Morning Raga

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.

I sat down to watch Morning Raga expecting to get up in half an hour and go for a walk. But I didn't. Shabana Azmi is mesmerizing, and I stayed to the end. I agree with other reviewers that the plot is simplistic, and the other actors are bland by comparison, but the music and Azmi make it all worth while.

I know basically nothing about Karnatic music, so I cannot speak from any knowledge, but the passion and virtuosity of the traditional songs were incredibly moving. The plot, outlined by others, could have been better had the three stories been interwoven with more finesse. But the story is only a vehicle for the music, so let's forgive its naivety.

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.

This movie is strictly for people who has an ear for carnatic music and who like simple story telling. Three people are brought together by music in a small village in south India ( East Godavari district i guess ). They later realise they are all fighting the demons of one tragic incident that occurred 20 years ago. They try and help each other through music, and finally overcome their struggles.

Such simple story is shot very beautifully in Konaseema of Andhra Pradesh. The screenplay is fast, editing good, and most importantly the story telling is very simple. There are less/no clichés, emotions are handled without dramatising them. Shabana Azmi and Lillete Dubey are excellent in handling their characters. The youngsters Perizaad Zorabian and Prakash Rao are wonderful with their balanced performances. Perizaad is very beautiful too. And the true hero of the movie is Carnatic Music with beautiful compositions that sounded super cool with fusion music.

The telugudanam is used as a stage to paint the beautiful morning with all its melodious sounds. Balu

This film is the confluence of older and younger generation, of traditional music and contemporary music. Born out of a tragedy of a fatal accident in which Swarana (shabana Azmi) and her dear friend and their sons travel in which the friend and swarna's son die. Swarna is a mature carnatic music vocalist and her friend vaishnavi is a violinist. The survivor guilt of Swarna keeps her aloof from the outside world for 20 years and then vaishanavi's son Abhi, a modern music band leader wants to incorporate swarna's music into the band After some trauma Swarna agrees.

The story and direction is by the acclaimed theatre personality Mahesh Dattani. The carnatic music pieces are excellent and I am not an expert on modern music. The final piece, which is a fusion of carnatic musical piece "Thaye Yasodha" in Todi raga and the band music with heavy percussion, is excellent. In the final carnatic piece the Music Director cleverly used more of "swara" delineation and "thanam" pieces instead of complete "sahitya". The acting by Azmi is as usual superb and the actors, who portrayed the role of Abhi and his girl friend Pinky, give good support. There is a delightful cameo role by Lillete Dubey, (as Pinky's mother ), another acclaimed theater personality.

Once again an off beat film, off from the garish dressed women protagonists and unbelievable fight sequences by the male protagonist and loud music of the contemporary Indian films..

But there are some cinematic clichés. The accident is supposed to heave been caused by Pinky's ever drunken father.. Pinky seems to have learnt carnatic music in a few days or months from Swarna In spite of these clichés the film is an excellent film.