Support Wikipedia Reflections of Art: Barfi!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Barfi!

Ranbir Kapoor is one of the better mainstream actors in India today, it is because of him that the movie works, because his character is central to the movie. Yes, the movie is too long (thank you PVR for your soggy popcorn - it keeps me active) and one knew of Pritam because of those idiots playing some music while the movie played on.
Ranbir plays the role of Barfi effortlessly at times - the director did a good job with him and much appreciation for the director Anurag Basu for not making it an emotional drama with respect to the deaf and mute condition of the lead actor.
I liked Priyanka Chopra just because she had the nerve to dump her glamorous avatar and take up one of an autistic child who is also dyslexic, seems stupid, stutters and also has Freddie Mercury teeth.
Ileana D'Cruz is an Indian hottie and I like her Indian dressed-up avatar.
Saurabh Shukla is brilliant!!
Papon's Kyon is one of my favourite songs from the movie and so is the intro song of "Picture Shuru"

What I did not like - Chaplin copies, sure one could say, "We paid homage to Chaplin..."
Stuff from the Notebook - blatantly copied.
The entire love triangle and Ileana's inability to get over her love for a deaf-mute Barfi was unreasonable.

What I loved - I have already mentioned this but Ranbir's performance was quite awesome. I like the way he could dance, seem comical and non-sensical, comb his hair, make fun of others and act like a much loved much hated fiend of a small town in India. He always wanted to live a full life they said. The character could not have existed in real life, but one hopes that such a character one lived.

Barfi! is also India's official entry to the Oscars. This, for me, is disappointing. The movie is not exquisite and I believe it has been chosen as India's entry because of the selectors' perception of what an international audience would like. I believe that Indian movies are generally made for Indian audiences and hence an Indian entry should be one that speaks of India, not like a Salman Khan movie but like an Ab Tak Chappan which speaks of Indian society.

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