The Rahman euphoria piggy-backed on the Slumdog Millionaire wave to clinch an Academy award. However, it doesn't look likely that a Bollywood movie or actor can pull off a Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Made by a Taiwanese director, Ang Lee, in Mandarin, the Taiwanese-Hong Kong Kong- American production picked up the Best foreign film, was nominated for Best Film and Lee picked up the best director Oscar. Perhaps the fact that it had the clout of a major US studio backing it helped Ang Lee's chances.
Essentially because what qualifies as a masala bollywood fare refuses to move ahead from variations of how-the-boy-met-the-girl-pataoed-the-girl-sang-soulful-duets-meet family/society-opposition-is-reunited/bumped off. If this is not the main theme of the movie, it is definitely a subplot. Most Indian movies have no nuances or layers and can be told in a single line. In fact, that is how most films find producers or actors - one-line story narrations.
Movies: All style no substance
Let's take a look at some of the 'awarded' movies in India this year, to illustrate the point better :
Dabbang: Besides the swashbuckling style of Salman Khan, this movie had little to offer in terms of content or script or story. The movie made by one Khan brother to help redeem the superstar status of the other Khan sibling.
Guzaarish: Big ticket director, an attempt by a good looking actor to play a paraplegic and a pretty actress, perfectly coiffed, pouting through her role as a sidekick/nursemaid. Some hysterical screaming and shouting but no real script. Beautifully crafted scenes do not a good film make!
Baand Baaja Baraat: funtertainment yes, Good film - NO! Lets be honest, this movie despite the freshness of the lead pair, is no Monsoon Wedding.
Peepli Live: Like some one said to me the other day, if this were not made by an 'Aamir Khan' the movie would not have been as popular as it became. It is a decent movie with some thought involved in making it - but is it Oscar material? Its tongue-in-cheek and satrical look at poverty, low-level Indian politics and jibes at the Indian media makes this small film, tall in stature. It was a deserving candidate for a nomination in the Best Foreign Film category but not best film. The ensemble film neither had the scope for individual performances nor were these performances anything to really write home about. However, perhaps it was the lack of proper marketing despite having an experienced Aamir Khan to flog it in the Academy awards market, the film lost out to movies like Javier Bardem-starrer Biutiful. The real test for most of the movies vying for an Oscar nod is getting the Academy awards jury to actually see the movies. Getting your movie screened is not enough, the jury needs to see it to vote for it and that requires marketing andclout. Clout that Indian directors, producers lack.
Stars not actors
Khans, Kapoors and Kumars are 'stars' or even entertainers not 'actors'. The bollywood breed refuse to play characters, instead are comfortable playing extensions of themselves. Or 'act' the character instead of trying to 'be' the character.
Salman Khan: Salman in Dabbang is not Chulbul Panday - the character, but Salman playing Salman in khakhi vardi and a moustache. In Veer, he just traded the pistol for a sword, covered his bare chest with a shield and tried a brown-blond wig.
Aamir Khan: Despite being considered a thinking actor, Aamir disappoints in most his films. He playacts in 3-idiots. The heavily botoxed Aamir never for a moment lets you forget that it is Aamir the Actor, taking you on a journey through the life of a engineering college student. In one his most successful movies, Ghajini, his uber-muscular body and a funky hairdo were more intriguing than his acting. In his earlier movies he's played so many different versions of himself - Aamir the cop - in Sarfarosh, Aamir - the lover boy in Dil, Dil Chahta Hai and many versions of the same, Aamir - the revolutionary in Lagaan, Mangal Pandey.
Akshay Kumar: Akki was never an actor - not when his movies flopped a decade ago nor when he became the most bankable star, almost two years ago. He too loves experimenting with his looks rather than learning how to act. His variations are even more superficial -with a turban a la Singh is King, or goatee like in Blue, long teeth and 'chipku' hairdo in Action Replayy.
Shahrukh Khan: His five stock expression have now been etched into every one's memory so he tries variations of the same. And the less said about his hamming skills, the better. His potrayal of an Asperger's patient in My Name is Khan is painful to watch. Perhaps SRK should have a DVD of King's Speech on repeat in his million-dollar Vanity van to see how to potraying an affliction or disease.
Nominated for this year's Best Actor Academy award is Colin Firth for his potrayal of King George VI. The film, in the running for Best film of the year, is about the evolution of a stammering Prince Albert who ascends to the British throne as King George VI. This because his elder brother David abdicates to marry an American divorcee. As King, Firth needs to address his subjects to reassure them in these troubled times of WWII. But for that he needs to get his stammer under control. The 'flappy-jawed' Firth struggling with his stammer till he is red in face, he makes you forget that this man once played the suave Mr Darcy. He wears his character as a second skin. And the transformation from hesitant Prince Albert to the regal King George VI is momentous as he is cajoled on the pitfalls-filled-journey by his speech therapist. This brings to mind Shahid's attempt at playing someone who stammers and to be honest - whether it was Vishal Bharadwaj's direction or Shahid's acting genes - he did a decent job. That is till he was distracted by must-get-the-girl-get-married-have-babies storyline.
Before you scream Amitabh Bachchan, as a contender for best actors who might be able to pick up an Oscar, indulge me. Watch Denzil Washington's Man on Fire, back to back with Bachchan's Ek Ajnabee. Watch the expressions of Denzil in the climax as he walks towards the little girl he has just saved and compare it with Amitabh Bachchan's. We might not need to have this conversation.
Make-up or the lack of it - isn't acting
Bollywood babes are only one step beind their male counterparts. Their roles are almost the same in all movies- an extension of who they are in real life. If they want play a serious part - they de-glam themselves. However, by going sans makeup they take away the one reason why one would want see them on the big screen in the first place - their 'Glamour Quotient'. Their main contribution to most movies is made by their designer or their choreographer.
Kareena: The extent of Bebo's acting is playing a size 0 - 2 in a Manish Malhotra, a Neeta Lulla or an Abu-Sandeep in most movies. Think Tashan, Kurbaan, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Golmaal or 3-idiots. Before you throw a 'Chameli' in my face - think carefully, that was Kareena 'playing' Chameli. Tabu in Chandni Bar was definitely more authentic.
Katrina: Kat has been more about her dance moves be it Race or Tees Maar Khan. A glorified item girl who has got more than her fair shot at Bollywood glory due to her 'Khan' connection.
Priyanka: Who was felicated for her potrayal in Fashion was again playing something she has been in real life - a model!
Rani in Black or in NOKJ is just Over-The-Top. And OTT is no substitute for acting.
Don't get me wrong, I have been mesmerised by Kajol's emotive eyes, Madhuri's million-watt-smile or Tabu's soliquoy in Astitva but it saddens me to say it's really not acting.
I can't see any of these actresses of this generation or the last - piling on the pounds or under going hours of make-up to make themselves to look ugly like Charlize Theron did for her Oscar-winning performance in Monster. Not only did she put on oodles of weight, she practised speaking with prosthetic teeth for over a month to get into character of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a former prostitute who was executed in 2002 for killing six men. She was unrecognisable in the movie but when this former model came into pick up her award, she donned a floor-length shimmering gown with a sexy open back and low neckline.
*A hint for our bollywood Divas - Designer dresses are best left for the movie premieres and award functions.
Which brings me to this year's performance par excellence - Natalie Portman in Black Swan. In the psychological thriller Portman plays an average ballerina who aspires to play the lead. When a new production - The Black Swan is announced, the dirctor finds Portman a perfect fit for the White Swan but her rival and understudy, Mila Kunis has a personality that matches the Black Swan. When the two compete for the parts, Nina finds a dark side to herself. Her very visual hallucinations added to the pressure of pleasing her over-protective mother lead her to give the performance of her life. Not giving much of the plot away, sufficient to say, Portman's acting prowess is at its peak. Be it her facial expressions, stiff ballet moves as White Swan, or her transformation into the Black Swan - it is sure to give you goosebumps. And that what brings me to the point I began with, its been a while since a Bollywood movie or actor made me break out in goosebumps. And that is my reason for saying that an Indian can never win an Oscar.
Essentially because what qualifies as a masala bollywood fare refuses to move ahead from variations of how-the-boy-met-the-girl-pataoed-the-girl-sang-soulful-duets-meet family/society-opposition-is-reunited/bumped off. If this is not the main theme of the movie, it is definitely a subplot. Most Indian movies have no nuances or layers and can be told in a single line. In fact, that is how most films find producers or actors - one-line story narrations.
Movies: All style no substance
Let's take a look at some of the 'awarded' movies in India this year, to illustrate the point better :
Dabbang: Besides the swashbuckling style of Salman Khan, this movie had little to offer in terms of content or script or story. The movie made by one Khan brother to help redeem the superstar status of the other Khan sibling.
Guzaarish: Big ticket director, an attempt by a good looking actor to play a paraplegic and a pretty actress, perfectly coiffed, pouting through her role as a sidekick/nursemaid. Some hysterical screaming and shouting but no real script. Beautifully crafted scenes do not a good film make!
Baand Baaja Baraat: funtertainment yes, Good film - NO! Lets be honest, this movie despite the freshness of the lead pair, is no Monsoon Wedding.
Peepli Live: Like some one said to me the other day, if this were not made by an 'Aamir Khan' the movie would not have been as popular as it became. It is a decent movie with some thought involved in making it - but is it Oscar material? Its tongue-in-cheek and satrical look at poverty, low-level Indian politics and jibes at the Indian media makes this small film, tall in stature. It was a deserving candidate for a nomination in the Best Foreign Film category but not best film. The ensemble film neither had the scope for individual performances nor were these performances anything to really write home about. However, perhaps it was the lack of proper marketing despite having an experienced Aamir Khan to flog it in the Academy awards market, the film lost out to movies like Javier Bardem-starrer Biutiful. The real test for most of the movies vying for an Oscar nod is getting the Academy awards jury to actually see the movies. Getting your movie screened is not enough, the jury needs to see it to vote for it and that requires marketing andclout. Clout that Indian directors, producers lack.
Stars not actors
Khans, Kapoors and Kumars are 'stars' or even entertainers not 'actors'. The bollywood breed refuse to play characters, instead are comfortable playing extensions of themselves. Or 'act' the character instead of trying to 'be' the character.
Salman Khan: Salman in Dabbang is not Chulbul Panday - the character, but Salman playing Salman in khakhi vardi and a moustache. In Veer, he just traded the pistol for a sword, covered his bare chest with a shield and tried a brown-blond wig.
Aamir Khan: Despite being considered a thinking actor, Aamir disappoints in most his films. He playacts in 3-idiots. The heavily botoxed Aamir never for a moment lets you forget that it is Aamir the Actor, taking you on a journey through the life of a engineering college student. In one his most successful movies, Ghajini, his uber-muscular body and a funky hairdo were more intriguing than his acting. In his earlier movies he's played so many different versions of himself - Aamir the cop - in Sarfarosh, Aamir - the lover boy in Dil, Dil Chahta Hai and many versions of the same, Aamir - the revolutionary in Lagaan, Mangal Pandey.
Akshay Kumar: Akki was never an actor - not when his movies flopped a decade ago nor when he became the most bankable star, almost two years ago. He too loves experimenting with his looks rather than learning how to act. His variations are even more superficial -with a turban a la Singh is King, or goatee like in Blue, long teeth and 'chipku' hairdo in Action Replayy.
Shahrukh Khan: His five stock expression have now been etched into every one's memory so he tries variations of the same. And the less said about his hamming skills, the better. His potrayal of an Asperger's patient in My Name is Khan is painful to watch. Perhaps SRK should have a DVD of King's Speech on repeat in his million-dollar Vanity van to see how to potraying an affliction or disease.
Nominated for this year's Best Actor Academy award is Colin Firth for his potrayal of King George VI. The film, in the running for Best film of the year, is about the evolution of a stammering Prince Albert who ascends to the British throne as King George VI. This because his elder brother David abdicates to marry an American divorcee. As King, Firth needs to address his subjects to reassure them in these troubled times of WWII. But for that he needs to get his stammer under control. The 'flappy-jawed' Firth struggling with his stammer till he is red in face, he makes you forget that this man once played the suave Mr Darcy. He wears his character as a second skin. And the transformation from hesitant Prince Albert to the regal King George VI is momentous as he is cajoled on the pitfalls-filled-journey by his speech therapist. This brings to mind Shahid's attempt at playing someone who stammers and to be honest - whether it was Vishal Bharadwaj's direction or Shahid's acting genes - he did a decent job. That is till he was distracted by must-get-the-girl-get-married-have-babies storyline.
Before you scream Amitabh Bachchan, as a contender for best actors who might be able to pick up an Oscar, indulge me. Watch Denzil Washington's Man on Fire, back to back with Bachchan's Ek Ajnabee. Watch the expressions of Denzil in the climax as he walks towards the little girl he has just saved and compare it with Amitabh Bachchan's. We might not need to have this conversation.
Make-up or the lack of it - isn't acting
Bollywood babes are only one step beind their male counterparts. Their roles are almost the same in all movies- an extension of who they are in real life. If they want play a serious part - they de-glam themselves. However, by going sans makeup they take away the one reason why one would want see them on the big screen in the first place - their 'Glamour Quotient'. Their main contribution to most movies is made by their designer or their choreographer.
Kareena: The extent of Bebo's acting is playing a size 0 - 2 in a Manish Malhotra, a Neeta Lulla or an Abu-Sandeep in most movies. Think Tashan, Kurbaan, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Golmaal or 3-idiots. Before you throw a 'Chameli' in my face - think carefully, that was Kareena 'playing' Chameli. Tabu in Chandni Bar was definitely more authentic.
Katrina: Kat has been more about her dance moves be it Race or Tees Maar Khan. A glorified item girl who has got more than her fair shot at Bollywood glory due to her 'Khan' connection.
Priyanka: Who was felicated for her potrayal in Fashion was again playing something she has been in real life - a model!
Rani in Black or in NOKJ is just Over-The-Top. And OTT is no substitute for acting.
Don't get me wrong, I have been mesmerised by Kajol's emotive eyes, Madhuri's million-watt-smile or Tabu's soliquoy in Astitva but it saddens me to say it's really not acting.
I can't see any of these actresses of this generation or the last - piling on the pounds or under going hours of make-up to make themselves to look ugly like Charlize Theron did for her Oscar-winning performance in Monster. Not only did she put on oodles of weight, she practised speaking with prosthetic teeth for over a month to get into character of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a former prostitute who was executed in 2002 for killing six men. She was unrecognisable in the movie but when this former model came into pick up her award, she donned a floor-length shimmering gown with a sexy open back and low neckline.
*A hint for our bollywood Divas - Designer dresses are best left for the movie premieres and award functions.
Which brings me to this year's performance par excellence - Natalie Portman in Black Swan. In the psychological thriller Portman plays an average ballerina who aspires to play the lead. When a new production - The Black Swan is announced, the dirctor finds Portman a perfect fit for the White Swan but her rival and understudy, Mila Kunis has a personality that matches the Black Swan. When the two compete for the parts, Nina finds a dark side to herself. Her very visual hallucinations added to the pressure of pleasing her over-protective mother lead her to give the performance of her life. Not giving much of the plot away, sufficient to say, Portman's acting prowess is at its peak. Be it her facial expressions, stiff ballet moves as White Swan, or her transformation into the Black Swan - it is sure to give you goosebumps. And that what brings me to the point I began with, its been a while since a Bollywood movie or actor made me break out in goosebumps. And that is my reason for saying that an Indian can never win an Oscar.
