The Last Lear Movie Review


By Aly Kassam - BollySpice.com
10 September 2007
Note: This is an exclusive review from a reviewer that had the opportunity to watch the film at the Toronto Film Festival. Remember, you read it first on BollySpice.com!


Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal, Shefali Shah, Divya Dutta
Director: Rituparno Ghosh

Rituparno Ghosh is a far cry from ordinary. He does not make films for the masses, he does not make films to help people escape reality and he does not make films to revel in the luxuries of money. He makes simple films soaked with emotions—films that make you feel. As Cameron Bailey so rightly put it at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, “Rituparno Ghosh can make a simple conversation between two characters unbelievably dramatic.” After watching The Last Lear, I heartily agree.

There are those that are so inadequately skilled that they throw emotions in your face to trigger laughs and wrench tears from audiences. And then there are those, whose proficiency is so overwhelming that a simple dialogue or gesture can open the gates to a flood of emotions. Rituparno Ghosh belongs to the latter. There are also those whose mind is painted stark black and white that they need to spell everything out as if they are making a film for a two-year old child. And then there are those whose eye is so tuned, who showcase their mastery of detail so vividly that only the most attentive of viewers can bask in the splendor.

Many people like to draw a thick line between ‘commercial’ and ‘art’ films. In the world of cinema, this is a line I fail to recognize because filmmaking is an art, which comes in various expressions. And let me tell you, if you open your eyes to the world of art—real art like The Last Lear—you are in for a treat.

William Shakespeare is often regarded as the ultimate master of literature and remains an inspiration to millions around the world. It seems director Rituparno Ghosh holds Shakespeare in high esteem as well, high enough to heavily incorporate his play, King Lear, into his latest, and first English-language film. Adapted from Utpal Dutt’s play Aajkar Shahjahaan, The Last Lear is not an adaptation of Shakespeare’s work, but instead follows an aged, reclusive and quirky actor named Harishraj Mishra (Amitabh Bachchan). He has shoulder-length silvery hair, hates when people pee outside his house, refuses to buy a regular doorbell and likes to be called Harry. He is a bizarre man, but he is a man with passion—a passion for Shakespeare, and only Shakespeare.

As a theatre actor, Harry has portrayed an unbelievable magnitude of characters from Shakespearean plays, but his career was cut short a week before the opening of King Lear, in which he was to play the title role; the role he had been dying to play for his entire life. Withdrawn and secluded in his flat, his passion is re-awakened when director Siddharth Kumar (Arjun Rampal) approaches and finally coaxes him into playing the lead in his next film titled ‘The Mask’. Siddharth himself is quite the literary expert, and it is his vast knowledge of Shakespeare that attracts Harry into working with him. The two develop a warm relationship and share humorous moments together. As they begin work on their film, the story takes a turn while Harry meets Shabnam (Preity Zinta), an actress in grave need of acting tips. Another friendship blossoms until one shot in particular changes Harry’s life—forever.

Harishraj Mishra is laying in bed. Ailing. Motionless. And speechless. It is the premiere of ‘The Mask’ but the leading man cannot muster a clap for his own film. Siddharth refuses to visit him while Shabnam tries her level best to bring him back to life. Through intriguing and fantastically written conversations between Shabnam, Vandana (a woman living with Harry, played by Shefali Shah) and Ivy (Harry’s nurse, played by Divya Dutta) and the conscious of a guilt-ridden journalist (Jishu Sengupta), we slip back into time to where the reels began to roll—and got tragically stuck.

Heavily laced with Shakespearean dialogues and undertones, The Last Lear is a subtly crafted film. More-so than the story itself, it is the powerful and earth-shattering dialogues that make The Last Lear truly an apt tribute to Shakespeare. More than half of the film is a series of dialogues, so beguiling that the viewer is left captivated. It’s hard to believe that such simple conversations can create so many wonderful dramatic moments on celluloid. It simply proves that it is not a bucket of tears that defines drama, but circumstances, situations, what’s spoken and sometimes what’s left unspoken. It’s an extraordinary feat for a writer used to writing in Hindi or Bengali to present dialogues in English which are undoubtedly world-class. When all is said and done and you creep out of your seat, it is the dialogues that stay with you.

It does take about thirty minutes or so to get used to our stars speaking solely in English, but it grows on you until you start to like it.

Though there are no songs, the background score by 21 Grams is note-worthy and builds up tension throughout the film. What’s nice is that they understand that sometimes silence is the perfect background score. Abhik Mukhopadhyay’s cinematography is essential to setting the tone and his method of snapshots during the climax is extremely interesting and innovative though it might irk a few viewers. However, if one looks at it from a different perspective, those snapshots capture expressions better than a regular rolling film.

All is not well in The Last Lear. The film suffers heavily in the editing department (Arghya Kamal Mitra), especially within the first hour or so. It takes time for the story to pick up pace and start moving. Unfortunately this comes as quite a damper because there are some sparkling scenes in the first half, which might get overlooked due to the crawling pace. Editing in the second half is much better.

It seems like Ghosh can take any star, no matter how overbearing their persona, and make them deliver. He did it with Raima Sen in Chokher Bali, Ajay Devgan and Aishwarya Rai in Raincoat and Soha Ali Khan and Abhishek Bachchan in Antar Mahal. And he has done it again with his entire cast.

Divya Dutta is cute as Ivy and she really does have a penchant for dialogue delivery. One really hopes she gets bigger roles in the future, as she continues to prove that she’s a great actress. Jisshu Sengupta is quite good as the journalist, but his voice lacks the power and gripping voice quality required of his narration scenes. Shefali Shah is an absolute scene-stealer and delivers a performance full of fire and gusto. She takes to her character beautifully and her facial expressions are priceless. Wow!

Arjun Rampal has long been ridiculed for his lack of impact as an actor, but naturally, Ghosh extracts quite a worthy performance. There are times where he stumbles, but overall he pulls his role off well. It’s his sometimes mundane facial expressions that fail to match up with his powerful dialogue delivery. This will most definitely act as a stepping stone in his career. He definitely deserves to be noticed in his scenes with Amitabh, which are some of the most enjoyable of the film.

She once claimed that art films don’t pay and she doesn’t work in them because she doesn’t want to live in a hut. If it’s Preity’s prerogative to call this an art film, then please, do more of them! Films like Salaam Namaste, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and even Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna have not exploited her talent well enough. As Shabnam, she proves that it is not the glamorous clothing, excess make-up or Yash Raj stamp that makes her who she is. On the other hand, she is an accomplished actress that has been quietly hiding and remaining complacent with ordinary roles, waiting to lash out and prove to us that she is worthy of her slot as a leading actress in Indian cinema. It’s not so much the earlier part of the film or during dramatic scenes in which she excels. Surprisingly, she is the best during conversations with Vandana. She’s outstanding during the last scene, and has expressed herself better in English than we have seen her express herself in Hindi for quite some time.

As I write this review, I do not know behind which corners to search for words to describe the astonishing talent that runs through Amitabh Bachchan’s veins. When watching him on screen, it’s hard for any viewer to forget they are watching Amitabh Bachchan. But in this role, you forget about Big B and you are only intrigued into the world of Harishraj Mishra and his eccentricities. There is no, I repeat, no other actor in this industry that could have pulled this role off with so much power. Whenever he projects his baritone voice and bellows Shakespearean dialogues, it sends an intense shiver through your body. For all those in doubt of his talent, let me remind you that Amitabh Bachchan is THE best. If you don’t believe me, go watch The Last Lear and leave behind any star-persona you have attached to his name. It’s a pleasure to watch the film just for him. Not even Shakespeare would be able to find words to express how brilliant he was. More so than Shakespeare, The Last Lear is an ode to Amitabh Bachchan.

At the end of the gala film premiere at TIFF, the audience, Indians and non-Indians rose to give a standing ovation. As we slowly walked out of the theatre, each one of us were in complete awe. There were hushed conversations, most commenting on Amitabh’s astounding performance. Rituparno Ghosh’s The Last Lear is art at its finest. There are blemishes with the pacing of the film and the editing, but any connoisseur of cinema would be delighted to indulge in such an authentic experience. Rituparno Ghosh has put together a film to be a proud of and a film to be appreciated by all lovers of art and literature.

As William Shakespeare once said: “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players…” (As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII, 139-140). Let me tell you Mr. Rituparno Ghosh, you have played your part brilliantly.

Rating: 3.5/5

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LAST LEAR: Is this Big B's best ever?
What went into the making of the cinematic masterpiece
Ram Kamal Mukherjee
Last updated : Sep 12, 2007


Ram Kamal Mukherjee gives you a first-hand account of the passion that shaped Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear

I had always thought Amitabh Bachchan could never better his performance in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black. But when I saw him in Balki's Cheeni Kum, I realised it was simply his best. Recently, I got a glimpse of Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear. And from the teaser, I could easily make out that Amitabh is again going to outdo himself in the film.

Last year, when I was in Kolkata on an invitation by the producer, Arindam Choudhuri, I couldn't manage to go on the sets. I met Arindam later and was completely taken aback when I heard Amitabh had signed the film as a tribute to veteran actor Utpal Dutt. Interestingly, the film is based on Utpal Dutt's famous play Aajker Shahjahan in Bengali. When Rituparno decided to make a film with Amitabh, he was unsure of what role he could offer this stalwart. Said Arindam, "Amitji has worked with the best of filmmakers and has done variety of roles. So, we had to offer him something which would be challenging for him as an actor."
It's a pity Bollywood never utilised Utpal Dutta�s talent. He was reduced to a mere comedian or a typical villain in most of his films
In a television interview, Rituparno remarked, "It's a pity Bollywood never utilised Utpal Dutta�s talent. He was reduced to a mere comedian or a typical villain in most of his films. Incidentally, Utpal Dutt who had started his career with Mrinal Sen's Bhuvan Shome, was one of the leading playwrights in Kolkata. It was only Amitda (Bachchan) who knew about Utpal Dutt's voluminous work and his association with the stage."

Incidentally, Amitabh started his career in Bollywood with Saat Hindustani, where he got an opportunity to work with Utpal Dutta. Said Arindam, "Mr Bachchan is quite sentimental about Kolkata and the Bengalis."

Apparently, the actor would sit for hours together and rehearse his lines until he was sure of himself. Added Arindam, "Mr Bachchan�s professionalism shines through even at this age. Rituparno also insisted on having Amitabh Bachchan in the film because he wanted to cash in on his baritone. Mr Bachchan plays a stage actor who specialises in Shakespearean plays. He needed to orate a lot from different plays of Shakespear. Utpal Dutt had been part of the Shakespearewala theatre group in Kolkata. He was a great orator.�

Later, in an informal chat with Preity Zinta, who plays the female protagonist in the film, told me, "Dubbing for my first English film with lengthy lines was tough. To top it all, there's Mr Bachchan with his booming baritone.�
The film was premiered at Toronto International Film Festival where it was received with a standing ovation from the international audience and jury members
It is not that Preity has not worked with Amitabh before. But that was the first time she could actually observe and appreciate Mr Bachchan�s command over the English language. Even though Preity had worked with sync sound earlier, she still found it difficult dubbing for The Last Lear. The film also stars Arjun Rampal, Shefali Shah, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Jishu Sengupta.

The film was premiered at Toronto International Film Festival recently. It was received with a standing ovation from the international audience and jury members. Well, I am not surprised. Rituparno is one of the finest filmmakers in our country and with talents like Bachchan and Priety in the lead, he must have given his career best. I know for a fact that Amitabh and Rituparno are good friends. The filmmaker is also close to Aishwarya and Jaya Bachchan. On the sets, Amitabh would call Rituparno 'Adolf Hitler' and they got along very well while shooting for The Last Lear.
Rituparno had worked with Jaya (Sunglass), Ash (Chokher Bali, Raincoat) and Abhishek (Antarmahal) before but this was for the first time that he was working with the Big B. During the shoot, Bachchan would really drive Ritu crazy with his remarks. Incidentally, Ritu had shaved off his head and lost a lot of weight during the shooting. Amitabh would make Ritu wear the wig, which he has worn in the film.


There was a scene where Amitabh was required to remove his shoes. Ritu who likes to explain a certain shot, actually came forward and bent down to remove Amitabh's shoes. At this, Amitabh sprang up and said he would remove his shoes himself. When Ritu quizzed what was wrong if he had removed the shoes, Bachchan quipped, "No, you will steal my shoes."

Recently, when I spoke to Amitabh about this film, he seemed quite excited. Said he, "Rituparno is a sincere director and I would also like to mention Planman Motion Pictures for having faith in a subject like this. There are many talented directors who want to make such films, but unfortunately they can't due to lack of funds. We need learned producers who can evaluate the importance of 'no nonsense' cinema."
Says Amitabh, "We need learned producers who can evaluate the importance of 'no nonsense' cinema"
It seems Rituparno has a lot of memories related to this film. He finished the dubbing on his birthday, and when we went back to Kolkata, everyone from his team wrote a special message on the script of The Last Lear and gifted him the same.

A source, who has seen the film at the Toronto film festival informs that the film has a few beautiful sequences. The dialogues are great too. The film deals with Harish Mishra, an ageing actor and his co-star Shabnam, who is much younger to him. Arjun Rampal plays a young director Siddharth. There is a scene in the film where Harish teaches Shabnam how to throw her voice crystal clear across the valley which deserves a special mention.

For last three years Amitabh is consciously making an effort in doing a meaningful cinema. He gave us Black, Cheeni Kum and now with The Last Lear, the man has added another feather in his cap.


http://www.buzz18.com/news/movies/last- ... er/15661/0

Maybe, but he also gave us Aag, Jhhom Barabar Jhoom and Family. Cheeni Kum was meaningful cinema?

Amitabh Bachchan (I assume that's whom you're talking about; I haven't looked at the rest of this thread, because I don't want to read anything about this movie until after I've watched it... if then) was excellent in Aag and in Family; unfortunately, neither was a very good film. Cheeni Kum was great, and Bachchan was thoroughly impressive therein.

Totally agree with u Commando303

No doubt he is the BEST!!!

Neither Aag nor Family were good movies, but AB's performance was just too over-the-top to be taken seriously. AB tends to overact quite alot these days, which at one time was done mainly by Shahrukh, it's like he's been taking lessons from Shahrukh in how to overact. Look at his earlier films like Deewar, Silsila, Abhimaan, Anand, etc that was real acting, not that fake shit he does nowadays.

An icon called Amitabh Bachan, not any more, he is just a big star!

Khiladi! dude!You got the essence, his acts are over exaggerated, unnatural, less spontaneous, orchestrated by him self to be overtly dramatized. An actor of his experience and caliber does not/should not have need to act at all! imho. The understated good actor these days are not very many! Anupam kher, Om puri, have gone down the drain too. As these actor get more seniority they tend to fool with directors becoming too indulged, changing modifying, self creating their own false image roles.

Only one actor has continued impressing me continuously lately and he is no other than Pankajh Kapoor, just imagine if Amitabh was given the role of Chatri chor? he would have made a mockery out of it.

I felt hugely that he is becoming like a cheap, third class , loud stage kinda actor!for no rime or reason! I see when his performance like in Black, that was imho, overtly dramatic/unnatural are labeled Oscar worthy then we know where are we going!
He want to see how Shakespearean actors are like then he need some lessons from Sir Ian Maclelan, Anthony Hopkins etc. Even Sean Connery could be a role model, for how to play your age well and natural. More so, Clint Eastwood, Tommy le jones, could be studied too!

You can't really put the blame on AB for Aag, nor for any other of them movies. Even from the very early 70s when AB started acting he has always been a director's actor. His performances have always been the visions of the people directing him. This would apply for majority of other actors out there. Get a bad director you get bad movie and performances out of your actors. The only mistake AB made with Aag was agreeing to part of it in the first instance

Ali

I do not think, it is always director's fault when an actor want to orchestrate his act/role by himself!

Some times no doubt director is out of line too!

I thought AB rocked in aag and family.....but the movies were a let down. Yeah...AB was over the top in Black and Aag....in aag...take away the sholay reference and look at ab as villian in another movie..that worked for me...but aside......these characters demanded it..I mean, in Black, he is playing an eccentric character..he has to be over the top...I work with a guy who is a total eccentric...when he gets worked up it's quite a sight........and in the last 3 years he has given us eklavya, nishabd, virrudh, sakar, bunty aur babli and ab was just awesome. As for cheeni kum..it'a light mature romcom...loved it...but it's definitely not meaningful.

I felt Amitabh Bachchan played it just right in Aag and in Family, though his performance in the latter was certainly uneven, which is entirely Rajkumar Santoshi's fault: It's an actor's job mostly to act scene-by-scene and a director's to make sure that the picture, as a whole, comes together properly.

You're also talking about different sorts of films as examples of Amitabh's underplaying his parts. All the movies you mention are phemomenol, and Amitabh kicks in each one, but around those same years Bachchan worked in films such as Namal Halaal, Coolie, and Sharaabi, all of which demanded a degree of flamboyance from him. Check out Nishabd or Eklavya if you want to see Amitabh Bachchan in quiter roles. An actor doesn't have to be silent to be great; I think it takes tremendous talent to come up with a Nishabd ,and a Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, performance in the same year, and I'd hardly call the feat "shit."

Zoran009, I don't even know what to say to you if you consider Tommy Lee Jones (Batman & Robin and Man of the House Tommy Lee Jones) an example Bachchan ought to follow. Amitabh was excellent in Black, and performed in accordance with what the film and the character demanded (Rani was at least as impressive); what would have been wrong is if Amitabh had toned down a pointedly eccentric role just so people could watch and say, "my, how understated." The only reason anyone in popular culture gives Anthony Hopkins a second thought is Silence of the Lambs, and Sean Connery is basically an aged "007." I love them both, but it's neither fair nor accurate to rank them above Bachchan.

Does anyone know when The Last Lear is supposed to be released?

Commando, what did you think of Bachchan in Hum Kisise Kum Nahin and Boom?

agree 100 percent, for sakes of better judgement

In case of Black lets not forget Amitabh’s role in Black required him to be over top due to alzheimers character>> people with that disease behave wayward sometimes out of control not reserved. He made it seem believable

He's played more flamboyant roles before in which he's given a good perormance, it's just that these recent films he has been going over-the-top and I don't think it's because of the role either. Regardless of silent role or not, I'd agree that Eklavya was his best recent performance, where he really did act well. It paid off now since Eklavya is India's official entry for the oscars.

Are you trying to get a negative comment out of me — ? He was fine in each. The latter was a very bad film, in which Amitabh and Javed Jaffrey were the only two watchable aspects, and the former was mediocre — no better, no worse.



I admit Amitabh Bachchan's style now is different from what it was twenty years ago; the thing is, I don't feel that's bad. My favorite Amitabh-Bachchan film and performance of the past few years is Nishabd (his role in Nishabd, if we must be grammatical). As for Eklavya, I don't feel it ought to be the film sent to the Oscars.