The Bong Connection

For one who has stayed abroad for a considerable amount of time and been in touch with the ex-pats community, this movie comes as a reflection to ones own self.

All the characters are defined to perfection and everyone of them did play his or her job neatly. The characters are real, the situations apt and the portrayal of bengalis be it from kolkata or from houston are made with perfect light and I can proudly say that in recent times, I have not come across another PERFECT movie as this. A few veteran actors were though wasted and could have been done away with.

The character of Hasan is as true as my taxi driver in Abu Dhabi and the typical bengali chit chat gossip in a idle get together on weekends are lifted from my times in London and made me nostalgic.

Thank you Mr. Dutt for giving us a brilliant movie with all perfect cast and technicians. The use of music was good too but the durations could have been cut short by a few minutes each time.

Its a TENner from me.

I recently saw a work print of this film, and it was simply amazing! The film walks a fine line between comedy and drama, with plenty of great laughs and more than a few unexpected dramatic moments (and one genuine tragedy!). This film is most definitely NOT your typical Bollywood film, and that's part of what makes it so wonderful! Mr. Dutt has made one of the most insightful character-study pieces of the last twenty years! The photography is beautiful, the editing is top-notch, and the performances are wonderful! Overall, this film is one of those rare masterpieces that only a select few will ever know about, much less see, and that's a greater tragedy than anything that happens in this astounding film. If you ever get the chance to see it, don't let it slip away!

I recently saw the movie at a convention and was surprised by Dutt's effort to make a film about American characters without having any knowledge or ever living here. Its an ignorant outsider's point of view about America and NRIs (non-resident Indians). No taxi driver behaves the way the character was sketched which is unreal and overbearing. None of the characters were established properly. Everyone rushed through their individual scenes. A stereotype and cliché treatment of American characters filled the movie. Technically the movie works and gives a different feel than other Bollywood or Tollywood movies. The Calcutta story was finely depicted, perhaps because of Dutt's knowledge about the culture. However, from an American point of view, I thought the movie was rushed and made by an amateur director who does not do his homework before setting out to do a film. Dutt needs to stick to acting and leave the directing to real filmmakers.

I just couldn't relate to this film-everything is over-the-top & cliché-ridden. Particularly the American part is filled with the stereotypical distorted view of America many Indians have-street crime committed by minorities, homosexuals, constant drinking & throwing up, gun-toting cops shooting a fleeing suspect & the racist, homophobic Bengali-turned ugly American. And of course the Bengali girl who becomes a slutty American teenager. I doubt any American successful businessman, no matter what his real feelings are, would openly spout such racist & homophobic nonsense in this day and age. The Kolkata part wasn't that much better either, it sure gives the feeling all older generation Bengalis are losers & younger generation are all aping the West, again stereotypical characterizations. Andy-the paragon of idealism-comes off as a mixture of an idiot and a snob. One other thing. I doubt Rahul's girlfriend Sheela-with her obvious Westernized ways, would be so averse to going to America. The less said about Hasan the better. The one character I liked was Rakesh...the mixture of neither feeling he belongs in America fully, but at the same time knowing he cant go back, and dealing with both realizations is indeed something many expats go through (altho' I haven't heard the term second class citizen too many times these days). While one may forgive Andy's naiveté at thinking Kolkata is still the Baul music city of his dreams, his lecturing to people right & left about how to live comes off as annoyingly snobbish rather than an artist reaching out.

One of the better movies I've seen. Just as a film, it is well made. Parallel plots with a lot of convergence. Lot of intelligent (cross) references at different places. The dig at Mira Nair's Namesake was brilliant (I found that movie more than a tad boring). Satayajit Ray's Apu was brought up time and again, and near the end there was a direct reference to it - acknowledging Ray's hero.

As the other comments say, there is much stereotyping. But most of the humor and characterization come from this. Some characters like Andy are too good to be true, but as in all stories, the protagonist is such.

The fact that I could relate to the movie, made it all the more enjoyable. It has nice songs too, which do not spoil the storyline too much, as songs are wont to.

The director, Anjan Dutt usually makes black comedies more close to Bengali intellectuality. He maintains the same genre, but in a more subtle way. The film conveys a stronger message and has a more positive and generic feel to it.

Raima Sen looks great but doesn't flex too much of her facial muscles. Peeya Rai Choudhuri is pretty believable as the American youngster. All in all an enjoyable see.