Ashdoc's movie review---Kai po che

Kai po che---thats what Gujaratis are supposed to say when the rope of
their kite cuts the rope of somebody else's kite---at least thats what I
gathered from a scene in the film....


So is the film a celebration of Gujarati culture and Gujarati
entrepreneurship by Bollywood ?? A show of what Gujaratis have achieved
through their hard work and their skills ?? A film about the vibrancy
of Gujarat and the economic heights to which Gujaratis have reached ??


Naah---its something more mundane.....


Its part of the regular media gameplan to demonise the hindu
nationalist forces repeatedly, and its a part of the Bollywood plan to
earn more moolah by appeasing minorities so that the film runs well in
Pakistan and the middle east , and it is part of the larger conspiracy
to show hindu nationalist ruled states and especially Gujarat as
hotbeds of communal tension where minorities are under attack .


So whats the plot ??


Three friends open a cricket academy , and their chief find is a boy
named Ali who is destined to be a great cricketeer . But various events
like the Gujarat earthquake and Gujarat riots intervene to seemingly
wreak havoc with their plans . And also shown are their personal trysts
and defeats and triumphs .


So do they show the terrible Gujarat earthquake ?? Not really , the
main concentration is on the fact that minorities did not receive aid
from the hindu nationalist govt in the aftermath of the earthquake.....


And of course , the Gujarat riots are shown with gusto---fully in line
with the media's and intellectual class's habit of harping repeatedly
about the Gujarat riots to the exclusion of everything else .

Graphic shots are shown of hindus killing muslims and of hindu nationalist inspired violence .


One of the three friends loses his parents in the burning alive of kar
sevaks in the train at Godhra . Now why didnt they not show that
incident at all ?? Oh , thats because in this case the minorities were
at fault.....


Now that friend goes along with a hindu nationalist mob to kill the
future cricketeer Ali and Ali's father in revenge for the killing of
his parents in Godhra . Its upto the two other friends to stop him....


So can they stop him ?? Go and watch the movie for that....


Yes , the Gujarat riots were a terrible thing . But is that the only thing about that state worth highlighting ??


And does Bollywood have the guts to show events like the great Calcutta
killings that led to the partition of the country in 1947 but were
started by minorities ?? Naah.....


At least Gujaratis should see through this gameplan of repeated
vilification of their state because it is ruled by the hindu
nationalist forces .


On a better note---some part of Gujarati culture like dandiya is well
shown . The only girl in the movie is not only pretty but is also '
forward ' in the sense that she takes the lead in not only wooing her
boyfriend but taking him to bed....
Are all Gujarati women similarly ' forward ' ?? Must try befriending some.....


Verdict---depends really on how politically inclined you are , or even
how politically aware you are . Many folks would find it a good movie .
I being right wing by my political beliefs found it just about
okay....