Banaras (2006)

hyped garbage

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Is it merely a cultural thing that did not allow me the illusion that this film seeks to portray? Having visited India I know that this movie displays a very tiny facade of what Indians think would be appealing about their fascinating country. The Bollywood film _Ek Dhun Banaras Kee_(qv) never leaves the realm of comely mass entertainment.So in great wonderment I saw only the most beautiful facades of the oldest holy city on river Ganges, a sadly polluted river shown here as clean as a mountain stream. There is no reality street life in this movie, we are forced into the unreal world of a film as if ordered by the city's Tourist Development Agency.'Ashmit Patel'(qv)'s pretty-boy face is directed like a south-American music video with all smiles and no substance. There was no acting demanded of him. He would do well selling deodorant in France.The story wants to be spiritually deep and socially conscious by juxtaposing two stylized lovers from different castes. The potential conflict are undramatically produced, after we are given about twenty minutes of showing the couple at Banares' famous temples and river banks, looking at each other in unspontaneously staged settings that really irks everyone who want to be swept away by a movie's illusions instead of watching a long toothpaste or chewing gum commercial. This is a good travel promotion or a boring music video, and one can only wonder what audience it was made for. If it is shown to Indians, they must be proud of a movie of aesthetic beauty that shows their country without problems, except the unfortunate castes system. Shown to western audiences it become a romantic travel film, and as we have seen, accepted both quite favorably by IMDb users of Indian decent and Westerners alike.Besides a cast of pretty people --even Babaji the spiritual teacher floats about with the neatest beard and most perfect robes in white and red-- the film wants to teach basic Hindi and Buddhistic values. It even forewarns its audiences at the beginning that it does not want to promote superstitions, but in almost every scene the accoutrement of superstitious beliefs are shown: ornaments, mystic sculptures, flower petals strewn about, chants and incense. Even the character played by the beautiful 'Urmila Matondkar'(qv) indulges in dreamy superstitious rituals. I respect all belief systems, but if a director forewarns of something he is supposedly not wanting to promote, and we see it all over his film, we have a choice to either believe that he does not notice ritualistic superstitions any longer due to his cultural blindness, or that he really beliefs that his message has transgressed superstition. And it is exactly this message that one would have liked not to see running into sturdy road blocks.Namely the endeavor to transgress a banal and forbidden love story without careful exposition, and fall into the trap of cinematographically created ambiance that actually overpowers the actors. Pretty pictures are nice if you can not travel to the heart of the holy city, but in this case the story suffers and certainly takes away from the filmmakers ambitions.And the story is the age-old apparent conflict between science and religion. Do we get enough information and exposition to learn something new, or even care to contemplate this important topic? No. Is Banares well photographed? Yes, the parts that are devoid of real street life and real people, who normally bring life to the temples. Is there a tension between the lovers? No. Are we happy for them falling in love because we feel their hearts? No. Is the parent-child, castes conflict melodrama powerful enough to move us? No. Are age-old chants well produced like a music video? Yes, excellently. Does the movie do justice to the promos and hype about the alleged conflict of religious beliefs and modern science, or its presentations of the philosophy of love or even as found in romantic love? Nothing deep there. Is the storytelling moving the film forward? No, it stops too often to dwell on its on pretty pretensions.It's eye candy at best, and the two protagonists do not connect except as another daft acting job. The dying dad at the beginning gives much story away, but even he looked pretty healthy as if there was no make-up designer on duty that day. Melodrama, yes. Sizzling love and real drama over the lingering castes system and parental cultural fossilization, no.

Jalwa, Chaalbaaz were two of my favorite movies from Punkaj Parashar. Though he has directed a few more films after that but these two movies from him were memorable ones. Most of his movies are different from each other in term of story, presentation, idea. This time he has attempted another different story about spirituality with love story. That's why the name of the movie is BANARAS - A Mystic Love Story. This is a movie that is well narrated and made from heart. But then the movie didn't cater to the masses as it was a film which won't be liked by all types of audiences.If you want to enjoy this movie truly, then you need to watch this movie with a open mind and concentration. It's not like those regular movies with some stupid songs, comic scenes. This is a movie that is based on caste system that is still prevalent in most parts of our country. The movie conveys a very simple message. "Don't look out for answers for life's unsolved mysteries.Try to find the answers within you." This is a movie for those kind of audiences who like to watch meaningful movies.Swtembari (Urmila) the daughter of a rich Brahmin parents Raj Babbar and Dimple Kapadia studies at a local university in Banaras. Sohan (Ashmit Patel) is a low caste mystic teaches music at the same university. When the two fall in love, Banaras was in fire. Initially Sweta's parents disapprove of the match but then the truth of Sohan forces them to approve. On the day of the marriage Sohan is found murdered. Shwetambari visibly shaken decides to leave the city and decides to find out the answers as to why he was murdered. Seventeen years later she is back to the city as a world teacher in religion and philosophy. She has a choice to make - To meet her dying father or continue denying all worldly attachments.

If you want to watch a movie which satisfies your mind and soul instead of meaningless entertainment provided by the popular bollywood directors watch this movie. Urmila plays shwetambari a brahmin's daughter who falls in love with an orphan ashmit.Her caste conscious parents initially reluctant agree for the proposal.But much to the shock of urmila, ashmit is killed a day before the marriage.A shattered urmila leaves banaras only to return years later to see her ailing father for some surprises(for the viewer). This is no ordinary love story the mystic undertone of the movie will leave you spellbound, cannot be written in words.Great performance by Urmila !! The beautiful photography and visuals will make you want to catch the next train to Banaras.

What a refreshing movie. I was expecting a typical three hour Bollywood entertainment, with pretty settings and some songs and dances. I was surprised and quite moved by the film afterward. first of all, the mystical subject matter interested me and the wonderful settings in Banaras provides authentic inspirations to me, the cinema photographer did a great job by setting atmospheric tones visually. Urmila looks stunning in this film both as a young girl in love and years later a spiritual teacher. Once again, she proves herself a versatile actress in this film, her presence always brings an emotional depth to a story. The soundtrack in the movie is very beautiful and haunting, especially the music in some ritual scenes, I still can't forget the melodies. I especially appreciate the consistent mood in the storying telling, a solid two hours without usual three-hour Bollywood action/fighting scenes nor irrelevant comic sidetrack.