Review: Short Kut – The Con is On
CON WITH THE WIND
A dreadful satire of the film industry is symptomatic of everything that’s wrong with our mainstream cinema.
JUL 12, 2009 – ONE OF THE THINGS YOU’RE SOMETIMES asked as a critic is how you know if a film is any good. How do you decide when to tear a film apart from limb to sorry limb, and when you’re going to give it a considered appraisal, even if that appraisal may end up unfavorable? One of my rules of thumb is simply that a good movie – or even one that isn’t very good but at least shows signs of an attempt at making something good – draws you in. You give it some 10-15 minutes to set up its rules, its atmosphere, its conceits, and if, consequently, you’re buying into what it’s selling, then some thought has gone into it, some effort has been expended on it. You can feel it in your gut, when a film has been made with a respect for the craft and the consumer.
In such cases, the “mistakes” you find are either a result of personal taste – namely, I may not care for an actor, or a certain style of staging – or perhaps the filmmaker has slipped up along the way, either because funds weren’t available, or the right cast wasn’t obtainable, or he was too locked into his own vision, or he was forced to engineer a compromise between his artistry and the arm-twisting of the marketplace, or he was a first-timer and couldn’t quite control this kind of production. Whatever the excuse, when such a film doesn’t entirely work for you, there’s no reason for condescension. All you need to know (and feel) is that (a) someone tried, and (b) your time was respected. That’s really all it takes for me to begin thinking along the lines of a considered appraisal.
There are icky offshoots to this approach, of course. You could ask, “What about the audience, to many of whom the only consideration is entertainment, the satisfaction of money well spent?” I cannot disagree. I suppose that’s when you stop reading me and pick a critic who thinks accordingly, and I suppose there are going to be critics who think Neeraj Vora’s Short Kut – The Con is On (based on the Malayalam blockbuster Udayananu Tharam) is worth a look. I don’t. I think it deserves to be torn apart from limb to sorry limb, but because it’s so symptomatic of practically everything that’s wrong with our mainstream cinema today, I’ve decided to take it (somewhat) seriously and give it a (somewhat) considered appraisal. The short version, however, is this: As a satire of the film industry, as comedy, as occasional drama, this is a disaster on just about every level.
For a film industry that congratulates itself on making “musicals,” how have we gotten to a point where song sequences are so excruciating to endure? The only decent contribution from an otherwise pallid Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy score is Kal nau baje, where the hero and heroine implore each other to glance at the moon in unison, and thus have their gaze united, their eyes locked. As romantic proclamations go, it may not be Abhi na jaao chhod kar, but it will do. What won’t do, however, is the way this song is realised – in some eye-blindingly beautiful beachside, with the heroine posturing as if on a catwalk, with miles of red fabric billowing behind her, and the hero on a raft as if posing for a GQ shoot. Where is the romance any longer? Are we supposed to tune in to the love between hero and heroine, or the one between cinematographer and location?
If our only solution to every song situation is to cut away to irrelevant fantasy interludes, why even bother? This isn’t the 60s, where we hadn’t yet begun to leave our homes (leave alone shores), so when Raj Kapoor dazzled us with Technicolor European decadence in Sangam, we lapped it up with gratitude and glee. Who, today, needs song sequences that throw you so completely out of the moment, out of the movie – especially when the characters, at that point, are living in the humblest of Mumbai chawls? Why do we continue to pursue serious subjects if we do not have the stomach to make appropriately serious movies? New York, first, reduced its complex issues to bite-sized morsels dispensed by acting eye-candy, and here we have, in the guise of biting film-industry satire, a succession of dramatic developments that are dissipated in the quest for comedy.
We have a golden-goose actress (Amrita Rao) exploited by her family, a filmmaker of integrity (Akshaye Khanna) forced to sell his soul, and a struggler (Arshad Warsi) so desperate that he’ll steal a script from a friend if it’ll make him a star – but how will any of this register if the focus is solely on how to make every scene ha-ha funny? (If you’re looking for an idea about the level of humour, when Arshad Warsi is asked by an acting coach to name the nau ras, he comes up with “Aam ras, mosambi ka ras…” The bigger joke, however, may be that Akshaye gets to spout about Stanislavski and how “Acting is reacting,” when he hasn’t headlined a decent film in what appears to be a decade.) Couldn’t Vora have taken a look at the early Priyadarshan comedies to see how desperation can be mined for dark laughs?
And finally, when are we going to realise that scenes and characters do not exist in isolation, solely for the sake of instantaneous impact, and that there needs to be a steadily plotted emotional graph? Question: Why do Akshaye and Amrita move, after marriage, from the chawl to a ridiculously well-appointed home, with arty artifacts dotting every corner? Answer: Because we need a situation that requires him to feel frustrated about not making enough money. (Couldn’t a similar end have been achieved by having him stay in the chawl and have an emergency break over his head?) As a result, nothing registers – everything comes off like high comedy (of the unintended kind). In the scene where chawl residents decide to chip in and finance Akshaye’s movie, each individual gets up to declare, “Main bhi producer,” like how those slaves in ancient Rome rose up in a chain of “I am Spartacus” declarations.
The chawl being a microcosm of the underprivileged, you should have had a lump in your throat during this moment of supreme self-sacrifice. Instead, you roll your eyes and recall the exquisite delicacy with which Luck By Chance took on the film industry. That film is a reminder that not all mainstream cinema is hollow, that there are still artists and visionaries, both old and new – but they take so long between films that most mainstream product bears little relation to their work. The lowest blow in Short Kut, to me, was when Arshad Warsi, in anticipation of sex, sprinkles rose petals on a bed, puts champagne in a bucket of ice, and launches leeringly into Do sitaron ka zameen par hai milan, from Kohinoor – in a trice, “do sitaron” has been reduced to two cinema stars, and “milan” has been reduced to a romp in the sack. If you can’t help us make new movie memories, can’t you at least keep from desecrating the old ones we’ve hoarded so carefully inside our heads?
Copyright ©2009 The New Sunday Express. This article may not be reproduced in its entirety without permission. A link to this URL, instead, would be appreciated.
Looks like Sankat City didn’t release in Chennai. THAT is a film that “has been made with a respect for the craft and the consumer”. It’s whacky and very intelligently written. One movie where no character is redundant…and there are plenty of characters. You must catch it!
Man, you really ripped this one. I mean usually your reviews of bad movies have humour but this one really got uder your skin and touched a nerve. Hope Kaminey and Love aaj kal will heal you! I’ll stay away from this one!
When Udayananu Thaaram was released, it was hailed by critics for its freshness, which scored heavily over the rapidly declining Malayalam cinemascope. The fact that Roshan Andrews went through his struggles in life before coming up with such a moviw probably made the movie memorable.
Just as you said in the last line – “If you can’t help us make new movie memories, can’t you at least keep from desecrating the old ones we’ve hoarded so carefully inside our heads?” – I implore the directors of remakes not to desecrate the original movies that we have treasured so much in our minds. Shortkut, BhoolBhuliya and many other Priyan capers have been wounding our cinema experiences.
Very nice review. Completely agree with you that this is a horrible movie. I cannot understand how some reviewers can give even 1 star to this movie. Reviewers are so generous and give out 2/2.5 stars as if it is some candy and filmmakers are kids.
Here’s another review that tears it apart.
http://tanqeed.com/movies/shortkut.cfm
this was ‘velli thirai’ in tamizh with prakash raj? how then did they go this wrong? vt was an enjoyable movie for the most part!
What?!? No Sankat in your City? (I know that’s corny!)
The remake of Udayanaanu Tharam in Tamil, veLLiththirai, I thought, was very well made. Granted, I haven’t watched the MalayaLam original, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Tamil version. The jokes were subtle. The relationships were well portrayed. The love between Prithvi and Gopika were at times a little melodramatic, but for most part, most of the film was well done.
I guess the first problem with the hindi remake is, may be they had too much money in their hands and they had to spend all of it somehow and hence the extravagance. Such movies seem to benefit from constrained budget.
I had no intentions of watching this movie (unless it was a free on on a flight). After reading your review, I’ll avoid it like fire…
Awesome review as ever.
And, I forgot to mention; I completely agree with your philosophy of reviews. And most of the times, i follow your blog mainly because my tastes gel with yours. Keem ‘em coming…
Aditya Pant/Tejas: Actually, it did get a release, but the show timings did not allow me to watch it in time for the review deadline.
BR: Sankat City is intelligent, but not very funny. And I was amazed that the concept was su similar to Mumbai Express!!
Watching Sankat City made me realize once again that what a genius Kamal Hassan is and how underrated he is(not as an actor but as a script-writer).
You’re right Anand. Sankat City did remind me of Mumbai Express for its wackiness. I would also rate Mumbai Express higher on the funniness quotient, but as an overall experience both are at par in my opinion. What I liked the most about Sankat City is the way the seemingly complicated plot is so easily put together. You cannot describe the ’story’ to someone without confusing that person, but the way the events unfold on screen is so logical.
Hey Rangan,
Thanks, but not sure you’ve ripped it apart for the right reasons. To call it even a sature (successful or not) is an insult. This film is just a turture, because Vora decides to mindlessly copy a Malayalam film – not caring for the context in which the original was set.
Looks like the Rangan I met 5 yrs back was a different person, always finding something redeeming in every bollywood movie and sugar coating even the most mediocre movie.
Do I like this Rangan? You bet.
I think finally you got frustrated by the spate of bombs that are being dropped on hapless (re)viewers
by Bollywood…first it was Kambakht Ishq…now Short Kut…I found New York to be pretty decent though…at least it falls in your category of someone tried and the viewer’s time was respected…
Aditya Pant: Bingo.
Ah finally looks like you have reached your saturation..and cant take any of this nonsenese anymore .. is this BR ver 2.0
BTW,
The original malayalam movie also was way to hyped up. It was just another average movie…I guess it did good business because of the lack of good movies around.
I found the Tamil version, Vellithirai to be a much better product.
I like the way you shed your inhibitions and gave Shortcut what it deserved.
Cheers n keep writing…
Rahul
PS: Did you write about Nadodigal..is it as good as it is being talked about?
Oops…I just picked up on the strand about Nadodigal in your last column. Sorry about that
BR:So finally you’ve given in? Good.
Rahul: Agree that UT was just above average, not any bit greater. But to me Vellithirai was unbearable and excruciatingly slow. Moreover, Prakash Raj was at his best, hamming all the way. The performances in UT were definitely at a higher level (even Meena showed restraint!)
Chill guys – thse r esy targets. Let us see if he stops finding imginry mrts in tyrwal, bnsali johr abhishek bchn movies. Then it is 2.0 version I will agree
so many right questions. “Why do we continue to pursue serious subjects if we do not have the stomach to make appropriately serious movies?” – coz then its different. something is different from previous atrocities called movies.
“Are we supposed to tune in to the love between hero and heroine, ” I bet even the choreographer has forgotten the purpose of the song.atleast i have. it is just abt a male actor and female actor in an exotic(not exotic at all anymore) locale.
Both vellithira and Udayanaanu Tharam are honestly pathetic. The story isnt bad, but it isnt just abt the story itself, isnt it? UT may be because I dont understand malayalam but i have watched too many malayalam movies and this movie couldnt hold my interest.
what is happening with k2k?
I felt that Udayananu tharam was better than its tamil version. Vellithirai copied the story line and the screenplay in its entirety from Udayanannu tharam. So what then would set it apart should have been the acting. Unfortunately Prithviraj simply couldn’t bring out the emotional compexity or the intellectual depth that characterizes Udayan (played to perfection by Mohanlal). Prithviraj is such a pretty boy but still has ways to go before he can take on strong characters.
Anand: Is Kamal really underrated as a scriptwriter? I think most of us look forward to the films he’s *written* (as opposed to the ones where he’s merely the actor, a gun for hire). Even ‘Dasavatharam’ was cleverly conceived (on paper) — the reason it was so loathsome was the execution.
s: “The story isnt bad, but it isnt just abt the story itself, isnt it?” Thank you for saying that — but you’ll be surprised how many people still watch films mainly for the story.
About 75% of K2K is complete — last schedule pending.
What was the last movie where Kamal was a mere gun for hire, Vasool raja mbbs may be..before that ???
@ brangan
Have you yet set your soul on a Sankat City show or not? Because soon the world will be divided into two kinds of people…you know the kinds.
(Sadly, it’s not doing good business at all…the publicity-plan failed big time it seems.)
Sankat City is horrible too but the fans at PFC will hail it as some masterpiece like they always do with their favorites.
Here’s a nice review.
http://tanqeed.com/movies/sc.cfm
Baddy, will you be watching Achamundu? I’d like to see how Arun’s vision turned out finally on screen and hear about it. That film was made after surmounting innumerable difficulties and I’d like to see it have a nice run…provided it’s turned out good.
@sputnik
who the fuck’s the by-line with the link you’ve peddled? enlighten.
thanks for introducing to another taran adarsh we all have been looking forward to.
Baradwaj, you’ve done what you should’ve qualmlessly, like, always. you’ve made your choice, as have your readers, to point-out the delay.
Udayananu tharam was a movie far better than the tamil version,vellithirai and is uncomparable to the hindi crap.It was a film with fine treatment,passionate direction and very excelent acting.
But the main highlight was its critical take on the film industry.It tried to focus on star and stardom and how an actor who does’nt know a word of it, is made into a superstar (played by Sreenivasan) and showed the director is the real boss.Every criticism was made in a light of humour (which is the way it should be,i believe). It didn’t even spare the lead actor starring in the film among others.Everything was taken in a very sportive spirit and it was well appreciated. For one who is aware about it,he could read between the lines to know who each comment is aimed at and it was funny.
The remakers should have atleast tried to know the subtext or context behind each scenes/dialogue instead of making a pale plastic imitation without heart or passion.
Shankar: Arun invited me for the press show, but couldn’t make it for that. Hope to see it soon. It’s been getting decent reviews though.
Pankaj,
If you are looking for another Taran Adarsh, you will be disappointed. Taran Adarsh gives 4 star to Karzz, 4.5 to Gajini and 3.5 to KI. That reviewer does not give even 2 stars to crap like that.
I have been following that site for sometime and that site got 10/14 Oscar predictions right and predicted Rahman and Slumdog Millionaire wins. Do check out their Reccos section.