Remember 'Madu Tiga'?

The Other Woman (2014)
Director: Nick Cassavetes

One cannot help but compare this movie to 'Madu Tiga' (1964), one of P. Ramlee's classics. Both are comedies and hover on the topic of polyamory. The crux of the story is how the aggrieved parties learn about each other's existence. They meet up and go full-throttle to avenge the philandering Romeo. The climax is seeing Romeo fall flat on his face, down and out. Sweet revenge is having Romeo squirm in helplessness.

Unfortunately, the comparison ends there. This film is a perfect example of how big names (of directors and stars) mean nothing if the story is not fresh and the plot has many holes. No amount of flashy displays of flesh and senseless giggling labelled female bonding will change viewers' perception of what entertainment is. Even a mighty name like Nick Cassavetes for the director, who carries the aura of his famous director father, John Cassavetes, can save the day.

The two 'Other Women' conspire with Wifey.

In this 2014 movie, a successful lawyer thinks she has found a perfect match after all these years, worried much about her ticking biological clock. The lawyer decides to surprise her lover at his home only to find another lady, identifying as his wife, answering the door. It becomes more complicated as a third woman, a model, is also around seen spreading her love. All three scorned ladies cook a perfect plan to outsmart Romeo. Meanwhile, Romeo has his own agenda up his sleeves.

Can give it a skip, but it helps viewers appreciate the richness and unforgettable experience of watching P. Ramlee's 'Madu Tiga'. Despite being made in black-and-white and dated, its still shots stay much longer in our imagination than this forgettable Hollywood cheap flick.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Comments

Gory historic details or gore fest?

Razakar: The Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad (Telegu, 2024) Director: Yata Satyanarayana In her last major speech before her disposition, Sheikh Hasina accused those who opposed her rule in Bangladesh of being Razakars. The opposition took offence to this term and soon widespread mob throughout the land. Of course, it is not that that single incident brought down an elected government but a culmination of joblessness and unjust reservations for a select population group. In the Bengali psyche, Razakar is a pejorative term meaning traitor or Judas. It was first used during the 1971 Pakistan Civil War. The paramilitary group who were against the then-East Pakistani leader, Majibur Rehman, were pro-West Pakistan. After establishing independence in Bangladesh, Razakars were disbanded, and many ran off to Pakistan. Around the time of Indian independence, turmoil brewed in the princely state of Hyderabad, which had been a province deputed by the Mughals from 1794. The rule of N...

The products of a romantic star of the yesteryear!

Now you see all the children of Gemini Ganesan (of four wives, at least) posing gleefully for the camera after coming from different corners of the world to see the ailing father on his deathbed. They seem to found peace with the contributor of their half of their 46 chromosomes. Sure, growing up must have been hell seeing their respective mothers shedding tears, indulgence in unhealthy activities with one of them falling prey to the curse of the black dog, hating the sight of each step sibling, their respective heartaches all because of the evil done by one man who could not put his raging testesterones under check! Perhaps,the flashing lights and his dizzying heights that his career took clouded his judgement. After all, he was only human... Gems of Gemini Ganesan L-R: Dr Revathi Swaminathan, Narayani Ganesan, Dr Kamala Selvaraj, Rekha, Vijaya Chamundeswari and Dr Jaya Shreedhar. ( Abs: Radha Usman Syed, Sathish Kumaar Ganesan) Seeing six of Ge...

Chicken's Invite? (Ajak-ajak ayam)

In the Malay lingo, the phrase 'ajak-ajak ayam' refers to an insincere invitation. Of course, many of us invite for courtesy's sake, but then the invitee may think that the invitation is for real! How does anyone know? Inviters and invitees must be smart enough to take the cue that one party may have gatecrashed with ulterior motives, or the other may not want him to join in the first place! Easily twenty years ago, my family was invited to a toddler's birthday party. As my children were toddlers, too, we were requested to come early so that my kids could run around and play in their big compound. And that the host said she would arrange a series of games for them to enjoy. So there we were in the early evening at a house that resembled very little of one immersed in joy and celebration. Instead, we were greeted by a house devoid of activities and no guests. The host was still out shopping her last-minute list, and her helper was knee-deep in her preparations to ...

RIFLE RANGE BOY

Search This Blog