Review : Okay, so Bollywood is doing the great Hollywood rip off thing where almost every movie is some variation of an American movie. (sigh!). Well, I am very tolerant of Hindi remakes, but it seems like every new release is a remake. Is it getting me down, ? Shayaad toraa saa.
Mujhse Shaadii Karogii = Meet the Parents + Anger Management
Rahkt = The Gift
Hum Kaun Hain? = The Others (but they messed up the plot big time)
Dhoom = Fast and Furious + Ocean’s 11 (failed miserably in both categories)
Madhoshi = A Beautiful Mind
Well, let’s talk about Madhoshi. I am a big fan of John, so I will not be too harsh. John was ’’hot’’ in this film and I did appreciate his presence. Thankfully he was not miscast as the real guy played by Priyanku Chatterjee (I am sure I mispelled his first name) who I also appreciated. Okay, I have to say that I was astonished by the opening scene involving the WTC disaster. My daughter did laugh violently at the toy airplane approaching the window. I kind of thought that the visual (at least that airplane approach) was totally unnecessary. The sound would have been enough plus the little bit of the CNN coverage they showed would have got the message to the audience that her poor behin was there that day on a top floor. Now I am not sure if they got the date wrong verbally in the movie but the subtitles did have 2002 instead of 2001.
Okay, so then the story goes on about Anu (Bapusha) hallucinating about a very sundar admi who happens to be an anti-terrorist fighter. So, instead of Government agents fight ing communists we have this so we are totally updated for the 2000’s, no longer the 50’s. Instead of a brilliant mathematician experiencing this awful mental disorder, we have a beautiful artist. It all makes so much sense as the movie progresses. John is great as the anti-terriorist fighter/hero (Aman) who loves Anu but cannot really do anything for her. Her family and Arpit (Chatterjee) do well in their roles as the distraught loved ones who have to watch helplessly as the doctors/experts admit that they can do very little for Anu. Actually, in many cases that is probably a realistic assumption. Treatment for Schizophrenia is very primitive and the only medical treatment seems to be a harsh chemical assault on the brain (major neuroleptic tranquillizers) and even EST (electro shock therapy), though I am not sure if this therapy is even used in psychiatry anymore, I thought it has been totally discredited, but I am not certain. In the 50’s and 60’s they even used insulin shock therapy which put a patient on the brink of death into a coma, Why they thought that would do the trick who the hell knows. I am glad that they did not show that being done in Madhoshi as that treatment was totally abandoned when Thorazine and EST was implemented.
The major problem I had was with the plot more than the performances. Plastic surgery to alter one’s appearance can’t work that well and to me is science fiction. Also, like in A Beautiful Mind, I am skeptical that one can learn to overcome the disorder. I believe that there can be a remission or even in some cases a permanent recovery, but I doubt that one can just wave the hallucinations goodbye. The movie was entertaining, but pretty silly, and had similar problems to the movie it mimicked. The plot was a bit far fetched. I don’t think anyone would have stuck around like the faithful loyal Arpit did to save her, he is one in a million. The performances were well done in the context of the absurdities mentioned above, so what can I say? If you like John and Bapusha, this movie is definitely worth watching at some point, but it is not a very good movie overall, it is mediocre and is not as engaging as the original one it mimics. I still enjoyed it though, but that is because I have a high tolerance level when it comes to certain actors. But I did see some talent in some of the performances, and I am looking forward to seeing these actors mature and develop some good skills in the future. I just wish to see them in original movies and not just sub par Hollywood remakes.