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They say you take traits from your parents & I’ve took the one of watching movies from them. Finally my father watched Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor’s 102 Not Out & he has to say a lot in few words. Read till the end only if you’ve seen the movie because there are mild spoilers ahead.
So, a little background about my father, he’s not much of an all-movies watcher. He watches very selected movies as he defines the movie watching experience as a relationship, and his heart breaks when the movie he selects to watch turn out to be bad. 102 Not Out was on his watch list since he watches its trailer & he has finally seen it.
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I usually call or text him after he’s done watching a ‘good’ film and here’s how our conversation on call was after he watched 102 Not Out:
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Me: Hey Dad, how was the movie?
Dad: It was very good, but…
Me: But? Don’t say you didn’t like!
Dad: I loved it, but…
Me: Arey, toh why you’re adding a …but with a pause to every sentence?
Dad: Okay, so here it is – I hated the movie but…
Me: C’mon dad, the article will start getting boring now. (Pun intended!)
Dad: Yes, I hated the movie but in a beautiful way.
Me: WHAT? Elaborate please!
Dad: Once I’m home.
*Disconnects*
There are these let’s-talk-over-tea sessions with my father every time either of us watch any movie. So, as soon as I went home after my office he was waiting for me with a jug full of tea. As he started pouring tea in cups for both of us, he said, “Yaar yeh kya kar diya director ne?” With a shocking expression on my face, I asked, “Tell me, what complain you’ve with the film.”
Starting his mini review, he said, “I super loved the film but it’s like a sugarcane juice, however good it is, you wish it to be even sweeter. Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor are like sugarcanes, they just can’t be sweet enough. The movie was one of the best I’ve seen in recent times, probably the best of this year for me, but director (Umesh Shukla) made this one sweet when it could’ve been sweeter. Why, in the end Babulal (Rishi Kapoor) along with a whistle don’t say ‘Well Played’ as he was asked by Dattatraya (Amitabh Bachchan). Imagine how a ‘well played’ said with trembling lips of Babulal could have made an impact to that scene.”
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“The Charlie Chaplin metaphor scene was a limelight and the usage of songs like Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana, Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam was a masterstroke. Also, there should have been a scene towards the end having Babulal sitting at a night on a terrace with Dhiru (Jimit Trivedi). Panning camera towards the sky, director should have shown a twinkling star referring a scene from before when Dattu dada says how he is booking a spot up above. Also the poem ‘Maut Ek Kavita Hai’ from Bachchan’s own Anand playing in the background of that scene would have done wonders for it,” he added.
He was bowled over by the film and he goes with 4/5 as his final rating but he wanted this to be 5/5 hence the above suggestions.
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