The varied yet similar Indian content released recently on various platforms in the past few weeks made me re-think about my SCRIPT REVIEWS.
Should I be whiling away time reviewing duds or, instead, start writing one to pay my bills?
With the advent of OTT in India, as a writer, I believed that time for new -unique ideas and content has arrived.
As a viewer, I believed; the time of Manoj Bajpayees, Nawazuddin Siddiquis, Ashutosh Ranas, and more such true acting talents, has arrived.
But unfortunately the waning star smitten Bollywood is finding its footing into this amazing medium of OTT and in many ways crippling the medium with over-budgeted and over-indulgent sagas without recognizing the need to change with the medium.
The Fame Game on Netflix starring Bollywood STAR - Madhuri Dixit is an amazing story idea on paper. But sadly it just remains amazing only there, on paper.
The script is over ambitious and tries to bundle up too much in one go.
It touches upon physical abuse, mental health, sexuality, homophobia and much more. Not saying that it doesn't do a reasonable job, but in doing so, it strays from being what it set out to be.
The screenplay is a drag and the writer indulges in some unnecessarily long scenes which hampers the pace of the narrative.
Rudra-The Edge of Darkness on Disney+Hotstar.
Bollywood still works on references.
First it was "Sholay jaisa kuch banate hain!" now it is
"Prime Video ka Killing Eve jaisa kuch. "
Aisa karte hain - Remake hi bana dete hain. Thankfully now they buy rights.
The Fame Game, Rudra and many of its types; actually raises some very persistent questions for Bollywood. Someone needs to ask!
Why is Bollywood trying to push through its grandeur and star driven agenda into this medium as well ?
Does Bollywood not know any better ?
Was Nawazuddin Siddiqui indeed right in quitting this medium ?
Is Bollywood still not ready to give way to the old and let the new in by shedding its velveteen skin?
I am a huge huge fan of Madhuri Dixit and have always been!
What she and Sri Devi did in the Male-Hero Dominated Mainstream Bollywood is sheer talent.
But when in the environs of my home, on my couch, with my viewing device in my hand; I sit to watch - I am expecting not the Star Madhuri Dixit but the Talent House, sans makeup. Literally and Figuratively.
So, as a script, I may not have completely been enamored by Aranyak but I loved the way the Script treated Raveena Tandon.
I am the generation that grew up on many of the no-brainers of late 80's and 90's and I loved every bit of it then. But for fuck sake!
Bollywood needs to come out of the the glitz, gloss, glamour and siti maar entries of stars.
Mujhe Ajay Devgan ko GREEN SCREEN wali Sky-Scrapper par baithkar Cigarette peete hue nahin dekhna hain! I want to see him act.
The amazingly raw talent, known for his realistic approach to film making, Nagraj Manjule too needs a Amitabh Bachchan to play his protagonist and sell his film and a weepy Amir Khan to promote it.
I am ready to sell my writer's hat and soul to simply write for money.
Any takers in Bollywood?
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