‘Ray’ Web Series

 

Ray is a web series which released on Netflix recently. It is based on Satyajit Ray’s short stories. Its first season has 4 episodes, all are different in genre and nature.

#1: “Forget Me Not”

In this story, a woman (Maggie) takes revenge on a very successful entrepreneur (Ipsit Nayar) for making her abort her pregnancy after having an affair with her. As a revenge, she takes help from his friends and colleagues, and makes him believe that he was suffering from a mental illness, and in the end, he actually turns mad. The movie focuses on her abortion, in order to show her as a kind of hero while showing Ipsit (Ali Faizal) as a villain. But was it really the case there?

Although I am not a fan of abortions in general, but I do not like the way movie and fiction writers show it as a very evil thing. Most movies and fiction writers do a deliberate mistake of showing a baby as only the mother’s product and show as if the father was a “perpetrator” and not a victim. But the fact is that the mother and father are equally responsible for a pregnancy to happen and hence both are equal in that sense. Maggie, the woman in this movie took revenge on Ipsit, but the fact is that she had voluntarily made relationship with him and she had herself aborted the fetus. If she decided to keep the baby, she could have found a way. But she blamed the man for her own failure. Secondly, his friend Anil who became a peon in Ipsit’s office, was not forced or duped to become so. He voluntarily accepted that position and if he wanted, he could have declined. Same for another colleague who wanted to be recognized as equal partner. He was always free to resign and start his own company; if he though Ipsit was taking credit for his work!

I personally did not like Ipsit’s character or anything he did, but I can’t imagine that he was so evil that he should be punished in this cruelest manner.

#2: Bahrupiya

In this story, main character is played by KK Menon who has once again given a master class performance. I won’t reveal the whole story, but the moral of the story was very apt and practical. In a way, it was Karma in action. Although I do not approve of the unnecessary adult content shown in it. Since OTT platforms are not regulated by government, the producers of movies and web series put too much vulgar language and scenes. This is the reason I avoid watching movies on platforms like Neflix and choose to watch on TV, since the content is always censored.

#3: Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa

In this episode, Manoj Bajpayee has given another gem of a performance. His role as poet (Shayar) Musafir Ali will always be remembered for such a soulful performance. Manoj Bajpayee appears so naturally in this role, that you will be left astonished. The story is simply superb and the ending is totally unpredictable. I would remember this and the earlier part’s stories also for the genius story.

#4: Spotlight

Last in the season 1, this came as a huge surprise. Harshvardhan Kapoor has given a brilliant performance, which appears much matured and balanced. The character demanded a versatility in the actor and he has given a gem of a performance. Radhika Madan as a god woman “Didi” has given an equally stunning performance. I have not watched many of her movies, and I was really impressed by her performance in this one. In the climax scene where she displayed supernatural phenomenon and every one folded hands watching her, my hands got folded too and it felt like she was an avatar of Goddess Durga.

In general, Ray is certainly worth a watch if you are interested in brilliant stories and some out of the box concepts on action in Indian cinema.

- Rahul Tiwary

Watching Gangs of Wasseypur for Second Time

Recently, I watched both parts of movie series “Gangs of Wassepur”. I watched Part-2 first. I remember that when the movie had released in theatres in year 2012, I had gone to a theatre to watch it but I had to leave mid-way because I could not tolerate the violence shown on screen. This time, since I was watching on a phone screen and also for the second time, I was not affected that much. I skipped a few scenes wherever I felt like. Hence, even though the impact of story telling in the movie was full; I was not impacted as much by the negativity and violence.

I also noticed that when Part-2 was released, at that time I had not identified actors like Vineet Kumar Singh and Rajkumar Rao. Manoj Bajpaee’s impact was looming over the second part too, even if he had no role in it. Tigmanshu Dhulia in epic character of Ramadhar Singh, even though in old age, was still soulful. I could also notice that although Nawazuddin Siddiqui played his role very well, I wonder if anyone on earth could identify with his character. I blame his personality for that. In any good movie, audiences are able to identify in part with the hero as well as villain. But When Nawaz plays roles like these, I guess no one gets do to it.

I noticed that in Part-2, Vineet Singh had played his role much impactfully than Rajkumar Rao. Even though Vineet’s role was short, he was appeared as a really brilliant actor. Rajkumar Rao’s role was not too short, but I could not find him creating any memorable performance.

I also wondered why Ramadhar Singh did not shoot Nawaz in the final scene, even though he held a gun in his hand. By virtue of all his cunningness and strength, he should have shot, even if the shot missed the target. But the movie shows him pulling his hand down, as if in surrender. And then Nawaz does this epic episode of emptying multiple guns on him. Which actually is illogical because he was wasting too much time in this process while he was hold up in the bathroom. He should have shot and fled. But the movie maker tried to create a memorable scene there, and tried to depict his hatred which culminated in a sadist burst of anger. Still, I can’t imagine any real reason why Ramadhar Singh was so dejected that he gave up and surrendered like that. I think it was shown that way to make Nawaj appear the total victor.

Zeishan Quadri, who played Definite’s role was epic. All through the movie, he performed so well. I wonder why we do not see him in many other movies after GOW-2.

I wanted the Part-1 later on, and did not like it as much as Part-2. I guess we should never watch a movie sequel in wrong order. But, I noticed that Part-1 is dominated by Manoj Bajpai who has given such a powerful performance that he eclipses everyone else. Nawazuddin Siddiquia looks like a novice in front of him, and Pankaj Tripathi and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s powerful performance also appears regular.

After watching Part-1, I thought that Ramadhar Singh should have given more respect to his son JP Singh and listened to him. If JP Singh had his way, he would have eliminated all members of Sardar Khan’s family much before. The manner in which Singh family was insulted by Sardar Khan and later by Faizal, was the result of tolerating the enemies too much and for too long. The script writers gave a consolation by showing that JP Singh managed to get into power, by conspiring to eliminate his own father. This could have been avoided if Ramadhir Singh was not so arrogant. But it is also not practical that a cunning wise man like him would ignore his own son’s aspirations for so long. Movie writers have to show unrealistic things in order to shock viewers, I guess.  

- Rahul Tiwary