir and that would be ok (again by and large, not in all cases) but could one present Ghaziabad as Jaipur? Or Chennai as Bangalore? I think not! Sometimes filmmakers when they’re not focusing on iconic sites can skillfully recreate certain neighborhoods elsewhere. That’s a different debate. But in HDDCS the most iconic bridge of Budapest was shown again and again not to mention the fact that people were plainly not speaking a language that remotely resembled Italian. it’s like showing the Eiffel Tower and calling it Rome. Or showing Howrah Bridge and calling it Bhopal! It has absolutely nothing to do with travel. You can’t show the Pyramids and say it’s Dubai! In the 60s when films shot in Europe worked almost like travelogues no one did this sort of thing.
On the rest it depends on the terms of the film. I have no problem at all with Saawariya or even Black. Because in the latter instance it does seem like a kind of neverland, the story works as a fairy-tale. In the former again there is an obvious artificiality to the physical setting. But in HDDCS this is meant to be a literal place except that in the first half it’s very vaguely done. It doesn’t convince one at all. One might still enjoy the film, that’s a different matter. I would hardly call this ‘surface realism’. What is a film ‘rooted’ in if its very physical setting is totally false and by its own terms? Why did Bhansali have to stress Italy at all? He could have left the place unidentified. Similarly the first half could have been structured like a neverland. It becomes one but not by design.
And finally I didn’t know that one actually had to go to every country and city on the planet to understand some of these distinctions..
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September 16, 2013 at 5:29 PM
@ Satyam —
Some films are to be seen by the mind and some by the heart (predominantly)
I’m waiting for the day u watch one with the latter! Lol
Ps: the ‘target population’ for this one doesn’t seem to bother about Budapest/Vienna /authenticity
Does the average SDR loving gen-x-re bother if they make out in a car or bus or outdoors
C’mon Satyam–grow up ! 🙂
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September 16, 2013 at 6:36 PM
“Ps: the ‘target population’ for this one doesn’t seem to bother about Budapest/Vienna /authenticity”
Not sure how you know this. I’d argue that a more rooted or more convincing film in this sense would create a larger audience or keep more of its audience interested. In other words a film that makes 100 crores seems impressive except of course if that same film could potentially have done 150. With HDDCS, given the kinds of audiences with which it did best or the kinds of places it did best the opposite could be argued — that a very large percentage of the audience could spot the blooper!
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September 16, 2013 at 9:34 PM
Yeah in an ideal world the ‘Budapest blooper’ would have mattered a lot but perhaps not that much in the context & feel of hddcs..perhaps the cheaper locations in east Europe prompted bhansali to do this ‘tweak’
It mattered more when in a ‘serious avant garde’ ‘talaash’, a ‘street hooker’ Kareenas dress sense was shown bordering on chic & infact tonally dumbed ‘down’ in certain scenes!!
She didn’t appear to be in Bombay but Amsterdam (not claiming to be an expert on this though)
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September 16, 2013 at 9:39 PM
seems the ghost of Talaash still haunts you!
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September 16, 2013 at 5:13 PM
Just checked the promo–has energy zing n charisma …
Won’t bother about ‘authenticity’ in a bhansali film
Agree with Amy that more ‘local color’ was desirable but isn’t the visual schemata already interesting (though bordering on gaudy)
Amy: what did u think of deepikas costumes here–I think they are fab …no ifs n buts -they are eye-catchy (& not in the red bikini way)
🙂
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September 16, 2013 at 5:31 PM
You and your red bikini 😉 lol
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September 16, 2013 at 5:32 PM
Oh maggie–ok I will award my red bikini to u
C’mon let’s try it on (2gether) 🙂
Haww…
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September 16, 2013 at 5:41 PM
Maggie–it’s too tight for the both of us together…
Let’s try it on one by one 🙂
While maggie is trying it on (& i watch) must add that one hours appreciate true beauty
The costumes and color schemata of deeps costumes is amazing..
Thought it was the same guy sanyasachi, but apparently he was kicked out midway?
And deepikas look has been designed by
http://www.anjumodi.com/Home.aspx
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September 16, 2013 at 5:56 PM
Looks good although mixture of SLB and VB…anyone got some vibe of Shakti The Power here? Would have liked more if someone else would have been there instead of cocky Ranveer who seems to be balancing his acting inabilities with his makeups now a days.
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September 16, 2013 at 9:37 PM
Ranveer Singh is working fine here–imo –he’s doing fine
& seems he is more at ease here with this terrain than in lootera!
Obviously the ‘hero’ here is deepika ….
One word for deepika here –‘blistering’…
May have to cast here…
Ps: on a related note—can comment now–
THE INDIAN films of 2013 (with max international buzz)–
Ship of Theseus & The Lunchbox …
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September 16, 2013 at 9:55 PM
I agree with Satyam that ranveer is not the right choice here – neverthless DP-magic will work wonders here and she has been kissing that guy at the drop of a hat in this 3 min. trailer!
By the way is there anyone else here apart from me who has liked Guzaarish? That is one of the finest films of SLB
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September 16, 2013 at 10:04 PM
I really liked Guzaarish and always look forward to anything by Bhansali. He is perhaps the only Bollywood director who makes movies meant to be seen only on the big screen. This trailer alone has more eye candy than all the Hindi movies I have seen this year combined, and I am not just talking about Deepika here.
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September 16, 2013 at 10:36 PM
Oh !…So many people here are finding Ranveer Singh Offensive. This shows how we expect our hero in a certain kind. What is offensive with Ranveer ? If a young hero behaves like a normal youth we find him offensive. The point is he is not a khandani hero who knows bollywood inside-out. We have Baby B or Ranbeer or Arjun kapoor who have seen the glamour of BW since childhood. Ranveer is from outside. He got critical and commercial success with his very first film. So in his exuberance it migh be that some time he acted childishly. That doesn’t mean he is offensive. Now he is mellowing down. You can call it SLB effect or now he leared his lesson. I know why some people are not liking him. He is geeting plum project and thier fav stars are doing multistarer. But mark my word with Ramleela and Gunday he will show that he is here to stay. In the current alot Ranveer is my Fav star and he will go a long way.
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September 17, 2013 at 12:04 AM
Agree with you. And Ranveer has Kill Dil and the rumored Magdheera remake. Kill Dil can be a blockbuster if Shaad Ali does another BAB.
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September 16, 2013 at 10:40 PM
great trailer maza aa gaya !!
lekin too much saffron hai !!
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September 16, 2013 at 11:17 PM
I think Ranvir is perfect for the role. And his performance is spot on. Just watch him deliver the line about checking with all the girls in the mohalla about his manhood, and ‘ Report achchhi milegi.’
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September 16, 2013 at 11:50 PM
If some place in Sri Lanka can be passed off as iconic Benaras ina so-called realistic film like Water, I don’t see how passing off Budapest as Italy, affects the credibility of a film like HDDCS where the tone is not realist to start with. Italy is not even key to the narrative as Benaras wast o Water,. I mean every other Hollywood film tries to pass off one place as another. And every film tries to pass off sets as the real thing. That does not detract from the rootlessness of a film which in Bollywood grammar goes beyond surface realism as I have pointed out.
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September 17, 2013 at 4:21 AM
This one really looks promising though having some resemblence with Saawariya.One more plus point here is Bansali seems to have shoot this one on earth as most of his films represent some la la land as far as locations are concerned.
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September 17, 2013 at 4:31 AM
Khamoshi and Black were the 2 films of SLB which I loved. for great performances by Bachchan, Manisha and Rani.
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September 17, 2013 at 4:34 AM
I see no similarity between Saawariya and this. This one is closer to HDDCS, though a little more stylized. Real people, in real places…unlike Saawariya.
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September 17, 2013 at 11:27 AM
You do know that this like Saawariya is fiction? It isn’t a documentary. These aren’t real people in real places.
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September 17, 2013 at 4:48 AM
Always found SLB overrated. Khamoshi was a sincere effort but had that Broadway hangover. HDDCS is overrated like SLB. Found Devdas utterly boring. Have yet to manage to sit through the whole movie. Black is his best effort by a mile, but SLB’s operatic mode is very much switched on there as well.
Saawarya was ‘meh’. Guzaarish was a very poor version of Mar Adentro. That SLB is no Amenabar, that’s pretty obvious!
That said,I found Ramleela’s trailer more energetic than SLB’s usual fares. I just hope there is the same kind of energy in the movie.
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September 17, 2013 at 7:18 AM
One thing for sure, the music/songs will be awesome.
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September 17, 2013 at 7:53 PM
Ramleela Trailer
Good stuff–Just checked it properly –well done -zany exuberant colourful
Three types of people have problems with this stuff–
a) pseudo-intellectual uptight constipated ones
b) dry /dead ones
c) those who don’t have a life
And all those pointing out to lack of ‘authenticity’ and ‘exageration’ –c’mon y the heck are u watching movies ? Go do your mundane jobs!
Like Ranveer here–he’s cocky somewhat ‘in your face’ but this demands it !! Imagine an abhishrek or an Imran khan here !
As for deepika –will have to watch a few more promos —
Feel ‘proud’ of her here –after cock tail –whatta a graph…
May have to do a spoof just as a tribute to deepika
Btw the biggest star so far have been deepikas costumes …
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September 18, 2013 at 12:45 PM
regarding the discussion of authentic location etc.
yes you can shoot in Andes and call it Alps but where’s filmmaker’s autheticity in that.
What filmmakers need is some sort of a hippocratic oath, otherwise Bihar is Kanpur and North East is one giant state.
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September 18, 2013 at 1:47 PM
paapaas says: “yes you can shoot in Andes and call it Alps but where’s filmmaker’s authenticity in that. ” You should tell that to Coppola who shot Vietnam in Philippines for Apocalypse Now.
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September 18, 2013 at 1:54 PM
I talked to Coppola. He said tell Utkal, it doesn’t make much sense to shoot a film in a country devastated and ruined by war, just a year after the destruction.
While I was on that I talked to Kubrick too. He too apologized for not having shot 2001…. in space because of budget constraints and clockwork in future because of idiosyncracy deficiency.
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September 18, 2013 at 2:00 PM
LOL
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September 18, 2013 at 2:03 PM
Ha!
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September 18, 2013 at 3:06 PM
Hahahahaha !
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September 18, 2013 at 4:18 PM
This is one of the funniest comments I have read on this site.
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September 18, 2013 at 4:42 PM
Yeah that had me dying. Comment of the year…
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September 18, 2013 at 5:09 PM
I second that!
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September 18, 2013 at 2:05 PM
yes but the point presumably is that the jungles of the Philippines could substitute for those of Vietnam. There’s a certain plausibility here. Doubt it would be as authentic if he shot in the Amazon rainforest! But with Hindi films it gets worse than this. If you’re showing Budapest and calling it Italy you might as well say Europe is ‘in a galaxy far far away’ because none of the specifics matter! Of course Salman Khan as this great performance-artist-in-the-making based in Italy is only slightly more plausible than Salman Khan challenging Angela Merkel the next time around and so it might well be another galaxy! Plus Bhansali didn’t have any sane reason to use Italy as a reference point for his story as opposed to tons of other places. Why not France or Germany or whatever? Why did it only have to be Italy?!
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September 18, 2013 at 2:59 PM
“Why not France or Germany or whatever? Why did it only have to be Italy?!”
I think for salman to say this line “Tetely you are going to Ithaly” LOL.
Speaking of the audacity of filmmakers of using locations “wisely” I think Sooraj Barjatya wins hands down for showing europe as sundarnagar in MPKDH. .lol.
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September 18, 2013 at 4:11 PM
Because perhaps Italy rolled off his tongue more easily than France…or you can make your own guess lol.
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September 18, 2013 at 5:08 PM
Ha! Yeah it seems like a childhood fantasy of his where he had some sort of exotic identification with Italy. If so would have been great to see some of this in the movie!
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September 18, 2013 at 2:45 PM
Budapest, and Italy ( I don’t know why you say Budapest and Italy and not Hungary and Italy!) . So Diffrence betwen Hungary and Italy, and diffrence between Phiilipines and Vietnam, how much is the difference really. the first two are European countries, the second two are ASia. One is a communist and other is a free-market country. One is a communist and other a pro-US capitalist country. In terms of appearance at a gross level one locale can a pass off as the other. On the other hand I can argue Vietnam was crucial to the story of Apocalypse Now and passing off another place as Vietnam, which viewers in Vietanam and Phillipines could surely have made out if not others, is almost a sacrilege. In HDDCS, on the other hand, as you have pointed out, Italy is just a whim, it could have as well been Hungary. So showing Hungary as Italy does not affect the artistic integrity of the film that much. I can bet the vast majority of HDDCS’s audience wont have even known the diffeence. I did not.
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September 18, 2013 at 4:14 PM
Dude there is a world of difference between Italy and Budapest…one is quite Mediterranean and the other has a distinct eastern-central europe landscape and architecture.
IMO Italy is the one of the least substitut-able country in all of Europe.
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September 18, 2013 at 4:15 PM
Unless you are talking about the islands – Amalfi Coast, Capri can be substituted with any other similar island in Europe.
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September 18, 2013 at 2:57 PM
Papaas: I too happened to meet Bhansali while he was shooting Ramleela in Gujarat. I asked him how could he commit the sacrilege of showing Hungary as italy. It spoils the emotional content of the film completely. Italy mein jo baat hai , woh baat Hungary mein khan hai. You know the film was s not as biga hit as it could have been because you substituted Hungary for Italy. In fact it missed the Oscar nomination by a whisker only because of that. He pulleda long face and replied, but I thought if Spielberg could show Sri Lmak as India in Temple of Doom, and Deepa Mehta could do the same, passing off some non-descript Sri Lankan town as Varanasi, I thought I could get away with this. I smiled and replied Sanjay-bhai, India and Sri Lanka are neighbouring countries with only the sea in between. But between Italy and Hungary, there si a solid land mass, Austria. That makes all the difference. ” Yaad rakhoonga’, Sanjay BHnsdali said, as he walked away sheep-faced.
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September 18, 2013 at 3:13 PM
showing Hungary as Italy is still fine but projecting mundanity as comedy clearly depicts lack of content.
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September 18, 2013 at 3:25 PM
The very fact that you have to use Indiana Jones as an example which is a fantasy adventure in the best traditions of a certain classic Hollywood where the ‘Orient’ was constructed/imagined a certain way and painted with very broad strokes makes the point for me. Spielberg didn’t show anything very specific here. So indeed that bit of Sri Lanka could have been India. But here I’ll reintroduce my older comment (my response to you) which you either seem not to have read or ignored completely:
[So one could present Paris or London or Stockholm or Venice or Melbourne as Italy? Actually I would find it appalling if Benares were represented by just any place. Because certain sites are far too iconic to be represented by others. You could represent the Swiss countryside by the Austrian one and it might not matter. You could present Himachal as Kashmir and that would be ok (again by and large, not in all cases) but could one present Ghaziabad as Jaipur? Or Chennai as Bangalore? I think not! Sometimes filmmakers when they’re not focusing on iconic sites can skillfully recreate certain neighborhoods elsewhere. That’s a different debate. But in HDDCS the most iconic bridge of Budapest was shown again and again not to mention the fact that people were plainly not speaking a language that remotely resembled Italian. it’s like showing the Eiffel Tower and calling it Rome. Or showing Howrah Bridge and calling it Bhopal! It has absolutely nothing to do with travel. You can’t show the Pyramids and say it’s Dubai! In the 60s when films shot in Europe worked almost like travelogues no one did this sort of thing.
On the rest it depends on the terms of the film. I have no problem at all with Saawariya or even Black. Because in the latter instance it does seem like a kind of neverland, the story works as a fairy-tale. In the former again there is an obvious artificiality to the physical setting. But in HDDCS this is meant to be a literal place except that in the first half it’s very vaguely done. It doesn’t convince one at all. One might still enjoy the film, that’s a different matter. I would hardly call this ‘surface realism’. What is a film ‘rooted’ in if its very physical setting is totally false and by its own terms? Why did Bhansali have to stress Italy at all? He could have left the place unidentified. Similarly the first half could have been structured like a neverland. It becomes one but not by design.]
To add to this the reason I say Budapest is precisely because this is a specific city with an iconic bridge being depicted in the movie. And of course Bhansali himself absurdly doesn’t refer to any Italian city. The characters implausibly keep saying it’s Italy as if it’s all the same whether it’s Rome or Florence or Milan or Venice or Sicily or whatever!
But I must say I find it rather bizarre that going by your logic if a movie is being shot in a desert in Saudi Arabia one must make sure not to actually shoot it in a desert in Yemen but if one does this it’s the same as shooting in London, showing Buckingham or the Tower of London and calling it Paris! Perhaps the vast majority will not know the difference even here. That hardly argues against the point. And again I’m not arguing for some mundane notion of realism here, just plausibility. And it’s about the terms that Bhansali himself sets up. This has nothing to do with box office realities. In YJHD when they show Ranbir who by that point in the movie doesn’t look like he’s opened a book in his life let alone devote serious time to its study suddenly lands up in Northwestern (so yeah you party everywhere from Himachal to Bombay and when you get bored you just go to Northwestern) and then just 8 years later is a hot shot photographer (I’d like to sign up for this fast-tracked course in photography!) literally going to every conceivable place in the world (he actually mentions tons of US cities for example), all of this just seems stupid. In this case a large cross-section of the audience knows it and doesn’t care. because of course they’re just there to watch this audio disc of a movie (!). But this implausibility is very different from a guy beating up ten in a masala film. Why? Because the world of the latter moves along a very different set of registers and codes. One doesn’t ask how Achilles could kill so many people single-handedly but one would be surprised if the same happened on the battlefields of War and Peace! Similarly there’s a lot that’s ‘unrealistic’ in YJHD but not implausible within that film’s framing. However the example I’ve provided is. But in any case using your yardstick about whether the audience could figure it out or not one could justify anything.
This is always the problem when you try and get too specific. In the old masala films you’d have a non-specified Indian village which would have a generic name but could otherwise be anywhere in Hindi-speaking India. The point here was to keep things abstract and universalize the message. That there were blood-sucking landowners and struggling farmers and some forced to become dacoits and so on. What happens today? You have films set in Varanasi or Kanpur or wherever. Here ‘locals’ are perfectly right to object if the lingo is off. I can’t pick up on it but I still find the objection valid. Once again because the film in question might depend on that kind of authenticity to construct its world. I was fine with Dhanush in Raanjhanaa but he obviously didn’t belong to that place. Now I think that he makes up for it in some ways with his physicality and performance but again a native might object. And it would be a valid objection. Because this film depends too much on getting it right in terms of the atmospherics and so forth. Suddenly if a guy seems to have an accent it becomes odd. Unless the accent is explained somehow. The same holds for ‘place’.
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September 18, 2013 at 3:21 PM
Agree with Utkal here.
It made no difference if it was Hungary or Italy to HDDCS. How many in India will actually know the difference, for that matter even in US or UK. Most won’t.
Kind of like how Canada was passed as USA in some scene in Kal Ho Na Ho, some foreign location was passed as India in Suhaag (man mohan desai), and I’m sure if we start looking for it, we’ll find about good 70% of films where the actual shooting location is different.
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September 18, 2013 at 4:48 PM
The Dharma films are actually routinely made fun of because of their gaffes with major American cities…
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September 18, 2013 at 5:17 PM
not by people who lives in India.
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September 18, 2013 at 5:32 PM
Except judging by some of their box office performances, these films aren’t really made for Indian audiences!
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September 18, 2013 at 4:04 PM
Totally agree with Satyam. You don’t substitute one iconic city for the other, but it’s OK (if not ideal) when you are dealing with similar type of cities (landscapes, buildings etc) or lesser known places. And if you are going to do it, at least don’t show the most well-known places of these cities. (Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi showed Toronto’s CN Tower left right and centre, and the movie was apparently set in New York City. LOL what a guilty pleasure that was).
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September 18, 2013 at 5:14 PM
True, but how many in india knew that it was Canada?
I think the main thing is for those who knows the landmarks of the world then they’ll have problem with it but most in india won’t.
With technology we now knwo more and more of the world so people are more aware now but when Khiladiyon ka khiladi was released no many in india would knwo the difference between Canada and USA. Same with HDDCS, Suhaag, and many many more.
How many know about that bridge in budapest? It’s not like it’s a well known landmark thru out the world like Taj Mahal, Pyramid, etc..
I would have issue if in HDDCS they show that they’re in Italy and there’s a Taj Mahal or Pyramid in background.
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September 18, 2013 at 5:16 PM
Actually I take back Suhaag where foreign location was passed as India so all in India will know it’s not India.
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September 18, 2013 at 5:25 PM
So you mean to say, if they showed a Taj Mahal in Pune, it won’t make a difference because frankly the west only knows about Taj Mahal and not that it is in Agra.
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September 18, 2013 at 5:33 PM
LOL, another good point!
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September 18, 2013 at 5:32 PM
the point many of us are trying to make is that it’s not simply a question of ‘knowledge’ of the actual sites. But going by your logic 90% of the world can be shown as anything because many people might not be aware of the distinctions! Of course the contradiction in your (and Utkal’s) Italy argument with HDDCS is that presumably Bhansali is trying to tap into a cache the country has. Well then the very same people with whom this ‘cache’ works or means something are those who would also recognize the site as false. If there are people for whom Italy might as well be a dozen other places in Europe well then there’s no point in insisting on Italy with them. Italy is not some kind of oriental fantasy like ‘India’ or ‘Persia’ or ‘China’. In other words Hollywood could draw upon these cultural archives and really do anything with them because the abstractions were potent. The films then delivered on these or played to the fantasies. It doesn’t happen anymore in Hollywood for obvious reasons. But it would be quite a stretch to say that Italy is that kind of ‘fantasy’ in the Indian mind. And even with the fantasy in place Hollywood did not get specific about it’s Indian or Arabian sites or what have you. They showed jungles or harems and so on. They didn’t actually film in proper cities elsewhere (in that same iconic sense) and call them India!
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September 18, 2013 at 5:41 PM
keep it simple satyam. More then 90% of people in india didn’t know or cared if it was Italy or budapest. and the bridge meant nothing to the move, it could be easily be replaced with a park, train station, airport, restaurant, etc…
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September 18, 2013 at 6:08 PM
Will it matter if a Jew was shown praying to Jesus christ? 90% of the Indians won’t know it anyways or worse, won’t care about it.
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September 19, 2013 at 6:24 AM
Will it matter if you stay on topic and compare apple to apple?
You start bringing in special effects when we’re talking about shooting location, you bring in religion when we’re talking about shooting location.
in 180 minute Hindi movie if they show a jew in background praying to jesus, it will be okay, most will not even notice.
And while we’re talking about hindi movie, how many times have you see a hindu actor/actress praying in darga, chruch, sheikh temple???
99% of Indian population is not sensitive like the less then 1% who are busy finding faults in some movies.
Once again, if you try to pass a world known lanmarks like taj mahal, pyramids, great wall of china as a alndmark in some other country then 90% of people will pick up on it. Or if the whole movie is religious based and they show muclims paying in mandir and hindu praying in masjid then people will pick up on it.
Even today if you put that budapest bridge on net and take survey of 1000 people, i’ll be shocked if 990 people gets it right. That bridge was nothing to that movie. the scene was emotional scene between 3 actors. 180 minute movie and that bridge was there for about 5 minutes. It wasn’t as if the whole movie was around that there is this bridge in Italy and the whole movie was built around that bridge and that bridge was shown 150 minutes out of 180 minute movie.
Keep it simple…
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September 18, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Henry, talking about khiladiyon reminded me of a situation. I was in India at the time and watched khiladiyon in a small town of Gujrat in single screen. Had a blast.
My cousin who had never been outside of India kept on saying “New York kitna solid hai”.
Again, it all depends on how pupular the landmark is, if you show great wall of china and pass it central park in manhatten, most will pickup on it.
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September 19, 2013 at 8:33 AM
Was it this same movie where Akshay and Juhi gets in a car after some song in white Honda Civic with steering wheel on left side and when they reach home, they’re in some other white car with steering wheel on right side?
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September 18, 2013 at 10:50 PM
“But going by your logic 90% of the world can be shown as anything because many people might not be aware of the distinctions! ”
And that is exactly what is done.. by all filmmakers, ranging from Steven Spielberg to Sam Mendes from Manmohan Desai to Mani Ratnam.
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September 18, 2013 at 11:20 PM
exactly which Mendes film are we talking about here ? As far as I know, he hasn’t shown a gulf in Illinois or anything Unsuburban in Connecticut.
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September 19, 2013 at 6:13 AM
Are you from CT? I’ve been living in CT for over 3 decades and there are plenty of suburbs in CT. In fact outside of few big cities along highway 91 and 84, rest of the CT is suburbs/farm land.
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September 19, 2013 at 6:38 AM
That is exactly what I said. That he hasn’t shown anything Unsuburban in CT (reference: Revolutionary Road)
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September 18, 2013 at 11:47 PM
Paapaas: I am talking of Skyfall. But you can replace him with a series of directors of Bond films or the Mission Impossible series. Of course I can put 50 other Hollywood films and directors in between those names.
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September 18, 2013 at 11:57 PM
The punch with which you mention Sam Mendes and the movie of his you choose to quote.
HDDCS and Raam Leela are indeed hi octane special effects induced adrenaline pumping films.
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September 19, 2013 at 6:08 AM
how do you go from talking about shooting location of the film to special effects of the films
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September 19, 2013 at 6:41 AM
Trying to make a point. An extravagantly fictitious movie like Skyfall or War of the Worlds or Indian Jones does have that limitation that not everything on paper could be exactly translated and A Gotham sometimes has to be shot outside Chicago.
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September 19, 2013 at 8:29 AM
Agree, kind of like you can’t go to mars to shoot a movie about mars.
My point is for most indian movies or any movies shot in foreign location, 99% of people won’t know any difference and it shouldn’t matter unless you show Taj Mahal being in USA or Great Pyramid being in Australia.
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September 19, 2013 at 9:35 AM
the one trope that I’ve heard consistently from a very young age and which keeps returning in all sorts of guises is that of the ‘Indian audience’ or the ‘common man’ or the ‘ordinary view’ or what have you. This mythical being is the dumbest creature (or set of creatures) on the planet. almost a different kind of more ‘primitive’ organism that simply reacts to stimuli on the screen in the most elemental and elementary ways and doesn’t know or care about anything else. Of course one wonders why so many filmmakers even bothered to leave the country if no one can tell the difference between India and a foreign country!
The ‘crudeness’ really lies on the side of those who pretend to speak for these ‘other’ audiences. The latter is a kind of screen onto which one projects one’s own prejudices. Rushdie has a wonderful story about how when he was writing one of his children’s novels and showed it to his son in one of the early stages and asked him how it was the response came ‘it’s good. But some people might find it boring.’! Rushdie got the message and reworked things. Similarly there are always these ‘some people’ out there who watch films for the very same reasons that ‘we’ do and that we care not to admit. These are the folks who are there for the item number or the gross comedy or the action. These are the people who couldn’t tell the difference between India and outer space. These are the folks who simply believe everything they see on screen. Meanwhile ‘we’ sophisticated types, ‘we’ who are connoisseurs of Ray and Ghatak and Adoor (or strike the last one.. pretend sophistication can’t go that far!) are only dragged by wild horses to these very same theaters where we are then forced to submit to the same movies on threats of water-boarding.
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September 19, 2013 at 8:41 AM
I saw Taj Mahal replica in disneyland! And also a Bonsai version of Eiffel tower!
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September 19, 2013 at 12:45 PM
In LEGOLAND they have everything made in Legos 🙂
I think you can shoot anywhere but if you want to pass some structure/cultural thing associated with a particular place then you need to be careful. So in Zero Dark Thirty most of the shooting happened in India. They could pass it as Pakistan because there is not much difference in localities and camera is not startionary. But if you see carefully shop names are in Punjabi. Does it matter? No because they are not showing something which is innately associated with Indian Punjab as Pakistan.
ps – Madras Café locations : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madras_Cafe#Location_and_sets
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September 19, 2013 at 12:13 PM
“These are the people who couldn’t tell the difference between India and outer space.”
“one wonders why so many filmmakers even bothered to leave the country if no one can tell the difference between India and a foreign country!”
Indian audience can tell a difference between India and foreign country. The point is once you’re in foreign location, it doesn’t matter much if it’s toronto or New york, italy or budapest, etc… unless you show new york and show great pyramid in back ground or show Sahara desert and pass it off as Boston.
“The ‘crudeness’ really lies on the side of those who pretend to speak for these ‘other’ audiences. The latter is a kind of screen onto which one projects one’s own prejudices.”
As long as i don’t start passing my own opinions as facts and get to a point where I start passing my own opinions as the intentions of Producer/Director, Actor intentions, I’m okay…
” Meanwhile ‘we’ sophisticated types, ‘we’ who are connoisseurs of Ray and Ghatak and Adoor (or strike the last one.. pretend sophistication can’t go that far!) are only dragged by wild horses to these very same theaters where we are then forced to submit to the same movies on threats of water-boarding.”
How did you ever end up liking bachhan films. Most of them were pretty much considered Debaang of it’s time.
So what did you think of foreign location in Suhaag being passed as India with oriential people jumping out of truck?
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September 19, 2013 at 12:23 PM
The fact that you can point to one Suhaag as your privileged example from an age where this sort of thing never really happened versus a contemporary age where this is the norm speaks volumes about your bias in these matters.
on the Bachchan films being considered the Dabanngs of their age you are free to insult your intelligence (assuming you can locate it) but I’d be very obliged if you didn’t insult mine. Ray incidentally loved Sholay but hey what would he know?!
It’s not possible for all of us to be educated (!) but those who aren’t should be more conscious about what they so supremely lack.
Getting back to the ‘Indian audience’ hope you run into this group sometime.
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September 19, 2013 at 1:03 PM
Satyam, most of your posts are nothing but insults to who don’t cater to your opinions.
I can take you on day of the week on hindi film history and so on.
As far as being educated, not sure how you can tell what somebodys education level is, or is it once again, anybody who doesn’t buy into your opinion is uneducated?
The reason why i brought up bachhans suhaag was to see your opinion on it but once again you went the Shakti Kapoor way.
On the Bachhan film being dabaang of their time, I said “MOST OF THEM” but I guess you missed that part, and i’m not suprised knowing you. Heck you know the intentions of movie directors that they don’t even know 🙂
AAA, Suhaag, Coolie, Naseeb, Mard, etc will fall into dabaang type.
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September 19, 2013 at 1:09 PM
Given your last statement here I repeat everything I’ve just said. let’s talk after you’ve had an education! I would offer it myself but I like to select worthier students! But on the insults let’s say I am enough of a Bachchan fan to respond in the language that is appropriate to each person!
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September 19, 2013 at 2:04 PM
Sorry satyam, i don’t want any education from you. I want to live in a real world and not end up miserable like you who will spend his life trying to bring down anybody who’s name isn’t bachhan…
I can speak silly language like you too but i’m more muture then you’ll ever be and most likely more educated than you’ll ever be.
Of course i’m not going get down to your level and start accusing you of being uneducated because then that would show my level of education and being unprofessional.
You have one set of argument for past decade or more and keeps throwing in 1000 unwanted word to make yourself sould like you’re smart. Everybody is catching on to it if they haven’t already. As often displayed once your back is against the wall you become shakti kapoor in a split second if you know what i mean.
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September 19, 2013 at 3:05 PM
well if you keep visiting you will be forced to learn a few things..!
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September 19, 2013 at 8:38 AM
Actual movie locations vary in continuity too. I recently watched the Bourne series again and there was alot of hopscotching all over the place. Years ago there was a movie filmed here where I live in a neighborhood..with Tommy Lee Jones…at any rate the place was converted as to resembling anything but the original.
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September 19, 2013 at 10:55 AM
“there was a movie filmed here where I live in a neighborhood..with Tommy Lee Jones”– hmm maggie kool. Interesting.
Anyhow folks –we now know u know the Budapest landmarks well..
Now take it easy
And don’t fret over whether teriyaki or sushi is jap or Korean —savour em all 🙂
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September 19, 2013 at 12:14 PM
Exactly, as long as Sashikala is not sent to me as Saira, I’m happy 🙂
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September 19, 2013 at 8:33 PM
–Who is sashikala …
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September 19, 2013 at 8:48 PM
old actress, played roles kind of like Bindu.
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September 19, 2013 at 3:31 PM
Z,
As far as I am concerned, Its more of a question of the filmmaker’s commitment to the film and his/her honesty to the film itself. Some may care about it some may not. Picture it like this- Sell some ordinarily made fried rice to an American,labeling it as Biryani and he will eat it thinking of it as exotic Indian food. Now as an Indian who has eaten Biryani, you’d know that this fried rice tastes pretty horrible when compared to a Biryani. But for that American who doesn’t know what it could have been , that pretty ordinary food item is THE hyderabadi Biryani.
It won’t make much difference to the American as he’d still find most Indian food exotic and spicy, so its left up to the chef/resturant owner to decide- whether they want to be honest to their clientele or whether they could care less about the autheticity of the food they are selling.
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September 19, 2013 at 4:40 PM
Yes it’s a quaint notion for some folks that a filmmaker could actually make an honest film! Of course, and to repeat the older point, I don’t have such an insulting view of this ‘entity’ called the ‘Indian audience’. The added point one should make here is that if a filmmaker is sloppy along these lines it will quite likely show up elsewhere in the film. Somewhere or the other the ‘truth’ of the film (at least potentially) will be impacted.
Z has been fixating on Suhaag. Manmohan Desai before or after never did this sort of thing. If I recall correctly he just found it easier to do the helicopter sequence there and furthermore some building shots (when Amjad Khan escapes after being shot). It’s a bit mysterious because neither he nor anyone else did something similar in those days. Hard to believe that the logistical problem couldn’t have been solved some other way. So of course some of these sequences stand out though these are very small segments in the film. It’s quite different from an entire half taking place in ‘Italy’. One might think I;m rough on Z but this is how partisanship is totally revealed. Over the last 15-20 years tons of movies were shot this way (like HDDCS). You pretended Switzerland was India, you pretended Blenheim Palace was India, so on and so forth. or you traveled back and forth across the globe more easily and faster than one could travel within the same city! There was simply no respect shown for ‘place’. Rather than focus on this stuff if one finds the one odd example from the 70s where this happened and that too not on the same scale (Suhaag’s world is too rooted otherwise.. admittedly these scenes might be a bit jarring but they certainly don’t destroy what’s happening elsewhere..) within that film it’s a bit hard to take this comparison seriously. The reason I get into all of this is once again because of the ‘honesty’ point you’ve made.
The idea that anything goes in a film just because the audience doesn’t recognize it as such ought to be self-evidently absurd.
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September 19, 2013 at 8:43 PM
“Z has been fixating on Suhaag.”
only because you’re quick on finding faults in other star movies so just trying to show you that it happens in bachhan movies too.
Suhaag is very jarring because out of nowhere you start seeing orientel people. just like this jarring item doesn’t taking anything away from the movie for you.
Sameway, the budapest bridge doesn’t take anything away for more then 99% of the people who saw that movie.
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September 19, 2013 at 9:45 PM
Suhaag is ‘one’ Bachchan movie. Gimme a break!
And again here’s the contradiction in your position. Your logic is set up on mutually exclusive premises:
1)No one had a problem with HDDCS
2)Even if they did look at Suhaag
3)I found Suhaag jarring
Let me now mention the secret link that enables you to engage in these untenable positions:
‘I’m a SRK fan and I get all jittery when someone starts taking apart HDDCS on these grounds’!
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September 19, 2013 at 8:38 PM
PaaPaas, agree 100% with you on this.
In case of HDDCS, why did bhansali called it Italy? he could have easily called it budapest (audience won’t care if the foreign country is called italy or budapest).
But with your example above, then all movies are at fault that tells it’s city A but the shooting was done in city B, no?
Think of recent Chennai Express, where the goa waterfall was passed as Chennai.
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September 19, 2013 at 9:16 PM
There are some cinematic liberties and some nonsense. It won’t matter if City A and city B aren’t poles apart or their specific physicalities provide no value to the scenes. But yes the matter of the film and the expectations from the kind of film do sometimes make a difference. I was disappointed to see Indian locations in Zero Dark Thirty. I understand they may have had problems shooting in Pakistan but then at least make sure that you make your Location B look like the one intended. They did a good job in some scenes while some were downright poor.
Regarding chennai express
A movie based on Chennai (and that too with hardly any cinematic value) should have been shot in Chennai itself, but Rohit Shetty is the last person who one can expect any honesty or sense of responsibility from.
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September 19, 2013 at 8:40 PM
Turkish ‘Black’
The Turkish rani seems a cute (non) actress..
Lol @ the Turkish bachchan
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September 19, 2013 at 9:56 PM
probably one of the most overrated and overacted movies – Big B showed his genius in few scenes but otherwise got lost in this OTT melodrama – what a wastage! I am sorry Satyam but Rani is has never impressed me at all – perhaps people have never managed to tap her talent. She was very likeable when I saw her in Ghulaam with aamir but after that she is so diabetically sweet and artificial – movie after movie. Only other movie I could see some spark was again a movie with Aamir – Talaash. Otherwise all pomp and no stuff.
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September 19, 2013 at 9:58 PM
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September 21, 2013 at 4:39 AM
“Ramleela is my most violent film” – Sanjay Leela Bhansali
By Subhash K. Jha, Sep 21, 2013 – 10:57 IST
The trailer of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ramleela created an instant impact. The internet was instantly abuzz with excitement labeling the trailer as an event rather than a glimpse of a film to come.
Says trade analyst Taran Adarsh, “It’s a mind-blowing trailer! Undoubtedly, one of the best trailers of the year. It proves once again that Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a master storyteller and a class apart.”
Exhausted after the trailer release, SLB says, “I’ve agonized over every single frame in the trailer. Until the last minute I kept working on it. They had to literally drag me away from the editing.”
While many aspects of the trailer have caught people’s attention, it is the aggression and the action that seem to be the talking-point about the trailer. Says Bhansali, “So far there was nothing more than a slap in my films. In fact action director Shyam Kaushal would complain in every film, ‘Why call me for action direction for just a slap?’ This time in Ram Leela we’ve enough action to make Shyam Kaushal happy.”
Guns which form an integral part of the violent love story have never been seen in a Bhansali film before. The film’s title is preceded by a subtitle which reads ‘Goliyon Ki Raas Leela’
That just about says it all.
Says SLB, “It’s a bright, happy and colourful film. I am returning to my Hum…Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas style of filmmaking.”
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September 24, 2013 at 11:05 PM
Papaas: “A movie based on Chennai (and that too with hardly any cinematic value) should have been shot in Chennai itself, ..” But a movie based on Vietnam need not be shot in Vietnam, and a movie based on Varanasi need not be shot in Varanasi, and a film set in Moscow need not be shot in Moscow ( Dr Zhivago).! “…but Rohit Shetty is the last person who one can expect any honesty or sense of responsibility from.” What about Coppola, Deepa Mehta, David Lean?
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September 25, 2013 at 1:48 AM
WTF is that Tattad Tattad.
Ranvir’s obnoxious pelvic thrusts, SLB just cannot resist presenting his male leads as some sort of sextoys (and not just for women). Aur woh baalon ka khujlaana.. Lagta hai shampoo nahi kiya, Head and Shoulders use karlo bhai..
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September 25, 2013 at 3:26 AM
Says SLB, “It’s a bright, happy and colourful film. I am returning to my Hum…Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas style of filmmaking.”
That’s pretty bad news for the film.
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September 25, 2013 at 3:47 AM
Utkai – to be fair, I remember reading that the conditions were impossible for Coppola to shoot for ‘Appocalypse Now’ in Vietnam. As for Doctor Zhivago, you are probably aware that the book was banned in the Soviet Union, so there is no way Lean would have got permission to shoot a film on it there. And Deepa Mehta was being threatened by what she called right wing fundamentalists and she lamented and said she felt betrayed and angry that she could not shoot in India.
These directors had genuine constraints. i don’t know what constraint Bhansali had shooting in Italy. But now i do remember something odd in a written preview of HDDCS back then when it said that Salman’s character was Indian-Hungarian. Maybe later they changed it during post production or in the latter stages because Italian sounds more familiar than Hungarian to the common indian and they pretended that Hungary was Italy!
Still, it sounds quite cheap as an excuse and does not look too honest or clever from SLB’s part.
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September 25, 2013 at 4:51 AM
Rahul: I am not going into the reason why a film was shot where it was shot. If you ask Bhansali, he will give you his reason as to why he shot in Budapest. As a film-goer I am not bothered. When I go to see a film I dont do pre-viewing research on why a director shot a film at particular location.
My simple question is: Was our appreciation of the films Doctor Zhivago, Apocalypse Now and Water affected by the fact that they were shot in inauthentic locations? I don’t reading ONE review of any of these films pointing out any problem they faced because of inauthentic location. .
MORAL of the STORY: It does not matter if the film is shot in the real location or not. It all depends on how the scene comes out in the film.
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September 25, 2013 at 6:20 AM
The point you continue to miss or ignore is that a lot of films are not shot in the locations they represent but there is an attempt to create ‘likeness’. You are using a reductio ad absurdum logic to defend what is indefensible. In other words according to you either Paris can be passed off as London if the viewing audience doesn’t recognize this distinction or else when a desert in Saudi Arabia is represented it shouldn’t be substituted by one in Yemen! With Zhivago leaving aside what Rahul has already pointed there was an attempt to recreate things on sets and/or substitute those great winter vistas with sites that offered something similar elsewhere. You still see iconic Moscow sites in Zhivago and so on. If Bhansali had created a set for ‘Italy’ or done something similar that would be one thing. But of course he did not. And again your argument seems to be that either the flora and fauna of those Philippines jungles should be exactly the same as those in Vietnam or else Moscow might as well be Shanghai! I think there’s a point beyond which an argument becomes one for the heck of it!
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September 25, 2013 at 5:48 PM
Haven’t seen the full song ( since it has no deeps!) but now even I feel that ranveer Singh needs to rein in his exuberance a bit ..
He seems toooo happy to have landed a bhansali film (& deepika as costar!)
Ps: bhansali certainly has a ‘gay’ element
His camera gaze is not ‘normal’ or ‘straight’
And look at those ethnically clad ‘village gals’ behaving like urbanite college chicks on female Viagra 🙂
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September 27, 2013 at 7:05 PM
Utkal,
Can you please get some info on the movies you mentioned before you quote them.
– Vietnam was devastated by war with a ton of issues to have a movie shot there
– Initially Water was to be shot in Varanasi with Akshay kumar- but Deepa Mehta was banned by various Hindu groups to shoot it UP
– About Dr Zhivago-The book itself was banned in USSR. Perhaps they should have tagged you along to convince z russians to shoot it in mother Russia
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September 27, 2013 at 7:10 PM
“MORAL of the STORY: It does not matter if the film is shot in the real location or not. It all depends on how the scene comes out in the film.”
After learning this master secret I can just say-No wonder Fox is still 20th century. They have been spending all their money on the unnecessary locations.
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September 30, 2013 at 12:49 PM
Ranvir recuperating at last word..
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September 30, 2013 at 12:50 PM
ok ..so I cant spell..lol
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September 30, 2013 at 12:52 PM
Perhaps the ‘deep’ deeps has helped in the ‘recuperation’ 🙂
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October 1, 2013 at 6:09 AM
[added to post]
Ah the intensity n poise of deeps ..this seems cock tale /hump dildo chuke sanam part deux
Well done deepsie 🙂
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October 1, 2013 at 9:48 AM
Papaas: “After learning this master secret I can just say-No wonder Fox is still 20th century. They have been spending all their money on the unnecessary locations.” No, they don’t spend all their money on unnecessary locations. If things are prohibitively expensive, like say shooting in Mars, they recreate it in the studio. Only a dork would spend more money on a location if the same effect can be had for a lower cost. Of course if you can get the real location without too much cost, why not?
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October 1, 2013 at 10:36 AM
Sadly, neither of the songs so far have lived up to the potential of the original trailer; this new one especially seems to have strayed into saas-bahu territory and it’s making me nervous that the tragic central romance of the film will descend into melodramatic chaos!
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October 1, 2013 at 11:07 AM
I knew the film is going to suck, when I learnt that SLB was doing the music himself. This meant he hasn’t learnt any lessons from his past films. Not only is the music uninspiring and loud, so is the choreography. This operatic tag has gone to his head. Nahin to filmmaker bura nahin tha ek zamane mein.
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October 1, 2013 at 5:19 PM
If one doesnt like ‘opera’ or ‘jazz’, shoudlnt mean that one has to disown /bad mouth the entire style…
i did that to jazz some time back but when u warm up to the same stuff u realise the mistake.
similarly bhansali has a certain OTT /operatic/fairy tale neverland setting style that one may or may not like.
incidentallt i do not like that style a lot but i can see that some may be into it and respect that..
The problem is that bhansali has taken over the music himself which eliminates one of the strengths of his films.
Plus choreography is weak here–check out the ‘hair-cleaning!!’ antic of ranveer. Deepikas dance routine here resembles ‘aerobic exercises on the beach’ steps more!
But that may also be a modification to cover for the less than adept dancing abilities of both leads.
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October 1, 2013 at 5:22 PM
Another thing I noted was that perhaps bhansali has told deepika do ‘gain weight’ here to get a more FULLER figure here ..
Closer inspection revealed that deepika has lost her WASHBOARD ABS, but given the rest of her legginess, there is a lack of ‘curves’…
🙂
But being an UNdemanding viewer, I have leniency esp toward the likes of deepika and if she shows ‘crisis’ and ‘angst’ (like in some shots here) I won’t demand (much) more…lol
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October 1, 2013 at 11:11 PM
Apex: You don’t get what is the problem with SLB doing ‘ opera’. Nobody considers opera a great dramatic form by itself. What makes opera opera is its great music immortalized by legendary composers: Purcell, Monteverdi, Mozart, , Puccini, Tchaikovsky. and others. It si nothing without its heavenly music. And you cannot transpose into films no more than you can transpose Kathakali or Yakshgana verbatim i=unto films.
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October 3, 2013 at 1:43 AM
LOL at the latest song NAGADA SANG DHOL..
NAGADA in Marathi means nude!! Hmm Deepika in the nude will be great fun..
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October 3, 2013 at 10:09 AM
The Dhol song seems like a stale reprise of the Dholi taaro song (itself hardly great — Bhansali’s sense of music is plain meandering); and the tattad tattad song is just weird, almost as if SLB were trying to channel his inner Prabhudeva…except he doesn’t have an inner Prabhudeva…
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October 3, 2013 at 10:12 AM
“tattad tattad song is just weird, almost as if SLB were trying to channel his inner Prabhudeva…except he doesn’t have an inner Prabhudeva…”— haha qalander– agree
Even the choreography seems wierd–what’s that ‘hair jerk’ step !
A textbook in masala song picturisation–
Hail prabhudeva –luv him
Esp note the energy (& 3 gals on one maneuver) 🙂
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October 4, 2013 at 6:47 AM
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Deepika-steers-Ranveer-home/articleshow/23494978.cms
Deepika takes ailing ranveer home!!
Now now that’s what I like about deepika –how intelligent !!
Others should learn from her 🙂
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October 4, 2013 at 6:52 AM
Ok guys-(maybe a coincidence but)-note that the ‘discharge’ and ‘steering back home’ happened AFTER besharam 2nd day reports
We may see even katrina ‘steering home’ somebody (else) soon
🙂
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October 8, 2013 at 3:46 PM
So after that mildly addictive Tattad Tattad, SLB has ventured back into his cacophonic mode. The ethereal beauty of Deepika, is the only damning salvation of this new holi-garba song.
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October 8, 2013 at 4:07 PM
‘Lahoo moonh lag gayaa’
Ok, this is the best filmed track in this film till now.
Not sure about the film itself, but will certainly endorse this song by filming the spoof …
Deepika is tantalising here and her alternate ‘coy bold’ avataar is one of the textbook chapters for the ‘modern indian woman’ (to lure guys) 🙂
So who all are the options for this track
Amy is always an option (there’s a contract-I can use her skills anytime) –lately she’s been a bit ‘busy’
There’s always maggie and Oldgold
And where did u think sanju and anu have disappeared to ?
To my H 🙂
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October 8, 2013 at 4:24 PM
http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/deepika-padukone-jumps-into-bed-with-ranveer-singh/
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October 8, 2013 at 4:30 PM
“Deepika jumps into the bed ”
^^ now I was having double mind about this spoof given some obvious shortcomings with few songs/picturisation etc
BUT
seems some songs /scenes will HAVE to be filmed now 🙂
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October 8, 2013 at 4:23 PM
Deepika has never looked better than in these trailers. The song situations continue to feel like a reprise of HDDCS. But Ranveer Singh remains a huge eye sore. The less said about Bhansali’s meandering music the better though it must be said that he always had a thing for this. Ismail Darbar personified this quality for him once. HDDCS remains easily his best soundtrack but even here there are many transitions and interludes that just don’t work. Beyond this Bhansali also has a penchant for the overdone, over-orchestrated soundtrack.
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October 8, 2013 at 4:31 PM
Keep your eyes open and your ears closed.
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October 8, 2013 at 4:38 PM
Ha!
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October 8, 2013 at 8:12 PM
Khamoshi had many beautiful tracks. And Devdas, whilst I thought the film was atrocious, had a soundtrack that I rate inctedibly highly.
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October 8, 2013 at 8:55 PM
yes forgot Khamoshi. it had some good tracks. Not a fan of the Devdas soundtrack.
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October 8, 2013 at 4:27 PM
Agree with all that
But do I care–no…
Yeah the musics weak & there’s a certain repetition and OVER emphasis– be it dance steps, or color or mood or emotion
Everything’s overblown
But even that IS a style…
As for deepika–all that experiences and personal insight is coming to the fore
And where did her journey start ?
Cocktail 🙂
Ps: on a related note– wait n watch, what besharam (& it’s failure) will do to ranbir & pallavi –not now–we are talking a couple of years–watch this space
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October 8, 2013 at 4:30 PM
“But do I care–no…”
That is the lowest of bars!
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October 8, 2013 at 4:32 PM
Yup -my bar is getting ‘lower’ nowadays
I’ve been neglecting ‘twin peaks’ bit for how long ?
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October 9, 2013 at 2:30 PM
Even deepika dad getting hyper!
Except for the times when she bites off more than she can chew (remember the fiasco over Race 2 dates?) Deepika Padukone is known to be one heck of a professional gal. It came as a surprise when she summarily cancelled a shoot and disappeared.
Her PR team swung into action, dealing with pointed questions from the media (the incident had followed Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘I can give my life for Katrina’ comment) and the official version was: “She is unwell and resting at home in Prabhadevi.” However an intrepid journalist managed to call her private number and was greeted with a call waiting message in Kannada, shredding to bits the official statement. This did not go down well with Dippy’s father, Prakash Padukone, who called up the mobile service provider, blasting them for the automated vernacular response, that is a dead giveaway of the person’s location, even if it is a private number. Unfortunately for the Padukones, the service provider had an automated response… ‘sorry sir, we can’t change our rules for any star.’
Ps: is deepikas ‘mother tongue’ Kannada?
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October 9, 2013 at 2:51 PM
Yes she is a Kannadiga.
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October 9, 2013 at 3:38 PM
Which she very conveniently hid from the Hi-fi press/medium during OSO. She acted ATROCIOUSly in an even more atrocious Kannada movie called AISHWARYA with a hyper-actor called Upendra. It is from THIS film that somehow Farah/SRK noticed her beauty and brought her to Bombay..
Even now she hardly acknowledges this..aah the complexes of success..
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October 9, 2013 at 3:39 PM
& BTW she is a Konkani..a Mangalorean one and not the Goan one..she isn’t a native ‘Kannadiga.’
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October 10, 2013 at 4:02 PM
No ‘partiality’ in ‘Lahoo moonh lag gayaa’ filiming
maggie, Amy & Oldgold–all will star in the spoof 🙂
Anyhow I don’t have to do much but to be kissed hahahaa
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October 10, 2013 at 4:22 PM
And a sincere request to the three of u –plz be ‘gentle’ on me–I’ve to film it three times u know
Handle but with care 🙂
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October 16, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Bhansali is really doing his own version of masala here! Particularly with this song which even seems to be channeling Dabanng a bit! He’s even come up with a half-enjoyable song!
This certainly looks to be the most ‘fun’ Bhansali film ever. I still find Ranveer Singh quite intolerable (evidently his co-star disagrees if some of the rumors are to be believed!) but this film looks to be riding the Deepika wave. Certainly she’s never looked better.
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October 16, 2013 at 5:42 PM
“this film looks to be riding the Deepika wave. Certainly she’s never looked better.”– yes not sure whose riding what but there is a ‘deepika wave’ here
She has gained a bit of weight here it seems, perhaps on bhansalis insistence. The exuberant bold avataar is good and hope its not ‘over-milked’ 🙂
Btw personally like deepikas costumes and color scheme here a lot but interms of pure ‘looks’, preferred her in chennai express and Yjhd …(besides the obvious cocktail)
Yjhd in those nerdy glasses and in CE, in the black sari 🙂
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October 23, 2013 at 5:42 AM
Doesn’t quite work, this Priyanka Chopra song. The still here suggested more sensuality than in evident in the song.
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October 23, 2013 at 5:49 AM
Yeah, Bhansali isn’t quite natural on this terrain, and a lot of the raunchiness seems forced here (in general, that’s an issue with the other trailers as well, and perhaps with directors who cast Deepika — she gets to be the director’s fantasy sexually free wildchild)…
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October 23, 2013 at 7:39 AM
It also feels like Priyanka Chopra is doing this for every other film these days.
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October 23, 2013 at 8:11 AM
Loved this latest song promo .. Every thing from Music to choreography to filming is instant appealing .. very different and catchy.
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October 23, 2013 at 10:04 AM
The setting, colours & camera movements are more vibrant and eye catching than PC and music.
PC has been trying very hard to show some curves with non existent curvy figure in almost all movies and events!
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October 23, 2013 at 10:24 AM
Rather she has been trying to hide her extra-large backside. She does not hold a candle to Deepika in the figure department. And age is catching up with her.
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October 23, 2013 at 2:35 PM
Priyanka is aged looking with an ‘extra-large backside’?! She’s a tiny, impossibly slender woman who is not even 35 and has had enough work done to look even younger! Your standards of beauty are sick!
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October 23, 2013 at 3:56 PM
Haha Amy -yeah Priyanka is fine here.
And so is her ‘backside’
There are problems with too slender a figure as well…lol
PC is surely an ‘all round talent’ and think she hasn’t got her (full) due in commercial cinema –I mean, talent wise she is ahead of deepika and katrina anyday
But somehow the latter two have gone ahead
Will use qalanders ace quote here again —
“perhaps with directors who cast Deepika — she gets to be the director’s fantasy sexually free wildchild)…”– agree
But to add or rather modify that statement
Deepiks doesn’t have an all out frontal unabashed ‘free spirit’ persona –it’s her ‘confusing signals’ that are more dangerous–same with katrina 🙂
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October 23, 2013 at 4:08 PM
ami but in this song PC is trying to show her extra-large breasts and i guess she is bang on with the vulgar lyrics and those dance moves which are more than suggestive..
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October 23, 2013 at 4:15 PM
“ami but in this song PC is trying to show her extra-large breasts”– but what’s Amy’s fault in that 🙂
Anyhow –Amy & Oldgold –aren’t these some new dance steps
–esp between 0.25-0.35?
Hope maggie is also watching 🙂
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October 23, 2013 at 4:16 PM
PC’s breats are ‘extra-large? No offence, but are you serious? The woman looks like a stick and she has no curves to speak of! If PC is in anyway considred buxom/ voluptuous then Kate Winslet, Reese Witherspoon, Sofia Vergara, Beyonce etc are all morbidly obese!
Lately, Priyanka has been looking dangerously thin, with her face appearing larger than her entire body:
If she is still considered ‘extra-large’, then the only way for a woman to appear attractive is to be malnourished!
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October 23, 2013 at 4:25 PM
Agree Amy-PC has never been ‘obese’- she does look anorexic in that ‘high confidential’ pic…
“PC is trying to show her extra-large breasts”– idea– maybe u are using the ‘magnifier’ 🙂
Btw folks- welcome some original dance steps in Bollywood —
From 0.25-0.35…
“PC is trying to show her extra-large breasts”– maybe u are using the ‘magnifier’ 🙂
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October 23, 2013 at 4:37 PM
My bad, shudve said: Wide hips with non-existent flesh. I guess the wide hips run in the family, Parineeti is the same. Btw, there even was a Priyanka butt pad scandal:
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October 23, 2013 at 4:43 PM
http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2013/apr/100413-has-priyanka-chopras-derriere-gotten-bigger.htm
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October 23, 2013 at 4:55 PM
Ugh…this was information I really did not need to know! In PC’s defence, I don’t think it’s just her, I’m sure that many thin actresses resort to such devices to provide the illusion of curves.
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October 23, 2013 at 2:53 PM
Vulgar choreography and lyrics, probably this is only new thing which was never done on screen. Thus, it looks novel.
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October 23, 2013 at 6:57 PM
Didn’t expected comment or rather observation will go this far..still feels there is nothing wrong or cheesy to discuss it.
There is nothing wrong for actors to use props be it elevator shoes (in case of all Khans), hair extension, wigs for many including Akki, sunny, Sallu and dangerously looking thin PC to use some pad. It’s a showbiz and show off..real or unreal.
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November 3, 2013 at 4:58 AM
This is great fun. The only Bollywood equivalent would be Amar Akbar Anthony title song, or John Johny Janardan from Naseeb.
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November 3, 2013 at 5:01 AM
The two Bollywood numbers featured: Dil Cheez Kya Hai and Kay Sera Sear. I strongly feel a number each from Amar Akbar Anthiny and Naseeb deserve to be there. And one each from films of Mnai Ratnam and Shankar. And maybe Hawa Hawai.
http://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2013/nov/02/the-10-best-dance-numbers-in-film#/?picture=421452612&index=1
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November 9, 2013 at 6:34 PM
The Making of Deepika Padukone
Not many saw much potential in deepika other than her figure, long legs, red bikini. Infact many like Satyam and utkal uncle derived perverse pleasure from her (in different ways -will not delve into details!)
But the turning point came in ‘cock tail’.
People got distracted by her physical attributes (aided by the liberal nature of ‘Veronica’) and missed the birth of a presence –a heroine that will ‘connect’ big time with the masses and classes alike.
Even self-confessed deepika fans like Amy totally missed her ‘Veronica’ and wrongly focussed on her superficialities.
I was possibly the LONE voice here who saw the ‘angst’ behind the bikini, long legs and short skirts!!!
I have been ‘rewarded’ by seeing her ‘growth’ …
Folks –Presenting the female superstar deepika padukone …
Some seminal deepika pics
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/deepika-padukone-bollywood-actor-ram-leela-om-shanti-om-box-office/1/321256.html
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November 9, 2013 at 6:43 PM
While I totally subscribe to the celebration of deepika in the link above, I don’t fully agree with the ‘sexually liberal’ bit about deepika, yeah perhaps it may represent the ‘leela’ she is playing in raam leela, but it’s certainly not as uni-dimensional as that…
There’s been a certain schism & deliberately confused signalling in deepikas public persona and sexual politics
Will go into that later soon…
Anyhow,
Really liked the bespectacled socially awkward Naina and obviously the angst-laden Veronica… Let’s hope her all the best in professional and personal life
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November 10, 2013 at 6:55 PM
Continuing from comment above (on deepika)…
[added to post]
Errm..
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November 10, 2013 at 10:26 PM
Bhansali has got everything right in this film. as to the songs and their picturization. I was not happy at all with the dandruff song, and still think it sucks both as a song and in its choreography. But the rest of the songs have come out real nice. This is how eroticism and sensuality should be done. Bollywoood and Bhansali can pat themselves on their backs.
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November 12, 2013 at 11:40 AM
Only liked Nagade sang dhol baje, which also has a huge dhol baje hangover. Rest are terrible. Huge comedown for the Bhansali of Devdas, Khamoshi and HDDCS.
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November 11, 2013 at 1:23 AM
but there is something called wrong casting. Ranveer is a wrong casting. Just for Deepika and SLB film might be semi hit but will not do wonders at boxoffice despite the visible /audible merits just because of one mistake. Sorry if i have hurted any Ranveer fans. He is a good actor but some how i feel he is not suitable here.
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November 11, 2013 at 1:52 AM
Agree .. Ranveer is irritating, even if does good .. I am not interested seeing him.
yes, every thing looks perfect with this movie except male lead.
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November 11, 2013 at 2:31 AM
“This is how eroticism and sensuality should be done. “— hmm utkal uncle—don’t necessarily disagree but this was totally expected from u (what say Amy) 🙂
Guys–celebrate deepika ….
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November 12, 2013 at 3:34 PM
What the heck is that dialog, cant hear it properly:
“Subah ko deejal, phir dopahar ko faijal, aur raat ko baijal. ”
What is deejal, faijal, baijal?
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November 14, 2013 at 11:40 AM
Haha nykavi….
Btw taran adarsh on ram leela —
With every film, Sanjay Leela Bhansali [SLB] takes the audience expectations to a higher altitude. The expectations from GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA are no less. The effervescent colors, the attention-grabbing visuals, the intense drama ingeniously intertwined in the screenplay, the alluring soundtrack and the electrifying chemistry between the lead pair has caught the attention of one and all. With GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA, SLB, one of the finest storytellers of our times, is all set to outclass himself…and also prove the skeptics and cynics wrong, who may’ve felt that he has lost his way while trying to court triumph.
You do know what to expect from an SLB film, since the supremely talented storyteller emits the right signals via the promos of his films. It’s no different with GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA: SLB has stirred the audience imagination by attempting a love story amidst guns and roses. Sure, SLB is inspired by William Shakespeare’s love saga ‘Romeo and Juliet’, but SLB makes sure he narrates the passionate love story of star-crossed lovers from warring families in his trademark individualistic style.
Set in Gujarat, GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA is SLB’s most ‘commercial’ film as a director. Also, his best work so far. Undoubtedly! It’s the kind of film that you carry back with you. The hi-octane drama, the blazing guns, the passionate romance, the haunting melodies, the heart-melting emotions… SLB is an exceptional director with a remarkable vision and GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA only bolsters the actuality.
GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA narrates the story of Ram [Ranveer Singh] and Leela [Deepika Padukone]. The hostility and resentment between their families is an open secret, but as luck would have it, Ram and Leela fall in love. When truth dawns upon the respective families, a storm ensues, their worlds collide and a bloody battle occurs…Can Ram and Leela carve their destinies amidst abhorrence and slaughter?
Agree, we have witnessed Shakespeare’s adaptation of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ innumerable times in the past, but SLB makes sure the execution of the written material — also the way the screenplay [Siddharth-Garima and SLB] progresses — is way diverse from similar storylines helmed by dream merchants here. The unconventionality he brings to every sequence, the colors he infuses in his frames, the aggressive lingo his characters mouth, the passion and sensuality he brings about in his characters, GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA not only has a spellbinding effect, but it ships you to an unfamiliar world absolutely. You may have an inkling of the plot, but you definitely don’t know how SLB will give an altogether innovative twirl to the premise.
Celebrated for being a stickler for exactness and meticulousness, SLB makes sure his vision of narrating a story belonging to two warring families is never diluted by unwanted sub-plots or characters. One can gauge the premise at the very outset, but SLB never loses the focal point or deviates from it till the culmination. What unfurls is certainly going to catch a lot of people unaware, for sure.
Hiccups? Yes, the length could’ve been controlled, towards the latter reels specifically. However, it’s a minor hiccup when one looks at the kind of effort that has gone into making every frame come alive.
One of the highpoints of GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA is, without doubt, its musical score [SLB, again]. Known for delivering musical gems in the past, the soundtrack of GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA is mesmeric, to put it in one word. Each of the songs befits the setting of the film, besides being seeped in melody. The fact that the tunes are on the loop says it all. ‘Lahu Munh Lag Gaya’, ‘Nagada Sang Dhol Baaje’, ‘Ishqyaun Dhishqyaun’, ‘Tattad Tattad’, ‘Ang Laga De’ and ‘Ram Chahe Leela’ are sure-fire hits already. Visually too, each of those songs is distinctively resplendent, with the choreography catching your eye as well. The background score [Monty Sharma] is top notch.
The DoP [Ravi Varman] captures SLB’s vision exquisitely and every frame has the unmistakable stamp of flawlessness. The production design [Wasiq Khan] is striking. Action [Sham Kaushal] is absolutely in sync with the demands of the script.
Who would’ve ever imagined Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone to set the screen ablaze when GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA was announced? But the chemistry between the two is defining in every sequence, with the actors complimenting each other fantastically. Ranveer, seen in a completely new avatar, had impressed in his earlier endeavors, but he outshines himself in this one. He has surfaced as a much better actor than he ever was, letting himself free of his inhibitions and experimenting with a role that’s actually intricate. He’s simply flawless.
This is Deepika’s year, for sure. Post RACE-2, YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI and CHENNAI EXPRESS, Deepika pulls yet another ace this time. Looking gorgeous as ever and cast in the most demanding role of her career thus far, she wins you over with an act that’s unblemished. Actually, the confidence she radiates while portraying this part makes you wonder whether SLB and his writers Siddharth-Garima had penned this character keeping Deepika in mind. The audience is sure to go into raptures while watching Deepika in GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA.
Every actor in the supporting cast is simply wonderful. Supriya Pathak [outstanding], Homi Wadia [super], Gulshan Devaiah [brilliant], Richa Chadda [fantastic], Abhimanyu Singh [first-rate], Sharad Kelkar [competent], Barkha Bisht [very good] and Raza Murad [competent], each actor gives his/her best to the enterprise. Priyanka Chopra sizzles in the item number.
On the whole, GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA ought to be watched for multiple reasons: the electrifying chemistry between its lead actors, the strong dramatic content, the scintillating musical score, the violent streak in the narrative and of course, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s execution of the material. This is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s most accomplished work to date. It’s a work of outstanding artistry. No two opinions about it. A masterpiece by the master craftsman Sanjay Leela Bhansali!
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November 14, 2013 at 11:43 AM
As I had thought deepika seems to have ‘climaxed’ here ….
Unsurprisingly taran also has gone orgasmic over deepika–
“This is Deepika’s year, for sure. Post RACE-2, YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI and CHENNAI EXPRESS, Deepika pulls yet another ace this time. Looking gorgeous as ever and cast in the most demanding role of her career thus far, she wins you over with an act that’s unblemished. Actually, the confidence she radiates while portraying this part makes you wonder whether SLB and his writers Siddharth-Garima had penned this character keeping Deepika in mind. The audience is sure to go into raptures while watching Deepika in GOLIYON KI RAASLEELA RAM-LEELA.”
Would be handy getting a review on this from Amy ….
C’mon Amy Amy …. 🙂
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