Bolo na Tumi Amar

Yeah, we are cool, deal with it!!

Gotta love commercial Bengali movies!! This is a rom-com from Dev's early days (2010) in the industry when he wasn't a big shot yet and he definitely wasn't ruling some obscure district in Midnapore (umm, born and raised in Kolkata, so in our make believe world, we are the centre of the universe, duhhh!!).

So yeah, did I watch the movie in its entirety? Hell yeah!

Did I make snarky comments throughout the movie!? Absolutely.

Was I predicting it scene by scene and still sitting their being entertained? You got that right. 

I actually loved how predictable it was. I just needed one of those shut off your brains and just go with  the flow kinda movies, you know the type that rake in the cash.. but my poor brain would wake up at times and be like ... but umm.. that's makes zero sense.. For example, Koyel managed to call off her wedding with groom of her dad's choice, Tota. And, the dad, Sabyasachi explained how his "honor" / status in society is going to get affected if her daughter  doesn't get married on the date that was set previously. So, solution? Find someone random and get daughter married anyway. gWHAT?? I took me a while to coax my brain back to sleep.

He could have said I have already put down deposits on the venue and caterer and it is non refundable, so yeah, you have to get married.. but no, I guess that would be too logical.

Another thing, Eevery time I see Sabyasachi in a irrational father's role in a commercial film, a part of me dies.. Why?? Why?? God why? This is our sharp Feluda? I think the Bengali community should come together and raise money so that actors like Sabyasachi don't have to do roles such as these. Some might argue, well he is just showcasing his versatility - no he is not! This is equivalent to Irfan Khan taking a dad's role in a Bollywood commercial film in 15 yrs from now... yes, I feel that strongly about it.

So what did I like?

- The Bollywood like packaging.  You have to sell something, so why not a modern Bollywood packaging?

- The styling of Dev and Koyel - very modern. Not relatable, I mean show me one, just one pizza delviery guy that dresses that stylishly in Kolkata,

- The songs. Jeet Ganguly's songs lyrics are always a bit too much - " Ei gambat chol dur hath", Pulak Bandhopadhay is probably rolling his grave hearing this, but the tunes are pretty catchy. Plus I guess this is the language of contemporary youth. I'm sure people talk amongst themselves like this - I guess no one cares about politeness anymore.

Am I a film critic? Nope, I'm just passionate cinema lover with lots of opinions!!

Chotushkon: My Preview and other observations...

So Parambrata's new movie is coming out this Pujo (September 26th) and he is playing a character by the name of Jayabrata - a film director. Interesting right?

Facts  about the movie :

1. This is Srijit's new venture after the National Award Winning "Jatiswar".

2. Music by Anupam Roy - loved the Boshonto Eshe Geche and the Boba Tunnel track.

3. Check out the Trailor here :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uNrGCBIgo0

4. Cast : Prambrata, Aparna Sen, Chrinajeet, Gautam Ghosh, Kaushik Ganguly, Koninika, Payal Sarakar, Deblina Dutta among others.

5. Genre : Triller

My Observation :

Before I tell you about my true observations, let me make one thing very clear, I am no movie critic! I am an average movie goer who loves watching intelligent bangla movie.. that's all .. I thought I needed this disclaimer before freely expressing what I really thought!

So the trailer was really obscure! I watched it three times.. Twice before watching the interviews and once after watching the interviews in youtube. I didn't really understand what the movie was about.. except maybe that it was about something dark..may be even something supernatural.. May be it it meant to be Atel.. Anyway, you have to remember this is Srijit's first movie after the National award so pressure to perform at the box office and the national award level is pretty high... . although he claims he wrote this movie long time ago, right after 22nd Srabon. But he had to tweak it a bit since he catered the script to the people playing the characters.

So what is interesting is, they said that each of the 4 main character are directors and their parts of the story are shot in a way they themselves would have shot/ narrated their movie..  I can't wait to see what Param's style would be.

I thought the cast was rather arrogant and show offy during the interviews.. one claimed there was no one else in the industry who could have done this role. Okay may be true.. but is modesty dead?

Parambrata wasn't arrogant - he was asked numerous times how does he feel to do a role that was originally scripted for Rituparna Ghosh.. he fielded the questions brilliantly I think! He acknowledged he wasn't the first choice and then quickly went over to narrate the story of how Srijit approached him for the movie and he had to say yes because it is Srijit after all!! Nicely done!

I really don't know what to expect from this movie. I feel like it feel be either super hit or will vanish into obscurity pretty quick. This will not be an average movie for sure. Unfortunately the marketing strategy employed has not been able to pique my interest! But I wish the movie all the best, hope it does really well.

My Bangla Pride

When I lived in Kolkata this whole Probashi Bangalis (Bengalis living outside of Bengal) didn't impress me much. To me they were wannabe Bengalis and not as cool as me!
Whenever someone uttered the word "probashi" images of my relatives living somewhere deep in MP/UP who only surfaced during biye season or durga puja season, came to my mind.

 The Mashi/ Pishi (s) generally had perfect Bangla but their kids or my cousin's Bangla used to be atrocious.
Phrases like "tui amar choto bon achish" or "tora duRRga pOOjyor somoy kotto ta anondo korish" - bengali with a Hindi accent were common which made me impatient.. it was like watching a movie with a subtitle.. finish your sentence already damn it!! Remember I was a Kid! Don't judge me.

I gave them props for trying though.. or at least I pretended to. You were not allowed to laugh at them or you will see you mom's big eyes getting even bigger singnally you to stop immidiately and if you continued.. "thash thash" kore chor!
However,  my "probashi" cousins were always considered "dudhe- bhathe"... and we didn't really take them super seriously especially if they were younger.

I didn't have any close relatives living in so called "Bidesh" so never really experienced North Americanzined Bengali. But one thing I was sure of was my Bangla language skills although I went to a English medium school.. go figure!

12 years later.. Here I am .. recounting my probashi experiences! Life I tell you can be a bitch! Or rather karma is .. What goes around comes around.

So when I go back to Kolkata/visit Kolkata  I am always afraid people will categorize me into the same Probashi Bangali category I hated so much! So my strategy to deal with it?? Over compensate by speaking in Suddho Bangla..  But in doing so I tend to go over board and alienate my own cousins.

Example :

Me to my Cousin : Shon,  amake durobhash shomapto karjer r dorkhasto joma dite hobe. Tui ki jabi amar shonge?
( Listen, I was to submit the application form to cancel our phone line. Did you want to come with me? in a very Bengali text book way)

My Cousin gives me a stunned look... as if I just time travelled from the medieval Bengal and burst into her drawing room.. and then says

" ki bolli, dorkhasto?? She abar ki?"
(Dorkhasto what is that??)

Okay,  time to reevaluate my linguistic skills... did I use it wrong?
No?
Okay, too old fashioned?
That must be it! But obviously can't admit that in front of my younger cousin.. so I say,

" Dorkhasto mane application.. You kids these days.. have no respect for your your language and culture deshe r j ki hobe?"

Then I add in a very Dida/ Kakima / Jethima style :

" Toder moton boyeshe amader Bangla Bhasar kodor onek beshi chilo.. ei shob oi hindi chobi r dosh!

When in doubt blame Bollywood.. always works in typical Bengali household.. baje result? math e  kom nombor, khele dhuloye haar, kom boyeshe depomi kore prem?? whatever it is blame it on Hindi Cinema... works every time!

Also, who cares she is only two years younger than me and the fact that two years ago I didn't even live in India. Minor details, Minor details.. as long as you are super confident in what you are saying, people tend to believe you.

My fight for when in Kolkata only speak Bangla doesn't go that well with random strangers either.. Example??

So I went to South City Mall in Kolkata, and asked a security guard type of person..
-Dada, ekhane osudhu er dokhan kothaye pabo?
- Mam, if you go this way (blah blah) you will find it.
He replies back in English... 
Me replying back in Bangla again
- Achha, mane soja giye odike, tia to?
(oh you mean, I should go straight and then that way, right?)
- Yes man,
- Apni Bangla bolen ebong bojhen to?
(You understand and speak Bangla right?)
He smiles and nods and replies
-Yes mam..
 I glance quickly over to his name tag and yes, just what I thought.. the name was Subhendu Sil.

Did times change? Or did I change? Am I desperately trying to hold on to my Bengali identity and hoping to still be a member of a club where my membership might be expiring soon? Don't know exactly!

I don't speak English like North Americans.. I have an Indian Accent
I don't speak Hindi like non - Bengalis ... I have a Bengali accent
I can't speak in a Bangal Bhasha ... I have a Kolkata accent!

So I can't help but overcompensate when I'm in Kolkata.. no one can say I have a Hindi accent or a North American accent.. My bhasha.. spoken the way it should be..

Aami Sudhu Cheyechi Tomaye - A Preview

This movie was released today but unfortunately I was not able to catch the first day first show. Luckily, however, I was able to watch the HD quality trailer in YouTube. And below is my account of what I think the movie is about ...This movie is a joint venture between a Kolkata and a Bangladesh production house since they want to reach out to a broader audience. 

This seems to be an intense love story between Ankush and Subhasree. Or it could be a documentary on Subhasree's stalker. 

The story goes back to the protagonist's childhood  days. The boy had loved the girl from a very young age and kept yelling I love you to her. But unfortunately the girl didn't feel the same. So she kept yelling I hate you to the male protagonist. 

The guy is unable to deal with the rejection and becomes delusional. He keeps seeing her everywhere. Is the girl dead and her bhatakti hui atma is roaming around you say? No , she is alive.

 So the guy is determined that he HAS to win her heart by hook or by crook. So naturally he starts taking dancing and singing lessons hoping to catch her attention and impress her. He starts going to the same college as the girl and show cases his multi talents. He can slam dunk a basketball while not even facing the basketball court and is instantly popular. Obviously the girl is high maintenance and doesn't get impressed by this. So the boy has to hire backup dancers and start singing song the lyrics of which are directly from his heart. Here is a sneak peak:

Prem paise hayere

Monta tokei Chaye re

Prem er Kira kolje j Lafayere"

Let me attempt to translate this into English

" I want to love

I only want you

Love bugs in my liver are jumping"

He actually flies her to Thailand to present this song and dance routine to her. How do I know it is Thailand I'm guessing it is since there are interesting looking dragons dancing in the background to cheer on the guy.

But unfortunately the girl doesn't get wooed by this international production and show, setup just for her. Obviously the guy can't just give up. His friends are starting to sort of make fun of him now and a " true lubher " like him has to keep trying. 

So next he flies her to Bangladesh hoping that a song in Bangladeshi dialect will melt her heart. He pens another amazing song, the lyrics of which will give Salil Chowdhury or Gouri Prassan Majumdar a complex. The song goes like this: 

"Ore Bangladesher meye re tui
heila duila jaas.
Akbar jei ghuira takas,lage jhakkas.
Podda nodir Ilish khaiya,
Roop khana ki jhokjhoke banas."

I don't even know how to translate that into English. 

He changes t- shirts as well but the girls keeps giving him a very stern, go to hell look.

He is running out of means to try to woo her. In the mean time the girl has had enough. She meets him in an entirely empty library tells him off... She adds that she does not love him! I mean how could she?? All the guy is doing is stalking her, why would that be creepy?? 

The guys is super hurt  and turns badass! He decides to employ a different method to tug at her heart strings this time around. He tries to to make her jealous ... he starts rapping with other really 'hot' girls...Deal with that bitch! 

When ever that didn't work he tries to kiss her forcefully. Because that is right thing to do, when a girl clearly does not like you. No, that is not sexual harassment since it is coming from the "true lubher". When the boyfriend ( or could have been BF) of the girl asks him how did he have the courage to kiss her , he cooly replies, like a perfect badass...

 " ebar kiss korechi ee por love letter debo!" 

( I have kissed her this time, next time I'll give her a love letter)

 What a profound dialogue and what a threat!!!!! I had to pause my you tube video to fully understand the impact of this...

Okay, get this people even after such laborious efforts to woo her she has the gall to like ..no wait, love someone else!! She says right on the guy's face that she LOVES someone else. This breaks our male protagonist... 

Reminds me of the Miley Cyrus's song .. Wrecking ball.. Especially the part breaaaaakkk mee...poor guy!

What happens after this??? 

Does the girl finally lose her mind completely and fall in love with the boy??

 Does the boy get psychiatric help? 

To know you have to watch this movie my dear folks.. It is out in the theaters near you (In Kolkata)... Ami sudhu sheyechi tomaye.