Dhobi Ghat *****Reviews and Spoilers*****

[Spencer]

Reviews:

4/5 - Taran - http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/13992/index.html

[Poonam]

One more - Rediff:

http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/review-dobhi-ghat/20110119.htm

[Spencer]

More reviews:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dhobi_ghat

[Dolce~oro]

Oh God, the people on Aamir's blog don't seem happy with it. I read the last few dozen comments and there is a lot of "make a mainstream movie again, Aamir, how could you make this crap movie" type comments. If this is reflective of what the mainstream audience in India feels, that's not good at all...  

I'm very interested in the audience's reactions from India, so if any Bollywhaters see it there, can you please tell us? I'm certain it will be a very different response from what we'll get here in North America.

ETA: Same negative reactions on his Facebook too...      I hope it's just haters posting for the heck of it, but I don't remember this kind of reaction with his other films and I've read the "first day" reactions religiously on his blog for the past 3 movies.

[corbie]

I think people in India want romance, etc and fun films for escapism as somebody just said. I know that that is what I want 98% of the time. I have done all the social conscious films, the intense dramas and I still like them sometimes.

Aamir and the like want to make Hollywood social dramas. Hollywood already does that.

People want movies that resonate with them. Like I have a past with some problems and I love Nagin films with the revenge theme of defending women. People who are poor and oppressed don't want films depicting poor and oppressed people. They want films that says it can be different with happy endings.

Crash was a huge Hollywood masterpiece of such. A film about empty lives here in this country. So many people here have so much, decry how poor they are and are so empty they have to live on anti depressants. Stuff here equates to happy they are told and then wonder when they have stuff why they are not.

Films are to entertain not beat us over the head. The best ones have social messages blended into entertainment. Just my opinion, I might be wrong.

Rambling again and I haven't even seen it yet!

[Andromache]

So many people here have so much, decry how poor they are and are so empty they have to live on anti depressants.

I get the point you're trying to make, but many people who take anti-depressants have chronic depression and would need this medication regardless of how fulfilling their society is.

NPR review:

Dhobi Ghat is never less than equal parts heart and schmaltz — noble underclass heroes abound — but it closes with an intriguing ambiguity. Rather than rounding up Mumbai's rich and poor and in-between into a Slumdog dance of Bolly goodwill, Dhobi Ghat injects a well-placed note of doubt about the end of caste rigidity in the New India. Either Rao has a realist streak, or a Brahmin investor put his foot down.

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/21/133055615/mumbai-diaries-old-and-new-colliding-in-the-city

I do love how every time a 'Hindie" movie gets attention in the west, all the news outlets start going "OH EM GEE IS BOLLYWOOD CHANGING???"

[Amba]

NPR review:

Dhobi Ghat is never less than equal parts heart and schmaltz — noble underclass heroes abound — but it closes with an intriguing ambiguity. Rather than rounding up Mumbai's rich and poor and in-between into a Slumdog dance of Bolly goodwill, Dhobi Ghat injects a well-placed note of doubt about the end of caste rigidity in the New India. Either Rao has a realist streak, or a Brahmin investor put his foot down.

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/21/133055615/mumbai-diaries-old-and-new-colliding-in-the-city

I do love how every time a 'Hindie" movie gets attention in the west, all the news outlets going "OH EM GEE IS BOLLYWOOD CHANGING???"

This above is a supremely silly review.    Bollywood blogger Filmi Girl wrote a good rebuttal to it, if you scroll down to the comments. Can someone please send a memo out to Western reviewers, telling them that India makes plenty of movies that aren''t "Bollywood", and if you only have an amorphous idea of what Bollywood is, it's best to keep your mouth shut?

[Kajolownsyou]

I saw this tonight and really enjoyed it. If relaxed pace is not your thing, you may not enjoy it though. This film is very calm but charged with intense emotions. It takes it time in telling it's stories (or story, if you look at the bigger scheme of things) and the narrative jumps back and forth as it pleases, but it works really well. Great editing, might I add. I loved how Yasmeen's story was strictly told through her talking to the camcorder for her brother. She was the emotional center of the film for me, which is so ironic since she was the only one the audience didn't get to 'follow', so to speak. When she says it's her final tape, my heart sank into my stomach. 

I loved the interaction between Munna and Shai. I so wished something more had developed, or rather, I wish we got to SEE what may have developed. The fact that he gave her Arun's new address said so much about his character. Prateik is awesome as an actor. I loved his small role in JTYJN; i hope to see more of him! The girl who played Shai was good, though sometimes even her English came off as stiff (but I think that was only a problem in the beginning). Aamir was good...it's Aamir, after all. But I think he took a backseat with this. Or maybe it was the others that shone more, or maybe both...

I had a feeling the ending would be one of those interpret it on your own types...It definitely worked in this case, though I really wish we could have seen more of what was in store for all of them.

Overall, it was a really well-made, well-enacted film. Hats off to Kiran for making this as a debut director. Fantastic. Not sure how the masses will feel about it though; no songs and it's quite slow in its pacing, even though the film itself is quite short. My theater was really empty and it was an evening show. Hope it does well!

[lydia]

I think people in India want romance, etc and fun films for escapism as somebody just said. I know that that is what I want 98% of the time.
Aamir and the like want to make Hollywood social dramas. Hollywood already does that.
Films are to entertain not beat us over the head. The best ones have social messages blended into entertainment. Just my opinion, I might be wrong.

Yeah I agree because entertainment/escapism matters to me too. Otherwise I would be watching world cinema rather than Bollywood in my spare time. I had to work too hard to make sense of this film when I like to be swept up and carried along. Just personal preference I guess.

[tabula rasa]

Just watched this, from an unnamed sourced who will remain nameless. 


I completely loved it, despite the bad quality et al. It reminded me of a couple of French films I saw at a local festival some time ago. Subtle, poetic, great music, everything played just under the surface.

As everyone has been praising, Prateik to me is going to be IT. His Munna was tone-perfect, and like everyone else I completely fell in love with him.

Shai was the next best. Unfortunately in the version I saw the sequences between Shai and Arun, and Shai and her other friends had been dubbed in Hindi when they very obviously were speaking in English. That disparity seemed to stilt things a little bit, but their dynamics still came through.

I actually felt it could've been someone else other than Aamir doing that role - like SRK, Aamir has his 'Aamirisms' which I recognised to be Aamir more than Arun. It was a bit distracting given that I completely saw the other actors only as their character and nothing else.

The music was something else totally! Completely loved it, esply the grating dissonance when we realise

Spoiler (hover to show)

 the death of Yasmin and Arun's reaction to it

I read some of the reviews above. Taran just sounds like he's in over his head, and doesn't really know how to even analyse it. Raja Sen is being contrarian just to seem needlessly superior - I wasn't expecting a good review from him after he thrashed Aamir's comments earlier. Besides, in the version I watched, I could hear the (Indian) audience, and they had obviously lost the plot halfway through, since they started sniggering and giggling at certain very serious and moving parts. It brought back to my mind Kiran's explicit exhortation that this was a film that the regular Indian junta may not really respond to. I mentioned on the board then that I found it hilarious, that Kiran sounded like she was trying to discourage rather than encourage people to see the film, but now I think I know where she was coming from.

I found the ending to be really really sweet and completely moving.

A contemplative, gentle, plot-light, mood-heavy film, a sort of Chekovian equivalent on film, just a little slice of life, no pronouncements, no judgments. All in all, a very accomplished debut, IMO.

[Darshana]

I loved this.  I suggest ignoring the ignorant reviews.  I'd say this is the best non-Bollywood Hindi language movie I've seen. 

I don't really understand the opinion-writing that opposes entertainment to art films.  They are not opposed, they are different things.  I see no reason to put down one category or the other, the essential enterprise of having an opinion about a movie is to think about each thing in relation to its own aims.

[tabula rasa]

I get the point you're trying to make, but many people who take anti-depressants have chronic depression and would need this medication regardless of how fulfilling their society is.

NPR review:

Dhobi Ghat is never less than equal parts heart and schmaltz — noble underclass heroes abound — but it closes with an intriguing ambiguity. Rather than rounding up Mumbai's rich and poor and in-between into a Slumdog dance of Bolly goodwill, Dhobi Ghat injects a well-placed note of doubt about the end of caste rigidity in the New India. Either Rao has a realist streak, or a Brahmin investor put his foot down.

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/21/133055615/mumbai-diaries-old-and-new-colliding-in-the-city

I do love how every time a 'Hindie" movie gets attention in the west, all the news outlets start going "OH EM GEE IS BOLLYWOOD CHANGING???"

This review is so ridiculous, I don't even know where to start. Good one for Filmigirl for going all the way with her response. DG's placement is within the discourse of Indian films, with perhaps non-Indian sensibilities, and to even mention it in the same breath as Slumdog is beyond logic.

I'm also totally peeved with the Brahmin comment. WTF? And 'Bollyspeak'? Oh puh-leez. I prefer reviews where the reviewer either explicitly mentions that Bollywood is new to their film-watching ouevre (which is understandable, since its new in the Western film radar) or takes the trouble to research and place the film in its appropriate context.

[Dolce~oro]

I think people in India want romance, etc and fun films for escapism as somebody just said. I know that that is what I want 98% of the time. I have done all the social conscious films, the intense dramas and I still like them sometimes.

Aamir and the like want to make Hollywood social dramas. Hollywood already does that.

Rambling again and I haven't even seen it yet!

I really recommend you see it, Corbie. I think you will want to go back on this post since it has nothing to do with what this movie is like.

I also don't see why escapism and arthouse have to be an either/or option. I personally enjoy both tremendously if they're well done.

[melbguy]

saw the movie today, loved it. have a question, by the time i was in the cinema, the movie had already started. From what i saw arun was talking with shai at the party and shai told him how she was on a sabbatical and not a holiday. Can anyone who has seen the movie tell me, what happen at the very start? and how much would i have missed it?   thanks

[lydia]

saw the movie today, loved it. have a question, by the time i was in the cinema, the movie had already started. From what i saw arun was talking with shai at the party and shai told him how she was on a sabbatical and not a holiday. Can anyone who has seen the movie tell me, what happen at the very start? and how much would i have missed it?   thanks

You missed Yazmin's arrival in Mumbai. She is in a taxi chatting to the driver who is also from UP - no actual shots of her just voice. (She sounds quite upbeat - excited by the city) There were some atmospheric shots of Mumbai - building site construction workers atop of sky scrapers, Aamir moving into his new flat, at least one shot of the silent old woman sitting in her room  and probably the Dhobi Ghat.
Arun arrives late for his opening and has to be coaxed into making a speech. Shai is immediately attracted to him.
I don't speak Hindi so I may have missed a lot.

[corbie]

I do enjoy both. I just want my Bollywood back and all I have gotten has been Akshay Kumar and things like Peepli Live which I did not like. But the bottom line is I will watch anything, but I want a song and dance fest with romance. Must watch salaam-e-ishq again! And there are a lot of art films I like.

http://doormagazine.info/movies/i-dont-think-dhobi-ghat-will-appeal-to-traditional-indian-audiences-aamir/

[Darshana]

I want some good engaging intelligent entertaining Bollywood back, too - like the best of Karan Johar or your great example, Salaam-e-Ishq.   

[sunrise]

Saw this today and thoroughly enjoyed it. Serious, yes. Non-filmi-masala-ishtyle, yes. But as someone above noted - artsy and escapist movies don't have to be either/or. This was one aspect of Bollywood I have so rarely seen - the more sombre, appreciating-the-greys type, and it was a delight to see. A very very well-made movie. The storyline was beautiful, my heart broke too when Yasmin announced it was the last tape she was doing. I cannot really do a lenghty review on this movie commenting on every single aspect of the story as every single shot had some significance and a raw beauty of its own. It's one of those movies you appreciate from the beginning to end, and you really get into it. I would also say ignore the ignorant reviews, and go watch this movie. You will see for yourself.

I don't think this movie will do very well in the box office BUT it could play out different ways - the Aamir factor will draw in crowds, the whole public press conferences by Aamir and Kiran Rao stating it will not be too popular with the regular Indian junta may actually work as reverse psychology.. and seeing the trailers of their beloved Mumbai may even draw in curiosity. So who knows?

[Darshana]

Two questions - and these are truly spoilery, so be warned:

1 - about the lady with the nice apartment, where Munna take Shai on their project in which she films his work -- he goes there to deliver laundry:  we visit this place twice, first time lady indicates whose wishes to see Munna in private, he says not today;
second time she berates him and fires him - how exactly do you understand their relationship?

Is he her fancy man, do you think they have sex? or something less "total" but of some erotic or romantic interest to her?  does she pay him for whatever goes on?  or, alternatively, do you think she just disapproves of his friendship/relationship with Shai?
They definitely have some kind of relationship that involves private moments in her bedroom.

2 - the stupid NPR review talks about "caste."  Do you - especially if you are from South Asia or a S Asian family (which says to me you are aware of details and nuances that I do  now know) - see any references to "caste" per se here?  to me it seems entirely like "social class" or "social status."  The social difference between an investment banker and a man who works 12 hours a day doing laundry by hand is very big in any society, then of course in India it would be inflected in an Indian way.
But I did not think "caste" was the right idea, and I am very aware of westerners assuming caste is all Indians think about, when it is not the case.

Also of course Munna is Muslim, and so is Jasmin.  I see Jasmin as being of a modest middle class station - her household has an apartment with its own bathroom but in a tenement-like building, the real estate person tells Arun this when he goes to lease the place.

[Kajolownsyou]

Two questions - and these are truly spoilery, so be warned:

1 - about the lady with the nice apartment, where Munna take Shai on their project in which she films his work -- he goes there to deliver laundry:  we visit this place twice, first time lady indicates whose wishes to see Munna in private, he says not today;
second time she berates him and fires him - how exactly do you understand their relationship?

Is he her fancy man, do you think they have sex? or something less "total" but of some erotic or romantic interest to her?  does she pay him for whatever goes on?  or, alternatively, do you think she just disapproves of his friendship/relationship with Shai?
They definitely have some kind of relationship that involves private moments in her bedroom.

I was wondering what was up between that lady and him. I didn't think it was anything sexual though. Maybe I'm naive ...but I didn't really know what to make of it. She definitely wasn't approving of his relationship with Shai. Why though, is not so clear to me. Maybe the lady is very lonely and feels like Shai would be getting in the way of regularly scheduled visits from her handsome dhobi wallah. I really didn't think Munna and the lady shared any sort of sexual relationship, though.

2 - the stupid NPR review talks about "caste."  Do you - especially if you are from South Asia or a S Asian family (which says to me you are aware of details and nuances that I do  now know) - see any references to "caste" per se here?  to me it seems entirely like "social class" or "social status."  The social difference between an investment banker and a man who works 12 hours a day doing laundry by hand is very big in any society, then of course in India it would be inflected in an Indian way.
But I did not think "caste" was the right idea, and I am very aware of westerners assuming caste is all Indians think about, when it is not the case.

Also of course Munna is Muslim, and so is Jasmin.  I see Jasmin as being of a modest middle class station - her household has an apartment with its own bathroom but in a tenement-like building, the real estate person tells Arun this when he goes to lease the place.

I didn't think of it as caste, but more of social class like you said. Then again, I think it is sort of an unspoken fact that the lower wage jobs (like working in dhobi ghat) are performed by people of lower castes, only because the caste system is one you can't really break out of it, since you're born into it. I don't think any reference was made to caste in the film, but maybe it's just understood. I'm Indian but definitely not an expert on the matter so I can't really say. This is just what I think.

[Darshana]

I still don't know this basic thing, to an Indian, does a Muslim still carry a "caste" identity?  Or are Muslims just Muslims?  (if you need an organized reason to hate some people, can't you just hate them for being Muslims, rather than having to also rank them caste-wise?  but I don't really know this)

[Kajolownsyou]

I still don't know this basic thing, to an Indian, does a Muslim still carry a "caste" identity?  Or are Muslims just Muslims?  (if you need an organized reason to hate some people, can't you just hate them for being Muslims, rather than having to also rank them caste-wise?  but I don't really know this)

I think caste system applies to Indians in general, not by religion. But I'm not sure...can anyone confirm that?

[Darshana]

What I believe, but need to check - caste is a Hindu principle --that I am sure of -- and is encoded in one holy book or another, about who's allowed to touch who and what etc.   And then all societies of course have some idea of class, mostly to do with rich/poor, degree of education, etc, sometimes in addition to do with titles and how old your money is.  Only Hindu India has this additional caste thing, orthodoxly considered to be fated, immutable, etc.

In the movie, I think Munna is of a low class, but not a caste member as he is Muslim.  And Jasmin is of a humble class, also not a caste member as she also is Muslim.

And another question:  do you remember where Munna says he is from?  he came from somewhere in the interior at age 8, to live with an uncle and his family, and went to work in a hotel.  Jasmin is from U.P., she tells this to a taxi driver in the beginning, and he is also from there.  Shai is from America, and I think Arun is from Bombay.

[Simran_Singh]

1 - about the lady with the nice apartment, where Munna take Shai on their project in which she films his work -- he goes there to deliver laundry:  we visit this place twice, first time lady indicates whose wishes to see Munna in private, he says not today;
second time she berates him and fires him - how exactly do you understand their relationship?

Is he her fancy man, do you think they have sex? or something less "total" but of some erotic or romantic interest to her?  does she pay him for whatever goes on?  or, alternatively, do you think she just disapproves of his friendship/relationship with Shai?
They definitely have some kind of relationship that involves private moments in her bedroom.

I was wondering what was up between that lady and him. I didn't think it was anything sexual though. Maybe I'm naive ...but I didn't really know what to make of it. She definitely wasn't approving of his relationship with Shai. Why though, is not so clear to me. Maybe the lady is very lonely and feels like Shai would be getting in the way of regularly scheduled visits from her handsome dhobi wallah. I really didn't think Munna and the lady shared any sort of sexual relationship, though.

I definitely thought that Munna and "the lady with the nice apartment" were engaged in the kind of situation where they have sex and she pays him.

[Dolce~oro]

I definitely thought that Munna and "the lady with the nice apartment" were engaged in the kind of situation where they have sex and she pays him.

And since my mind is usually in the same gutter as yours, I thought exactly the same thing.