Sunday, June 01, 2003

avs snapshots, armaan and stumped (being, partly, a reaction to the weekly AVS show) [previous post in thread]

The Hit Pick of the Week was a video for The Bullet Train, specifically, for one of the teaser streams released as part of the promotion by Saregama/HMV. While it was nice to hear the tracks again (I own the CD), the video was the usual fare of passable girls dressed in skimpy outfits of the most mismatched, bland and tasteless colour schemes; dudes in leather; groping about like animals. All in the name of profit, I guess. Sigh.

Caught the opening quarter of Armaan, stopping just when Preity Zinta is seen for the first time. Gracy Singh has some work to do before she can tackle dialogue and parts with ease. Anil Kapoor is uneven. The Big B tries his best to lend some respectability to dialogue that, unfortunately, for the most part is tired. Honey Irani has been a script writer before, but there isn't much in the plot to write home about. And the dialogue really deserved a makeover. Scenes seem forced at times. And brief. The importance of silence and pause is lost on Bollywood. The only two sequences that interested me were the conversation as Akash (Anil Kapoor), the Big B and Neha (Gracy Singh) are in the Gypsy driving homeward (after the Big B's appearance puts paid to a day out together for Akash and Neha. The second sequence is a very subdued and well-drawn conversation between father and son over a couple of drinks. The lines are natural, and the Big B gets to prove his ability to excel.

Although I watched Stumped, which apart from some irritating songs, is a decent effort. Here there is respect for silence. And the dialogue tries hard to avoid cross the fence into cliché territory. There is a lot unsaid and implied, which makes the film worthwhile. If only the background score wouldn't encroach on the senses all throughout the film. Pity, it bit box office dust. Deserved better.

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