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  • About GNGM

    Reviews

    “A cerebral joyride”
    Karan Johar, filmmaker on REDIFF

    “Among the most charming and creative Indian independent films”
    J Hurtado, TWITCH

    ★★★★✩
    “You don’t really need a big star cast… you don’t even need a big budget to get the techniques of filmmaking bang on…”
    Allen O Brien, TIMES OF INDIA

    ★★★★✩
    “An outstanding experience that doesn’t come by too often out of Indian cinema!”
    Shakti Salgaokar, DNA

    ★★★
    “This film can reach out the young, urban, upwardly mobile, but lonely, disconnected souls living anywhere in the world, not just India.”
    Namrata Joshi, OUTLOOK

    “I was blown away!”
    Aseem Chhabra, MUMBAI MIRROR

    “Good Night Good Morning is brilliant!”
    Rohit Vats, IBN-LIVE

    ★★★✩✩
    “Watch it because it’s a smart film.”
    Shubha Shetty Saha, MIDDAY

    ★★★✩✩
    “A small gem of a movie.”
    Sonia Chopra, SIFY

    ★★★✩✩
    “A charming flirtation to watch.”
    Shalini Langer, INDIAN EXPRESS

    “Interesting, intelligent & innovative”
    Pragya Tiwari, TEHELKA

    “Beyond good. Original, engrossing and entertaining”
    Roshni Mulchandani, BOLLYSPICE

    * * * * *
    Synopsis

    ‘Good Night Good Morning’ is a black and white, split-screen, conversation film about two strangers sharing an all-night phone call on New Year's night.

    Writer-Director Sudhish Kamath attempts to discover good old-fashioned romance in a technology-driven mobile world as the boy Turiya, driving from New York to Philadelphia with buddies, calls the enigmatic girl staying alone in her hotel room, after a brief encounter at the bar earlier in the night.

    The boy has his baggage of an eight-year-old failed relationship and the girl has her own demons to fight. Scarred by unpleasant memories, she prefers to travel on New Year's Eve.

    Anonymity could be comforting and such a situation could lead to an almost romance as two strangers go through the eight stages of a relationship – The Icebreaker, The Honeymoon, The Reality Check, The Break-up, The Patch-up, The Confiding, The Great Friendship, The Killing Confusion - all over one phone conversation.

    As they get closer to each other over the phone, they find themselves miles apart geographically when the film ends and it is time for her to board her flight. Will they just let it be a night they would cherish for the rest of their lives or do they want more?

    Good Night | Good Morning, starring Manu Narayan (Bombay Dreams, The Love Guru, Quarter Life Crisis) and Seema Rahmani (Loins of Punjab, Sins and Missed Call) also features New York based theatre actor Vasanth Santosham (Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain), screenwriter and film critic Raja Sen and adman Abhishek D Shah.

    Shot in black and white as a tribute to the era of talkies of the fifties, the film set to a jazzy score by musicians from UK (Jazz composer Ray Guntrip and singer Tina May collaborated for the song ‘Out of the Blue), the US (Manu Narayan and his creative partner Radovan scored two songs for the film – All That’s Beautiful Must Die and Fire while Gregory Generet provided his versions of two popular jazz standards – Once You’ve Been In Love and Moon Dance) and India (Sudeep and Jerry came up with a new live version of Strangers in the Night) was met with rave reviews from leading film critics.

    The film was released under the PVR Director’s Rare banner on January 20, 2012.

    Festivals & Screenings

    Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI), Mumbai 2010 World Premiere
    South Asian Intl Film Festival, New York, 2010 Intl Premiere
    Goa Film Alliance-IFFI, Goa, 2010 Spl Screening
    Chennai Intl Film Festival, Chennai, 2010 Official Selection
    Habitat Film Festival, New Delhi, 2011 Official Selection
    Transilvania Intl Film Festival, Cluj, 2011 Official Selection, 3.97/5 Audience Barometer
    International Film Festival, Delhi, 2011 Official Selection
    Noordelijk Film Festival, Netherlands, 2011 Official Selection, 7.11/10 Audience Barometer
    Mumbai Film Mart, Mumbai 2011, Market Screening
    Film Bazaar, IFFI-Goa, 2011, Market Screening
    Saarang Film Festival, IIT-Madras, 2012, Official Selection, 7.7/10 Audience Barometer

    Theatrical Release, January 20, 2012 through PVR

    Mumbai
    Delhi
    Gurgaon
    Ahmedabad
    Bangalore
    Chennai
    Hyderabad (January 27)

    * * * * *

    More information: IMDB | Facebook | Youtube | Wikipedia | Website

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Review: Viruddh

July 30, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

When Gajar ka halwa goes sour…

Genre: Drama
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, John Abraham, Anousha
Director: Mahesh Manjrekar
Storyline: An aging couple has to fight the system after their son witnesses a murder.
Bottomline: Offbeat tear-jerker

We’ve seen him as the eccentric teacher in Black, then as the angry old cop in Bunty aur Babli and the frail and all powerful Sarkar this season.

Now watch him play an aging old man forced out his retirement in one of the most realistic, subtle and refined peformances from the veteran.

This is the season of the Bachchans. But wait, hasn’t Bollywood always had a season earmarked for its biggest star ever, since the seventies?

‘Viruddh’ is also one of Mahesh Manjrekar’s most sensitive work, since ‘Astitva.’

Here, he sets up a beautiful world of a totally adorable aging couple,Vidyadhar (Bachchan) and Sumitra (Sharmila Tagore) with their feel-good banter and aging frailities.

The couple is on a high when their son Amar returns home from London for his birthday with his British girlfriend, who inspite of talking with an American twang, is received with great love and affection from the picture perfect family.

And the more sugary and perfect it gets, the bigger the smile it puts on your face and the more it has you saying ‘No, I don’t want to see this shatter.’

And then, Boom! What you feared most, happens. The peaceful world comes crashing down when his doting son Amar (JohnAbraham) witnesses a murder.Without resorting to any major theatrics or melodrama associated with such scenes, Bachchan transforms from the angry, weak, timid old man to the heart-broken yet strong, stoic old man. He brings a tear in at least a scene or two as the film progresses sensitively and sensibly, at least till its euphoric end.

Sharmila Tagore as the woman of the house is a delight to watch, and the warm chemistry she shares with Bachchan makes you completely adore the couple.

Viruddh has a lot of soul but its screenplay is weak towards the later half of the film.

Manjrekar deserves credit for creating realistic family situations within Bollywood’s age-old Gajar-Ka-Halwa goodness. Screenplay writer Yash Vinay chooses a convenient end. There is a simple yet effective climax sequence but the courtroom drama that follows takes the film away from its realistic mould and into the fantasy genre.

But hey, it’s a Bollywood film after all, even if it had the guts to do away with the songs and tone down the melodrama.

P.S: There’s also Sanjay Dutt playing a glorified extra … okie, we’ll call that a cameo! He plays the… what else … Bhai next door!

Episode 2: What’s hawt?

July 29, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

He says:
A question to all women out there.
Would you like to be seen kissing someone toad ugly?
Yes? My number is… .
Kidding!
But the point is that just like men are hesitant to date… well… aesthetically challenged women, women too stay away from the uglies.
So why just blame the men for being Shallow Hals?
Who would you date if you had to choose between Abhishek Bachchan and Yoda?
Abhishek Bachchan obviously, because he’s a great guy irrespective of how good he looks.
So if you can find men who are good-looking, smart and nice at heart, isn’t it inaccurate to assume that all good-looking women are dumb?
Most good-looking women are smart because they know how to get their men.
But first, what kind of women do men find “hawt”? What do men consider “hawt”?
The fair? They like Naomi Campbell, Jada Pinkett Smith, Halle Berry.
The well toned? They love Shakeela and Tamil heroines of the 1990s.
The beautiful? Why do they like Mallika Sherawat then? (wink wink)
The tall? Rani Mukherjee is a five-footer.
The skimpily clad? Then, why do they love Nandita Das?
The point is: to be “hawt,” a woman need not necessarily have any of the qualities listed above.
Any intelligent woman today knows that being smart or well dressed is paramount simply because she applies the same rules to a guy.
Smartness is defined by the way a person carries himself.
If it means men need to shave, it means women also need to er… file their nails.
If it means men need to smell good, it means women need to smell better.
If it means men need to look “hawt,” it means women too must.
If it means men date smart women, it just means smart women are dating smart men.

She says:
And, in their spare time, men like reading books on intelligent female space scientists. Oh, and watching action movies that comprise women mathematicians breaking impossible codes.
Give us a break.
Everyone knows that men, (ok, most men) have a weakness for beautiful women. And, given half a chance, would date only stunners. Even they admit that. “Um. Yeah. Of course. Anyone who says they’re more interested in what and how a woman thinks is probably just trying that line out for a date. And he’s probably angling for a pretty woman, anyway,” says one of the many men I poll for this column. (Sorry. Betrayed by your own gender.) (Evil laugh)
Because, while women go for men with brains, and a sense of humour, men go for women who are… um… hawt.
And what is hawt? Usually, a lot of lipstick, a gym-toned body (and please, let’s leave Shakeela out of this!) and a tendency to lisp. Especially during, I-love-you-cho-muchee conversations in the middle of the night. (Shudder.)
I’m not saying all beautiful women are dumb. But, a woman who thinks a new shade of hair colour can bring world peace is far more likely to find a date than a man who has more hair gel than grey matter between his ears.
Because, if you’re a man, you don’t have to spend hours at the gym working on those pecs in the hope of impressing the `gals.’ You far more likely to have hoards of them putting your number on speed dial if you can make them laugh, and treat them with respect.
What else explains the beautiful-woman-dating-very-ordinary-looking-guy syndrome that you see at every shopping mall, and every party?
And would we kiss a toad? Of course. Ever wondered what the significance of the story of the Frog Prince is? Well, when the princess kissed the frog, it turned into a prince in her eyes. And that’s because he was a prince deep inside, and how he looked just didn’t matter.
(This is a fortnightly column on the battle of the sexes.)

He Says She Says: Who should open the door?

July 29, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

(This is the beginning of a new column on the battle of the sexes. You can read it every alternate Thursday in the Chennai Edition of Metro Plus in the Gender page. I write He Says and my collegauge Shonali Muthalaly writes She Says)

He says:
Why would I open the door for a girl?
Maybe I would if one of the following were true:
a. Women genetically lack specialised skills for accomplishing complex tasks like opening the door.
b. She is further to the door than I am, you know, walking behind me like Mary’s little lamb.
c. She thinks that the world is a Matrix and that “There is no door.”
d. If I have the keys (and we are going to my place for some activity I’m really looking forward to, like playing chess).
e. If she’s knocking (and she’s come home for some activity I’m really looking forward to, like yes: Chess!).
f. She’s locked out of her home and needs my help (before we can go in and do some activity I’m really looking forward to… what else, seriously, chess!).
What is the big idea behind chivalry or expecting a man to do things that might seem unnatural to him?
Yes, women probably find it charming because a few good men in their enthusiasm to please their bratty spoilt date do it. Little do these ladies realise that these acts are just that. Acts, that work smooth, when he has moves in his mind.
Besides, face it, Ladies. It’s charming because it’s rare and special.
And gentlemen, beware of opening the door for her all the time. You make it a habit and before you know it, you are just as good as that thing at the door that lets the woman walk over. Yes, the doormat. Soon, you’ll be paying each time. Literally.
Open the door, only when there’s a chance for the dance! If it doesn’t seem like it, you will surely be happier off watching that channel on TV she does not approve of.

She says:
Yeah. Chess. (Excuse me while I gag.)
Now there’s a complex task. The point is, if it doesn’t come naturally, don’t force it. No woman is going to fall into a dead faint if you don’t open a door for her. (In fact, in these trying times, we’ll probably faint with surprise if you do.)
Because, believe it or not, we can open our own doors. And carry our own luggage. And pulling out a chair at a restaurant doesn’t need the brains of a space scientist, or the brawn of Arnold Schwarzenegger. (Honestly, if it did, would you be able to do it?)
But the fact is, good old-fashioned chivalry is still charming. Though of course, there are many points of view on that too. I, for instance, took a quick poll and found that one friend who sniggered evilly and called chivalry “a stupid, insulting” idea, while another one got mooney eyed and gasped, ” but, it’s so sweet.” But perhaps the most honest reply came from a girl who reportedly makes her male friends jump through hoops. “Well, the man’s there, isn’t he? So, just put him to use!”
Pssst: Looking coy and helpless does accomplish wonders. Because the bottom line is: Yeah, sure… There’s nothing we can’t do. But if somebody wants to do all the grunt work, who are we to stop him? Besides, it’s nice getting a chair every time you walk into a crowded room. And it’s nice to not have to carry your own luggage. And yes, it’s nice being treated like royalty.
And if it seems unnatural to ‘him,’ he just doesn’t have to do it. But maybe he should get used to watching a lot of TV in the evenings.

The fear of being sub-standard!

July 25, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

I was reading some of my old work today.

Some of it was just about okay, at least given that I was young then.

And some of it — outrightly terrible. I was so damn embarassed that I deleted quite a bit of it. Okay, a whole lot of it. Especially, stuff I had written as love pomes. Yuck!

But today as I find them to be bad, I also remember how, that once upon a time, I seriously used to believe I could write. When the reality and the fact of the matter was that I was churning out some very mediocre literature.

Most of us sometimes do not know how bad we are. We are so quick to judge and analyse others. But when we have to judge ourselves, we truly believe we can be objective. We are not conning ourselves because we earnestly and strongly believe we know our work good enough. Some of us know we are not perfect but we think we are pretty okay.

What if what we think is decent is not good enough?

What if we are more mediocre than what we think we are?

What if we are outrightly sub-standard?

What if we are stupid enough not to realise it?

I get pissed off everytime I see what I think is shoddy work. I hate mediocrity and have often felt like shooting sub-editors point blank, everytime I see how they’ve chopped my copy without seeing reason and applying logic. Even when I’m in a non-violent mood, I poke fun at mediocrity.

Today as I see my mediocre creations from the past, I am gripped with a sense of fear.

I’ve always believed that there is a lot to learn and the only way to learn is on the job. And that there is no such thing as perfection. I have believed that I have made a million mistakes. And that I’ve learnt a million lessons.

The problem is: looks like there are another eight billion lessons (just randomly eight, don’t ask why!) waiting to be learnt.

The tragedy is that I’m already halfway through life.

Failed relationships have only strengthened this theory. At 28, I have not found the right person for me. I tried over half a dozen times. I’ve got it wrong every single time. Maybe it’s just this temporary phase of insecurity. Maybe it’s time to take to the discman and cut off from the rest of the world. Maybe it’s time to disable the comments section. Maybe it’s the time for a movie marathon session and seek what I need most: Escape!

P.S: I’m disabling comments for a while. I’m perfectly fine and I don’t need counselling or advice. It’s not that bad yet. 🙂 I just want to left alone.

Cheers!

Review: David Dhawan is the Pop of Corn!

July 22, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

First things first, Suderman is out hibernating.
Time for a new personality.
The superhero has changed his avatar.

Enter Pyaare a.k.a. PyaareMan.

The Pyaara Superhero No.1 with a dose of the desi, has just returned after watching Jedi No.1 David Dhawan’s work of commerical art.

Irreverence. Timepass. Pop Corn with extra Corn.

No one does it better than David Dhawan, one of the most under-rated directors of Indian cinema.

I loved Aankhen, but didn’t think he was great shakes then.

Nor did I think he was any better till Hero No.1.

I was even disappointed with Bade Miyaan Chottey Miyaan (but for the climax of course, which was a blast! I still crack up everytime I watch it!).

And then I saw Deewana Mastana. And before I knew it, my respect for this man shot up. Here was a director who took us to a forgotten era of Hindi cinema with his repeated references (or tributes) to scenes from the cinema of the sixties, seventies and the eighties. And sometimes, even the nineties. I loved the way he catered to a mass as he made them believe he was paying tributes and the way he made the classes believe he was merely spoofing or making fun of some great movies.

It’s that fine line he walks between a tribute and a spoof that makes David Dhawan one of the finest filmmakers we have, one who specialises in a rare kind of cinema: the irreverent.

Check out Jodi No.1 which has to be the best tribute film any filmmaker has made in honour of Sholay, at one level. At another level, it works as a laugh-your-ass-off spoof, with a climax set in a location you wouldn’t even dream of. No filmmaker has ever dared to set his climax atop a commode inside a toilet, in a big-budget movie with Govinda and Sanjay Dutt in the lead.

It has to be one of the most inventive, funniest and riotous finales ever in a David Dhawan film. So much that Jai Paaji and Veeru Paaji had to be brought back for a sequel in spirit. ‘Ek aur Ek Gyarah’ wasn’t as funny but ended up as a mast-watch for all fans of the David Dhawan cult.

With ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi,’ something significant happened.

Suddenly, a filmmaker seemed to have found the right colours and bright backdrops for his sketchy fun tales — an appropriately colourful tone, thanks to Sharmishto Roy.

He already had irreverence, comic characters (like Pappu Pager, PyaareMohan, Bunnu), timing-based humour, slapstick comedy, zany situations and ‘Bad Boys’ for heroes (sometimes cops, sometimes crooks and sometimes, just liars) and incredibly casual titles and funky song lyrics with jhatack steps (Who can even forget ‘Kissi Disco Main Jaaye’?) and a tendency to spoof or pay tributes of old films, for a signature. With art direction falling into place, the David Dhawan film had finally evolved.

Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya is therefore one of the most evolved films from the David Dhawan cult. It has everything you’ve loved about David Dhawan films.

The way David Dhawan treats even the soppiest scene with convincing irreverence and casualness has to be seen to be believed.

Like the end after Salman gives the girl the corniest lines ever… and in vain. After she walks away, leaving him, he cries: “Yeh Bhi chali gayi!” And his buddy Arshad cooly says: “Aur koi hai to dekh!” (Is there anyone else around?) And they both instantly scan the airport for another hawt chick with convincing casual air! That, gentlemen, is the classic David Dhawan we know, from his ‘Deewana Mastana’ days.

He’s come a long way from ‘Biwi No.1’ days when he still used to take his sentimental scenes too seriously. Today, David Dhawan does even the most tragic scenes with comic flair that it touches you at an entirely different plane. His films have the ‘Take it easy’ policy written all over them.

Watch Salman reacting to Katrina after she’s attempted suicide. It touches you and it’s funny at the same time. Sweet corn at its best.

Or when she goes off to kill herself again saying: “I hate you. Tum bhi baaki saare mard jaisey nikle” (I hate you. You’re just like other men). And Salman left behind, mutters: “Hate tho theek hai… lekin yeh baaki saare mard kaun hai… ” and yells: “Yeh Baaki Mard kaun hai?” (Who are the other men?”)

David Dhawan is not the most original scriptwriter, but he has to be the most spontaneous and the coolest of our filmmakers who tells us stories he heard from others with absolutely convincing honesty in a way which is more original than most filmmakers we have. All he needs is a good scriptwriter and he can create comedy films which can be compared to the best in the world.

On second thoughts, let him not. We love the fact that he entertains us with the story being just an excuse.

In Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, he gets the best comic talents out of Salman and even Sohail Khan, an absolutely adorable Pyaare, the guy next door to Katrina with a flair for saving her life and making Salman’s miserable.

I won’t review the film as such. Read Sukanya Verma’s take, it’s the most accurate review I’ve read on the film and can’t do better.

Hence, just a post devoted to Demi-god David Dhawan: The Baap er… Pop of Corn!

Pyaare Mohan is one of David Dhawan’s favourite screen-names. And as a tribute to the guru, Suderman turns PyaareMan and announces that his next film ‘Watcha Gonna Do’ will be in the genre of David Dhawan cinema: Only that it will be in English!

Quick update about my first film:
I’m starting edit for the third time in three months, after the first two attempts were rendered unsuccessful due to software hassles. So we’re shifting to a proper studio to edit, after abandoning plans to edit the film at Vijay’s place. Vijay Prabakaran is a filmmaker himself, who went to a film school in Vancouver and he made the city’s first full-length no-budget film called ‘I Just Don’t Get It.’ He was inspiration for me to get on with my film, without waiting for sponsors. Thanks nanba!

Review: It Dus try hard!

July 20, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

Statutory Bollywood Warning: This movie requires you to leave your brains back, keep inside your helmet in the parking lot of the movie hall.

Those who don’t have a helmet, you don’t have much anyway. He he!
*Makes a mental note to buy the new helmet*

And those who don’t ride but drive, leave your brains back at the tie-box.

Dus was Mukul Anand’s dream project which originally starred Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Raveena Tandon.

What is unfortunate is that a lot of people are gonna ask Mukul Anand Who?

The guy who gave Amitabh Bachchan three huge hits in the later part of the Big B’s first innings. Remember Agnipath, Hum and Khuda Gawah? And he also made the forgettable Trimurti, which, in terms of canvas and style had the best we had seen … with the cinematography being on par with Hollywood.

Mukul Anand wanted to do a new age slick flick with a heavy dose of patriotism. Shankar Ehsaan Loy had even recorded the chartbuster single ‘Suno Gaur Se Duniyawaalon… Sabse aagey hongey Hindustani’ song, picturised on Sanjay Dutt and Abhishek Bachchan.

After his death, his friends got together and paid tributes to him with a film with the same name.

Dus it sound like a cool action slick flick?

It could’ve been just that, if not for the unsolicited dose of melodrama thrown at you at regular intervals.

There’s plenty of style, overdone at most times, there is melodrama, unsolicited and thrust in, there is action, slick and stylish, there is a plot, at least an excuse of it to unleash total entertainment.

So what do we have for a cast?

The high point of the film is Pankaj Kapoor. He pulls off a Kevin Spacey inspired character with brilliant timing and riveting screen presence, which boosts an otherwise dull film for men. The women, of course, have Abhishek Bachchan (He’s here to stay for a long time to come. He’s a natural) and Zayed to lech at. With Sanjay Dutt for a bonus. And Sunil Shetty, for an overdose! Hats off to this guy! High time someone gave him an Oscar for trying to act. Like his last few films Main Hoon Na, Kaantey and some more I rightly forget, he does his best!

And there’s his country cousin, Shilpa who plays Batgirl, with a bat tattoo (she probably got free with Lays) above her butt, and kicks terrorist butt when she’s not hitting on Sanju baba. Ninad ‘Mole’ Kamat looks it from the start, so pardon the spoiler. He only does marginally better than his Parineeta ‘Tod Shekar Tod’ performance.

Though there is some good camaraderie between Abhishek and Zayed and Sanjay (the first two especially), the film does try too hard to flesh out every character and his motivation, the Sunil Shetty and the Zayed Khan sub-plots for example, had no bearing whatsover to the plot of the movie.

There are a few howlers, unintended of course, when Sunil Shetty more than instantly buys Abhishek’s explanation that he’s a specialist from the Anti-Terrorism Squad. No verification whatsoever.

No wonder they end up trusting stupid ass Esha ‘Mole’ Deol, who does the same role she did in Dhoom. Was that a spoiler? Oops! he he! Reminds me of the recent urge I had to go around sticking ‘Ron Dies’ in every Harry Potter book on the shelf! He he!

(In case you haven’t read the book yet, breathe. I was kidding, Ron does not die. Snape does! 😉 :P)

Overall: Dus it is, on a scale of 20! But then, how many Hindi films even deserve that score?

The Godfathers!

July 15, 2005 · by sudhishkamath


Brando, Kamal and Amitabh! Posted by Picasa

About 33 years ago, a man called Francis Ford Coppola, if one is to make an understatement, made a movie.

Fifteen years later, a man called Mani Ratnam made an entirely different movie, which TIME magazine recently put on its all-TIME best 100 movies ever, along with Coppola’s version of Mario Puzo’s best-seller. And Mani Ratnam joined Guru Dutt (for ‘Pyaasa’) and Satyajit Ray (for his Apu trilogy) as one of the only three Indian filmmakers to be featured in that list.

This month, a man known to run a parallel film-industry in Bollywood, Ram Gopal Varma officially paid his homage to the 1972 epic ‘The Godfather’ with his movie ‘Sarkar.’

Though there have been unlimited imitations or versions of Coppola’s classic, Mani Ratnam’s ‘Nayakan’ and RGV’s ‘Sarkar’ are probably the only two Indian films that stand on their own, while also paying tributes to the cult classic.

Ratnam and Varma have also shown us how a tribute does not mean a mere adaptation or a remake.

If Varma used sketches of Bal Thackeray to spice up his Subhash Nagre, Mani Ratnam based his Velu Naicker on gangster Varadarajan Mudaliar to create his all-powerful don.

Both Subhash Nagre and Velu Naicker are similar to the extent that they only do what they feel is right, without expecting anything in return, for public good. Don Corleone, to put it mildly, is just a businessman with ethics. The conservative cultural ethos of the dons, in their respective films — Italian, Tamilian and Maharashtrian, serves as an effective setting for the good old story of an all-powerful conscientious father-figure don.

Though Varma starts off with exactly the same scene as that of Coppola’s classic, (Bonasera asking Don Corleone to avenge his daughter who was raped), the maverick
filmmaker shows us how the same scene could have been directed tighter, slicker and crisper — in other words, how Varma would have directed Mario Puzo’s book.

Having done that, Varma moves on to tell us an original story, which, due to the lack of a well-etched out conflict and caricatures for villains, results in an unconvincing middle (read second Act) merely sprinkled with flashes of brilliance.

To put it simply, Sarkar is great storytelling of a weak story. A film that falls short of being a timeless classic by just two steps.

Backed with a strong script and a compelling performance by Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam’s version is probably the most original film made in the Godfather mould. But for the older Velu Naicker’s body language and the subtle nuances like the way he scratches his head or thrusting his jaw forward while talking, reminiscent of Brando, you would hardly get the connection. There is a reference to the Five Families in ‘Nayakan’ too but the sub-plots are very different. If not for the melodrama, considered quintessential in the Tamil cinema context, ‘Nayakan’ might have been on par with Coppola’s classic.

But what these two films have shown us, with their subtle improvements, is that Coppola’s critically acclaimed and probably over-rated version itself is not all that perfect. Staying faithful to the book was its greatest strength and its greatest weakness too.

Coppola puts his cinematic license to minimum use, refusing to tamper with the lines or the big scenes all that much. As a result the film not only incorporates the rich imagery from the book but also ends up including large chunks of text in the dialogue that could have been trimmed or done away with. The use of silence in ‘Sarkar’ and the tight narrative of ‘Nayakan’ is ample evidence of the scope for improvement in Coppola’s adaptation of the book.

Heart Attack: A disconnect with the roots!

July 13, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

Going back to your roots usually brings with a certain amount of feel-good and a sense of belonging to a place.

I went back to my native place Kochi after a while. And though I did feel good in the warm company of affectionate relatives and caring folks, I somehow felt a disconnect between my roots and what I had become.

Maybe education is a bad thing.

Cuz it takes you away from the beliefs that have been blindly and fanatically followed over the years.

Technically, I belong to this community called Goud/Gowda Saraswat Brahmins.

To cut a long story short, centuries ago, my ancestors were apes.

Then many years later, they became the nomadic Aryans who worshipped natural elements (Fire, Water, Wind etc) as recorded in the Vedas.

Many more years later, they settled on the banks of the now extinct Saraswati river and were called Saraswat Brahmins. This was the era when kings ruled and sadhus smoked up some good stuff to come up with what is today called Indian Mythology. Superhero Gods were thus born as their writers with a fertile imagination fuelled by ganja, to get into the good books of their kings, endowed them with supernatural powers, more like how director Suresh Krissna gave some gravity defying stunts to Thalaivar Superstar Rajnikant in ‘Baasha’ and ‘Baba.’

Many more years later, some of them who lived in the state of Goud wanted their own identity and called themselves Goud Saraswath Brahmins. The nomads they are, some of them reached Goa and during the Portuguese invasion when they were being forced to convert to Christanity, they fled further south. Thus, the entire Western belt was called the Konkan coast cuz of the scattered settlement of Konkani speaking people in Mangalore and surrounding Kanara districts to Kochi. Some of them went up North and scattered around Maharashtra. This was when they to compete with their Dravidian counterparts started building temples and worshipped stone idols, something which their Aryan ancestors were strictly against. The literature available to them, told them about Gods with fancy names and superpowers. These images and artist’s impressions of Gods gave these people adequate scope to create idols. The Dravidians of course had giant sized idols in their village… the Ayyanar, that they turned to for protecting their village. To paint these Dravidian Gods as evil, some Brahmin artistes used that imagery to represent evil Rakshasas in their temples. As the rivalry grew, there were cultural exchanges as they got into a game of one-upmanship!

Many more years later, further subsects where born in the already fragmented Goud-Saraswath-Brahmins-settled-around-the-Konkan-coast. Then, they were divided on the basis of region… Kochi and Mangalore and further by the religious heads or spiritual gurus they turned to.

So my folks in Kochi are the ones who follow a particular guru, someone the majority of the entire community hero-worships. They have a trust in his name and the Tirumala Devaswom temple in Kochi run by that trust is one of the biggest temples and the hub of religious activity in Kochi.

I have gone there over years. In fact, my sacred thread ceremony was there too. But those were days, when I blindly followed the rituals.

Today, as someone blessed with knowledge of history and science, I know about the influences over the years in defining what is today considered as culture. I understand the need to demystify myths. As a journalist, I have been always fascinated to go in search of truth and to question practices and rituals that do not make sense.

This time when I went there, I saw something I had never questioned. Even in this day and age, the entry into the temple’s sanctum sanctorum is restricted to “pure Brahmins.” To ensure that, only Brahmins displaying their sacred threads are let in. My uncle proudly told me it was to conserve the sanctity of our temple.


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He went on to tell me stories about the revered Swami. I’ll just narrate one of these stories.

A senior Christian leader once sought an appointment with the Swami. He’s said to have initially agreed. And when the date came closer, he called it off. Reason? “What happens if I reach first and he comes late? It will be reported as “Swami waited for Father to arrive.” And what happens if I go late? It will be reported as “Swami went to meet Father.” Both of which, I’m not comfortable with.”

Well… I wouldn’t be exactly proud of this sort of a religious head. He gave me another anecdote about the Swami similarly not showing up for a screening of Adi Sankaracharya because the ideology was very different.

I for one do not understand this. Religions are supposed to bring people together, not divide them.

Like our Prez said once: Religions are like islands. Unless bridges are built between them, people are going to stay marooned in their own worlds believing that their island is the world. I think religions are just a way of life … like food, like clothes.

If we have the freedom to choose what food to eat and what to wear, shouldn’t we broaden our minds to choose what to take from what religion and help ourselves to our own food for thought?

99 Questions!

July 8, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

My friend Gij sent this to me. Instead of filling it up just for her, I’ve put it here. Those of you who are interested in telling me all about urself, put it up in your blog and leave a link in my comments section! Would love to know more about people who visit me.

1. What is your full name? Sudhish Rajagopal Kamath

2. When is your birthday? February 8, 1977

3. What is your sex? Currently, non-existent, hopefully, it will be wild!

4. Do you have siblings? Yes. Two genetically, Both younger, and millions otherwise – every single Superstar fan is my brother and all married women are my sisters.

5. Who do you live with? Mom, Dad, brother, his pet dog and my pet computer and mobile phone!

6. Are you single? YES!!!! 🙂

7. Do you have pets? Just my mobile fone!

8. What is your hometown? Madras

9. Where do you live now? Madras

Part 2 – What is your favourite…

10. Colour? White

11. Day? Naah! Gimme a night anyday.

12. Month? December

13. Season? In Madras, there’s just hot, hotter and hottest… so I’ll go with hawt!

14. Animal? I don’t like animals.

15. Flower? I don’t like flowers.

16. TV Show? I don’t watch too much TV.

17. Movie? Just too many and they keep changing… Refer old blogs. But all-time movie of my life: Jerry Ma Fuckin Guire! Vanilla Sky comes a close second.

18. Commercial on TV? I don’t watch TV, remember!

19. Song? Ai Kaash Ke Hum (Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa) Ek Din Aapko (Yes Boss)

20. Food? Spaghetti (yummy! i like them on women as well)

21. Disney Character? Nemo (Yes, it’s Disneys 😉

22. Cartoon Character? Suderman! he he!

23. Non-alcoholic drink? Lime Mint Cooler

24. Alcoholic drink? Not much of an alcohol person. So just giving it up!

25. Kind of dessert? Death by chocolate

26. Restaurant? Main Street, Canton, Mandarin, Eden, Little Italy

27. Store? Landmark, my fav. DVD shop on Richie St.

Part 3 – If you could…

28. Go anywhere in the world where would you go? Everywhere.

29. Talk to anybody dead or alive who would you choose? Cameron Crowe.

30. Do anything you wanted to what would you do? Have a beach-house in Brazil with a swimming pool in the centre and have bikini babes all around me doing MTV Grind.

31. Change one thing about the world what would you change? Mallika Sherawat’s clothes. I mean I wud like to change em personally.

32. Have one superpower, what would it be? Austin Powers’ Mojo!

33. Change one thing about your past what would u change? Six years of time waiting for one girl.

Part 4 – What is your least favourite…

34. Colour? Pink.

35. Day? Any day when i have to wake up before noon.

36. Month? May. It’s so fuckin hot in Madras!

37. Season? Summer

38. Animal? All of em.

39. Flower? Andy Flower cud be a pain!

40. TV Show? Wudn’t know.

41. Movie? Kisna! Wins pants down!

42. Commercial on TV? Wudn’t know.

43. Song? Dekho Baarish Ho Rahi Hai… It’s raining, it’s raining, it’s raining. Mera Dil Ro Raha hai… My heart is paining, it’s paining, it’s paining… Tere Liye (Wannabe Anu Malik in high-pitch!)

44. Food? Korean! Yuck!

45. Disney Character? Like all his creations.

46. Cartoon Character? Beavis/Butthead

47. Non-alcoholic drink? Milk

48. Alcoholic drink? Romanov! Truly sucks!

49. dessert? Caramel Custard

50. Restaurant? Ponnusamy

51. Store? Grocery store!

Part 5 – If you\’re a girl fill this part in (guys skip to part 6)

52. What do you look for in a guy?
53. Long or short hair?
54. Book smart or jock smart?
55. Tall or short?
56. Big or little muscles?
57. Sweet/sensitive or Sweet/tough?

Part 6 – If you\’re a guy fill this part in (girls skip to part 7)

58. Tall or short? Does not matter.

59. Beauty or brains? Both, but I particularly can’t stand dumb women.

60. What do you look for in a girl? Sense of humour, a passion for movies and an appetite for love.

61. Long or short hair? Does not matter. Love long hair though.

62. Curly or straight? Does not matter. But she better be straight!

63. Sweet or butch? Sweet cuz I’d like to have a mouthful everytime I see her!

Part 7 – The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear….
64. Farm – Cows
65. Zoo – Discovery Channel
66. Red – Salma Hayek
67. Bug – software application
68. Punk – wannabes
69. Ralph – who the fuck?
70. Glue – sticky
71. Mouse – Mickey
72. Fire – Matter movie with Nandita Das
73. Life – Mine, has to be the best in the world!
74. Phone – Sex!

Part 8 – In the next 10 years do you see yourself…

75. With a job? Yes!

76. Married? ummm… if the Brazil beach-house thingie does not take off, maybe!

77. With kids? Dunno, maybe one…

78. In a different town from the one you’re in now? Hmmm… Maybe Pondy, Maybe Manipal, Maybe Rio De Janerio but I want the beach! So maybe Goa!

79. With a pet? Yes, my Apple iBook hopefully.

80. With a lot, or a little money? Fuckloadsa money! I’m gonna be producing films after all!

81. In your own house? Yup

82. Happy? Dumb question! Of course!

83. Still friends with the friends you have now? No, maybe I’ll get rid of some of them… he he! Of course!

Part 9 – What is your favourite memory of…

84. Elementary school? Sweta, my crush for 10 years! She finally got married in 10th grade!

85. Highschool? Dumb Charades and my crush Lakshmi. She already had a secret bf!

86. College? Enigma — the cultural fest we organised!

87. University? Article 19 and Di–the girl I used to call so regularly all the way from Manipal to Madras for two years, the girl who changed my life!

88. Prom? No, don’t remember getting invited to one!

89. New Years? Some years ago when there were about 18 of us at MGM beach resort! That party truly rocked!

90. St. Patricks day? Not applicable

91. Christmas? Last christmas when Christ sent me a present – a nice lil christian girl and he quickly took her back three months later!

92. Halloween? Not applicable

93. Summer? Summer of 2005. Produced my movie myself, got promoted too!

Part 10 – Would you rather be…

94. Hot or cold? Hawt!

95. Tired or wired? Wired

96. Hungry or full? Full

97. Tall or small? Tall!

98. A lion or a tiger? Lion!

99. Canadian or American? Watha, Indian!

Whew! Let me see how many people actually have the patience to do this! He he!

I WAS a woman!?!

July 4, 2005 · by sudhishkamath

Well at least, thanks to the wise man behind this link, thats what my past life diagnosis is:

“I don’t know how you feel about it, but you were female in your last earthly incarnation.You were born somewhere in the territory of modern Portugal around the year 900.Your profession was that of a monk (nun), bee-keeper or lone gunman.

Your brief psychological profile in your past life:Inquisitive, inventive, you liked to get to the very bottom of things and to rummage in books. Talent for drama, natural born actor.

The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:The world is full of ill and lonely people. You should help those, who are less fortunate than you are.

Do you remember now?”

Ah! Of course! He he!
And I was a nun??? And I never got to have sex??? Man, that’s a lot of catching up to do!

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