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Review - Paa: stirs the funny-mature kid in us
Quick Review
![[Poster for Paa]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2656/4192224888_6797b14770_m.jpg)
When I start writing my opinion of a film, I usually close my eyes looking for that one thought that is a wholesome description of the film. In most cases, where an actor's name does the deal, the film doesn't have a substantial plot. It would fall apart if that actor was not playing the said character. This doesn't hold true for Paa. The first thought and the last one are Amitabh Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan only. But what comes in between is extremely valuable to the audience's experience and to the core of the film. Sure, there are many aspects pertaining to the challenges a single parent faces while managing a child with a rare disease. But, there are enough nuances touched upon to make the viewing worthwhile. That is, if such a performance is not gratifying enough.
My apprehension before the film was that the entire do will become about Amitabh Bachchan, the star or the real life father-son relationship or equally worse, a combination of both. I'm so glad my apprehensions were absolutely uncalled for. You realize Auro is Amitabh Bachchan only when you make yourself think about it. Else you wouldn't even realize its him. Of course, a lot of that is due to the make-up artiste. Any talk of the film without a salute to the make-up person and the costume designer would be a complete disregard for these art forms. And yet, none of them would have been enough if it wasn't for the stooped shoulder, the expressive eyes, the quivering lips, and so on.
Now, before this piece becomes an essay on the Big B, let's move on to the other aspects of the film. You but cannot refrain from nodding your head in approval at the portrayal of politics even if it is mostly over-idealistic. Amitabh's performance along with Vidya Balan's elegant composure completely overshadows Abhishek Bachchan's depiction of the young, dynamic politician we so badly need.
And despite dealing with such heavy topics as these, the entire film has a very light tone, right to the end. Every time the going gets a little serious, little Auro, has something hilariously spontaneous to say - just like children always do.
Then there are these things which are over-simplified. Like the overall compassion with which people from all ages and backgrounds treat an abnormal child. Also, the social acceptance of an illegitimate child and his mother was a tad too uneasy to digest. It is obvious that these issues were intentionally left out of the equation to help focus on the characters and their relationships. But these issues are conspicuous by their absence.
Similarly, the whole comment on parents' complete disregard to anything creative as a source of living was in bad taste. A wee bit exaggerated it was, in order to get those extra laughs. Also, the maturity that 12-13 year olds show seems a bit beyond their age. The climax too seems a little too melodramatic compared to the tone of the rest of the film.
Usually, films that deal with topics as varied as politics and rare genetic conditions leave you with a feeling that it should have been 2 different films, but this one blended the two together very well. Or they are interesting enough that you don't mind seeing them at one go. It was almost as if these are the two burning issues R. Balki wanted to talk about and he had only one film to do it in. At the very least, Paa documents the state of media and current affairs of the country in the naughts.
For the longest time now, I've been waiting for an Amitabh film that I really enjoyed. Finally, it's here. I wouldn't want to adjoin any more superlatives to his performance and the challenges he must have faced in getting it all right, I would want you to go and find out for yourself. Yes, you there…go get those tickets for you and your family!
- meetu, a part of the audience
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: None
- Language: Mostly clean. There is an explicit usage of the word "bastard" and what it means. Also there's a fair amount of "potty" talk that children have in their regular conversations these days.
- Nudity & Sexual content: None
- Concept: A rare genetic disorder, single parenthood, child out of marriage, and the game of politics - all bound into one.
- General Look and Feel: Its peppy, chirpy and perky.
Paa - Movie Details
- Official Website: Link
- Banner: Big Pictures, Mad Entertainment , A B Corp
- Producer: Sunil Manchandana
- Director: R Balakrishnan
- Lead Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Amitabh Bachchan
- Supporting Cast: Paresh Rawal, Taruni Sachdeva, Pratik Katare, Nimit Dhaiya, Varun Shukla, Dhruvin Doshi, Karan Bhiwandker, Gaurav Bajaj, Arundhati Naag
- Story: R Balakrishnan
- Dir. of Photography: P. C. Sriram
- Editor: Anil Naidu
- Music Director: Illaiyaraja
- Lyrics: Swananda Kirkire
- Running time: 140 minutes
- Reviewer: meetu
- Categories: Hindi Movies
- Genres: Social, Comedy, Relationships, Politics
Comments (17)
Hey ! You missed mentioning about Arundhati Nag & whoever was the set-designer. And yes ! I still feel you didn't used enough superlatives for Amitabh. Even tomes written will be tad insufficient about his this performance. And guess you are the only reviewer who didn't bashed the 'media bashing' in the movie. Thanks
posted 7 months, 3 weeks agoHi Rahul,
With performances like these, you just want people to go and watch instead of looking for the right words.
The media bashing was one of THE most enticing pieces of Amol Arte's character. I completely enjoyed it and found it perfectly justifiable.
A friend of mine said that IndiaTV recently had a show with 2 people suffering from pregaria. They were being asked "So, how do you feel about your disorder?"
posted 7 months, 3 weeks agoHi Meetu, I'd shared your apprehensions about this being an AB-family-fest. Your review makes me want to give the film a chance. I'm glad actors and film-makers are trying out new and challenging stuff.
The flaws you mention - unnaturally precocious kids and a melodramatic climax - seem to be Balki's trademark. I thought the same about his last outing Cheeni Kum.
Arundhati Nag is a terrific theatre artist; that she plays a role in the movie comes as a pleasant surprise.
posted 7 months, 3 weeks agopaa is a great movie amitabh bachan is excellent briliant
posted 7 months, 3 weeks agoHi Meetu.
Read your review after I saw the movie. In fact saw your site after a long time. I am glad it has evolved a lot since those earlier days.
Agree with you in large parts about the movie. Have some opinions on the same though. They are here: http://sunitkhot.blogspot.com/2009/12/adman-makes-movie.html
Check it out if you have the time. Would love to know what you thought.
Great to be back. Cheers!
Sunit
posted 7 months, 3 weeks agoHI. Completely agree with everything positive said above.
I would also like to credit Balki for the realism he tried to enthuse in the movie despite being an ad-film maker. For e.g. around 30-40% of the movie happens in Auro’s house which is just so real. It’s not one of those designer flats or ostentatious palace where everything is at its place and there is a place for everything. This one is cluttered, with lots of loose documents on table; toys, clothes, shoes scattered all over the place, even in drawing room. The verandah is not like miniature soccer field as shown in most Karan Johar movies but just big enough for a family to sit out relaxing in sun. The driver wears crisp white uniform but thankfully he is no Malik-ka-bachcha-mera-bachcha-type-ramu-kaka. They used gtalk to communicate not some customized chat room where font size is camera friendly . Auro uses desktop and not some branded laptop. So on so forth…
And thanks to reviewer for appreciating the media bashing episode. It was very well executed and seems completely part of story unlike what all other reviewers are describing it as.
posted 7 months, 3 weeks agoNice review!
Just a thought: when Balki shows the world at large accept this freak of nature, maybe at the back of his mind was the thought that Mani Ratnam has already gone down that path with Anjali, so he can't compete. :)
Also, implicitly films are fantasyworlds, Arnorld fans wish they were like that, romance fans wish they were wooed like that, hum aap ke hain kaun fans wish their family was like that! So think of it as a wish-fulfillment from Balki that we as people were as kind, compassionate and understanding as that!
posted 7 months, 3 weeks ago@sunit khot will certainly take a lookt at your blog post. And welcome back!!
@Vishal i haven't a clue why the media is getting offended?
@kk thank you ji! True...which is what i felt while watching Tare Zameen Par too. The contradictory climax seemed very forgivable after the brilliant first half. Here the entire movie had the same tone and seemed a little too good to be true.
Anyway, as long as it generates sensitivity to the issue in real life, mission accomplished!
posted 7 months, 3 weeks agoI so want to watch this movie. I tried getting ticket for last Saturday, but they were all sold out! Happy to discover your movie review blog.
posted 7 months, 2 weeks agoMeetu, I check your review mainly for the Parental Guidance and your reviews are pretty good. But I must say that either you are too modern or have no family values at all!! Your parental Guidance says none in Language except the word Bastard. Did you go out when there was talk about Sperm donation, Condom Use etc. and sexual content, you say NONE when there is a real scene of love making in the song Muddi Muddi. What nonsense!!
posted 7 months, 2 weeks agoMeetu, I check your review mainly for the Parental Guidance and your reviews are pretty good. But I must say that either you are too modern or have no family values at all!! Your parental Guidance says none in Language except the word Bastard. Did you go out when there was talk about Sperm donation, Condom Use etc. and sexual content, you say NONE when there is a real brief love making scene in the song Muddi Muddi. What nonsense!! I will never ever read your reviews and post this on all your reviews so that everyone is aware. I took my 10 and 7 yr old daughters to see Paa based on your Parental Guidance and I m still shocked and embarassed to show them a film about Sex education!!
posted 7 months, 2 weeks agoAdam, I'm sorry. You are right, I missed out on pointing these things out.
Sincere apologies if your girls were terrorized. Hope they were sensitized to the issues that a child their age faces.
I took my 7 and 5 year olds for the film. Thankfully, they were alright.
Will take utmost care that this doesn't happen again.
posted 7 months, 2 weeks agomovie maker is an ad film maker..however, movie making is a different business altogether
http://ooh-se-aaha-tak.blogspot.com/
posted 7 months, 1 week agoWell, I liked the movie. The boy was gonna die at thirteen so senti scene toh inevitable the.. but they've been kept to minimum. Thank GOD!!
posted 7 months agoyeah, forgot to say this... that monkey dance (not giving away the movie, it's in posters) was bit annoying after a point.
posted 7 months agoOne of those rare occasions where I heartily disagree with the review of the movie. It couldn't make me laugh, it couldn't make me cry - it did manage to keep me completely disinterested during its entire course. Littered with intelligent dialogues like "Thank God I didn't have a condom that day" this movie, for me, was sheer nonsense. Not to mention the idealistic politician who somehow has the authority to host his own impromptu talk show on Doordarshan, checks emails from disgruntled citizens personally, invites a young boy on a Delhi trip without consulting the family, the family allows the trip telling him that all he has to do is not tell his father that he is his son (so easy for a 12 year old as we all know) and of course the Mom thinks that the dad will remain in contact with his son and never figure out the truth. Give me a break!
posted 5 months, 2 weeks agoI agree with te most part of it. But the story is thin. It looks like the director woven the story around a few simple lines such as 'child is the father of man'. The political part of the movie looks even more childish with some 'an eye for an eye' sort of absurd revenge of medieval times. If thats what you call dynamic leadership that this country needs, it results in never ending street fights all over India. Its simply not politics. Its some sort of attention seeking overactivity. Children in the movie are much smarter than adults!
Apart from such glitches, the film fares well in technical departments and Amitabh did a great job as an actor without being Amitabh.
The movie is a let down for the hype that it generated. It could have been a great movie, given the kind of people worked for it.
posted 3 months, 2 weeks agoLeave a new comment