Thursday, April 22, 2010

Paathshaala


Rating : 2/10
Release Date : 16th April, 2010
Time : 135 minutes
Director : Milind Ukey; Writer : Ahmed Khan; Music : Hanif Sheikh
Starring : Shahid Kapoor, Ayesha Takia, Nana Patekar, Saurabh Shukla, Sushant Singh


Sitting on a slab of ice for 30 minutes or a hot metal pipe for 15 or a bed of nails for 5 minutes. All are roughly equally painful as watching Paathshaala. Maybe that was their intent, their way of teaching us Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.


The film is ostensibly about the commercialisation of the education system. So we have a venerable principal (Nana Patekar) who is grumpy, instils fear in teachers and students alike. We have very wooden characters in the form of teachers / students. And we have a new, sickly sweet teacher (Shahid) who charms one and all. And then for reasons unknown to them, Nana gives in to crass commercialism, starts overcharging parents, making the students undergo humiliation after humiliation, all in the name of making more money. What is happening ? How will the situation resolve itself ?


The lack of intelligence demonstrated by the makers in terms of putting together a coherent script / story makes it impossible for any good to come out of this effort. What they show is so far removed from reality, that you keep sinking lower and lower in your seat. Even the acting is bad, Shahid sporting basically Look A and Look B, as depicted in the photographs in this review. Since none of the actions of any of the characters makes sense, even seasoned actors like Saurabh Shukla, Sushant Singh look hammy.

I actually saw this film in a youth lounge. Which is what the afternoon screening in the multiplex seemed to have become, as kids with high disposable incomes chose this as the best way to beat the summer. About 20% disappeared midway, I guess preferring the heat to the film. And the rest of us, I guess, just weren’t brave enough !

5 comments:

rohan said...

very slow movie.....and big time dissapointment

Honey said...

Sorry apurv.. but i completely disagree with wht u have to say...
I appreciate the sensitivity of the director who broached such a topic of what is really happening in schools in the name of making it big!!

Yes there might have been technical mistakes but the underlying motive is a true one.. Hope u follow the news and then talk about the movie !!

Take Care
Honey

Apurv Nagpal said...

hi ! Honey

just noble intent alone cant make for a good movie. i can only judge whats put in front of me for watching, not whats going on in the directors or producers mind.

it was a really painful film to watch. Not just for me but all the others in the hall as well. we all walked out in a daze

Pankaj Parashar said...

this was an incomplete film...neither the main plot was developed nor the sub plots...it suffers from very poor editing also...and they overdid the torture of students part...only the music was good...i liked aye khuda and mujhe teri...
saurabh shukla was the best in acting...and he got most of the good lines..which were very few though..

Anonymous said...

I don't know what kind of movies are being made???? And why are they being made??? In the last couple of years we have seen great ideas...the trailers show a lot of promise but when we go and watch the film.......It is extreme dissapointment!!! Same is the case with Paathshaala.....A good idea...but bad execution
!!!

Karan