‘Gandha’ bounces back with Fame
The unexpected attack of Swine Flu and the fear psychosis arising out of it had prevented many film lovers from going to theatres during the last month. Unfortunately, the release of a sensible film like ‘Gandha‘ had almost coincided with the closure of theatres due to Government directive. The film did receive a big jolt due to this natural calamity. But, as somebody has rightly said, “You cannot stop good creation from reaching to the people with a word of mouth publicity.” With the opening of theatres and with the rise in demand for ‘Gandha‘ in Pune, the film has bounced back with the screening in six theatres.
Directed by Sachin kundalkar ‘Gandha’ has tried out a new experiment in Marathi cinema, combining three different stories knitted into one theme. ‘Gandha’ has already received appreciation in the form of best screenplay during the International Film festival in Pune. It has also been appreciated by well known filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar. Above all, the director has also added one more feather into his cap, when his name was announced recently for National Award for best direction for his previous film ‘Nirop’.
‘Gandha’ has a super combination of popular stars like Milind Soman (who makes his debut in Marathi films through this film) Sonali Kulkarni, Girish Kulkarni and Amruta Subhash, who display their talent through different roles.
GANDHA REVIEW
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Rating: na
Presenter: Flashbulb Ventures Producers: Pritam Bhandari, Rajesh Goyal, Sandeep Kankariya Director: Sachin Kundalkar Camera: Amalendu Chowdhari Music: Shailendra Barve Cast: Milind Soman, Sonali Kulkarni, Neena Kulkarni, Amruta Subhash.. Movie Review by: Saurabh Karni |
Marathi Theater is known for new experiments and the new generation entering in the Marathi film industry is closely associated with Theater. Films and Theater has its own advantages and disadvantages. Yes, combination of both would definitely enrich the feel of the movies only if the combination of both mediums is perfect. And that’s what Sachin Kundalkar made with ‘Gandha’ and took the movie at different level and makes it ‘great’ rather than a ‘good’ movie.
The movie has combination of three stories. There is no interconnection as such in the stories but at the end even a common viewer can connect the stories. Prospective toward movie can differ from person to person but each and everyone can definitely connect himself with the film.
First story – ‘Lagnachya vayachi mulgi’ starts with a light comedy mood. Veena (Amruta Subhash) waiting to be a bride (infact her parents in hurry to see her in bridal get up), her dreams (sometimes sound ‘typical’), little expectations from her life partner, her ‘Puneri’ parents, traditional ‘Dakhavne’ or ‘Kande-Pohe’ program and so on is presented. She finds her dream partner in a student of art school – Girish Kulkarni where she works as a clerk. Then her feelings, attraction, realization between dream and reality are put across amazingly.
Second story – ‘Aushadhe ghenaaraa maanus’ is based upon a modern relationship. Sarang (Milind Soman) is a HIV positive person.
Her wife Raavee (Sonali Kulkarni) who had left him long time ago visits Sarang’s place and the story moves forward through their conversation. Various incidences of their past life, relationship comes as references.
Third story – ‘Bajula Basleli Bai’ is presented with background of Kokan with a bit feministic approach. Jaanaki (Nina Kulkarni)- a typical wife and daughter in law of middle class Marathi family doesn’t have any child even after many years of marriage. Her husband’s sister is pregnant and came for the delivery. Unfortunately Jaanaki couldn’t help at all as it is not allowed to her during ‘those days.’ Though the story has lots of feministic approaches, it has presented in entirely different manner. It not only shows her sorrows but also explains her importance at her home, what so ever.
The movie has huge starcast including Sonali Kulkarni, Amruta Subhash, Nina Kulkarni, Milind Soman, Jyoti Subhash and many others. Each and everybody have played character beautifully. Every character of the story has it’s own features, nature, emotions and that sounds perfectly natural. We could feel that every character can be find around us in real world.
Director has skillfully used more facial expressions than words and every expression takes the story forward. Sonali is great as usual. Nina Kulkarni’s acting is haunting, as usual. Jyoti Subhash, Girish Kulkarni have supported the movie perfectly. Milind Soman’s first
ever experience in Marathi film is pleasant. Amruta Subahs’s acting sound effective but a bit monotonous. Audiences are so used to her ‘typical’ expressions (especially smile) that most of the times they could easily predict her expressions.
I would give 110 out of 100 to Sachin Kundalkar as a director. I have no words to admire him. As the name ‘Gandha’ suggests various things like ‘Balantinichi kholi’, flowers (particularly Sonchafa), perfumes, rain, ‘gandha’ of love and anger, ‘gandha’ of body are used skillfully in the movie. Sachin Kundalkar has transformed himself from the theater to film and he has amazingly combined plus points of both mediums. Theatrical language used so marvelously in the movie that we could feel live ness of the film just like theater. Use of space is always a plus point of Sachin’s plays and he has deliberately used extremely efficiently in the movie. conjested place of Puneri Peths, different diemetters of Wada at Kokan, modern home is used remarkably well. The spaces also make comments over the spaces between different relations.
The movie moves forward with expressions, music and different sounds rather than dialogues. Various forms of music have been used quiet effectively and logically. Credit must be given to Shailendra Barve and Anmol Bhave. Shailendra Mehetre has enriched the flavor of the movie with his cinematography. Abhijit deshpande’s performance as an editor is remarkable.
Like love, anger, sorrow, joy, ‘Gandha’ is undetectable part of our life. We feel it in our life while first rain, romance, flower, newly born baby and with many other examples. But do we really notice it? Admire it? Like love, meaning of ‘Gandha’ changes person-to-person, situation-to-situation, age-to-age, and context-to-context and that has been superbly presented through the movie. Someone cannot find any connection in three stories or someone can find several. Everybody would describe the movie as per his/her experiences. But the fact of the matter is the movie relates each and every audience, irrespective of prospective and that is the real success of the movie
Tya Ratri Paaus Hota… recently released in Pune and Mumbai
The name of Gajendra Ahire has now become common in the Marathi Movie Industry. His knack of presenting out of the box topics in an emotional and realistic way has helped him make a niche among the audience. Hopeful story-line, thrilling plot, precise dialogues and focused direction increase the expectations of the audience and the critics.
This time Gajendra has given a turn to political turn to a family story. His ‘Tya Ratri Paaus Hota…’ recently released in Pune and Mumbai
The Movie has been produced under the banner of Sunil Phadatare’s Shri Ganesh Marketing and Films. The movie focuses on today’s social issue. The story, plot, dialogue and direction is by Ahire.
A presentation of Shemaroo Entertainment, the movie has actors like Sayaji Shinde, Sonali Kulkarni, Subodh Bhave, Amruta Subhash, Milind Shinde, Sandeep Mehta. The songs have also been written been by Gajendra Ahire and are sung by Asha Bhosale, Roopkumar Rathode, Milind Shinde, Ravindra Sathe, Nandesh Umap and Amruta Subhash , The music is by Narendra Bhide.
The screenplay is by Shekhar Anna and the executive producer is Janaki Amrute. Lets hope audience will love this filck as previous
‘TYA RATRI PAUS HOTA’ REVIEW
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Rating: ★★ ½
Presenter: Shemaroo Entertainments, Gipsy & Janaki Productions Production: Shree Ganesh Marketing and Films Story- Screenplay – Director: Gajendra Ahire Music: Narendra Bhide Cinematography: Chandrashekhar Iyyer Cast: Amruta Subhash, Subodh Bhave, Sayaji Shinde, Sonali Kulkarni, Sandip Mehata, Milind Shinde Movie Review by: Namrata Thosar |
Socio-political criticism has remained no more a new thing. Many political satires and feminist issues were introduced in different films. What makes Gajendra Ahire always outstanding is the rich permutation –combination of story, plot, dialogue and direction present in his mind at a time. His treatment to traditional issues gives them novelty. This time, his ‘Tya Ratri Paus Hota’ gives us the treat of socio-political thriller.
Two travelers moving towards different destinations but sharing the same past-this theme has gained a new life in the hands of the director Gajendra Ahire. The movie starts with raining. It is a time of election fever. A journalist named Avinash (Subodh Bhave) raises a question before the politician of the area (Sayaji Shinde). Avinash is now kidnapped and sent to the guesthouse where he meets Raavee(Amruta Subhash). They recognize each other and the glimpses of their past are flowed. The interest should be maintained in experiencing the thrill in the movie, rather than telling the further story.
The artistry of the director lies in his successful creation of a breathtaking suspense. The recurring references to violin, to a train passing from a bridge, to the rain, to the ‘Sahebrao’ and to the murders he has committed-darken the suspense and underline the theme of past.
Every character stands in its individual light and as a human being. The same action is shown and justified from several point of views. Sayaji Shinde’s shrewd and cunning politician would serve as a landmark in the film industry. Amruta Subhash has marvelously portrayed a subtle blending of the world of a little girl with her soaked up life forcing her to get mature before time. Milind Shinde’s role of insane assistance to Sayaji Shinde’s cunning activities and the silver lining to it of his affection towards Amruta Subhash is heart touching. The accomplishment of master star cast Subodh Bhave, Sonali Kulkarni, Sandip Mehta has put the graph of action in the ascending order. Still, the use of limited setting, the termination of suspense before the interval fails to help the ongoing action.
The songs are also written by Gajendra Ahire. Their rich meaning is preserved by Narendra Bhide’s soft and subtle music and given voice by Asha Bhosale, Roopkumar Rathode, Milind Shinde, Ravindra Sathe, Nandesh Umap and Amruta Subhash. Throughout the movie, we feel like actually sitting in the rain. The effective music whether it is drizzling, rains with thunderbolts, with lashes or the heavy downpour; it adds meaning to the every incident and emotions of the character. Still, the effect could be further enhanced.
The shades of feminisms are effectively articulated, though there are only two female characters. It may be the courageous, independent social figure of Sonali kulkarni in the beginning or a craving mother and wife for her happy family life in her or the drug-addicted girl-Amruta Subhash-who is governed by her own morality. The last speech by Sayaji Shinde comments on the contemporary politics as well as the mal practices for dictatorship beyond time and space. In this way the movie puts the socio-political reality under its atistis microscope.
The Marathi main stream film industry is jam packed with comedy films. But even in the era of commercialization, few directors are making the efforts of going with good scripts, social message and ethical values. Their main object is to provoke the society rather than making profit. Gajendra Ahire’s ‘Tyaa raatriPaus hota’ keeps the same essence alive and stands out strongly in the trend of so called comedy movies.
‘Kshanokshani’ movie is based on a novel, ‘JUNE 23′
‘Kshanokshani‘ a multi-starrer and a big budget movie, made under the banner Aalhad Films, will be in the theatres soon.
The movie is based on a novel, ‘JUNE 23‘ by Pradeep Dalvi. ‘Kshanokshani‘ is a story about four friends (two girls and two boys); a doctor, a police inspector, a reporter and a lawyer. An incident shakes up their smooth moving world; the story is about their struggle to find out the reasons behind it and the happenings in the process.
The movie is directed by Sangeet Kulkarni who has made his marks through TV soaps like ‘Rimjim’, ‘Vadalvat ‘and ‘Tharar’. The production of the movie is a joint effort by the director, video-editor Prekshit Joshi, journalist Milind Limaye and Manoj Dharmadhikari.
The script is by Kulkarni and Jyoti- Sagar who has also written the dialogues, music is by Ashok Patki while the editing is done by Prekshit Joshi. The lead actors are Subodh Bhave, Madhura Velankar, Amruta Subhash and Umesh Kamat. The other stars are Dilip Prabhavalkar, Kiran Karmarkar, Atul Parchure, Ravindra Mankani, Jayant Wadkar, Uday Sabnis, Abhijeet Chavan, Manjusha Godse, Pushkar Shrotti, Kalyani Mule and many more.