Paa the movie, and how Bollywood uses modern medical science.

Paa is a movie which I saw with avid interest after a long long while. Admittedly, there have been more of such movies in recent years, but this one deserves a blog all it's own! First of all, it gave a golden opportunity to AB to get out of his persona and get into the skin of a character completely alien to himself. And he gives a convincing, and moving performance. And all that without the usual Bollywood sentimental trash or hyperbole.

He underplays the character wonderfully, and does not mouth any weighty dialogues; in fact, the most pontifical statement in the movie is not delivered by him, but by a 9-10 year old girl who he has been avoiding throughout the movie. He comes across as an elderly person with a curious mix of the juvenile as well as the wise; the movie is worth seeing simply to experience this kind of unworldly character. 

But then, PROGERIA IS one of the most exotic diseases you can ever imagine! Here are some real-life pictures of children with progeria. 

Here is a link to a website which gives some information on this disease.

Apparently, Paa is inspired by a Hollywood movie (The curious case of Benjamin Button) but I haven't yet seen it; will do that and upgrade this post.

For a change, Bollywood story-tellers take a rare disease entity like that, and still make a good use of it, since 'use' means they should entertain you and at the same time give you an emotional rush. There they succeed like nothing else has in Bollywood in a long, long time. I felt something like this with Jab We Met, but this was better.

There are times when the character takes a little backseat, and the AB persona comes out; this is evident in the comfort he feels with the 'Security Staff' with whom he does a few high-fives. It is the AB persona they are reacting to, and not the exotic character in the movie, and those scenes are a dead giveaway. But I don't know of any actor in Bollywood who has ever been able to completely shed his or her personality, not even Sanjeev Kumar and Kamalhassan, though those two are arguably the best actors we ever had, but that may be too rigorous a standard! AB is an actor par excellence, and this movie showcases that like few others in the past (especially when you recall those dreadful 80s movies like Shahenshah and Mard).Powered by Qumana

PAA the movie

Paa is a movie after a long long while which I saw with avid interest. Admittedly, there have been more of such movies in recent years, but this one deserves a blog all it's own! First of all, it gave a golden opportunity for AB to get out of his persona and get into the skin of a character completely alien to himself. And he gives a convincing, and moving performance. And all that without the usual Bollywood sentimental trash or hyperbole. He underplays the character wonderfully, and does not mouth any weighty dialogues; in fact the most pontifical statement in the movie is not delivered by him, but by a 9-10 year old girl who he has been avoiding throughout the movie. He comes across as an elderly person with a curious mix of the juvenile as well as the wise; the movie is worth seeing simply to experience this kind of unworldly character. But then, progeria IS one of the most exotic diseases you can ever imagine! For a change, Bollywood story-tellers take a rare disease entity like that, and still make a good use of it, since 'use' here means they should entertain you and at the same time give you an emotional rush. There they succedd like nothing else has in Bollywood in a long, long time. I felt something like this with JAb We Met, but this was better.
There are times in the movie when the character takes a little backseat, and the AB persona comes out; this is evident in the comfort he feels with the 'Security Staff' with whom he does a few high-fives. It is the AB persona they are reacting to, and not the exotic character in the movie, and those scenes are a dead giveaway. But I don't know of any actor in Bollywood who has ever been able to completely shed his or her personality, not even Sanjeev Kumar and Kamalhassan, arguably the best actors Bollywood has produced; I guess that may be too rigorous a standard! AB is an actor par excellence, and this movie showcases that like few others in the past (especially when you recall those dreadful 80s movies like Shahenshah and Mard).