Let me ask you something; if you come outside the theatre after watching a film and feel am emptiness in your heart, how would you rate the film? whatever is your answer, same is my reaction about Peepli [Live]. Much awaited, much talked about and with high expectations, this film was released on this Friday but I don't think that it would be able to see itself in theatres even next 2 weeks. And, I know that when I am saying this, I would be the target of ire of Aamir's fans as well as the followers of acclaimed movie reviewers, who have given the film 3 to 4 stars out of 5. I may not be as much a cinema expert as these guys, but after watching the film, I didn't find it worthy of a tagline like "the only true black comedy in Hindi to appear in 27 years" (in HT) or " a lively and living document on the 'other' India (in TOI). It is a very average film which is far behind the wonderful satires like Welcome to Sajjanpur and Weldone Abba in recent times.
Peepli [Live] supposes to deal with the serious issue of farmer suicided but throughout the film, you feel the core issue has been sidelined by the TV news media bashing tracks. Of course some of the scenes, sequences, acts and dialogues are good, apt and to watch for, but overall the film disappoints you as it fails to make you think about the main issue at any point of time. And, I couldn't understand the need of use of too many abusive and cuss words in the film only to show the hinterland. Also, though writer-director Anusha Rizvi is collecting praise from all quarters, she perhaps forgot that a satire is not a comedy. When you watch the movie and in theatres the viewers laugh at every cuss word (even in serious situations), you tend to feel the failure of the filmmaker.
I would give due credit to Anusha to have courage to present a film on as sensitive subject as farmer suicide but at the same time I would say that she must remember that such subjects demand more seriousness, sensitivity and sensibility. Even after wonderful act by Omkar Das, Raghuvir Yadav and others, if you are unable to feel the trauma of a debt-ridden, helpless, compelled to think about suicide farmer, how can I term the film as successful? Despite very nice art direction, good cinematography and beautiful music the film fails to give you satisfaction. I can't give the film more than 2 stars and I would say that if you miss the Peepli [Live], don't worry, you are not loosing anything.
2 comments:
Hummm..... I haven't watched it, yet i have some what similar expectations from the film as u mentioned. Waste of time & Money. But u see there is nothing better offered in theatres this week... Aisha, once upon a time in mumbai, Help & peepli live. So what should u choose :-)
better to wait and watch it on televison premier
Dheeraj ji, More or less I am having the same idea about the film. As I went to theatre just after completing 10 hours of exhaustive shift, you can easily imagine the depth of excitement i had for this Amir Khan's peace of work.I think, such a good script could be presented in a better way. Even the story runs so fast that i felt it misses the real worth. As we talk about the promos of the film, there were two scenes missing in the movie. The first one is 'Amma demands for Beedi when reporter asks for her reaction on the suicide decision of Nathha' and the second one is 'Daniya abuses the female reporter abruptly when she asks for her reaction on the same decision. Finally, I would say, that the film coudn't meet the majority of the fiewer's expectations.
Sitanshu Shekhar
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