June 18, 2012

Masala Month-ish Challenge or Let Me Get out of this Lethargy!

This is the 'Don't give me that shit' look that you've all mastered for me!

Yes, I have been the most useless blogger in quite some time, however taking the cue from the fabulous and dedicated Veraciously , I'm gonna attempt to be good to this blog and my never-ending movie pyar by doing another one of those 30 day Masala Film Challenge. It'll get me back into the spirit, instead of ranting like a loonie about Salman's ridiculous biceps flex-dance or scream-admiring a dress worn on a 60s heroine to anyone and everyone. That is what the Masala Pradesh was founded for, me unleashing all my babblings and ravings of a die-hard and eternal swoon-attack ruler! I'm gonna go with the generic challenge that's caught the internet craze for the past months or so, but also I'll be inventive, so look out for favourite moustache of all time, or shameful crush of all time = HIMESSSH! So watch this space tomorrow, kids!

Day 1. The Best Movie You Saw Last Year


The Dirty Picture


It really was one of my favourites, I've gone on about in my previous break from hibernation. It just transcends its timepass appeal with a central performance that is just brilliant, and quite frankly if you didn't get a lady boner from Vidya, then I need to admonish you severely! Forget the size zeros, and all that Vidya look hot as hell in that film. She gained the weight later in the film and was made to do those unflattering shots, but she looked so wonderful and it's heartening to see a regular woman on screen. That film really came together for me with its seeti-worthy dialogues that played for the impact and made a jab at the industry too. Milan Thuria was recently on Anupama Chopra's show talking about the 'risk' he took in making this all about one woman, that is such a revealing tidbit. It shouldn't be this hard to have a movie with a woman front and centre, sleeping around and being brazen about it. But it's definitely a step in the right direction. Of course, Thuria may have covered his back by framing it through the male gaze of Abraham, but I felt that made it a really interesting narrative in which to view Silk. Out all the films of last year, it's the one I keep rewatching and one I don't really get tired of...just yet. Maybe its the strength of Vidya's performance or the sheer gratification in seeing a strong female onscreen in so long.



3 comments:

Mette said...

One of my favourites from last year too, although my cleart #1 favourite was Dhobi Ghat/ Mumbai Diaries.
Vidya Balan's performance in this one was terrific, as was the setting and the whole Masala atmosphere.
We need more films like this!

Rum said...

Mette - Dhobi Ghat was so good and subtle, I just wish Prateik could regain that spark he had there! But this is my total fave of last year, it was nostalgic but with bite too!

Arjun Narayanan said...

THis was a wonderful film with the right mix of everything that needed to make a movie click well. And Vidya is beyond all praises. She is the Meena Kumari or Smita Patil of our age. She is the right successor to MAdhuri by all means. Do read my blog on Vidya as well...http://visionsofcinema.blogspot.in/2011/12/on-why-i-like-vidya-balan.html