Between Reviews: Performance Appraisal
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
OCT 19, 2008 – YOU’D THINK THE ONLY PEOPLE AFFECTED by the Drona debacle would be the ones who actually made the movie, but universal disenchantment over a much-anticipated film can apparently make its effects felt even on someone who merely reviewed it. No sooner than I’d awarded the film a three-star rating, one reader wrote in to enquire if I was on Abhishek Bachchan’s payroll, while another, very politely, wondered that, as a “respected writer whose views are valued, surely there are a lot of people there ready to buy you out.” The infamous instance of the disgraced Hansie Cronje was then invoked, and I was asked, “How easy is it to stay clean to your conscience when it’s just a matter of putting an extra star on the rating?” I wish that question had been put to me after I’d been made richer by a couple of crores – if only because I’d know, then, what a couple of crores looked like – but with no such windfall in the offing, I went back to my older reviews of Bachchan Jr. films to check if, indeed, there was something about the actor that made me look at his work with undeserved lenience. More to the point, I was curious whether I’d ever written about him as – the way a third disgruntled reader put it – some sort of “great actor.”
The earliest reviews I located were of his films released in 2003. Writing about Run, I observed that “the jury is still out on whether Bachchan Jr. can be as all-round a leading man as his father, but he’s definitely on par with the lighthearted stuff,” and about Zameen, I wrote that the actor was “out of his element as a toughie.” Five years later, I find I still hold the same opinions about Abhishek Bachchan – that he’s lipsmackingly good with the light stuff, but his success in other kinds of roles possibly depends on the skills of his directors (like how Ram Gopal Varma shaped him in Naach and Mani Ratnam guided him through Guru). So does this mean I think he’s a great actor? And that is what I’m coming to (somewhat tangentially, I’ll admit) with this week’s column – which is not about, as it would appear, the cleanliness of my conscience (if you think I‘ve sold out, why would these 1000-odd words convince you otherwise?), but rather, why I find it easier to sit through the films of certain actors. I’m talking about the newer bunch, because a large part of my liking, say, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Hassan and Naseeruddin Shah has also to do with my growing up with their performances; ineffable variables like nostalgia, therefore, creep into the viewing experience.
Before I proceed, let me make the usual noises about all of this being extremely subjective, and that my idea of a watchable performance may be night to your noontime – because no matter how many times I shout myself hoarse about the fact that my opinions about film are simply, well, opinions, they sometimes get distorted as indubitable fact. Disclaimer dutifully delivered, I think the reason I enjoy watching Abhishek Bachchan on screen isn’t that he’s a great actor – he isn’t; at least, not yet – but that he’s a good one, and even when he isn’t good, he (usually) doesn’t wreck a film for me with his performance. I don’t mind not being transported to the heavens by the quality of a performance, but I do care that it doesn’t send me crashing down to earth by taking me out of the movie. That’s a strange way to look at screen acting, isn’t it – to say that you like an actor because he doesn’t suck rather than the fact that he rocks? But that’s the way it is for me with most of our commercial-film actors. I liked Imran Khan in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na because he was charming in a charmingly written part – which is just another way of saying that a large part of the performance was due to the fact that he was perhaps playing himself, which is probably why his bad-boy act in Kidnap didn’t work for me at all.
And that’s how it is with most Indian actors who operate in the mainstream. They have a specialty and they are good at it, but ask them to stretch and things could get ugly. A lot of our actors and actresses are what I like to call “good commercial film actors.” They know how to flirt with the audience, which is a hugely important factor, no doubt, in our going to the movies. I mean, all those Shammi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna films that we love – it’s not about “great acting,” is it? Or, closer to our era, there are the early Shah Rukh Khan performances – the ones in films like Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, where he carried on that tradition of exaggerated, stylistic quirks calculated to charm the socks off a complicit audience – that, in their entertainment value, constitute a very valid kind of acting too. It may not be “great acting” – in the narrow sense of searing performances that deliver psychological depth and emotional catharsis – but we don’t want all our heroes to be Balraj Sahni, do we? Besides, how many films of ours are of the kind that demand, and inspire, more than just a marginal level of proficiency in performance?
So, no, I do not find Abhishek Bachchan a great actor, but, in the right kind of role, I do find him an extremely entertaining performer. And that automatically puts him, along with the likes of Hrithik Roshan, in a category above most mainstream actors today. Given the right vehicle and the right support systems, they do not end up embarrassing themselves, their films, or us. And that’s good. But if you’re interested in what I call great acting, it’s the kind Balraj Sahni did in Do Bigha Zameen – though this isn’t a proper reference point because we’re talking about cinema that’s more commercial, so let me use the example of Kamal Hassan in Mahanadhi. I’ve seen Kamal cry on screen practically since the time I began watching movies, so I know exactly how his eyes will well up with tears, how the nostrils will begin to puff, how the voice will begin to croak. But in the scene where his character is in prison and he gets a visit from his young daughter who’s just had her period – a happy event made sad because he wasn’t around to see his little girl take her first tentative steps towards becoming a woman – Kamal is simply extraordinary.
He does all the things I mentioned – the eyes well up, the nostrils puff away like miniature bellows, the voice croaks – and yet, he convinces us that we’ve never before seen such grief being expressed, as if the collective sorrows of the world were being channelled, at that instant, through this sad, broken man. The way his fingers crawl on the wire mesh separating him from his daughter (during visiting hours) and hide his eyes, and the way he concatenates this action to the eventual wiping of his tears – it’s heartbreaking stuff. But what adds to the performance is also the writing, the situation that Kamal wrote for himself that resulted in his getting this juicy part to play. And how many times do we see such writing in our big-star-driven commercial cinema? And in the face of this reality, is it so surprising that I opt to take pleasure in the smaller pleasures of an actor, any actor, doing whatever he can to make my life just a little easier during the inordinate number of hours I devote each week to the movies? I fully understand if Drona did nothing for the vast majority – and I sympathise, really – but, at least, it had a lead actor who didn’t throw me out of the film, and those are the small mercies, these days, for which I thank the heavens.
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I guarantee no matter what there will always be people who will go “you call this movie/actor good, but you had the temerity to not call great that performance of the love-of-my-life-actor, How dare you? , fie!!”
This is a good result of that though, nice insights
Wow. Reading this all I could think of was how this is what exactly I feel about certain actors myself. But never had the clarity of thought or the ability with words to really understand/express it.
But maybe that’s what authors are for, isn’t it? Clearing the cobwebs from your head and shining a light at the darkest corners of your brain. Thank you!
Dear Rangan,
Increasing number of fights on your comments section means increasing popularity of your blog. Plz don’t take these comments to heart and plz continue with ur excellsent work.
BR: I thought AB was good in Bluffmaster, KANK, the first halves of Sarkar and Naach. He was also good in many of the cameos he did like Hum Tum. But in movies like Sarkar Raj, Guru and Yuva, his performances were inconsistent. So when you say he doesn’t suck even in not-so-good performances, I agree with you.
“And how many times do we see such writing in our big-star-driven commercial cinema? And in the face of this reality, is it so surprising that I opt to take pleasure in the smaller pleasures of an actor, any actor, doing whatever he can to make my life just a little easier during the inordinate number of hours I devote each week to the movies?” – While I agree with you on this, it also beats me when the performance of Farhan Akhtar in Rock On went mostly unnoticed by reviewers – most of them just said that he was competent. Even you spent a whole paragraph on his singing but for his acting, you limited it to two words – “just right”. I thought it was a fantastic performance. Look how he reacts when Shahana confronts him before the last show of Magik. Look how he makes his decision when the Channel V bosses ask Magik to remove a slow number and repleace it with a ‘festival
remix’. When he introduces KD to his wife, look at that pause, before he says KD on the vase.(It was skillful writing and brilliant acting). My intention is not to write about FA and compare him to AB. But, while people notice a great emotional performance, subtle performances like that FA in Rock On goes largely unnoticed. When you complain about ‘lack of good writing that enables great performances’ in hindi commercial cinema, I think you should allott more space to the likes of FA in your reviews. Many people may miss your opinion, if you say it in ‘just two words’.
Kishor: I realise the first couple of paras come off as a tad defensive, but this post wasn’t about “taking it to heart” at all. Rather, those comments provided a springboard for some rambling about performances.
Anand: I thought those “two words” gave a favourable impression of FA’s performance, especially as I’d spent the preceding space describing the graph of his singing and then used the same criteria for performance evaluation, so to speak. “Just right” is a very good thing, IMO, and I don’t know that a paragraph devoted to a performance would have made the impression any stronger. Excellent thoughts in the comment, by the way.
I completely agree with you – majority of our commercial actors (stars) simply are contended doing the same thing – maybe they not good enough and pass off hamming as good acting – look at the way Hollywood commercial actors like Dicaprio and Russel Crowe take up challenging roles. But there have been some notable exceptions – Aamir Khan in Earth, SRK in Chak De India, Abishek in Guru.
“Abhishek Bachchan ..- but that he’s a good one, and even when he isn’t good, he (usually) doesn’t wreck a film for me with his performance” – Agree 100%. The thing about him is that, generally, he does not ham, unlike most other actors.
Abhishek is awful in GURU. Anyone who says he was half-decent anywhere in GURU is being untruthful or belong to the RishiKappoor-is-a-fine-actor types. I did enjoy his performance in Bluff master, though.
I don’t get the photo in this post.
Who’re they? Which movie is it from?
Your article though does tell one thing for sure, AB jr not sure but you are biased towards kamal hassan for sure
Who would not be!
Saranya: Balraj Sahni – Do Bigha Zameen.
Gaurav Agrawal: You think?
Actually, talking about AB, I am quite eager to watch Dostana. He seems to be having fun in the promos.
I am trying to list some performances where it has wrecked the film, IMO.
Hritik – Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon
Kareena – same film
Salman- Many films, but notably, the rip off of Walking in the clouds
SRK – Ram Jaane
Ajay Devgan – Shikhar
John Abraham – Jism
Priyanka Chopra – Salaam-e-ishq
Anand: Even AB was bad in MPKDH, which makes it an all-round acting fiasco. But there, i think, both AB and HR were fairly raw (HR was awful in Yaadein too) — but now that they’ve started to pick-and-choose their films and directors, they’re much better. As for Salman, he’s is never to be considered in the “actor” category. And Ajay Devgan, I feel, is good in a limited way. He can project a strong, silent presence in films like Company, but he was miscast in Yuva (at least, compared to Surya in the Tamil version).
Raj: I think Abhishek was decent in Guru. And yes, the proves your theory since I belong to the Rishi-Kapoor-is-a-fine-actor type.
I like Abhishek…Baddy, I do enjoy watching his films and agree with your views though I don’t think I can sufficiently provide an analysis of why I like him.
I grew up on Amitabh’s films, among others. So, there is possibly a small part of me, that doesn’t want to be analytical and probing, but wants to like Abhishek and wants him to do well. It’s the same fondness I had for Prabhu, Karthik (Agni, Kaalapani, Anjali etc) in some of their films, the same eagerness for Karthik Raja to do well…
I like Abhishek…period.
PS: Kamal has so many terrific performances that it’s toucg to recount each one of them. One great scene that stood for me on an otherwise commercial slapstick film like “Tenali” was when he starts talking about his SL life, how his mother died etc. That whole shot is one take and he does all the things you mention and then towards the end, suitably composes himself because he is giving an interview to the TV camera. That was awesome too…
rangan,
we caught drona yesterday and the first thing that struck us was the fact that goldie behl dared to think out of the box that hindi commercial film directories confine themselves in…some of the scenes in drona were very beautifully concieved (the city of secrets/the train scene)…however, AB’s performance (specially as Drona) left a lot to be desired…he was perfect when he was playing the neglected foster son…however, when he finally becomes drona the change in his stature/body language should have been more prominent…i think it’s a failure on the part of the director as well to not notice it…
This piece led me to think of the relationshipe between screen-writing and performance…I think the “Fill in the blanks” style of screen-writing of Maniratnam lends itself dependant on the performer to shape the film (imagine AB in ‘Nayagan’,conversely Kamal in ‘Guru’!). Contrast this with “Detail-oriented” writing of Balachander- I mean wouldn’t he have extracted close to what he wanted out of even say (Mike)Mohan in ‘Ek tuje ke liye’??I am not talking of the performer’s skills here.What do you think?
Got these mails via feedback to the paper. The first one…
Dear Sir,
I am one among many fans of New Indian express, reading the news paper since 15 years. My sunday is not complete without reading the specail edition issues. I am very happy abot the new look/updation about the newspaper, at the same time surprised about October 20th, Sunday Newspaper edition articals.
I would like to comment on two articals on the same page.
Matinee: the Drona debacle.
A wednesday “Making fools of us all”.
Matinee:the Drona Debacle:-I saw this movie on first day- show in Mysore along with My wife and eight year old son.The movie is a scrap. We adults didn’t enjoyed it nor my naughty son.The common observation after the movie is – Abhishekh Bachan , He is not a good actor.He is into this business because of his parents. We saw the reviews in Indian express news paper after three days on sunday, shocked to see the reviews by Mr.Baradwaj Rangan.Ok, it is not so important for us to think about this issue. We left it over a five minutes discussion over our dining table.But very surprised to see the artical with more space by Mr.Baradwaj Rangan justifying his review. Mr.Rangan giving his previus movies expamples of not appreciating the acting caliber of Abhishek(Who cares about it & Who requires it) The key point is “Drona” movie is a bad product, and Mr.Rangan has put his personal views.Oh god Mr.Rangan has also mentioned that Mr.Abhishek is a first grade actor comparing to Hrithik Roshan !!!. The space which you alloted for this artical is whaste, We are not bothered about Mr.Rangan’s views on Abhishek.
Wednesday – Making fools of us all. I was not intrested to see this movie, Many of my friends & relatives told that the movie is thrilling & good. I remember that the Movie review for this movie was good in national newspapers, including Indian express.We saw it, the movie is Ok..thrilling. There is no need to mention about the actors as they have proved since years about their acting skills.The key point is we enjoyed the Movie .It is a good product. Surprised to see the educative artical on this movie after three-four wekks of release, the person who has written is trying to educate us, remind us about Shiv sena & Narendra Modi , creating awarness. Sir , we know that all Muslims in India are not terrorists.We know about shiv sena & Narendra Modi.What is this artical trying to say us.Not to see this Movie? The writer has blamed the whole hindhi filmdom for producing this type of movie.I am seeing Hindhi, Tamil, Telagu, Malayalam movies since 32 years of my life. We go to movies to enjoy. Hindhi movies are entertaining and technology is improved day by day.latest being Karzzz….a beautiful masala Movie.
Sir, I feel after reading this to artical is that New Indian express is Making Fools of us all by spending Rs 5 on sunday, whasting our time by reading these articals. Suggestion to Mr.Rangan & A wednesday artical writer:- Please Conduct a Life Changing training programme to Hindhi Movie Makers/directors.
Sir, these two articals are not up to mark for regular readers. I can’t blame Indian express is bad because of two not-important, whaste articals. We look forward for meaningful reviews/articals in future. Thanks & Regards…
Here’s the second one, addressed to me:
Hello,
Read your column in the Sunday supplement of the NIE. Although I generally tend to agree with most of what you write, I do not think Kamal Haasan is such a great actor as you make him out to be.
The greatest failing of Kama Haasan as an actor is his propensity to over act. His acting in the film ‘Mahanadi’ is a case in point. Where subtlety and nuanced emoting is required, he overblows it. I don’t know how much of this is due to his upbringing in the Tamil film industry in particular and the Tamil society in general, where loud acting is considered good acting and the hero has to rave and rant to drive home his point.(The actor,Surya who is an ardent Kamal fan is the only redeeming exception).
Added to ithis, is the obsession of Kamal with make up which very often tends to be gimmicky. Most of his films are full of such gimmicks. Initially, I used to enjoy it. But now it has become very boring and jarring. A truly great actor does not need to resort to such antics to metamorphose into a different character with a very different personality.
I think this is where Mohanlal is superior to him as an actor (Although most of his films nowadays are nothing much to talk about. But his body of work between 1985 and 1995 is exceptional.)
I do not for a moment say that Kamal is not a talented actor, but there are many other actors in many other languages who are better than him.
This piece, by the way, is the 40th installment of Between Reviews. And this week’s Part of the Picture was the 26th. Any thoughts/suggestions on where to take these columns in the future?
Arijit: “when he finally becomes drona the change in his stature/body language should have been more prominent” But I didn’t see any reason for this. He’s not exactly a superhero, is he? But I do wish they’d outfitted him better. That was a silly costume.
Prasanna: IMO, Mohan might have delivered the lines but there’s still something called the personality, and I doubt the elevator song, for instance, would have been the same with Mohan instead of Kamal.
But does the performer really shape a Mani Ratnam film (as opposed to a KB film)? That’s an interesting question that I’m going to have to think about when I have more time.
Dear Bharadwaj,
I am one of those anonymous clicks you get on a weekly basis who never bothers to comment. But you can be assured that you are understood – crystal clear and respected as someone who can elevate the art of cinematic appreciation and criticism to an altogether different level. Respect.
The highlights of my reading pleasures have been the reviews of Jaan-e-Man (The first review of yours which I read and got hooked onto – maybe because I loved the movies as well), No Smoking (again maybe because I liked the movie) and so many more. I also love your non-film review writings and the fact that you admire Abhay Deol’s work. Not that I always agree with whatever you write. I have disagreed with you many times as you said an opinion is after all an OPINION but I might have disagreed with your opinion but I have always liked your reviews.
The reason I like your reviews is because you make me re-view a movie either actually on a DVD / on-screen or in my mind. Some of the scenes / shots / references you write about, I want to revisit them thinking how did I miss them in the first place. The Aamir review was also a delight. How many reviewers will actually bother about a Peggy Lee song. But you did and thanks for that as well.
Is this only in India that you are accused of being bought off for giving an extra star to a movie? Anyways I appreciate your coming forth on the issue although I actually don’t think the remarks merited your clarifications.
Having said that I should come to the point why I have commented today on your blog. Reason – Abhishek Bachchan and great acting in manistream commercial cinema. I liked Abhisek Bachchan in Refugee. I thought he had it what it takes to become a great acting-star. But was utterly disappointed with his selection of his movies till Yuva. I always argued with people he is waiting for the right material and director. Post-Yuva I could always take pride in keeping the faith. But I was to be disappointed again. Other than Naach, Sarkar, Sarkar Raj and Guru he never got THE GREAT material to prove him as an actor. He was always okay in the comic stuff and I liked parts of Bunty Aur Babli.
While he was simply brilliant in Yuva and Naach he disappointed a lot in Sarkar, Sarkar Raj and Guru. I don’t think he is a bad actor but he takes himself far too seriously in serious movies and does the wrong things in the wrong movies. Gun fighting alongside Sanjay Dutt and Sunil Shetty who are born to fire the guns on screen. Dancing and trying to look cool in front of Hrithik Roshan. Part of it has to do with the directors and the bad scripts he has been working with.
Talking about material what more you want other than Godfather and Michael Corleone’s character. But in one dining table scene a certain Kay kay Menon killed the performances of both the Bachchans. Sarkar and Sarkar Raj despite being great materials were alas RGV’s fanboyism at its worst. Still there were opportunities and he let them go. Guru is another example. He couldn’t inspire enough in a role supposed to inspire and Mithunda still taught a few lessons in acting to a younger Bachchan. Till date the only movie he entertained me with his acting was Yuva, Naach and to a certain extent Bunty Aur Babli and in a career spanning almost a decade that is disappointing. Bluff master was a disappointment again – a bad rip-off of a far superior Matchstick Men and Abhisek couldn’t do a percent of what Nic Cage had done. I agree he doesn’t suck but he doesn’t inspire me to spend money to watch his movies anymore.
I haven’t watched Drona and will definitely do so but alas that will be more to watch Kay Kay Menon more than The Drona himself.
I haven’t seen Mahanadi and hence can’t comment but have utmost regards for Kamal as one of the greatest actors in India. I have been always humbled by Balraj’s Sahni’s performances in Do Bigha Zameen as well as Garam Hawa. But why go to the searing performances of Balraj Sahni and Kamal when you have – Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff – two of our most endearing and sensational commercial cinema actors over the years. Even Sunny (Ghayal, Damini) and Aamir (Sarfarosh, Rangeela) have been brilliant in some of the commercial stuff they have done. Anil Kapoor in Ram Lakhan, Tezaab and Jackie Shroff in Gardish and Parinda were sensational and both of them in many movies from Andar Bahar to 1942 – A Love Story. And above all Amitabh in so many movies.
BTW does only serious acting in commercial cinema deserve a mention as a great actor? What about the memorable lead performances in comedies. Anil and Govinda have been the most outstanding actors of their generation in comical lead roles and deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as serious acting. Alas none of the newer generations are a patch on these outstanding actors.
Please don’t consider this as a rant or riposte. Just another opinion and keep up the brilliant work.
BR: The first mail prompted me to post this comment – since you write about two articles a week, there could be a possibility that inconsistencies might occur – I mean sometimes I feel Hey Ram was a better film, and sometimes I feel Virumaandi was better. It depends on the state of mind. But the fact remains that when you took a couple of weeks off, there were so many people who missed your columns and that is a true indicator of your performance.
BR: Between Reviews – Please start reviewing Tamil films on a regular basis, since it is now allocated to a Between Reviews column, you are getting away with ridiculously low frequency. I really thought Saroja, Jeyam Kondan, Poi solla porom and Raman Thediya Seethai deserved a review.
priyambad: I always get uneasy when people say things like “elevate the art of cinematic appreciation,” because it makes me think immediately of stentorian professors droning on in front of screens showing Eisenstein and Tarkovsky, while what I think I do (or, at least, what I *try* to do) is a more informal and backslapping version — the print equivalent of what I’d say if I were arguing about a movie with a bunch of cinephile friends. But thanks nonetheless. And no — the comment didn’t come across as either a rant or a riposte
Anand: You’re absolutely right. It’s just that I haven’t seen any Tamil films since I got back. I wanted to do something on the music of VA and even put down some points, but something didn’t quite click in that piece. Maybe when the film comes out…
My response to this very fine piece here:
http://www.naachgaana.com/2008/10/20/rangan-on-abhishek-dedicated-to-satyam/#comment-149174
How to take it forward, your thoughts on movies from yesteryear. You could introduce us to a whole new world of movies that we would not have heard of, something which is outside IMDB TOP 250/AFI TOP 100. Also good regional movies, maybe they could serve as a wonderful exposure to the land that is India.
aditya, Rishi Kappoor. Not Rishi Kapoor. The difference is important because that is my prose-equivalent of sneering
Well, my theory was not some random piece of abuse, as BR would probably dub it as, it was a well-thought out piece of observation. You watch it, my statement can be verified over a large sample of population.
If there are many other actors in many other languages better than Kamal, where does that leave the likes of Anil Kapoor(Ok, he doesnt deserve the sneering Kappoor), Jackie Shroff(idhukku Rishi Kappoor-e thevalai), Abhishek Baccha, Rithik-saar, sarukh-aar, even ameerkaan-saar?
While on that, I must mention that I consider Sivakumar a bad actor equal to Rishi Kappoor. The definition of mediocrity. Many here, especially Aditya, would probably like to think that I dont like R Kappoor only because he is in Bollywood. Just wanted to mention that mediocrity everywhere deserves equal amount of sneer.
I won’t say much except that i do like Abhishek. I think he’s really creating his own type of character. Of course the comparison with his father can’t be avoided. But i tend to think that every time a director try to transform him into “the Bachchan heir”, he miss something about him. He’s not allowed to express this liberty, this charm that he got. Everytime he plays a sober role, the serious guy etc… a comparison with Bachchan senior pops up. Guru (a performance that i liked more than the film) is the result of his work as an actor, same for Yuva, or Bluffmaster. After a dozen of really bad roles, always badly dressed (and it means a lot for a man that tall), a talented director gives him the opportunity to go beyond the commercial routine. If it was the “blood”, then poor Mimoh would’ve made a Blockbuster
this year ! Unfortunately, his talent reveals 17 flops too late. Because of that, some doubts about his acting skills will always exist (i agree with those who think that his surname helped him to survive … but don”t blame the player, blame the game ! That’s how B-wood works, so change it or don’t complain… and be prepared for Jimmy 2 
). The son of one of the biggest french actor (Depardieu) died last week that (Rangan piece made me think about that). He was really talented, but was insecure, almost crazy. A lot of “star child” are like that in France. In order to prove they deserve a chance, they need “to kill the father” (just an image) in a brutal way and very soon in their career with challenging roles. IMO Abhi lacked that courage earlier and is paying the price (of course all stars son don’t need to…)
To conclude, day after day Abhi is making his own road. Of course we’ll see more “Drona” from him, but what is more important is what we’re going at the end of this journey.
what we’re going to say at the end of this journey.
(wow a long post for someone who just wanted to say “PS : Abhi i like you”
)
BR,
I too would like you to step back in time and write about older movies, but I understand if retrospects don’t interest you.
And I share the offhand fondness for Abhishek, even though I’ve only seen a handfull of his movies and wasn’t particularly impressed (or distressed) by his performance. I think it’s that air of goofiness about him – goofy people are good people.:-)
“If there are many other actors in many other languages better than Kamal, where does that leave the likes of Anil Kapoor(Ok, he doesnt deserve the sneering Kappoor), Jackie Shroff(idhukku Rishi Kappoor-e thevalai), Abhishek Baccha, Rithik-saar, sarukh-aar, even ameerkaan-saar?”
Add AB Sr please…he is bloody overhyped.
For hamming..please watch AB Sr in his NA-ed movies – black, and Agneepath. Good lord, some one please shake me out of the nightmare that is Agneepath agneepath…agneepath..
no nuance, lack of subtlety, etc…you name it..
For both subtlety and nuances of Kamal haasan, please watch him emote in pushpak, kurudhipunal (sequences with nasser, and especially when he hides his tears when Gowthami consoles him), Aboorva sagodharargal, nayakan (incl. the now mocked crying scene), swathi muthyam, sagara sangammam, 16 vayadhinile, kokila, thevar magan, mmkr and lot lot more.. All finely enacted roles and a die-to-have oeuvre. And, I don’t understand nuance if you can’t pick it up from this very scene ” in the scene where his character is in prison and he gets a visit from his young daughter who’s just had her period – a happy event made sad because he wasn’t around to see his little girl take her first tentative steps towards becoming a woman – Kamal is simply extraordinary.
He does all the things I mentioned – the eyes well up, the nostrils puff away like miniature bellows, the voice croaks – and yet, he convinces us that we’ve never before seen such grief being expressed, as if the collective sorrows of the world were being channelled, at that instant, through this sad, broken man. The way his fingers crawl on the wire mesh separating him from his daughter (during visiting hours) and hide his eyes, and the way he concatenates this action to the eventual wiping of his tears – it’s heartbreaking stuff” as BR says.
Is it not complete farce and bullshit to rate likes of Mohan lal or AB sr on par with him? Lal is almost always routine, and has not much of versatility. In stead he makes it up with his underplaying reactions like a typical crying and smiling and mixing it to various degrees. ok, sometimes he got the right subtlety to show complex emotions…Perhaps thats why he is rated this high..AB Sr overacts and hams a lot lot more…The fact he is rated this high beggars belief…But then again this is nation’s best critic..So everyone wants him to write about their favorites..so it’s just sour grapes to such lot. Thankfully, he is a thamizhan to understand the finer qualities of kamal, rajini (in his earlier films), Sivaji, etc. So he is no ignorant enough to be judgmental “Where subtlety and nuanced emoting is required, he overblows it. I don’t know how much of this is due to his upbringing in the Tamil film industry in particular and the Tamil society in general, where loud acting is considered good acting and the hero has to rave and rant to drive home his point.”. I’m deeply hurt by this general characterization of Tamil society as this. This idiot should probably watch pushpak, mmkr, nayakan, kuruthipunal, swathi muthyam, sagara sangamam, moondram pirai, etc. Are they not nuanced and subtle enough? I know they are. But he is probably from school of rediff comments and racist…similarly, tell him to contact mohanlal and mammootty for Sivaji ganesan. Both the gentlemen are devotees of Nadigar thilagam.
thamizha, loose-la vidu ma. Idhukkellama respond pannuvanga?
br, you didnt publish my comment!!! CAn you atleast mail me with your thoughts on this
Brangan: Excellent piece! And kudos for using concatenates in a non-Programming 101 context.
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I just wanted to address the comparison OF Kamal with Lal. I could just do the apples and oranges thing and go quietly into the woodwork but I’d like to elaborate. From what I’ve heard Lal is a fan of the M.R.Radha school of acting, transcending the role and such. Lal earned his stripes playing an immensely likeable every man with a sense of humor but the tilted gait, sheepish smile and the sombre scowl with the slightly downward turned lips were/are all standard issue. You will see them in Balagopalan (T.P.Balagopalan M.A), Sethumadhavan (Kireedom/Chengol), Muralidharan (Varavelppu), Gopinathan (Bharatham), Abdullah (His Highness Abdullah) and Sunny Joseph (Manichithrathazhu). His interest and affinity for music allowed him to sync/sink in pefectly with all those musical masterpieces Sibi Malayil and Raveendran put together. He was at best awkward in the action sequences I remember (Abhimanyu and such). But then MangaLassery Neelakandan (Devasuram) came along and pretty much changed his career path. He got to play a very gray feudal landlord and discovered people enjoyed him twirling his moustache and being over the top in general. So a whole slew of those kind of movies followed. He would have the odd gem in between like Kanmadam/Iruvar but I think the artificiality, started creeping into his everyman roles. Blessy reigned him very well in the latter stages of Thanmathra, but of late even in the Sathyan AnthikkAd movies I dont get to see the Lal of old. It just seems like there is baggage there.
This is not the case with Kamal. I think he starts pretty much clean slate on a new project. How they turn out is an entirely different discussion. Kamal shows very little carryover from previous performances. Obviously it is still him doing the role so the “ticks”, as you put it, are the same. But I have a feeling that the ability to get rid of the baggage is the reason the same “ticks” seem new or at least to have different origins.
This is not to say that one is/was better than the other. The Lal that I knew and loved is far different than the Kamal I knew and loved. I would’ve loved to see them play off each other in some sort of bi-lingual epic that Bharathan/Padmarajan directed.
DeepaukM: Excellent comment, as always!!
Deepauk: I was going with “segue” first, and then then I felt that that denoted a smoother (wholesale)shift than “concatenation,” which suggests an accretion of little details. Thanks for noticing man
Tamizha,
You’re ignorant dude. Disregarding Lal is a sin, better wash your sins by watching classics like Kireedom, Bharatham, Vanaprastham, Thoovanathumbigal, Iruvar, Nadodikkattu, Chithram, Manichitrathazhu.. And even his “masala” performances are a treat to behold. Truly versatile actor.
Deepauk,
Great post. Quite agree..
“Any thoughts/suggestions on where to take these columns in the future?” — Surprise me!
Deepak, Excellent comment, as usual.
Oh erkanavae adhai sollittangala. Parava illai nanum solraen
lol… I’ve never taken a Rangan review seriously.. but with Drona he just took the cake. I do admit that he’s a very good writer, but a very poor appraiser of films and performances. And boy does he have the guts to attack SrK’s superlative performance in Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa.. lol.. Had he talked of a K3G or DTPH in that manner I would have bought it.. but KHKN?? come on…
Yes Manuverma: It was superlative hamming – in case you missed Ram Jaane, try and catch it up – it is even better.
Deepauk, excellent post. I just wish to add a point. I do love both actors. That said, Mohanlal does have the ability to be just one of the characters of the movie (at least before the masala era began).
This is a guest post one of my close friends wrote in rediff a few years ago…I pretty much agree with what he says. Deepauk, your comments also pretty much sum that up.
http://in.rediff.com/movies/2004/feb/14south.htm
I do think Kamal is overrated. I am watching his movies since 1970s and I feel that post 70s he started acting like a star. Recently I got a chance to watch his 1970s movie like Avargal, Nizhal Nejamayigardu and found him very good. Somehow the Kamal of 1980s started looking affected and playing to the gallery.