Thursday, November 01, 2001
There is an exaggerated air about Asoka. I don’t mean the cinematic exaggeration that separates drama from real life. It’s more like dramatic excess. The way the characters walk as if on air; the way they imperiously toss their ‘uttariyas’ over their shoulders; the way they talk, whether its adversaries indulging in a macho war of words or co-conspirators plotting a sneaky kill; the frenzied camera pans and the quick cuts… all lend a touch of unreality to the unfolding story.
It takes time getting used to this kind of storytelling. But just as it begins to grow on you, Asoka’s mother emotionally blackmails him into forsaking royalty to lead a life of a commoner. Suddenly, like a switch being turned off, the narrative becomes predictably Hindi filmi.
As a plot, it had all the makings of an epic. A historical figure, whose symbols dominate national consciousness; Machiavellian palace intrigues and backstabbing; a searing love story that ends with the lovers facing off on a battlefield; the humbling of a conqueror by his own bloody conquests…
But in the end the film leaves you much like its protagonist: unfulfilled.
Santosh Sivan effort is best described by a cricketing term: half-cock. His attempt to temper his style of new age movie-making with box-office compulsions (especially the surfeit of songs and the overdone melodrama) leaves Asoka neither here nor there.
The Cast
Shah Rukh Khan is his usual predictable self. In rare scenes, especially tender ones, he rises above himself. When a monk tells him that destiny has greater things in store for him than being a mere Samrat, the perplexity and kid-like wonder on his face are amazingly genuine.
Karriena Kapoor is pure eye candy. And there’s not much wrapping her.
Rahul Dev as Bheema delivers a cameo that proves not all models are made of wood.
Hrishitaa Bhatt emotes well, but lacks charisma and screen presence to be star material.
Suraj Balaje is the surprise pick of the lot. He is endearing as Arya, the young prince of Kalinga.
Great Expectations
I was looking forward to the much-hyped war scenes. They are not a patch on the action scenes in Braveheart and Gladiator. In fact, the war scenes bear a closer resemblance to those in Mahabharata, minus the tacky costumes and weapons.
The Good News
For the first time in my last five movies, I got current tickets without paying a premium -- and that on the fourth day of release. That should tell you a lot more about the movie than the preceding 400 words.
It takes time getting used to this kind of storytelling. But just as it begins to grow on you, Asoka’s mother emotionally blackmails him into forsaking royalty to lead a life of a commoner. Suddenly, like a switch being turned off, the narrative becomes predictably Hindi filmi.
As a plot, it had all the makings of an epic. A historical figure, whose symbols dominate national consciousness; Machiavellian palace intrigues and backstabbing; a searing love story that ends with the lovers facing off on a battlefield; the humbling of a conqueror by his own bloody conquests…
But in the end the film leaves you much like its protagonist: unfulfilled.
Santosh Sivan effort is best described by a cricketing term: half-cock. His attempt to temper his style of new age movie-making with box-office compulsions (especially the surfeit of songs and the overdone melodrama) leaves Asoka neither here nor there.
The Cast
Shah Rukh Khan is his usual predictable self. In rare scenes, especially tender ones, he rises above himself. When a monk tells him that destiny has greater things in store for him than being a mere Samrat, the perplexity and kid-like wonder on his face are amazingly genuine.
Karriena Kapoor is pure eye candy. And there’s not much wrapping her.
Rahul Dev as Bheema delivers a cameo that proves not all models are made of wood.
Hrishitaa Bhatt emotes well, but lacks charisma and screen presence to be star material.
Suraj Balaje is the surprise pick of the lot. He is endearing as Arya, the young prince of Kalinga.
Great Expectations
I was looking forward to the much-hyped war scenes. They are not a patch on the action scenes in Braveheart and Gladiator. In fact, the war scenes bear a closer resemblance to those in Mahabharata, minus the tacky costumes and weapons.
The Good News
For the first time in my last five movies, I got current tickets without paying a premium -- and that on the fourth day of release. That should tell you a lot more about the movie than the preceding 400 words.
# posted by Ashok @ 2:46 AM 
