3 maggio 2014

Spazio: ultima frontiera del cinema indiano?

Aishwarya Rai in Enthiran
[Archivio

Sto per offrirvi una vera chicca. Nel luglio 2011 Aelfric Bianchi pubblicava per Forma Cinema il breve saggio Spazio: ultima frontiera del cinema indiano?, nel quale analizzava il rapporto fra fantascienza e produzione cinematografica popolare. Di seguito un estratto:

'Koi... Mil Gaya. (...) Raro esempio di convergenza tra successo di pubblico e alto apprezzamento della critica. (...) Ponendo in atto un'intelligente ed equilibrata mediazione tra istanze artistiche ed esigenze di mercato, non rinnega i tipici stilemi della cinematografia popolare, (...) ma li padroneggia con sapienza e originalità e li sfrutta come mezzo di trasmissione di un messaggio forte, impegnato e impegnativo, in linea con la tendenza della nuova Bollywood, che (...) si avvale proprio degli stereotipi dei masala movies per veicolare contenuti difficili a platee tradizionalmente poco inclini ad accogliere novità troppo rivoluzionarie. (...) Koi... Mil Gaya rielabora elementi di un genere definito come la science fiction alla luce della sensibilità e della cultura indiana, in perfetta adesione all'eclettico sincretismo che caratterizza - a tutti i livelli - lo spirito del Subcontinente. Esemplificativo in tale prospettiva è l'espediente adottato per giustificare la venuta sulla Terra degli extraterrestri, richiamati da un segnale radio molto particolare: la sillaba mistica Om, ripetuta, in infinite varianti, da un mirabolante elaboratore elettronico.

Tale fu il successo del film, pur così anomalo nel panorama bollywoodiano classico, da generare un sequel, Krrish, (...) lodato dalla critica e accolto con straordinario calore dal pubblico. (...) Questo secondo capitolo (...) è assurto al rango di autentico fenomeno di costume, giustificando appieno l'etichetta di cult movie. Un colossal per molti versi epoch-marking, a buon diritto considerato capofila di un filone nuovo per il cinema indiano, ma assai popolare in ambito hollywoodiano: il Superhero movie. (...) 

Krrish può vantare ormai diversi epigoni, ma anche un illustre antesignano: Mr. India. (...) Il film, tra i maggiori successi degli anni Ottanta e ancor oggi oggetto di un'affezione tanto intensa da sfiorare l'adorazione religiosa da parte di folte schiere di fan, è il primo Superhero movie indiano e, sorprendentemente, a dirigerlo è Shekhar Kapur, il regista che, con Bandit Queen, inaugurò un'autentica rivoluzione copernicana nel policromo ma in ultima istanza immobile mondo di Bollywood, imprimendo una svolta epocale che avrebbe indotto molti registi commerciali a rinunciare ai suoi più tipici stilemi, a cominciare dalle canzoni e dalle coreografie faraoniche, senza tuttavia astenersi da un utilizzo mirato e funzionale del linguaggio e dei valori del pubblico tradizionale. Un autore poliedrico e proteiforme, (...) che ha saputo acquisire grande notorietà anche in Occidente, (...) ed evidenziando sempre una incoercibile e talora persino violenta carica innovatrice e dissacratoria. (...)

Alla logica commerciale del mainstream sembra invece sottrarsi il film Deham, (...) del veterano Govind Nihalani.  (...) Il film coniuga fantascienza e impegno sociale. Amara e dolente riflessione sui conflitti economici, politici e culturali tra mondo capitalistico e paesi poveri e sulle loro conseguenze potenzialmente devastanti, si allinea piuttosto all'ideologia della nuova Bollywood. (...) In una cupa e soffocante Mumbai del 2022, Om Prakash, un giovane disoccupato, è indotto dalla disperazione ad accettare l'offerta della Interplanta, una multinazionale che opera illegalmente nel settore dei trapianti su commissione di ricchi clienti: vendere i propri organi in cambio di una vita agiata per la sua famiglia. Falsificando il proprio stato civile per firmare il faustiano contratto (la società per evitare complicazioni giuridiche ammette infatti soltanto donatori single), pone le basi di una progressiva e inesorabile discesa agli inferi: alla frustrazione della moglie Jaya, costretta a fingersi sua sorella, si aggiunge la sconvolgente scoperta che le parti asportate verranno sostituite con elementi artificiali, trasformandolo in un ibrido uomo-macchina, un cyborg. Dominato da atmosfere fosche e intriso di un claustrofobico pessimismo, Deham ribadisce la propria estraneità al circuito nazionalpopolare adottando la lingua inglese. (...) Nonostante l'accoglienza tiepida del pubblico e della critica, anche in virtù di scelte stilistiche non sempre convincenti e di effetti speciali rozzi e artigianali, il film rappresenta comunque un esperimento di grande interesse e originalità, documentando altresì la crescente attenzione dedicata da Bollywood alla science fiction'.

For real: locandina e trailer

[Archivio] For real è un film in lingua inglese del 2009 scritto, diretto e prodotto dalla regista Sona Jain. Nel cast Zoya Hasan, Sarita Choudhury e Adil Hussain. Il trailer è talmente intrigante e la trama talmente singolare, che ne resterete ammaliati. 

Deepika Padukone a Milano: pubblicità Van Heusen

[Archivio] Maschietti: mantenete la calma perché l'occasione di incrociare la bellissima Deepika Padukone è scaduta da mesi. Nel settembre 2013 l'attrice era a Milano per la campagna pubblicitaria commissionata da Van Heusen.





Priyanka Chopra: I can't make you love me

Il 29 aprile 2014 è stato caricato in rete il video di I can't make you love me, la nuova canzone interpretata da Priyanka Chopra. Il brano è una cover dell'originale omonimo di Bonnie Raitt, incluso nell'album Luck of the draw del 1991. In soli cinque giorni, il filmato è stato visionato più di un milione di volte. I media, anche occidentali, hanno dedicato parecchi articoli alla diva indiana. Vi segnalo l'intervista concessa da Priyanka a Sally Holmes, pubblicata il 29 aprile 2014 da Elle (US). Priyanka Chopra on her new country single and shattering Indian stereotypes:

'In terms of film and/or music, is there a direction that you really want to pursue?
I want to be able to do everything. And as a girl we're really great at multitasking anyway. So I still am doing Indian movies and I will continue to do so as long as people want to watch me, and at the same time I'm looking for something interesting to do here too. I don't want to do stereotypical Indian parts, (...)I want to break that for India, I want to break that for people from where I come from. No we don't ride elephants. We don't all speak or smell a certain way. You know the stereotypes that come with people from that part of the world. I think it's a time when the globe's become so small right now. You can be living in New York and your neighbor could be from ANY part of the world. I'd like to pave the way for more diversity, not just for Indian people, but people around the world who don't get to come into just mainstream pop culture'.




Randeep Hooda: I'm in touch with my exes

[Archivio

Com'è come non è, mi ero dimenticata di segnalarvi questa bella intervista (non lasciatevi ingannare dal titolo zuccheroso) concessa dal tenebroso Randeep Hooda ad Ashwini Deshmukh, pubblicata l'11 dicembre 2013 da Filmfare. I’m in touch with my exes:

'He’s the quintessential alpha male and he lets everyone know it. Best part is Randeep Hooda’s tongue-in-cheek humour and no-mincing-words attitude add an edge to his sex appeal. But the capricious actor is a transformed man today. The somewhat difficult nature is now replaced with a more accommodating attitude. Clearly, he’s a man amongst the boys who has seen much more than the fanfare of tinsel town. And just as casually he recalls those drunken nights when he’d get thrown out of house parties. But he’s moved on. To a career that’s alive and kicking. (...) 

Once the poster boy for middle-of-the-road cinema, Randeep now has a place on the rosters of A-list production houses. Banners like Dharma Productions and directors like Imtiaz Ali have placed their faith in the intense actor. “It’s flattering. I consider myself lucky. Not too many people have an outing and then a second outing,” he says of his earlier not-so-eventful stint in films. (...) “I don’t know if I’m a brand yet but I’m getting interesting work out of my comfort zone and that keeps me on my toes. I’m also putting in more effort. I’ve found a way to communicate with myself, thinking about pros and cons, rather than just being moody.” In a confessional mode he says, “I believed I was the centre of the Universe. I was young and brash. Not being from a film family, I did not follow the ‘pairi-pona’ (touching the feet of elders) tradition. I realised that people in the industry are too sensitive and their egos are fragile. All creative people are like that. I was like ‘I’m doing my thing and I am right’. But I realised everyone needs encouragement and respect. So it’s dangerous to be yourself - a brash Jatt,” he smiles adding, “In that way you end up bruising a few egos. I’m not going to make those mistakes again.” It must be mentioned that while his acting skills were never questioned his allegedly brash behaviour and people skills were. “You cannot blame your circumstances because they are somewhere created by your own actions. I blame myself for the bad spell. Also, maybe the timing wasn’t right. But now an actor like me is getting work because of the kind of films being made. Cinema is evolving, so I’m evolving as an actor.”

Also success has triggered a change in him. “I started saying ‘yes’ more than ‘no’. I started trusting people. I’m seeking work rather than being idealistic because unless you reach somewhere, you can’t be idealistic. Beggars can’t be choosers.” Earlier he’d say no to movies for ‘stupid reasons and whims’. “The whole thing about ‘I’m going to do only one movie at a time’ works for stars like Aamir Khan. I couldn’t afford that liberty. Today I’m doing double shifts, small roles, big roles, extreme roles... Basically, I’ve become more professional. I work a lot more, so you see more of me. I’m grateful to what you call ‘fate’. People are knocking at my door now to do their movies as opposed to when I was a nobody. When I step out people treat me with a newfound respect. I even enjoy some privileges here and there,” he smiles.

Bagging a film with Imtiaz Ali sure is a huge achievement. But Randeep thought someone was playing a prank when Imtiaz’s team called him up regarding the project. But eventually the actor did meet the director. “He’s a lovely guy. I’m glad that the ‘Randeep Hooda image’ will be broken. I’m playing a physically and mentally ugly character. So I’m pushing the envelope. It was stepping out of a certain quintessential, mature ‘deep voiced Hooda’ that people had started liking. I did that on purpose.”

He’s also kicked up about working with Salman Khan in the mega project Kick, which he says just ‘fell into his lap’. “I’ve always been inspired by Salman. He’s a real superstar. He doesn’t give a damn about anything. He is what he is, which is difficult to be. I consider him as a friend though we haven’t been in touch for long,” he smiles. Doesn’t he have a problem playing second fiddle to another actor, more so now? “To Salman Khan? Everyone should play second fiddle to him,” he grins.

He was always referred to as a sex symbol but with his homosexual character in Karan Johar’s short film in Bombay Talkies, he’s added an edge to his sensuality. About his lip lock with co-star Saqib Saleem he says, “I guess Saqib was a bit nervous. But when it happened, it just happened. I did not feel uncomfortable at all.” And no, his homosexual act has not made a dent in his female following. “In fact, women have started liking me more. Some even said, ‘You look hot in the movie’,” he says. His well-wishers dissuaded him from playing a gay character but Karan Johar’s conviction made him go ahead. “Karan delivered what was promised and it was not cheap or trivial. It was a deep character. I deliberately played a mature character, someone who has lived his life but there’s pent-up frustration and questions about his sexual orientation.”

Can we safely assume that he’s become the thinking woman’s sex symbol then? “Usually, the thinking woman’s sex symbol is one who’s not so good-looking. But I’d like to be pompous and say that I’m not that bad looking!” he laughs adding, “Actually, for me there’s no distinction between thinking and non-thinking women.” He goes on to add that all the attention has not affected him. “I make it a point to be oblivious to it. That’s the only way to deal with it. Because you’re the same person, just that the people around you change. I don’t get swayed by all this.” He attributes this level-headedness to his past experiences. That’s also got to do with the anonymity and failure he has faced. “I know what the ‘Almost famous syndrome’ is. It’s important to be human and not think that we are God’s gift to mankind... or womankind for that matter,” he grimaces adding, “That’s why I love horses and riding because they don’t know whether my movie is a hit or whether people are talking good or bad about me. They love me regardless.”

His busy schedules and travel leave him without any time for friends or loved ones. “I don’t intend to neglect people but they feel I do. I make an effort to make a phone call or meet them. I was never regular at parties. But when I do attend, I feel nice when people talk to me and compliment me. But you have to keep reminding yourself that, ‘Hey, they are saying all these things because of your work. So go back and work harder.” His career may have taken off but his lifestyle hasn’t. With the exception of a luxury car that he bought for his father, life hasn’t changed much. “My dad had liked this particular car with particular interiors, so when I got money that’s the first thing I bought. Though I now have a big house, I still enjoy sleeping in one corner. I’m not even particular about fancy clothes or eating out,” he says. “It’s hard not to get used to luxuries. But I indulge in what I love. Like I bought this polo team, which I’m going to take forward in a big way. I’m also thinking of buying horses from Germany or England for my show jumping. I’m already buying polo ponies from England.”

His relationship status as of now is ‘single’ courtesy his hectic schedules. “Everything is in a limbo for now because I’m so engrossed with my work.” He adds with a smile, “I’m sure you journalists hear this all the time!” Then on a serious note he explains, “It’s not good to be in a relationship if you can’t contribute. Being just a taker can never work out. Unless I have the time and mental space to enjoy togetherness, I don’t want to be in a relationship. I’ve had some wonderful people in my life. And I’m trying to keep that equation healthy. But I’m not in the frame of mind to have a spouse right now. I am honest about it.” The last time we met, things were different. He was keen on settling down. Remind him and he says, “Yes. I felt that way then and it was wonderful. But then due to work and erratic schedules my personal life took a beating. Sooner or later, someone will fit in. Even if someone doesn’t I won’t regret it. In that sense I’m quite detached.” He chooses not to speak about the much reported relationship with actress Nitu Chandra or anyone else due to the respect he accords to all his relationships. Ask him if he’s in touch with any of his previous girlfriends and it doesn’t take him a second to answer, “All of them. Because my biggest asset is that I am honest. Though it’s hard to be honest in a relationship!”.'