Randomness 1- 7 Underrated Movies

Prodded in my “Induction” process in my new organization to pursue writing something, the first thing that comes to my mind to write is Movies.

I do not boast of being a cinephile but in MBA jargon I should be in the top 25% quartile in watching (rather devouring) movies. There was time I could watch 3 movies in one sitting and still be game for a night time watch. But Age (!!) and circumstances change and so do your priorities.

Avoiding any more spiritual gyaan, I get back to business. To start with, I have decided to make “Lists” of movies catering to a certain quality. Being a “wannabe” cinephile my lists may not include many foreign/lesser watched movies. But will certainly include the more popular, “layman” movies for the general audience (If I have any).

So the first list will be the “7 Underrated mainstream Bollywood Movies” (Please do not ask why 7?!)

My understanding of an Underrated movie is such a movie that is a very well made and enjoyable one but has had a very limited reach/viewing. The reasons can be many- poor marketing, wrong release dates, no star power, movie being ahead of its time etc. These are the films which, given a different circumstance would have taken the box office by storm.

Alas! The movie goers have missed some real gems.

The list will try and avoid some very obvious expected movie titles like Black Friday, Haasil, Baby or arthouse cinemas like Aankhon Dekhi, Tere Bin Laden etc”. My list would also be biased towards the new brand of mainstream cinema i.e basically from 90s upwards as these are films I have grown up with and relate more to.

Here goes the list.

7. Hassee Toh Phasee

Arguably the most controversial movie in the list and will be negated by many. But honestly, I enjoyed the movie. I normally desist watching such “feel-good” movies (Ask my wife about it!!!). But sometimes you have to relent to your wife’s demand and what a pleasant surprise I got!

I must admit that the major reason of me liking the movie is Parineeti Chopra- the freshness with which she portrays the role.

The premise is quite simple. It’s a story of business-boy (Siddhrath Malhotra) who is getting married to a girl (I do not know the actress’s name) who is the sister of Parineeti Chopra. Now as it happens with any Bollywood movie, the boy gets attracted to Parineeti (I think it is partly due to the irritating, nagging nature of his fiancée) and vice versa. All this with the background of the wedding week, business problems and some absurd mystery behind Parineeti’s background.

Everything about the movie is absurd and I think this is why the movie works. The movie does not try to give logic/justify the absurdness. It just wants us to enjoy the quirky interactions between Siddharth and Parineeti, some forced/ irrelevant but quite funny comedy tracks (ala South Indian movies). But if you are in a mood to watch a movie to relax and smile, I refer this movie.

Before lashing out for my choice of this movie, please move on the other 6 which I think will be more acceptable.

 6. Namastey London:

Himesh, Akshay, George Clooney eque scene and more Himesh. A very Bollywood movie about a Indian boy- English Girl (casting Katrina was spot On- pun intended), their mismatch, boy sacrificing his love for girl’s happiness and then girl realizing TRUE love.

YES. I still think this is a good film due to the freshness with which all this is shown. The music is top notch (one of, if not the best of Himesh). Rishi Kapoor as the patriotic father, Akshay Kumar as the humble Punjabi munda are fantastic.

The dialogues are worthy of applause even if sappy as they work very well with the tone of the film. The patriotic monologue by Akshay in the engagement party, can compete with the likes of Gadar, Border. And the “25 yrs hence when we meet” scene in all grey with Akshay in George Clooney avatar which ends with Ishq de mere mitra pehchaan ki, mit javay jadoon zid apnan di is a highlight. And did I mention Music?

Watch it for a feel good family drama and excellent music.

5. Risk

I am sure very few people must have heard about this little gem. With a starcast of Randeep Hooda and late Vinod Khanna and very minimal marketing it’s no surprise that the film failed to gather any steam pre or post its release which is a shame because this movie just shows how a typical Bollywood action movie can be made into a taut thriller.

The premise is a very simple one. An enthusiastic police office (Randeep Hooda in his brooding mood) decides to take on the underworld don (Vinod Khanna) and that’s it. Even if the movie is very predictable, the way in which the things go on in the movie give it a feel of thrill. Some small twists add to fun.

What makes the movie work is it does not try to have any sub-plots in it (except the love story which was totally avoidable) and focuses majorly on the 2 main characters.

Vinod Khanna was on a comeback mode those days and gives a pitch perfect performance of an underworld don meeting his equal in the police officer. Randeep Hooda is excellent as the ever brooding police officer.

If you are in mood to watch a good crime thriller Bollywood story, do watch Risk once. As Randeep says in the movie “Life main Risk toh lena padta hain”. I am sure you will find the “Risk” worth taking.

4. Agneepath (The Amitabh one)

            - Dekho, Socho, Samjho. Yeh Ladka Ek Chingaari, aage jaake hum sabko jala dega!

            - Topi sambhalo dinkar rao, yaha hawa bahut tej chalta hain

            - Naam-Vijay Chauhan (Oh- You all know this dialogue)

Oh the dialogues!!! Never mind the over-the-top accent of Amitabh and Mithun throughout the movie, I have never seen a movie (except maybe Company in Bollywood and Dark Knight in Hollywood) packed with so many powerful dialogues.

Why the movie failed to make its mark and be popular is a mystery to me.

Amitabh absolutely nails the role as a revenge thirsty Vijay Chauhan. (I would have liked if the accent was a bit toned down but what the hell!) I would put my neck on line and rate this as one of the top 5 performances of Amitabh for the sheer emotional power he brings into the role.

The below 2 scenes (watch them on Youtube) will prove why:

1.     Amitabh at Commissioner Godbole’s house telling him to be careful of the other goons. As he is about the leave, Godbole’s son asks his father who the person is.

Father says- Vijay Chauhan. The son innocently reacts: “Woh Gunda?” (That Criminal?)

Amitabh just turns around and stares sadly. Just Stares. That Stare…those eyes. Priceless

2.     One of his enemies kidnaps Amitabh’s sister and takes her to his slum. Amitabh somehow manages to save her and then proceeds to kill the goon in a muddy fight. Once he is dead, Amitabh still keeps on hitting the goon to release all his depressed anger. Just watch the scene to see the level of emotional acting.

A suave Danny as Kancha, Mithun as sidekick and a start to end bombardment of powerful dialogues definitely make this movie a great watch.

3. Shanghai

The name does not ring a bell? Not your fault. 

This little obscure gem by Dibakar Banerjee got lost in the clutter and hence many people missed a neo-noir thriller from one of the most prolific and versatile directors of today. (Remember- Khosla ka Ghosla, LSD, Oye Lucky).

Shanghai stars Kalki as a normal person whose boyfriend (Bengali actor Prosenjit in a cameo) gets killed in an accident. It has Abhay Deol as the confused and morally ambiguous government official and Emraan Hashmi as a small time photographer/videographer.

The characters are well written and the actors do complete justice to them. The slow buildup of how the accident is not what it seems and how the truth is uncovered is presented in a slow but thrilling atmosphere. The hidden motives of each of the main characters in pursuing the case make the watch more personal. I think it is the character building that gives this movie the edge.

The fact that the longest fight sequence of the movie belongs to Kalki (all of 10 secs mind you) tells you how different this movie is.

Go watch it to spend a good 120 mins of thrill ride.

2. Company

Satya is not RGV’s best movie. Nor is Sarkaar or even the extremely frightful Kaun.

Company is RGV’s best movie. Period.

How this movie, a realistic, provoking underworld saga is not given its due is a surprise. This movie, with its epic dialogues, the pace, and the characters is the Bollywood version of Godfather. (I know many would cringe at this. But watch this movie (again) and you would also agree).

There is not a single period in the running time of the movie (except for the songs) we feel bored. The movie consumes us. The highlight of the movie are the dialogues. Such excellent dialogs in the perfect situations made me wonder whether this really is a Bollywood product.

If you thought Vivek Oberoi cannot act, watch this movie. If you wonder from when Ajay Devgan’s “worried” look got menacing, watch this movie. If you think casting a non-Bollywood actor (Mohanlal) who does not speak proper Hindi will negatively impact movie, watch this movie to be proved wrong.

I think this is a masterpiece underworld saga which challenges the typical Bollywood formula and gives a very restraint and realistic output (which I believe was the reason for its limited reach. The movie scoffs off many of typical treatments an underworld movie has by default (some of which RGV himself used and overused in Satya) but create a bigger impact on the audience.

Some Examples:

-       Ajay Devgan is about to kill his bête noir. The other don requests him not to kill his brother and Ajay accepts. Once his bête noir is killed, Ajay kills his brother immediately. (In flames goes the typical “ethical” Bollywood don). And then Ajay says to a surprised Vivek:

“Jamal thoda khush maara” (Not sure if the name was jamal)

-       Ajay Devgan walks into a house to kill some person. One of his goons is at the entrance. He coolly tells him

“Sharma ko maarne aaye hain…khoon kharaba nahi chahiye”

(Up in the flame goes the typical trigger happy Bollywood dons)

All the movie fans who have not seen this movie, I URGE (Yes...Urge you in BOLD) you to see it. You will realize what a gem you have missed.

1. Sehar

An absolute shame that such a well-made movie has gone into oblivion. I am not even sure if people know that such a movie has been made.

This a “based on true events” movie about a Lucknow SSP taking on organized crime in the early 90’s trying to outmaneuver the use of technology (read cellular phones) by the crime lords.

The movie is not an edge of the seat thriller, but a fairly slow paced but gripping portrayal of the police force’s detailed efforts of being a step ahead of the organized, technology savvy criminals.

The movie stars Arshad Warsi as the SSP (His Best Role till date. And Best by quite a distance), Sushant Singh as the main criminal mastermind and Pankaj Kapur as college professor who helps the police in the cellular technology.

The movie is atypical of any crime movie. No dialog baazi by the hero or the villain, no twists, no heroism by any of the police force, no confrontations between the criminal and the hero. Nothing. And that sums up the real positives and the negatives of the movie.

Positives for the serious movie lovers and negatives for the fun loving movie lovers.

It would not be an overstatement if this movie can be termed as a documentary but a very finely made and thrilling one worth giving it our time. Just watch this one for the love of movies!