Snipper: Mukkam Post Bombilwadi (Marathi Play)

Snip-In
One of the Friday evenings, I was exploring the DVD rental shop for something off-beat (and good ;)). I shortlisted 4-5 movies and finalized one of them - Mukkam Post Bombilwadi, without having any prior idea about it. I have remotely heard about Paresh Mokashi the director, but wasn't having any clue about this Marathi play, not even it's genre. But it turned out to be an outstanding pick.

The story takes place in 1940s in a backdrop of the world war II. It very briefly starts in Europe and then continues in a small village of Maharashtra - Bombilwadi. It has references of the war, including the then world leaders like Hitler and Churchill, who are actual characters in the play and very wittily most of it happens in Bombilwadi. The comedy comes through caricature in terms of Hitler and Natzi army, parody of the films of 40s Prabhat Talkies- in terms of the dialogue delivery, a bit of farce, but a very prominent slapstick aspect of the comedy which is highlighted by very powerful acting skills of this theater group. It uses all the strong aspects of the traditional Marathi theatre (including songs) with a fresh new perspective given by the director. Even being a play, it never takes you off and keeps your interest alive in the era of fast-paced movies. The biggest plus is it's wide appeal. Myself and Rajita were watching it with my mom, and Kinjal, and all of us were able to enjoy every sequence with the same vigor.

Snip-Out
The only hitch is such a great work may not be able to come forward to a larger / wider audience. Being a play and that too Marathi may not get it the accolades it deserves. Let's hope that one day it gets converted into celluloid in Bollywood / World Cinema.

Snip-O-Meter
Can be slided-in the list of top 10 favorite plays/movies and worth to be a part of home collection series.
A great work by Paresh Mokashi as a director and supported equally greatly by his versatile troop of young talented theatre actors. Now eagerly awaiting his 'Harishchandrachi Factory' - the Marathi movie which is India's nominations for Oscar '09.

Snipper_Gandh (Marathi Movie)

Snip-InI watched this a few weeks back towards the end of Sep '09, a week after it got released. I only had seen the pre-launch posters and have read a bit about this movie before its release. Still I was very anxious for a) it was probably the first Marathi movie having 3 different stories in it (Trilogy) - b) it was directed by Sachin kundalkar - started hearing a lot about him (very late though) c) because of the cinematographer - Amlendu Chaudhary who is our classmate in school.

As the title suggests the stories revolve around some very prominent smells (Gandh). The first story is about a typical Puneri girl in early 80s (?). She is a decent looking, working girl but for whatever reasons she is not getting into the wedlock. To her delight, she comes across the Prince of her dreams, and every time he comes in front of her, she is mesmerized with some unique fragrance. The story then moves forward through the lanes and by-lanes capturing the slow paced and very middle class, still 'chalkari' 80s Pune. Amrita Subhash is at the pinnacle of her acting career and also superseded all other stalwarts in the movie. She actually makes the viewers feel the fragrance at all the entries of Girish Kulkarni - her Prince. The dialogues at the climax of this part are witty and very skillfully written.

The second one is about the HIV +ve patient and his wife who is not staying with him now. There is a very well crafted suspense till the end. Milind Soman is a breeze to watch in a Marathi movie. Sonali is great as well. The on-screen chemistry is near-perfect and they very well show the love-hate kind of relationship in most of the sequences. The music al pieces, a dance sequence, Milind's home and overall detailing of the interiors is very uncommon (but absolutely welcome) in Marathi movies. Well here the viewers at times get irritated because of the reference of some bad odor, but couldn't experience that as in story #1. Leena Bhagwat as Milind's maid, is a little loud.

The third and last one takes place in a small town in Konkan (Western/ Coastal Maharashtra), may be again in 80s / early 90s. It's about a woman Nina Kulkarni, her sister-in-law who is delivering a baby at their home, and how Nina Kulkarni during those 4 days, is not allowed to support any daily chores because of the rituals. And there are couple other aspects related to this as well. Nina Kulkarni is as usual - pretty good. Her scenes with her nephew are really touchy, at times witty, and came out very well. The typical structure of a house in Konkan is very nicely captured. But real big deal is the audio -visual backdrop of the 'Konkanatala Paus' (pours in coastal Maharashtra) and various smells that of a tea, flowers, muddy water, and above all the smell of a new born and the 'dhuri' (herbal steam bath) which is being given to the baby towards the end of the movie. (I doubt whether'd be experienced at home on DVD :-()

What matters most in the movie is it's Cinematography. The viewers get an experience of reading through a novel and the same is being portrayed in front of their eyes. The movie gets a very subtle poetic treatment as the camera pans, zooms, trollied and craned unveiling the story. A magnificent craft by Amlendu Chanudhary.

Snip-Out
Milind Soman doesn't look like a patient even after trying hard and still looks very charming.
Sonali has revealed herself on the screen when she is not in best of her forms ('Physical') .
Girish Kulkarni is just ok. He gets completely shadowed by Amrita, which appears a little odd, even if that’d have been the need of the story.

Snip-O-Meter
It gets over in 90 minutes - No-nonsense songs, no melodramas, no twists and turns.
A close to '4-D' experience (like the 'Shrek' 4-D show in Universals Studios), sheerly through the acting and visual effects, and without any technical gimmicks.
A must see for the enthusiast for directorial (Sachin Kundalkar), acting, and cinematographic excellences and for very different stories and genre in the Marathi cinema.