RAAVAN - World Première, in London

I turned a Paparazzo, When London rolled out the Red Carpet for Raavan

Imagine this: You've gone to watch a movie. Amitabh Bachan and Jaya Bachan seated in the next row back to your left, SRK and family sitting couple of rows back to the right. Suhasini in next row to your left. Mani Ratnam standing next to the screen and introducing Abhishek and Aishwarya to his left and Vikram and Prithviraj to his right. You are sitting in the midst of all these- and wondering whether you are imagining it!. ;)

    Well, normally you would have wondered so. But after an hour-and half of glitz and blitzkrieg, and screaming people around you waving flashing screeching with their cams n mobiles, clamouring for the attention of the glam stars to turn towards them, you are convinced, it's not surreal, though coming to think of it, you get such a surreal feel. Star-struck ? Not the least- but yet, it's been a very unique experience.


My "Take" on it:
Cinematography,  extraordinary. The most outstanding element throughout. {Not just flashes of brilliance like we mostly see in his other works }
Story, ordinary; bar the violence which at times can make you twitch (but may be there's 'cinematic licence' for it these days?!) But the extra dimensions given by the parallels in the viewer's mind seemed to make it feel less ordinary. 

For me, the Visuals were the binding factor for the mind to the story, and not the story itself..

It kidnapped the senses out of the story and kept captive!,

 just like what was happening to the heroine in the story.

That's how I felt about the cinematography!, truly Captivating!

The feel of the rain drenched lush forest, it often pushed me out into the rain, to breathe the rain forest air, splattered the mud at times and then plunge into the water..

The feel of the forests it left behind was so strong, that 

I felt like going for the monsoon treks through the forests again! 

But then it was also sad to know later, another twist in the behind-the-scenes story.

I heard that the shooting ran into trouble with forest department, as it did have some adverse effect on some forest area and  the authorities delayed the permission to carry on shooting. I haven't got the full version of that story yet.

What about Acting the part? 

Vikram looked his part and did well. Ash did well too, showing subtlety, yet expressive. After watching Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat a few years back, my opinion about the 'actress' had changed..

Well, Abhishek, with the toughest part, though impressive and pulls it off well, if one looks to finer details, Does show his limitations to portray such a very raw character. May be he's more at home with urbane chic or characters from a more urban world ??. May be to do full justice to such a character, one might have to be with someone like that, if not live like that ?? ;). Well, that's what some might feel watching him. May be another actor would suit better ?? 

So, I thought will watch Tamil version as well, with Vikram playing that role- switching from the "Ram" role in Hindi to "Raavanan" in Tamil, with Prithviraj taking the other place.

Had a chat with Vikram and Prithviraj during the post-screening party at Oxo Tower. They both mentioned that the Tamil version has a more raw feel.

Anyway, will  watch the Tamil version as well and see/feel that myself! Thought it would be interesting to compare the same person switching to opposite role, and how differently the same role is performed by 2 different actors!,

given that the sets and the rest of the shooting environment is almost the same; drawing parallels to the story of yore, in parallel!..;) 

And Music? Well, nothing much that stirs you like the other movies from the team, in terms of hummable numbers. But may be, excellent music videos..

Did hear people say, waste of time, money etc.

But eveyone is entitled to their opinion.

Even though opinions might be the cheapest commodity, in an increasingly 'social networked' community, with almost everyone having one and expressing it too,

 this is my 'overall' "take" on it- one can easily "cut" out and trash it:

The Movie: interesting, engaging.

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