lunchtime poll #11: KJo's world
Now that I'm no longer buried under a pile of work, it's time to get back to important things...like "Pretty Woman" in Kal Ho Na Ho. Yesterday I was talking with Samrat about its many fascinating and glorious elements. To my eye, that song picturization is a mind-blowing combination that is far, far greater than the sum of its independently fabulous components: neighborhood dance party, cute-eyed children, orange cargo pants, SRK lip-synching to rap about sunshine, and, my favorite, the gospel choir, a feature that has of course since echoed in My Name Is Khan. "Indians love song and dance and religion," Samrat replied. "The gospel choir phenomenon speaks to us on many levels. It DOES NOT, however, speak to us on the batsh*t cuckoo level it speaks to Karan Johar."
I know a good topic of discussion when I hear one, so I ask you, lovely readers, can you think of anything that speaks to the average movie viewer on the same level it speaks to Karan Johar? Hurricane Katrina, soccer, the Brooklyn Bridge, the tears of Shahrukh Khan, the makeover of a tomboy into glamorous Kajol, Scottish ruins, the demographics of New York City and San Francisco, the domestic use of helicopters to run home and see your mommy? None of these things do to, or for, most of us what they do in KJo's world. Add yours in the comments.
I know a good topic of discussion when I hear one, so I ask you, lovely readers, can you think of anything that speaks to the average movie viewer on the same level it speaks to Karan Johar? Hurricane Katrina, soccer, the Brooklyn Bridge, the tears of Shahrukh Khan, the makeover of a tomboy into glamorous Kajol, Scottish ruins, the demographics of New York City and San Francisco, the domestic use of helicopters to run home and see your mommy? None of these things do to, or for, most of us what they do in KJo's world. Add yours in the comments.
Comments
But the same formula does not work over and over again. I get it that his stories are all different, but somehow there is that link of - unrealism in them, which just ticks me off. A lot of it is just blown to epic proportions and massive exaggerations - be it scale of sets, or situations. Calls for a post really :P
Thanks for the ignition Beth!
I like his films, without being able to tell, why.
K3G was my first Indian film ever, that might be one of the reasons, or maybe it really is because of Shahrukh. I know, I'm very mainstream concerning this topic, but I don't know... I just like KJo and Shahrukh. Anything wrong with that (if you also like very different films and actors)?
Shweta - Heehee! I love that rain scene in KKHH, I must admit.
Sujoy - I'm with you! I cannot defend the film at all but I really do like it. "Exaggeration" really is his modus operandi, isn't it? DO A POST! :)
notabilita - Oooh the pyramids! Though as my song collection might suggest, he's not entirely alone on that one :) And why do I not remember Burberry in his films?
bollyviewer - HAHAHAHAHA! RUUUUN!
Banno - It's so curious. I often do not agree with his choices but it's hard to deny their power. Though somebody slap me if I ever get tempted to watch K3G again. Blechchchchchcch.
Anarchavist - I would have thought of that too! No shame! :) Though really, if it HAD gotten to that level, maybe you would have gotten a magical glorious "song on a train, uniting disparate strangers!" moment :)
Lime(tte) - I don't think there's anyone here who does not accept that KJo is KJo. What we don't have to accept is his attempts to emotionally manipulate us :) There's nothing wrong with you liking them, and there's nothing wrong with other people not liking them AS LONG AS we are all willing to think about our opinions. (Other people may disagree with me on that last caveat, but it's my blog.)
The point of this post was not whether a person likes KJo films but to think about how he treats certain elements, namely, as Sujoy says and I concur, how he exaggerates them for various effects. By no means is KJo the only filmmaker to exaggerate for effects of many kinds, but he is the one I'm thinking about at the moment.
Kishore - Hehee! Now THAT is a strong preference :)
Kishore-- I love most of his films but even I would rather watch an RGV film-- even RGV ki Aag-- than K3G one more time.
I am not a fan of KJo, in the sense, I wouldn't want to catch a movie just because KJo made it. However, there are some things that 'speak' to me, sometimes without me realizing it.
1. As Shweta points out - Rain! KKHH's rain seems to be another character altogether. It was present when Kajol realizes that Shahrukh loves Rani, as he leaves her in the field and runs to talk to Rani, and she stands drenched. It comes back to ignite or bring the two close some years later. Rain returns in Kal Ho Na Ho, as the bunch of roses get passed from Saif to Preity to Shahrukh/his grandfather. And then it returns in KANK, when the protagonist give in to their "passion" (through a maze of tears!!).
2. Humor: Undoubtedly, the humor has deteriorated a bit with his movies, but I see flashes of dry humor in everyday scenes, so much so, that though his main aim (I am guessing), has been to tug at heartstrings through emotional scenes, you cannot help chuckling throughout the movie.
3. Flashes of magical moments (which can get lost in the noise if not paid attention to): The scene in KKHH when Kajol and Shahrukh meet again after all those years - the is-that-really-you feeling coupled with both speaking at the same time due to millions of questions wanting to be asked at the same time, and so much more. The pre-marrriage scene in KANK when the movie starts, when Rani is sitting confused, wanting to be sure that she is making the right choice - it could have been a better scene, the extravagance somewhat ruined it, but still, it brings in the suffocating confusion and the magic between the two protagonist (which sadly does NOT re-surface when they actually come together later).
4. Song picturisations and dramatic visuals: Visual interpretation of songs have always made me look up youtube to watch re-runs. They are emotional, artistic, sometimes symbolic, but all in all, makes me wish that the movie had nothing except the songs and I could just watch them to get the story. Cases in point - 'Mitwa' in KANK, 'Tere Naina' in MNIK, 'Kuch toh Hua Hain' in KHNH.
5. Music: Mostly appropriate to the mood and theme, and well selected. Sort of ties in with my previous point. I can maybe hazard to say that when it comes to understanding and selecting music, KJo is comparable to Mahesh Bhatt, Subhash Ghai, Yash Chopra, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
6. As someone mentioned before: Big Picture story-telling. It is not always appropriate, and many times it distracts the viewer from a simply told story, but, it still makes a compelling case to watch a movie in the theatre as against a home video. Also, as his movies are enjoyable in parts with breaks, they later make very good television viewing with ad-breaks in between.
7. All points of view: I like it that his movies have no “villains” and he tries to explain all points of view. Now whether he always succeeds or not, is a different discussion.
- Exaggerated emotions : be it patriotism, or parental love, sacrifice
- Over-simplistic representation of India and America without any finer nuances
- Almost always rich protagonists whose life needs love, understanding and a crash course of realism
- Tears: too much on screen, and usually has the effect of NOT touching the viewers
About the comparison between RGV's Aag, or for that matter any of RGV's films except Rangeela, Shiva, Satya and Company (and maybe Sarkar) and KJo's K3G - there is a lot I want to say. But Beth, this is your blog and it would definitely be off the topic, so I will restrain.
Sorry about the l-o-n-g post.:)
The problem I have is that ever since then Kjo seems to want to make movies about more serious issues, racism, mental illness, adultery etc, but he approaches them with the same cheese and nonsensical plot devices. You can't make a movie about Americans being racist toward muslims after 9/11, and set it in SAN FRANCISCO and have someone yell 'paki' and have me buy what you are selling.
If Kjo wants to take on more serious topics, he himself needs to be more serious about getting his facts right first. Maybe Kjo THINKS the American south looks like a 20s cartoon, but he should have done a few minutes googling before he actually shot it that way.
I would be very happy to never see K3G or MNIK ever again, but I will give the guy props for speaking to a lot of people.
And I agree - clearly he is saying things, and saying them in ways, that speak to or at least interest a lot of people! That's one of the reasons I'm so curious about what's going on in his head. :)