Sunday, February 05, 2006

3 Patriotic movies in a row..

It's been quite a long time, and after a lull I am back. Last week was quite a peaceful stretch, no classes and with ultimately nothing to do I took all my time to analyze three great movies. Pardon me for I am watching these must watch ones too late. But I am no way here to compare them. They are of different genre and would loose their essence if I did.
The first movie was Mangel Pandey - The Rising. Wow, what an endeavour. I was left spellbound looking at the grandeur of the sets and choreography. It is yet another ratification by Amir Khan to claim that we are on par with Hollywood. The uniforms, shacks, palaces all were so exotic. I truly find the necessity to appreciate the arduous task. I could not find a speck of modern day gadget any where in the studio sets.
I can blindly commit that the movie is strictly by history. At times we are left with a bewildered situation in finding who the protagonist is, whether its Pandey or General Garten. There are a lot of unexpected twists, like in a scene where Mangel Pandey and General Garten fight to save a young woman from Sati, we expect Mangel Pandey being the hero to rescue her and guard her. But it happens the other way round, General Garten gallops away and lives with her. Moreover there are scenes where we are tempted to expect the hero to admonish caste based discrimination, but the hero chastises the scavenger for bumping on him. Finally at the prosecution scene, we are left disappointed. Watching the courage of the hero all through the movie, we expect him to jump out and start the revolt, but he gets hanged with a cry.
Once again I wish to reiterate that the movie is strictly by history. The image of Pandey is of a no superhero. My heart felt appreciation for Amir Khan for he has broken the trend of every hero which had hitherto been followed. Khan has willingly sacrificed his charisma to General Garten's character. And this is why we doubt who the real hero is. All through the movie he remains to be an innocent with the limited knowledge of the sepoy. We should not question the extent of patriotism the movie brings in us, for it's a movie made to reminisce our nation's history.
Coming to the essence of the movie, the hero detests hypocrisy. Interpreting his act in modern day terms, it looks like
if we were to vote and select our chief (based on their election manifesto), we
should be the first person to dethrone him/her if he/she fails to accomplish the
manifesto.

Well, I am not going to expatiate. I'd make the rest two short and crisp. My next movie was SWADES. A slow and smooth movie, without any blood shed or the usual trite we encounter in every patriotic movie. The hero (obviously Sharuk Khan) is a typical NRI. He returns to India to take back his maid after he looses his parents. Coming home he finds the whole village uncouth. Here again there is a reversed heroism, the female lead character (Amrita Arora as Geetha who appears incredibly beautiful all through the movie) professes patriotism and tries to preach the hero. Finally the hero who is a top scientist in NASA detours for India to work for this mother nation.
Now for the essence of the movie,
"How would you allow the lamp from your house to light your neighbour's when
your own home is at destitute"
This is for every NRI who comes across my blog, make up a point that you would definitely do something substantial for your mother nation. Although Arora looks grim and serious throughout, she has definitely made an impact. While almost every woman in bollywood indulges in flesh show, this lady has broken the trend. She looks simply amazing in her conservative clothes. It kindles reverence in me.

The last movie is "The Patriot". Starring Mel Gibson who appears as a retired soldier works in his farm when America is being raided by the British. He has seven children and like any father he wishes to raise them in a society that is free from war and its holocaust. There appears a situation where the American nation requires every one of its male task force to join the army. Despite being a veteran soldier, Gibson declines to join the army citing the war to be unnecessary. But when he looses his second eldest son, he determines to show the British who Americans are in a brutal way. He makes an army of peasants and eventually wins over his land.
Although the main stress of the movie was on the war, I found a court scene, where Gibson states his superior ideal. He claims that
"it's equally the duty of a patriot to rescue the nation from extorting rulers.
A patriot has the duty of overthrowing the chief of his nation if found guilty".
I find this quite alarming. But ironically, for the rest of the movie, not a word is said about this. I accept, this is a very provocative statement but it leaves me with a awe. Even the most powerful media (Hollywood) of the most powerful nation (USA) remains TONGUE TIED.

What does the present day require? A savior? A messiah? Definitely not. It requires a citizen who is committed, honest, and does not work against his conscience. How can one be like this? Simple, don't be a delinquent, pay your taxes regularly, respect your nation and devote at least a part your goals for the development of your nation. I would be completely satiated and elated if everyone who reads this article reply in comment that he/she would be committed for his/her nation.

12 comments:

karthik thangaraj said...

Well that's a good review! you could be interested at my patriotic blog! Just check out!

Anonymous said...

hey...havent u seen RDB- rang de basanthi???
n the legend of bagath singh?...what abt ayutha ezhuthu?..

well have u ever given a thght to student politics..??
I think the student force is strong enough in India..and we shd start venturing into it..what dya say?...Poorni.

Unknown said...

wow, ayutha ezhuthu is my fav movie for a life time.. i should say every frame of it was analyzed for the best shot.. i used to pause it and enjoy every moment in the movie.. its yet another master piece by Mani Ratnam.. RDB, im waitin for a cd with either tamil or eng subtitles.. so that i can understand.
well regarding student politics, it infact sounds very interesting and thrilling. but feasibility? we need a lot of people with a lot of courage, ability, and most importantly the mentality to team work. guess in a coll like us, its a far fetched dream.. perhaps the revolt should start off in some law coll and spread like a forest fire to all colls..
every student (very much inc me) is scared of his/her reputation, score, jobs, salary, and altogegher the future..
the irony is that, presently a student's future is only partly in his/her hands, the rest in the institution's hands.. as long as this plight remains, the students life is really gonna be pathetic..

Anonymous said...

Well bro, i found the answer for ur question, there in your own words..am talking about the same irony that you are talking about..when you say , the student's furture only partly is in his/her hands...then why are you so very worried about it..when the other part that owns your future is at fault/ or is being manipulated...why do u hestitate to intervene?..i hope you get what you are saying...Abi.

Anonymous said...

hei introvert shut your ass and stop talking about patriotism

lavanya said...

hey sorry atma,
Haven't watched those movies, unable to post more sensible comments...

Unknown said...

PATRIOTISM..has this gone synonymous with possessiveness? i wonder why this person, even after reading my article detests me..!
well, every citizen should be a patriot, but has this anonymous coward gone too much down the lane that he's started hating someone being a patriot?

believe me no true lover of one's mother nation would belittle another patriot. possessiveness has no part to play in patriotism.. only respect and love can.

Unknown said...

dear friends, sorry for one major blunder.. she beautiful lady coming in Swades is not Amirta Arora.. im still in search of her exact name, so someone help me.

Skely said...

it's the beautiful "gayatri joshi"
who played the lead role in swades....

karthik thangaraj said...

Regarding that anonymous....
Probably must have been disgusted with so much talk and no action....

There are hundered different ways you can find to say why we can't do it.... That's what you are doing....
A patriot you call yourself.... don't do it you are not.... Do you know what patriot means --- a true lover of his nation . A true lover wont sit out there and cry at the scene of his love being destroyed.... he wouldn't shy away b'cos he would get hurt....

Do you get the point buddy?... Patriots are a rare breed..... You do not need lots of people with lots of courage........ collect ten with unflinching courage.... called PATRIOTS... You could well have a revoulution at your hands...

Yes.. Patriotism syncs with possessiveness.... since true love also has the same trait...

Now please redefine what you are with regards to your nation...

Unknown said...

to skely
thanks buddy for ur prompt information, so hats off Gayathri Joshi..

to karthik
buddy cummon da, evolve.. the style u say would never suit any nation. u train a bunch of 10 for special ops, give them weapons and ask them to correct the nation.. do u think that would work?
now jus look at the population of our nation.. crossed 100 crores. I say the entire fault is split and unequally distributed to everyone in that 100 crores.. we all do mistakes.. so what would happen if your so called 10 patriots kill every wrong doer?
moreover the idea that a patriot should always FIGHT for the nation is a myth.. nobody has to fight nor needs to fight..
jus like in NATURE where minute modifications reflect tremendous changes, if every citizen becomes patriotic corrects simple, small mistakes he/she does, it would definitely change the way world sees India.

karthik thangaraj said...

Special ops..... killing the wrong doer... buddy!you read too much into my comment... i never meant anythin like that... i didn't even mention fighting...that's too much dramatics..

hurt- i mentioned is not alone physical....a bit of all economically,mentally etc...

Yeah i agree... we have to correct those small mistakes....My point is making those small changes will affect your very behaviour in someway or the other..... It takes a whole lot to hang on to it...
Do you expect people to realise their mistakes and change on their own?... That's a tortoisical approach.... People will need someone or may be many to live by what you said ,for the refining of the society.... I am exactly talking about those people who will lead others to it... Hope you get what i`m sayin...