Review of Malayalam Movie "Ishq"

Well its been long since i've actually felt like writing about a film and thanks to Ishq. Kudos to the actor Shane who really resembled a 'small' boy though it is revealed later that he is an IT professional. He succeeded in pulling off the "innocent" character who isn't aware of the harsh realities of the society and is used to being in his comfort zone always. His character retaliates only when provoked to a great extent. I do have a lot of issues with the content though. The film deal with several serious issues in India especially Kerala - Moral policing, sexual rights, masculinity and femininity (or gender) etc. The character Vasuda played by Ann Sheetal and Sachi of Shane Nigam seems to be problematic. It is shown that she is a First year degree hosteller who manages to roam about with her boyfriend in public spaces but apparently cannot question any intrusion of her privacy by the same public. The instance where her boyfriend scares a man for "looking" at her might be intended to show the possessiveness or heroism of her boyfriend but it also shows how she is rendered voiceless. Does she really want him to take up a protective role? Or was she planning to question the man who was staring at her? Do we ever get ro know what she was thinking?!

Sachi is also a complex character confused about his gender and social position as a boyfriend who should man up! He could shout at a man who was merely looking at his girlfriend but he is silent and puts up with everything when a man verbally abuses her. I was really steaming up in the scenes where both of them silently tolerates the many abusive instances in which Shine's character tear their dignity and humiliate them. The very characterisation of these young adults seem unacceptable to me. The lovers who manages to roam at night should at least be bold. I mean they should be aware of what awaits them in a still to-be-progressive society like Kerala. They should be able to voice their rights and make bold decisions. The fact that they chose to roam at night is itself a sign that they are strong and they are making a bold statement as it is not "normal". They know what their rights are and are exerting them as adults. It is possible to argue that both of them got scared when attacked suddenly. The fact that Shine's character claims to be a policeman and has a video of them might scare them. But there are so many instances in which they get to know that Shine's character is not a policeman! Yet they cling onto their fear.

There are so many instances in which they could just drive off but they never do that. Vasuda seems to be scared and even threatens to kill herself if they go to the police. Seriously?! For a woman who is capable of being aware of her rights, her "dumbness" seems to be intentionally incorporated into her character. She is shown as a weak character who reacts only when pushed to her limits. I don't think that an IT professional and a Ist year degree student is so foolish as not to ask the "policemen" for their ID or to at least question under what circumstances the law prevents two adults to be together. Or are the new, highly educated generation that ignorant? Shouldn't they be portrayed in a better light at least to inspire the young adult viewers?

Shane's character is that of a psycho (and his acting resembled Fahad's Shami, at times even his voice modulations! Or so i felt!). He enjoys the fear of the couple and is sadistic enough to torture them for his pleasure. Ok, if he is suppose to be a villain for his actions (verbal rape together with Jafar's character and sadistic actions) then isn't Sachi too stooping to the same level by trying to prove his "manliness"? Sachi assaults, humiliates and traumatises an innocent kid and a woman (wife and mother) just to make Shine's character confess and apologise for what he did. Ofcourse, Sachi enlighten's Shine's onscreen wife (and his daughter!) about the dark side of her husband and he even apologises to the woman later but even that doesn't nullify what he did to them (the same verbal assault that the other one did). But did he have to choose this way? Is this the only way to prove his manliness? Does that mother and daughter deserve to go through a trauma just because their beloved did the same to Sachi's girlfriend? Women are victimised in both cases!

There is a dramatic turn of events in the climax when Vasuda turn's down Sachi's proposal (or does she? Is it clearly shown?) on realising the chauvinism in Sachi. She is aware of her femininity and turns out to be a feminist right when she questions Sachi (also in an earlier scene) whether he'd have accepted her even if she was raped (or even kissed). She is aware of herself, the patriarchial mentality in Sachi, the fact that he haunted the entire family of Shane's character and Jafar's character to satisfy his male ego etc etc etc but earlier she was shown as weak and silent (contradictory? Or is she now experiencing an awakening? But then again her side of the story is never told). At this instance I began to feel that maybe the movie was trying to be sarcastic about the manliness and heroism and was poking fun of the traditional thought of heroism but these thoughts are shattered later. The question as to whether a woman needs a man to protect her dignity (or chastity) gets explored.

Also the climax scene in which she shows a middle finger to Sachi avoiding her question of (him accepting her) by proposing to her, is applauded. The fact that she asserts herself does give a feminist touch to the film but if her thought process or story was told at least a bit then, this 'touch' would have been validated. It is good to see a female character on screen who questions the chauvinism in her boyfriend but then she is rendered silent again as the movie ends with the middle finger. So she doesn't get to show off her 'womanliness' just like Sachi? Oh i forgot that it is an open ending where we can imagine however we want and yes i just think she has a punch line, gets out of the car and walks in slo-mo accompanied by a thrilling bgm(with a Ray Ban glass of course!).

P.S. Entirely subjective review.

A Review of THE WHITE TIGER By Aravind Adiga : The Man Who Evolved.

           The novel by the renowned Indian author Aravind Adiga throw light on the life of Indian society at a time when caste differences and slavery were prominent. Through the life of an entrepreneur, Balram Halwai, the author explores the lives of the villagers in India. Adiga divides India into two- "India of darkness" and "India of light".
            The protagonist of the novel who also doubles up as an antagonist represents a typical member of the downtrodden class who learns to cope with the evils of the modern materialistic world. The ugliness of rotten politics, the darkness to which the poor in India gets bound and the value of human relationships are all presented through the life of Balram. Adiga also makes fun of the different religions and their deities when he refers to the '36,000,004' Gods worshiped in India.
              The title of the novel is metaphorical since THE WHITE TIGER refers to the rare individual tiger born once in a generation. It symbolizes the growth and evolution of the protagonist who finally succeeds in escaping the 'rooster-coop' and becomes a rare piece himself. Also, Balram discovers a new India and turns into an iconoclast of his generation. He was brave enough to think out of the box which eventually helped him to become an autonomous entity rather than leading the life of a slave.
               Adiga dives deep into the lives of the agrarian sections of India who constitute about 70 percent of the population. The life in villages is that of 'darkness' and the residents desperately try to move towards 'light' just like the insects. But by the time they achieve their desired goals, the end is near. Even though we attained freedom from our colonizers long before there is not much change in this scenario which proves the relevance of the book and its central theme.
                 The novel tells the success story of a man who learnt what to be and what not to be. Balram keeps his senses alert to everything around him which finally enables him to master the tricks of politics and other tactics of the elite classes. He recognize how he has been stereotyped as a servant and as a 'water-buffalo' who is supposed to pull the load of the entire family. But unlike his father, Balram gives up the burden in order to free himself.
                   The blood of caste system runs so deep in the veins of Balram, that he is unable to free himself from the thought of being a servant. Being accustomed to the life of a slave he loses his mind quite often but in the end he emerges as the 'white tiger'- a rare creature born once in a lifetime.

Review of Jaisree Mishra's "Ancient Promises"- Promises Kept and Promises Broken...

     The novel discusses many intertwining topics together with marital relationships from an Indian point of view. It is a beautifully written tale of a young girl, Janu, who evolves into a mature woman capable of interpreting the 'ancient promises' made by her even before her birth.
      I could relate this novel to many lives around me and that is why I think the book stays close to my heart. The plots and subplots discussed like teenage 'love', the obligations of the Indian children towards their parents, the concept of arranged marriages, the final struggle to survive all the adversities of life by a divorcee-who is looked down upon by the kerala society...are all presented in the most realistic way.
      The  book begins with Janu, recollecting her past. Through Janu's teenage fascination, Misra explores the depth of emotions of teenagers. But when it comes to adult life she draws out the hardships of marital life adjustments without romanticising. Janu endures humiliation from her in-laws. She reaches her wits end when her daughter too gets ignored and looked down upon by her husband and his family.
       The novel takes a turn when Janu decides to face life on her own. Mishra shows the contempt of the keralites to a divorcee. The miserable situation of most poeple who continue marriage for fear of losing societal honour and reputation is also dealt within the novel.
        Mishra brings in an element of hope and love when she brings back Arjun, the childhood love of Janu, towards the end of the novel. The novel is realistic in its depiction of Indian lives and is able to move the readers intellectually and emotionally especially in the part dealing with the bonding of Janu with her daughter Ria. The autistic daughter of Janu whose inability to comprehend people's attitudes towards her gives a deeper emotional touch to the novel.
          The cliched theme of a woman's struggle to survive in a patriarchal society becomes more relevant when we refer to the autobiographical elements in Mishra's novel. The author also draws the tapestry of the kerala society of her times. Janu's migration to England turns out to be a relief for both the readers and for Janu as well. Janu is able to provide better facilities for her daughter in England while continuing her studies with the help of her teenage heart throbe Arjun.
                   
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