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Vinayak Patil: Nice subject.

I have been technical person by profession, but movies been my passion since childhood. I have seen classic, middle time and modern, all types of movies, both from Hollywood and Bollywood.

What I have noticed that some great directors always made good movies which were of their kind, different from others. Some time people did not like movies, but they continued to be innovative. V Shantaram, Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan or Mani Ratnam can be example of this type of filmmakers. For example "Mughal-e-Azam", "Pyaasa" and "Do Aankhen Barah Haath" (by V Shantaram). They had extraordinary scripts combined with all other aspects of filmmaking.

I expect movie technically perfect, everything should look real not artificial. Like in "SATYA" most of scenes run through real locations in Mumbai itself. Story should be justified with real-life scenes like Mani Ratnam did in "BOMBAY".

It's not necessary that by spending lots of money only you can make technically perfect movie. Some movies with low budget can be more perfect and impressive. Monsoon Wedding can be example of such movie. (Here do not mistake that low-grade camera is 'chalta hai').

Films need to be innovative. No idea should be repeated. If movies are inspired by other movies they should be totally new rather than copy of the movie. Movie can be of any genre, love stories, action, drama, fantasy, or comedy, they should be binding to the storyline. "NAYAGAN" is inspired by "GODFATHER", but they seem to be great movies by their own.

When I sit on my chair in theatre in next 3 hours my mind should be totally busy with the movie itself. While watching movies, people leave theatre during songs or some boring scenes, it's failure of the director.

When it comes to songs they should be combined or seamlessly integrated into story rather than mixed into it. If you do not have good songs do not put them. If storyline of the movie is disturbed by using songs, do not put them into movie. Good example can be "SATYA", where all songs are combined with the situation and lyrics is based on the real life. Some movies are musical, they cannot be made without songs like "BAIJU BAWARA" or "TAAL". All songs are integrated into the movie because all songs are requirement of the story itself. "BHOOT" does not have any song into it because it disturbs the movie. It's so simple logic. There are hundreds of example of songs not properly put into movie, but I do not want to get into it.

When it comes to action scenes, keep them minimum but impressive. By using blasting of bombs in background does not make sense all time, instead one punch with proper acting of actors can be more effective.

One big difference I noticed in Hollywood and Bollywood. Hollywood movies are based on novels, which became famous in their own time, whereas Bollywood movies do not follow the same trend (exception GUIDE). Bollywood movies are inspired by other movies instead. Making movie based on other movies makes job easy, but at end of the day they become too dependent and loose their creativity. Making movie based on novel makes more sense. But where are good novel writers??

When Bollywood filmmakers spend millions on music, stunt, camera, dress, set, actors, extras and director, ask them how much they spend on story and scriptwriting? Story and script are backbone of the films. If story writers and scriptwriters are not paid properly, who would like to be scriptwriter. Name any famous writer in Bollywood who has got recognition like Mario Puso (spelling may be incorrect), writer of novel "Godfather".

Someone told me Bollywood producers make love stories! I am totally disagree with them. Tell me any movie which reaches its intensity of being a love story in recent time. I hardly see any movie where actually love is in the heart of the movie, no matter how much they claim to be a love story. "MAINE PYAAR KIYA" was quite OK for being love story, still it was missing somewhere its climax. "Mughal-e-Azam" or "Ek Duje Ke Liye" are the ones which can be categorised for love stories.

Movies should be different from other. Some examples can be SAUDAGAR, DEEWAR, MOTHER INDIA, DARR, JAAGTE RAHO, PAKEEZAH, HERA PHERI, JAANE BHI DO YAARO, IS RAAT KI SUBAH NAHI, and LAGAAN. This list can be long but I have given these examples what the movie should be and currently I remember these only. I am not listing any Hollywood movie here.

LIKE ANY BUSINESS, INNOVATION IS THE KEY OF SUCCESS.

Hope this letter conveys some message to those who sell dreams!!

VINAYAK

Please forgive me for my bad grammer as I am used to writing programs not letters.

Prem: Tell you what, if your programs are as logically sound as your movie mail is, they must be darned good programs!!

Devanand Kondur: One of the best movies I saw in recent times was Filhaal. It is a superb film with a good storyline. I was really surprised to see Sushmita act so well in the film. It only shows that hard work and a good role go a long way in encouraging people to act (as opposed to show up, hop, skip and sing a little, which is what our heroines end up doing in our movies.) It tackles a real issue and something that would nevertheless be considered taboo in Indian society.

Prem: Fish, I missed this one; okay, I'll put out an APB alert on this -- apprehend and check out at the earliest! Thanks, friend.

Vinati Singh: Try to catch Being John Malkovich if you haven't already. The story is about two people who find a portal into Malkovich's head and sell tickets to the general public to go in and "be John Malkovich" for ½ hour at a time. Eventually one person proceeds to spend more and more time in his head, regulating his behaviour before completely taking over his life. Through this, John is disturbingly aware that he is going through changes that he doesn't understand. It stands out because the story is so bizarre that you wonder what twisted mind conceived it. Yet the movie binds you and is thoroughly entertaining. Also, John Malkovich is so good in it that you actually believe that he is going through these events. Never does he seem conscious of his role's difficult requirements. A great example of "different" cinema.

Prem: Vinati, thanks, I caught this. On a related note, did you see Adaptation? Wonder what you made of that one -- I must confess I felt let down by the climax; a touch too much of what, for want of a better phrase, counts as 'hero-giri'.

SanPawar: One of the movies that I would like to recommend is 'Magnolia' directed by Paul Thomas Andersen (Boogie Nights). It is one of the best movies in terms of storytelling. The movie starts with a word "coincidences" (don't remember the exact line). The way 6 different stories are interwoven and ended on a common theme (song) is simply amazing. The movie ends in a weird setting (don't want to ruin the surprise for people who might want to see it), which in an ordinary movie would seem ridiculous, but the director was very convincing while dealing with it. As he had put it, it's a movie about coincidences.

Well, when I first heard about DMH I thought it was "inspired" (excuse me for using the term so loosely) by the movie Magnolia!

Prem: You know what, you must be the nth person who told me to check out this movie and what with one thing and another, I haven't gotten down to doing it yet! All right, putting this up top of the list -- and in passing, Sanpawar couldn't be your actual name, could it?!

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