Piku is the triumph of the Indian Film Industry. A very interesting subject powered with perfectly written screenplay, extremely strong performances, sensitive treatment and awesome direction.
Piku is a must watch ! It is one of the best movies of 2015 !
Shoojit Sircar and Juhi Chaturvedi move from the front to back this time – from Vicky Donor’s sperm to shit.
An ageing father Bhaskhor (Amitabh) has challenges his with daily motions. A caring, determined and independent daugther Piku (Deepika) lives with her had and has a daily question – Hua? She is a strong-headed architect and has frequent run-ins with the car agency cab drivers. The car agency owner Rana (Irrfan) becomes their unlikely companion when they drive from Delhi to Calcutta on a road journey with the portable potty (Sinhasan)
Watch out for the Bhaskar’s open declaration of her daughter’s sexual independence to potential suitor, Rana’s theory on Indian toilet styles and Bhaskar’s brutal comments on Rana’s dad’s death. Rana says that “Death and potty can strike anytime, anywhere”.
The constant dad-daughter fights, the car agency owner’s direct rebuttals, the aunt’s remarks, dad’s tantrums, the highway journey, the traditional house sale question, the undercurrents of different relations, the unlikely romance, the visuals, wonderful songs – all register a strong mark – they make you smile, they make you think.
Piku (Deepika) and Bhaskar (Amitabh) steal the show. They own the movie and give a stupendous performance. Deepika is independent and kick-ass yet deeply devoted and caring for her father. Amitabh selfish irritating person but pleasingly brutal and honest. Irrfan completes the trio and creates his own space in an effortless universe of dad-daughter. Moushumi Chatterjee, Raghubir Yadav give a credible support.
At the end of the movie, you want more !
The real winner of course is Shoojit Sircar. Take a bow ! The movie seems like a slice of life – a conversation happening somewhere. Yet very observant. Very simple yet touching and enduring ! And Juhu Chaturvedi. Her writing is amazing and very observant. Brings out the special touch to everyday conversations of life.
But as the nature of things go, not all dream assignments land up in our lap. Some times we are lucky, but some times we have to work of it. How many times we really work for it? How many times we just give up?
How many times we can persevere? How many times can we think innovatively?
Here is a great example. I saw this post on NextShark and could not resist writing a post on it.
Nina Mufleh wanted to work for Airbnb. She moved to San Francisco and applied for a job multiple times. She was not successful.
She worked on an innovative way to get the attention and get her dream job. She created a website called Nina4Airbnb. She posted this on social media and got the attention of Airbnb. Of course, she also got a job.
Nina inspires us in many ways:
1. Perseverance – Never take NO for an answer
2. Innovation – Think Innovatively and get attention
3. Ideas To Action – Instead of giving up, she found a new way. She put lot of hard and efforts to push her innovative resume / website.
4. Value – The value proposition was clear. Read each and every word. Including conclusion and humor. She also gave possible ideas. Seeing the website was the proof of all the values she brought to the table. It also showed her creativity, zeal, energy.
5. Top-Down Approach – She pitched the idea to the top – Airbnb CEO.
6. Leverage Social Media – She used Social Media to get her message delivered. Thus she got support of millions of Airbnb fans as well. It would be really difficult for Airbnb to ignore her.
Nina’s ideas can be used by every sales person trying to get that important meeting with the dream prospect.
The Trio of Ronnie Screwala, Zarine Mehta and Deven Khote got my attention early in life. I was in school and Doordarshan was a staple diet. United Television came across as a different company – production, content and overall packaging. The logo of UTV was stuck in mind.
Since then UTV and Ronnie Screwvala and his team have continued to impress us. India’s first soap – Shanti was a big step at that time. It continued to grow in leaps and bound. In-flight entertainment business, post-production, IPO, broadcasting, VAS business etc. It ventured into the movie business via movie distribution and soon turned into production as well. I am sure each milestone had its share of challenges.
Everyone sees the success and the limelight. Especially in the glamour business. Ronnie’s UTV was sold to Disney – a watershed moment for Indian entertainment industry. It was a great and a heartening story – a company that its Indian entertainment brethren and camps did not take seriously initially was bought by one of the biggest and iconic entertainment companies in the world.
Ronnie has played an important role in India movie business. During the course of my doctoral thesis on the role of modern management in Indian Film Industry, I came across many exemplary practices of UTV. I have documented them and they are a part of my thesis.
UTV gave special importance to movie marketing and production values and content.
Ronnie has recently penned his journey in his book – Dream With Your Eyes Open. Trust him to do the same with his book. Indian non-fiction does not get great attention. But Ronnie is trying a lot of things here as well. Check his list to redefine this space:
1. Great Marketing Campaign Around The Book – Unless You Are Lost In Hawaiian Vacation, Very People Will Miss The Book Launch
2. Ranbir Kapoor Launches The Book – A Perfect Launch
3. Testimonials From Captain Of Indian Industry & Disney
4. Testimonial From Narendra Modi
5. India’s First Television Ad For The Book
6. An Active Social Media Campaign, Website
The success of the book is important as it helps to promote the message of Entrepreneurship. He says the books is about “It can be done” and not “I did it” Great. The message of entrepreneurship need more ambassadors. Importance of failing. Importance of taking risks. Dreaming Big! May thousands of Ronnie bloom !
“Broken Horses Is About Breaking Prejudices” said Vidhu Vinod Chopra at the interactive evening discussion at SOAS, London.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra was the Guest Of Honor at the ‘In Conversation’ interview session hosted by the National Indian Students Union UK and SOAS South Asia Institute. The evening discussion was chaired by renowned author and SOAS’ Professor of Indian Cultures and Cinema – Professor Rachel Dwyer.
Vidhu is the first Indian filmmaker to write, produce and direct a Hollywood film. Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s emphasis during the entire evening was to drive the point that Indian cinema can match Hollywood but we choose to speak our people in our language. Our Indian people are different and hence Indian cinema is different. Expressing love through song and dance is normal – he also did the same in his early days. Indian cinema is not deficient or subservient – It is different.
His motivation for Broken Horses was the same mantra. Hollywood has looked down upon Bollywood. There are prejudices. He wants to break those. He wanted to tell the world that an Indian can produce a Hollywood movie. A Hollywood movie that only had Vidhu as an Indian name in the entire credits – all lead actors, crew and team were Hollywood. The movie was also a true blue mainstream movie – not a diasporic or NRI linked themes.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s earlier movie Eklavya had an impact in Hollywood. It was India’s official Oscar entry as well. It led to opening of few thoughts for a Hollywood movie. And after viewing a screening of The Departed, the urge grew stronger. Abhijat Joshi and Vidhu started worked on a script. Parinda was the initial inspiration (Parinda was also nominated at Oscar) – but after 63 drafts – the 64th movie emerged which was Broken Horses.
Professor Rachel Dwyer brought many important perspectives and Vidhu’s answers to those were the highlight of the evening. There was an interesting conversation about business sense in Indian cinema. Vidhu has been successful with PK, 3 Idiots, Munnabhai etc. His movies seems to bring loads of money and deliver a social message as well. It was rare in Indian cinema. So what contributed to his strong business sense? Vidhu intact said that he had poor business sense. If he was to be interested in business, he should have made 4 Idiots and 5 Idiots after 3 Idiots. He cast Sanjay Dutt in the lead when he was undergoing trial. He made cinema for the sake of cinema. He wanted to deliver a good body of work and hopefully people will remember him. He is successful is a miracle, not a science.
Vidhu said that he has never followed a beaten path. Maybe because he has educated in school of life and not formal education.
Vidhu shared interesting anecdotes – the making of Kuch Na Kaho song, the revival of R D Burman, the fight for “Give Me Some Sunshine” song, the initial reaction to Munnabhai, his return to Kashmir to see his pooja room being cleaned and maintained neat by a namaazi etc.
On differences between West and Indian Film Industry, he noted that Indian industry was very warm but inefficient while Western industry was cold but very efficient. Indian cinema is improving but West is more professional.
The session was wrapped up rather quickly – everyone wanted more. Nevertheless, it was a great evening and a commendable session. The evening had started with a wonderful dance performance – it was mind blowing performance to songs of Vidhu’s movies. Then there was an amazing rendition to the wonderful songs of Vidhu’s movies.
Then, Professor Michael Hutt, Director of SOAS South Asia Institute, welcomed the illustrious guest of honor, Shri Vidhu Chopra and Professor Rachel Dwyer. In his welcome note, Professor Hutt noted that SOAS was the first British university to offer a degree on Indian cinema. He mentioned about the encouragement and support provide to Indian Cinema and South Asian Cinema at SOAS.
A 90 minute talk show was highly desirable. I am sure Sanam Arora and her wonderful team will listen to our wishes. They did a great job organizing this event !
One must credit to Vidhu for the great body of work – from Parinda to 1942 to Munnabhai to 3 Idiots to PK. He has allowed other talent to grow – Sanjay Leela, Raj Kumar Hirani, Pradeep Sarkar etc. Even Eklavya, Mission Kashmir, Ferrari Ki Sawaari were brave attempts. After 3 Idiots, he supported Sharman Joshi when the entire industry was waiting for his call.
He is releasing Broken Horses in India in English only – for proving a point that it is English movie. Not dubbed in Hindi. It is indeed risky. Ash thinks that when even Spiderman is released in Bhojpuri and South Indian Languages, he should reconsider this. Point is already proven I guess. James Cameron is endorsing Vidhu. Movie is ready. Point is proven.
Wishing him all the success. Broken Horses is a brave attempt. It is a statement. It is breaking new ground. And for that he deserves all our support !
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Broken Horses releases on 10th April 2015 through UTV Motion Pictures. Set in the shadows of the US–Mexico border gang wars, Broken Horses is an epic thriller about the bonds of brotherhood, the laws of loyalty, and the futility of violence.
