Posted on March 6, 2016
Thanks to Rahul Desai and Tanul Thakur, I got to talk about a lot of things I think about as a critic, as a writer.
Here is the interview.
http://indiaindependentfilms.com/conversations-with-baradwaj-rangan/
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Baradwaj Rangan 
Honest Raj (formerly 'V'enkatesh)
March 6, 2016
Actually, I had missed your Madras review. I visited the thread after someone brought up the caste angle and cited the film in the Visaranai post.
Appreciate you for being honest. 🙂 Not many critics openly admit such things.
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apex
March 6, 2016
Excellent stuff BR…Ta
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tonks
March 6, 2016
You say about Owen Gleiberman, who wrote for Entertainment Weekly : His words crystallised a vague feeling I had about the film’s structure, even if I did not mind it as much as he did
Also about Kael, you say: I disagreed with her half the time, but it was impossible to stop reading her. I don’t think I have read another critic who ‘entered’ a film as much as she did.
Both of these, IMO, could be said about you too. Though I’d probably want to add the words “into humorous, detailed, intelligent, thoughtful, nuanced, cheeky, thoroughly readable and beautiful prose” between the words “crystallised” and “a” 🙂
Instead, if you claim you love cinema, why didn’t you watch a Kirumi?
Funny this movie should have chosen as an example. Because I did, solely because of your review/mention of it here. (The same for Kakka Muttai. And Masaan. And Laura. And many other gems.)
I liked the interview and the questions asked, they seemed to have insider knowledge (like the one on Madras), almost makes one wonder if they follow the blog, those interviewers. Most of what was discussed has been covered in here in the comments section. But I got the answer to one question that had puzzled me a little. The reason for such brilliantly detailed reviews for Hindi movies here in the blog (which do not get published in the newspaper)
Also you say : The other reason is also that I enjoy the conservations on my blog with the readers
Thats nice to hear (though I fear the last few days may just have changed your mind about that 🙂 )
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Vanya
March 6, 2016
Very thoughtful interview — loved it. Btw, re: “His words crystallised a vague feeling I had about the film’s structure…”, I recently watched Shandaar and re-read your take on it, and that quoted line is EXACTLY what went through my head about your review and how I felt about the movie as a whole (albeit in a less crystallized form 😛 ). Funny that you then alluded to the Shandaar write-up elsewhere in the interview.
Also, you frequently allude to Indian movie sensibilities, and refer to it in the interview in your discussion of warmth in cinema. I wonder if this is more true of Bollywood than of Indian cinema as a whole. I grew up watching primarily Malayalam, and some English, films, with a smattering of Hindi. My parents, like many mallu cinephiles, were snobs when it came to Bollywood*, and it was much later in life that I got acquainted with many Bollywood classics, by which time it was too late to appreciate that sensibility.
*This was, of course, before the descent of mallu cinema and the rise of multiplex films in Hindi.
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sanjana
March 6, 2016
Interesting conversation. Now I understand why your reviews are different.
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P
March 6, 2016
I really like that even when they asked snarky questions about “mainstream” “Fluff” cinema in not so many words, you still answered with the love and affection that I have for even something like Aa Re Pritam Pyare 🙂
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Kid
March 6, 2016
P: But why do we need to qualify our love for Pritam Pyaare by using the word “even”?! Let’s face it, when some of us watch a routine French romcom, do we ever for a moment feel the need to be so defensive about it. I think it’s more a resistance (sometimes at a subconscious level) towards certain aesthetics (in cinema and life) than anything else.
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Rav
March 6, 2016
Excellent interview. I remember the quote of ‘small bullet’. big fan of how you use the language. not only to be read and enjoyed but for savouring. you should try dialogue writing mayb in a GVM movie. 😉
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P
March 6, 2016
oh, the “Even” is because most people – the burgeious think that it deserves an “even” 🙂 I personally love the absolute masala – I grew up in the 90s. Unchi hai building, lift teri band hai- was like our anthem when we went to an NCC camp in 1999 😀 Tadap Tadap ke is dil- is the song we all listened to when those puppy love stories came to nought, I have heavvvvy nostalgia plus an all out love for what many refer to as B-grade masala movies- I personally don’t think they are that 🙂 I think they are the true Indian soul- the one that transmuted from the street nautanki directly on to the screen- there’s dance, drama, danger, villain, hero- its the best! 😀
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P
March 6, 2016
@Kid: FYI I hate French films, someone asked me to watch Amalie because they had named their daughter that after the film, and me and a friend watched it and fell asleep halfway through…99% of anything made outside America and India- I don’t like 🙂
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Kid
March 6, 2016
BR: This interview made for a great read (I think some credit should go to the interviewers as well). I still think though the the questions weren’t probing enough at times (one of the reasons why your book on Rathnam is so insightful is because quite often it would seem to the/this reader that Rathnam’s response to your question would catch you a little off-guard and vice-versa. And I think the ensuing discussion would truly illuminate the topic/subject in discussion) But one of the many reasons why I enjoy your writings is that you still manage to be precise about what you think of a film (or films) without resorting to a very theoretical language (not that there is anything wrong in that) and inspite of often writing in a very sensory language (I especially mention this point because quite often people who write in this sort of mode end up being vague about why have they liked a particular film… in other words often these kind of writers end up using the same kind of language/vocabulary for explaining why he liked/disliked two different films… in other words the first effect of sensory language is not to reveal the truth but to withhold it)
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MANK
March 6, 2016
Brangan, that was a good read. It was a new experience reading about your humble beginnings and your inspirations. of all the indian critics you mentioned there, Maithili Rao comes closest to you i guess. her reviews in Screen were my first taste of this form of detailed movie analysis about indian cinema especially mainstream hindi commercial cinema. She too was very respectful of commercial cinema . And i see that you have a soft spot for Khalid Mohammad. his reviews were always good fun read even though i always felt he was biased (in favor of and against) some actors\filmmakers
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Madan
March 6, 2016
Great interview. I find interesting that you say you jot down points to work on for your articles because it doesn’t ‘feel’ like that when I as a reader read the final product. It has a looseness and unpredictability that I don’t come across in too many other Indian reviewers. Maybe Raja Sen, and imo he’s a lot more opinionated. Of course how you read a film is going to be very individual and different from the reader’s own interpretation but what I mean is even how you frame the review is unpredictable because you go about it in so many different ways and keep the reader off-balance. After so many reviews to still have ‘it’, that’s amazing.
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Iswarya
March 6, 2016
+1 Madan!
(Sorry.. Missing the upvote button and got to improvise for the laziest next alternative!) 😉
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apex
March 6, 2016
Didn’t want to comment on this but have been LURED. Hesitatingly…
@ “kid” –” when some of us watch a routine French romcom,…”
Good one. Isn’t that was 4 me?. U maybe one of the “blasts from my past” here … The question is which 1…. Lol
@ Punee– I was about to reply to your comment on nargis & katrina in the other thread ( plz do remind me if I’m still around here in these areas later about that gocs that’s interesting)..
but then saw this lovely comment of yours & will have to deal,with this first “love and affection that I have for even something like Aa Re Pritam Pyare :)”
Now I always used to DISS southern films masala and hero worship et al – My problem actually was too little exposure and the language barrier. Then I was introduced to this by PRABHU DEVA’s BEST work in Bollywood. I Saw 5 seconds of this promo and declared this will be akshays alltime best perfomance and grosser. It surely did turn out to be that.
Reminds me of filmigirl : sorry FG–if u track back –Ive not been commenting on your blog but will do some plugging/ publicity for u. Quiet similar thawts (on nearly everything)
http://filmigirl.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/rowdy-rathore-two-akshays-for-price-of.html
This one is SPECIALLY for GUYS – brilliant villain –don’t remember his name but awsum act – Super dance moves, and masala moments overload. And akshay in the (DOUBLE) ROLE OF HIS LIFETIME
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Alaap
March 6, 2016
Contrary to pop perception, there exists a star system in BR’s reviews.
It is
(n) No.of stars = No.of paragraphs / 2
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Yossarian
March 7, 2016
BR, That was an awesome read, especially part 1 about your early days.
I’ve been reading your reviews and posts since 2004 and it is amazing to see how much your writing has evolved while your passion and love of all things cinema has remained the same.
I am sure i speak for many of your readers when i say this – you played a big role in opening up Tamil and Hindi movie analysis/discussion beyond the traditional aspects and eloquently put to words what many of us felt about certain parts of a movie or performance. I am no good with expressing my thoughts lucidly via comments and I rarely catch the new releases on time, but there’s a quiet satisfaction that I get when reading your views about a particular movie/performance which are in sync with what I felt!
And of course, this blog wouldn’t be so special if not for all those wonderful commenters who add so much to the discussion here. I hope you continue writing with this passion for a very long time! I do wish you are given opportunities to write a bit more frequently on the non-cinema stuff like Jigarthanda (the drink, not the movie 🙂 ).
PS: I went back and read the first review that got me hooked to your writing back then – Ayutha Ezhuthu, I wonder what you think about your writing in that review now 🙂
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sanjana
March 7, 2016
What is the difference between analysing a book and a film? Especially a masala film? Which is more intellectual? Which is more difficult?
Why cant we have two reviews from the same critic? One subjective and one objective?
Would watching movies for writing reviews take away the pleasure of watching movies randomely?
Every movie is an expression while every review is an opinion.
Critic reviews a film. Some review the reviews and also the reviewers.
Do stars influence reviews? Khalid used to be overwhelmed by SRK.
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brangan
March 7, 2016
Thank you all for your kind comments. It’s especially nice to know when people started engaging with this blog. Glad to know there are still some old-timers around 🙂
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The Gypsy Girl
March 7, 2016
BR, really enjoyed reading that conversation. I’ve been reading your blog since I first stumbled upon your Omkara review in 2006…..mostly lurker, occasional commentor. I’ve always felt that your writing holds so much affection for ‘our’ cinema, and respect for the film-maker (with stalwart exceptions such as Pokkiri Raja, of course)….and I think that comes across when you discuss reviewing Indian cinema.
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Vikram
March 7, 2016
BR, thoroughly enjoyed your interview. Took us a bit through your process and views on so many connected areas….i am curious, was this like an audiotaped discussion or done on emails?….
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Kid
March 7, 2016
BR: I wanted to say something on the entire apolitical/Madras part of your interview. Let’s assume for a moment that Madras (a film I thought you liked beyond its merits) is as ostensibly about caste as Fandry and Chauranga (I haven’t seen Chauranga though). This still doesn’t mean that one has to talk about the caste angle of the film in a review (yes, even in a review let alone a tangential piece on the film). Actually I don’t think there should be any sort of intellectual burden on a critic to specifically talk about any particular aspect of the film in his review/piece irrespective of how much importance the reader of the review gives to that particular aspect of the film. There can be so many ways a review can be written on Fandry without even mentioning caste and all of this reviews could be equally fair.
All of this is a roundabout way of saying that not talking about a certain aspect of a film (irrespective of how “central” that aspect might be or might appear to be to the narrative/aesthetics/politics of the film) does NOT de-legitimise or devalue the review in any way. What I think the critic perhaps should do is that if he does decide to write about an aspect of the film which is (or atleast seems to be) somewhat central to the film, he should then do some sort of justice to that aspect in the review (in other words if he decides to talk about something and is then found really lacking in knowledge/insight on that particular point/set of points, it’s fair to criticise him).
All I mean to say that just like a film, a review should be judged (whatever that means) on the terms it sets out for itself. Otherwise it is like criticising Neerja (the film) for not being like Hansal Mehta’s Shahid (in terms of its treatment of the emotional content– melodramatic/understated and all that) when it never promised to be anything like Shahid in the first place.
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brangan
March 7, 2016
Vikram: It was over phone and emails.
Kid: Oh, I completely agree. I harbour absolutely no guilt about not talking that angle in Madras, because I still feel that isn’t the film at all. This is a templatised film (unlike Fandry, for instance, which is an explicitly “Dalit” film) positioned more as a hard-hitting entertainer along the lines of Sathya.
The other reason I don’t especially slot Madras as a “Dalit” movie (though there are hints, as people pointed out in this blog) is that the filmmaker did not want to acknowledge it as one. After the release and the discussion around my review, we (at the paper) sent feelers to his office about an interview talking about this angle and why many people missed it. But we got the response that if they called the film a “Dalit” movie, then it would be pulled out of Madurai theatres etc.
Which is not to say the undercurrents aren’t there. Just that the film works without them too — as the story of ANY underprivileged people. Unlike Fandry, where the story would NOT work if you removed the Dalit angle.
But that said, yes, a review isn’t a comprehensive summary. The way I see it, it is a record of MY experience, and as such my review of Madras is as valid as any of my other reviews.
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vijay
March 7, 2016
The problem with that Madras review was not about BR missing the Dalit factor per se, but it was about him evaluating the movie as something which had very little to say and nothing fresh to add to, after Sathya. I think that’s when some people got a little ticked off and started pointing out to BR about what he might have missed. Especially when he is known for that sixth sense to sniff out subtexts in most movies 🙂 And the other thing which I had a minor problem with is the fact that BR defended Irudhi suttru by saying that it is not the story that matters(even if it is the same old sports cliche) but the storytelling or the narrative style which does.
Well, then the same could apply to Madras as well right, even assuming it did not have anything new to say? From the milieu chosen to the style/form it was quite different from Sathya.
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vijay
March 7, 2016
The one question I missed seeing in the interview is the one I often ask BR, about desi reviewers reviewing foreign art films. If desi reviewers viewing Indian films with a western lens and not getting the “Indianness” of it is a problem, then I feel the same way about some desi reviewers not getting those films made by some art-house Italian film-maker for his audiences.Especially when you don’t even know how arty those films are in the first place unless you have watched enough of their mainstream films to get the full calibration curve right.
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brangan
March 7, 2016
vijay: I swear I have answered this question 75000 times 🙂
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Nee
March 8, 2016
@Vijay, after the first question, references to Owen Gleiberman and Pauline Kael, I didn’t have the heart to read rest of it.
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Supertramp
March 8, 2016
Best is when BR says “Um, I would like to think that I belong to the current generation, too”.
On a serious note great to read the entire conversation to know what you think and your views on critiquing. Don’t agree with calling your tribe(?) film analysts though. We all talk about how Indian film reviewing/criticism is not up to standard and I do wish for there are more people who wrote about film making aspect of films and there existed some Video essays too. I am fine with people choosing not to write about political or other aspects of a film and not concerned about a film’s political correctness. Also no problem with a film maker’s choice talk about something the way Madras does.
P.S : Tanul Thakur and Rahul Desai do write some good stuff. Like this one in Caravan by Tanul Thakur ( http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/written-off-bollywood-script-supervisors) . Those who don’t read them may start now.
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MANK
March 8, 2016
supertramp,can’t thank you enough for pointing me towards the piece on script supervisors. just loved it and was very moved by it.what an incredible talent Hassan Kutty was.
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Aditi
March 10, 2016
I’ve been meaning to read this ever since it was put up here, and finally managed to do so just now. Lovely read. As someone who loves writing in general, it was nice to see that the interview touched upon not just cinema, but writing as a general process as well.
Not sure exactly which post drew me to your blog (I think it was 3 years ago that I, along with my husband, became an obsessed regular. I can recall at least 4-5 offbeat Tamil movies that we watched just so we could excitedly read your review after. Oh, how we laughed at the fact that you had enjoyed the same moments as we did in your Soodhu Kavvum review!), but I remember making a mental note of your name around a decade ago, when I read your review of one of Rahman’s albums in The Hindu. Being a crazy Rahman fan, it gave me an immense high to see how beautifully someone could paint a picture with words about music. That’s the magic about great writing. Thank you for consistently bringing us that high for so many years 🙂
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apala
March 10, 2016
BR, wonderful to read the interview and I can only imagine how scary it’s to turn back and see the risk you took – from US based mappilai to freelance writer looking for work… Thank you for taking the risk and enriching our lives with your writing… I say that with utmost sincerity.
I have been reading your blog for more than 10 years now… WOW!
Wishing to read lot more decades!
Thanks BR!
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RT
March 10, 2016
Was there really a lot of blowback to “Airlift” for not being completely true to life ? I’ve seen quite a few films based on true events in the last couple of years like Selma, Theory of Everything, Imitation Game, Philomena, Pride – all very successful and very good films – and none of them have been completely true to life. I can’t think of a single film which didn’t have some degree of artistic license. What an odd criticism.
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RT
March 10, 2016
@P : 99% of anything made outside America and India- I don’t like 🙂
You know, that comment is just asking for replies with loads of recommendations 🙂
But seriously, no love for films from Japan, China or Korea ? What about British films ? Surely there must be plenty of British films you’ve liked ?
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Iswarya
March 10, 2016
One of the odd things about this theme is the way it combines the images in the “Previous” and “Next” posts creating some instances of totally unintentional hilarity. I remember noticing it in Kuttram Kadithal + Calendar Girls, I guess. Here, the panel underneath looks like a badly photoshopped Neerja aiming a gun back at the hijacker! 😀
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Ramchander Krishna (@ramctheatheist)
March 10, 2016
Like all great relationships in my life, I have no clue when and how I started reading your blog. I proceed knowing the risk that this might sound like a love letter.
When you took a break in December and left empty placeholders for reviews, I kept cursing you every day, wondering how long the break is going to last.
You write such that I can read your review before I watch a film and still enjoy the film, without major spoilers (latest example Jil Jung Juk).
The moment my eyes fell upon your words I lost interest in other petty folks like SK or MR or RS.
I’m a commenter who occasionally tries to nudge through the crowd and receive in my folded palms a little smattering of viboothi from the head priest. Needless to say that the priest and the crown he uses to bless the devotees always narrowly misses my head.
I try to write my thoughts after watching a movie sometimes, but after I read what you wrote about the same movie, I feel like I’ve nothing else to add. I simply think linking to your article in my blog post would make the most sense.
You have spoiled me, Rangan, to such an extent that today when I watch some non-Tamil films (like Her or About Schmidt or Taxi Teheran or Kikujiro or Aranyer Din Ratri) I’m scrambling online for an international Rangan, to help me put into words the vague feelings I had while watching these movies. And none of the online reviews satiate my hunger. Maybe this means that I sometimes need to try and put my feelings into words myself. Maybe this means that I have to become like Harry Potter from the Deathly Hallows. It’s not always you’ll have a Dumbledore around to lovingly draw things to your attention with a Pensieve.
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brangan
March 10, 2016
Ramchander Krishna and others: Again, thank you so much for the kind words. I’m truly, truly touched.
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Vanya
March 11, 2016
Ramchander Krishna, how I wish there were a Love button for comments. (@BR: I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Not looking to open that can of worms again!)
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
March 11, 2016
Ramchander Krishna : that was an amazingly articulate comment ! That was so well put and how ! You’ve precisely captured our sentiments. way to go.
Vanya :………………………(words fail me 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Hari
March 11, 2016
Hi BR, I just found out that you were responsible for the screenplay of the yet-to-release Kadhal 2 Kalyanam.
I think it is safe to say that that film is not gonna be released anytime soon given the exit of the producers from the market?
Can you write a piece on your experiences working on such a film?
Would you say that the film had the qualities of what you think is a “good film” given that you played a direct part on writing one of the crucial components of the project i.e. the screenplay?
Would 2016 Baradwaj Rangan be happy with the Baradwaj Rangan who wrote the screenplay for Kadhal 2 Kalyanam?
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moi
March 11, 2016
Wow…. a BR love fest and me not joining in…. no way…
Your writing appeals to the likes of me too… the pinkvilla visiting plebes who watches only Indian masala movies.
Don’t judge me for my tastes…. Ever since I watched the soul crushing Schindler’s list that aged me by at least 10 years… ( got so depressed and cried so much for almost a week… read up everything on the holocaust and listened to some really sad classical music and cried a little more)… I have sworn to stay away from all kinds of serious cinema.
You moved from the U.S. to India to become a full-time writer… Wow… didn’t know this… Now my admiration has gone up several notches…
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brangan
March 11, 2016
moi: Schindler’s list that aged me by at least 10 years
This really made me laugh. Thanks. I needed it 🙂
Hari: That film was such a joy to work on, but how I wish it could be made available at least on YouTube. Mirchi Movies just wrote it off after a string of flops. Alas.
How would I rate it? I’d say it’s a pretty decent rom-com, with a really good performance by Divya Spandana. Watching her in the scenes we wrote — often exactly the way I imagined it — was pure joy. And some really good direction by Milind as well. One particular confrontation during a wedding is quite amazing for a first-time filmmaker.
But it’s been a while since I saw it and I don’t know how I would feel about the film today. Also, I wonder if one’s personal experiences with a film mar one’s viewing of it. With so much grief over the film’s mis-handling by the producers, I don’t know how much of that will spill over today. In the sense that I may end up remembering the compromises and conflicts at each point 🙂
But overall, it was a GREAT experience. A real eye-opener to how Kollywood works.
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moi
March 11, 2016
BR… I made you laugh!! It takes so little to make you laugh!!!
Since the Broca’s area in my brain is not evolved as yours… I can only come up with this for your comment…
http://media.photobucket.com/user/pixcomments/media/The%2050s/60s/characters/myspace-comments-chicken-dancing-li.gif.html?filters%5Bterm%5D=dancing%20chicken&filters%5Bprimary%5D=images&filters%5Bsecondary%5D=videos&sort=1&o=8
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Kay
March 12, 2016
That was a good interview. And I agree with Ramchander. When you took your break, I kept refreshing my mail to see if there were any new posts. I started reading your reviews in The Hindu and later started following your blog. Now it has become sort of an escape hatch. Now that I have read about your fan boyish adoration for Mani Ratnam, I think I can openly admit to my obsession with your writing, without sounding like a love struck teenager. 🙂
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sanjana
March 12, 2016
Are not all his interactions with the readers themselves form Conversations. Or Conversations with readers and commentators.
I think it is now time or Mani Ratnam or Satyam to have a conversation with BR.
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
March 12, 2016
BR – Thanks for mentioning Khalid Mohammed. I spent 6 years in the North and the “Northies” used to be awestruck by Roja and Thiruda Thiruda . It makes for a bad pun but he was very fair with the regular masala fare. His reviews of Tamil movies were even better because the material was better. Loved the way he ended his joint review of Thevar Magan “when the film reaches its cathartic denoument”.
And I totally identify with the “fanboyish” approach because thats what we precisely felt.
Mani Rathnam gave us reasons to be proud after being subjected to screechy melodramas for ages. It was like the Germans producing a Boris Becker after having to put up with the Adolf Hitler hang over for years.
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brangan
April 11, 2016
Got this link via email. Sharing:
‘What makes someone a critic in the vocational sense is, first, the habit of questioning her own reactions — asking herself why she feels as she does. Second, she must have the ability to formalize and articulate those questions — in other words, she must be a writer. To be able to say what you feel and why: That is the basic equipment of a critic.”
“It’s surprising how much contemporary critical writing is a chore to get through, not just on blogs and in Amazon reviews but even in the printed paragraphs appearing below some prominent bylines, where you find too often the same clichés, the same tired vocabulary, the same humorless, joyless tone. How is it, you wonder, that people so alert to the flaws of others can be so tone deaf when it comes to their own prose? “
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