Movie Review - "The Reluctant Fundamentalist" directed by Mira Niar

Hello reader,

This blog is a part of my classroom activity of Postcolonial Studies: Film Screening: The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

 

Click here to show given task.

                                       

Here is the full movie

“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” is political thriller drama film based on the novel, The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid. Novel was published in 2007 and movie made on in 2012. Movie was directed by Mira Nair, starring by Riz Ahmed and Kate Hudson in lead. The movie “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” is focuses upon the theme of racism and an American Dream of a young man Changez Khan and his journey of becoming a reluctant fundamentalist. The whole movie is narrated in flashback technique. The location of this movie is the streets of Lahore, Pakistan and then it swift towards America.

The plot begins with the kid 

napping of Anse Rainier, an American professor at Lahore University. After which an American Journalist Bobby Lincoln, a CIA agent comes to interview the protagonist Chang Khan and he tacks interview of Changez Khan at small café in Lahore. Story start with flash back technique and we see the frame narrative technique was used in the movie. Changez Khan says his whole story infruent of Bobby. He tells about his life that how he lives in America in last one decade, and then leaved U.S. As like other he was also enchanted with the American dream. For that he struggles a lot and gets success. He becomes CEO of the company and he enjoy to being CEO.

We see this film with the postcolonial perspective.

The concept of racism we find in the entire movie. When the American colleague of Changez Khan has been kidnapped, at that time the main suspect on Changez because he was a Muslim tutor.

When Changez went for interview at that time Jim mack fun on Changez, It shows the mindset of the white people towards black people.

                “Looks are deceiving”     

This dialogues is reflects postcolonial aspect of racism. Most of the time people are judged according to their look, but looks deceives people. First when Changez has looks like American people at that time white people have no problem but when he has beard and appear like Muslim, it was become problematic. After 9/11 the life of Changez was changed a lot, everyone suspect on Changez because of he was belong to Muslim nation Pakistan.

When Changez go to airport at that time he also becomes victim of racism. Because he was looks like a Muslim, he becomes reason of suspect.

Very first time Changez fill outsider in America when American police treated him as terrorist because he has beard like Muslim. In that scene we can see that there is a reflection of Changez on glass and WTC tower is blasting, which suggests the blast of an American dream of Changez.

The felling of “Otherness” Changez feels in America. He becomes stranger for America because of his identity as Muslim.

When Erica Confess her loves infruent of Change as Pakistani at that time his felling was deeply hurt. At that time he feels inferior infruent of her beloved because of his identity as Pakistani. His American dream was collapses and ultimately he stops dreaming and accepted the present.

         In this movie we find term like, racism, terrorism and post colonialism. In the movie we find deep impact of racism and colonialism in mind of white people. The same thing we find in the movie New-York also. 

Thank You.

      

Movie Review: Midnight's Children - directed by Deepa Mehta

Hello Readers,

This blog is a part of my classroom activity of Postcolonial Studies: Film Screening: “Midnight's Children”.

Here is blog link of given task: 

Midnight children movie is

                                       Directed by Deepa Mehta   

                                                 Writer – Salman Rushdie                                 

                                      Screenplay by Salman Rushdie

                                      Based on Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

                                     Starring – Shabana Azmi, Ronit Roy, Shriya Saran, Satya                           

                                                        Bhabha

Here is full movie 

“Midnight’s Children” novel is by Salman Rushdie. It was published in 1981 after independence. He uses abrogation language in his novel. In the novel Salman Rushdie shows pre independence and post independence India. In the novel shows the partition of the British India. It is considered an example of postcolonial literature and magical realism.

The movie deals with such a historical event like partition of India, Birth of Bangladesh, and Emergency of 1975 by Indira Gandhi a. In the movie memory also narrated very well. Story was narrated through the perspective of narrator Saleem Sinai. He starts from the marriage of his grandfather and grandmother, and also includes his mother’s life. He and Siva both are born at stroke of 14^th August Midnight. Both are swapped by the Christian nurse named marry. Both are born when exact India becomes Independence. Both are belong to different classis, one belongs to high class and another belongs to lower class. Who were born at the 14^th august midnight, they all have some kind of magic power.  

In the movie we have see so many post colonial perspective. In which some are below.  

At the begging of the movie show the scene of Kashmir it was shows the political thing. In the movie we have see the women are marginalised by the man. Character of Vanita is exploited by British Government William Methwold. So we can say that she colonized by the man. 

When Siva and Saleem both are born at that time one Christine nurse Marry was swapped both and change the fate for their purpose. So poor become rich and rich become poor. Here Marry symbolizes for superiority of Christianity over other religions.

In the scene of school, teacher show the painting of white man William Macaulay and say that “this man who brought the civilization to savage”. It shows that India is Savage and it become civilized because of the white man. So here White man is superior and Indian people become inferior. We also read this, that the education is suffering and it depended upon the white people. 

In the movie we find hybridization of religion. For example, Saleem is belonging to Islam, Shiva belongs to Hinduism and Marry belong to Christianity. Saleem and Shiva first not knew the real truth about their life but when they known at that time Shiva get the power and Saleem become victim. Shiva become superior and Saleem become inferior. Shiva become rich and richness always shows the power, so here we can say that poor always exploited by the richer person and always become victim of something. 

In the movie also used the poster of ‘Mother India” in background when Saleem’s mother Mumtaz is going to meet her lover. It reflects the political concern of that time.    

Thank you. 

  

      

               

                                                    

      

Online thinking activity "The Birthday party" by Harold Pinter

This blog is part of my classroom activity on Harold Pinter's play "The Birthday Party".

Here is Link of given task.

Here is the full movie of this play

1. Why are two scenes of Lulu omitted from the movie?

Ans: Stanley Webber is the main protagonist of the play, for whom entire story of the play is around. So, the reason of omitting two scenes of Lulu can be focusing upon the confusing situation of Stanley rather than Lulu. The omission of these scene is doesn’t mack any different for the movie. If those scenes were in the movie, the audience was more focus on the character of Lulu, who abused by man and she would be judged as victim, rather than protagonist. 

2. Is movie successful in giving us the effect of menace? Where you able to feel it while reading the text?

Ans. Yes, movie is successful in giving us the effect of menace. For example:- the sound effect, shouting, knocking of the door, toy drum, tearing the newspaper, laughing, screaming etc. But while we reading the text, it was not much affected as while we viewing the movie. There are many dialogue in the play which create the effect of comedy of menace. For example,

MEG. Is that you Petey?
Pause.
Petey, is that you?
Pause.
Petey?
PETEY. What?
MEG. Is that you?
PETEY. Yes, it's me.

 

3. Do you feel the effect of lurking danger while viewing the movie? Where you able to feel the same while reading the text.

Ans. Yes, I have felt the effect of lurking danger while viewing the movie. For example, while knocking sound of the door, and while all character played game name ‘blind man buff’ at that time we feel the effect of lurking through the character of Stanley. It also suggests the upcoming danger in the protagonist Stanley’s life. We also felt same while we reading the text but it is not give more charm like movie.

4. What do you read in 'newspaper' in the movie? Petey is reading newspaper to Meg, it torn into pieces by McCain, pieces are hidden by Petey in last scene.

Ans. According to me, Newspaper is connection with reality; it was connected with the world. Petey read the newspaper infruent of his wife Mag it show, the relationship between husband and wife. Petey is reading it and Meg is completely unaware about reality. So, it can be read as husband has knowledge about world and wife has away from the reality. When McCann is tearing newspaper it shows his destroying mentality especially about Stanley. It can be also read as revealing the reality of Stanley. This pieces of newspaper are hide by the Petey, because may be he known the reality of two stranger and Stanley. He also hide truth infruent of his wife about, Stanley is taken by the two stranger McCann and Goldbug.

5. Camera is positioned over the head of McCain when he is playing Blind Man's Buff and is positioned at the top with a view of room like a cage (trap) when Stanley is playing it. What interpretations can you give to these positioning of camera? 

Ans. Camera is positioned over the head of McCain when he is playing the game Blind Man’s Buff, which shows he is overpowered by his desire of catching Stanley. When the turn of Stanley come at that time camera is positioned at the top with a view of room like cage it shows that Stanley is become prey of two strangers very soon. It also can be interpreted that he wants to escape from the situation and the angle camera shows that he is helpless.

 

6. "Pinter restored theatre to its basic elements: an enclosed space and unpredictable dialogue, where people are at the mercy of one another and pretence crumbles." (Pinter, Art, Truth & Politics: Excerpts from the 2005 Nobel Lecture). Does this happen in the movie?

Ans. Yes, with some exceptions it happens in the movie. Everyone shows care and loves for each other for example Lulu, Meg and Petey shows care towards Stanley but at the end when Stanley is in problem.

7. How does viewing movie help in better understanding of the play ‘The Birthday Party’ with its typical characteristic (like painteresque, pause, silence, menace, lurking danger)?

Ans. Movie helps us in better understanding because it gives more effect to menace like painteresque, pause, silence, menace, lurking danger and also silent. All the elements of menace are well captured with background sound, expression and visualization of scene and character’s emotions in movie. Each movement is most important in the movie like knocking sound of the door, tearing of the newspaper etc… 

8.With which of the following observations you agree:

o   “It probably wasn't possible to make a satisfactory film of "The Birthday Party."

o   “It's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Friedkin”[1][3]. (Ebert)

Ans. I agree with the second observation that “It's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive”. The movie includes all characteristics of Painteresque and also the use of sound and lighting with camera angles is effective.

 9. If you were director or screenplay writer, what sort of difference would you makes it the making of movie?

Ans.  Movie is very much faithful to the original play. As par my understanding everything is okay no need to change or add in the movie. 

10. Who would be your choice of actors to play the role of characters?

Ans. I choose characters like

Stanley Webber – Irfan khan
Nat Golberg  - Nana Patekar
McCain – Anil Kapoor
Meg – Shree Devi
Lulu – Kalki Koechlin
Petey-  Naseeruddin shah

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Online Thinking Activity on the Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett

 This blog is my classroom activity. To show the worksheet of given task click here.

                                         

Q – 1: What connection do you see in the setting (“A country road. A tree.  Evening.”) Of the play and these paintings?

                                     

Ans: The setting of the play is “A country road. A tree. Evening”.  This setting of the play is inspired by two painting by Caspar David Friedrich. The titles of this painting are “Longing”. Here longing means craving, deep desire for something. Waiting is connected with longing. In the painting two person see towards sun, it shows bright hope of something. In the entire play we also find this same thing.  

Q - The tree is the only important ‘thing’ in the setting. What is the importance of tree in both acts? Why does Beckett grow a few leaves in Act II on the barren tree - The tree has four or five leaves - ?

                                                   

 

Ans:  Tree is the important symbol in both the act. In first act Tree is barren, it suggests the effect of the Second World War and after the 2^nd world war there is no faith. In this act Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot but he will not come.  In the second act tree has four or five leaves. It suggests three things that are (1) the bright hope of Vladimir and Estragon’s that Godot will sorely come. (2) Change in nature and (3) Indifference of nature.  

Q-  In both Acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. How would you like to interpret this ‘coming of night and moon’ when actually they are waiting for Godot?     

                                   

         

Ans: The ‘coming of night and moon’ suggest bright hope for something that the next day shore something good happen. Night signifies for ‘end’ and Moon signifies for ‘bright hop’.  In this play the Boy come as messenger of Godot and says that “Godot is not come today but he will come tomorrow” and day goes out and night come. It also interpret that nature and time never wait for anything, it goes on. 

Q- The director feels the setting with some debris. Can you read any meaning in the contours of debris in the setting of the play?

Ans: In the setting of the play some debris are there. Debris means destroyed or broken in to some pieces. In the play it used as chaos and It shows the effect of the second world war.

Q - How are the props like hat and boots used in the play? What is the symbolical significance of these props?

Ans:  Vladimir is play with the hat and Estragon is play with boot. Hat is suggests that intellectual thinking or practicality. Vladimir has practical sense for doing work. Boot is suggesting that carelessness of thing or thinking without logic. Boot stand for Estragon. He has more carelessness or he also not remembers the thing. 

Q- Do you think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating and nauseatic? Even when the master Pozzo is blind, he obediently hands the whip in his hand. Do you think that such a capacity of slavishness is unbelievable?   

                                          

Ans: Yes, I think that the obedience of Lucky is extremely irritating. In the second Act of the play master Pozzo become blind even though he obey his master and give whip in the hand of his master. Now it is not required to behave like this because his master become blind but Lucky is submissive slave that’s way he obey his master. It was suggested that his mindset was not accept that freedom of life because of colonialism and deep impact of master and slave relationship. 

Q - “The subject of the play is not Godot but ‘Waiting’” (Esslin, A Search for the Self). Do you agree? How can you justify your answer?

Ans:  The subject of the play is not Godot but ‘Waiting’. The act of waiting as an essential aspect of the human condition. Throughout our lives we always waiting for someone, and Godot simply represents the objective of our waiting. In the act of waiting we experience the flow of time in its purest. Similarly in the play both the characters are waiting still at the end of the play. If the subject of the play is not waiting but Godot then they might turn up.

     Q -    The more the things change, the more it remains similar. There seems to have no change in Act I and Act II of the play. Even the conversation between Vladimir and the Boy sounds almost similar. But there is one major change. In Act I, in reply to Boy;s question, Vladimir says: 
"BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?

         VLADIMIR:

        Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't   you?

     How does this conversation go in Act II? Is there any change in seeming similar situation and conversation? If so, what is it? What does it signify?

Ans:

 Act- 1
BOY: - What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?
VLADIMIR: Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw us. (Pause.) You did see us, didn't you?

Act – 2
BOY: What am I to tell Mr. Godot, Sir?
VLADIMIR: Tell him . . . (he hesitates) . . . tell him you saw me and that . . (he hesitates) . . . that you saw me. (Pause. Vladimir advances, the Boy recoils. Vladimir halts, the Boy halts. With sudden violence.) You're sure you saw me; you won't come and tell me tomorrow that you never saw me!

 The one major which can be highlighted here is, that in the Act 1 Vladimir tells boy “you’re sure you saw US” but in Act 2 it tells him “You’re sure you saw me”.  It suggests two things first is Vladimir has become self-centered and another is being individual.