I saw Queen in Bangalore with my niece because she wanted to see it. I hadnt read anything about it and generally dont see Hindi movies - and the punjabi wedding scene start was very very ominous - I wondered what I had committed 2.5 hours to?
Within 20 minutes I was loving it and it kept getting better and better. One of the best Hindi movies I have ever seen.
But last weekend I saw the movie again with my wife and kids - and being forwarned about everything that was to come - it was still enjoyable enough after just 15 days of first viewing. But this time, I was able to more critically evaluate the film-makers craft this time and was most impressed.
http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-queen-1201143643/
I read this review of Queen by a western reviewer (link above) and realised - they simply cannot get this movie. This is a movie by Indians for Indians. It is just not meant for anyone else. This is a movie which portrays Indians as the majority really are - just exaggerated and compressed into a short movie. Yes, the minority of families who were "Westernised" in the 70s and 80s may have pretensions of being better but even amongst them, a majority will find that at least some part of the movie applies to them.
The majority of Indian boys and girls do meet under parental supervision for the first time - and progresses exactly like this - clunky and low brow. Those with higher pretensions might turn up their noses at them - but they are mostly nerds who dont meet or date anyone at all - just watch "How I Met Your Mother" and pretend they are highly sophisticated and would do far better if they ever meet a girl - which they dont. A small jet set might not be this way - but they are miniscule.
Every family who has traveled abroad would relate to having "lug" the luggage upstairs, being hesitant and over thinking simple things like crossing the road, taking a train, figuring out metro or train routes, using a map, hailing a cab without seeing where the line is
Within 20 minutes I was loving it and it kept getting better and better. One of the best Hindi movies I have ever seen.
But last weekend I saw the movie again with my wife and kids - and being forwarned about everything that was to come - it was still enjoyable enough after just 15 days of first viewing. But this time, I was able to more critically evaluate the film-makers craft this time and was most impressed.
http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-queen-1201143643/
I read this review of Queen by a western reviewer (link above) and realised - they simply cannot get this movie. This is a movie by Indians for Indians. It is just not meant for anyone else. This is a movie which portrays Indians as the majority really are - just exaggerated and compressed into a short movie. Yes, the minority of families who were "Westernised" in the 70s and 80s may have pretensions of being better but even amongst them, a majority will find that at least some part of the movie applies to them.
The majority of Indian boys and girls do meet under parental supervision for the first time - and progresses exactly like this - clunky and low brow. Those with higher pretensions might turn up their noses at them - but they are mostly nerds who dont meet or date anyone at all - just watch "How I Met Your Mother" and pretend they are highly sophisticated and would do far better if they ever meet a girl - which they dont. A small jet set might not be this way - but they are miniscule.
Every family who has traveled abroad would relate to having "lug" the luggage upstairs, being hesitant and over thinking simple things like crossing the road, taking a train, figuring out metro or train routes, using a map, hailing a cab without seeing where the line is
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