January 15, 2006
15, Park Avenue
WARNING: Following, is a review of the movie “15, Park Avenue”. All those planning to watch this movie and who do not wish to spoil the story for themselves are requested not to read further from this warning. I hope you enjoy the movie and afterward, you may read the rest of this post. As for those who wish to know the story, read on..
Last evening, I saw “15, Park avenue” starring Konkona Sen, Shabana Azmi and Rahul Bose. Brilliant acting! The movie, though beautifully taken in terms of Bhutan and certain defining moments, left me thoroughly confused and a little amused too. Here’s the story, not the entire package but more or less bits of it pieced together. Based in Kolkata, it takes us through the life of Mithali (Konkona Sen), a schizophrenic who is in search of her home at 15, Park Avenue which is part of her alternative reality. As the movie proceeds, we learn how the overprotectiveness of her sister, Anjali (Shabana Azmi), and a traumatic rape incident triggered the disease to take over the once normal and funloving Mithi, mentally and maintain her in an imaginary world she believed herself to live in. Mithi assumes that her sister has taken the entire world on her side to make them think that she’s schizophrenic, while Saddam Hussein (I’m not sure whether the director meant for us to feel humour or pity in this situation) is helping her find her husband and children (also imaginary). Anjali is a Physics professor, who dearly loves her younger sister and keeps Mithi in the house only to protect her from the big, bad world. Her suffering relationship with a fellow professor, her mother’s constant worries and Mithi’s progressive suicidal and delusional behaviour take a major toll on Anjali and she decides for the family to move to Bhutan for a while.
Fate brings Joydeep (Rahul Bose), to whom Mithi was initially engaged and to whom she thinks she’s married to, back into her life as the answer to her search. Mithi doesn’t recognise him for who he is, and instantly takes him into confidence when she finds out that he isn’t on Anjali’s side. Joydeep takes Mithi (he wishes to help her so as to rid of guilt from the past), with Anjali and Mithi’s doctor following close behind, to Park road. Although Mithi is convinced that the road was renamed as Park Avenue, again, no one’s willing to believe her. Finally, Joy decides to call up Anjali and tell her that there didn’t seem to be any progress, only to turn around and find Mithi missing. Meanwhile, we see Mithi looking around for building no.15 and as she looks beyond no.16, there it is! The whitewashed walls and black ebony gates wide open, she sees her children and husband playing at the porch. She calls out to her a daughter and instantly everyone’s hugging her, delighted to see her again. We can see a much younger Joy and the five little children they had much long ago planned to have. Back to the present Joy and a now very anxious Anjali, they call out for Mithi but no one seems to be able to find her. As for Mithi, she holds her husband’s hand and carries her youngest while the rest of her children follow them into the house. Back in the real world, the picture fades of the doctor, Anjali and Joy walking around confused and worried about the sudden disappearance of Mithi and we hear them echo “15, Park Avenue…..where’s 15, Park Avenue?…..”
I guess you must be equally lost with this end too. But I think that the director couldn’t have possible ended the story in a sensible or cliched manner and therefore, decided to leave it to individual interpretation as to what happened to Mithi. Very frustrating, but excusing a few hiccups here and there, the movie is worth a watch. Especially for Konkona Sen’s amazing talent and a quite gracious comeback of Shabana Azmi. Rahul Bose was flawless, as usual (quite a simple role actually). We also have Shefali Shah making a special appearance as Joy’s insecure wife. The part including Saddam and Bush was actually quite amusing and I still can’t figure out the connection except that since Mithi’s imaginary husband was in Baghdad and the Iraq issue was on, she probably formed some sort of connection in her mind. There are qute a few good examples that explain Mithi’s mental illness. As the doctor dines with Anjali, he asks her to tell him what she saw on the table behind. She said that it was a flower in a vase. He said that it looked like a lamp to him. Anjali told him to get his eyes checked because it was definitely a vase. In reply he asked her what she would do if everyone at the hotel swore that it was a lamp. Would she still believe that it was a vase? And so we get to understand what a schizophrenic goes through every day of their life when they’re forced to believe that what they see doesn’t exist. Quite interesting when you note down some of things in the movie worth pondering about. So, are you sure you don’t want to watch the movie?
p.s If any of you have seen the movie, you are free to discuss the end of the movie and give your opinion.
Warshhhh at 11:32 pm
Floating
“Time cannot break the bird’s wing from the bird.
Bird and wing together
Go down, one feather.No thing that ever flew,
Not the lark, not you,
Can die as others do.”–Edna St. Vincent Millay
This was something I heard quoted in a movie. I’m not sure why, but it just grabbed my heart when I heard it and I just had to share it with all of you. I actually felt lighter than air afterward. Floating, on top of the clouds. Well, maybe because it was the way it was said, a guy to his dying girlfriend, the love of his life. By the way, I’m a total romantic.
So, anyway, my exams got done with yesterday. Finis. Finito. Kaboom. I had such a great time last night…..sleeping, ofcourse (hehehe, I know what you were thinking). Now I have about 40 days to go for D-Day. Brrrrr…scary! As for my plans during this break, I’m attending a wedding next week and then I need to study… a lot. Otherwise, I’m a little bored and very restless. I definitely need to do something to pass time other than studies. I really want to get out of the house and chill out but no one’s there to hang out with. It’s quite a sad situation. Every time I make plans, someone or the other bails out. Poor me. (I just love pitying myself all the time, don’t I? I figured since I’m so modest all the time in the real world, I might as well be a little self-obsessed on my blog. ‘Cause its my world.)
Warshhhh at 11:23 pm