skfazli

If I wait any more to say all the things I want to say about this great soul-stirring movie I will never be able to say it.It is the best use of the film medium that I have seen in a long long time.Here in the west we have virtually abandoned good cinema.Where are our Capras,our Wilders, our Hitchcocks, our David Leans? We make trivia now that neither entertain nor enlighten.To put it very bluntly, we make utter trash.Good work in the world is being done elsewhere, especially in India where a Bhansali stretches the limits of cinematic expression, where a new Wilder emerges in the shape of Anees Bazmee, where Shaad Ali springs a surprise with a Bunty Aur Bubbly,where out of nowhere comes a Guru Dutt in the garb of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and takes us to a new level of awareness and self-discovery through cinema in a stunning masterpiece called Rang De Basanti.

I challenge anyone to name a film made anywhere in the last fifteen years or so to hold a candle to this one.It is simply awesome.As an entertainer it is superb, as purposeful film it goes even further.As a fearless, bold crusader for just causes it is beyond compare.The whole team deserves to be congratulated.

Apart from the tremendous contribution made by the writers and the director of the movie, the people who need to be singled out and applauded for the high quality of their work are Aamir Khan(his best role yet),Soha Ali Khan(who finally claims our attention with this role and is destined to be as distinguished as her mother Sharmila Tagore). Waheeda Rehman makes you feel that Guru Dutt is back directing her from heaven.Kirron Kher who is improving with every picture.And all the boys from Kunal Kapoor to Atul Kulkarni.All have turned in amazing performances.After Devdas and Munna Bhai MBBS, Binod Pradhan has once again shown that as an ace cameraman he is second to none.And what can you say about A.R. Rahman?This time he even sings like a pro.He is paired here for the first time with Prasoon Joshi who makes you think of Majrooh Sultanpuri.But before I forget, I must mention Alice Patten. She is a joy to behold.And she makes a great pair with Aamir.

The film does not have a single dull moment in it.It can be repeated again and again with increasing returns to the viewer.It is a crossover film and needs to be seen by every one in the world.Its publicity and promotion should be geared to that.It should be sent to every international film festival in the world and should be India's entry to the Oscars this year.

I saw Taj Mahal on opening night here(Nov. 18) at the Naz8 in Lakewood,California.The film had many flaws in the writing and in some of the performances.Akbar Khan did not present it in dynamic, powerful,cinematic terms.He treated it a though he was making an expensive TVserial.But what makes it eminently watchable even as cinema are the two actors who play the lead roles.Sonya Jehan and Zulfikar Sayed have lived up to expectations.Here credit must be given to Akbar Khan who has taken this bold step of introducing new talent in lead roles.But the greatest credit Akbar deserves is for bringing back India'greatest composer the legendary Naushad.His music(both in the songs and the background music) is superb.I intend to see this movie again and again just because of its music.And that is why I have given it a 10.Naushad's earlier hits like Anmol Ghadi, Baiju Bawra, Mother India,Uran Khatola and Mughal-E-Azam(to name just a few) had twelve songs each. I wish Taj Mahal had the same number.If Akbar had done this TajMahal, with all its flaws, would have been the biggest hit of all times.Even now numbers like Ajnabi Thero Zara,Mumtaz Tujhe Dekha and ApniZulfen will carry Taj Mahal far.

I saw The Rising on Saturday at the 3p.m. show at Naz8 in Lakewood,Southern California. I loved it so much that I went to see it again at9.30 p.m. show at Cinema City in Anaheim Hills which is nearer my home in Yorba Linda.This time I loved it even more.On Sunday I saw it for the third time with my son and his wife and a cousin of mine.That is three times in two days. I plan to see it again tomorrow with my wife and some friends.I do not want to describe a scene or give away any part of the story because I might be accused of being a spoiler.My point is to inform my readers that finally a film has emerged from India that takes us back to the golden era of movies, when dedicated filmmakers like MehboobKhan, when geniuses like Naushad and Majrooh Sultanpuri,when committed filmmakers like Guru Dutt touched our hearts and our souls.When K.Asifmade Mughal-E-Azam which retains its magic and luster even forty-five years after its release.The Rising is that kind of movie.It tells us, in no uncertain terms,what a movie can do and what movie magic is all about.After MehboobKhan, Ketan Mehta is another gift from Gujarat to the Bombay film industry.He has directed The Rising with amazing dexterity and professional competence.His cameraman Dhamija is almost as good asFaredoon Irani, Jal Mistry or R.D.Mathur.And they as everyone knows were giants.The art direction, the editing, the choreography is topnotch.And as far as performances are concerned it will be a long time before somebody even comes close to Aamir Khan.He has stretched himself to the limit and then gone beyond it.Toby Stephens gives him excellent support.Rani and Amisha in their small roles are effective.The team ofJaved Akhtar and A.R. Rahman are once again at their very best.Rahman'background score, though unobtrusive, is awesome.This is a movie that keeps you absorbed from start to finish.It is gripping, entertaining and what's more enlightening.And with each viewing you like it more.It deserves to be India's entry for the Oscars.If it is sent by India,it will definitely be nominated in all eligible categories and win inmost categories, especially in the best foreign film category.The entire team behind the creation of this great movie deserves to be applauded and congratulated.They have made India proud.