Review of oldy 1978 art-house film- Kondura

Hi, stumbled on a very oldy and rare film, Kondura, while shopping at a Delhi mall. Had never heard about it and won't be surprised if you have not. But a Shyam Benegal film with Govind Nihalani for cameraman and Girish Karnad as one of the script writers, made the DVD simply irresistible. And add to that the formidable star cast of Anant Nag and Smita Patil, the lone disc appeared to be a real steal.

I have put the review on wikipedia, click on the title above and read about this art-house film from yore.

Review of experimental theatre production "Beyond"

Thank you Rajiv for sending in this review. You too can send one at at@right2review.com


Yours Truly theatre group is a Bangalore Based English (primarily) theatre group which was set up sometime in 2002 by Ranji David and Nandini.

YT presented its latest production “Beyond” based on a play written by Badal Sircar, which was first staged in Kolkata sometime in 1972. The play was a culmination of a 6 Sundays workshop by professionals who rarely had any previous experience of proscenium theatre.

Although, the play did not complete as Badal Sircar wrote, it did add little spice and novelty by incorporating the idea of letting the audience complete the story by stopping it just 15 minutes before the end. This gave the opportunity to the audience to script the climax and improvise end of the play.

Liked more by the children than adults, the original play had 2 thieves Kena and Becha, who in order to escape from the hot chase given by the villagers, jump into the river only to be flown to a place called - Hattamala.

The play an adaptation of the original had a bunch of 6 thieves. After having funny experiences with the inhabitants of the land, the thieves led by Dada (Ranjan), soon realize that they have come to a place where there is no concept of money. Buying, selling and money were all alien concepts to the Hattamala people.

The thieves soon realize that this is the place they can easily have a soft kill when they come to know that there is a library in the town where besides books, jewellery is lend and borrowed and that too without anybody keeping a watch. So, the thieves come back to their natural instinct and strike at the library. As they were trying to vanish from the town with the booty, suddenly the Hattamala people catch them red-handed.

This and henceforth is what Badal Sircar had not written but conceived by Ranji the director himself. One more thing which I did not read in the script from Sircar was that the Hattamala people were puppets. Which again, I think is the director's vision to infuse some excitement for children and adult alike. The thieves are presented before their queen. While the public demands that the thieves must be exceuted. Now there is when, the play is stopped and audience is asked to script the climax of the play...
a) what would happen to theives?
b) will they be exceuted as demanded by the local people?

Ranji intervenes and with the help of the inputs from the audience, weaves a story while actors are on-stage waiting for the climax scent to be narrated by Ranji and then performed - impromptu.
The audience, gave suggestions from injecting Hattamalan virus (puppet like behaviour), to Dada blasting the court as Suicide Bomber. Anyhow, after a dicussion of over 10 mins, finally the actors were narrated the climax which was : The Queen falls for Dada as she realises that she herself was an alien and then ruled the land of innocent people while she orders the rest of the thieves who were dissuading Dada to fall in love with Queen to be injected with Hattaala Virus...and then the Queen leaves dada and runs away with rest of the Thieves while Dada is declared as King of Hattamala...
The villagers make merry and the show ends...
This climax was bound to get into chaos and the actors need not get any time to coordinate among themselves and keeping in mind the nascent stage of their acting skills they pulled up a great end which made audience to burst into laughter.

The play is considered to be a big hit especially for the children as there are very funny yet easy to understand incidences in the play.

In this play directed by Ranji David, the actors were professional working with Tech Mahindra in Bangalore. Well, prior to this main play there was a kind of prelude - Freedom play. It was actually, not a play but just a representation of how communal riots take place especially in rural areas were the population is not civilzed and how the leaders use the innocent people for their selfish gains. Ended with Mahatama Gandhi's - Vaishav jan to...it depicted that violence does not have any solution.......all it results is in - Destruction.
Ranji plans to take this play with more changes to the children. The group is involved in staging plays for NGOs from time to time and had recently performed at a Labor Camp in the outskirts of Bangalore.
In a nutshell - a good show and good Sunday entertainment.

Coming Soon-Review on Theatre Production "Beyond"

Hi the review of Beyond is under construction. Should be there soon. Keep wathcing this space if you are real theatre buff.

Reviews on Tele-facing a new fundraising tool for NGOs

Tele-facing is fast emerging as a new tool for fundraising for NGOs in India, Asia and even in industrialised countries. It has been reviewed across several international sectoral publications. Click http://www.nonprofitfundraisingindia.blogspot.com/to know more.

Film Review- “Bow Barracks Forever”

A film with finely crafted performances often tells a great story. Bow Barracks Forever completely belongs to this category. The film will most probably be remembered for its perfect performances by Lillete Dubey and Victor Banerjee, besides the depicted subtle charms of life at Bow Barracks.

Directed by Anjan Dutt, the film is based in a middle class Anglo-Indian locality Bow Barracks, in the heart of North Kolkata. Bow Barracks as the name suggests has a historical army connection. Something good enough to give the building a heritage status. But not for the well connected local land mafia, who have set their eyes on the property and want to pull it down, to give way for modern structures. Their ploy being that the building is unsafe and can fall any time.

To compound things the inhabitants have failing finances and an unclear title to the property. Add to that the burning desire and faint hope of making it to family and relatives in foreign lands. While many of them may not love their habitation, yet this is their only roof and hence they organize with others to fight the mafia. Even there is Usha Uthup playing herself, who agrees to do a fund raiser with the local band to collect money for repairing the building to safety. They also receive help from a Good Samaritan engineer from outside Bow Barracks, but he gets killed, shattering the fledgling courage in the community.

In this grind for saving their roofs the daily plot of life with its vices goes on. There is Lillete Dubey essaying the role of Aunty Lobo, the middle aged but adorably sweet mother of two grown-up boys. The elder one, who never appears in any frame, has some how managed to catch the proverbial boat to England. The mother has great hopes from this son to bail them out and send for them. She has set a targeted departure of approaching Christmas. Her younger son Bradley (Clayton Rodgers) is a musician at heart and continuously gets thrown out of jobs. He is not much help to his mother, who somehow makes the two ends meet by baking cakes and brewing wine, which are famous in a small way. On top of it he has this dangerous liaison with Anne, the young married girl (played by Neha Dubey) next door, whose wife-beating husband is on the wrong side of law. Aunty Lobo has an addictive and in vain routine of calling her elder son, only to end in unanswered pleas for response on a voice mail.

Lillete effortlessly shifts through her different roles, clearly carrying the entire film. She even has an admirer in a failed musician and now nicknamed ‘Peter the Cheater’ (Victor Banerjee), who has a long hidden soft corner for her. Peter tries to express his feelings but instead appears to be making a pass and rightfully gets a snub from Mrs. Lobo. He has clearly fallen on bad times and survives by passing cheap trinkets for antiques and hence the sobriquet. He is a survivor and it a treat to see him in the act. Only occasionally now does he break into a brilliant jig and a melodious trumpeting session, although playing trumpet is also his way of sorrowing. True to his cheater instincts he has the capability of threatening the mafia side-kicks into a run out of Bow Barracks, using a toy gun.

Moon Moon Sen plays Rosa, a love starved wife of a teacher totally in despair with the life at Bow Barracks. She is seen all the while coaxing her husband to sell the place and move out. She also has a torrid relationship with an Insurance agent and hopes and cajoles him to free her from drudgery of her monotonous life. She even makes a middle age elopement act with her paramour only to return later. Aunty Rosa returns back to appreciate her life at Bow Barracks and a loving husband.

The climax has it highs and lows, anxieties and celebrations, as Bradley finds his true love and gets married. A marriage at Bow Barracks is a true celebration where every one joins in.

The film’s music keeps up with the brilliance of the film and adds to the passionate performance by Victor Banerjee, especially the act where he breaks into a trumpeting and dancing session. Anjan Dutt’s direction is taut and helps the narrative flow seamlessly. The film is out on VCD and is truly a collector’s item.