Trippy sensory overload
"Tashan" se jeeyo, bete. Yes indeed, after venturing to watch the eponymous film by the said name and after having being duly warned on Rediff by Raja Sen, I decided to brave the fire. And much to my chagrin, I actually enjoyed the senseless fare proferred.
Like a one night stand, it had its ups and downs. The implausible storyline coupled with some far-fetched dialogue left me reeling for the first few reels. But upon the entrance of Mr.Desi Cool himself, His Royal Akshayness, the movie became Bollywood's version of Tarantino's "Death Proof/Planet Terror". For the technical kind, there's some Oliver Stonesque camera angles and jump cuts to drool over. The Kumar then lifts the movie into a kitschy,guilty pleasure. Portraying a superb rustic cool, making bhaiya speak hipper than a flat-iron, AK takes it upon himself to make 'Tashan' an integral part of the urban lexicon for a late millenia youth. With his incomparable screen presence, the Khiladi ends up making you await his upcoming "Singh Is King" even more. Saif looks totally miscast and is swallowed in this film by both his skinny galpal and the reigning BO king.Anil Kapoor, God bless him, works hard at yet another uneventful outing for him.
With the Parkour styled fight sequences and by re-inventing the lowly 'gamcha' into an uber required accessory,the gummy,limber actor saves the movie from bombing like a last minute phone call to God,begging one's soul from damnation. The director also inserts inside jokes understood by a minority (from the firangi on the phone to a Harvey;presumably Weinstein to Saif's monicker 'Jimmy Cliff', referencing a badass reggae singer),he sure isn't afraid of being labeled a snob.
Tashan won't be everyone's cuppa, but for a select intelligentsia, it is a fine concoction that is best enjoyed when one's senses are systematically dis-arranged. And a last word for the soundtrack. Flawless.Vishal-Shekhar with tracks such as 'Dil something something' and 'Chaliya' make desi lingo hip to the masses and classes. Shakespeare meets Ghalib in this kickin' soundtrack featuring the words of Hindu street poets married to the soul of the Ganges with the voice of an earthy Sukhwinder Singh. It's already on my ipod and on the way to attaining Guilty Pleasure 101's Top 5 status. Kudos to the newbie director for inserting a dose of much required desi cool to an otherwise sterile Hindi movie scenario.
I might have questioned myself for watching Tashan, but I do recommend this offering to stoners, winos, junkies and an otherwise intelligent populace looking for a much needed break from the ordinary. I myself might invest in a red gamcha and a pair of new work boots. As for Bebo's new, starve-friendly size 0 figure, I just got these words,"Here's looking at you, kid."
Like a one night stand, it had its ups and downs. The implausible storyline coupled with some far-fetched dialogue left me reeling for the first few reels. But upon the entrance of Mr.Desi Cool himself, His Royal Akshayness, the movie became Bollywood's version of Tarantino's "Death Proof/Planet Terror". For the technical kind, there's some Oliver Stonesque camera angles and jump cuts to drool over. The Kumar then lifts the movie into a kitschy,guilty pleasure. Portraying a superb rustic cool, making bhaiya speak hipper than a flat-iron, AK takes it upon himself to make 'Tashan' an integral part of the urban lexicon for a late millenia youth. With his incomparable screen presence, the Khiladi ends up making you await his upcoming "Singh Is King" even more. Saif looks totally miscast and is swallowed in this film by both his skinny galpal and the reigning BO king.Anil Kapoor, God bless him, works hard at yet another uneventful outing for him.
With the Parkour styled fight sequences and by re-inventing the lowly 'gamcha' into an uber required accessory,the gummy,limber actor saves the movie from bombing like a last minute phone call to God,begging one's soul from damnation. The director also inserts inside jokes understood by a minority (from the firangi on the phone to a Harvey;presumably Weinstein to Saif's monicker 'Jimmy Cliff', referencing a badass reggae singer),he sure isn't afraid of being labeled a snob.
Tashan won't be everyone's cuppa, but for a select intelligentsia, it is a fine concoction that is best enjoyed when one's senses are systematically dis-arranged. And a last word for the soundtrack. Flawless.Vishal-Shekhar with tracks such as 'Dil something something' and 'Chaliya' make desi lingo hip to the masses and classes. Shakespeare meets Ghalib in this kickin' soundtrack featuring the words of Hindu street poets married to the soul of the Ganges with the voice of an earthy Sukhwinder Singh. It's already on my ipod and on the way to attaining Guilty Pleasure 101's Top 5 status. Kudos to the newbie director for inserting a dose of much required desi cool to an otherwise sterile Hindi movie scenario.
I might have questioned myself for watching Tashan, but I do recommend this offering to stoners, winos, junkies and an otherwise intelligent populace looking for a much needed break from the ordinary. I myself might invest in a red gamcha and a pair of new work boots. As for Bebo's new, starve-friendly size 0 figure, I just got these words,"Here's looking at you, kid."