MusicalOthelloinIndiain2006

对印度电影知之甚少。所以以下皆为摘录。Ramachandran,Naman,Omkara.SightSound,00374806,Oct2006,Vol.16,Issue10.ExtractfromtheOriginalText:AboutAdaptation:AnyadaptationofOthellothathastheCassiocharacter(inthiscase,politicalprotégéKesu)teachingDesdemona(Dolly,thefiancéeoftheformersmentor,Omkara)howtosingIJustCalledToSayILoveYouisboundtobeunusualandvastlyentertaining,andVishalBhardwajsOmkaraisexactlythat.Inthis,thedirectorssecondShakespeareadaptationafterMaqbool(2003),whichrelocatedMacbethtotheMumbaiunderworld,BhardwajtransposestheMoortothepoliticalbadlandsofnorthIndia,wherearmedcriminalsarepoliticiansandviceversa.ThisisalandwherepolicemenarefriskedbeforebeingledintotheaugustpresenceofOmkara,abrutalbutfairgeneraltohisboss,thepoliticalbigwigBhaisaab,whothinksnothingofconductingbusinessfromjailonhismobilephone.Omkaraswilyandscruffylieutenant,Langda(thelagorole),hasaniftylineininvective,whilehisotherdeputy,Kesu,isthevacuouscharmerwhoseprowessintheEnglishlanguagehasearnedhimthenicknamequot;Firangiquot;(quot;foreignerquot;inHindiandUrdu),andwhoseskillsontheacousticguitarandfamiliaritywithStevieWondersongsmakehimaneasytargetforLangda.BiancaistransformedintoBillo,anautchgirl(orcourtesan)whoseslightestshimmycanmakehardenedcriminalsbreakintoraucous,fevereddanceandshootgunsintotheairinfrustratedrelease.ThoughthesettingmaybeverydifferentfromwhattheBardimagined,Omkaraisrelativelyfaithfultoitssourceinitsplottingandeveninsomeofthedialogue.ThemajordepartureisinthefigureoftheMoorhimself.Bhardwaj(whoalsoco-wrotethefilmwithRobinBhattandAbhishekChaubey)haschosentomakeOmkaraaquot;half-castequot;,someonewhoisonehalfhigh-casteBrahmin,inthenorthIndiancontext,withDolly,BhaisaabandevenKesuandLangdaallfullyfledgedBrahmins,Omkarashalf-casteorigincouldbeanissueofpowder-kegsensitivity.ButBhardwajchoosestoskateoverthisissue,therebydeprivingthefilmofsomedegreeofdramaticdepth.AboutCasting:Thewriter-directoralsofaltersinthecastingofOmkara.Onpaper,AjayDevgan,knownforhisbroodyunderplayinginfilmssuchasHumDilDeChukeSanam(1999)andRaincoat(2004),mayhaveseemedtheperfectchoice.Butwhenheisnotstandingaroundstrikingperfectlyframedposes,Devgansperformanceissounderstatedthathischaractersinnatejealousyandpossessivenessarevisibleonlysporadically.ThisisOthelloaswallpaper.Insharpcontrast,SaifAliKhanasLangdamakesthemostofthemeatiestroleandcompleteshistransitionfromprettyboyromanticherotomatureactor,aprocessinitiatedwhenheplayedruthless,coldbloodedcriminalsinthegrittyEkHasinaThi(2004)andBeingCyrus(2006).ThelimpingKhan,withshorntresses,yellowedteethandresolutelynon-designerstubble,inhabitsthepartcompletely,spittingvenomandchewinganyavailablescenery.HeisaidedbydebutantTassaduqHussainsluminouscinematography,hisattentiontodetailandcarefullycolourcodedpalettes(greenforLangda,redforOmkarashiftingtoblack)elevatingthefilmwaybeyondtheusualHollywoodriotofcolours.OmkaraopenswithSergioLeone-stylevistas,buteffectsaseamlesstransitiontotheclaustrophobic,chamber-pieceatmospherethatistheessenceofOthello.ThemultitalentedBhardwaj,whobeganhisHollywoodcareerasmusicdirectoronfilmssuchasMaachis(1996)andSatya(1998),alsocomposedthemusic,andlayersthefilmwithtunesrangingfromraunchydancenumberstolovesongstolullabies.Thelullabyisusedalternatelyfortender(OmkaraandDollyinpost-coitalbliss)andchilling(OmkarasingingtoDollyslifelessbody)effect.WithOmkarathisremarkablefilm-maker,whoserepertoirealsoincludeschildrensfilmssuchasMakdee(2002)andTheBlueUmbrella(2005),hasfinallyusheredcontemporaryBollywoodintotherealmofworld-classcinema.Havingsaidthat,itsworthmentioningthatthedefinitiveIndianadaptationofOthelloremainstheMalayalam-languagefilmKaliyattam(1997).Kalipattamsdirector,Jayaraaj,setthatmovieinaremotevillageinthesouthIndianstateofKeralaandusedthetraditionalritualdanceformTheyyam,inwhichpractitionersdonfierce-lookingmasks.ItwilltakeBollywoodsomeyearsyettosurpassthephantasmagoriathatJayaraajcreated.Synopsis:NorthIndia,thepresent.MilitantpoliticalfixerOmkaraOmiShuklaelopeswithlocalbeautyDollyMishra,angeringherfather.Omkaraspoliticalguru,localMPBhaisaab,resolvesthematteramicably.WhenBhaisaabdecidestograntOmkaraatickettocontestthestateassemblyelections,OmkaraappointshiscohortKesuFirangiUpadhayaashissuccessor,causinghisotherlieutenant,LangdaTyagi,tobecomejealous.AidedbyDollysformersuitor,Rajju,thedancerBilloand,unwittingly,byhisownwife,Indu,LangdaspinsawebofinsinuationsthatleadsOmkaratothinkthatDollyishavinganaffairwithKesu.MatterscometoaheadonthedayofOmkaraandDollyswedding.OmkarakillsDollyonlytofindoutfromInduthatLangdawaslyingallalong.Omkarakillshimself.IndukillsLangdaandcontemplatessuicide.March1,2008