Raavan

I just watched the hindi version of Raavan, starring Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan and Vikram. I absolutely have to deconstruct it. I really should be spending my time mroe wisely, but I really can't think of anything else. so...

WARNING WARNING: SPOILERS UP AHEAD!!!!
as in like the WHOLE story.



Okay, I really don't feel like going through the WHOLE story. I just want to say that it was a brilliant movie. absolutely positively brilliant.
Apparently it was a flop, but I honestly don't see why. The three main characters, are so complex and they showed their complexity through the acting. Mind you, I might be a little biased because I love Abhishek and Aishwarya. Separately and I guess together too.

I found it interesting that instead of most probably sticking to the same plot of the Ramayana, which is what most people thought would happen, they not only tried to create a whole other narrative but the characters weren't as one-dimensional as in the epic tale. Its very easy to portray Beera as a complete and absolute evil character, a tyrant of sorts, that rules above the tribals and local folk alike, and to portray Dev as the policeman with a gold-plate character, the hero of the film. Even Ragini, the heroine, and the lead actor was not simply the female protagonist that pines for her husband and despises Beera. Its not that simple and easy. The writer understood that humans are not as easy to confine in boxes like that.
Beera breaks rules and kills and tortures people, yes. However, people don't really do all that just for fun. And if they did, other people would not revere them. I think Abhisehk does Beera quite well, the slight craziness, the evilness, the reluctant gentleness. And Vikram was a truly formidable Dev, not perfect in his methods, not willing to negotiate with "criminals". Thank god though that he wasn't involved with the raping of Beera's sister Jamuniya. And omg Aishwarya, I have NO idea how she managed to film all that, TWICE. Seriously. And she really seemed extremely comfortable with Vikram, as her husband. Yet, halfway, you could see her warming to Beera.

OKAY I thought I could de-construct the movie, but I realise that I'm not eloquent enough to do so. Oh and lord the location that the movie was shot in. Simply marvelous! The shots, the water, everything. Made me wonder where on earth is that and oh, that scene on the bridge truly had me fearing for the actors' lives. That was beyond scary! and the scene before that, where total chaos had broken out! I've realised that I quite like fight scenes. So long as they don't look TOO fake. Also, people give grief that Abhishek is like the only actor that's not beefed up and that Aishwarya's become fat. I think that's extremely unfair and untrue. I mean come on, yes, I think that if actors are going to be famous, and on screen, they should be beautiful. But I mean hello? Have you SEEN Aiswarya's face? with NO makeup, and mud on her face, she STILL looks gorgeous. And I think Abhishek looks very good-looking too!. And I mean come on, it looks stupid if these characters are all buffed up with six-packs and slim waists. Seriously. I for one and glad that Abhishek looks the way he does, and Aishwarya too. Makes me "hate-envy" them less. And really WHO looks perfect in real life anyway? Unless you really value body-perfectness that much la.

Oh! And I think Govinda was quite amusing as his character of Sangeevni. Provided a little amusement. People also say that the first half of the story is paper-thin, but I mean I think that not revealing much in the beginning is kind of the point. Makes you want to find out.

This wasn't a very good de-construction but what the hell.

ciao!
shini