Salt and Saffron, by Kamila Shamsie: BThough slow and somewhat childish at first (informal conversations between various young cousins are really quite annoying) this story actually picks up very well about 40 pages into it and left me very curious and emotionally invested by the end. Through the lens of a story about five generations of a dramatic and mysterious family with lots of secrets, the author provides an interesting perspective on the political history of India/Pakistan, the mixed feelings of families that went across the border during Partition, and the resulting tensions between the strata of Pakistani society. By the end, you have a fairly good idea of all the missing pieces to the puzzle, but Shamsie doesn't actually put them together for you.. so there is that sense of not being completely satisfied by the ending. Overall, an interesting concept that keeps you hooked and thinking about it long afterwards.
The Squid and The Whale: Avoid! Highly disturbing drama about how two adolescent brothers in 1980's Brooklyn deal with their parents' divorce. Laura Linney and Jeff Daniels are great actors and they were great in this movie too (it won many awards as weird indie films do) but I was still left rather traumatized by it, so avoid it while you can!
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: BAn amusing movie based on the true story of a housewife in the 60's whose husband spent all his money on booze, so she ran a household of 12 (10 kids!) with money and things won in write-in competitions for jingles and limericks. A great tribute to the strength and patience of women! Julianne Moore did a decent job as the struggling mother - though she really isn't very convincing as a housewife, she just seems too modern!
Eklavya: BDefinitely a refreshing change from the general brand of movies today. Very Shakespearean-tragedy in nature, this film told the tale of a Royal Guard (Amitabh) who protects a royal family physically and also guards their biggest secrets.
Ironically, the family is disintegrated, and in today's day and age entirely ineffectual, but Eklavya continues to be as loyal as ever. A tragic turn of events results in a myriad of murderous plot twists that boldly question righteousness, duty, social inequity and the fine line between homicide and self-defence (to speak in Law & Order terms!). The film was almost Omkara-like in its fateful irony.. and had traces of Being Cyrus in it with its 'whodunnit' plot, though it thankfully had a less bloody and more concilliatory ending.
As usual, Amitabh and Saif were flawless, and the supporting cast was excellent as well (Vidya Balan, Sharmila Tagore, Jimmy Shergill, Jackie Shroff, Boman Irani). I didn't think Raima Sen's performance was particularly bad, but a gora friend we were watching it with said afterwards, "I don't think mentally challenged people really behave like that". Who knows - they do in Hindi movies anyway!
However, I have to admit that it was too slow and rather repetitive, not just in terms of script/plot, but also camera angles. The first time a poignant scene ended with the sound of ominous mantras and a long and lingering zoom out shot it was nice - but then Vidhu Vinod Chopra kept doing it again and again until it got boring and frustrating. We get it, it's a sad moment - let's move on! It felt like he was beating us over the head with a stick with those long drawn out shots. They added about 15mins to the film and lost appeal by the second time we saw them.
Also the constant repetition of the concept of dharma, and what it meant to Eklavya and Harsh, and what it meant to go against it.. over and over. Yes - we get it! Get a move on!
But overall, a good watch. Highly recommended.
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