'Taarey Zameen Par' as India's entry to the Oscar's?? You've got to be kidding me! Good film. For India and Indians. More like an entertaining, educative documentary that throws light on learning disabilities and dyslexia. India needed to wake up and recognise the sad fact that countless young lives are destroyed by insensitive, ignorant handling of the condition, by adults who don't know better. But does that make it great cinema?? Does it even speak the language of cinema? Hardly. The performances are good, especially Darsheel's. Aamir can never be 'bad', but his entry as a clown was ludicrous. The story was pretty flawed and illogical.Besides, audiences internationally have seen far better films dealing with the same subject. 'Rain Man' tackled Autism with more depth, for example.
Left to me, I would have sent Vaalu or Thingya, both in Marathi, and strangely, both featuring a bull in rural Maharashtra. Rooted in our soil and culture, saying something far deeper than the surface truths, these movies would have provided a unique perspective on life in India, and yet remain universal in their appeal. Grounded and authentic, starless and stark, they are powerful examples of films that comprehend the milieu they tackle and do so with consummate style. Howcome we manage to get it wrong, year after year? What's the bet 'Taarey...' won't make the cut? I doubt it will even secure a nomination... forget about winning an Oscar. Unless of course Hollywood wants to further its business ties with Bollywood.... and it is one of 'those' decisions that's good for business... if not for cinema!
18 comments:
'Taarey Zameen Par'
- Very True
:)
'PuliJanmam' in malayalam 'ParuthiVeeran' in tamil were a few movies i liked last year. But 'Taare Zameen Par' might have more effervescence to it. I hope Aamir makes us all proud.
This time I echo your thoughts. I also made a passing comment on my doubts of it being in top 5 here at http://blessed-curse.blogspot.com/2008/09/slipsliding-on-continuum.html.
Out of context, Have you seen ‘Bacheha-Ye-Aseman’, An Iranian movie, dubbed in English as 'Children of Heaven'?
Now Shobhaa, you really don't like Aamir, do you?:-)While I did have a few problems with TZP myself, it is not a bad film, De. The film is not great cinema as you say, but who says it has to be that to win an Oscar? C'mon, who are we kidding here? Have we forgotten Titanic already? I can provide you an exhaustive list of lousy films that have bagged the award. And lousy TZP certainly is not. That said, I will not be hazarding a guess as to whether it secures a nomination or not. But then that's because I do not really care much for any type or shape of awards. The real award or recognition so-to-speak comes from the audiences when a film connects with them on some level and TZP, if nothing else, did manage to do that.
By the way, Whose academy? What awards? After all, and paraphrasing Mira Nair here, these awards are mainly for Americans, celebrating 'their' cinema (barring a handful few), and voted by a large group of geriatrics!! So I won't want to loose my sleep over it.
P.S. I agree, both Thingyaa & Vaalu are very good films indeed and even better than TZP if you insist, but methinks they would NOT HAVE made the final cut either;-)
Very clever way to take out all anger against Aamir Khan.
Make an outrageous prediction by saying it wont even make it & end my saying if it does, its because of other reasons, so that if it does actually win, you don't get embarrassed.
Pathetic !!!
I agree...
On the other hand, I was thinking what other film could India send to Oscar ? Well, you named two marathi movies...thks !
I think it would be wise for India to send movies which are not Bollywood and show the world wonderful non-bollywood block-buster movies to the world.
'Taarey Zameen Par' was a wonderful film. So were Valu and Tingya. So was Shwaas. earlier.
Oscars are not about earnest looking Academy members looking at films they never hear about, and whoever is capable of publicizing a film excellently between now and the awards, benefits.
Remember waht happened to Shwaas ? Did we see an outpouring of financial aid for publicizing the film?
This is a practical selection from a set of available good films.
interestingly - you've conveyed our thoughts on the matter pretty clearly - yet have flipped the coin and given answers for it landing either ways.....
Now - even if it does get to a respectable stage.... doubts will arise!
hah.. all said and done, do we really need to care for the damn Oscars. Every year they send some lousy movie for the nomination and every body goes Ga Ga for few days. The end result of course remains the same but who cares.. Even if they get an Oscar.. what is going to change? pigs will fly? Huh... can't understand the craze to get ourselves certified by them.. Just my perspective though..
HahaHa... Too good. I felt Tahaan was a better movie than TZP. I love the column you write for TOI and I am glad to have found you in the blog world :)
M'am "De,
In isolation I can say Walt Disney's have already paved a way for TZP with buying the Home Video rights and releasing on 23rd July.
In your words if I may say " Billi ke Bhag chhenka phuta". Phuta to Phuta whichever way its all about MONEY HONEY!!
Vinod Agarwal - vested interests in Bollywood
ma'am good to read your blogs. hope you remember me...the poet from baroda who got introduced to you through your daughter, radhika. i still have mails written by you to me. anyways, happy blogging!
loved Taare Zameen Par... Par Par Par.. this is no oscar material. But yeah, if bahurani's Jeans could go, then any film can go to the oscars.
And tingya, vallu was not selected... why is Raj Tackray sleeping now.
damn Marathi cinema ! he will not speak up for a good film. But only about bachchan parivaar. Kyun Raj? Aapki Raj Mein yeh???
And no the selectors are not corrupt. PUN INTENDED.
Marathi cinema has come of age. Kadachit, Vallu, Tingya... parallelly, bengali cinema and malayalam is getting commercialized and slowly losing its sheen. Sad na, yeah, there are exceptions to teh point i have made. But overall this is the trend.aint it?
Pardon my cinemalese but I did actually think "TZP" was good cinema which came pretty much up there with other world cinema.
In my book it doesn't matter if we win at the Oscars or not - or at least, not just yet. For the most part Bollywood has given Indian cinema such a bad name that for starters, these South Mumbai ablutions we like calling Hindi films could (for a change) start to have plots, storylines and professional actors in them before we rally around global audiences of non Indian lineage to come watch us at the movies.
Tingya v. TZP : I'd go with Vallu. I think you may be right - both these Marathi films would appeal to an international jury more than a TZP would. At the end of the day with TZP as India's entry to the Oscars, at least, we won't feel we are short changing our country unlike the collective feeling we-all of us had with that shambolic 'Paheli'making it to the Oscars.
Methinks you are getting a bit carried away.....
PETA is trying to make it "oh-so-inappropriate" to wear fur.
If anyone is seen in fur,the most likely reaction is- how many animals did you kill for this jacket?
I think they have created awareness where none existed, and attached so much negativity to wearing fur that few celebs dare to wear it!
I say hats, nay, clothes off to them!!
Btw, I am NOT an animal lover...
Rashmi
Who gets to decide the movie that India sensd to Oscar?
The Oscar foreign film category is judged differently from Hollywood films and only serious artistic films have any chance of winning it.
My recommendation : The best movie chosen for National Award should represent India at Oscars
i didn't like taare zameen par much anyway, overrated...yes, the clown thing was, ugh, pissing off!! of course there were some parts where the music and visuals melded so that it would make your eyes well up, but 'eyes welling up' doesn't a good movie make!! overall, it was slow...and i didn't 'learn' anything new from it, showing people in a sympathetic light seems to be the only thing the oscar pickers seem to be going for...it's a boring set of years ahead....
Shobhaa your comment about Aamir is I think personal! You said Aamir is the most over-rated actor in Bollywood! I would like to know who is the Best Actor according to you.
Why do you even care of Aamir's entry in the movie if you are not impressed with him leave aside Darsheel's performance? It makes me laugh when you say it will win only if they want to do business with Bollywood. As someone said, Pathetic!
Think before you say stupid lady!! Who are you to comment on Good Cinema?
Post a Comment