Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Practical Paro Artless Chandramukhi

Dev D is overwhelming, every time I think of writing about it, there are so many thoughts rushing in I end up writing about something entirely different...

Number one I had no idea we had started making movies like this.
Number two the director is a man.
Number three he has been smart enough to make such a movie and still keep it out of all controversy. I almost thought it was a B grade movie when Chammak Challo is asked to send a photograph of hers to Cool Dude during an online chat. She could have met the same fate as the Delhi school girl in the MMS case...
I had always wondered what that Delhi student's family might be going through, the police had gone to meet her. The parents said she had been sent abroad (Ah the magical place, thank God for Abroad!) ...why can't India be a bit of abroad for it's female citizens? All that moralising in those days, gave me the creeps . She was just a kid and obviously not a very smart kid. Not like the street smart (but equally lovable) Paro. She was not really a criminal, just a foolish, naive, stupid girl. She needed to be told to mind what she got herself filmed doing, and by who. It should have been left at that.

In the movie she is half Indian and I have seen how confusing our culture can be for all half western, half Indian girls. I see one such naive fool with this boy in dark corners near my place. I sometimes think I should tell her mother to watch out for Indian double standards. Does this foreigner know what hypocrites we Indians are? Sometimes my neighbours discuss how this is offensive. I really can't see how it offends them though I have tried. So I tactfully suggest we leave these kids' morals to their parents.

We Indians are not naive like this American girl, ...Paro epitomizes some of us and I admire her for her practicality!

Paro is smart. This girl has confidence, she is proud of passing with good grades every year, better than Dev D, who barely scrapes though :) Our justified faith in education as a saviour, and our Indian obsession with good grades. I know many class toppers being equally bright in every field, including -like Paro, in their ability to break some social standards of perfect female behaviour. But their biggest ability lies in still surviving it all, to live a normal middle class life. That's the best part. We see it happening everywhere. So unlike the child like trust and innocence of the Western girls who get caught on camera and ruin their lives. Why can't they understand our Indian values and culture? What's so complicated in this simple rule? And it couldn't get simpler than this: Just don't get caught.

That's our culture in four simple words. Just don't get caught.

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

IHM, you ahve driven the nail with the last line "Don't get caught". When I saw this movies, I loved it for various reasons.
One: It was a simple satire on all the men who think that they shold get married to "Sati-Savitri" I mean come on guys, its '09 now, everyone is free to make choices.
Two: the hipocracy that runs deeps where "no-sex-before-marriage" morals are tutored everyday and still we have a staggering huge populations and unemployment, can we for once lokk at that.
Three: I've for the American girl, she didn't waste her life think how to be excepted, she went ahead and took the life with the horns and started making things possible.
Four: India has this stupid notion of "Don't get caught" exams, traffic, voting, malls, hotels everywhere we cheat and if someone gets caught we pour all the hell on them. Why, because "they got caught?" or they were doing something wrong.
Five: On the lighter side, I did like the amount of alcohol consumptions :)


Also, IHM, India has a very uneven growth, I mean Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Kol... other than that only 10-15 more cities, who have liberal thinking crowd. This affects us reversely because we look around us and think this is India, but then there another on in the "Tire 2,3,4" cities, who still live in past because no one told them other India has moved.

Anonymous said...

ok, now i am really inspired to watch this movie! :)

Aathira Nair said...

.Just don't get caught.

Ha ha ....How very true!

Indian Home Maker said...

@Chirag That's a review!! Your comment is a review in itself :) And brilliantly put too!!! I agree with everything and love that about the sweet and smart Chanda who made life out of a 'now-the-girl-must-jump-off-a-cliff' situation. The movie is like a slap on our faces ...no?

Not just the alcohol consumption but the way they show him guzzling and all those bubbles, and effects gave me a hangover lol :)
Hats off to this director.
Loved your review!

Aathira Nair said...

I forgot to add, I liked the fact that all that the director picked up were notions and ideology which is mostly 'left unsaid' in all homes. Many just close their eyes and do not ask about stuff they don't want to see/know.

Indian Home Maker said...

@Crafty Shines Watch it, and look at all the subtle messages ... you'll love it.

Indian Home Maker said...

@Aathira Oh yes, you are right. And even he just showed two lives, without saying anything, just lets us see ...

SD said...

Nice conclusion... Just don't get caught.Completely agree.

Anonymous said...

Hmm, About Dev D! Sorry, can't read this post coz. haven't seen the movie yet. I don't think it'll release in UAE Either. I guess, I'll have to get a DVD from India.

But I've heard a lot of good things about this movie.

Iya said...

i cudnt have agreed more.. "Dont get caught", thats so so so tru... u have hit the nail bang on...

Maya said...

i havent seen the movie, but i like it even before the trailers were shown

Anonymous said...

i really want to watch this film!!! they still dont have dvd here. :(

Anonymous said...

oh i just noticed. am i off ur blogroll? ;) is it cuz i opposed pcc? im jokin'. we'll blame google.

aShyCarnalKid said...

Dev D is creative genius . The music , the cinematography , and the characters . Mind blowing ! I have seen it thrice so far . :D

Tarun Goel said...

"Just don't get caught", too good and so true.

Indian Home Maker said...

@Goofy Mamma Yeah, sums us up:)

@Rakesh But watch the movie, I would love to read your review!

@Iya Have you heard 'bad achcha badnaam bura'? We live by that!

@Maya Do watch it! But not entirely for entertainment... although Kislay might disagree...

@Roop You will like it, I am sure ... it's almost like a ... how we assume that simple Indian girls are naive... and westernized also means no-values?

LOl@ 'we'll blame google' ;)

@Kislay Yeah all this too!!! ... I tend to watch movies for the how they influence our thinking ... this one is awesome, all those scenes where he is getting drunk, we can feel that his dizziness!

hitch writer said...

Tell me something that is new...

We allow everything behind closed doors... but to openly talk is not allowed...

double standards and hypocrisy are normal for us arent they ?

hitch writer said...

as shameful as it sounds !! its a fact !

Aarti said...

:) Had the same reaction as you when i saw the scene where The girl is sent off abroad by her folks... and all that drama that unfolds there on....

Why cant we be more open?
why cant our society change?!!!

i know i know.. am banging my head against a hard wall.. but i hope someday it will show signs of breaking!! :)

moon said...

i am not sure Dev - D will be released here..have to wait for DVD copy..

Indian Home Maker said...

@Sunder Must watch and keep in mind my yesterday's post :)

@Hitchwriter Yes, sad to say, I have to agree, can't even say I disagree.

@Aarti Don't bang your head, you will feel better if you read Monika's post here

http://monikamanchanda15.blogspot.com/2009/03/fearless.html

Mama - Mia said...

loved the movie. breaks so many moulds and often shows our new face. what is shown in the movie is what is happening these days.

loved the post and co-relations!

and while you are doing all the serious stuff, here's a fun tag to do whenever you get time!

http://amateurabe.blogspot.com/2009/03/meri-kahaani-meri-hi-zubaani.html

cheers!

abha

Winnie the poohi said...

have not watched devd yet! i so want to!!

wisegirl said...

i love what you have written. i haven't watched the movie yet but I want to now!

Pixie said...

I still have to watch the movie...
But, I asked my dad this question and I will ask it here again - why was the girl being highlighted here? Wasn't what she did, perfectly natural? She is dumb, stupid, naive - fine.
Why hasn't anyone said that what the boy did was wrong? Why was the video highlighted and the creep's dirty behaviour of filming such an intimate thing not questioned?
Dad said - we are like this only - a very hypocritical society - same words you have mentioned...
Ugh... Such double standards I tell ya!
From how we have to behave, to how we should dress, to how we need to live our life - 2 separate set of rules...and none of the so-called rules make any sense...

*i think i went off tangent here! will come back my mood isnt so grim*

Sandhya said...

Waiting for DVD release on this side of the world. Tried but couldn't resist reading your review :-)

Piper .. said...

havent seen Dev D -so really cant comment. BUt I`m dying to, after reading this! :) And, I love the last line "Just Dont get Caught" :):)

Indyeah said...

waaahhh!!wailing!I am getting so late on your posts!:(why?me thinks its a *whispers*conspiracy..
yes it is*shakes her head in emphasis*

I have to watch devd and dilli6..me wannna watch!!
I will>:)
rest later
((Hugs))))muahh!:D

OG said...

:) I liked the last line IHM... :)

Anonymous said...

I am lagging. I have to catch so many movies.

you know in serials you will see sleeveless wearing women as vamps and the one decked up all goody 2 shoes. Such contrast they show.

Women have a different set of rules everywhere even in films.

BTW have been caught up in too many things. So couldn't check this space before :) or mail.

aneri_masi said...

I was about to say...IHM you are digressing again, when you started talking about the half-Indian girl in your neighborhood ;)

I gotta watch this movie!

And disgusting, but true summary :( Just don't get caught!

Anonymous said...

I loved the movie for 2 reasons. I could see myself in both Paro and Chanda! Seriously! I too would do anything for the man I loved... Trust him not to hurt me. Also I would do anything to safeguard my family!

On the other hand, Chanda too trusted her "lover" but unfortunately GOT CAUGHT. What follows is a series of passing the parcel. The father who kills himself over guilt of seeing his daughter in a compromising position or of shame, I wonder! But did anyone ask how she felt? Betrayed? Unable to trust ever again?

Women should trust and also be careful of not being hurt! HOW? Women should love and yet not give it all? Such double standards!

Not that I have said anything that you havent but I completely love this movie.. I dont think this is about Dev. I think this movie is about the 2 women! The ones who want to change their lives. They know its uncomfortable where they are and they deserve better and they strive to change that!

Thats a woman!

Varun said...

O Pardesi! Meetha sa chada hai bukhar! :)

It's an awesome movie and don't get caught is so true for India. I want to watch this movie again!! :)

Anonymous said...

I still have to watch this movie. Can you believe that! :(
I think the best way to be happy in India is by not giving a shit to what others are thinking or saying. People have the ability to drive you mad here.
And about that girl - Pakde gaye to chor, nahi to sadhu. So the line - Don't get caught, is very apt! :)

Bud-Wiser said...

I read the post , then saw the movie , then again read the post, :)

Did you understand that part in the movie, where paro comes to meet Dev in hotel room, washes his clothes, get abused and leave??ha ha!! what was that? Why did she wash his clothes??I couldn't control my laughter, what did that scene meant?

Reema said...

Yup as I always say Jis baat ka pata nahi, Uss baat se khafa nahi :)

freespirit said...

Just don't get caught=Just don't get pregnant/Just don't get raped/Just don't let anyone SEE you drinking, smoking, with a boy,etc.

Anonymous said...

Wanna see a great flick free and online?

THE SITAYANA - SITA SINGS THE BLUES;

http://www.thirteen.org/sites/reel13/indies/indie-sita-sings-the-blues/241/

Vidya said...

Yup u summed up the Indian culture really well. I think it is more applicable to the females.
I liked the movie too. It was a crazy ride kinda movie

Indian Home Maker said...

@Varun Oh yeah it can be watched twice too ..

@Amit Very well said! Most people seem to find it very entertaining also, do watch it!

@Chikki yes that scene made me think too ... maybe how she felt she must take care of him, like a woman by doing (so called) woman's jobs .. also she still cares for him. Or at least she wasn't totally indifferent to him... maybe he was trying to show that, even though she doesn't care for him, she still feels obliged to ...
No, more like he looked so bad, she felt bad for him, and wanted to help him. I read in a review that the interpretations have been left to us in many places, now I know what that meant!

@Reema :) yeah, that works ...

@Freespirit Or do everything, all these, but don't let anybody find out.

@Vidya Yes it is more applicable to girls, but indirectly even boys are victimized ... like in this movie.

Indian Home Maker said...

@SitaSatiSavitri Will def check this link :)

@RV I asked that thousands of time during those days, when this news was making headlines,
"did anyone ask how she felt? Betrayed?" Hers must have been betrayal of the worst kind, by that boy who circulated the MMS, by her parents, by her friends, society ... it was really sad.

And I so agree with you (AGAIN) when you say, 'I think this movie is about the 2 women! The ones who want to change their lives. They know its uncomfortable where they are and they deserve better and they strive to change that!' And what gutsy women!
It was so good to see a movie like this. LOVED your review! The movie was like, go ahead live ...
Loved it.

Indian Home Maker said...

Aneri-Masi LOL .. was that digression??
...but there are still a hundred other thoughts, and you can see some in the comments also .. do watch this movie, you will like it, I know from your blog that you will definitely like it.

@Solilo I have been busy too, but managed to sit and respond to the comments today!

Indian Home Maker said...

@Ordinary Guy :)

@Indyeah I only watched these two movies - generally I don't watch any movies at all, like I didn't even know the director's names and all, but our movie scene is changing and they are literally good creation of art, some of hem. These two are fabulous because there are no lines about how typical Indian girl must jump-off-the-nearest-cliff id in a similar situation.

@Piper It's worth watching.

@Sandhya Watch it, it gives us hope... we still have many thinking men left.

@Pixie 'Why was the video highlighted and the creep's dirty behaviour of filming such an intimate thing not questioned? is the kind of question we all should ask ourselves.

Pixie you say,'*i think i went off tangent here! will come back my mood isnt so grim*
Please Pixie feel free to go off tangent, this movie made me do exactly the same. I think anybody who like justice and fairplay hates gender bias, just because we are amongst the victims does not mean we can't protest.

Indian Home Maker said...

@Winnie the poohi Would love to hear your opinion after you have watched it :)

@Wise girl Do leave a comment here after you have watched it .. what did you think and all ...

@Abha YES. Exactly. 'breaks so many moulds and often shows our new face. what is shown in the movie is what is happening these days.' An honest movie for a change!