Mulk (2018)

[**** stars / *****] 

What is it to be a Muslim in India today? What is the definition of terrorism? 

Mulk director and writer Anubhav Sinha deftly depicts the prejudice, the hate, the sheer blindness and mob-mentality towards people of a particular religion with great sensitivity, balance and a compassionate heart. 

Mulk is the most important film in Hindi cinema this year. 

In the age of murderous mob lynchings, the beef ban and social media-instigated killings, Mulk touched me in its deep honesty. 

Mulk is already our Movie Marathon Bollywood/Hindi Film of the Year 2018.   

A quietly content Varanasi Muslim joint family is shattered when a young family member commits a terrorist act. The entire family is harassed and elderly members arrested, leading to tragic events. The Hindu daughter-in-law of the house stands up to defend the family in court. 

No emotion is overtly dramatized or stretched. Everything is conveyed in a matter-of-fact manner, but for some minutes of lip-synced songs.   

Taapsee Pannu is especially impressive as Aarti Mohammed. She is turning out to be the actress of the year. 

Rishi Kapoor as the family elder Murad Ali Mohammed emits strength and a rooted wise, outspoken outlook. Ashutosh Rana as the prosecution lawyer is good too. 

Manoj Pahwa as Murad's younger brother Bilaal Ali Mohammed affected me the most. His helplessness, glass-like vulnerability, and ice-thin fragility are haunting residues. 

The second half is not about, "Here is another court scene." 

There are things said with great clarity and feeling here. I left the theater speechless and stunned. The bigger picture, the larger purpose, most of us fail to see that far. 

I would like to repeat: Mulk is the most important film in Indian cinema this year. 

In these repressive times, Mulk is a solitary bright torch aflame in a sea of darkness. 

Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)

[***1/2 stars / *****] 

Chauffeur-taking-the-blame father.Tuberculosis-ridden suicidal mother. Their three separated kids. Years later, three brothers, each adopted by Hindu, Muslim and Christian families respectively, donate blood that converges into a single bottle (medical atrocity!).

Unknown to them, the blood recipient is their ex-ill, ex-suicidal mother, now blind. 

Meanwhile, ex-chauffeur father is a mob boss raising his ex-boss's daughter (who he had kidnapped) as his niece. Father thinks his wife is dead and children, lost. Blind mother sells flowers. The sons are a policeman, a singer and a good hearted small-time thug.

This is just a glimpse of the anything-goes set up for Manmohan Desai's weirdly entertaining Amar Akbar Anthony. 

Pitched as a comedy/drama, full of strange situations, formulaic and catchy Laxmikant-Pyarelal /Anand Bakshi songs and great acting by the lead cast, especially Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna (in that order). 

Crazy stuff 
Meanwhile, blind mother regains her sight, thanks to a god-intervened miracle. 

In the film's climax, three brothers roam about in disguises that the whole audience can see through, singing a song featuring their real names, the dim-witted villains remain clueless.Yet there never is a dull moment in the three hour, five minute running time. 

Amar Akbar Anthony review 
Stereotypes, slick dialogue-making and maudlin emotions found screen space with this film, in many ways creating the degenerative Hindi potboiler genre. 

Something changed in Hindi films for the worse, starting with Amar Akbar Anthony. Yet this is the redundant genre's pinnacle film, still worth watching.

Shuddh Desi Romance (2013)

[**1/2 stars / *****] 

Shuddh Desi Romance has a reluctant, compromised heart at the core of its plot and that almost kills all its good, great, charming parts. 

Psst...Live-In Relationships

A long-winded, bumbling arrival to apply the vermillion on live-in relationships, the makers of Shuddh Desi Romance are too wary of disturbing their family audience to give it a free-wheeling touch. 

This is despite the kisses, bravado and modern attitude, which all seem pat and candy floss, things that can happen only in 'bed-of-roses' films. Even for the lovers of the make-believe, Shuddh Desi Romance isn't crazy enough.   

Life is a Bed of Roses?

Dabbling comedy, drama, romance doesn't help either. Just comedy would have suited the film's take on youth and their irrelevant, confused outlook of relationships. 

The metaphors and visual hints don't register here. Shuddh Desi Romance is fiery when it sticks to the fun of it, the chemistry of the main lead sizzle in those parts.

As for the characters not seeing an inch of gritty time earning their livelihood is another bubblegum convenience. This is best blamed on Yashraj's sleek production values that color all social-economic classes in one eye-pleasing shade.

Andriod or Human? 

A human being cheated out of marriage, months later, reconciles and sleeps with the same man. She is again left stranded by him. Yet she takes it all serenely without any anguish, just because this is a romantic comedy. Blame it on Yashraj again.

A visual treat of Jaipur, Sushant Singh Rajput and Parineeti Chopra's acting chops, (Vaani Kapoor's confident turn let down by weak characterization, Rishi Kapoor is good) and two Sachin-Jigar songs are prime viewing reasons.