Dekh Sako to Dekh Lo, Lekin Hathoda maare bina

Blog Title Inspiration - Rediff India Review

Standard Disclaimers - All the content of this post is not owned by the author of the post, it was written by his Alter Ego. Please read the external links at your own risk, Author or his alter ego not responsible for any mental trauma associated with reading too much about the Great Prof


Better late than never
I have been a silent spectator to the entire IIPM issue and the virtual war it has unleashed.
There is no defense of IIPM and its high handed techniques. To summarize Patrix (of DesiPundit fame), the core issue here is FREEDOM. In this age where we increasingly take this simple word for granted, what IIPM is doing and has been trying to do is to take away one thing we have which is truly ours and that is FREEDOM, particularly freedom of expression, freedom of choice, the ability and the opportunity to point out flaws in an argument without losing sense of rationality. Victor Frankl once pointed out; everything can be taken from a man but ... the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.

Everyone has dissected “Professor Arindam Chaudhuri” and his multi-faceted personality. A few of the blogs have picked up his movie directorial skills (not that it takes much to direct an Indian movie, but still….) and his maiden (I hope the government formulates a rule not to permit him to even come close to a cinema hall). I decided to be enterprising for once and headed out to my trusty neighborhood uncle. Now, apun ka Uncle is a pretty resourceful chap and boasts of one of the biggest desi movie collection this side of New Jersey but even he was stumped, frazzled and a wee bit distraught at my request!! Well, I believe my recent movie choices have left much to desire but that is a different post...

Anyway, after much persuasion, crying and some greenbacks under the table, Uncle finally opened his "second collection". This is the collection which is not to be opened coz it contains movies not to be seen :) My heart pounding and with goose bumps, I picked up the one and only one copy of ROK SAKO TO ROK LO, our own Prof's masterpiece!!! I furtively looked around to make sure no one was looking (after all, I have a reputation to protect) and then raced back to my apartment. Making sure all doors were padlocked, I turned on the DVD player and popped in the DVD...

I am not going to bore you with what happened next (GHE writing the post is itself testament to the mental trauma and the shock I have gone through) but I was glad that I did not have any metallic objects with me otherwise my entire TV and DVD players would have been toast!! After being treated for severe mental trauma and getting strict instructions to avoid any further Planman movies, I still decided to take the plunge and decided to do some back-tracking research (courtesy my omnipresent side-kick, Google).

While we all by now IIPM's tall claims and taller "alliances", it comes to no surprise that they went gung-ho in their publicity for their movie, Rok Sako to Rok Lo (2004). Successive links below show the extent of their publicity. What is funny that most of these links, favorable previews, more postivie reviews are all on IndiaFM. I had earlier blogged about IndiaFM (Film Reviews on IndiaFM), so it is not at all surprising about the Planman-IndiaFM link up. IndiaFM has a pretty interesting page on the movie also, Rok Sako To Rok Lo on IndiaFM

Some of Prof's gems, (read at your own risk, please don’t seek me out for retribution)
“Audiences never change preferences. The appetite for good cinema is always alive” - Arindham Chaudhari - Found on IndiaFM. The whole interview is a laugh riot with the esteemed "Prof" throwing in gems like;
I have always tried to indulge in my creative passions. Two years back I took a break to write a book. Then turned producer with a Bengali film. Followed it with yet another book. And this year, it's a movie. I have thoroughly enjoyed this creative vacation. (Bongs reading this, could you shed some valuable light on this Bengali best-seller???)

The selection was research based which told us that the young hero India would like to see is a lover boy, not more that 5'9 inches tall with expressive eyes. (Yes, and research tells me I am the biggest hunk of all!!!)

The last one is the real kicker, read it yourself!!

Well, not to be satisfied with all the IndiaFM publicity (there are tons of it and I wont bore with you all that), I stumbled upon the comments section on IMBD. Gems again !!

Rok Sako To Rok Lo is a rich canvas of colors, emotions and true to life characters, with a very earthy feel. It is well blended with brilliant and youthful melodies making it a wholesome experience. – Found on IMDB comments, attributed to a Thomas P (surely a Prof sidekick, if not the great Prof himself)

Rok Sako To Rok Lo stands out by sheer quality of its production. The scenes depicting immature love are directed with dense maturity. Debutante director Arindam Chaudhuri does not make the audience feel he's a first timer. He has made the film with refined finesse. For someone directing his first film, that too with first timers in the lead role and a heavyweight (Sunny Deol) to manage in a special role, it's a directorial triumph.

Rok Sako.. leaves behind a positive taste and cuts like a warm knife in butter throughout its duration. It's a good family entertainer especially if you have school going kids in your family. I hope more such films are made in India that not only entertain but also leave behind a strong message and cuts away from the usual and boring.
Found on IMDB Comments by someone named JasvinderSingh99

Arindam Chaudhuri presents the ingredients of a normal film - hero, heroine, six songs, rivalry, melodrama, family - but treats them realistically and with restraint, and the result is just as believable and entertaining. Arindam Chaudhuri makes a confident debut. An efficient storyteller, the debutante exhibits his grasp over the medium in dramatic as well as comic situations with élan.
Found on IMDB comments by badshah filmi

Patcy N (Rediff Movie Critic) has given the "true" movie review - Dekh Sako to Dekh Lo.
The movie was a disaster from the first scene, I would give high marks to the "Prof" for marketing glitz though.. The Prof should stick to fooling public through his IIPM ads, because, he sure did not fool anyone with his movie making skills! It should not come as any surprise that the Good Prof has learnt heavily from Hollywood and Bollywood to make sure that each and every forum is properly populated with effusive praise of his movies. Do check out the movie if you can stomach it, dont tell me I did not warn you..