Ishqiya

A Western movie made in the rustic badlands of Eastern UP......

Brilliant acting by Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan and Arshad Warsi in recreating the dialects of Eastern UP and Bhopal. Vidya Balan steals the show from the great Naseer with a character that has all shades of womanhood - grace, beauty, oomph, guile and tact.

Music is good and lyrics from Gulzaar as always brilliant in their contemporary lingo but deeper meanings. It is not a slam-bang thriller but still has shades of The Good, Bad and the Ugly or After sunset with each character trying to out-wit the other in one way or the other, by hook or by crook.

An endearing quality about Vishal Bharadwaj movies is the Inidanisation of whatever the situation and the rustic simplicity of the situations.

Overall not a movie that sets the box-office on fire but worth a watch as a thriller.

Rating : * * * * *

3 Idiots

Aamir, Sharman and Madhavan as Ranchhod Das, Raju Rastogi and Farhan .... brilliant, brilliant, brilliant

Boman, Bebo and Omi ..... briliant, brilliant, brilliant

3 Idiots are brilliance 3 times.....

Education is necessary but inclination and aptitude to study a subject comes from within and can't be forced. The Indian system inhibits natural knowledge building and encourages cramming where chamatkar becomes balatkar. Innovation is suppressed at the cost of human lives.

We dont need no education ....... is ....

Saari Umra Hum

Mar Mar ke jee liye
Ek pal to ab humein
Jeene Do Jeene do

There are far-fetched situations of humor like the spoon used for cooking also used as a back-scratcher or Omi cramming for a speech absurd / crass words that were replaced mischievously by Rancho the main protagonist. Similarly the case of an alternate identity (not trying to reveal too much) is too exaggerated but in the context of the theme is passable.

That the education system is too flawed and how much burden does it put on the young is very well illustrated through various episodes in the inter-play of lives of 4 students their professor and his young daughter who is studying to become a medical doctor.

Another very topical Aamir Khan film yet again ......

Rating : * * * * *