The narration style: The non-linear narration style hadn’t been used in mainstream Hindi films as much before this film. Like some other films where westerners have done so, it's hard to make it feel genuine. It has to be said that casting Sue as someone who could speak Hindi was a great call. But you also have to recognize that none of them fell short in front of Aamir. Siddharth said in an interview that apart from Aamir, the film could have been made with any other set of actors. As someone who doesn’t give many fucks about anything outside of his immediate surroundings played Chandra Shekhar Azad as well with great conviction. Aamir Khan as someone in his late 40s played a college-goer so convincingly. The casting: All the actors fit not just the roles they were playing in the film but also the roles they were playing in the film within the film. It did the same to people who saw the film, even if, for a little while. The subject: Simplistic in some ways- Mehra took a bunch of sincere as well as insincere disoriented youth and made them care about something bigger than themselves and believe in higher ideals. Upon later introspection and an evening spent re-watching the film, I feel it belonged in that list for me. Everyone had some really good ones to name and there was a collective liking for what was shared. A reasonably good way to get to know someone is by knowing what kind of cinema they enjoy, so we started to talk about our favorite five films. It always a joy to meet other folks who enjoy, reminisce films as much as I do. Enough of self-indulgence though!Ĭoming to the point, I was meeting a friend and her husband (first time meeting him, for context) for Indian brunch today and unsurprisingly, we started to talk about films. Film blogs like moifightclub and passionforcinema continue to be bookmarked on my browser to stay abreast with all the film buzz, festival buzz, and allowing for a direct connect with the creators of some of my favorite films.
Based on the films they exposed me to, my life has been enriched in more ways than one. I have also had the good fortune of meeting some folks who know way more about films than I do and have very interesting perspectives.
Basically, I am a huge consumer of films and I, at times, decide to not become thick friends with some otherwise fine people based on their film choices (I am sure all my loss).
I am one of those people who, if given control of the remote at a social gathering of Indians, will inevitably play the documentary “Baawra Mann” or an interview from the Rajya Sabha TV show “Guftagoo” and be cursed by others around. I probably care a bit too much sin ce I spend most of my weekends indoors watching films, interviews of the artists, analysis by the critics, have subscription to almost all streaming services, refer to Anurag Kashyap and Sudhir Mishra so much in conversations that its now more convenient to call them by first name just to be efficient and for the intimate imaginary relationship I have with these fine filmmakers. People who know me, know I am a cinephile and I care about films.