Why do I have to be the odd person? Why do I have to feel that Indiatimes sucks. That times of India is pornography-in-your-face every morning?
Perhaps there are thousands who think like me. Who feel like me but are afraid to express their opinion for obvious reasons.
This review is dedicated to those silent majorities that are fiercely independent.
This review is dedicated to those who choose NOT to be swayed by sneezers and ''virus'' mongers.
This review is dedicated to those who feel that Black is NOT one of the greatest movies out of India.
Black is black. Mysterious movie that poses more questions than the message it conveys.
Now let me tell you why I feel ' Black ' is not a great movie and let me justify my rating for the same. Allow me to adopt a new way of expression. Expression in stop-gap phenomenon. Where I will pose rhetorical question- all my own work.
Black?
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What's in a name? Is this an Indian movie for a western audience?
Is this 1942: a love story in Hindi? Get the drift... why an English name for a Bollywood movie?
Language:
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His Excellency, His Majesty (those are some of the titles some of you may give to) Sanjay Leela Bhansali. SLB as some of you chose. LOL. HE SLB forgot during the shooting that the audience is Indian and not those sitting in the comforts of English countryside.
I fail to understand why this movie has more than 75% english as the primary language, w/o subtitles. Unless you want to tell me that SLB cares a damn if you are a non-English humble citizen of this great country.
Setting:
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Why a Christian family? Will no one tell me what message is SLB trying to convey when he uses Michelle (such a difficult name to pronounce) ''Sera'', Paul, Mrs. Gomes etc as his characters.
So the 1920s India is dominated by Christians?
So only Christian parents (read mother) are concerned about their handicap child?
So only Christian parents of the Raj era are confronted with blind, deaf, dumb child?
SLB, oops, HE SLB can you please justify why you did not choose Hindu or Moslem family ( my history teacher told me that these communities were the dominant pre-Independence).
Unless SLB you want to tell me that only Christian families are sensitive.
And why the fake accent in the diction of good old mother.?
Can you not portray a Christian family without a funny Victorian accent?
1920s Simla?
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Black is by SLB. SLB loves grandeur. He thrives on visuals and sets (remember Devdas and HDDCS). Often I was talking to myself while watching this movie- wondering if the director wants me to concentrate on Amitabh's acting or admire the Victorian mansion in which the Paul family was staying.
Often I was wondering if he wants me to notice the classical painting or observe the facial expression of little Michelle. Michelle, oh what a Hebrew name, for a 1920s Christian family settled in India!
My critics will comment that I'm being feisty. That I should not read too much in to the details of the movie. Well, I agree- but the director WANTS ME TO observe the details. If he wants me- so be ready for a critical analysis.
The college building (Indian Institute of Advanced Study) in Simla was not necessary. It could have been any Joe College of Arts. Why destroy such a beautiful heritage building with your crew......anyway that was off topic.
Suddenly 12 years later, when Debraj is found again, Michelle is shown in a white Art Deco apartment with WOODEN FLOORING! Goodness, gracious me- where on earth was the transition in Simla of 1930s so quick to Deco with polished wooden flooring?
In his haste to throw opulence in your face. In his haste to awe and mesmerize the gentle, humble movie lovers of India- SLB bit more than he could chew....has made a royal mess of the setting and the time period that he's trying to convey.
NO SONGS?
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I want my complete entertainment. Why does this movie not have a single song? Is SLB trying to tell me that he's a visionary and a trendsetter? Give me a break. Visionary and him? Trendsetter and him? Read on why...
ORIGINALITY:
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India's entry to Oscars. Once in a life-time production. These are the cliché hyperboles I've been forced to indigest, while reading reviews of this movie. India's entry for a plagiarized movie? My gentle readers would love to know that SLB's black has been ripped off-word-for-word from a 1962 Oscar winner called The Miracle Worker.
If India starts sending plagiarized, ''inspirational plagiarism'' to Oscars, God bless the queen and God bless India!
Yes, the movie has a strong message. For it's a movie made in a refined manner. But it's not a movie that can move my heart. It's not a movie that can set the tongue wagging. It's not a movie that can do justice with the everyday battle's handicaps face in this country.
Khaled Mohammad, has asked us to trespassthe subtle fallacies in this movie.
Trespass? Trespass that a movie is glorifying torture and beating of an innocent handicap, under the guise of '' teaching her how to eat''.
Trespass that every handicap child has a jealous sister, whose sense of ego is diminished with every drop of love her handicap sibling receives. My dear SLB, most siblings who have a handicap child are like surrogate parents and not like ''SERA'' as you portrayed.
I would have enjoyed the movie, if the set was lighter. If the focus was more on the content of the message that was being conveyed, rather than the melodramatics. I would have enjoyed if the parents were ''normal'' Indians. Not affluent accented, pseudo Victorians.
I would have enjoyed the movie,if the triumph was of the ordinary girl. The whole melodramatic plot of Amitabh's Alzheimer was the last straw that broke my back and I walked out of the cinema, laughing at the ease with which us movie watcher can be so easily manipulated.
These are MY thoughts. My expressions. My views. I believe in them. I stand by them. I thrive by them. You are entitled to your OWN. Remember- your own. Not what OTHERS think about this movie. If you did not like this movie- SAY IT. If you liked it- I hope it's not because people around you are raving about it.
Spare me your angry comments this time.
