Life has been really dragging lately. After playing Mafia II and The Witcher, I don't feel like playing anything else. Watched some movies though - Dabgangg, SALT and Aisha. Dabangg was pretty average, but nice time pass. SALT was totally awesome. Aisha was quite decent.
Now coming to the topic title, I wonder what made Dabangg click in the first place? For us southies, the movie is nothing new, its a rehash of any other regular movie with the hero fighting off more baddies in ways that would put iron man to shame. So whats new about this that made it click ? In my opinion, the simplicity of the movie worked in its favor greatly. The movie is never pretentious and doesn't take itself too seriously. Its like the director told the people, "hey, I'm gonna make a movie with a bare minimum story, over the top action, catchy songs and some humor thrown in to keep you from getting bored, I'm neither making it to get any awards, or put my name in the hall of fame. The only guarantee is that it'll be entertaining and not bore you".
I would take a movie like Dabangg anyday over the pretentious nonsense thats churned out by most of the high budget production houses. I would enjoy a movie with Indian characters, Indian cities, Indian setting dealing or showcasing Indian problems instead of showing us the false, bloated, stinky rich, ultra luxurious setting of the west. Don't take me wrong, I'm totally up for movies shot in the west, DDLJ did it, Kal ho na ho did it, and both managed to pull it off very well. But to make a movie in the western setting just for the sake of it is pretty annoying, more so, when every other movie tries to do the same stuff. An ultra rich swanky NRI hunk is sad because his marriage is in shambles or his love is lost. Booo and boring !
I'm sort of glad that Dabgangg was a hit. For one, it brought back the bollywood to its root - which is India. And two, it showed that you don't need a big banner or a controversial topic or in-your-face marketing to make a movie hit. All you need is to understand your audience and make movies for them.
Here's to wishing there comes a Dabgangg 2 , before I log off. Catch you later.
