http://www.nrilinks.com/news/n/2/8089.aspx

Jr B's 'Naach' has little to do with dance
By: Subhash K Jha
September 25, 2003

RAMU'S TUNE FINALLY!: Abhishek Bachchan
After two false starts when Abhishek Bachchan dropped out of Company and Bhoot, in favour of Vivek Oberoi and Ajay Devgan respectively, the young Bachchan will finally be working with Ram Gopal Varma.

The film, curiously entitled Naach, will feature the unusual pair of Abhishek and Antara Mali in a most unusual love story.

Says Varma, "Though the film is called Naach it's got nothing to do with dancing. It all happened when I bumped into this guy named Kiran Reddy. He has just done a course in cinematography. He narrated a very unusual love story to me. See, normally romantic films are done in a particular way with silken songs, eye-catching locales and costumes. Naach is exactly the opposite. It's set in a milieu that would remind audiences of Satya.

Through the Abhishek-Antara romance it will reveal the harsh side of Mumbai city. Everything from the music to the location and performances will redefine on-screen romance. One kind of musical is Chicago or Moulin Rouge. Naach will be another kind of musical where the music won't make your feet tap. The film will be designed as an audio-visual poem."

On director Reddy, Varma says, "He has never directed a film so I'll be on the sets throughout to assist him. His vision is so powerful I want to learn from him. Every scene will be interpreted in a way never seen before."

Why the unusual pair of Abhishek and Antara? Explains Varma, "It's the way the characters are written. And Abhishek and I missed the chance of working together earlier. But now it's finally going to happen. I haven't seen too many of his films. But when I saw Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon I thought he was fantastic. There's a certain thehrao and intensity in Abhishek's personality which haven't been captured on screen as yet."

The film starts shooting next month. Abhishek, who's currently in Chennai shooting for Boney Kapoor's Run, says,"I've wanted to work with Ramu for a long time. Now it's finally happening. I can't wait."



Edited By DragunR2 on 1065292606

would have been good if RGV was directing this film himself. btw, has be started on EK yet?



Edited By Khiladi on 1065327457

Doesn't RGV have a reputation for sort of ghost-directing films he didn't officially direct?

http://www.indiafm.com/stills/04/naach/index.shtml











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RGV seems to be going backwards.....after the high of COMPANY a couple of years ago, till which time each subsequent movie of his was improving in some dept. or the other of cinema, we had BHOOT which was pretty tame and now NAACH, which in my mind is fairly mindless.....it has some interesting visuals and from some of the recent RGV interviews I have read, he seems more obsessed with creating cinematic 'moments' as he calls them. He keeps giving the example of SHOLAY where the entire movie is not remembered but just the scenes with Gabbar & Thakur or Gabbar & Jai or Veeru & Gabbar. That is plain rubbish IMO. Cinema is certainly a visual medium but it also involves the aural, and certainly a form of story telling. It is not like a performing art like ballet where you can make abstract movements and yet be appreciated. Over 2 hours of abstract pictures & sounds can drive the most passionate cinema buff nuts, I would think. If you are not telling a tale then reams of footage are simply wasted and it is a rather selfish indulgence.

NAACH will be termed one of his lowest points of creativity. Frankly Antara Mali's various body contortions are a yawn. Abhishek Bachchan acts well and is certainly the saving grace of the film. That is something RGV must be given credit for. He somehow manages to extract good performances from all his male leads. Even Riteish Deshmukh does a nicely controlled appearance. I do hope RGV gets out of this rather staid phase and gives his audiences something meatier....really looking forward to his SARKAR or is he going to be an obstinate p!@#$ and screw that one up too?

Although I have yet to see Naach, my argument is completely in disagreement to this point. A film's prime aim shoudn't alone be inside acceptable storytelling. I believe in the cinema that confronts my intelligence, a cinema that accelerates me mentally ahead in life. A film with a good or even a great story sometimes works too well for the viewer to intervene. I believe that a great story is one that leaves it's viewer puzzled or that the story is left blank for us to complete. The depiction of skillful abstract in a film is pure art, it's visual complexities gives the artist and the viewer an explicit truth behind the pain and passion the common man suffers in everyday life.

Fair enough. I have nothing against your argument about cinema engaging one's intelligence. Everyone for his own modes of entertainment, though personally I may do a crossword or a jigsaw puzzle . So long as a movie engages some of my senses in a positive fashion, not necessarily only the cerebral, I will consider it an enjoyable experience. Perhaps there's a flaw in my articulation, but I shall await your response till after you have seen NAACH.

Naach is one of the most appealing film for me this year ... the story might not be the most original here but everything other than that (specially the visuals) are top-notch. It is quite deliberately slow paced and artistic but still remains quite accessible (as opposed to the work of M F Hussain). The acting I thought was pretty top-notch from all concerned (including the much maligned Antara Mali). I also liked the use of very minimal dialogues to convey the thoughts of each character, something which is quite rarely seen in the Bollywood world. There is quite a lot to read between the lines throughout the film.

-S

Story is only one aspect of a film. It may be an important aspect or very very important aspect to some or many. But, it's not an essential ingredient for a successful film. Example: Fahrenheit 911.

Haven't seen Naach yet, but will see it soon on DVD. (not avail in theatres here)

Sure, key difference being, one is a documentary and the others we generally talk about are features. IMO FAHRENHEIT 911 also tells a story, except the method of telling it is different. Its like reading an article in the Wall Street Journal(which tell us business stories) or a short story in the New Yorker magazine, a piece of fiction.

Suffice it to this, some films work for some people, some simply dont. NAACH did only partly for me and I am a fan of RGV's. I am also fascinated by the kind of films that seem to work for a large part of the paying audiences, sweepingly cutting across all lines. That is what get's termed a classic, it works and continues to work across generations.