31st October

Sometimes Art exists to inspire,Sometimes Art exists to provoke and on occasion it exists to remind. Now its possible that everybody has different definitions for what exactly makes a movie unforgettable but I'm sure we can all agree on what should never be allowed to be forgotten.

Sparked by the horrific and senseless genocidal tragedy termed"the 1984 riots" ,31st October depicts the story squarely through the eyes of those it affected the most:it's victims.It seeks to remember and remind us of the sheer basic heroism of those willing to hold their own against the madness of the mobs in order to protect their friends and loved ones.It takes it's time to haunt us with the consequences of communal insanity even as it navigates it's way through the intricacies of the lives of it's characters. With stellar performances by it's leads Vir Das and Soha Ali Khan ,the movie serves as a riveting account of the divisiveness of the forces of political manipulation that still exist In India to this day.It unapologetically traverses rigid controversial boundaries lying deep in the vision of India we are trying to inherit .Without remorse,it can easily be considered one of the most haunting flicks to be released this year Highly recommended for anybody wishing for an undistorted view of the Indian spirit.

It felt like I was watching a film from 2005 or something with those indian serial like drama and weird cuts and weird 24 fps shots that give this film a serious dated look. And not to forget, the first 20 mins, which depicts a typical clichéd way in which bollywood presents Punjabis with references to Canada and lots of preaching of Waahe Guru's teachings and Sikh religion it felt so awkward. Acting is below average.

This film is a reminder of the evil which was engulfed by cruel hatred.

31st October is the Hindi language portrayal of the events of the Sikh genocide of 1984 that occurred after the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Played at the 2015 Vancouver International Film Festival, the movie follows the lives of a Sikh family who were caught up in the ever deteriorating situation in their neighbourhood in Delhi.

The first thing that you will notice is the flimsiness of the plot and quite frankly the acting as well. The acting is done in a way that the actors are trying to "act the hell out of it". So all you notice is the actors very cheery while they speak (as if they're on camera for the first time) for the first half of the film, and then so forcefully emotional to a point where it is cringe worthy to watch. It's not to say there isn't a well-known actor in the movie, as Soha Ali Khan (Dil Maange More) plays the mother but that absolutely does not redeem the film.

There is an unbelievable amount of indulgence (close to Tarantino - esque) with the camera continually panning over the dead bodies in the houses and streets and lingering on them for far longer than they should have.

Now, the only thing that can be said about the plot is the crazed propaganda behind the movie, which if you don't notice it during the movie; you'll surely know by the time the helpful footnotes at the end of the movie play.

There is a movie to be made about the 1984 genocide as it's a very important subject for the people of Indian and those abroad, and honestly for the rest of the world. But this movie is definitely not that movie. I will give it a generous grade of a D

What happened in Delhi and elsewhere in North India in the days following the assassination of former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, is gore insanity, to say the least. And this crime thriller here tries to reinvent one of those days with sheer pithiness and smallest fractions of the darkness, which engulfed the whole country in the final months of 1984.

Davinder Singh (Vir Das) is an office-goer who lives with his wife, Tajinder (Sohan Ali Khan), and two young sons in a quiet neighborhood. Immediately following the assassination, violence erupts in the whole state and nearby places, with Sikhs and Punjabis targeted for a crime committed by few nobodies. The story follows Davinder's, a low blood pressure patient, and his family's struggle for survival in a town filled with angry people who are out to draw endless flow of innocent blood.

The film adopts a slow burning narrative, and thus, will take its own time to hook the audience into the story which begins to gather moss only after the 20th minute. The single event about the family is what it mostly focuses on, with tidbits about random killings and unnecessary side stories. One will feel his/her heart thumping as the going gets tough for Davinder's family.

Surprisingly, there's no hint of any political backing behind the genocidal killings. The makers should have added few references, at least as conspiracy theories, to make the plot even more convincing. Still, the formulaic story takes a stand in itself and shows the darkness that happened more than 30 years ago. The makers clearly found the inspiration to make the film based on the topic's notoriety, and serve a virtual case for the victims, the kin of whom are still suffering to this day.

While Das is credible in his portrayal as a Sikh, Khan puts up a mundane act. She never really gels with the other characters despite them being her family members. Their dialogues also do not come out right as far the Sikh language is concerned. But, all this can be overlooked since the film has the capability to hook you.

Conclusively, other than narrating the heartbreaking story about the struggle for one's life in times of man made insanity, it also speaks about the virtue: it is not the appearance that makes a man of certain religion, but the heart and the faith.

BOTTOM LINE: Shivaji Lotan Patil's "31st October" is a slow-burning affair narrating real-life events that need to be watched so as to understand what extents humans can go in the name of patriotism and religious hatred. Rent a DVD!

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES