Morning Raga

Produced by the well-known Tollywood director Raghavendra Rao, this movie is a refined version of a typical Tollywood movie. He appears to have selected the locale but otherwise seems to have left the direction department well alone.

Shabana stands out with her performance. The roles of Prakash Rao and Perizaad could have been better thought out; the well-known & talented Tollywood comedian Dharmavarapu is wasted in a silly role that is supposed to be funny but hardly brings a smile. Lillette Dubey is very good, but why does the director make her ride a buffalo at the end? I was gratified to note the movie was shot in the beautiful Konaseema. The photography and editing are top class. Shabana should have spoken at least some Telugu - she did in Shyam Benegal's movies. This would have brought greater authenticity to the role.

The Carnatic music pieces are of course beautiful, thankfully unspoilt by the attempt at fusion - I particularly like the renditions of "Mahaganapatim" and "Thaye Yasoda".

Overall worth seeing once.

I saw this movie tonight and actually found it quite astonishing. I always expect the best from Shabana Azmi, and she did not disappoint me.

The movie is in English, which is not what you ordinarily expect from an Indian film. It's about music mostly, but it is about so many other things as well. It's about mentoring, it's about a triangle of lives, it's about mothers and children, it's about facing fears, it's about forgiveness, it's about facing yourself. And it's probably the most virtuous movie I've seen in years.

As usual, Shabana Azmi is right on character. She has to be today's best actress.

But really, the movie is about the music. Indian music, Northern or Southern, is the world's best.

It's not awful. But its awfully bland. And barring Azmi, who is brilliant as has come to be expected none of the actors register at all. The male lead is dull, with no discernible acting talent. The female lead was bright and bubbly, and we may well end up buying soft drinks and detergent from her for a few years!! The major resolution is way too pat and easy (she waited twenty years to have her problems fixed like this?), and the ease with which this band gets gigs and the lady learns carnatic music is laughable! If only! The movie is well shot, with the colours and sounds all pleasant enough. Annapoorna will agree with me that while this raga may not miss too many notes, it doesn't really aspire to any great heights in the first place. If you are a Shabana Azmi fan, watch it - otherwise, give it a miss.

I am at a loss of words when I see Shabana act. One wonders how she is able to enact each minute expression, gesture, and thought of her character. She fully immerses into the role she is playing leaving no stone unturned. Her acting in this movie really makes it very easy for the audience to completely empathize with her tormenting guilt, agonizing frustrations, and haunting fears. To add icing on the cake of art cinema are Perizaad and Lillette. Both did a good job. However, Perizaad did a much better job in Jogger's Park. This film does a good job of emphasizing its theme: Follow your heart. The bridge separating the city from the village acts as an interesting symbol in many ways. For example, it symoblizes the long road of trials and tribulations one must travel and conquer to fulfill his/her desire. The final fusion song is excellent.

I must admit that my liking for pure classical music is limited - however I was awestruck by the music of this film. Songs such as Thaye Yashoda, Maate Malayadhwaja and Mahaganapatim are so good that I remember the lyrics - although I understand very few words of these.

Acting wise, I found only Shabana Azmi and Nasser to be up to the mark. I am sure singing (actually posing as so) such classical marvel is not very easy - esp. when the ragas are so complex. Still the lady has performed in an excellent way. Similarly, Nasser has played the role of a father who might be a father-next-door, concerned and worried.

However, others, esp. Prakash Rao, have to learn a lot. Sometimes, I felt they were reading their dialogs. I think making this film in English and successfully displaying the emotions in the Indian way, might be difficult.

Overall, a nice film to watch, and we have to be generous enough to ignore the acting shortcomings and enjoy the classical-modern music fusion.