- I thought of writing a commentary after chancing upon a reference on wikipedia. It said that the film opened to lukewarm response in India and UK and some critics have trashed the movie as being slow.
I loved the movie. I absolutely did. And it's hard to explain why; I always struggle to explain emotions. Contrary to opinions that persistently asking 'why' leads you to the root cause, I believe emotions can't be explained. One, because the very method employed to elicit an explanation causes an error - Claimed data is claimed. It undergoes rational processing that renders the response incorrect. Second, why explain something that is supposed to be felt. Try explaining a fragrance - they do that when explaining perfumes and it makes for a very poor alternative to some good ol' sniffing.
Anyways, coming back to the movie........
Chak De India uses hockey as the sub text to bring into relief 3 issues that afflict India sport - 1) Individualism, 2) Regionalism and 3) Using sports as a means to an end. More importantly, it offers a poignant commentary on the fickleness of Indian public where public adulation is driven by the most recent performance. Lastly, it directs one's eye to the disproportionate focus of India sport to that genteel pastime - cricket, at the expense of all else.
The movie is commendable for its bravery and instructive in its business acumen. Using 11 unknown faces, no leading heroine, no exhibition of flesh and no song-dance sequence is brave. Ensuring there was Shahrukh's face to pull crowds in, was smart.....else this might have ended being a late bloomer or a DVD wonder.
See the movie if you haven't. It'll 'stick' with you.................
ps: Tomorrow, I'll pick up the threads of the 'Unshackling India' series. Apologies for the longish hiatus.
2 comments:
Senti, I completely agree with your comment about Chak de - it was fabulous, but I loved it most for one additional reason that you did not write about - gender issues faced by women across different strata of Indian society.
All the women - the rural woman, the middle class woman and the wealthy chick, all in their own ways -face familial and societal pressure to conform - different questions "who will marry you", "place family before self", "is your career less important than that of your -more successful -spouse?" and it is their desire to break free of these expectations that brings these women together.
The movie does more for feminism that all the 'women centric' movies before it in Indian Cinema!!
Agree - missed it. Guess it takes one to identify with this feminist aspect of the movie
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