Ashdoc's movie review---Piku

[ashdoc]

After all the praise and hype I had heard about the movie , the experience was underwhelming....
Worse , P Jani/Jagmohan ( a blogger like myself who writes movie reviews on the internet using various IDs ) revealed the ending in his review , and I already knew what was going to happen....no surprises were in store for me as the movie progressed . That further reduced my enjoyment of the movie . Had I not known the ending , I would have certainly felt some emotion at what happened at the end of the movie . And that would have made me like the movie more . This P Jani talks too much on the internet....is he like the character of Amitabh in Piku ??

For Amitabh talks too much too---does not care about the other persons feelings....diplomacy is not his forte , not by a long way....
He openly chides the owner of the taxi company from whom he has hired a taxi ( Irfan Khan ) about having put his father on ventilator on doctor's advice , claiming that it causes suffering for the patient . He deliberately tells suitors of his daughter named Piku that his daughter has slept with men and that she is not a virgin . And he is talking about his bowel movements for all the hours he is awake....no not 24 hours like I was tempted to call it , for he must be sleeping some of the time....

To all those reviewers who have been saying that piku's dialogues are like everyday conversation , how many old men ( however eccentric and modern they are ) talk about their daughter's sex life like this so openly ?? And some people's lives do centre around bowel movements , but how many of them talk nothing else ?? Not too many....

The daughter ( Deepika Padukone ) is supposed to be eccentric too , judging from the fact that Irfan's taxi drivers are reluctant to drive her to work . But the fact that she puts up with her father's oddities and loves him inspite of them , makes her character more endearing . Or is supposed to make it more endearing . Whatever...

Deepika is supposed to be this liberated female , empowered and all that---but all that is happening because she is cushioned by her father's money , lives in a big house , has slave like servants and yes men ( yes, even Delhi men are reduced to yes men in the movie ) at her beck and call , and has drivers drive her to work ( forget travelling by public transport , she does not even like to drive her own car ).....with such comforts , empowerment is easy....

So this old coot and his goodlooking daughter decide to go to Calcutta from Delhi by private taxi , and because Irfan's drivers refuse to drive them , it is upto Irfan to drive them all the way---a task that he is only too willing to do , since he is shamelessly attracted to Deepika....

So he refuses to drive till Deepika sits besides him , and then the journey starts....interspersed by endless yak yak about constipation and consistency of stools and all that . Amitabh carries a chair with a hole in it for the bowel programme , until Irfan teaches him a novel method of going to latrine---that of sitting 'Indian style' on a western commode....

The talk about colour of stools and frequency of going to WC between the three was so much that I felt that at some point I would be able to smell the smell of Amitabh's excreta in the theatre---fortunately that didn't happen....
And the talk was giving some entertainment to me as well as the audience , as was the chemistry between Irfan and Deepika .

There are some genuine moments when the affection between Amitabh and Deepika is brought out , and some fun is created by the bowel habits of Amitabh . You do go into a relaxed state where you like the flow of the film and wish the journey from Delhi to Calcutta would never end....

There are other liberated women in the movie too , like Maushami Chatterjee who has had three marriages and jokingly asks Irfan for a fourth...
It is the ending that really delivers on the emotional part , and the emotion is towards the climax and not in the motion ( whether loose or hard ) as the movie's title suggests....

Music is good , songs are truly hummable ( though all of them are in the background and not shown to be sung by the characters , in tune with the 'realistic' touch of the movie ) and photography is good too---of course, good photography is part of all films nowadays . Acting by everyone is great , but Amitabh is still the best...

The audience in the theatre was liking the film even more than I did , and I can sense a money spinner at the box office . Even I did get some entertainment and was glad to have seen it .

Verdict--decent .
Three stars .

 

[Ray]

I don't know but folks are all rather going gaga over the film.

 

[rock127]

Thanks @ashdoc for the review.

I would not be watching this crap movie for sure.Seems like they have found cheap ways of attracting audience and earning money.

Padooo is characterless for sure specially about her #MyWhorishChoice and even Bacchan is sucked up in crap like that at that age.It's strange he decided to indulge in such pervert talks and what message he is giving at his age to old men?

how many old men ( however eccentric and modern they are ) talk about their daughter's sex life like this so openly ??
And some people's lives do centre around bowel movements , but how many of them talk nothing else ?? Not too many....
Deepika is supposed to be this liberated female , empowered and all that
There are other liberated women in the movie too , like Maushami Chatterjee who has had three marriages and jokingly asks Irfan for a fourth...

 

[Ray]

Piku review: The eccentric family of Amitabh and Deepika is endearing

A father who introduces his 30-year-old daughter to her suitors as a "financially, emotionally and sexually independent, non-virgin woman" and a daughter who scolds her dad for his obsession with health and tells him it would have been better if he had some disease.

The dad is Amitabh Bachchan's Bhashkor Banerjee and Deepika Padukone essays the role of Piku, the daughter, in this Shoojit Sircar's directorial venture.

How does this eccentric father-daughter relationship unfold on screen? Let us explore.

In a rare reminder of Hrishikesh Mukherjee films, Piku does not feel like a movie; it might as well have been a video recording of any family with an ageing parent and a single child taking care of him/her.

Piku presents a very realistic view of a typical Indian family. The film has life as it is, minus any over-the-top idealistic relationships or preachy morals. The film harps on the simplicity of reality, gently tugging on your heartstrings.

The film explores the relationship between an old father and his daughter on whom he completely depends. Shoojit, who earlier gave us John Abraham-starrer Madras Café (2013) and Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Vicky Donor (2012), once again proves that an entertainer does not have to be larger-than-life and unrealistic.

The beauty of Piku lies not in the story but the way it is told. The film shows that mind-boggling stories are not essential to touch hearts on the silver screen. Piku's story is too simple - it does not offer shocks or surprises. Instead, it is one of those endearing narratives where the actors' performances and nuanced ways in which the director tells the tale overpower the predictable storyline.

Juhi Chaturvedi's warm and sweet screenplay ensures that everyone who lives with or has lived with ageing parents will identify with Deepika's character. It is irritating to deal with their tantrums and we keep scolding them, but the moment we see the smallest deterioration in health, we are ready to do anything to ensure that they are back to their childish ways.

Bhashkor (Amitabh) and Piku (Deepika) are Bengalis living in Delhi. While Bhashkor spends his days obsessing over his bowel movements, Piku is a wonderful multi-tasker who manages the whole household, works at an architecture office and also tries her best to maintain an active sexual life.

Rana Chaudhary (Irrfan) is the owner of a taxi service company that is reeling under the onslaught of Piku's arrogance. While several of his drivers have left because of her attitude, many have caused accidents when faced with her wrath. Situation puts Rana in the middle of Piku's family drama. While he is attracted to Piku, he is also aware how this caring woman can also be arrogant, rude and adamant. As he maintains his distance, Rana's interaction with Piku has a subtle, understated romantic tone.

Rana's character brings sanity to the eccentric lives of Piku and her dad, but not in a way that they would welcome. He is as much an outsider to this freaky family as the audience - a non-Bengali caught in the middle of a Bengali family so obsessed with their domestic problems that they involve him in their arguments and when he presents a rational viewpoint, they ask him not to interfere in 'family problems'.

He is shocked at the way Amitabh behaves with his caring daughter and is surprised at the daughter's arrogant behavior. During a road trip, as Irrfan drives them from Delhi to Kolkata, Amitabh sings a Bengali song 'Ei poth Jodi na shesh hoi' and asks Irrfan if he knows the meaning. After a small irrelevant chat, Irrfan is told the meaning: "What if this road doesn't end?" Irrfan, 'the Thakur from UP' tells Amitabh, "Aisa gaana gao jiska kaayde ka meaning ho."

Another refreshing thing about Piku is that it does not obsess about romantic relationships. Despite all the hullaballoo about the pairing of Deepika and Irrfan, the film has none of your clichéd Bollywood romantic moments. Instead, the romance in Piku is real and endearing, mainly because it is subtle and understated.

Towards the end, Irrfan is about to leave Piku's family and Deepika wants him to stay because she finds his 'normal ways' rational. Not at a single point does she tell him that he should stay for her sake or that she needs him, she only hints that he is welcome. The sheer simplicity of the silence between the lead pair and their charming banter makes their romance identifiable.

Deepika Padukone proves yet again that she is perhaps one of the most dedicated lead actors the industry can boast of and one who does not disappoint with her bold choice of non-glamorous, refreshing roles. Her attitude in the film will in remind you of all your women friends who are independent, have a mind of their own and do not allow anyone to dictate their lives (that is, if you are not one yourself).

Amitabh Bachchan is endearing and real in his portrayal of a 70-year-old man, dependant on his daughter. However, in his bid to come across as the ageing man who turns progressively childish in his demeanour, Amitabh does sound a lot like Auro (his character from Paa).

While all the characters in Piku are well etched and present a very realistic picture, it is Irrfan Khan who stands out. He does not have as many dialogues as Piku or the eccentricities of Amitabh's character but his facial expressions and body language ensure your eyes are glued on to him every time he is onscreen.

In a sequence during their road trip to Kolkata, Irrfan is trying to warm up to Deepika, enquiring about her ambitions and plans in life when Amitabh interrupts and lectures on how Irrfan should have gone about his life. The script does not allow a comeback for Irrfan's character, neither is he given any space for body movements to express his discomfort.

However, Irrfan stares at Deepika and his look says it all, the irritation of a stranger commenting on his life, the subtle message that perhaps he is bearing all of it for the sake of her, et al. Irrfan's eyes do most of the talking in the movie.

In another sequence, when Irrfan is still trying to breach the domestic code and make an entry into the quirky, crazy family of Piku, he walks up to Amitabh and hands him a bunch of herbs. He tells Big B, "Tulsi aur pudina hai, isko ubalo aur piyo. Fir dekho kaise pet saaf hota hai."

Without having really focused on Rana's character, Shoojit gives a peek into world with this sequence: He is a man who is well-rooted and carries his own share of knowledge of home remedies and dealing with domestic issues.

Jisshu Sengupta does not have much of screen space but he leaves an impression with his portrayal of Deepika's business partner who has learnt to live with the craziness of Piku and her dad. Moushumi Chatterjee fits into the role of Deepika's maternal aunt who loves Piku's family as her own.

Shoojit and his camera showcases Kolkata's beauty without over-glorifying it. Kamaljeet Negi, Piku's cinematographer, pans his camera across the locations, capturing the charms of old Kolkata. Anupam Roy's background music adds to the Bengali character of the narrative.

Piku, nonetheless, disappoints in bits and parts. The family of Irrfan is not given much footage in Piku. We are introduced to his family in passing but there is no closure to his struggles in life. Even Deepika-Amitabh's relation, the focal point of the movie, ends on a very predictable note. But that does not take away the pleasure of watching of a warm, endearing and sweet film that Piku is.

The story of Piku, does not hold much weight and its ordinariness would have crumbled to stale jokes on digestive systems had it not been for the brilliant narrative and overpowering performances.

An emotionally rich and endearing film, Piku is a heart-warming experience that every Indian who has lived with ailing or ageing parent will connect to. Independent women who juggle their professional and personal lives with domestic responsibilities are likely to identify more with it.

Piku offers no masala or romantic escapades but neither does it bog you down with preachy monologues and gyan on how kids should be responsible towards their parents. This is the kind of entertainers Bollywood should aim at.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/movie...khan-overpower-the-film/article1-1345041.aspx

 

[Sakal Gharelu Ustad]

Thanks @ashdoc for the review.

I would not be watching this crap movie for sure.Seems like they have found cheap ways of attracting audience and earning money.

Padooo is characterless for sure specially about her #MyWhorishChoice and even Bacchan is sucked up in crap like that at that age.It's strange he decided to indulge in such pervert talks and what message he is giving at his age to old men?

Old man go senile and can think too much of sex, specially if they are in entertainment industry they stand to gain from such behaviour.