Black is India’s best chance at winning an Oscar for Best Foreign film, not just at being nominated next year. I know smart alecs would crib that it is melodramatic but ASSHOLES, melodrama is at the heart and soul of Indian cinema… you take that away from Indian cinema and it’s no longer Indian cinema. We Indians are emotional people and we do react dramatically. But actually, Black isn’t melodrama, it’s mellow drama, considering that it is from Bhansali!
Black is among the best films ever made in the world. Since it’s Indian, it’s closer to my heart and will be right at top of my list. YES, I WOULD RATE IT AS MY MOST FAVOURITE FILM.
Black is a film that not just strikes a chord but plays an entire orchestra … a … a … a symphony in your heart. It’s a painting that brings out the richness of the vibrant hues of black. Yes, vibrant.
Black is a story of a bratty, disillusioned deaf, dumb and blind girl (Rani) who is introduced to the beauty of the world through her teacher (Bachchan), a tale of a unique bond and a beautiful relationship and an epic saga of the triumph of perseverance and compassion. Life is beautiful? More than Benigni’s I would dare to say!
Black has proved for once and for all that good cinema does not need running around trees (oh, she does run around plants but for different reasons) or songs or item numbers or any kind of comic relief or a love story or action and stunt sequences and that serious cinema could be entertaining and for the masses. Not one person in a hall of 1200 people hooted or seemed even slightly distracted. That’s how absorbing the film is. It sucks people into its emotional core. In fact, they didn’t speak a word till it was over and once it was over, they clapped. Some gave it a standing ovation.
Black has proved that we have an amazing pool of actors whose potential has so far remained largely untapped. The girl who plays little Rani Mukherjee is better than Rani herself. Not to say Rani is bad, it’s her career best and she breathes so much life into the role just as Bachchan does in his career best.
Black has also proved we have technicians who are as good as the best in the world. Cinematographer Ravi K Chandran and Art Director Omung Kumar and Director Bhansali have put together a contemporary classic of great aesthetic quality and cinematic finesse to compliment its literary and non-verbal content.
Black has Bhansali bring a rare brand of serious feel-good cinema.
Black makes you smile, makes you cry, makes you think, makes you dream, makes you admire and worship Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who has just attained God status in my eyes!
Black gives the dark colour a whole new connotation, a whole new meaning.
Black is pure magic.
(I just can’t wait to watch the film again and again and again and again!)
MADRAS INK. 
Wow!!! Was it “black magic” or “black” magic that makes you throw superlatives…
I agree Suderman! Black was magic indeed. The little Rani, I find it hard to believe, is normal!! Very powerful film..
I’m so glad and also greatful to Sanjay for not succumbing to tempations like wanting to have the girl abused, Amitabh die, or a voice asking a ‘wannabe profound’ question at the end of the film.
Very moving, quite Indian!
Could have Rani done without the caricatured walk?! I think she could have.. 🙂
the number of comments for black goes on to prove how oscars ignore the popular vote ie thirupachi.
anyway..nice transition from dappankuthu to drama ma
keep the reviews coming
we will go!!!again and again and again!!!!:D
*___________________________________________________________________________________________* 😀 yeah yeah *giggle**blush**giggle*
Why do we have to look at the oscar’s nod to know if we have a good film at hand?
sudarshan!
i wrote that review after watching that movie on saturday nite… sometime early morning! i’ll come up with an updated review cuz a movie like BLACK surely deserves a better written piece!
imagine i made four posts on Swades. so when i say Black is much better, that shd give u a clue on wat a powerful movie it is!
dear anonymous,
well… it wud give her cinematic licence to walk that way… Vikram did much worse for Kasi and it won him a National award!
ranis is much subdued comparitively…
but more than rani, i loved the little girl’s performance! it was so melodramatic and yet so real!
arun, not many people have seen black yet!
and ur point about local being close to heart, i totally agree!! 🙂
madras madri varuma!
ms. sphinx:
of course we will!
but when i go with u, i dont watch movie no! but with black i just mite! 😀
come here… *smaaaaack*
🙂
Wow! Can’t recall ever reading a review like this one, Suderman. I must watch it..I must.. I must! 🙂
Ms. sphinx…
I know wat was in those blanks?
i know i know i know…
didn’t u just do that thing u shdnt do in public like that just to embarass me…
bad girl… u shdnt do that when I have 300 people looking on everyday…
Sweetie, save it up for a more intimate, private space where there’s just u and me…
Cuz that’s the only time it wont be a problem when you do it… Burp, I mean!
he he!
😀
he he!
VM,
I dont think we need an Oscar nod… but that does not mean we disregard the honour it wud bring us.
The Academy awards are the most prestigious awards in the world with really a high benchmark, at least in the Foreign Film category…
But for that category, the Oscars are just a celebration of American cinema. Being recognised in ur home town is no big deal actually, but when someone miles away, distant from our culture and cinema, sits up, watches and applauds a film made in this land, it calls for celebration!
I think Black will do that for us next year!
And that will only be another feather in its hat… not the crown itself… and I said Oscars cuz we rarely get nominated there and this time, we have made a film on par with any international film.
if it does not win, me thinks we need to send a 90 minute film im gonna make, every single year after that… what’s my film going to be?
Well, it’s this single shot that lasts for 90 minutes. It this really healthy clenched fist pointing skywards that opens up and shows a towering middle finger… the frame lasts for 90 minutes and suddenly screen goes blank and voice that says…”Fuck you, Oscars!”
yes, ravi…
u must. u must. u must. and u must.
four times at least!
🙂
Hi suderman,
well, the lil girl was awesome, I agree. BTW, Vikram was good in Kasi! 🙂
Hey Sudhish…Just dropped in to say a ‘hi’.Reading your stuff.Want more on the paper.Take care.
Hey Sudhish,
Vikram did not win the National Award for Kaasi. He came close to winning it but lost out in a close race (not sure to whom though). And one more thing about Rani Mukherji’s eyes – all the blind people we have seen in real life do not have proper eyes like she has in Black. Their eyes are more like Vikram’s eyes in Kaasi.
i agree suderman.it is verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry intimate.so intimate it shivers me timbers jus to think of it. see the goosebumps?? why do u think i didnt say anything when u did that last time??:)cos it was intimate,silly!!!!and really i was trying to save ur face but since u have so candidly spoken about it, i shall publicly forgive u 😀 and next time u dont even have to look embarrassed when u burp or even…ahem ahem…naaahhh wont tell ’em about THAT!!
you should receive 250 ml of Sarayam in mail from me.
Happy Bday
i dont think black is the best indian movie.. simply bcoz it is not an indian movie.. i felt like bansalis treatment of the movie was cold n he didnt allow me to enter his world… the movie ignored me…
the fact tht u r all praises for the technicians of the movie itself shows that the background of the movie caught ur attention more than the foreground..
a gr8 movie is one where u wont come out n say tht it was brilliant .. u ll simply feel it.. so in my opinion BLACK is a failed attempt..
try and watch koshish.. u ll know what i m talkin about
ps. if u still have the dvd of cinema paradisso on u return it!!!
movimaniac
Ahem, Black a great movie…
Beg to disagree. If I had a puke festival for movies, I would put Black and Rang de Basanti on top.
What’s with the jarring music in these movies, and the big houses, and people speaking in chaste English and Hindi, in Shimla.
Realism makes great movies, not a snowy landscape and bluish-tinted film.