Welcome to Peepli TV. Here I am paulsb02 talking for the channel, about the new release of the noon, Peepli Live. Switch off the cell phones, starve in front of this TV and enjoy this mega entertainment which comes with hyped advertisement.
Dear viewers, as you have already saw in the promo, the movie is a satire which deals with the poverty which leads to suicide of farmers and how the government schemes are insufficient. This also shows how these so advertised plans do not reach to people in need. The film also criticise the media which chase scandals to won the TRP race. (As you know, despite the film’s criticism, we give good advertisement for we are all working for money. You know, politicians and Channels do not keep enmity for ever.) The film gives out many messages for whoever wants it free (once you pay for the hiked ticket price). Peepli Lives gives another reply to Danny Boyle for the Slums and Black Dogs.
Dear viewers, I should not misguide you at this point. If you ever get an idea that the film is serious it is only party true. The film is a comedy throughout with a satire in heart. We can guarantee that this film have all ingredients of a successful commercial film, except glamour and action. To give it a mass appeal the makers tried their best to keep the film as mindless as possible at times. So what, we have added a lot of mass appeal to it. At the end of the day that is what matters.
Now, let me don’t dishearten you with my criticising attitude. There are some exceptionally well scenes. Thoughtful, imaginative and powerful! The best of the scene is where Natha dreaming of riding on a white horse while in capture but enjoying the dream than pity on his lack of freedom. The scene alone in my view is powerful than many average bollywood films. There is a farmer who work hard all over the day digging land and sells it for a living and dies in the process. If one sees a Hassaripal from City Of Joy, in him it is only incidental. The ’Natha’ card episode and the centre’s diplomacy in dealing with basic issues are beautifully handled. Another supberb stroke came in the form of poetry.... we have a lot of salwars, but no kammees. We have lot of cars, but no oil. So, we bombed Iraq. (And our government permits import of more cars and price hike of oil too) Yes, there are glimpses of excellence for the classes which is rare now a days and the film I will say worth a watch for those special moments for them.
Removing our worries on the star cast, the actors did a great job in the film. (Frankly speaking, I only know Nasseeruddin sha in the film and I was all the way criticising the board for pruchasing the film’s right for a high price, but I have no words now.) Omkar Das Manikpuri is good. He looks too much of Rajpal Yadav, but yes, he perfectly fits the role. Raghuveer Yadav is cool. Didn’t I see Malaika Shenoy before or her looks alike? Whatever it is, she did the role of an ambitious VJ well. Shalini Vatsa is too good. Farrukh Jaffar was brilliant, before she was muted and cornered in the second half. Rest of the politicians and media people are in the crowd, including the great Nasseruddin Shah. Performance is one department where the film excels without doubt.
I don’t want to conceal the negatives I felt about the movie. For one who has seen the promos there is nothing much happening in the film. The story doesn’t move forward an inch before climax. We are taken too much into the waiting of the TV crew. Also, the representative of the true journalist was poisoned badly. The writer should have spared the true journalist from the evil ambitions. This character, the central one (in the original) I thought is let down by the writer. The film succeeds in passing the light moments to the audience, but it failed miserably in passing the pain. There are loose ends everywhere. Sorry to my ignorance, I really do not know from where the boy got the dream of becoming a policeman. Also I do not know what made the mind change of Nassaruddin Shah’s character. The scenes at home in the end were hurried and lightly handled.
Now Peepli quick. Visuals are good and comfortable. Songs are meaningful and good. Editing could have been better. Dialogues are superb. After Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, this is another treat of dialogues but with less intensity. Direction is pretty good in general.
Now, hold your breath, Peepli Tv is giving you an exclusive Amir Khan secret formula. Take a concept from an existing film. Take patience to add a lot of fun even if the original concept loses it entirely. Aggressive and interesting marketing do the rest. Jane Tu was a reformed ’Niram’. Then, what is Peepli Live? We will show you the Block Buster Malayalam film (for us, i.e. channels, all films are block busters, but in theatres the film faired not well) ’Swa Le’ in our regional film time this weekend. The film dealt with the media drama waiting for the death of a famous writer and the struggles of a reporter. (You can find Swa Le’s Peepli coverage in the archives). Swa Le was described from the view point of a paper reporter, but Peepli Live thought basing it on a agricultural victim and focused there to make it more entertaining which explains Peepli Tv’s better rating for this.
Having said all, Peepli Live is a light entertainer with a lot of commercial values and glimpses of art values. Priyadarsan did the mixing of Art and comedy in Kancheevaram with an importance to art, here Peeplie Live takes the same formula but on the other way around, comedy more and art less. Never mind, it is not easy to get all out entertainers, so don’t miss it. It is recommended for all for the masses and the classes but on a lesser expectation bar.
Enjoy the show!