The review of "Dhol" in last Saturday's TOI said: Priyadarshan has proved himself as the King of Comedy.
Really???
It's another matter that the very next day the Daily Mirror gave it a half hearted 2 rating. Under what duress the earlier review was made is best kept beyond the scope of this discussion.
I thought talent for comedy whether in front of or behind the camera meant a combination of spontaneity, creativity and more. As a true blue mallu (and I HATE that term!!!), who has watched most of his films I can confirm, Priyadarshan is none of those. (There - I've proven myself to be a true blue mallu by ridiculing the attempts of another)
Whether it was the poor man's rehashes of International hits that he made in Malayalam long ago (Boeing boeing, Chandralekha, Thalavattom to mention just a few. Okay, in order they are Boeing Boeing (English), While you were sleeping, One flew over the cuckoo's nest) or the rehashes of other director's hits from Malayalam that he now does in Hindi - "Original" is not a title you can extend to this yes, successful Malayalee director.
He's not even a master remake specialist. Remaking to suit a new audience involves a more intelligent customization to the new audience. Examples of such beautiful movies which come to mind are "Black", "Dor" to mention a few. All his remakes have mercilessly copied even the expressions of the artists, frame to frame from the originals. Considering the originals were performed by icons of acting like Mohanlal, Thilakan and the like, the work of the artists in his remakes must have been really easy and the ignorant viewer in the new language did not complain. Moreover, as a few of the originals were made by Priyadarshan himself, it was pardonable.
However, the current trend of this director seems to be to plagiarise from other makers down south just adding his colorful cinematography (courtesy talents like Ravi Chandran, S. Thiru etc) and choreography with the latest happening dance masters. Cases in point are Viraasat (Thevar magan), Chup chup ke (Punjabi House), Bhagam Bhaag (Mannaar Mathai speaking) etc.
Well sir, enough is enough!!! Trying to remake Manichitrathazhu as Bhool Bhulaiya is a totally different ball game.
Let's remember that none of your movies in Hindi were hits to the scale of the originals in terms of the spectrum of the audience that they seemed to woo. Some of us viewers who went in to see your versions expecting to experience the magic of the originals left the shows wincing.
You have remained the poor man's slap stick comedy specialist and nothing more. Please stay away from all time classics like Manichitrathazhu. While we do acknowledge that you had contributed in some degree to help the original director Fazil complete his film on time by anchoring some bits of it, it is just not your kinda film.
Even after 15 years, every Malayalee treasures those brilliant cinematic moments of the original whether it be the stunning performance of Shobhana as Nagavalli or the simply outstanding script by Madhu Muttom. While comedy was an intricate part of the script, it was not the be all, end all of it. (In other words - not your types). The Malayalee movie goer has already been abused by the rehashes of this classic in Kannada and Tamil. The same were forgiven as they were not made by a Malayalee (eat your heart out all ye others, I do mean that we are an intellectually superior lot, whether today's movie makers may agree or not).
But Manichitrathazhu remade by a Malayalee into a comedy circus - Well sir, let me enlighten you, your own prowess as a Director cannot handle it.
If you are wondering of the extreme nature of this blog even before the movie is on the screens - sir, we've seen the promos. So there, you've done it yourself. Whether it is a frame to frame copy of Vidya Balan peering through the carved window bars at whoever that actor is (a la Shobhana peering at Ganeshan) or Akshay Kumar staring at his own ankles on hearing the sound of anklets (surely a improvisation of Mohanlal in the original) or Akshay Kumar pretending to drive an auto rickshaw (the famous entry scene of Mohan lal), you have undoubtedly reduced a piece of art to a tardy two whistle, three laugh "copy cat comedy".
What's more, the initial promos even made the movie out to be some run of the mill comedy like you and others of your ilk churn out every Friday and not a remake of of an all time classic. Just because you cater to the front benchers and make movies on relatively low budgets and tight time lines, they get classified as "hits" abusing the intellect of the average movie goer.
Times have changed - why don't you???
Really???
It's another matter that the very next day the Daily Mirror gave it a half hearted 2 rating. Under what duress the earlier review was made is best kept beyond the scope of this discussion.
I thought talent for comedy whether in front of or behind the camera meant a combination of spontaneity, creativity and more. As a true blue mallu (and I HATE that term!!!), who has watched most of his films I can confirm, Priyadarshan is none of those. (There - I've proven myself to be a true blue mallu by ridiculing the attempts of another)
Whether it was the poor man's rehashes of International hits that he made in Malayalam long ago (Boeing boeing, Chandralekha, Thalavattom to mention just a few. Okay, in order they are Boeing Boeing (English), While you were sleeping, One flew over the cuckoo's nest) or the rehashes of other director's hits from Malayalam that he now does in Hindi - "Original" is not a title you can extend to this yes, successful Malayalee director.
He's not even a master remake specialist. Remaking to suit a new audience involves a more intelligent customization to the new audience. Examples of such beautiful movies which come to mind are "Black", "Dor" to mention a few. All his remakes have mercilessly copied even the expressions of the artists, frame to frame from the originals. Considering the originals were performed by icons of acting like Mohanlal, Thilakan and the like, the work of the artists in his remakes must have been really easy and the ignorant viewer in the new language did not complain. Moreover, as a few of the originals were made by Priyadarshan himself, it was pardonable.
However, the current trend of this director seems to be to plagiarise from other makers down south just adding his colorful cinematography (courtesy talents like Ravi Chandran, S. Thiru etc) and choreography with the latest happening dance masters. Cases in point are Viraasat (Thevar magan), Chup chup ke (Punjabi House), Bhagam Bhaag (Mannaar Mathai speaking) etc.
Well sir, enough is enough!!! Trying to remake Manichitrathazhu as Bhool Bhulaiya is a totally different ball game.
Let's remember that none of your movies in Hindi were hits to the scale of the originals in terms of the spectrum of the audience that they seemed to woo. Some of us viewers who went in to see your versions expecting to experience the magic of the originals left the shows wincing.
You have remained the poor man's slap stick comedy specialist and nothing more. Please stay away from all time classics like Manichitrathazhu. While we do acknowledge that you had contributed in some degree to help the original director Fazil complete his film on time by anchoring some bits of it, it is just not your kinda film.
Even after 15 years, every Malayalee treasures those brilliant cinematic moments of the original whether it be the stunning performance of Shobhana as Nagavalli or the simply outstanding script by Madhu Muttom. While comedy was an intricate part of the script, it was not the be all, end all of it. (In other words - not your types). The Malayalee movie goer has already been abused by the rehashes of this classic in Kannada and Tamil. The same were forgiven as they were not made by a Malayalee (eat your heart out all ye others, I do mean that we are an intellectually superior lot, whether today's movie makers may agree or not).
But Manichitrathazhu remade by a Malayalee into a comedy circus - Well sir, let me enlighten you, your own prowess as a Director cannot handle it.
If you are wondering of the extreme nature of this blog even before the movie is on the screens - sir, we've seen the promos. So there, you've done it yourself. Whether it is a frame to frame copy of Vidya Balan peering through the carved window bars at whoever that actor is (a la Shobhana peering at Ganeshan) or Akshay Kumar staring at his own ankles on hearing the sound of anklets (surely a improvisation of Mohanlal in the original) or Akshay Kumar pretending to drive an auto rickshaw (the famous entry scene of Mohan lal), you have undoubtedly reduced a piece of art to a tardy two whistle, three laugh "copy cat comedy".
What's more, the initial promos even made the movie out to be some run of the mill comedy like you and others of your ilk churn out every Friday and not a remake of of an all time classic. Just because you cater to the front benchers and make movies on relatively low budgets and tight time lines, they get classified as "hits" abusing the intellect of the average movie goer.
Times have changed - why don't you???
No comments:
Post a Comment