Dear filmmakers: If you're going to remake an old story,overwhelmed by eroticism you better damn well do it right.
That isn't a targeted statement so much as a PSA (though it stings freshly of ABC's abominable Dirty Dancing), and a direct product of the fact that I was spoiled in 2006 by Omkara, an Indian film version of Othello.
Omkarawas the second Shakespearian endeavor from director Vishal Bhardwaj, who released Maqboolin 2003, based on Macbeth. Both films -- and 2014's Haider, based on Hamlet-- transpose the Bard's classics to regional India, and Omkararemains a stunning retelling of a world-renown story that is anything but old.
SEE ALSO: 'The Handmaid's Tale': 8 moments that hit too close to homeOur title character is Omkara (Ajay Devgn), who treads the indistinct line between politician and gang leader, stigmatized for his caste rather than the color of his skin. Desdemona becomes Dolly (Kareena Kapoor), Cassio is Kesu (Vivek Oberoi), Iago is Langda Tyagi (Saif Ali Khan), and the general is Bhaisaab (Naseeruddin Shah). When Omkara names Kesu his deputy over longtime ally Langda, he hatches a plan that will destroy Omkara, Dolly, Kesu, and anyone else who gets in his way.
Shakespeare's immortal characters speak Hindi with thick Uttar Pradesh accents in a dialect almost indecipherable compared to "filmi" Hindi, which Bhardwaj once noted doesn't really exist. They carry cell phones, smoke herb-laced cigarettes, wearkurtasand dhotisand saris. It's not obnoxiously modern, but it's a stunning break from previous Shakespeare adaptations. Bhardwaj draws excellent performances from popular Bollywood stars (particularly the women, who rarely get to be more than beautiful props in crowd-pleasing movies) and cinematographer Tassaduq Hussain puts a rustic lens on the murky tale.
Most remarkably, Omkaradoesn't reject its Bollywood roots. Independent Indian cinema ("artistic" or "alternative" films) often omits the song-and-dance visuals of commercial fare, but Omkara boasts both a nuanced musical score and chart-topping Bollywood bangers (all composed by Bhardwaj). In "Beedi," local dancer Billo (based on Othello's Bianca and played by Bipasha Basu) dances for Omkara's party while Langda and Rajju conspire to get Kesu embarrassingly drunk.
More than 10 years after its release, Omkararemains one of my favorite pieces of Indian cinema. It doesn't conform to Bollywood conventions but isn't so self-serious as to alienate intrepid audiences. It is, simply put, a damn good movie, an adaptation that should set the standard for so many that will inevitably follow.
Where to watch: Einthusan.com
Supercharge Your Desktop and Mobile Productivity With These Clipboard Managers
Google AI Mode is launching us into a new era of AI search
Useful or Little Known Android Features
Today's Hurdle hints and answers for May 21, 2025
The Dark Web: What is It and How To Access It
Google Meet can now do AI
Customizing Chrome's New Tab page
Reality Distortion Field: 10 Things Apple Won't Directly Say But We'll Infer About the iPhone X
Best IPL deal: Save $80 on Braun IPL Silk·Expert
NYT Strands hints, answers for May 21
The Sound and the “Furious”
How to Reboot and Reset Android Devices
RAM Matters: How Much Do You Need for Gaming? 4GB, 8GB, 16GB or 32GB
AI scribes may be recording sessions between you and your therapist
Is it 'Thunderbolts*' or *The New Avengers'?
How Blizzard Saved Diablo III From Disaster
How to: Taking Pictures of PCBs
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Graphics Performance Revisited: 44 GPUs Tested
What is Vcore and How Does It Help with Overclocking?
5 Ways to Access a Locked Windows Account
Explore your future climate using this slick interactive tool, while you still canThis big city in the South wants to use 100% clean energy by 2035Where to buy Beyoncé's pink kitty headphonesNetflix's 'One Day' portrays the politics of privilege in relationshipsBest cordless vacuum deal: The Shark Detect Pro is under $350 at AmazonHang On: Why is 'Madame Web's villain barefoot on public transit? Best Presidents' Day mattress sales: Save on mattresses and bedding with these stellar dealsEncryption backdoors violate human rights, EU court rulesWordle today: The answer and hints for February 14'The Sims 4' adds vitiligo in free updateGoogle rolls out phishing and malware detection for Android usersThis big city in the South wants to use 100% clean energy by 2035Here's how I feel about all this Stephen Hawking 'news' going aroundAll the best signs from Climate Marches around the worldThings to do on Valentine's Day: 7 places to hang out online'Bob Marley: One Love' review: A bogBest luggage deal: Get up to 60% off on spring break luggage at AmazonLeonardo DiCaprio used a standard, office file folder for his climate march sign, lolNothing to launch its next smartphone on March 5How does 'Abbott Elementary' cast its mind The Flash Season 3 Premiere: Catch up with our episode guide 17 squirrels that will eat your jack 'House Divided' Kanye, Chance and 7 unforgettable moments from The Meadows music festival Luke's Diner from 'Gilmore Girls' is coming to your town 'Skylanders Imaginators' lets players 3D print custom toys Woman scares away deadly crocodile with her flip Cara Delevingne's new optical illusion neck tattoo will hypnotise you 9 men jailed after stripping down to undies featuring Malaysia's flag Kim Kardashian's $4 million wedding ring was reportedly taken in robbery Exclusive: Watch the second clip from the 'LEGO Jurassic World' short film Donald Trump was terrible to women during 'The Apprentice,' staffers claim A farewell to Meerkat from those who called it a community of friends DeSean Jackson wears police tape on his cleats to protest 'senseless killings' 5 Snapchat settings you should change right now LeBron James just endorsed Hillary Clinton for president James Corden silenced Kim Kardashian West haters with one tweet Richard Branson envisions 'sexy hotels' in space Rudy Giuliani: Trump a 'genius' for possible 18 Leslie Jones hits back at hackers with a perfect 'Mr. Robot' sketch on 'SNL'
2.8519s , 10194.0078125 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【overwhelmed by eroticism】,Wisdom Convergence Information Network