Fir Mile tum mera tumhara-is it??

I have been planning to write on this topic for a long time now. But thought to ignore it thinking how it matters. Today when the entire TV channels has been showing the new edition of the song “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara” I just could not take it anymore. The earlier edition of the song brought out the Indian integrity and sense of national belonging. This song shows India has 60% television stars, 25% singer’s 8 % sports stars and rest few second for army men. This pathetic version of this song features a Shahid Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra or Deepika Padukone whose contribution to the nation is perhaps greater than an APJ Abul Kalam or a Saurav ganguly or a Mahendra Singh Dhoni or Narayana Murthy – this is an insult if the maker of the song thinks it in this way. They did not even feature a Sachin Tendulkar but after public hue and cry they included him but that does not end the pathetic appeal of the song.

If these people define Indian independence and integrity then god save the country. Does our country comprise of these people or have these people taken up the onus of serving as the face of nation. The earlier song had people from various fields like literature, art ,music, sports, movies just to name a few…This version has Bollywood written all over it. I question the presence of many celebrities in this song. I question the song being played on Independence Day. This is a nation you are talking about not a fictitious world like Bollywood.

Peepli [Live]

The best way to describe the movie “Peepli Live’’ is that it’s different. Coming from a first time director the movie is a wonderful dark movie coated with humor. Although the movies looses its way into predictable format in the second half but yet it highlights serious issues plaguing journalism, media ,politics and how government schemes are misutilized. The ending would perhaps make you feel disappointed but the first surely lives up to the expectation. It’s more like an art-house movie promoted like a commercial one.

 
The strength of the movie lies in the characterization. Each character in the movie is realistic and one can relate to their pathos. The main character who has few dialogues in the movies yet his mannerism and expression invokes a sense of sympathy throughout the movie. His elder brother, his wife, his mother all adds up to a wonderful example of poverty in India. The local politician, the chief minister, the agriculture minister all falls into perfect shape. The journalist and the TV channels activities shown across the movie only show the knowledge of the director coming from the same background. Finally the rivalry between Hindi and English news channel are brought to open.

 
The movie also questions journalism and role of media in building up nation. It has shown how news is manufactured from events which are sale-able as per TRP while the real news gets sidelined. Poverty is highlighted with power pact humor for the very first time. When the protagonist Nattha is tricked into committing suicide by his own brother one feels their funny bones tickled. There are few moments which according to me keep the movie alive.

• The discussion of the local journalist with the journalist of the English movie channel brings out the reality of news reporting done today. Its disturbing but commercially practical.
• In another scene a farmer who lost his land and made his living my digging clay, dies in the same hole dug by him.
• A particular Hindi news channel reporter actually creates sensational news out of faeces left behind by the protagonist of the movie.
• A lower caste political leader tries to turn the suicide into a caste related and issue.
• The 'Lal bahadur' scheme actually turns out to be a hand pump which is of no use to a poor farmer and which highlights how government schemes turns out to be such a waste for the needy.

 Over all the music and back ground score supports the story all along and the satirical tale ends with Nattha leaving the village and coming to work as a daily laborer in the town. It ends as abruptly as it begun…so the name ‘Peepli Live’ is probably an appropriate title.
If u are in sulking mood due to rain and keep complaining about government and media for your misery you can go and enjoy this movie. For all those who see movie as a medium of entertainment go at your own risk to watch this movie.