Review: Provoked!
Submitted by rayboy on August 4, 2007 – 2:36 pm12 Comments
We got to watch “Provoked”, a 2007 UK based English language film, directed by Jag Mundhra. It stars Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Miranda Richardson, Robbie Coltrane, Nandita Das and Steve McFadden. The film is based on the true story of Kiranjit Ahluwalia who killed her abusive husband.
As i mentioned before that i dont like hindi movies. But Movies like these bring out Indian Actors/Actresses to Hollywood. It feels nice to see indian culture exposed in a different way and through Hollywood standards. The Sad part of this movie is the abuse brought out in Indian Culture towards Women. Women are mistreated even at this very day in India. I would rate the movie 4 out of 5 ..
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movie was boring….made for award not money.
Boring? Any movie that showcases such a pertinent problem (of past or present) deserves to win an award.
I’m sure you’d enjoy it if they ran around some trees and fitfully burst into song occassionally, but you can always check out Bollywood and Tollywood for that
Provoked was a flop. Conveying a pertinent problem like this will restrict the film to a particular class of viewers which is not the goal of a media supposed to pass a good message to ordinary viewers.
Bollywood has done better job in much more complicated subject with the films Rang De Basanti, Guru, Munna Bhai MBBS, Lagaan etc which passed its strong message, made money and nominated for Oscars.
So which way of dealing with a subject is better you think?
The reason i liked this movie(my opinion). it didnt really show major wife beating, or aggressiveness. they kept it into the mind of the viewer through the small glipses they showed.
most of the English Wife beating movies i have seen. have too much abuse, it makes you wonder are whether the husband is a human or not.
what also gave it more ratings on my point of view is that it is directed in a foreign country . i dont know how easy it is direct a film on foriegn grounds.
You have a point about being directed to be viewed by only a few masses. it may missed out for major points in proving a point … But its a true story .. end of the day. how much can you change from a true story….
Movies like Guru, well it was humorous enough , witty and smart. But that was Guru’s real life character. Unfortunately Khiran was dumb, stubborn to her own thoughts and ways.
“the only thing Epic in this movie is the part, where a Non British person defied British Law, that it was wrong and got it corrected.” The movie is about how it happened and how life went on.
Vibin: you may have a strong point, which is quite valid too , but you should look at the other side of the story and masses too.
In comparison to the way few topical movies based on Indian culture (either the bollywood movies you mentioned or the brit asian movie that this is), this might have not been the best work of art. But it was certainly not boring, it also deserve its credit for attempting to bring to light what was, and what might still be in some places. That message, in all its melodrama and exaggerations, might reach some battered womans soul somewhere, who might relate.
Ray:
Kiran’s (character) was portrayed to be “dumb”- I’d rather say naive and dependent. The movie is apparently not close from the true story though, Kiran was a factory worker, and the character portrayed by nandita das was actually the merging of two people. Either way, a different backdrop and an important topic deserves kudos.
Ugh I hate writing long comments, might as well head to my own blog and write a post!
FC : i chose to use “DUMB” coz she had a chance during the first hearing at court to settle things for the sake of her kids. somehow this part reminds me of a “movie prolonging ” tactic. before the second hearing Nandita clearly says “Do it for your kids” and khiran is all smiles…
i dont know for a fact how much of the movie is truth and how much is fabricated or “remixed”
Merging two people is a bad idea, as you could make the story short by how can merge or cut off a personality … not fair!.
To me. Provoked is Good Intentions, Bad Film.
Ray: As far as directing outiside India, you can find very less bollywood films directing inside India these days
Vibin , i just realised
Whew! Check out the eyes!
does Aishwariya actually have green eyes in real life?
I think so!