Contract

The Indian movie going experience is truly a highlight, for as the world’s largest film making nation there is a variety of films projected everyday. With 12 million people going to the cinema on a daily basis entertainment is big business. Furthermore it is one of the only places where time is kept as the medium is one of reverence.

The main multiplex company is known as PVR or Priya Village Roadshow Cinema. By introducing the multiplex concept in India in the late 1990s, PVR Cinemas brought in a whole new paradigm shift to the cinema viewing experience: high class seating, state-of-the-art screens and audio-visual systems. The theatre is in a mall called Forum with 11 screens that sits grandly on top of a 5 storey shopping area. The pre-film advertisements in India are the same as anywhere else, product placements that ultimately get annoying with their repetitious and oft heard jingles, complete with scratches on screen showing its age and insignificance. Everyone knows the words but no one will repeat or sing it along out of embarrassment and displeasure. Purchasing food is made easy with an attendant ready with a menu coming through every isle asking if anything is needed.

I ventured into the movie hall to watch ‘The Dark Knight’ but due to availability watched ‘Contract’ instead. Directed by the maverick director Ram Gopal Varma (or RGV or Ramu as he is know by) the film dealt with his oft made topic of the underworld. Once considered the beacon of originality who made pseudo realist films on multi layered topics usually with the subject of the underworld, his star has faded with ill conceived concepts and a blotched remake of India’s most famous and successful film named Sholay (Flames).

As for ‘Contract’, the film was promoted as an attempt to show the nexus between terrorism and the underworld with the kitsch of usual elements thrown in. The opening scenes showed promise with an army commander confronting a Jehadi terrorist (played by Zakir Hussain, but not the tabla player), leading to a well scripted conversation centered on how a solider fighting for an imagined community called a nation, ultimately does not see or interact the very public he serves to protect and is just taking orders without thought. Thus how is he different from the militant or kills in the name of love for his faith. Though hardly a deep conversation, it placed a hope of things to come; especially the thinking of the misguided followers of militant movements.

However the film descended from explaining the nexus between the underworld and terrorism to a story of rivalry between the two gangs that controlled Bombay. The extreme close-ups and silence as the character reflects, which have been seen in most of RGV's recent movies, gave way to a loud noise behind me. Looking back I saw a viewer fast asleep and snoring. The public around him also aware, left him to his sleep while the movie picked up pace/sound thus drowning his snores.

As this was a Hindi movie there is a requisite 10 minute interval where we watch more ads. The concept of an interval is a requirement in India; even English movies are given a forced interval with the sentences and scenes half completed. The sleeping man continued to snore as the interval finished only to wake up when we were leaving. In India as the exits are at the back with the patron exiting a floor higher than he entered and goes down steps. Leaving the hall, I thought of the narrative with questions left unanswered and global terrorism being tackled by one man. Than again, it was a Hindi movie so plausibility should not be expected. I wish Mr Varma would call/email me so I could discuss a film concept with him.