…That’s exactly what Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) is. A ‘bromantic’ film extolling the free spirit of living – the need to break out of the complacent cobwebs cocooning our existence, seize the ‘now’, and just breathe!

All comparisons to The Hangover and Dil Chaahta Hai do injustice to the film– Yes, there are the three amigos, out on a road trip to celebrate a bachelor party – but then that’s it. The Hangover was over the top, slapstick humor and Dil Chaahta Hai was not only a lot funnier but frothier too, with a reasonably fast paced script.

ZNMD runs deeper, and slower - to be honest, there are parts where you end up questioning the editor’s competency – but the unhurried execution also brings with it a sort of placidity and tranquility that is quite impactful. It has its really hilarious light moments – but is not an all-out laugh riot - the story tries to make space for some mature introspection on the journey of life and the confusion of growing up – with its effervescence and its vicissitudes. ZNMD does touch your heart – no escaping that.

The movie is replete with symbolism ingenuously weaved in with the story line - The letting go, the breaking free, the loss of fear, the baggage of yesterday, the beauty of today, the uncertainty of tomorrow…

In fact, the movie’s key emotion is a line from one of its songs…

“chaahat ke do pal bhi mil paayein

duniya mein yeh bhi kam hai kya

do pal ko to aao kho jaayein

bhoolein hum hota ghum hai kya”

(If we get but only a few moments of love

In this world, isn’t that enough?

For these few moments, let’s lose our selves

And forget the sadness of life)

The cast couldn’t be more perfect. Hrithik Roshan is at his sexiest best – I mean there is more to him in the movie than just the drop-dead gorgeous brawn physique, but his screen presence is simply awesome. Farhan Akhtar as the brattier brat with a poetic underline is so super convincing and believable. Abhay Deol is charming and classy, and does make a distinct mark among the trio. I simply loved the way each character stood on his own…they were so real, likeable – just like you’d be with your close buddies.

The camaraderie they share grows on you as the movie progresses – it seems so natural – the restrained reunion to the intense emotional bonding.

The leading ladies, Katrina and Kalki, do not have too much of a role and they just fit in without overdoing their parts – thank god for that :D!

The music is good but not very exceptional. The songs go well with the movie and are quite pleasant to the ear. Love the Senorita number…Check it out here…

The cinematography of the movie is simply superb – the wondrous beauty of Spain caught so well on camera, with Farhan Akhtar’s (Jaaved Akhtar rules!) poetry or rather shaayari as a perfect companion to the vast and limitless expanse of the water beneath and the deep blue sky above...

“Pighlay neelam sa behta hua yeh samaan

Neeli neeli si khamoshiyaan

Na kahin hai zameen

Na kahin aasmaan

Sarsaraati huyi tehniyaan, pattiyaan

Keh rahi hain ki bas ek tum ho yahaan

Sirf main hoon meri saansein hain aur meri dhadkanein

Aisi gehraiyaan

Aisi tanhaiyaan

Aur main sirf main

Apne honay pe mujhko yaqeen aa gaya”

(This moment flows by like molten sapphire

Deep Blue silences

No Earth below

No Sky above

The rustling branches and leaves

Saying that only you are here

Only me, My breath, My heartbeat

Such depth like this

Such loneliness like this

And me only me

I now believe I exist)

Leaving you on that note, with a 7/10 for this one. Go watch it for the love of life :)!

(P.S. I really want someone to make a tasteful movie on women having a fun reunion and reliving their old friendships. Don’t you think we women are also nostalgic about our girly gossips and all the fun we had growing up with each other – what say?)

[Image Source: Google Images]

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From the initial rushes of it, Delhi Belly didn't look like my kinda movie (It still doesn't qualify as one :D). Too boorish, hard hitting, loud and need I say very uncouth.

However, the 'I am screaming to be heard and seen' attitude in the promos and the songs did the trick. The marketing of the movie as a path breaking genre in Indian cinema that today's youth could identify with and then the endless controversies on the use of expletives - made me sit up and take notice. You cannot ignore DK Bose doing the rounds on all music channels - news channels included too!

And off I went with a friend to a Sunday morning (9:50 AM) show of Delhi Belly - the most abusive start a morning can ever get. So what's the verdict? Well my initial opinion remains unchanged - too boorish, hard hitting, loud and need I say very uncouth.

So I regretted going? NO.

Inspite of all the muck and the fuck that I genuinely don't appreciate on screen - I mean there is an extent to which you can throw shit (quite literally) at the audience, and I sincerely believe that punctuating every word with all the known and unknown abuses in Hindi and English (Tamil was also used :)) may not necessarily be required in order to connect with the so called "today's youth" - YET, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

Both of us were in splits - laughing are guts out even as every few minutes we would look at each other and shake our heads disapprovingly of the irreverently burlesque happenings on screen! And to be really honest that's all there is to the movie - 1.5 hours of constant LOL and ROFL and LMAO moments that make this almost slapstick comedy genuinely hilarious!

The plot is racy and the 90 minutes are well packaged - a complete paisa vasool for all the RBCs one would generate with such hearty laughs. The screenplay is flawless in execution and the actors have scored a perfect 10 with their comic timing and dialog delivery. The song tracks bring in great pace and feel to the movie even as you wished you hadn't seen the stinking loo with the rickety flush and the dirty pot holes of old Delhi that are such an eye sore.

Delhi Belly takes realism to a new abstracted level. (I am sorry if the sentence reads oxymoronic, but I know you understand what I mean ;)). The seemingly obvious, very probable, expected and logical situations are hurled around with a perspective that brings out so much filth, and surprisingly, so much humor - that much as I would have wanted to dismiss the movie as a crash course on swearing and shitting, I sit here highly amused recalling the scenes...

(...And in brackets, yes it's going to take a while till I rebuild an appetite for orange juice, and of course, street food.)

[Image source: Google images]

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Yes, before I get into commenting on the movie, I really want to know which was the seventh murder or sin that is referred to in the title - the intermission (after 3 husbands) says “4 more to go” and yet the second half shows only 3 kills! I am not exactly dumb but a little confused here...

At the risk of spoiling the plot a wee bit for those yet to watch the movie – 6 husbands are murdered. The seventh husband is Christ but he is not a victim as such – so not Suzanna’s sin really – Then does she kill herself – is suicide the seventh sin she confesses to? Or is the director just trying to be a smart aleck leaving the audience with a talking point!

Those who have watched the movie, please care to explain and those who haven’t please care to watch and then care to explain :D. Why should I be the only one losing on my Sunday peace?

7 Khoon Maaf is sort of a black comedy that charts the lethal pursuit of love by the main protagonist – Suzanna. While she has the option to step out of the relationship in each of her marriages, she chooses the more macabre way to end her woes – murder of the husbands. Priyanka Chopra is compelling in her portrayal as the psychotic dame with blood on her lips – disillusioned in marriage, hopeful in her cheery optimism, and dexterous in the execution of the murders.

The director has been largely successful in making a film that is shrouded in macabre from the beginning to the end. The excellent camera work is a must-mention!

The dialogues bring out the shades of grey in each character fairly well and in a sense lead you to the fatalistic finality of the dark plot that Ruskin Bond has quite eerily put together. Having said that, the first half remains more engaging and racy than the second.

All the men have done a good job in giving Suzanna the key motives for murder – fine performances.

The background score fits well with the morbid theme providing the audience with that creepy anticipation; and the hugely popular Darrling is so apt and addictive! (I just can’t get over it. YouTube link here)

What of course is lacking in the movie is the fact that it remains hugely unconvincing as far as the story telling goes – the ready availability of accomplices, the all too obvious traps planted – and the whole logic that a single woman would be wedded to the choicest of scoundrels in one lifetime is a little skewed!

Thus, making the movie a could-be-super-engaging blood thriller - but nor does it fall to the depths of an insipid mediocre flick. This one’s quite deftly crafted and though is bone-chilling only in parts, it is watchable.

If this movie is not a crowd puller, blame the orthodox Indian masses. 7 Khoon Maaf does not cater to any of the regular expectations that the audience have from a Bollywood release. It does not try to engage the emotions of the viewers – it leaves you out in the cold – the horror unnerves you but there is no overt attempt at evocation of feelings of empathy or sympathy.

In that sense, there is no realism – there is an emotional disconnect, which lets you watch and appreciate the story at a creative, fictional distance.

(Image source: Google Images)

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So I didn’t go to Patiala House with any great expectations, especially after having been subjected to Tees Maar Khan - I was not even sure why I was in for gambling my Sunday morning. Aah, the remorse that hindsight brings!

Let me start this one objectively.

Music is an easy one to comment on - I loved the Punjabi feel to the songs with the title number being my favorite of course! However, not too much to write home about. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have done better stuff, haven’t they?

About the performances: Akshay tries hard but is a little unconvincing as the spineless Gattu who has brushed his dreams under the carpet to follow the diktats of his dad to the T. Anushka Sharma is wonderfully fresh as the gori Simran who brings in a ray of hope for change in the dictator’s set-up. Rishi Kapoor’s fantastic as the tyrannical man of the house, the biased Sikh who cannot erase from memory the racist attacks during his initial years in South Hall, the pind of England. The rest of the ensemble including Dimple Kapadia (who sadly for her caliber gets just one dialogue) has done a reasonably good job as the frustrated yet fiery lot of Patiala House. Kudos to them!

Ok, then, what exactly is wrong with Patiala House – The pace for sure is very sluggish, especially in the first half. Interval time and the story had not progressed at all!

I personally felt the story had potential – the tried and tested formula of the Indian family saga tied with the most popular game of the country (Cricket), along with the Patiala peg and Punjabi festive fervor thrown in… But that spark, the fire, the natural flow was missing – The course of the film is highly erratic - The supposed focus on the father-son relationship is hardly traceable – one minute Rishi Kapoor is dying of a heart attack because his son’s playing for England and the other minute he is cheering for him at the stadium – Ditto for the love equation between Akshay and Anushka – it seems way too forced and bouncy – suddenly she is shouting I love you and I swear to god, Akshay Kumar seemed as shocked as the audience who were like – Already? When did that happen?

The screenplay does not give enough time for the characters and relationships to evolve – the end result being very sketchy with no depth at all! And this is the greatest weakness of the movie.

The striking and the brightest moments are largely towards the end – the showdown between the father and son – between the patriarchal commander and his family, between the tyrant and his wife – the second half is when you can feel a faint tug at your heart (even though Rishi Kapoor steals the show from Akshay).

As for the inspirational angle to the movie – the one about pursuing your dreams no matter what - it is lost in the big fat Punjabi wedding, complete with 1576 (if I remember the number correctly) guests, half of whom are the family members, that forms the backdrop to the unfolding of the story.

The verdict – Not worth your time and money unless you are a die-hard Akki fan. Try catching it on DVD if you will, and put the Fast Forward button to judicious use.

(Image source: Google Images)

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Was sifting through my inbox for some mail, when I chanced upon this short film review I had written for a contest last year somewhere around the Independence Day. Just realized that I hadn't shared it on this space. So here goes...

Fettered Freedom

A nation that is free of foreign rule yet chained by internal ogres - a whole people who no longer serve an imperial power but are slaves to circumstances of poverty, destitution and illiteracy – a freedom that is fettered – the 1-minute movie, Independence, by Neeraj Ghaywan is about the economically and politically liberated India that continues to bleed…

Through the character of a girl trying to make money by selling Indian flags, Neeraj walks us through the paradoxes that our country is torn between. The clichéd gap between the haves and have-nots is a stark reality that many of us try to forget in order to keep our conscience clear.

Though the imagery in the movie is hard hitting, and therefore, deeply unsettling and disturbing, the free entrepreneurial spirit of the girl whose eyes twinkle with hope and steps bounce with the urge to dance forward make me cross my fingers in faith that hers will be a more optimistic flight in life.

And, thus, Neeraj leaves his audience with conflicting emotions of despairing reality and desperate prayers for change.

A powerful and moving one-minute saga, Independence is not a one time must-watch. It is a must keep for a lifetime – a must-watch every time you curse your fate because your long list of wishes could not be fulfilled, every time you think you do not have enough, every time you are blinded by the neon lights of cushioned living, every time you are lost in the maze of money and the rat race, every time your soul feels smug with the camouflaging cob webs you have weaved around your self, every time the calendar reads 15th August and you plan your “holiday”.

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Eclipse has been on my must watch list for a long long time but I guess I am just destined not to see the Twilight series movies on the big screen. Today I managed to get the DVD from a local library and that sure did make my Saturday afternoon.

If you are wondering what a grown-up (supposedly) like me gets out of watching these teenage romances, or as someone mentioned at work, extended Hannah Montana series, I have nothing to say. My defense rests here – a post that I did a while back.

Coming to Eclipse, I thoroughly enjoyed the battle that brought together the indomitable spirit of the Cullens and the unyielding grit of the werewolves, against the new-born vampire army!

The menacingly dark weather of Forks, Washington seems to provide an ideal case of pathetic fallacy – the clouds that could rain any time, the skies that could darken without warning, the coastal forests - all provide the perfect set-up that is pregnant with possibilities – a sense of foreboding lurks just like the omnipresent overcast sky…

And finally what I absolutely adore about these Twilight movies - the incredibly cute dialogues. So, instead of going ga-ga over the lovable Cullens, I thought I’ll reproduce a few of the dialogues here for your reading pleasure ;).

Edward (proposing to Bella): I think you'll find the vampire human divorce rate a little lower. Just marry me.

Edward (referring to Jacob): Doesn't he own a shirt?

Edward (to Bella): Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars – point of light and reason. And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty...

Charlie (Bella’s dad): (to Bella) There's... things that you need to think about if-you if you're going to be... physically intimate...

Bella: Okay, Don't, don't have ‘the talk...’ please!...

Charlie: ... Alright, so, you guys are taking precautions?...

Bella: Okay, Dad, please just don't worry about... that... Edward is...Old School…I am still a virgin!...

Charlie (to himself): Virgin... I'm liking Edward a little more now...

Bella’s mom: There’s something…strange about the way you two are together… The way he watches you—it’s so…protective. Like he’s about to throw himself in front of a bullet to save you or something.

Edward: I’m from a different era. Things were a lot less complicated. And if I met you back then, I would have courted you. Would’ve taken chaperoned strolls, and iced tea on the porch. I may have stolen a kiss or two but only after asking your father’s permission, I would've got down on one knee and I would’ve presented you with a ring. This is my mother’s. Isabella Swan, I promise to love you every moment forever. Would you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?

Awwwww...now who can resist the gentlemanly immortals!

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The official bollywood remake of Stepmom brings to Karan Johar’s fans a heart wrenching tale in an NRI setup, yet again – after all, that is the limit to which Johar can “indianize” Hollywood for us :D. And, as usual, I don’t mind that a wee bit!

A disclaimer: When you go for the movie, forget the original. Comparisons never help, do they?

To give We are family its due credit, it brings to Hindi cinema a refreshingly new perspective to the concept of the other woman rather than the stereotyped and clichéd wicked witch she is made out to be in every soap and movie! Never once are you made to hate the stepmom, never once does the stepmom show any traces of evil in her. And full marks to the director and producer for that.

While most would be tempted to dismiss this offering as a typical tearjerker, a genre I dare not defend, I would still go on to say that there were numerous aspects of the movie that tugged my heart so many a times.

Kudos to the story tellers for making the movie crisp and to the point - no sympathy arousing tale of the before love and the reasons for separation of the divorced couple, no confused commitments – a modern day nuclear family saga that borders on realism.

Another saving grace was that the oft-repeated track of “it’s all about loving your parents”, and “our Indian culture and roots are our saviors” was downplayed for once!

A special mention to the kids – they were damn cute. I loved one particular scene where Arjun Rampal is empathizing with his son for having been confined to the company of complicated women and the tongue in cheek response to that “Tell me about it, And you have got one more! (referring to the step mom ofcourse)”

However, don’t forget this is a bollywood movie – to the core. The elaborate medical ordeal of Kajol (she is a wonderful actor) and the love triangle between the kids and the two moms interlace the movie with heavy emotions, which sets it drastically different from the more light-hearted and effervescent Kal Ho Na Ho. While both movies try to end on a positive note, We are family leaves you with a feeling of loss and a tear-stained face!

‘Humesha and forever’ is destiny’s greatest lie. Sigh.

My recommendation: go ahead and watch the movie. A good cry once in a while helps not just the eyes :)!

And here’s my favorite song from the movie…

rehm o karam hojaey dobara

rehm o karam ho jaane do ishara

rehm o karam hojaey dobara

rehm o karam hojaane do Khudara

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Apparently, medical schools in the US have commenced using fictional characters to train therapists on psychoanalysis and other related behavioral sciences. This article from the Wall Street Journal makes a very interesting read.

Actually, as fascinating and innovative this may sound, associating fictional characters and their behavior patterns to symptomatic “types” is not really a new phenomenon. Those with a background on psychoanalysis would instantly remember Freud’s obsession with Shakespeare – Oedipus complex, anyone?

At one level, of course, this approach towards classroom teaching is highly advantageous with the positives ranging from retaining interest of the students in the “subject” to securing the privacy of the “subject” - I mean how paranoid would Scarlett O’Hara from Gone With the Wind be if her narcissistic personality disorder case is discussed openly in a med school class room!

At another level, the concept actualizes what can only be imagined by reading dry theory. I knew what schizophrenia meant but I understood it so well only after John Nash’s stunning performance in A Beautiful Mind.

Books, plays, and especially motion pictures strongly appeal to one’s cognitive senses. I have had so many conversations with friends and colleagues revolving around characters from novels and movies as if they were real people.

Such is the power of a well communicated fictional piece – given a holistic context to the plot and people, you begin to understand not only the social milieu but also the subjective emotional construct. And exploiting this facet for inclusion in the formal mainstream education structure is, I think, a definitive step in the right direction.

On a lighter note, as I smiled at some of the diagnosis of famous fictional characters, I wondered on a parallel “desi” version.

So, if the good ol’ bear, Pooh, is a bundle of co-morbidities that may include cognitive impairment, how does our very own Baloo and his subservient love for Rebecca in Tailspin fare?

If Bella from Twilight represents a case of chronic low self esteem and depression, what kind of a complex behavioral pattern is exhibited by the character of Paro from the hugely popular DevD.

Is Ranbir Kapoor in Rajneeti a guy with deep seated insecurities and judgment impairment leading him into mindless violence and forcing him to live the life of an escapist who is circumstantially coerced into wrongs after wrongs?

And then isn’t Katrina Kaif a classic case of bipolar personality disorder – on one hand, she is this beauty with brains – a fast paced go getter, and then she goes and enters a marriage alliance because her dad pressurizes her into marrying a to-be CM. WTF!

No, I did not think much of Rajneeti, and this is just one way of trying to get even for my lost money :D)

US med schools should try including some of our bollywood classics in their curriculum!

P.S: Just in case you didn’t notice, this post also covers the movie review of Rajneeti, which was a huge disappointment.

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Yes, that was precisely my emotion after watching the much-awaited Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori starrer.

So, what is Kites all about? A romantic, action-packed, adventurous thriller with the mandatory song and dance sequences, a love quadrangle of sorts, connections with a dangerous family that turn bloody, a senseless lustful villain, the lead pair with a teary childhood, circumstantially forced into illegal acts, hopelessly in love – long story cut short - a clichéd bollywood melodrama with the only saving grace being Hrithik Roshan, and the fact that there is no happily after (remember the whole logic of kites soaring high only to fall back to the ground?).

Hrithik is incredibly good looking (you didn’t need me to tell you that) and he carries the movie in his arms (I just realized, 'on his shoulders' sounds so bland :p). He is this drop dead gorgeous smooth talker you would go out of your way to bump into Vegas, or any other city in the world for that matter.

Barbara Mori is, well, okay – nothing much to write home about (sorry guys!) – but the on-screen chemistry between J. and Linda is convincing and cute, so I hold nothing against her really.

Kabir Bedi is wasted, wonder what made him agree to the role!

Music’s nothing great either, though I kind of like ‘zindagi do pal ki…’

I loved Hrithik (oh, did I already talk about that before? ;))!!! His international looks really blow one away – girls, you need to watch the movie, if only for the Greek god himself (I know this sounds highly exaggerated, but c'mon indulge me for a change!)

I am trying to think what more I liked about the movie….

…. Okay, yes to be fair, some of the scenes were beautifully shot – exquisite locales – the cliff scene in the end was breathtaking – Locales from Nevada and Mexico are mesmerizing.

The tragic unfolding of the tale, in parts, did tug my heart - but then I am a certified non-cognitive nitwit :(

And sadly, nothing else justifies the time the movie took in the making and the hype it created. I hear that the English version is shorter (90 minutes as compared to the 130 minute long hindi version) and releases 28th May. My recommendation – go watch that one!

And, by the way, I didn’t forget to mention how handsome Hrithik Roshan looked, did I ? :D

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Just finished watching the sequel to Twilight - New Moon – I know, I know I am like a coupla months late, but sure you guys know, it’s better late than never.

The celluloid rendition of Stephenie Meyer’s lovable Cullens, and may I especially mention the sinisterly handsome Edward Cullen, makes me forget the light years I am away from teenage!

While most cute lovey-dovey romances still do find a way to flutter my heart (*blush* *blush*), the Bella-Edward melodramatic extravaganza brings to life the dreamy childhood visions of fairy tales, princes on horses, et al…

Okay, now is the point I get incredibly sissy, so cutting myself short and getting to the point of the post, which is definitely not a review of any of the movies. (There’s nothing to critique, it’s a luscious momentary fantasy trip, best enjoyed without the application of the annoying grey matter in your head.)

What struck me – partly because of my innate skill at being the devil’s advocate and partly cos of my much cultivated and practiced talent of irritating Vish – was that vampires might just qualify as better marriage material than, you know, human beings.

So, ladies (and gentlemen), presenting 5 solid reasons why a vampire would make an awesome boy friend, partner, husband…

• First and foremost, you don’t have to cook for him. Imagine, never would you be subjected to comments like “My mom makes better sambhar”, “The food’s yumm, but you could go easy on the salt”, or questions like “What’s for dinner tonight?”, “Why are we always eating out, it’s been ages since I got home-cooked food?”.

• The second important reason is that he will be hyper sensitive – to your feelings, needs. So he will know exactly when the washing machine needs repair, the TV’s not working, the phone needs to be recharged and the credit card bill to be paid – All you have to do is close your eyes and wish, and boom he will be there to fix all that you want :). (The flip side is that if you are not Bella and he can read your mind, you might not be able to lie about the parlor expenses and the shopping bills, but let’s not ruin our fun with the cons.)

• Point 3; he can fly, and at what speed, wow! Imagine the continents you can visit without having to deal with air sickness, bumpy loos, and freakin visa issues – all on his back – oh, so romantic ;)!

• Point 4; he is eternal, indefatigable and incredibly powerful – he’ll fight the werewolves, the rowdies at the street corner, villain vampires, and the entire might of Voltaire for you because you would be the best thing that happened to him in about 100 years (*flutter* *flutter*). What an ego bolster is that kind of a yardstick :p?!?!

• Last but not the least, you can be a vampire too (he can convert you) – ageless, ever young, the master (mistress, rather) of your destiny, and then you can proudly answer when somebody asks your age, “I am 21. I have been 21 for a while now”. Yippie ;)!!!

Alas, if you thought good men were rare to find, such vampires are sure non-existent in this big bad world; so all that am doing is (sigh) waiting for 30 June 2010. That’s when the third movie in the Twilight Saga, Eclipse, releases.

P.S. Vish, I love you, and I know you are going to take me for the movie, and prove for a fact that there remain a few good men who can match upto the impeccable Cullens :D!

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With all the hype that AVATAR 3D has created, it wasn’t surprising that Vish and I were more than eager to catch up with this latest James Cameroon offering.

AVATAR surpasses almost all sci-fi, apocalyptic and epic war movies of our times in its sheer cinematographic brilliance and technical excellence. The detailed landscaping of the fictional planet of Pandora and the panning of the camera as the avatar of Jake Sully explores the dangerously rich and marvelously magnificent flora and fauna of the world of the Na’vis, delivers a powerful impact, which is wonderfully enhanced with the 3-D effect, thus offering a rare and most-engaging visual experience, especially in a “decent-movie deprived” year that 2009 has been.

Having said all this, I would stop at a 3.75 on 5 for AVATAR. The movie remains wanting of a more original, never-seen-before storyline. The Na’vis and their traditions would remind most of us Indians of the folklore we have grown up on – the potent supremacy of the souls of our ancestors that continue to watch over us, guide us and bless us; the belief that every living object is connected to each other, almost in a supernatural kind of a way; the disassociation of the body with the soul or the spirit; the blind faith in rituals and the superstitions – an extended Star Trek version of our indigenous Jataka tales and stories from the Panchatantra.

The novelty of the phantasmal Pandorian world begins to wear off post the half-time popcorn break, and what resumes is a sluggishly paced war of epic proportions between the humans and the na’vis. This conflict between unabashed and selfish scientific technology and the ecological balance of nature serves as an apt allegory for what us human beings in general, and men in particular (pardon the sexist slur, I really mean it though :)), have been guilty of since times immemorial – futile wars, frightening carbon print, mutilation of our natural resources, nuclear pileup, the greed to control and the need to have it all!

The ending is quite prolonged (I genuinely feel the movie could have been cut short by atleast 30 minutes), and clichéd, and predictable. The obvious side that is good and right and utopian wins and the humans are packed to where they belong … and ultimately the true “AVATAR” is born.

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