KAMINEY

The so called media film critics and reviewers in India have already praised this film sky high giving it four star or even 4.5 star rating. I don’t know if it was a proverbial marketing triumph or excellent PR “Management”; or a sheer lack of judgment of a bad film. To sum up “Kaminey” is a mishmash or straight lifts from the umpteen Hollywood, Brazilian or Spanish Crime thrillers. (Quote “Pulp Fiction” “Black and White”) And what it wants to convey? Find it with a magnifying sense or better ask Vishal Bharadwaj.

In a multiplex where I was viewing it on 4 th day of its release with approx. 50 audience ticket payers; at the end,a youngster from the group behind summed up the film to his companions as “Yaar, ye “Kaminey” film to Sach mein Kaminii Nikli”

After this common man’s verdict, and empty cinema halls, will this require any further elaboration? May be, for the sake of record and to be fair with the meaningful and realistic film maker “Vishal Bhardwaj” with his past legacy of such beautiful gems as “Makdee”

“Blue Umbrella” on original themes of credited authors and “Maqbool” and “Omkara” on Indian adopted themes of classic writer Shakespeare based on his dramatic marvels with appropriate Indian characters and milieu. Can someone explain me what Vishal Bhardwaj wanted to tell us, what message he wanted to give with this movie? DHUNDHATE RAH JAAOGE, so remain confused till the end. If it was made with a view to make money, sorry, that has proved to be difficult as even muliplex crowd has not appreciated it. And if the intention was to get any foreign audience attention, that was an utopia since lack of originality in plot, treatment and script lacking Indian aura will not help. As the critics advice was to have “Home work ready” for proper appreciation of this film (They used to say the same in 60s, to appreciate the subtle nuances of Satyajit Ray, Kumar Shahani, Mani Kaul, Ritwik Ghatak or Mrinal Sen films) I had once again gone thru’ the TIPS of Prof. Satish Bahadur for proper appreciation of a film.

As per the perception of this writer, Vishal Bhardwaj’s latest film “Kaminey” where his contributed as the director, dialogue writer and Music composer; is blatant lifting of well known foreign films especially a concoction of Quentin Tarantino’s action thrillers (culminating with “Reservoir Dogs”), a heady cocktail of crime and mafia films from Italy, Brazil, Mexico and Spain. And many times you feel as if you are watching a scene from Ramgopal Varma’s “Sarkar Raj” “Satya”or “Company” For that, discredit goes to the joint script writers (three, names – not worth mentioning).. As for the original creativity as a director is concerned, that could not be found in any scene except as a craftsman to execute the shots and plot with sharpness, high tempo the stylsh plotting and filming. Call it a win for editor and cinematographer. In no Indian character the “Earthiness” is found. Whether the twin brothers Charlie and Guddu (Shahid Kapur) or Sweety (Priyanka Chopra) as Marathi Mulgi.. Sweety’s character was not that “Modern” or “liberated”, but still she used such expletives as having sex with boy friend as “No one in between me and you” meaning no condom. And how did they reach to sex, any aggravating reason for that? A traditional Maharashtrian girl, normally does not do that. As for getting Pregnant, she assured that she is an expert in HOME SCIENCE and today no chance of conceiving. However, what happens, is the twist of the story. When the boy friend Guddu proposes not to marry or allow her to abort the embryo, Sweety goes on shouting in public before all by standers in the chawl, “Did I rape You?” As if they were deaf and blind, and no one listened her shrieks and screams or reacted.

Media critics praised the film in these adjectives “Full of brains, brawn and action.” Yeh! The action and brawns were there in Bhope, Tope and Charlie characters, but where was the brain? That’s why I said “ Sochte (Dhoondhte) Rah Jaaoge”. And if appreciating this film requires an intelligence, then I admit I am a duffer.

TOO many Cinematic Liberties

Vishal took an unbridled license in cinematic liberties and that he chose without justifying with the flow of plot/story. Does any one knows, where the girl SWEETY lived and with whom? If she was a part of Maratha Don Bhope (A comical fundamental Marathi Manoos, played by Amol Gupte, the lauded script writer of TZP), her brother, then why the don or her boy friend was not aware about it and she had to reveal that fact to boy friend Guddu.? . My last fifty years of film viewing experience and the attentive presence from the beginning was there. but I did not find any original or genuine link for appreciation. Can someone please enlighten me, What home work I should have done to understand the GREATNESS, the SUBTLE POINT/ new MESSAGE that the director wanted to convey? I missed the essence till the end.. Three months pregnant Sweety (Priyanka Chopra) runs helter skelter, in police station once when Guddu (Shahid Kapur) is in custody for interrogation and another time in the end during climax scene and no untoward mishap happens to her embryo/ fetus. Wedding rituals as a Maharashtrian family were just out of our culture, people singing and dancing as if they were in a disco club. The traditional Manglashtkas were missing, though the bride and grooms were in traditional attire.. Things happen sharp without letting the viewers prod what is and why it is happening. . It can be called an editor’s triumph. For technical shot taking and execution of scenes, the cinematographer has to be applauded and for breathtaking action scenes, accolades are due to action director Sham Kaushal., although a copy of Hollywood action films. “Kaminey” is nothing but a degeneration of a creative writer-director and composer into a film maker of no consequence. Director says, the story is based in Mumbai, but we hardly see the real Mumbai in the entire film.

I sympathise the plight of great lyricist Gulzar, who had to compromise for the meaningless/ or childish lines. “Dhan Te Nan” is the only number which is well written and well tuned (by Vishal) but then it lacks fire which their earlier “Bidi Jalayi Le” number from “Omkara” had created. May be, Shahid Kapur and new comer Chandan Roy could not match the glamour the Bipasha exuded. As the number was played in a disco, he could have as a natural corollary taken any glamour doll or an item girl but he failed.

Well, as for the performances, let the media critics hog the credit of making Shahid Kapur as the next super star with his double role as a stammering Guddu or the lispy Charlie. Priyanka Chopra’s talents remained under utilized.. An advice for ace writer Amol Gupte (Taare Zameem Par) not to fritter away his talent in mindless acting.

So I conclude as enough “Kaminey” words are expressed for this “Kaminey” film.