Mr. Bookworm has been converted into Bookworm plus -> as I nowadays watch some movies as well. I can honestly say that I owe this to my a few friends on MS: Chintu-25, Rohitthebest, Ipshonlu... Thanks to all of you for broadening my perspective
This is my 60th review... one which I had earmarked for O, Jerusalem By Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins. It was also scheduled to be my farewell review to MS community., as Ratna of Indian1969 fame well knows - and has known for some time now. Rohit... could never get around to telling you: we always talk and chat so often, that it was a blind spot. My apologies to you. {As to the reasons for the farewell - nothing very esoteric, very mundane in fact. No time!}
I am not a movie watcher. In fact, movies are a relatively new addition to my hobbies list due largely to Mouthshut community. So, while reading Paulsb02’s review on this same topic... I just thought of penning my own thoughts.
Now-a-days it is a rare movie indeed that can be classed as a complete entertainer. Ths is one of the movies that come close to being called a complete entertainer: which brings me to my favourite line - the title of my review says it all!
The story, by now is pretty well known, which is a great pity. It does tend to spoil the fun in the case of this movie. I felt it a lot that I was aware of the plot... and that took away from my enjoyment of the movie.
Before you continue, a word of advice. There are 2 ways to look at things: positve and negative. If you go with an intent to spot negatives - you will do so in most movies, as indeed in everyting in life! If, on the other hand - you go to have a good time - then this movie is for you. If you are particular of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s: avoid this movie. That is an honest appraisal, and one that has lead to me rating it 4 instead of the 5 that I wanted to give it
Bhootnath is a story of a ghost who resides in the proverbial mansion. {Interestingly, all ghosts I have come across in stories have always resided in mansions!!!! Wonder why?} Enter a unitary family: Father - non resident {almost}, Mother and one naughty son. Bhootnath has successfully scared one and all. But oh, no - NOT mr. Young Aman, the kid.
To cut a long story short, the ghost and the boy hit it off together, and leads to a transformation in the ghost. Bhootnath is the story of this transformation from a scary ghost to a gentle but pareshaan aatmaa, simpe as that. That, in a nutshell, is the plot.
The script is in keeping with the plot, and has been handled very sensitively, with just the right amount of jokes and serious scenes to keep the audience interested. It is a relatively fast - paced script, which takes the plot forward very quickly. No, the jokes do not end at the interval - as other would have you believe. They just become a bit sparse, as the script comes to its natural cumination: the deliverance to the poor soul.
Remember: bhootnath is NOT about the child, it is about the Bhoot - a kindred soul in his lifetime who was ditched by his son. That results in his drifting about as a bhoot, full of disillusionment and anger. As the story moves forward, one begins to identify with Kailash Nath - played by Amitabh Bachhan., and empathise with him. This has been very skillfully portrayed by the director, no doubt that.
The child angle is just a by-way adopted to move the story of the only main character - Kailash Nath forward towards its culmination. And one does not get pally with a child by discusing the intricacies of why-i-died-and-what-my-son-did-to-me. As any parent will know- you want to get close to a child, you have to be a child. Secondly, A lonely spirit finds a fellow-soul in the child that it can talk to, and that changes the soul. For, the soul -the bhoot- is lonely and needs company. In his lifetime, a very kind man. After death, just an ANGRY but kind man...
This is his story. The story of Kailash Nath, whose son did everything for him: except visit him and mom. Sent money regularly, kept good care etc etc - but NEVER came to his parents - who wanted not his money but his presence and his attention. Just like kids. who want your attention. Remember the old saying- old age is a second childhood? This has been highlighted extremely poignantly through but a few scenes. It brought a tear to my eye, and a worry to my heart: Did I treat my own parents this way? Will my son treat me this way? We think as our responsibility only money aspect of taking care of parents. Is it all that there is? In the modern life: where you do not get time for your own wife - let alone your parents., this is a powerfull theme, and bears contemplation from one and all
In keeping with the plot, the treatment is very sensitive, and lends power to the overall effect. The movie has been made keeping in mind our culture and our present problems: and a wholesome entertainer has been made out of it. This is not a story for kids: but for all of us. Kiuds will enjoy ity, yes: nut only the adult can appreciate the nuances and the complications / implications of the plot.
If you want to, you can also take a message out of it: but that is upto you. Yes, there are holes in the movie. But I am not an expert: just a simple audience member who was able to sit for 160 minutes and enjoy it thoroughly. To me, that is the only litmus test of a good movie. A movie that begins with a smile, ends with a smile, is in keeping with our culture, teaches a lesson, makes you introspect, makes you laugh a lot and makes you sad just a mite. Not too sad - just a little: so that when the next laugh comes, you enjoy it all the more.
What more could you want?