English Vinglish

I usually don’t write movie reviews but when I see a good film I feel I must write about it. (the earlier reviews that I wrote were Peepli Live and Tintin)

Kudos to Gauri Shinde for giving the world a good film in Hindi.

Yes, this is a movie that will not only run in India, but will have a universal appeal and audience.

One of the salient features of this movie is the perfect casting. Be it the mother in law (Sulabha Deshpande) or the loud mouthed lady at the coffee counter in New York, 

or the ever smiling priest (Ashvin Mathew) from Kottayam (with his hand movements that  is so characteristic of a Mallu), all were perfectly cast. Most of them underplayed their roles which was the hallmark of the movie.

Some of the other character actors that stand out are Mehdi Nebbou who does the role of Laurent (the French Student). Even though I have seen him on screen with Leonardo DiCaprio in Body of Lies and as Ali Hassan Salameh in Spielberg’s Munich, I just could not recognize him as the French guy Laurent who goes for the English classes with Shashi (Sridevi).

Adil Hussain as Shashi’s husband has done justice to his role. 

In fact I would say that each one has played their role perfectly. And that includes Amitabh Bachan. 

Even though it’s a small cameo role, he did it with ease.  I liked his reply when the US immigration officer asks him the standard question “What is the purpose of your visit?”  to which he replies “To spend  some  dollars and help  your economy. If you don’t want it, I can go back” 

There were some fine details in the movie which may go unnoticed like the time when Shashi and her sister Meera (Sujata Kumar) makes the  laddoos at Manhattan. Shashi rolls the laddoo with her bare hands while Meera does it with gloved hands (as per the norms by the Europeans and Americans that all edible items are not be handled by bare hands) From hygiene point of view it may be true but when it comes to rolling laddoos, you have to feel the temperature of it constantly to know how firm the laddoos will turn out. 

Then there is the time when Shashi rummages through her hand bag for her cell phone and in the process keeps the roll of French Laddoo (given by Laurent) down on the seat and forgets it. A subtle way of showing that she did not accept the roll given by Laurent.

What I liked best in the movie is the fast editing. No one realises that it is the editing that keeps the pace of the movie.
The song Badla Nazara is fast paced and may sound loud initially, but if you listen to the lyrics, it gives a sense of urgency, to do things fast in a short time. Exactly the situation Shashi is faced with.

The Marathi-Hindi song Navrai Maajhi is a perfect example of using Dholki, Banjo, Harmonium and the Tumbi to give an Indian song a rustic effect.

One gets to see some parts of Pune as the story is based on a family from Pune (India) It would have enhanced the authenticity if Shashi had used a few words of Marathi here and there (though she did mention Laxmi road and Main Street)

If you found the film colourful, its thanks to the wonderful cinematography by Laxman Utekar, with his multiple cameras at the wedding scene and the boom camera at the terrace scene.

Ahhhh yes, Sridevi’s sarees –beautifully draped and carried with great  sense of style. Simple  but  wonderfully ethnic , showcasing the essence of  Indian textiles…Khadhi, Chanderi and then some more….. thanks to Sabyasachi. Though I get the feel that they must cost a bomb!

And finally coming to Sridevi, she has proven that emoting and acting can still be done after a long hiatus  of 15 years!  

No wonder this movie got a standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival.