I’ve been wanting to watch Being Cyrus and finally caught it this week. An interesting movie. Shot in a style we’re not very used to seeing in this industry, Adajania deserves a few cheers for coming up with a film, that if not totally captivating, has enough to keep you involved.
The fact that the family is Parsi, is quite incidental. It could have been any dysfunctional family and don’t we have enough of them! Aquadreamer turned around halfway and asked, “So why is the movie called Being Cyrus when it’s all about the Sethna family.†The end tries to reveal why.
The cast boasts of some of our finest actors. This includes Naseeruddin Shah, who is spaced out all the time, and puts on a great Parsi accent. His wife Dimple Kapadia (Katy), who lives a mundane life she is not totally happy with. Her husband frustrates her and she longs for a better life and schemes to make it happen. If you thought it would be difficult for Dimple to look ‘unglamorous’ you have to watch this one!
Boman Irani doing a hyper Parsi impersonation and is quite a riot with his pronounced accent and eccentricities. And not to forget the chain-smoking surprise element Simone Singh. And of course, the father with his vacant expressions is to die for! Saif Ali Khan is surprisingly good.
It’s difficult to figure out what the movie is in the first half : romance, thriller, drama? It’s only in the second half that you don’t really care since the story seems to be moving along just fine. With some tight editing Adajania keeps the plot well within his control.
The flashbacks about Cyrus and his sister being in foster homes all along were I thought a little misplaced. I know the intent was to probably try and connect what happened in his childhood to his behaviour later, but it didn’t seem too convincing. Why need justification for murder when you’re making a ‘black’ film?!
When the two bawas, Irani and his neighbour (whose dog keeps relieving himself on Irani’s car tyres) fight with each other, the gaalis sound really choicy and you rather wish you knew Parsi. And understand why they wouldn’t want to translate what they’re saying!
A decentish movie, that tries to move out of the typical mould and tell a story differently. Worth a watch and I’d give it around a 6/10.
This is Adajania’s first film and he has earlier been a freelance travel writer and photographer as well as a scuba diving instructor. That’s just some inspiration in case you’re planning to chuck your day job and get into movie-making.
Whatever it is you think of the movie, the premise (who you let in, can change your life) is sure to stay with you!
What do you mean by “Saif Ali Khan is surprisingly good.”…i just adore HIM…n waiting to watch this movie.
Posted by Mehak | March 30, 2006, 4:36 pmHi, all good? I’m Rafael, I am a Brazilian student, and am making a work of interaction with other cultures, and would like to know if you it would like to know something more on the Brazil and to keep contact with me… kiss
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That’s so good movie.…
Posted by Rafael | March 30, 2006, 5:45 pmThe version which I saw had Parsi gaalis translated in English sub-titles. They were fun to read.
Posted by Kapil | March 31, 2006, 2:23 pmHeard it is really innovative — especially the screenplay and the cinematography …
Hey Anita, plz do update Indian Blogger’s List with my new blog ID : Shamit Bagchi — My Though Stream — http://shamitb.blogspot.com/
Posted by Shamit | April 1, 2006, 11:39 amThrough the film treatment was good. The Camara angle, lighting in each frame but somehow story doesn’t have that much potential. Its more like coming up with Hollybood style.
Posted by Paavani | April 5, 2006, 12:02 amQuiet an Interesting Movie… with excellent Editing and Photography.
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Posted by Sathish Balasundaram | April 7, 2006, 7:01 pmit was a very mediocre film, different from the general trend of hindi cinema, sure, but mediocre nonetheless. quite a let down. i.e. IMHO.
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Posted by Heath Jackson | March 25, 2008, 8:39 pm