Raakh

RAAKH (Ashes to Ashes) Teaser

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• published: 31 Dec 2009
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Bombay, twenty years ago, a twenty-four year old from Carter road, Bandra got together with a slightly older beardo from Byculla, put together a team and realised their dream... Most of us, were first timers (you may recognise some of the names in the credits below) and there was an innocence, an energy that brought us all together. Every day of shoot, of post-production was pure unadulterated joy and was somehow untouched by the cynicism that marks our trade. RAAKH is presently unavailable to rent or buy and has never (officially) been on Tv. Asif & I are working on a twentieth anniversary edition. Till then, here’s a small snippet, enjoy and welcome to 20 10! Aditya B. Here's a New York Times, Reader Review from June 18th, 2008: Aamir as Aamir at his adamant best-Ashes to Ashes. This dark movie is set in the bizarre twilight zone of the degenerate and venomous world of the Bombay underworld ,where there is only one vice that rules-might is right, it's protagonists search for their own existence in alignment with their ideals for justice and an uneven fairplay and use each other as pawns in a game of violence and corruption . Amir is a rebellious scion of a well to do muslim family who in a rash act of rage provokes the gang rape of his hindu girlfriend by a group of mafia men . The graphic unsentimentality of the act at night in a desolate public spot is chilling . The relationship breaks up ,the girl shuns him and her indifference to any mode of justice drives the youth to extremes ,he elopes and lives with social outcasts,where he is helped by a rather shady cop who works outside the parameters of judiciary. Amir is totally natural and very affective as the angry,violent and impulsive youth ,this is his definitive best act as yet and he needs to go back to his roots as this was his second movie itself,his raw dynamic talent resounds in every scene and the minimalist cinema with expressionist photography enhances his violent deadly role,he is matched by the rather insanely dishonest cop played by Pankaj Kapur and Supraya Pathak as the rape victim who blames him for the incidence in a powerful role,the police are indifferent as there are no witnesses and the victim will not report the crime ,although it is acknowledged . the brilliant young director has a frustrating setting for a social comment on a grim subject, the perception of acquisition of justice and the means to aquire it , both are unimportant as the net result is more violence and the act leads to anarchy and nihilism, this is a very profoundly affective cinema beautifully shot with minimal dialogues and light , the brooding shadows reflect the title itself which refers to the ashes of the remnants of the living characters in a metaphor as their existence has been reduced to a void which can never be filled . The finale is bleak and the desperation of the human existence is shown to be damned forever with no hope of redemption , the conclusion is left open to the audience . This is an anthology of violence , justice and lost youth within the framework of an unjust social hypocrisy where law is invalid and might is right , that might be unreasonable but it could be a universal truth , nevertheless Aditya and Amir create a dark masterpiece which goes beyond it's baroque , brooding beauty with hypnotically lit frames that remind you of the psychological impact and spirituality of the works by Caravaggio and La Tour , an eerie light that explores the human soul and questions it's conscience , the answer is inconclusive but still great cinema . USMAN KHAWAJA — usman latif khawaja , havering,london,england & All the News thats fit to print: “He (Aditya) is quite original and has a great visual sense.” - Pankaj Kapur “I made this film....to portray reality and give an incisive view of life.” - Aditya Bhattacharya “I have....invested my entire self and ability in it.” - Aamir Khan “One is reminded of Taxi Driver & Mad Max” - IFFI. “Raakh is unlike any other thriller ever seen on the Indian screen.” - Khalid Mohamed Amongst the New Indian films…Bombay came up with at least one original and lively example…Ashes to Ashes tries hard and successfully to go beyond the clichés of Hindi melodrama and its young director, grandson of one of India’s most famous filmmakers, Bimal Roy, deserves congratulations for that. DEREK MALCOLM, The Guardian. “The film is strong on imagination and image.....” - Deepa Gahlot, Mid-Day “…an outstanding first film...sure grasp of cinematic craft.” - Maithili Rao, The Sunday Observer “His (Sivan's).....(camerawork).....are of a piece with the entire mood of the film.” - Sanjay Sipahimalani, Mid-Day. “Sivan's camerawork is superb.....soundtrack have been used as assault weapons.” - Bikram Singh, Sunday Observer. “....he (Aditya) makes us feel that everyone of us is