There have been very few works of art that have moved me, a lot have me left me in wonder... but few have actually moved me. Its not very hard to move me... all it takes is melodrama and some overdone mush, however fleeting. I have great respect and love for cinema, i also hate cinema... it is a digressor of coherent thought, a meaningless display of vulgarity we are too eager lap up.
An overdose of useless and incoherent trash tailored to keep us from actually using our braincells.
There are times however where i like it for exactly that.
Once of those times has been the last few Months. I have been feigning that i'm alright... i've been putting up a manufactured facade of non-chalance... whilst the undercurrents have been tugging at me, bringing me close to the edge... and knowing all this, i almost willingly threw myself over. And in this time came to me what in my life will go down as a significant turn.
[Edit: I know this is sucking... there is a reason i decided to not write, but i guess i have to try]
I choose to go a movie which people called a good remake of an old melodrama, it is supposed to be a modern version. I accept i had high expectations and i can't deny that one of my major reasons to go to it was to wallow in my self pity... and see it on screen. I intended to go there and hate the women who made the central character miserable.
And as usually happens in such situations, a volte-face happened... i hated the guy and loved the women.
And that brings us to what this post is About... This post is about Kalki Koechlin. This is going to be a maniacal fan's narrow, all forgiving view of the most beautiful character in the movie.
And the most wonderful onscreen character i've seen in long long time, and as good as any. Trust me i've seen enough art movies to have the aukaat to say this.
Where do i begin?
When i try to sort through the various different scenarios that left me spell bound and glued to her character throughtout the movie, and pick one... i get reminded of my days in the classroom and the age of 14 where we used stick our hands up hoping to get the attention of the teacher, and our teacher used to take her time to pick the next person to have the "honor" of reading out loud.
Dozens of images, like flashes in a pan light my vision...
Let me start with Grace. Its very easy to be graceful when you're wearing the right gown and the right shoes, with the perfectly done hair and the oh-so-perfect makeup. That's easy, as easy as getting a donkey to be graceful for an animal fair.
The talent of blending in, of giving the audience a feel of comfort, whispering almost... softly like the sirens of the high seas... "its okay, my love... just relax... it's me on the screen now..." lulling the audience into believing that its not make believe. And all this while wearing a Pink Wig, in a school girl's uniform which is designed to be screaming at your senses "I'm a WHORE!". That is grace. Madhuri? with all her jewellery, and pretense of being a "courtesan" and hiding under other kinder words like "hand-maiden"... she didn't come close.
Strip away the greasepaint, and you see a Chanda... a chanda stripped of all the nonsense that t.v. likes to make us believe is happening out there... with our oh so obedient kids. You see a real girl, a real girl in a real situation. It happens, Wake up. Chanda was the most realistic potrayal of a 17 yr old that our cinema has to offer.
The beauty they say, lies in the detail. Lets talk about detail.
As a School girl, small details like Chewing gum, because it looks cool... having an "older" boyfriend on a hot bike, skipping classes, folding up the band on her skirt. This was the beauty of the character, the finer strokes that distinguish the master's work from that of a novice.
I've been appreciating the character so far, yeah? Could anyone else have done a better job? the question is as ridiculous as asking...could there be a better joker than Heath ledger? we don't know the answer and its best not to speculate.
The only avatar of Kalki i've seen is as Chanda. So to me... she is chanda, nothing more... nothing less. It is possible that the interpretation of Chanda is more of a director's dream than the actress herself... but creating a character is always easier than playing one.
Now, getting back. Chanda's potrayal, from the way she interacts with her family about the issue to her outburst against her dad, is masterful. Her angst against the fact that it wasn't what she was doing, but that it was filmed was the main concern. Her rage towards everyone else's hypocrisy... these are the emotions that fill up the character. To be locked up in your own house, for fear of shame... to avoid facing reality is hell.
Usually we're treated, with the "she doesn't eat her food, and the continous crying" that is the extent of the ability that typical actors have. But on the other hand, going through something like that is much worse, it is the constant heaviness which you don't want to be weighed down by... but will for always change the way people will look at you. You don't sit around crying, you try to do your work, get MOVING... but no matter how hard you try... the walls will NOT budge. They will be stubborn and eventually when enough tears have been shed, when enough time has been allowed, they budge.
And that was the brilliance of Chanda's character, she doesn't blame herself for her father's death.. as we are so used to wathcing these days. She looks at it like a real 17yr old.
Now, Lets talk about the real Chanda.
Chand the Whore, the randi or as she quotes a customer "C. S. W"
If i had to pay money to have her company, i'd proabably part with it. And definetly not for the sex.
Using foul language on the screen is an overrated activity it generally generates so much hype and the way actors deliver it... make it sound so... FORCED. usually.
Not this time... words smooth as butter, which would as the saying goes, make a salior blush. Are delivered with such ease... they fit right into the dialouge, there is nothing fake or dramatic about it.
And i can go on. All i can say is... i'm still reeling from the acid trip... that was kalki's performance as chanda.
