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Zoran009
PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 6:22 pm 
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Devdas fights a losing battle
Saibal Chatterjee (http://www.HindustanTimes.com)
New Delhi, January 13

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas began its Oscar run on Sunday with a screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF), a high-profile event that is attended by many voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Nestled in a valley 100-odd km off Los Angeles, Palm Springs unveils foreign language Oscar submissions from across the globe, providing an early indication of which way the Academy will vote.

"I am pretty positive about Devdas," said Bhansali after sweeping the Zee Cine Awards last weekend. But his confidence may prove to be misplaced if the Palm Springs response is anything to go by.

Says Lisa Tsering, Entertainment Editor of India West, a California-based weekly: "I don't think Devdas will get the nomination. Despite its visual grandeur and beautiful music, it's too overblown and melodramatic - even for a Bollywood movie!"

Ms Tsering blames the Film Federation of India, the apex industry body which selects India's Oscar entry. "The voting body needs to be better attuned to what the international film community wants instead of merely pushing the same old, predictable stuff each year (excepting of course the totally deserving Lagaan)," she argues.

"Either Buddhadeb Dasgupta's masterpiece Mondo Meyer Upakhyan/A Tale of a Naughty Girl or Mani Ratnam's beautiful Kannathil Muthamittal/ A Peck on the Cheek deserved the Oscar submission. They are far more layered, complex and rewarding films," she adds.

New Delhi-based filmmaker Anwar Jamal, whose low-budget feature Swaraaj - The Little Republic is being screened in Palm Springs this year, agrees: "We might have even won a nomination if one of the above films was sent."

Therese Hayes, programmer, Indian films, PSIFF, recalls the enthusiasm that Lagaan evoked last year. "Lagaan was so well received that it was chosen one of the top ten favourites and is still talked about… One filmgoer said it was the shortest four hours he had ever spent," she says. Excitement over Devdas hasn't hit quite the same pitch.

Palm Springs is, incidentally, presenting a package of Indian films rather inaccurately titled Bollywood. The section includes films by Ratnam, Dasgupta, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Aparna Sen alongside Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Devdas and Dil Chahta Hai. "When we chose to use the term Bollywood, it had all to do with hype and not accuracy," admits Ms Hayes.

Ms Tsering is, however, more than happy with the Indian package: "Bollywood may not be the right word, but the Palm Springs festival has absolutely the best range of Indian films I've ever seen in a festival line-up." But that, it seems, is unlikely to help Bhansali's cause.
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sknath
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 6:26 pm 
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Hah ! It will surely be gratifying if this "film" doesnt get a nod .
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 6:32 pm 
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This is called "REALITY CHECK"

Har chamkne waali cheez sona nahin hoti!
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sknath
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 6:36 pm 
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Par har EROS ka dvd GOBAR zaroor hota hai :D
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 6:50 pm 
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[Par har EROS ka dvd GOBAR zaroor hota hai ] :D :nopity:

Ab aur kiya bloun, GET PREPARED FOR GOBBAR PART II, DEVDAS GOBBAR SECOND EDITION< soon!! :baaa: :bangbang: :nopity: :bash:
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DVD Collector
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 7:27 pm 
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I think this article is too resistive on Devdas, as it only displays an individual's point of view. I wouldn't take this article too serious to any extent or its prediction as to where Devdas stands at the Oscar run. I personally fail to understand why Devdas is being criticized for being too melodramatic which as a result won't get the film anywhere, when infact films like Bend It Like Backham & Bollywood/Hollywood are far most artificial and at the same time get highly recognized at film festivals and even get award nominations. It goes more to show that this article is nothing else but someone trying to enforce there dumbass views.

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dograk
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 9:41 pm 
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might i mention arsh bhai that HT has trashed devdas for months - it was them that ran the first story that said that devdas was not even close to oscar calibre...

anyways, look closely - where are the other people who watched the film?? only a spokeman for indiawest? what happened to the rest? esp. the goras?
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 10:27 pm 
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dogra ji and collector!! If the prob is with HT, let it be!!

IMHO!! DEVDAS was a GOOD film, for HINDI audience, full of gold/silver, gaane/naach/acting!

But it was not a HARD HITTING unique product, to WIN OSCAR!!

It might be understandable, that DEVDAS going to OSCAR was the only POLITICALLY CORRECT decision! that could have come from INDIA!

But!! remember, last year when LAGAAN was nominated, there was no bikerring! whatsoever! except after its nomination, people realized that it will have TOUGH TIME! and it DID!!

I am not anti DEVDAS, can watch that film many times, BUT sending films like HDDCS/MOHABTAEN/KKHH/KKKG/DEVDAS!!
Man!! I cant digest that!!It does not fit my SENSE and SENSIBILITIES either!!

If any of SLB film was worth Oscar nominaTION, IT WAS khamoshi, ALSO FOR best actot/best actress/best plot/story!
i WONT SAY A WORD!

bUT damn KHAMOSAHI WAS NOT EVEN SENT TO COMPETE IN NATIONALS, DAmn, BHANSALI!!! LOOSER!

This is BHARAT BHAII's film, that makes a DIFFERENCE!
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kamran
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 13, 2003 11:20 pm 
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DVD Collector wrote:
I personally fail to understand why Devdas is being criticized for being too melodramatic which as a result won't get the film anywhere, when infact films like Bend It Like Backham & Bollywood/Hollywood are far most artificial and at the same time get highly recognized at film festivals and even get award nominations.

Thank you. Perhaps what they are missing is that the melodramatic element in Hindi movies is what gives them their specific quality. In my opinion, DEVDAS was no more melodramatic than LAGAAN was; in fact, the latter was abound with cliches and melodrama. But that's what made it so appealing, even though we knew that they were going to win in the end no matter what. DEVDAS is not a foray into subtle filmmaking, but this is what Bollywood is. We should not always send hard-hitting "realistic" or "art" films just because we think they will give us recognition or aclaim. Just look at MOULIN ROUGE, heavily inspired by Bollywood films - everything was over the top and distracting, but no one dismisses the validity of its nominations or accolades.
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DragunR2
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2003 2:38 am 
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Nothing wrong with melodrama. The Devdas story is inherently melodramatic. But Devdas wasn't done with much style. Lagaan was melodramatic, no doubt about it, but the story and subject matter was such that it is obviously a fantasy film. It was done with better style, IMO, but neither film is deserving of the Oscar. If India submits something as good as No Man's Land instead of just picking the biggest hit of the year, I will support them. I'm still pissed off that they submittted f*****g Jeans to the Oscars. Idiots.
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2003 3:25 am 
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Jeans was submitted to show grandiour of sfx, of aish dancing skeleton and dinosaur giving badhaii at the wedding!!Whata climax! in the end!!No body had seen those before! ha ha! :stupid:



Edited By arsh on 1042514777
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kamran
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2003 4:30 am 
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Yeah, JEANS sucked, but the Aish dance with her skeleton twin was easily the highlight of the film. I was rolling on the ground in laughter, if only because it was so unexpected. You don't see crazy shit like that everyday.



Edited By kamran on 1042518637
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DVD Collector
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2003 7:15 am 
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arsh wrote:
dogra ji and collector!! If the prob is with HT, let it be!!

IMHO!! DEVDAS was a GOOD film, for HINDI audience, full of gold/silver, gaane/naach/acting!...

... I am not anti DEVDAS, ...

arsh-bhai, I hope that you didn't assume that me mentioning the term "dumbass" in my previous message was aiming towards you? No! my reply was infact a response to everything the lady was saying about Devdas in the article.

DragunR2 wrote:
Nothing wrong with melodrama. The Devdas story is inherently melodramatic. But Devdas wasn't done with much style. Lagaan was melodramatic, no doubt about it, but the story and subject matter was such that it is obviously a fantasy film. It was done with better style, IMO, but neither film is deserving of the Oscar. If India submits something as good as No Man's Land instead of just picking the biggest hit of the year, I will support them. I'm still pissed off that they submittted f*****g Jeans to the Oscars. Idiots.

I agree, Lagaan was a better made film than Devdas, and if you were hinting that No Man's Land was better than Lagaan and that Lagaan too wasn't an Oscar-worthy film, now I disagree with you here, in my opinion; Lagaan was a better film than No Man's Land, the latter I thought was mediocre at best.

Image



Edited By DVD Collector on 1042528611
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Zoran009
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2003 4:58 pm 
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I DID NOT TAKE ANY OFFENSE YAAR!

Now, if u read carefully, me/no body else had any prob, with lagaan's nomination!

We were/are proud of where lagaan went and also proud of Aamir(just for his efforts here)!

But that was the best INDIA could send last year!What lagaan achieved for India! You all know!

No man land Won!! It deserved to! but it does not mean LAGAAN was a wrong nomination!

But Hindi films, kinda loose its impact, imho, mostly on its duration, LAGAAN never had a mainstream release, in US/UK!
It had tough cometition with some one of very best foreign films!Lagaan was not tried to get nominated in any other category, art/cinematography/sound/background etc!

But LAGAAN was a NOVEL film!

Now, this year INDIA could not see beyond DEVDAS! period...So whatever India sends, is not always OSCAR WORTHY and does not get NOMINATED! but they prob send their politically fastest HORSE!

I think those two films the lady mentioned are VERY GOOD along with Mr. and Mrs. Iyer! and I would love to see WARRIOR in there, that got disqualified for political reasons and India wont nominate either as it does not qualify their political criteria! So where warrior stands?

Devdas, even if does not get nominated in OSCARS! BEST FOREIGN CATEGORY, WILL STILL HOLD ITSELF IN BOLLYWOOD HISTORY OF GOOD FILMS IN ITS GENRE!

4 GHANTE ka musical, man, too much!

What do u think about CHICAGO! THIS YEAR!

I remember for MOULIN ROUGE! WHOOPIE GOLDBERG ridiculed that film, by saying that whatever people had been doing in that, BUZZ did not had any thing remarkable of that!

I dont see, DEVDAS BECOMING OFFICIAL CONTENDOR! but we will see!

finally, if India want to become a nation sending an oscar worthy film every year, producer/directors have to change their film making a bit in a way, keeping their strengths, and try give atleast a short version, more compact ,coherent, hard hitting product for international release, with a fewer songs, more in background! keeping quality subjects, new and fresh!

The way 2002 ended, it was year of remakes, starting from devdas....raaz ended with kaante, saathiya!Their were a few noteworth original films, including MW, SUR, FILHAAL, MAKDEE, etc that went unrecognized at home!

look at screen awards! raaz music was better than devdas and sur! damn it!Mahesh bhatt wrote the best plot, combining two films!

2003 is also buzzing with remakes!
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dograk
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2003 10:55 pm 
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something very very odd...remember it was reported that TIME had put Devdas in #4???

well look at this:
Image


??? - DEvdas is clearly #1.....whats going on??
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