Riding Solo to the Top of the World (2006)
Riding Solo is a film about filmmaker Gaurav Jani's brave solo motorcycle journey from Mumbai to one of the remotest places in the world, the Changthang Plateau in Ladakh bordering China. The film is even more extraordinary for the fact that Jani was a one man camera crew unit who loaded his bike with 300 kg of equipment/supplies and set off on a journey to one of the world's most difficult terrains.
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Reviews
Better Late Then Never
I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
Blistering performances.
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
Wonderful! My plan was to watch a few minutes to get a taste (just one potato chip) press pause, do some chores and then come back to watch the rest. So I sat on the edge of my chair prepared for a snack, pressed play, 90 minutes later, the movie was over, I had not sat back, and the entire bag of chips was gone! My snack had turned into a feast. The physical effort and sometimes personal risk of the documentarian for the sake of the film is admirable. A deceptively simple, visually magnificent, spiritual film. I will be seeking Gaurav Jani's other work 'One Crazy Ride' in hopes that it is just as captivating. Color me an official fan.
The effort that must have gone into this film is really very awe-inspiring. One often hears of epic motorcycle journeys, some more remarkable than this. But no others have been as carefully and lovingly recorded as this. It seems as though you can follow the film maker's journey to self-realization. When you discover what this journey means, he is as surprised as you are. Yeah, every road film says that the journey didn't turn out at all as expected and that they learned so much more about the world, but, gosh, you really believe this guy. You don't see or hear as much about the bike as I would have liked. It seems to mean more to him than he's ready to say. I think that would have added another dimension to the film. Truly heart warming, though, and very well filmed.
This is one of the movies that changes the way one approaches life. The dedication and the stubbornness shown by Gaurav in making this film is extraordinary. Another great thing about this film is that it ends up appealing at multiple levels - not just to hard-core bikers (though there is plenty for them to see). People in different walks of life can draw immense inspiration from watching this documentary. I just hope he can better this effort in future creations of his.The film is not just about a ride - it is also about people, places and experiences. The best thing is that there is a wonderful balance between all elements that make it a real success. A special mention also has to be made about the music that is so catchy that it is impossible to get out of the head.