Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Doubt, lots of it


Minutes we palm-count; Rama and me; bunches of Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi short films over two to three hours every day; Kevda, the Marathi film stands out in that cluster; Ganesh took a dandi - feverish- and settled down in our sofas to watch Doubt. Had never heard of the film; on FB scanned the BBC list of top films; usually is a write down of critic or intellectual wows; no Indian films, a drop unfair; tell me is not Bharat Gopi, Tilakan, Nasee babu, Om Puri, Shabna, Smita and Deepti Naval world class; am far away from that BBC roll call, not being a thinking type; mostly a Maruti not a Merc. Doubt is the sound of wind through the trees - psithurium. Written and directed by Shanley, it merits many dekhos. Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Viola Davis and Amy Adams. We did not move; upped and downed with certainties and doubts; critics rated topsy the 2008 film spelling out adjectives for Viola Davis; Ganesh reminded me that Viola Davis is an Oscarite and perhaps was a head ahead of Streep, the what-an actress. Yes, Viola put herself down simply, a Afro-American mother about a son, with nose and tears running; Streep might have read about Macbeth and three witches before turning a Sister in the school. For India 2016, the film fits; suggestions of a priest and a school child, an Afro-American, the doubts and the last shot before lights off: Streep weeping into a ' I have my doubts.' For India and world 2016, when faith is all and faith in doubts earn a stare, Doubt could kick up protest; its easy to faith, hard to doubt, Doubt as never are all the facts in for any conclusion. Gandhi and Nehru were never sure, were doubters and were top class; Gandhi earns a sneer, Nehru a swear; Gandhi murder is okay with India 2016; debating tables are dressed with knives and loudspeakers; it was not so in the 1950s and 1960s; today we are a sure nation; sure in our dislikes and likes; every guess is a gossip is a truth; not a drip and drop of Doubt..Elegant, crisp Doubt ticked liberal beliefs. The about 90 minutes film earned an audience says a google search. Left Streep in the garden and lept to Kevda, Marathi short film; have seen it over and over and saw it again. At 70 me is Jyoti Subhash, when Shreya and Chiyu come home, are into their mobiles, have lunch, say Bye. No doubt. 

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