Oscar-nominated director Deepa Mehta goes into an experimental mode with this year MAMI’s opening film Anatomy of Violence.The film is a fictionalized slant on the brutal rape of a 23-year-old girl on a private bus in Delhi in December 2012 and holds the rapists accountable but the film has a deeper message and a novel structure.
Mehta is sensitive to not depict the rape and instead fast forwards to the reaction of some of the culprits in jail and to others talking about the incident. Shot with just a handheld camera without music or special effects. This lends a raw, home-movie feel to the film.
In collaboration with theatre artist Neelam Mansingh, filmmaker Deepa Mehta has mentored a group of actors to improvise on the conditions that may have led to the crime. Each actor enacts scenes from early childhood to the time of the horrific incident. So does the victim, on the course of her life just before the crime. The film spotlights the harsh upbringing of the six assailants, which might also account for their shocking lack of remorse.
Anatomy of Violence is unusual in the sense it presents crime as a consequence of a patriarchal society and challenges its audience to examine, question and recognize that we are complicit.
@bhawanasomaaya
My previous posts can be visited on the following link:
http://bhawanasomaaya.blogspot.in
Devi Siddhidatri
Devi Siddhidatri: In the beginning of the universe, Lord Rudra worshipped the unmanifest form of the Mother Goddess, AdiParashakti for creation. As Adi Parashakti, the Mother Goddess was pure energy and had no form. She thus appeared in the form of Siddhidatri from the left half of Shiva.
Day of worship: 9th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Ketu
Mantra: Om Devi SiddhidatryaiNamah ॐदेवीसिद्धिदात्र्यैनम
Iconography: Goddess Siddhidatri sits on Kamal and rides on the lion. She is depicted with four hands. She has Gada in the one right hand, Chakra in the other right hand, lotus flower in the left hand and Shankh in the other left hand.
Specific power: She bestows all types of siddhi(supernatural powers) to her devotees and hence is worshipped by humans, ,ghandarvas, asuras and devas alike.
@bhawanasomaaya
My previous posts can be visited on the following link :
http://bhawanasomaaya.blogspot.in
Devi Mahagauri
Devi Mahagauri: According to Hindu mythologies, the Goddess Shailputri at the age of sixteen was extremely beautiful and blessed with a fair complexion. Due to her extremely fair complexion, she was known as Goddess Mahagauri.
Day of worship: 8th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Rahu
Mantra: Om Devi MahagauryaiNamah ॐदेवीमहागौर्यैनम
Iconography: She rides the bull, just like Goddess Shailputri. She has four arms, holding a Trishul in one of her right hands and depicts the Abhayamudra with the other right hand. She carries a Damaru in one left hand and depicts the Varadamudra in her other left hand.
@bhawanasomaaya
My previous posts can be visited on the following link:
http://bhawanasomaaya.blogspot.in
Poster of the film
Film Review: Mirzya
Date: October 07 2016
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Cast: Harshvardhan Kapoor, Saiyami Kher, Anuj Choudhry, Om Puri, Art Malik, K. K. Raina, Anjali Patil
Rating: 3.5 stars
You can say this is one more legendary romance the kind of stuff Shirin Farhad, Heer Ranjha or Romeo Juliet were made of and yet Mirzya is not like any of them. What makes it different is the story telling, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra packages two different stories from two different eras in one film.
The first is a folklore narrated to us by our forefathers and read about in story books, the saga of Mirza Sahibaan. The second, a contemporary tale of separated childhood friends Munish and Suchitra rediscovering each other in a metropolis.
The first story painted in duo tones is abstract and intriguing. The characters stand tall and erect amidst Blue Mountains, grey clouds and white sand as arrows fly, horses ride and there is deathly silence! The second story burns in golden sand as dusky women sing and dance around orange flames. There are sprawling mansions, luxurious cars, racing bikes, piercing bullets and brewing tension.
And both these stories move simultaneously, it is almost as if director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra walks you through veils and travels you into different eras to tell you different stories and does it seamlessly.
What doesn’t work about the film is the stale premise and predictable story. The content is complex and the end open to interpretations. What works is the novel narrative, the imaginative structure, the stunning visuals, the scale, the form, the breathtaking photography, sensual choreography and original music. Every song is poetry and every poem connotes pathos…
Except for Om Puri, KK Raina and Art Malik all the actors are debutantes and all performances praiseworthy. It is difficult to believe that this is Anjali Patil, Anuj Choudhary’s debut film. Leading lady Saiyami Kher is equally at ease with Sahibaan and Suchitra, looks majestic in both the roles and stands tall with an erect torso.
Hero Harshvardhan Kapoor does justice to both Mirzya and Munish though we would have preferred to see him clean shaven in one role atleast. Unlike other star sons who make sure to sing/ dance/ emote/orate and fight in their debut film, Harsh flies arrows, rides horses and emotes with his eyes!
There are three reasons why you must watch Mirzya. The first, music: Composers Shankar Ehsaan Loy combined with lyricist Gulzar present an immortal score. Second, it marks the return of Gulzar as a screenplay writer after Hututu(1990) which is 16 long years. Third, the most important, this is filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s leap as a visionary. Mehra deliberately does not hand hold his audience and takes it for granted that they share his creative space.
Some films touch your heart, some, stimulate your mind. Mirzya falls in the latter. After all, every film does not have to tell a riveting story, some have to be watched for the craft and Mirzya is a cinematic experience.
Bhawana Somaaya/ @bhawanasomaaya
My previous posts can be visited on the following link:
http://bhawanasomaaya.blogspot.in
Devi Kaalratri
Devi Kaalratri: Devi Kalaratri – This is the fiercest and the most ferocious form of the Mother Goddess, in which she manifests to destroy the demons, Sumbha and Nisumbha.
Day of worship: 7th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Saturn
Mantra: Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah ॐदेवीकालरात्र्यैनम
Iconography: Her complexion is dark black and she rides on a donkey. She is depicted with four hands. Her right hands are in Abhayamudra and Varadamudra. She carries a sword and deadly iron hook in her left hands.
@bhawanasomaaya
(to be continued tomorrow)
My previous posts can be visited on the following link:
http://bhawanasomaaya.blogspot.in
Devi Katyayini
Devi Katyayini: Her mission was to destroy demon Mahishasura, the Mother Goddess manifested as Goddess Katyayani. This is one of the more violent forms of the Mother Goddess in which she manifests as a Warrior Goddess.
Day of worship: 6th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Jupiter
Mantra: Om Devi Katyayanyai Namah ॐदेवीकात्यायन्यैनम
Iconography: Goddess Katyayani rides on a magnificent lion and is depicted with four hands. She carries a lotus flower and sword in her left hands respectively and keeps her right hands in Abhayamudra and Varadamudras.
@bhawanasomaaya
(to be continued tomorrow)
My previous posts can be visited on the following link :
http://bhawanasomaaya.blogspot.in
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