Bharat (2019)
They say this film is based on the blockbuster 'Forrest Gump', but the only similarity to the Hollywood counterpart is that the story goes through certain landmark events that are deemed necessary. For a starter, there is Partition and Nehru's death.
In keeping with the general theme of nationalism that sells these days, this offering is another one of those that spur people's patriotism.
The film is also supposed to be based on a South Korean movie, 'Ode to Father', but the Indian props are way too colourful to portray melancholy that vibrates in the background - of the family cruelly divided during the Partition in 1947.
Putting all that pomp, colour, splendour and gyrating bodies aside, there is a subtle lesson that is put forward through the narration. Forget the implausible storyline. Keep mum when you know it is humanly impossible for a 70-year-old Salman Khan to beat up 4 motorcycle riding ruffians with iron rods. Look through the objectification of the female body in the many dance sequences and senseless pacification of Somalian pirates with Amitabh Bachchan's songs.
It is a clash between traditional values and the modern way of looking at life. Should one sacrifice his whole life carrying the burden of ensuring the wellbeing of his family? Is the head of the family's responsibility to make sure that everyone's okay? Is the male progeny the de-facto leader of the clan in terms of hierarchy?
As we see the society evolve from a totally patriarchal one to one where responsibility is shared, it seems that everyone is responsible for his own life. In this century of 'self', no one is answerable to another. They say, "it is my life... it's now or never...I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive...!"
At the end of the show, the protagonist realised through the turn of events that it is ludicrous to stick on to traditional practices. The world changes ever so often. We need to keep up in fear of missing the next revolution bus.
P.S. It is a remake of 2015 Korean movie ‘Ode to My Father’ about a family separated by the Korean War.
They say this film is based on the blockbuster 'Forrest Gump', but the only similarity to the Hollywood counterpart is that the story goes through certain landmark events that are deemed necessary. For a starter, there is Partition and Nehru's death.In keeping with the general theme of nationalism that sells these days, this offering is another one of those that spur people's patriotism.
The film is also supposed to be based on a South Korean movie, 'Ode to Father', but the Indian props are way too colourful to portray melancholy that vibrates in the background - of the family cruelly divided during the Partition in 1947.
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| The protagonist amongst the attendees at Nehru's funeral |
It is a clash between traditional values and the modern way of looking at life. Should one sacrifice his whole life carrying the burden of ensuring the wellbeing of his family? Is the head of the family's responsibility to make sure that everyone's okay? Is the male progeny the de-facto leader of the clan in terms of hierarchy?
 |
| Colour and music that is a sine qua non of Bollywood |
As we see the society evolve from a totally patriarchal one to one where responsibility is shared, it seems that everyone is responsible for his own life. In this century of 'self', no one is answerable to another. They say, "it is my life... it's now or never...I ain't gonna live forever
At the end of the show, the protagonist realised through the turn of events that it is ludicrous to stick on to traditional practices. The world changes ever so often. We need to keep up in fear of missing the next revolution bus.
P.S. It is a remake of 2015 Korean movie ‘Ode to My Father’ about a family separated by the Korean War.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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