After a long time, I want to write reviews of two refreshing movies I watched lately — Tere Bin Laden and Peepli (Live).
Tere Bin Laden’s story is based in Pakistan and is a great piece of humor and satire about how this young, handsome 🙂 reporter Ali (Pakistani singer Ali making his debut) wishes to immigrate to “Amrika” as he calls it and then the events unfold which make him concoct a cock-and-bull plan involving a chicken-raiser farmer who is a Bin Laden lookalike. There are a lot of funny sequences and digs in the movie. The manipulations done by US diplomats (Barry John does a great job here) and the boot-licking of Pakistani (could have easily been Indian) diplomats are well presented. There is no overt preaching, yet the satire is unmistakable. The lingo is delightfully rustic Punjabi Urdu, which I recall from the old Pakistani plays I have seen. The script, the casting, and the settings are wonderful along with some nice songs. I really loved it.
Peepli (Live) — I was keen to watch this one. I immensely like Aamir, and a project produced by him is bound not to disappoint. I was glad to read that the lady director is a journalist who has culled her own experiences to script the movie. The movie unfolds in Peeple, a hamlet in Mukhya Pradesh — could be easily a state like UP or MP. The movie is about the plight of the poor farmers in the villages, specifically addresses farmer suicides; the futile implementation of govt. schemes which never reach the poor; the media circus which cares little for the event except for generating their own TRPs; the corny politicians; and the disconnect between the urban and rural India. The movie is real in its script, characters and language (using a rural dialect of Hindi). The cast is delightful, coming as they do from a theater background. The movie does have a documentary feel to it, and it depicts reality. Don’t expect the regular song and dances, though a couple of songs are really good. There are so many good things and small instances in the movie which would touch each one of us. It is certainly not a feel-good movie; it does not intend to be one. It is hard hitting and shows reality. It is thinking cinema and good cinema. Watch it for the real story of India’s villages.
I am happy that good scripts and great casts are back in reckoning again!
Guess this is the season of small scale movies in Hindi…
But I dont like Aamir much. He is a good publicist and his movies are good bt not worth the publicity
OK, rachna, now I have to see Tere Din Laden 😀
well i haven’t watched both, since i can’t at the moment.
a brilliant movie which was not a hit on the pak-us foreign policy was kabul express. it was cheeky yet had heart.
i am looking forward to peepli live more, since i am not a big fan of media:D
havent seen either but got them downloaded , jsut havent had the time to see them … too many things happening around .. I will defintely watch these two..
i saw peepli live too and liked it.
@Jon More than small movies, I’d say good script-oriented movie. And, let’s not speak about Aamir. I hold a view that he is the finest actor in Hindi cinema in the current generation. I don’t think he is overhyped at all. So that’s a divergent view to yours. But like a maintain that in creative media like writers, movie stars, movies etc., there is just an opinion, nothing right or wrong.
@Agnes Yep, with subtitles 🙂
@wise donkey I like your last line:). You must see the imitation of Barkha Dutt — it is perfect :). Also that other anchor of a Hindi channel speaks just the way they do on Aaj Tak. They have torn them apart, and it is wicked fun :).
@Bikramjit Find time. You would love the lingo of Tere Bin Laden even more :). And, the goodnatured Punju gaalis fly all around :).
@Nitu That’s nice to know! And, good to hear from you after a while :).
i dint see pipli..but thoroughly enjoyed tere bin laden…mats ekdam…
@rohini Total paisa vasool 🙂
Hey
have you seen Udaan??
Watch that one
these two are nothing infort of that one.
Wause I am now waiting for Chulbul pandey opps i mean Dabangg!!
me to bhupesh…:) my husband loves the character and me too:)
Peepli was very nice and a slap on the face of governance in the country.
Haven’t seen both the movies, but I’m thinking of watching Peepli Live when I can!!
have not seen both movies
@Bhupesh Oh yes, I have to see Udaan, now that you are praising it so much.
@rohini That is Salman’s charm. I love the name Chulbul.
@BKChowla You are so right, Sir.
@Girish and sm Yes, you must try and watch it.
🙂 just tumbled at ur blog
nice
Haven’t seen both the movies..nice 2 c u enjoyed…cheers buddy:)
they r two awesome movies..arent they?
saw u feature on bik’z blog..:0 so stepped in!
@Sekhar and Suman thanks for visiting my blog.
@Ramesh You must try to watch them. Good fun.
@Madhu Hey thanks for your visit. Hope to see you here often. Oh yes, truly nice movies 😉