Pink

Pink is not a film and this is not a review..

A dialogue from Rang De Basanti – "Koi Bi desh perfect nevi ho ta hai..use perfect banana parta hai" – and for that one needs to change the various aspects of societal mindset. #Pink is not just a film but a statement against this prejudiced, hypocritical feudal societal fabric that can't handle modern-thinking women.

Two major point raised without being didactic:- 1.Stop being judgmental. A modern working woman who wears short (I would say more comfortable in this humid climate) clothes or one who parties & drinks or one who is friendly doesn't mean SHE IS AVAILABLE. SO STOP LABELING HER..

2.Most vital point – NO MEANS NO..She can be your friend, GF, sex-worker, even your wife : NO means No. I am sure even most educated men won't get this point but I hope they does..

Honestly Shoojit Sircar (who is synonymous with quality films Vicky Donor Madras Cafe Piku) & debutante Dir Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury should be applauded for The Film Pink as it has the power to change mindset. Hope Pink is watched at a large scale, start a debate and inspire young adults. Going by the reactions all over I guess the movement has just began, that is Power of Great Cinema.

Kudos to Amitabh Bachchan to be part of such a topical film demanding respect.His acting and choice of films are getting better and better with old-age..This issue was necessary to be told and his name would increase the audience base. Tapsee Pannu and Kirti Kulhari are a revelation. Their pain reflects the voice of majority of Indian women who have to face ordeals even in the busiest of streets in our country. Angad Bedi is so authentic that you will hate him. Debutante Andrea Tariang is effortless. And can Piyush Mishra & Dhritiman Chatterjee go wrong in any role? Pink is indeed a taut social thriller which needs your attention.It is taut and gritty and it establishes its plot-points effectively keeping the tension intact. And while doing so it makes evident points against the society. The court-room sequences in the 2nd half is tremendously superb. As a cinema it is Talvar of 2016 albeit with a straight plot-line.

Btw, Do watch the end credit..

Pink (2016)

"No. No, your honor. 'No' is not a word. It is a complete sentence. It doesn't need any further explanation. 'No' simply means 'no'. My client said no', your honor and these boys must realize that 'no' means 'no' whether the girl is an acquaintance, a friend, girlfriend, or a sex worker. Or even your own wife! 'No' means no'! I want someone says so, you stop."

The Good: * Makes important statements regarding social issues includes consent, double standards for females and males, inherent biases, molestation, misogyny, rape, self defense, social strata, and violence against women. This is especially relevant in India, where rapes often go unreported for to fear of public shame and possibly (as portrayed in the film) having it backfire. It is still frowned upon by some for a girl to be independent, outspoken, willful, or to drink or go anywhere in private with a male. * Amitabh Bachchan, due to his seniority, was originally first listed in the credits. However, to show gender equality, he requested to have his name listed after the three leading ladies. It is great to know that the actor was as passionate about gender quality as his character was in the film. * A clever creative choice was showing the scene of what actually happened that night, in slow motion, during the credits. Be sure to wait for that.

The Bad: * Great acting overall by the three leading ladies, but they were quite melodramatic. It alternated between an impressive performance and a performance completely overdone. * Bachchan may have had a powerful presence, but he was also creepy. Whatever the reasons, his breathing mask, combined with his mysterious demeanor and harsh voice, made for more of a creepy presence. Add to that the angles that made his eyes look white in many scenes, he was straight up scary. Supposedly he had bipolar, but I do not even know why that was a detail.

The Ugly: * Unrealistic portrayal of a court debate. These lawyers would not be a allowed to intimidate and yell at the witnesses on the stand, practically coercing them into a false confession. Likewise, they would not be allowed to preach on topics irrelevant to the case. The case becomes a stage for feminism, narrated by Bachchan. * Makes important points, but crosses the line very early on into preaching. To the point that I might call this propaganda. * Unrealistic to the point that I could not take it seriously and became bored in the second hour of this unnecessarily long film.

Conclusion: Many memorable lines, overall good performances,, made a valuable case for many important social issues; but excessive in length, portrayed court cases unrealistically, and it became preaching (practically) propaganda.

Shoojit and Aniruddha has delivered powerful punch on feudal mindset with engaging court room drama.Frame by frame excellence will bound you with your seat. Even you will not realize when movie reached to interval.Big B has refined himself as USP of movie. Taapsee has delivered stunning performance with fearsome dialogue delivery. Piyush Mishra was another performer. Kirti Kulhari,Andrea Tariang and Angad Bedi were good in supporting role. Script and dialogue were terrific and value addition to movie. Music is only section which need improvement. Although Kaari Kaari was delight to listen. Please stay in theater till the end credits for complete story. Let's paint it PINK. She said 'No' and 'No' means 'No'... based on this simple one word, director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury raised some very relevant questions to our so called society through his exclusive film #PINK#. A gripping story, tight screenplay, sharp direction, excellent background score, perfect cinematography & brilliantly executed Court room Trials enriched PINK and make it more vibrant. The performances are pitch-perfect with Mr. Bachchan leading the way. He is Outstanding once again. Tapasee & Kirti Kulhari delivered power- packed performances. Angan Bedi is another one to watch out for those cold & brutal eyes. Gutsy congratulations to Soojit Sircar for making a contemporary youth-centric film with a strong socially relevant message. A Film That Everyone Needs to Watch. Make time for it.

Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's 'Pink' is a gripping Courtroom-Drama, that's Bold & Brave. It tackles the sensitive & thought-provoking issue of gender-equality & the difference between one's approval & one's disapproval. The message of this well-made film, is, without doubt, even stronger than the film itself.

'Pink' Synopsis: After a rock-concert, Three independent women (Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari & Andrea Tariang) are harassed by three men. Soon after, the women are targeted, arrested & subjected for something they never did. Things take a turn when an aged lawyer (Amitabh Bachchan) decides to defend the 3 women in court.

'Pink' is about fighting for whats right & how A "NO" is clearly A "NO". India is a country that's been dealing with the horrors against women, as this society, by and large, is chauvinistic & men-driven. 'Pink' is about gender-equality & how its not remotely fine, to harass any girl, just because she decided to hang out with you after a few drinks. Its about keeping that enormous "I'm a man, I can do anything" bull-crap away & dealing with a situation with a sense of reality & chivalry. 'Pink' is a dramatic look at three brave women, who with the help a righteous lawyer, storm against the men who wronged them & are not held responsible for doing something so wrong & repulsive.

'Pink' works, because the narrative is straight to the point. And mind you, the incident, that the film is based upon, isn't shown to us till the end credits roll. And yet, 'Pink' holds you. The first-hour builds, as the proceedings get darker & more on-your-face, but its the second-hour, when the drama shifts to the courtroom, is when things are pulled out & argued upon. Although the second-hour does drag for a bit, the drama never shifts to anything else & stays to the point, at all times.

Ritesh Shah's Screenplay is well-done. Shah tackles a really thought-provoking, relevant topic & presents it, as it should be. A special mention for the sharply Written Monologue towards the film's concluding moments, where Amitabh powerfully says "A NO is A NO". Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's Direction is excellent. He's handled this dramatic film, with precision. And its a joy to know that the prolific Shoojit Sircar, has produced this film! Cinematography & Editing are super. Art & Costume Design are perfect. Music by Various Artists, is in sync with the film's mood.

Performance-Wise: Amitabh Bachchan shines, in a role, that's undoubtedly the strongest here. His delivery in the final monologue, particularly, is note-worthy. But its The Ladies who steal 'Pink'. Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari & Andrea Tariang are exceptional. Taapsee is excellent as the women who protected herself & keeps the fire alive to fight back. Also, she looks gorgeous. Kirti is a revelation. She's terrific & her angry breakdown in the courtroom, is heart-wrenching. Andrea gets a smaller role & even lesser lines to speak comparatively, but is simply flawless as a woman, who refuses to be a victim. Of the supporting cast, Piyush Mishra hams it up as the lawyer defending the baddies, while Dhritiman Chatterjee is first-rate as the Judge. Angad Bedi is okay, but Vijay Verma crawls your skin & is absolutely unforgettable as the chauvinist, remorseless young-blood. Mamta Shankar, As Amitabh's wife, is decent in a cameo. Rest lend very good support.

On the whole, 'Pink' is a well-made film, with a strong message. Do Watch.

Often times, those who are nominated to positions of power and influence, bear a false sense of privilege that is misused and goes unchecked. In a city that is known exactly for a large number of such men, women tend to become the victims of misogyny and indignity. 'Pink' is a reflection of this deeply flawed society that even in today's times, instinctively falls back on stereotyping that is baseless. Director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's social drama truly becomes a thriller of sorts in its second half when the trial exposes not just the victims and perpetrators but also the society which plays a huge role in determining who the guilty are.

When a casual night out after a rock concert ends up with a bottle smashed into the face of a minister's nephew, the girls who were simply defending themselves from physical molesters have drawn curtains on a wild party life. Constantly in a state of nervous silence and anxious worry, their daily routines soon get affected by threats from the men who seek vengeance for the grave injury to their beloved friend. Minal Arora (Tapsee Pannu), in an impulsive act of rage and self-defense, smashed a bottle onto Rajveer Singh (Angad Bedi) who crossed the lines of decency when they were at a party. Unfortunately for Minal and her friends, Falak (Kirti Kulhari) and Andrea (Andrea Tariang), Rajveer happens to be the nephew of a powerful South Delhi politician. A series of harassment attempts affect their landlord, their workplace and even their casual coffee outings. Thus, even the FIR complaint against the harassment by Rajveer and his accomplices falls on deaf ears at the Police station and soon enough, a counter complaint gets Minal arrested for attempted murder.

These proceedings are keenly observed by one of the neighbors where the girls live and seeing the injustice, offers to take their case even though he had retired as a renowned lawyer due to his mental illness. Deepak Sehgal (Amitabh Bachchan) maybe old and weak but he knows the law better than most and with his more measured approach, he combats Prashant Mehra (Piyush Mishra), the prosecutor whose loud and boisterous accusations reflect the society's flawed mentality and baseless stereotyping. Mehra represents the bigotry of the orthodox Indian society that downplays the role of women and their rightful positions while questioning every action with a perverse and sick assumption. His loud and overpowering arguments are the embarrassing reality of the way many men think of women even in these times in an evolving society. In stark contrast, Deepak Sehgal tries to evaluate how low the society has fallen to mistreat and misjudge 3 innocent women who were victims of the power-hungry perpetrators. Can he help deliver unbiased justice to the girls while challenging the irregularities of society's stigma and prejudices? Pink hits the value system hard and the director keeps the viewer engaged with twists and revelations that keep the verdict hanging till the very end.

Tapsee Pannu and Kirti Kulhari deliver riveting performances as they struggle through their altered realities. Tapsee mumbles her responses as a witness in the box but she portrays her shaken self quite convincingly. Falak is targeted by Mehra's accusations of prostitution and eventually, deviates from the planned defensive lines. Kirti's performance here is gut wrenching and her plight is understandable. Prashant Mehra's aggressive prosecution allows Piyush Mishra to thrive on his excellent dialogue delivery. He matches up to Amitabh Bachchan's commanding presence with his performance, thus charging the scene up for audiences to enjoy. As an aging Deepak Sehgal, Bachchan's portrayal of an acclaimed lawyer is powerful not only with his sheer presence and calculated dialogue delivery, but also the conviction with which he fervently supports the girls. The closing statement by Amitabh Bachchan is among his finest performances in recent times that also highlights the film's underlying theme. It's effect is moving and necessary to shake up the hypocrisy in a flawed society. However, while Mr. Sehgal's decision to fight for the girls comes as celebratory news in the plot line, there's hardly any communication among them in preparation for each hearing. That's precisely where we would've had a better understanding of why they behaved as they did in court. It still provides for riveting courtroom drama but for the kind of overall realism depicted by Chowdhury, this seems like a fundamental interaction that's almost omitted.

Director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury keeps the accusations louder than the defense and with good reason. The hypocrisy and outdated mentality resonate through the general population and in some cases, out of guilt of being a part of it. Pink is a very important film for today's times and as an influence for the future generations. It depicts the darker reality that we live with but choose to ignore it as it may not affect us directly. It demands a change in the way we think of women, a basic change in mentality that is needed to raise society as a whole and treat each other with respect and draw strict lines when it comes to individuality.

• 8.955 on a scale of 1-10.