The sole purpose of attempting to watch the movie "Raanjhanaaa" was on two accounts. A) The national award winner actor - Kolaiveri Dhanush is starring for the first time in Hindi. B) Shobhaa De - musing about the movie.
I lost all respect to the columnist and took offense to her remark - "Raanjhanaaa' (I had no clue what the title stood for... I assumed it was the heroine's name spelt South Indian style)" - absolutely said in a sad taste and making a comment about South Indians and generalizing them would warrant a more severe reaction from people of intellectual worthiness. Unfortunately people from down South are not even close to the figment of element of her imagination and she is not even worthy countering in any which manner. None of her C grade musings were sold off the shelf from Higgins Bothams is a different issue but that's the respect we carry for her down South. As a South Indian I felt offended by her comment. Let her make one statement about Raj Thackeray's English accent and see how she survives in Mumbai. The worst is a respected daily like TOI got the audacity to publish such rubbish without qualms. Oh they might argue it as freedom of expression.
Let's talk about Dhanush later. What turned out to be an interesting piece of write up by the renowned columnist - (I believe she is not only highly biased and I guess forgets her own writing couple of decades ago) was nothing but a farce and harsh review.. clearly written with some personal vendetta. This movie for that matter any movie which is made in India or in Hollywood is not about changing people or life styles or culture or remotely expected to touch the society at large in any which manner. If she thinks otherwise I guess we are continuously misinformed or ill informed by the likes of her. She was not only harsh and through her writing she has definitely influenced tons of her readers ( one of them happens to be me) who would enter the movie hall with a biased opinion about the movie or for that matter some would have chosen not to enter as well. Thank god in my case - the Southern actor is a good performer in his own way and some of us strongly believe - winning a national award at an young age of 26 is not a kids game. He has proven his worth as an actor and fairly a good return on investment in terms of box office success - as well.
The review piece written about the movie was so harsh... I was forcing my daughter who is a teenager stating that its not a move worth watching and lets skip it. She stood her ground firmly and she won finally. The movie is no where near the harshness of the stalking logic which was condemned as and its about an innocent infatuation happens at an young age - people like her those who lives in high rise many not believe in such things may be - in an environment like Kashi - experiences. Its not an end of beginning of banishment to society and to call the director and cast are confused and comparing them to acid throwing Romeos. God give me a break. Its a pure entertainment. Set at the back ground of Varanasi and a brilliant performances by everyone in the movie. Forget about the teary eyed part about the audience leaving the theatres said at sarcasm... it was the story of a human who needed to live with a guilt and was not willing to fight back to live again and gives it up.
Dhanush on his part with his limitation with the language done an extremely a great job. Sonam has finally arrived as an actor. No body talks about - Abhay Deal - who did a cameo but a powerful performance. The whole movie is a different feel from the run of the mill Hindi movies.
One should not take all these reviews seriously and should watch movies without bias.
When people fall in love, ......they eat, sleep, drink, walk, run, chase the
person they love. They pursue their love to its destination.
Neither is Sonam a celebrity in the movie and nor Dhanush's character a
mad fan of some movie star who night falls in his dreams. Its a simple love
story of how boys and girls fall in love all over the world. Call it stupid
....whatever....but that's how it happens !!!! for gods sake.
Or simply as I hear from one section of the press - Shoba de and Sonam do not see eye to eye. A person of her stature is not expected to write such a crap about a movie which in Chennai on the day of release - though its a dubbed movie - is a roaring success and in Hindi all across the country. It connects with your ordinary senses. And none would have taken a leaf from the movie to turn themselves into a stalker or worst - acid thrower. That was not only harsh but unwanted.
People like her should stand as an example about honest writing and reviews specifically.
The movie is worth a watch and undoubtedly a good entertainer with substance.
Great job Dhanush....:-)
