Raincoat

Note: Review out of 4 Stars

Raincoat (2004)

Oh, what a wonderful wonderful film! This is why I love movies. Raincoat is undoubtedly the best film of 2004. Along with three brilliant performances by Aishwarya Rai, Ajay Devgan and Annu Kapoor this film excels in many other departments as well. Aishwarya looks divine. She has acted with magnificence, her best performance yet. Rituparno Ghosh directs this gem of a movie and also writes an excellent screenplay with intricacies and subtleties seldom found in Indian cinema. He is probably one of the best working directors in our country today who surely knows how to adapt a novel or a short story. He creates a dark and eerie world for the two characters a perfect setting for the both of them to … TALK.

Yes, talk.

Actually that is what happens in almost the entire movie which is its strong point, if nothing more. It's a story of forbidden love of Neeru (Aishwarya Rai) and Mannu (Ajay Devgan). Not a love story with all the mush-mush and bollywood style ridiculousness. They were in love but couldn't marry due to some reasons which are not told directly and that's where your brain has to do the working. Watch the film with patience and full attention and you'll notice everything.

So what does a Raincoat have to do with two people who couldn't marry and meet again after a few years? Well, I'm not gonna tell you that. Watch this film and be amazed. I was befuddled when it started, I couldn't believe it was happening. This was movie magic!

The cinematography is beautiful and the sets and the costumes are fabulous. The editing is fast paced and carefully handled. And I haven't gotten to the music yet. So wait. The music is fan-frickin-tastic. Shubha Mudgal lends her voice to create some very beautiful Radha-Krishna renditions which complement the film and further add to the greatness of the movie. 'Akele Hum Nadiya Kinare' 'Mathura Nagrapati' 'Raha Dekhe' and 'Piya Tora Kaisa Abhiman' (also sung by Hariharan) are all awesome. The ending is perfect. Spot on!

But I don't call this an ART FILM. In fact, I don't believe any movie can be categorized as an art film. Call it a sensible film and ill give you a pat on the back. There is either a good film or a bad film (plus the superlatives). And this is an excellent film. As I said, this is why I love movies.

Rating: **** (A modern cinematic masterpiece) (It would be criminal if I didn't add that)

P.S. Those who prefer to watch only mindless comedy or romantic flicks, ill just tell you this – STAY AWAY! (Cause you think that movies are only made to make you laugh which shows what an awful person you are, no offense)

Raincoat was the opening gala movie at Filmfest DC (Wash. DC)last night. Filmfest DC is entirely foreign (non-US)movies--it goes on about 12 days. The theatre was almost filled, even at $40 a ticket, and the great majority of the audience were non-Indians (including me). The director, Ghosh, was there for a short introduction and a few questions at the end. I was able to ask him a question privately at the reception afterwards, but unfortunately nothing profound occurred to me at the time. Duh.

If you have read any of my posts on the Aishwarya section, you know I am enraptured by her. I am working my way through her movies, so of course I went to see this one. I read through all the previous posts here, and I think they're generally on the mark, but I have some additions.

Art as ambiguity--I think some of the comments about the movie being "art" or not are misleading. All movies are "art." But some art is better than others; great art needs several elements--one is that it's ambiguous enough so that each person feels it's directed to him/her personally, and each person sees something a little bit different in it, or interprets it in a slightly different way--and each way is backed up by evidence. Nor do the director/actors have to consciously intend each interpretation. You can see from previous posts that Raincoat certainly succeeds in this. Is Meena in love with her husband or not? Happy or not? Will Manu collect the money from his friends or not? Will the landlord keep his word or not? What is the significance of the rickshaw in the final scene? etc. The symbols in the movie (the raincoat, the rain, the shutters, the jewellery, the train, the wallet, etc.) all have various levels of meaning. And the themes--love, loss, truth, despair, failure--the movie has something to say about all of these. And even more, it makes you realize what YOU have to say about each. Say it together: It makes you think! Is the story consistent? One of the audience asked the question: "When Neeru went out to get lunch, why didn't she think Manu would look around her house?" Ghosh answered, correctly, that she expected Manu to act in character--he is reserved, not pushy, etc. Manu and Neeru spend the visit lying to each other--but that's what they did in their earlier lives, too, but in a different way. And, as we see Manu interact with his friend and his wife, he lies to them too. Everything is consistent.

Foreshadowing--actions, especially significant ones, shouldn't just pop out of nowhere. They need to be set up, so when you see them you think back and say, "Of course!" (back to consistency!) (Letter, doorbell, necklace, wallet, cell phone, sari....) Nothing extraneous--There shouldn't be anything stuck in that's not necessary. I think this is perhaps the chief virtue of the movie--I can't think of any item, any visual effect, any action, any piece of dialog, that could be taken out without detracting from the movie. Another post wanted more back story--longer flashbacks--No! We don't need to know more. Knowing more eliminates some of the ambiguity.

Atmosphere--everything very coherent. It reminded me of a first novel by an Indian woman who had just graduated from Princeton--I can't remember her name, but it came out in c. 1995, and I think the title was "Rain." It was about an Indian woman who married an Englishman, had a baby, and then decided to leave him--it was set in London. Different story than the movie, but the atmosphere was almost identical--same feeling of loss, regret, inevitability, etc.

Aishwarya--I have been comparing her other movies to my friends by saying they are like the Drew Barrymore/Meg Ryan movies. All these women are really playing versions of themselves--which is great! I like them all! But Aishwarya doesn't play Aishwarya here. Neeru is not Aishwarya at all. And the "flashback Neeru" is totally different than the Neeru in Calcutta--different look, different expressions, different voice, etc. I'll give the director all the credit he wants for this, but you know what? Aishwarya had to actually pull it off, and she did. Are there other actresses who could do this? Sure--Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron...hmmm, not too many others. If you can be grouped with people at the top of your profession, I'd say you were doing OK. Let's have no more talk about how she can't act--she can! Aishwarya #2--In the Aishwarya section of IMDb is a string of posts discussing plastic surgery, etc. Raincoat should have put an end to that nonsense--look at all the profile shots of her nose! This movie makes her look (I think) more "Indian." Fine with me. And she presents herself in scene after scene as less than attractive--whiny, superficial, too talkative, etc.--all part of the character, and certainly not the Aishwarya I've seen in other movies. A brave performance to put yourself out there like that--especially if your claim to fame is your beauty.

Faulkner was once asked what one of his novels was about, and he said "Christ." The questioner thought he was swearing, but he was answering the question. Star Wars, ET, and Lord of the Rings are about Christ too. It's hard NOT to reflect your own culture. To what extent does Raincoat reflect Hinduism? I think I can see some elements, but I'm not a Hindu. Resignation? Fatalism? A cycle of existence? The unreality of reality? Being trapped in life itself? Any thoughts?

I'll try my level best to portray a "NO SPOILER" review of this movie, although its hard to do so. THE REACTION : After watching this movie, one can easily differentiate two categories of viewers of current Hindi films. There would be the people who get into the theater to relax, eat pop corns and then watch performers in some colourful bands which, like all other pieces of modern art, fail to convey any meaning. Sadly this movie is not for them and if you fall under this category, abstain yourself from watching this movie, for this movie is made for the people who love to use their brains and senses while watching movies. THE "PLAYERS" : Both Ajay and Aishwarya did a very good job in their respective roles. The way that they added a touch of glory to the non-glamorous roles is worthy of praise. But the real "player" was the director who added so much significance to the two characters of the landlord(Annu Kapoor) and The Friend's Wife(Mouli Ganguli) who share a small fraction of screen time each. The short conversation with the landlord and the last dialogue of the male protagonist with his friend's wife is worth a thousand praises. THE TITLE : The rain, the darkness, the mystery all set the tone of the movie. And through the darkness the viewer can actually see the invisible raincoat both of them are wearing to protect themselves from each other discovering what they both want to hide. THE SUBTLENESS : Nothing in this movie has been explained by the director, nor is there an attempt to do so. The boasting dialogues between the two protagonists has loads of softer emotions packed underneath. The viewer has to actually pay attention to the details in order to appreciate the work of the director. Also, the viewer's expectation of a climax is gradually ruled out which eventually turns out to be a very positive thing about this movie, thus giving it what is called a "Repeat Value". THE DRAWBACKS : Apparently there is none. It is not a movie, but a piece of art and the director made it his way - No crappy songs, no running around the trees, no hypothetical and imaginary situations. I'll give this movie 9/10 for the sheer brilliance of the director.

The plot unfolds like that of a master story teller. At any minute you feel that the plot will blossom into a climax, but that is not to be. The tenderness between characters before they married is also played out wonderfully between Ashwariya and Ajay. The cameo of the guy who rings the bell is excellent.I can't reveal his ID can I. The background, not much to see though has been very well made up. What I did not swallow was the cleanliness and the complete lack of it in the two different parts of the same house. It is Ashwariya at ONE of her best roles. She is like putty in the hands of her director. In today's world it would help if the lead character are shown to keeps away from cigarettes and other worse tobacco products as movies influence kids for sure. The ending of the movie is a masterpiece and brought a lump into my throat.

Raincoat (2004) : Brief Review :

A Classic Heart-breaker. A pure underrated gem with that rare Mic Drop Burn in the Climax. Bollywood has probably given more number of Romantic dramas than any other film industry in world cinema hence this genre remains the most popular and successful genre in Bollywood. One can easily pick top Romantic classics from 40s to 90s and we can say that the quantity of quality films went down after 2000s. There are hardly few classics in romance genre made after 2000s, as much as we can count on fingers and Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat is definitely one of those few films. I don't know why this film has remained underrated for years, i mean to hell with the dumb audience and critics who didn't give it the high status it deserves. It doesn't appear in any critic's list nor in IMDb top rated films then what the hell does those lists include? Raincoat is intense, thoroughly gripping and pure and a heart-breaker that can even break stone hearted fellas. Manu and Neeru, once love birds who had to part meet each other after some years and tries to make things looks good when they are not. Ajay Devgn as Mannu gives whatever needed for the character keeping his stardom and heroic image aside. He was the perfect guy to play the role from physics to looks to intensity (needed) and loads of love for the the great actor for fulfilling all the requirements of the character. Aishwarya Rai too didn't hesitate while keeping the glamour away and bringing more of naturalistic touch and believe me you are gonna remember her for this film. Ghosh's direction is pure class. He brings the regional touch of that Bengali loacalism in everything to make things looks classier. He even uses the lyrics and music with Bengali tones. In one line, Raincoat is one of those rare Classic Love Story with pin-drop silence and hidden heat in the Climax.

RATING - 8/10*

By - #samthebestest.