Delhi Belly

I had liked Abhinav Deo's GAME too for its style and had not known at that time that he was directing DELHI BELLY or was from the advertising world. I mention this fact about being from the world of advertising because this would factor into the director's understanding of urban realities, most of all the language of real life.

Language is the MAIN character of this movie. The plot, the actors, the music, the songs, the chases-- all lean heavily on language and that's the most unique feature of this film. The language of the by now infamous lyrics, the "heroes" and the "villains" alike reflects the grim, gritty, sometimes squalid reality of urban India and translates it into images that are at once shocking, disgusting, entertaining and creatively ingenious.

Once the director has decided that he is going to use this language (both literally as well as metaphorically) he has complete freedom to depict urban realities-- sexual, emotional, physical, financial, marital, professional et al. The film is funny because beneath all the crudities and cuss words lies the recognition of ourselves in our day to day life, its frustrations, the curve balls that it throws us from time to time and our desperate attempts to keep our sanity in a completely insane world.

In a recent interview, Abhinav Deo thanked Amir Khan for his vision. This vision is possible only in a man who has the creative genius to shed the hypocrisy and double entrendres of Bollywood cinema and move on to a cinematic form that is so completely in tune with the 21st century India, the metamorphosis of our youth, the blurring lines that divide morality (as we knew it) from immorality, even amorality, cynicism from romanticism and so on.

The movie from start to finish is tightly held together. The cast is well chosen and so are the locales. Nothing jars in the movie. People look as much at home in a five star hotel as they do in the clogged by lanes and streets of Old Delhi. The screenplay is tautly held together by an equally taut editing. I loved Vijay Raaz who is able to depict the malevolence of a sleepy looking but deadly reptile with such finesse, the two young men who share Imran's filthy apartment and the young woman who tempts Imran to break his engagement. The contrast between the old Maruti and the red new (Santro?) car that can zip through the flyovers of Delhi is as meaningful as the black eye that Imran sports through most of the film.

I am sure some reviewers and certain sections of the audience will slam the movie for various reasons. But that is because the movie is ahead of its time and will make people uncomfortable because of its iconoclastic nature. I salute Amir and his team for this and wish them many many years of great film making.

I'm reviewing this with an American point of view. First off, most non-Indian Americans might not understand what the big deal is. To us, this is nothing new. We've watched comedy like this for years. However, those of us who have some general knowledge of Indian films and Bollywood will certainly be able to appreciate just how different and important this movie is. It is like no other Indian film previously made (at least, not like any I have seen.) It's dirty, raunchy, explicit, disgusting and crude. It's also extremely witty and hilarious.

While I don't think most Americans will feel this is anything special, I *do* think a lot of them would like it, if they gave it a chance. It's the kind of American Pie like comedy that sells well here, yet I personally think it's a lot more intelligent than our normal crude comedies. Also, I'm a girl and while I may have liked it, I can see how not many other females would be into it. It's really, when it boils down to it, a guy movie, about guys, complete with their toilet habits, dirty clothes, and disgusting apartment. ;) If you don't speak Hindi, that's not a problem, since the movie is about 98% in English and the spoken parts that aren't in English, had subtitles. The only disappointment I had with the language barrier was that, in the version I saw, there were no subtitles for Aamir Khan's absolutely HILARIOUS song number at the end, where he is 'Disco Fighter'. Apparently, the lyrics for "I Hate You (Like I Love You)-In Brackets" is loaded with innuendo and double meanings, but unfortunately, I was unable to understand.

So, if you have shunned Bollywood because you can't speak Hindi, you don't have that excuse with this movie. If you have stayed away from Indian cinema because of the over the top melodramatic love story formula, you also have no excuse with this movie. Go see it. Just not with your parents or on a first date. ;)

They had to break some day. Those rope of morality, sanctimony and congeniality which had tied down so many of India's almost-awesome films have been cut open and the authentic urban Indian (who does hurl a few abuses here and there every day due to the misfortune happening to him) is now free thanks to Aamir Khan and Abhinay Deo. Still, Delhi Belly is fine filmmaking mostly due to the makers' unabashed vision and the decision to let no stone unturned in making this comedy.

To start off, Ram Sampath's mind-blowing music in the promos is what brought the first batch of audience to this movie and it has some really wacky numbers (Bhaag DK Bose, Nakkadwale Disco and Bedardi Raja to name a few). On the actors' front, Vir Das portrays his pitiable character perfectly. Imran is in a dream role and this could be his best act ever if he continues to do movies like the ones before he did Delhi Belly. Kunal Roy Kapoor's problems with gastric motions (after which the movie is named) bring down the house more than once. But it's Vijay Raaz to whom most of the misfortune happens and he, therefore reacts like a truly enraged gangster would and gives us a lesson or on how swear words are meant to be really pronounced. Purna Jagganath is the find of the film and could be Bollywood's first really non-traditional looking heroine. But still, am I the only one who found her cute?

Once Mr DK Bose (the story) begins to 'bhaag' (run) in the beginning, it hardly stops even after the end. Such is the flow of the movie that even when you're laughing your ass off to any one of your preferred situational jokes, you hardly miss the link to the next scene because the story is simple enough to be a 96 minute movie. Great storytelling by Abhinay Deo. As a bonus we're treated to a never-before item number by Aamir Khan in the end, along with some food for our ingenuity-hungry mind throughout the film.

Like all of Aamir Khan's house productions, Delhi Belly is an important film in Indian cinema history because the success of this film will directly measure the immeasurable: how much have our minds really adapted to the next generation mentality. And what all comedy filmmakers should learn from Delhi Belly is that Indians have brains not just while doing math but while watching movies too.

Its BOLD Bollywood. Gone are the days of double meaning David Dhavan's dialogs. There is only one meaning and that's always of other side of boundary. Its straight A movie with no gimmick to fool Censor board. That's kind of openness I always admire. Delhi Belly is roller coaster ride of one and half hours where you get exactly the kind of entertainment, what movie promises to deliver. It seems Abhinay Deo has very clear picture of targeted viewers and he didn't compromise a bit to deliver them. If the trend continues we can hope to see desi version of Pulp Fiction some day (is it still too much to wish for?).

Delhi Belly is Imran's best performance till date. Having Aamir as mamu is best thing happened to him, and he is also making sure not to squander this fact. He imbibed his character till throat. You just don't see a bollywood hero Imran Khan, its always Tashi with lots of s*** around him engross you. One good thing that stood out about movie is to making sure that each character has enough camera space. And to encouraging surprise, every one of them: Kunal, Vir, Vijay gave top notch performance. For sure, these guys are going to stay in bollywood for long time.

8/10.

Bollywood has taken a big bold step with this movie , and once again , it was Aamir Khan who showed the way! He not only gave a movie that will be talked about for quite a long time , but again came to Imran's rescue, to give him a re-launch he desperately needed!

Every thing new has been tried , with the language being 90% English , the occasional Hindi comes out in the forms of those "terms of endearment" , and the lingo is something that we all dig! This one has fresh comedy, is stylish , and is worth a repeat view! All the performances were worth-watching ,especially the trio and Vijay Raaz 's !

Watch out for the "Ja Churail" number, its frigging hilarious!! And the one-liners too!