Jini-B

This series was produced before I was born, and it truly blows my mind how relevant it still is, about 30 years later. The books are great, and the production crew has really tried to stay true to the stories. I am amazed by how real it seems - there is zero melodrama, something that is a staple to most Indian shows these days. The acting and direction reigns supreme, and the production value is also so true to the time period that the series was based in. The age progression is also done so well!

The main actors - Rajit Kapur and K. K. Raina, are both so magnetic on screen and as a member of the audience, their performance would reel anyone in. They have a wonderful banter going on and the chemistry in their bromance is so fun. The direction by Basu Chatterjee is fantastic. He has not only managed to stay true to the book series, but he also brought the stories to a wider audience, and immortalized the character on screen for the Indian audience to marvel at. I watched the series over the period of a few months, and finishing the last episode was a bittersweet feeling. Absolutely loved this show. Really wish more Indian shows managed to convey this fabulous spirit of storytelling.

This movie is a humorous take on the concept of monetary status, and how the idea of perceived wealth is more important than the actual possession of said wealth. While the movie does not compare to the genius of To Kill A Mockingbird and isn't half as charming as Roman Holiday, it is a feel-good movie in and of itself.

The American protagonist is down on his luck, trying to find a way to sustain himself on British soil - a situation he finds himself quite on accident. Two eccentric British gentlemen have a wager between themselves and choose this American man to help them reach a conclusion. He is handed a one-million-pound banknote and is sent out into the streets to live on it for 30 days. The man, Henry Adams (Gregory Peck), is not told much about the wager. He finds himself in a series of interesting situations that ultimately lead to one of the Britons winning the bet.

The movie is based on a short story by celebrated author, Mark Twain, and I'd have to admit, I liked the short story better. Some creative liberties were taken in the movie, and I preferred the original version in the story. Moreover, the novelty wore off fairly quickly. It would have been more interesting with some other witty elements, but it was a nice movie nevertheless. I enjoyed the idea of the story and how the movie talks about our society and the economic influence people enjoy due to the concept of perceived wealth.

The acting department mainly features Gregory Peck, as he has the maximum screen-time, and he does well with what he has been given. The female lead, Jane Griffiths, appears quite late into the movie, and even then does not have much to do. The supporting cast includes actors that were funny enough, but not so memorable in their respective roles. Overall, the movie was pleasant enough but can only be considered a one-time watch.

The description of this movie seemed so bleak that I had a difficult time before finally deciding to watch it. I have been watching a lot of Satyajit Ray films lately, and wondering at how he managed to create such different atmospheres in each of them, and leaving a touch of his own self in each. The story is a fairly depressing one, and yet there are moments of delightful optimism within the lead characters. The two boys playing Apu at different ages are both very convincing in their roles, but Karuna Banerjee's performance seals the deal for me. The way she has used her dialogues and her silence to bring out the emotions felt by her character and the interactions she has with her on-screen son, have been truly remarkable. The run-time is about an hour and 45 minutes but this movie will stay with you.

There have been many poignant moments in this movie, but one which is most hard-hitting is where a critical point in the film is signified with a shot of a flock of pigeons flying away against the beautiful backdrop of the river Ganges - powerful! The story by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay is so entrenched in intense emotions but this movie does full justice to the material.

The title is wholly significant and portrayed wonderfully in the movie conclusion. Aparajito - a beautiful concoction of pain, struggle, and incredible determination.