Medal – Super Story, Performance & Grit

Jayesh, Maulik, Story & a gritty Producer = Success

What happens when a you combine a powerful actor with a host of equally powerful supporting actors, a great story and a risk-taking producer? Well, you are awarded with a Medal.

November has been very good for Gujarati cinema with a second good movie hitting the box office.

Medal leaves you with a good lump in the throat for its story, treatment and powerful performances.

This was an elaborate web-series meant for an yet to be launched JoJo OTT, however wisdom prevailed and the series was crisply edited to become a 2 hour crisp film. If you observe minutely, you could point out the pace especially when it comes to training the kids and the abruptness of the love life. But one can conveniently ignore even the fact that Thotha is kabuli chana and simply enjoy the narration and flow of the story.

The story is of PT master-turned-english teacher essayed by Jayesh More who has anger issues, in-law issues, nostalgia issues and issues sticking to a job, especially if it is a well-paying one. After a slightly confusing first 10 mins the story takes track where Ajit is posted to a village school (Government one with pension) where he joins with a sense of purpose, egged by memories of his friend.

You are now transformed to a village life with all its nuances, dialogues, social norms, humour and most importantly the sad state of affairs be it school or the village at large. The day to day clashes between our honest and duty-bound Jayesh More with the  PT sir (Hemang Dave in a super negative role) with three other teachers (who have not been able to unmute themselves all through the film) and the super performer Maulik Nayak (as a peon-cum-clerk). All of this curated by the indomitable principal played by Archan Trivedi.

One by one the students get inspired first to the class then to the playground. All of which is to conclude into a medal seeking challenge at the Khel Kala Mahakumbh. Interspersed within this is the social stigma of untouchability and an aggressive village headman played by Chetan Dahiya (his 64^th film). No wonder he keeps riding a horse without stirrups!

How will the movie end, will our Jayesh More succeed or will he fail and get a bail, the climax is the most-catchy part of this entire movie, leaves you in good spirits.

The Heroes of the movie:

Producer: Hardly does anyone credit this title but Dhruvin Dakshesh Shah (of the Superstar Fame) did well to pick up the story and give it shape and life. It is not easy to take the audience back to the villages and expect them to applaud. Well played.

Director-Writer-Editor: Dhaval Shukal scores big in his maiden Gujarati Film, while the writer and actor Vaishakh Ratanben gives a lot of substance to the story. The dialogues are really earthy and a lot of them are very catchy. Not easy in today’s time. Rraja Choksi & Dhruvin seem to have been ruthless in the editing and that is why the movie doesn’t drag.

My personal favourite, Tapan Vyas (he seems to the DOP for every Gujarati movie) again transforms you to a village with a very classy feel. 

Kushal Chokshi’s music too helps build the story and keep the momentum, with a few  likeable songs like Tarla No Desh and Ehsaas Taro, but nothing beats the ever-favourite Arvind Vegda who makes a couple of cameos and leaves a good impression as DJ Snake.

But the supreme honours ought to go to the most under-represented stars of Gujarati film Industry, Jayesh More and Maulik Nayak. This duo, whenever they pair up produce miracles. Fantastic performances really touch your heartstrings. Hemang Dave should leave comedy and take over negative roles. He excels in this department big time. A plump-postmaster Shaunak & mukhiya Chetan Dahiya too make impacts in the little screen time they get. Of course Kinjal Rajpriya has a decent presence but her character rarely creates impact. In the entire film, their love story grows and deflates.

Despite the film being dominated by such superstars, child artists Bhavya Sirohi, Arya Sagar and Karan Patel leave a good impression.  

There are some continuity issues, some stories don’t go too deep like the Mukhiya and the friend’s story or the love story. The sports preparation too seems ill-planned. A lot of scenes are repeated, but all of that is forgiven for the end product is a good package.

Don’t miss the wall graffiti in the villages, it just lifts the scenes multiple notches higher.

Medal, whether the team wins or not is something you will have to go to the theatre and see, all I can say is I am buying tickets for my parents to watch this movie. It is that nice a product.

Aum Mangalam Singlem - Fun, Funny & Fiesty

Who enjoys a Single life, Boys or Girls!! Watch AMS & find out. 

One of the challenge that is delaying the revival of Gujarati Film Industry is also that good quality film-makers are not making enough films with their teams. I understand it is not an easy process but spacing films this far-out, especially good films, is not fair to the industry.

Yes, yes, let me get it out in the beginning, just so that the hero and heroine’s expression and beauty is caught, they don’t wear helmets!!! If Daaru is banned in Gujarat, where do they  get the Daaru and why is it part of films (with a disclaimer!)

Now, let us speak about the popcorn, samosas and drinks that has become the norm with movie premieres. Actually, no, I don’t remember the taste of the same because they were served in the first half and I was too busy laughing, enjoying the word-fest. However, post interval I could focus on the after-taste and realized the samosas were a bit too salty and the pop-corn bland.

Aum Mangalam Singlem’s (AMS) trailer really got me thinking on how would it be to be single (hope my wife is not reading this, can’t afford to get her to think that!!). It actually made me think of all the fun I had being single and much more, so the anticipation of the movie was high, very high. Not to mention a tried and tested team of winners was making it. The movie did not take my being single too far. Telling you why.

But first, one aspect of the film which no one speaks about. Promotion. I loved the fact that it was quick, crisp to the point and only informed and did not impose. Generally promotions as so in your face, so forceful so pushy. None of it happened here.

So, about the movie. There are four Heroes of the movie.

Dialogues: Mitai-Nehal seem to have hit the groove big time. They seem to have the midas touch with words and have really touched the right cords all the time. They seem to have a chemistry with Malhar’s comic timing. Each word hits bulls-eye with him. Focus on the spoken and acted words you would love it big time all through.

Music: What amazing refreshing scores by Sachin-Jigar. They seem to always reserve their best for Saandeep-Aarti. Sawariya just takes off many a times in the film’s narrative. Latko is my personal favourite, Niren Bhatt has worded it perfect too. Khune Khune thi, Sahiyar too complete a great album. It is pleasing to see that directors like Saandeepbhai are focusing on the music to make the film memorable.

Malhar-Aarohi: They are a fluid pair. Pick any emotion and they seem to get it right. Perfect chemistry, great understanding and comforting body language makes them super. Malhar is extremely normal in his comedy skin and excels big time. Aarohi just can't seem to do anything wronng (including her natural talent of dancing).

Cinematography: Well, I have a bias towards Tapan Vyas for the absolute quality of his craft. He makes the film extremely rich, flawless & jerk-less. You feel rich watching AMS, the scenes, the close-ups and the overall emotions are so beautifully captured.

Well, the story is about two school-hood sweet hearts who grow up, finish college and are slotted to be married when they realized they have yet to live a life without each other. So, they take a pause and decide to prepare a singlenaamu and live a life (in the same city sic!). What follows, and everyone knows will happen, happens. Yeah yeah no twists and turns (or are there T&Ts, well you will have to watch the movie and find out).

One gets a feeling that once the core concept was frozen the story, especially the last part was forgotten. It leaves one with so many questions?

• If there are no rules then where did the rules come from?
• Why is it that its always the girls who are right?
• Why do the boys always have to be seen as guilty?
• Girls kare toh vaandho nai, guys bole toh vaandho!
• Anyone can come into the society, shout our daughter's name and sell Soda!
• How easy it is to stop a very determined girl going to London?
• How many Pounds would the father have lost in the cancelled admission/tickets?
• Why does Malhar look like Ranbir Kapoor when he cries?
• Why does a film have to show a happy Malhar crying, he just can’t do it!

The other cast too have good roles to play, especially Bhamini Oza Gandhi & Darshan Jariwala. Tatsat Munshi in his maiden appearance impresses but lack the meat to his role. Again am biased towards Sanjay Galsar’s craft, he too did not have much to do.

All in all, AMS is a movie that starts extremely fantastic then goes into predictable lines and ends happy.

A good family watch.

PS: Yes, seeing Ashish Kakkad and hearing his baritone sure leaves you sad.

Go Watch it, Saandeep-Aarti rarely get it wrong, be it daughters (Aarohi -acting & Sanjana – costumes) and then this second film in their version  2.0.