Movie Review: 2 Harihar Nagar

The comedy-drama In Harihar Nagar, chronicling the story of four intimate friends Mahadevan (Mukesh), Govindan Kutty (Siddique), Appukuttan (Jagadish), and Thomas Kutty (Ashokan) is a gem beyond price, a movie class apart for Malayalis.
I went by the review where someone said the multi-starrer, 2 Harihar Nagar, written and directed by Lal, is so simply rocking, and that all you need is to grab some popcorn and watch it in cinemas because it is ‘so genuine’. Sure I grabbed some popcorn, but was enjoying it more and busy defending the pack from my friend, than the movie before me.
The release date of the movie, April 1, is simply not co-incidental; it was to fool its thronging audience with trite comedy (my classroom is even funnier), familiar Sardar jokes, except that here the sardar is Appukuutan who is a dentist, and upsetting performance by some of its lead actors.
The film opens with childhood days of the quartet when they vow to stand by together in all times. Scenes shift to their present times, where they are now irked by their responsible and dutiful lives. The four are in search to spice up their lives beyond the lens of their families and end up meeting each other after many years in the backdrop of the wedding of Thommasutty.
The plot picks up when beautiful Lakshmi Rai comes to stay in Harihar Nagar under false name, Maya. She allures the foursome, and eventually traps them in her spin saying her husband, Vineeth, a dancer by profession, was ravished by John Honai, their common enemy. The four tries to rescue her and their kidnapped friend, Thomasutty but eventually comes to know that it was a well-planned plot by both. The trio then meets Vineeth, who claims to know Maya, but under some other name and warns them to steer clear from her. Took by surprise that the dancer is no way her spouse, they realize her intention was to dig up the cash suitcase they were associated with from the prequel. The twist is Thomas Kutty too is a party to this perpetration. He questions his conscience while he passes through the old church where the friends once bonded each other. He changes his mind and abandons the suitcase in the doorstep of Govindan Kutty’s home. The final scene is when the trio present the same suitcase for his marriage the next day.

In a manner of speaking, the first-half of the film is simply anti-woman. The playboy manners of the quartet send wrong signals to the society and reinforce such thoughts already present in some nasty men.
As an actor in profession with years experience, Ashokan just piss off with his poor acting skills, Jagadish seems overly stupid and clown-like with his loud, straight and unfunny jokes (CHALI, in colloquial) but not all times though. On the whole, Appu Kuttan, the dentist, we love you more than any character in the plot. Mukesh and Siddique and Lakshmi Rai does justice to their roles.
The choreography for Vineeth in his dancing role was a real laugh. The time has exceeded for him to call it quits as he is not even able to perform a bold leap, age constraints, you know.
The good-old Harihar Nagar seems to have gone upmarket, never mind as it cannot remain the same 18 years before.
The music is good remix, full stop. An easy job for the music director, Alex Paul as there’s nothing new in it.
The post-production team was busy flaunting the technological advances in film-making. It would have been better to KISS, I mean, Keep It Simple, Stupid.
As a viewer, I think I have all rights to rate a movie, and I go by 2 stars on 5 for 2 Harihar Nagar.
Whatsoever, the audience has heartily welcomed again the funny four, as a good excuse to revisit the golden years of comedy films in Malayalam.

The EU Film Festival 2009

Kozhikode, one of the six Indian cities that have been chosen for this year’s European Film Festival, hosted the 14th European Union Film Festival held from March 29 to April 2. Films from 15 countries were been screened for the festival.
Most of the films I viewed in the package seek to shore up friendly-ties between EU and Asian and African countries or to prove the stand of these countries vis-a- vis some political issue, better still to acquaint their audience with people, culture, language of other countries.
I truly, madly, deeply loved the Polish movie Hania (2007) directed by Janusz Kaminski and Arabian Nights (2007) from Luxembourg directed by Paul Kieffer.

The plot of Hania revolves around the life the perfect young and gorgeous couple, who has good jobs, good home and so forth, but Ola, the cute wife of Wojtka, yearns for a child. Wojtka who is a workaholic disappoints her saying that they are not still prepared for it. She turns to her childhood friend, Jozef, who runs a pre school to help adopt a child. She brings home a quite, unconventional, contemplative wonder kid, Janek who plays a big role to bring the couples closer. The setting of the film is a livid, lovely winter and the Christmas with all its liveliness. Janek teaches Wojtka the essence of a man’s short life and how can it be made worth living with people you love. But I don’t why the script kills the boy with some ailment after he takes an effort to fly in the air. And he does it! The final bird’s eye view shot is Janek’s from heaven, watching the little family take a stroll in a lush garden with their biological baby.

Another must-watch in the fest is Arabian Nights, a Luxembourg movie. “What happens when a westerner falls in love with the enchanting East?”
When ticket inspector Georges Turmes first meets Yamina Ben Khouri on the train between Luxembourg City and Bettembourg, she is just another passenger. When he sees her again, she is trying to sleep between some old petrol barrels and an abandoned garage near the railway station. When they run into each other a third time, she is trying to hide in the train toilet, severely beaten up, blood all over face. Georges offers her help, and she accepts, reluctantly – and both their lives will change forever. Then Yamina disappears, leaving Georges completely disoriented. He leaves a final note to his wife that he was going to leave her. Trying to find Yamina, Georges meets her old acquaintances. The more of them he speaks to, the less he seems to know about her; everybody has a different version of her life. Finally, he is convinced he has to go to Algiers to rescue her.

From being penniless to hire a room at night, the ghastly accident he witnesses in which Yamina was traveling, and the consequent spending a night sleeping in cold mud floor, the second half of the movie chronicles the real hardships he has to undergo to locate the whereabouts of his damsel. He walks through the red-hot desert sands and reaches at an oasis populated area. He sees Yamina and her family under a tent. Totally worn-out by the cruel Saharan desert, Georges, wearily walks towards her and both immerse in a deep hug.
“Dream or reality? A simple and beautiful drama from Luxembourg.”

Role of media in combating terrorism

Enough is enough, clichéd it may seem, but a reality-check determines the situation is even more serious. Indeed, the time has really exceeded in overhauling the entire system of the working of the media in India. The whole country, even the international circle, is upset with the recent media faux pas (especially the televised coverage of the attack) with their irresponsible live reportage of the NSG-terrorists encounter in the rear of the Mumbai terror attack on November 26, 2008.
The TV as witnessed was purely prioritizing ways to shoot-up the TRP ratings amidst a national crisis. There is competition among the different stories that will finally be emitted; those that are victorious are more dramatic, are more spectacular in a visual sense, are more emotional and contain other elements that are able to be assimilated by an image-oriented culture.
But then what India needs at this hour paradoxically, is sharp journalism focused on bringing to light the rampant corruption, insurgency, terror, political-highhandedness and development rather than the exclusive and sensitized reporting of terror or P3 life.

The media are not simple entities that transmit “raw” information. It has an active role in “constructing” the news, making terrorists actions understood in a context that simplifies, prioritizes, and structures the narrative flow of these stories.
The media persons should realize that they are not manipulated by terrorists into promoting the cause of terrorism or its methods. The challenge for policymakers is to explore mechanisms enhancing media/government cooperation to accommodate people’s need for honest coverage while limiting the gains that may be provided for terrorists or their cause. Communication between the government and the media here is an important element in any strategy to prevent terrorist causes and strategies from prevailing and to preserve democracy.
In the first place, we must scrutinize what terrorists want from media. It should be free publicity as it cannot be availed directly to spread their mission, and this in turn is modeled to seek a favourable understanding of their cause, if not their act. Further, it is been also said that in hostage situations, terrorists need to have details on identity, number and value of hostages, and details on the public exposure of their operation or a possibility for any plans of military retaliation. And at last but far from least, these radical elements seek coverage to amplify panic on the enemy side, to spread fear, to facilitate economic loss (like scaring away investment and tourism), to make populations loose faith in their governments' ability to protect them, and the overall threat of terrorism.
Sadly though, terrorists could achieve just that in India.
What we can infer from a series of reportages is to separate the terrorist from the media and present them as criminals and avoid glamorizing them; to foster the viewpoint that kidnapping a prominent person, blowing up a building, or hijacking an airplane is a criminal act regardless of the terrorists' cause.
Media, with its imminent power of publicity can help diffuse the tension of a situation by feeding the public relevant information during an attack to minimise damage.
The CNN IBN dished out a series of reportage which portrayed Mumbai as a ‘phoenix city’ which rose from the ashes of the shoot outs and bombings with full vigour, despite the chain of terror attacks which started from CST railway station. The cafe owner who had lost two employees during the shoot out was hell bent to re-open the shop immediately after the attack; thereby dishing out a silent but firm message to the perpetrators, ‘Nothing can kill the spirit of a Mumbaikar.’ Such messages should form the news content, and avoid covering emotional stories on relatives of victims.
It was media’s folly during the Mumbai terror attack on November 26 to have revealed the planned anti-terrorist actions or provide the terrorists with data that helps them. Media should have remembered the nation was in a state of war even if the government had not explicitly said so; also is an urgent need to cut loose talk at this juncture, with supporting instances like the Antulay issue. It is the job of the media to play down news that undermines the spirit of a nation.
During such a crisis, media ought to restraint themselves and follow governmental rules as security of the nation weighs more than the freedom of press.
From various careless coverage of news one can easily deduce that media should never reveal government secrets or detail techniques on how successful operations were performed or publicize successful terrorist technological achievements and operational methods which may inspire other anti-elements to function.
It is very necessary to form a voluntary press coverage guideline on terrorism reporting like agreeing not to air live unedited interviews with terrorists; or interview police and army officials during combat, checking sources of information carefully when the pressure is high to report information that may not be accurate, limiting information on military, or police, movements during rescue operations and so on.
If we have to curb terrorism, we need to be cleverer than the terrorists. The problem with terrorism is that they are learning from our mistakes. The media and the government have common interests in seeing that the media are not manipulated into promoting the cause of terrorism or its methods.
Terrorists will suffer a blow in the hands of people’s determination and the support of the fourth pillar of the democracy. Media can control the publicity scenario by portraying the never-die-attitude of the public that can etch the coup-de-grace of all terror outfits, and help the government in all ways in building a terror free society. In any case, optimism rules!

“Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory”, Norman Vincent Peale.

Book Review

Zionism: v. 1: The Real Enemy of the Jews
* Hardcover: 596 pages
* Publisher: WORLD FOCUS PUBLISHING, Kent, England.(2005),Camel Books, Calicut (Indian Imprint) (2007)
* Language: English

“If the conflict in Palestine goes on, it has all the potential to go to hell, the Armageddon,” said Alan Hart, a former British television executive, an analyst in Middle-East affairs, narrates the terrifying global consequences of the conflict which has certainly led to the Clash of Civilisation, that is Judeo-Christianity Vs Islam. The author is also a correspondent with ITN’s New at Ten and BBC’s Panorama Programme.
Alan Hart in his latest book, ‘Zionism: The Real Enemy of Jews’ provide a deeper analysis perhaps for the first time ever, of why we are on a course for a Clash of Civilisations and how it can be averted.
The book is a rewrite of the Arab-Israeli conflict, narrating its regional and global dimensions.
The author finds out Zionism has a negative influence on several aspects, be it world economy, politics, media, anything you name it, are under the control and fear of Zionism. It relies constantly on terror and Antisemitism for its survival.
But the author seeks to blame the "Zionists" for anything he can. Here is a small sampling of quotes from the first chapter: "Arafat is loved by many of his colleagues," his "kindness and his humanity is something unbelievable," and his courtesy is "unfailing." One person is quoted as saying that compared to Gamal Abdul Nasser, "Arafat is a saint."
The author adopts a style of writing like a novel rather than a conventional historic account to make it accessible to all. The book cannot be read in a jiffy, instead needs time and effort to grasp the points author wants to highlight the readers. But it is worth a read who like to read on world politics. He says enough for me to understand that a two state solution will never work, it will be based on the Israel state dominating the Palestine state. Hart says that a unified fight against Zionism from within Israel and beyond is the only real solution to this problem.

Crazy Gopalan: a baggage of trite comedy
The so-called hilarious, comedy thriller that boasts of a cast having almost all Malayalam comedy stars, indeed turns out to be a punishment, disaster and killjoy for all who went to cinemas assuming actor Dileep’s previous success with comedy genre. Sadly though, the debut director, Deepu, could hardly create a genuine echo of laughter inside the cinema hall as it is nothing short of slapstick comedy, loud action scenes, and too many characters sharing screen space.
The story is about this obscure village thief, Gopalan, who creates sleepless nights for the local people and who leaves, a thank-giving note behind after each theft. This was to avenge the whole village who tortured his father to commit suicide on false allegations of misappropriation of chiti-funds. Salim Kumar, engaged in similar profession, partners with Gopalan (Dileep) and both get caught up in a bank burglary which they did not commit. Salim Kumar is shot dead by the real perpetrator (Manoj K Jayan), who himself is the bank MD, and Gopalan manages to escape. The second part of the movie is supported by Jagadi, but here too lacks a punch that the duo could easily create in CID Moosa.
The musical score is appalling, so are the action scenes reeking the age old monotonous,dishum-dishum style and the set never moves out of Kochi and near by places. Maybe, the producer is too reeling under the global economic recession and wants to keep the film budget to minimum. We all know, Dileep is an actor of high caliber. As luck would have it, better next time, dude!
I go with one star out of five for Crazy Gopalan. Highly recommended if you really like loud comedy with happy and predictable ending or if your train is late by four hours and feels like nothing to do around, watch this.
Posted by:
Uthara Nair

The stage set for the one-week long cinematic delight in the capital Thiruvavanthapuram for the 13th International Film Festival of Kerala from 12-19 December, 2008 has come to an end. I was a delegate in the festival who spent a week-long living, thinking and talking only films, shut out from the world of reality. Some of the movies which I thoroughly enjoyed were,


Machan, a movie I thought to be discussing some chronic problems of a developing country is in its way a surprise package for its audience. Set in the slums of Sri Lanka the film shares very light moments with its audience amidst an island of dark movies in the IFFK 2008. No prizes for guessing this year’s Best Entry in Competition film category by festival delegates, it is deservedly Machan, in its first ever screening at an Asian film festival.
The movie revolves around the lives of four educated youths trying to escape from their country to overseas for a better way of living but have no resources to achieve the ends. Things take a U-turn when they find an invitation to a handball tournament in Bavaria. They garner some neighbourhood people making it to sixteen members and name themselves as Sri Lankan National Handball Federation. They play the international tournament to lose out the three games to the host team. By very next day cops reach their hotel rooms to arrest on charges of illegal immigration but all would have fled by then to different parts of the EU. The Srilankan sports authorities later inform that they never had a national handball team.
Uberto Pasolini, the German director of the film says he got accidentally involved in the making of the movie and it was the real effort of the natives including the cast-and-crew, co-script writer Ruwanthie de Chickera, and the production team.
Machan’s a movie narrating the lives hapless youths who wish to make it high but are shackled due to lack of opportunity and resources, plus indicates the extreme measures people will take to better their fortunes.

The Photograph
One reason I liked photograph (an Indonesian movie) the most in the competition category is its resemblance to my favourite Thai movies I watched before, at least the similarity in their faces. The second is the excellent photography connecting the film’s mood to the audience. The movie was successful to well my eyes with tears and make me ponder how losing the very special people in our life can alter us forever, here towards self-indignation and destruction.
The story is about Sita, a stunning prostitute who sings at a karaoke bar, works very hard to send money to her daughter in her hometown. Searching for a new place to stay, she comes to rent an old room upstairs at the house of Mr Johan, who is a photographer. She soon discovers that Mr Johan doesn’t have much time to live and has three wishes before his death; one was to find a male successor to his passion in photography. Unable to come across a good successor, Mr Johan had to let Sita perform the task of getting himself photographed in his last breathing moments. Sita realizes the value of life watching Johan as he prepares for his death.

Final Solution

While I was defending the saffron ideals, as it seems to lose hold, pushed to the horizon, my debating friend gave me a link to download a banned documentary “Final solution”, a film dedicated to the victims of politics of hate and violence... of Gujarat, directed by Rakesh Sharma. I was shocked beyond words as I sat through until the closing credits. I was shocked because the documentary was saying things that I never read in any of the newspapers. It literally subverts the official and media reports of the communal violence that happened after the 2003 Godhra carnage, Gujarat.

The director Rakesh Sharma checks the pulse of the people in the riot affected areas of Halol, Pavagad, Naroda, Naroda Patiya and Gulbarg Society and talks to its Muslim and Hindu populace. While many of the media reports claimed just five people (Muslims) were dumped into a well and killed thereafter, an up-close chat with local school going boys uncovers a ruthless alternate version, some of the best kept secrets of the Gujarat government. The boys testify scores of people lost their lives,including a lot of women and children. Women who tried to escape were molested, stripped-off, and then burnt alive.

The Godhra carnage saw 58 karsevaks lit alive in the tail end of Sabarmati Express on December 27, 2002 setting off a historic aftermath, a communal violence (the saffron party still denies it be called as communal violence) that took lives of hundreds of innocent Muslims.
In the documentary, goes a VHP leader at a ‘Trident ceremony’ or Trishul Diksha, taking oath with his disciples:
“After adopting Trishul, I will worship Shankar and Durga..
..and will build the Ram temple..will help defeat Jehad..
..will split Pakistan into forty parts…
and will help make India a Hindu nation..
Jai Shri Ram..”

These people are shaming our Gods. Ok, gods took lives of demons, not innocent unassuming people. What a stark contrast to what we studied back in our schools? India is a multi-ethnic state!

The film is a revelation against the backdrop of the false numbers reported in the media. That said, it still looks appropriate to seek ban on such documentaries in the interest of the public because it will do nothing towards improving the Muslim-Hindu relationship. Going forward, the documentary might only instigate hatred, skepticism, and scorn in a much-tensed society. Hindus are discontented with the current special reservation based on religion, we sense this as well, but resorting to violence is not the solution. Come to power with a big electorate mandate but not through violence, this shall be the greatest tribute to a great religion that is known for truth, knowledge and tolerance. Hindus are known to be balanced,  reliable and have a long tradition of tolerance. However, the tolerance does not mean submission to the other, one needs to be assertive of  the needs and aspiration, such as fight against the rampant conversion of faith. Hindus can prevent conversion only through a planned reformation, a complete overhaul of the current system. Dump, criticize and kill casteism, stop neglecting the Harijans, let the Shudra marry a Brahmin, may Brahmins spread the knowledge of Vedas, or let any practising Hindu keen on performing pooja be allowed into the sanctum sanctorium of temples. These are NOT rights exclusive to the upper class, for there exists no class. If this can be met, I bet there will be no threat of conversion.
And coming again to it, let us not malign our beliefs by displaying religious superiority over each other. India is a democratic country (though there should be a ‘fake’ prefixed to democratic, heck!) whatever, let us not consciously create another Gujarat, because I wish to co-exist with my Muslim, Christian and Sikh friends in a just ecosystem that knows no differences.

Written by:
Uthara Nair,
Dept of Mass Communication and Journalism
University of Calicut