June 22, 2024 • 23 mins
They might as well have called Maharaj “Junaid Khan’s Launch Vehicle” because naming it after the villain makes even less sense.
We discuss the film’s many irredeemable flaws, which include shaming the victim of sexual abuse, projecting a red flag male character as the protagonist, and resorting to the problematic trope of “fridging.”
We also talk about the film’s obvious technical inadequacies, like flat visuals, a haphazard tone, and one-note acting performances.
Later in the episode, we discuss why Netflix avoided promoting it, and has essentially dumped it in the hope that nobody notices.
—
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:16):
Hi, I'm Akira. And I'm Rohan now.
Welcome to the long take. This week, we're discussing the
new Traffic movie Maharaj, whichstars Janette Khan in his
interfere role alongside Jerry Balawat, and small roles for
Shari Bundy and Chivalry. It's about like a 19th century
court case about between like, areligious leader and this
journalist who took on or like, do it now.
(00:39):
What do you make up to? We don't.
There are nowhere to begin with this.
It's. Which wise through you then
deeper and it's like go without like giving you any lead.
Which which which issue should we tackle first?
Like which crime of this movie should we begin?
There's just, it's insane because the moment you start
thinking that oh, it's finally over, it isn't, it's some new
(01:00):
nonsense kind of rears its head and then you're like, but what
about like the 15 other things that I was annoyed by?
How do I concentrate now at all this?
Insight It's too much like it's the longest time I was just like
the virus is like, how is the scatter even like progressive?
I want to like get into that at some point.
Like, you know, like we're supposed to like he's supposed
(01:21):
to be the hero of this movie, right?
Like I'm going to fight for people, but like, at what level?
Like do do you call yourself like a liberal bro?
No, because initially I was giving the benefit of the doubt
to the movie and just anticipating like some sort of a
tone which doesn't really come, just the.
Voice over tells you voice over is like he is good.
(01:43):
But nothing he does he's like ifanything he's like the biggest
like red flag boss really makes me.
Think like the day, like change.The real guy was the real guy
that was like the. No, what I think is that they
don't understand the difference,right?
They they basically think that this person is progressive, but
then anybody with like a brain will just look at it and be
(02:04):
like, no, but he's not, right. You know that, right?
Yeah. And the movies like?
Yeah, you can't. You can't go from like
advocating that your widoward, like relative should have rights
in the home. And then two minutes later or
two minutes before that, he's inthe, like, room with like Chali
Balawat and like Kishori. And he's like, how dare you?
Your Honor is going. It's very strange, right?
Because the movie insists that he's progressive to the point
(02:27):
that his family. Is that is picking chutney from
some untouchable? Guy Yeah, yeah, so it's very in
your face like oh, this person he is so the first time yeah.
And like, his family is annoyed to the point that they want to
like, disown him to do it now. It's not progressive, you know,
like. Yeah, they actually disown him
like he sleeps at the Ishak Hallbefore it was Ishak.
(02:49):
But this is like sandwiched, right?
So his progressiveness is sandwiched between like,
absolute dinosaur behaviour, right?
Especially when it matters. Like, it doesn't really matter
if you in your heart have like, possessed some progressive ideas
in the Med article, fine, cool. Do it.
It's not harming anybody. It's yeah, it's like.
Well, it's just signalling, right?
Like when it comes to actions with your loved ones, you're not
(03:12):
actually supporting them. You're disowning your fiance in
like a minute. Yeah, to the point it's quite
unforgivable because she kills herself, Yeah.
Exactly. I was like, how does this movie
expect me to follow this character?
Like even before she killed us, I was like how I push a voice
character who was basically beginning like, oh, my lack of a
better word, a bit to be like, oh, yeah, he's the hero.
(03:32):
He's going to say earlier and he's going to fight a court
case. Like I don't care if he loses or
wins at this point. Yeah, yeah.
So. He's not worth.
Rooting for. He's absolutely not worth
rooting for. And then a part of me was also
like, I want to see how you redeem this person.
And is that even? Is that even on the cards like
redemption or do you not? They don't even try.
They don't even try, right? Because they don't view it as
redemption. It's the disheartening
(03:53):
realization if. Anything they view like
Kishori's actions actually as dishonorable, which is why in a
way she's not like, you know, like committing.
So sorry, she's not dying by suicide.
She's in a way like killing herself.
The writers want her to kill herself.
They're like please die because you are not worth it.
That's the viewer thing, right? The movie actually believes that
because she dies. Like basically like indisrepute.
(04:16):
Because then this other character walks in and he's
like. Oh yeah, They just replace the
female lead like 15 minutes. And they're like, well, we
forget Keshori. We have Viraj now, Yeah.
And I'm like, what and that movie?
Was going to be like, at least, you know, if you finish the
character and then that movie isgoing to be like this hero is
going to like fight The Cave on her behalf in our memory sort
(04:36):
of. And you erase a memory like not
even 20 minutes later you're like, yeah, we have a new female
lead now Please look at her. Enjoy.
Yeah, and this one is just ComicRelief also for some.
Exactly. She can't pronounce like some
different like syllables. That's it, That's her.
That's her. Let me just point out this
person is the main guy. What's his name?
(04:56):
Karsandas. Karsand.
Yeah, right. Ektos name Orwadiasco, which is
unforgivable, right? And then when when literally an
opportunity to do the right thing walks into his office,
Yeah, in the form of this New Girl, he chooses to exploit her.
He's like, I'm powerful. And then she's like, justifies
(05:17):
herself. She's like, Oh yeah, being an
activist means being poor. I was like, just so every, like
minute to where there's some newinsanity in this world where I'm
like, yeah. And that 5 minutes ago he
rejects her because she's like you'll be a distraction to my
objector. She proposes like dominant.
And then two minutes after that the movie forgets that she gets
in distraction so they go into asong and I'm like bro, you
(05:38):
haven't heard your own lesson through your dialogue.
But this is like a recording like issue with this, right?
Because it happens. Yeah, structural, like fun,
making, doing. Thing like it happens with the
the earlier dead character also right?
Which I was confused by because initially I was like are there
scenes missing? But then the movie kind of tells
you nahi ito aaji mujhe karsonnedeson Kara hai subha.
(06:01):
So I was like, in the morning, Carson realized and disowned you
because he thought that you weredoing a dishonorable thing.
And by the evening you have gonefrom there to realizing that
you've been exploited. And this all has.
Happened everything happened oneday to like that scene with her
sister, the scene before that, everything.
One day I thought the scenes were saying I am.
(06:22):
So whenever like somebody's likeyou, people hate everything.
I was like, no, at every turn, I'm willing to give the movie
The benefit of the doubt, right?I'm like, OK, maybe now you will
do better. Maybe now you will do better.
We keep saying that like 120 times and then the movie.
The 15,000,000 issues that we found in like the 1st 30 minutes
of this movie and then it's justvery obviously so star right?
(06:45):
It looks like Dora Bega picture I think.
Yeah, yeah. Like when they do that scene
with Viraj and Carson at whatever is supposed to be like
the old version of like I'm guessing gateway game.
That's you can do it like they have.
So Sasta that I think they cut like people's heads from top.
They were like, oh, we can't show you beyond this because we
(07:05):
don't have the green screen sizeonly.
So now we just we just, you know, destroy what is called
cinematography. We just chop people's heads.
I mean the very first shot of this movie, like I mean talk
about a inauspicious like beginning of the very first shot
in this movie, just like this exterior kind of aerial thing of
this Hawaii type situation. Yeah, where this kid is born and
(07:26):
uskip background. It's like literally or still
right? And that was it only just me or
did it feel like they wanted this movie to go for the big
screen? Like did you feel like it was
Young interval? There was an interval point.
Yeah. So then that means can we
believe it? Like it's not even like work.
We are making it for streaming. So we will save money.
They were saving money even for the big screen.
(07:47):
At No. It's the VRF, it's not even
lacking in money. But it reeks off something that
was they started working on and then midway through they were
like, sorry, we, we got to cut your funding.
So now you have like ₹30 to finish whatever you've got left.
Right, that's possible. Like from the fewer reports I've
read, I think this started like as a.
Pre pandemic project imagine I don't know how this industry
(08:08):
works anymore, but towards they will end credits where they also
have like a satellite partners who is going to be shown on
television which is. Yeah, yeah, it said Star Gold
and I was like, wait, is it Netflix original?
Why is it going to go to * gold?Also, we have to point out that
this movie doesn't even have a trailer as of.
I mean, yeah, that's the whole like separate thing, which I
feel I was thinking we'll get into like the low Kakayenge
(08:31):
segment. I mean.
I feel like it's really easy to do that.
OK, we'll save it for the low Kaka segment then.
But like, imagine if this movie had a trailer.
Like how would you? I don't think it would.
Matter we've had trailers for like war stuff like Mrs. Serial
Killer and Oh my God they've forgotten eventually for.
Shudder, I remember that. Mrs. So I don't think the lack
(08:51):
of trailers had to has to do with the quantity.
Of no, but like, oh sure, that'sa good segue.
Do perhaps why the trailer doesn't exist, which is
essentially the villain of this movie, right?
And the multiple disclaimers around that because everybody's
terrified. No lack of display.
And a part of it is also like banter, you know, because
villain is like some sadhu person who villain is some sadhu
(09:13):
person who's like oh, oh serial like predator and also he like
just on the surface, literally pujo ING like Ram Lala in one
scene and everything, which. Yeah, yeah, he's the he's the
face of the religion. Yeah, so there is like half a
percent of this movie which is slightly courageous in doing
(09:34):
this, but I mean, it's just it'sso irredeemable that it doesn't
demon. I mean, yeah, the rest of it
exactly right. It's not like just that.
Just choosing the topic does nota good movie make.
Which, yeah, I realized earlier this year also with that Everton
Mereverton thing, which was likethe most left liberal movie that
Bollywood has made in a while, but it's also the worst.
Yeah, yeah. Poor filmmaking cannot redeem
(09:56):
that. You have chosen the good side.
I mean, good side with I could argue that it was the correct
side and but it was the filmmaking was terrible.
Here though, you can't even makethat argument as you've
discussed right, because the movie is clearly very idea of
feminism is very. No, I think I would say the side
is correct, but like the the choice of character or the way
(10:18):
you're writing the character is.No, it's not correct.
Right? Because you think that feminism
is some dude going on a crusade,right?
To save the women, yeah. That's true.
No, But I'm thinking if you're going to make this story, the
story will be Karasandas fighting this court case, right?
But the court case to hey now court case to NK, 20 minutes,
(10:39):
man, it's not even about that exactly.
That's the issue, right? It's the how you pay off the
journey because you've created obviously Keshori and Viraj and
these people, they don't exist in the real story and they're
dead. There it is from history.
No, no. So my question is, Kishori is
obviously abused, right? Later we find out that Viraj is
also abused, correct? So now you have two one of.
Them single female character in this movie who is not abused.
(11:00):
Correct. The court case, which the movie
kind of teases in the opening slate is that, oh, this is based
on court case, ABCD, whatever I keep waiting for, it doesn't
happen until the last 20 minutes, right?
Yeah. So So what you what you have
left is like one hour 40 ish minutes of the other movie.
Now, what is stopping you from presenting that movie from the
(11:21):
perspective of one of these women?
That's what I am saying, yeah. It's the journey that has to
change, right? If you're not, if you're
entirely is not going to the court case because you're like,
oh, I don't know how to stretch two hours out of that because
I'm not Aaron Sargain, Then yeah, as you said, it has to be.
You have to pay it in such a waythat Carson that doesn't become
like the one and all and be all of the movie.
You have to like other characters need to matter, but
(11:41):
which is why the movie is not feminist because the other
characters do not what I'm saying.
Actually, the women do not matter.
This movie isn't feminist so we can't even give it point for
being like oh right side of history.
No, you're not. No, no, no.
No, if anything. The only other side of history
in the sense that you were you just made making a movie about
like abuse of power. That's it.
Sure, yeah. It stops right there.
(12:01):
That good? Abusive power and power in the
form of like faiths, which is religion.
Power especially like so like, you know, reward in India like
that's it. Literally it stops that.
Everything after that is like a far from the cliffs.
Yeah, You want to talk about just like the overall direction
of it, not just we've spoken about like this Hasta looking
kind of visuals, but just like how he directs actors because
(12:23):
they're clearly like, Oh my God,what is even happening here?
Yeah. Because I think I've seen Allah
the most. So I know he can do better
because I've seen him do better,right?
So when I then I see him deliverthis, which is basically like a
one note smoke, like he just smokes the entire movie.
He has no other direction. Give it to him.
So that I feel like clearly the direction is an issue because
and then I can't judge the otherguys, right?
(12:43):
Especially the new NIPO baby because I'm like bro I've never
seen you, this is your first movie and now I can't tell if
you are bad or the direction is that bad.
So I mean, one thing we can all agree on is a direction to bad.
Hey, he right. But yeah, above and beyond that.
I I thought that so there is like a natural kind of pull that
you either have or you don't. And despite all the overall
(13:04):
nonsense of this movie, I thought Sharwari may at least
power, right? I can look at her and at least
buy what she's meant to be feeling in that in whatever
scene, right? If she's in the courtroom and
she's, like, weeping. I like, yeah, you're weeping.
You didn't do that audience reaction shot and then they
pivoted to the only person over the number.
But the other people, I'm not even like registering like what
(13:27):
are you supposed to? What are you feeling in this one
scene if you did not have dialogue, right?
If you did not have dialogue, what would you be going through?
I have no idea. It could be anything.
And that is just. So there is no element of this
movie that's kind of keeping itshead above like the water,
right? Because it's just.
Yeah, it's already like AB action movie, right?
Which behalf and action is good.The actors don't know, don't
(13:49):
know how to act or whatever. It's fine, but at least like
some part is enjoyable. There's no aspect of this movie
that it can be. You can hang on.
Do you remember we watched that nonsense Wiref thing also, which
is very similar, right? Is the same actress.
I don't really sing movie. Also Gujarati stuff where?
Oh. My God, yes, that one, it's so
similar, right? Because it's maybe like the
(14:09):
woman is just a forgotten I remember and it becomes like
Ranveer Singh story. Yeah, it's a fun way.
He's like, I'm going to save allthe babies or whatever.
Yeah, the same thing. And it is the same actress
Sharani Pandey. Yeah.
And also maybe like the whole thing was that it looked like it
was shot on some soundstage the entire movie and this one also.
(14:30):
Same because like you're playinglike so then you must have some
budget. It's like Hiram and Dika
leftover before it got demolished.
So they were like, let's just goquickly and do that.
And except like two scenes wherehe's like sleeping on the steps
of that place, which is real. It just it's just your
dissonance in your head. I was like, is this fine to see
world right now or are we in thereal world?
(14:52):
I can't tell. I mean, he touched upon the
courtroom stuff, but I feel to go into it, the fact of how just
like a mockery of like you're making a movie literally about a
court case, right? So you expect like some, some,
I'm not saying full, some level of authenticity in how a court
works and they just make like a full mockery.
Sir Ek Banda kafi hai Manoj Bajpai movie very similar in
(15:14):
which he like wages war against this donkey Baba who is like a
sexual predator also very similar.
That movie has a grand like finale scene in which like one
was barged by he plays a lawyer,starts quoting like some
scripture. He's like essay essay essay
Levels of power. You have committed the highest
levels of power because you are pretending to be a God man, you
(15:36):
have you have dishonoured your own religion, etcetera.
And I the whole time I was thinking, yes, I'm allowed,
yeah, courtroom, you can just. But is he the lawyer in that
scene? Or is he like he's a lawyer?
This is his defence. Right.
So I guess in some way he could get away with it it
theoretically because he could be like, this is my opening or
closing statement. It's just closing statement.
Yeah, so maybe I can I can even imagine or give him the benefit
(15:58):
of doubt. But you're happy people who are
not law and judges stop the entire time, right.
Judges and law is get like one, one line.
The Mara just talking like even though he's never on the he
never actually enters the witness docket, but he's talking
the entire time, which will be like 1520 contempt of like court
cases, just like right off the bat, like you can't talk like
(16:20):
that. The whole time.
Stop and you feel like. Wondering KE Carson person he
could have just they they could have just had like a side plot
in which he becomes a lawyer, right?
Yeah, but like Carson stands as a witness, walks and talks the
entire time and no judge stops him.
He's like, yeah, please go on the rotate a movie.
And nobody also stops like some woman who just walks into the
(16:42):
courtroom later and like it likethe Red Sea people part.
That's the relative from the start now who was who kicked him
out of the house. That's her redemption moment.
That's what they say. And then the movie turns into
what it should have been like the old time, which is Yeah.
But you know, this is like there's a additional Comic
(17:03):
Relief from like the manservant of Maharaj.
Oh my God. Like initially, then he's there,
then he's kicked out and he's brought back as like a witness,
and then suddenly he goes back to his original SWAT and like,
wait, you know what continuity means?
Like you just forgot that the character was kicked out.
Or continuity. There was this opening very
early in the movie. There was this very close up of
(17:24):
this dude Carson, right? And like they cut to him and
then they cut to like the woman who dies and they cut back to
him. And I swear some light was
switched on which hadn't been switched on.
I have to point out that in the holy sequence, takes this huge,
like fistful of color, applies it on like Shani Pandey's like
(17:45):
naked chest, you know, And the next scene she's completely like
clean. Next scene literally happens
like one minute like they're going to see this door.
So it's the same day that she's completely she's asking.
You can tell like you can see the makeup like there and like
there is not one spot of colour on her entire voice.
So yeah, continuity. They didn't hire anyone.
(18:05):
They were like budget cut drive anyway, shooting like on
terrible sets. So continuity person you also
fired. No, no, if you've shot over like
four years or longer. Yeah.
I don't know the shot over four years, but that's a speculation
at this point. But yeah.
No, I remember, I remember pandemic time pay.
I remember reading something that is picture they had created
some sets. Yeah, Yeah, some sets had been
(18:28):
erected and this was pre pandemic.
And I remember reading that if they've created sets or they're
losing money or whatever becausethey're paying rent or whatever.
Yeah, as this is at least four years ago, right at this point.
Yeah, so this this movie is as old as our Pang like podcast
now. This whole show.
Cool, I guess we can now get into the whole why there is no
(18:48):
trainer thing. Yeah, I don't understand.
I mean, now I understand a little bit, but then it could be
any number of reasons like this is clearly terrible.
Maybe that's why, or just. But then that's never stopped
them before, right? We've the route so many that
everything on this podcast like from Netflix itself.
One of them. Have to.
This is a this is like a trifecta, right?
It's a terrible, it's terrible with the nipple baby and it it's
(19:10):
also terrible with the nipple baby and like religious stuff.
Yeah, I think that that's that trifecta makes more sense.
All of that combined is like we can't be bothered.
And like this is like part of some package deal with virus.
So you can't even say no. They're like if you say no to.
This and you have to say no to like whatever the 10 different
things that are coming down the road.
(19:31):
I mean, I'm just going by railway men.
And that's so not a good president to start off with your
deal. And how is this any better than
like your deal with Shahrukh Khan?
Like bro, he gave you bottle blood, he gave you Betar and
then you were like goodbye. Yeah, this is like just, it's
almost like depressing because it feels like we've been here
before and it's now been like, what, eight years ago that
(19:52):
bottle blood came out or something, or at least.
Six years, we just, this is we're going around in circles,
which is actually just like, oh,you didn't work, let's do that
again. Unlike real women, which I don't
know a lot of people seem to watch at least or like I cannot
imagine anybody liking this movie.
There is no way. Yeah, but then there's no way to
like tell who's not liking it after watching and who's not
(20:15):
liking it before watching. Yes, I don't know nipples of
twine, I can never tell, but. Yeah, because like, actually in
a way, it's in one level. It's also like, funny to me.
Like because it's like ironic because people are attacking
this movie and you're just like,bro, you're literally doing the
same thing that the guy is fighting about in the movie.
Who, what, How? Another thing, they want the
(20:36):
movie to be banned and censored,right?
But that's what he wants him to be, censored.
OK, Like stop talking about me. They've also like hired somebody
like 3 days ago told me he just read that like disclaimer at the
end. Like, we know you're not going
to read it, so somebody is goingto read it out for you so you
don't miss it like the legend. The same guy who would like does
(20:56):
the voice over or is it something different you see?
That's the voice over, right with the voice over also happens
like right at the end. Because he he started to sum up
the movies like to. Me you like OK uncle, We got it.
No religion is very. It's always so like grating.
It was like, you know, like you stuck in some like Dora Beca
museum. I was where there's some
documentary playing short document like they create for
(21:18):
museums and Bapi's like in the Ebola.
I'm like who are these people like the name drop.
People are never heard of them Like so why why you name
dropping? Like oh sure, I've heard of
because he's big, but everyone has to name Rob is like who?
His like his mother's uncle got Nam is like mentioned as if.
(21:43):
There's some random seed like who's points out in for his
paper. It's got full Nam comes and I'm
like and and with like full video also of his face and I'm
like I don't. Know.
And then there are those two Thompson and Thompson
characters, right? Who stumble?
Exactly, those are the take one before the when they show up.
Imagine I'm like to the dot no. A villain car name is like JJ.
(22:06):
This is like what is? This is real.
That I could not get over with that they chose for some random
reason they chose to shorten it.I can't you just say Mara the
entire time? I don't.
Listen, yeah. Why is the movie called Mara?
Just very villain. Because they thought that would
get them more clicks than movie.Maybe the movie Karsandas?
(22:28):
Karsandas Mulji. Sure, I'll click on that one.
You better just call it like Aamir Khan sons movie and like
if. The movie supposed to be the
launch. Call it launch.
Khan Wirefs new bullshit, pleasewatch.
Please come watch. Click here if you.
Don't watch me make ten more with him anyway, so you will
(22:51):
have to watch at some point. Instead, and and this couldn't
be like a more of a like ironic kind of statement about this
movie. It's called Maharaj after the
villain. It's like thought anything about
not even Amir could be bothered to be like excuse me, this
doesn't make sense. Yeah, this way.
(23:12):
How is he going to never mind? That's all for this episode of
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will see you next week. Thanks for listening.
Hi, I'm Akira. And I'm Rohan now.
Welcome to the long take. This week, we're discussing the
new Traffic movie Maharaj, whichstars Janette Khan in his
interfere role alongside Jerry Balawat, and small roles for
Shari Bundy and Chivalry. It's about like a 19th century
court case about between like, areligious leader and this
journalist who took on or like, do it now.
(00:39):
What do you make up to? We don't.
There are nowhere to begin with this.
It's. Which wise through you then
deeper and it's like go without like giving you any lead.
Which which which issue should we tackle first?
Like which crime of this movie should we begin?
There's just, it's insane because the moment you start
thinking that oh, it's finally over, it isn't, it's some new
(01:00):
nonsense kind of rears its head and then you're like, but what
about like the 15 other things that I was annoyed by?
How do I concentrate now at all this?
Insight It's too much like it's the longest time I was just like
the virus is like, how is the scatter even like progressive?
I want to like get into that at some point.
Like, you know, like we're supposed to like he's supposed
(01:21):
to be the hero of this movie, right?
Like I'm going to fight for people, but like, at what level?
Like do do you call yourself like a liberal bro?
No, because initially I was giving the benefit of the doubt
to the movie and just anticipating like some sort of a
tone which doesn't really come, just the.
Voice over tells you voice over is like he is good.
(01:43):
But nothing he does he's like ifanything he's like the biggest
like red flag boss really makes me.
Think like the day, like change.The real guy was the real guy
that was like the. No, what I think is that they
don't understand the difference,right?
They they basically think that this person is progressive, but
then anybody with like a brain will just look at it and be
(02:04):
like, no, but he's not, right. You know that, right?
Yeah. And the movies like?
Yeah, you can't. You can't go from like
advocating that your widoward, like relative should have rights
in the home. And then two minutes later or
two minutes before that, he's inthe, like, room with like Chali
Balawat and like Kishori. And he's like, how dare you?
Your Honor is going. It's very strange, right?
Because the movie insists that he's progressive to the point
(02:27):
that his family. Is that is picking chutney from
some untouchable? Guy Yeah, yeah, so it's very in
your face like oh, this person he is so the first time yeah.
And like, his family is annoyed to the point that they want to
like, disown him to do it now. It's not progressive, you know,
like. Yeah, they actually disown him
like he sleeps at the Ishak Hallbefore it was Ishak.
(02:49):
But this is like sandwiched, right?
So his progressiveness is sandwiched between like,
absolute dinosaur behaviour, right?
Especially when it matters. Like, it doesn't really matter
if you in your heart have like, possessed some progressive ideas
in the Med article, fine, cool. Do it.
It's not harming anybody. It's yeah, it's like.
Well, it's just signalling, right?
Like when it comes to actions with your loved ones, you're not
(03:12):
actually supporting them. You're disowning your fiance in
like a minute. Yeah, to the point it's quite
unforgivable because she kills herself, Yeah.
Exactly. I was like, how does this movie
expect me to follow this character?
Like even before she killed us, I was like how I push a voice
character who was basically beginning like, oh, my lack of a
better word, a bit to be like, oh, yeah, he's the hero.
(03:32):
He's going to say earlier and he's going to fight a court
case. Like I don't care if he loses or
wins at this point. Yeah, yeah.
So. He's not worth.
Rooting for. He's absolutely not worth
rooting for. And then a part of me was also
like, I want to see how you redeem this person.
And is that even? Is that even on the cards like
redemption or do you not? They don't even try.
They don't even try, right? Because they don't view it as
redemption. It's the disheartening
(03:53):
realization if. Anything they view like
Kishori's actions actually as dishonorable, which is why in a
way she's not like, you know, like committing.
So sorry, she's not dying by suicide.
She's in a way like killing herself.
The writers want her to kill herself.
They're like please die because you are not worth it.
That's the viewer thing, right? The movie actually believes that
because she dies. Like basically like indisrepute.
(04:16):
Because then this other character walks in and he's
like. Oh yeah, They just replace the
female lead like 15 minutes. And they're like, well, we
forget Keshori. We have Viraj now, Yeah.
And I'm like, what and that movie?
Was going to be like, at least, you know, if you finish the
character and then that movie isgoing to be like this hero is
going to like fight The Cave on her behalf in our memory sort
(04:36):
of. And you erase a memory like not
even 20 minutes later you're like, yeah, we have a new female
lead now Please look at her. Enjoy.
Yeah, and this one is just ComicRelief also for some.
Exactly. She can't pronounce like some
different like syllables. That's it, That's her.
That's her. Let me just point out this
person is the main guy. What's his name?
(04:56):
Karsandas. Karsand.
Yeah, right. Ektos name Orwadiasco, which is
unforgivable, right? And then when when literally an
opportunity to do the right thing walks into his office,
Yeah, in the form of this New Girl, he chooses to exploit her.
He's like, I'm powerful. And then she's like, justifies
(05:17):
herself. She's like, Oh yeah, being an
activist means being poor. I was like, just so every, like
minute to where there's some newinsanity in this world where I'm
like, yeah. And that 5 minutes ago he
rejects her because she's like you'll be a distraction to my
objector. She proposes like dominant.
And then two minutes after that the movie forgets that she gets
in distraction so they go into asong and I'm like bro, you
(05:38):
haven't heard your own lesson through your dialogue.
But this is like a recording like issue with this, right?
Because it happens. Yeah, structural, like fun,
making, doing. Thing like it happens with the
the earlier dead character also right?
Which I was confused by because initially I was like are there
scenes missing? But then the movie kind of tells
you nahi ito aaji mujhe karsonnedeson Kara hai subha.
(06:01):
So I was like, in the morning, Carson realized and disowned you
because he thought that you weredoing a dishonorable thing.
And by the evening you have gonefrom there to realizing that
you've been exploited. And this all has.
Happened everything happened oneday to like that scene with her
sister, the scene before that, everything.
One day I thought the scenes were saying I am.
(06:22):
So whenever like somebody's likeyou, people hate everything.
I was like, no, at every turn, I'm willing to give the movie
The benefit of the doubt, right?I'm like, OK, maybe now you will
do better. Maybe now you will do better.
We keep saying that like 120 times and then the movie.
The 15,000,000 issues that we found in like the 1st 30 minutes
of this movie and then it's justvery obviously so star right?
(06:45):
It looks like Dora Bega picture I think.
Yeah, yeah. Like when they do that scene
with Viraj and Carson at whatever is supposed to be like
the old version of like I'm guessing gateway game.
That's you can do it like they have.
So Sasta that I think they cut like people's heads from top.
They were like, oh, we can't show you beyond this because we
(07:05):
don't have the green screen sizeonly.
So now we just we just, you know, destroy what is called
cinematography. We just chop people's heads.
I mean the very first shot of this movie, like I mean talk
about a inauspicious like beginning of the very first shot
in this movie, just like this exterior kind of aerial thing of
this Hawaii type situation. Yeah, where this kid is born and
(07:26):
uskip background. It's like literally or still
right? And that was it only just me or
did it feel like they wanted this movie to go for the big
screen? Like did you feel like it was
Young interval? There was an interval point.
Yeah. So then that means can we
believe it? Like it's not even like work.
We are making it for streaming. So we will save money.
They were saving money even for the big screen.
(07:47):
At No. It's the VRF, it's not even
lacking in money. But it reeks off something that
was they started working on and then midway through they were
like, sorry, we, we got to cut your funding.
So now you have like ₹30 to finish whatever you've got left.
Right, that's possible. Like from the fewer reports I've
read, I think this started like as a.
Pre pandemic project imagine I don't know how this industry
(08:08):
works anymore, but towards they will end credits where they also
have like a satellite partners who is going to be shown on
television which is. Yeah, yeah, it said Star Gold
and I was like, wait, is it Netflix original?
Why is it going to go to * gold?Also, we have to point out that
this movie doesn't even have a trailer as of.
I mean, yeah, that's the whole like separate thing, which I
feel I was thinking we'll get into like the low Kakayenge
(08:31):
segment. I mean.
I feel like it's really easy to do that.
OK, we'll save it for the low Kaka segment then.
But like, imagine if this movie had a trailer.
Like how would you? I don't think it would.
Matter we've had trailers for like war stuff like Mrs. Serial
Killer and Oh my God they've forgotten eventually for.
Shudder, I remember that. Mrs. So I don't think the lack
(08:51):
of trailers had to has to do with the quantity.
Of no, but like, oh sure, that'sa good segue.
Do perhaps why the trailer doesn't exist, which is
essentially the villain of this movie, right?
And the multiple disclaimers around that because everybody's
terrified. No lack of display.
And a part of it is also like banter, you know, because
villain is like some sadhu person who villain is some sadhu
(09:13):
person who's like oh, oh serial like predator and also he like
just on the surface, literally pujo ING like Ram Lala in one
scene and everything, which. Yeah, yeah, he's the he's the
face of the religion. Yeah, so there is like half a
percent of this movie which is slightly courageous in doing
(09:34):
this, but I mean, it's just it'sso irredeemable that it doesn't
demon. I mean, yeah, the rest of it
exactly right. It's not like just that.
Just choosing the topic does nota good movie make.
Which, yeah, I realized earlier this year also with that Everton
Mereverton thing, which was likethe most left liberal movie that
Bollywood has made in a while, but it's also the worst.
Yeah, yeah. Poor filmmaking cannot redeem
(09:56):
that. You have chosen the good side.
I mean, good side with I could argue that it was the correct
side and but it was the filmmaking was terrible.
Here though, you can't even makethat argument as you've
discussed right, because the movie is clearly very idea of
feminism is very. No, I think I would say the side
is correct, but like the the choice of character or the way
(10:18):
you're writing the character is.No, it's not correct.
Right? Because you think that feminism
is some dude going on a crusade,right?
To save the women, yeah. That's true.
No, But I'm thinking if you're going to make this story, the
story will be Karasandas fighting this court case, right?
But the court case to hey now court case to NK, 20 minutes,
(10:39):
man, it's not even about that exactly.
That's the issue, right? It's the how you pay off the
journey because you've created obviously Keshori and Viraj and
these people, they don't exist in the real story and they're
dead. There it is from history.
No, no. So my question is, Kishori is
obviously abused, right? Later we find out that Viraj is
also abused, correct? So now you have two one of.
Them single female character in this movie who is not abused.
(11:00):
Correct. The court case, which the movie
kind of teases in the opening slate is that, oh, this is based
on court case, ABCD, whatever I keep waiting for, it doesn't
happen until the last 20 minutes, right?
Yeah. So So what you what you have
left is like one hour 40 ish minutes of the other movie.
Now, what is stopping you from presenting that movie from the
(11:21):
perspective of one of these women?
That's what I am saying, yeah. It's the journey that has to
change, right? If you're not, if you're
entirely is not going to the court case because you're like,
oh, I don't know how to stretch two hours out of that because
I'm not Aaron Sargain, Then yeah, as you said, it has to be.
You have to pay it in such a waythat Carson that doesn't become
like the one and all and be all of the movie.
You have to like other characters need to matter, but
(11:41):
which is why the movie is not feminist because the other
characters do not what I'm saying.
Actually, the women do not matter.
This movie isn't feminist so we can't even give it point for
being like oh right side of history.
No, you're not. No, no, no.
No, if anything. The only other side of history
in the sense that you were you just made making a movie about
like abuse of power. That's it.
Sure, yeah. It stops right there.
(12:01):
That good? Abusive power and power in the
form of like faiths, which is religion.
Power especially like so like, you know, reward in India like
that's it. Literally it stops that.
Everything after that is like a far from the cliffs.
Yeah, You want to talk about just like the overall direction
of it, not just we've spoken about like this Hasta looking
kind of visuals, but just like how he directs actors because
(12:23):
they're clearly like, Oh my God,what is even happening here?
Yeah. Because I think I've seen Allah
the most. So I know he can do better
because I've seen him do better,right?
So when I then I see him deliverthis, which is basically like a
one note smoke, like he just smokes the entire movie.
He has no other direction. Give it to him.
So that I feel like clearly the direction is an issue because
and then I can't judge the otherguys, right?
(12:43):
Especially the new NIPO baby because I'm like bro I've never
seen you, this is your first movie and now I can't tell if
you are bad or the direction is that bad.
So I mean, one thing we can all agree on is a direction to bad.
Hey, he right. But yeah, above and beyond that.
I I thought that so there is like a natural kind of pull that
you either have or you don't. And despite all the overall
(13:04):
nonsense of this movie, I thought Sharwari may at least
power, right? I can look at her and at least
buy what she's meant to be feeling in that in whatever
scene, right? If she's in the courtroom and
she's, like, weeping. I like, yeah, you're weeping.
You didn't do that audience reaction shot and then they
pivoted to the only person over the number.
But the other people, I'm not even like registering like what
(13:27):
are you supposed to? What are you feeling in this one
scene if you did not have dialogue, right?
If you did not have dialogue, what would you be going through?
I have no idea. It could be anything.
And that is just. So there is no element of this
movie that's kind of keeping itshead above like the water,
right? Because it's just.
Yeah, it's already like AB action movie, right?
Which behalf and action is good.The actors don't know, don't
(13:49):
know how to act or whatever. It's fine, but at least like
some part is enjoyable. There's no aspect of this movie
that it can be. You can hang on.
Do you remember we watched that nonsense Wiref thing also, which
is very similar, right? Is the same actress.
I don't really sing movie. Also Gujarati stuff where?
Oh. My God, yes, that one, it's so
similar, right? Because it's maybe like the
(14:09):
woman is just a forgotten I remember and it becomes like
Ranveer Singh story. Yeah, it's a fun way.
He's like, I'm going to save allthe babies or whatever.
Yeah, the same thing. And it is the same actress
Sharani Pandey. Yeah.
And also maybe like the whole thing was that it looked like it
was shot on some soundstage the entire movie and this one also.
(14:30):
Same because like you're playinglike so then you must have some
budget. It's like Hiram and Dika
leftover before it got demolished.
So they were like, let's just goquickly and do that.
And except like two scenes wherehe's like sleeping on the steps
of that place, which is real. It just it's just your
dissonance in your head. I was like, is this fine to see
world right now or are we in thereal world?
(14:52):
I can't tell. I mean, he touched upon the
courtroom stuff, but I feel to go into it, the fact of how just
like a mockery of like you're making a movie literally about a
court case, right? So you expect like some, some,
I'm not saying full, some level of authenticity in how a court
works and they just make like a full mockery.
Sir Ek Banda kafi hai Manoj Bajpai movie very similar in
(15:14):
which he like wages war against this donkey Baba who is like a
sexual predator also very similar.
That movie has a grand like finale scene in which like one
was barged by he plays a lawyer,starts quoting like some
scripture. He's like essay essay essay
Levels of power. You have committed the highest
levels of power because you are pretending to be a God man, you
(15:36):
have you have dishonoured your own religion, etcetera.
And I the whole time I was thinking, yes, I'm allowed,
yeah, courtroom, you can just. But is he the lawyer in that
scene? Or is he like he's a lawyer?
This is his defence. Right.
So I guess in some way he could get away with it it
theoretically because he could be like, this is my opening or
closing statement. It's just closing statement.
Yeah, so maybe I can I can even imagine or give him the benefit
(15:58):
of doubt. But you're happy people who are
not law and judges stop the entire time, right.
Judges and law is get like one, one line.
The Mara just talking like even though he's never on the he
never actually enters the witness docket, but he's talking
the entire time, which will be like 1520 contempt of like court
cases, just like right off the bat, like you can't talk like
(16:20):
that. The whole time.
Stop and you feel like. Wondering KE Carson person he
could have just they they could have just had like a side plot
in which he becomes a lawyer, right?
Yeah, but like Carson stands as a witness, walks and talks the
entire time and no judge stops him.
He's like, yeah, please go on the rotate a movie.
And nobody also stops like some woman who just walks into the
(16:42):
courtroom later and like it likethe Red Sea people part.
That's the relative from the start now who was who kicked him
out of the house. That's her redemption moment.
That's what they say. And then the movie turns into
what it should have been like the old time, which is Yeah.
But you know, this is like there's a additional Comic
(17:03):
Relief from like the manservant of Maharaj.
Oh my God. Like initially, then he's there,
then he's kicked out and he's brought back as like a witness,
and then suddenly he goes back to his original SWAT and like,
wait, you know what continuity means?
Like you just forgot that the character was kicked out.
Or continuity. There was this opening very
early in the movie. There was this very close up of
(17:24):
this dude Carson, right? And like they cut to him and
then they cut to like the woman who dies and they cut back to
him. And I swear some light was
switched on which hadn't been switched on.
I have to point out that in the holy sequence, takes this huge,
like fistful of color, applies it on like Shani Pandey's like
(17:45):
naked chest, you know, And the next scene she's completely like
clean. Next scene literally happens
like one minute like they're going to see this door.
So it's the same day that she's completely she's asking.
You can tell like you can see the makeup like there and like
there is not one spot of colour on her entire voice.
So yeah, continuity. They didn't hire anyone.
(18:05):
They were like budget cut drive anyway, shooting like on
terrible sets. So continuity person you also
fired. No, no, if you've shot over like
four years or longer. Yeah.
I don't know the shot over four years, but that's a speculation
at this point. But yeah.
No, I remember, I remember pandemic time pay.
I remember reading something that is picture they had created
some sets. Yeah, Yeah, some sets had been
(18:28):
erected and this was pre pandemic.
And I remember reading that if they've created sets or they're
losing money or whatever becausethey're paying rent or whatever.
Yeah, as this is at least four years ago, right at this point.
Yeah, so this this movie is as old as our Pang like podcast
now. This whole show.
Cool, I guess we can now get into the whole why there is no
(18:48):
trainer thing. Yeah, I don't understand.
I mean, now I understand a little bit, but then it could be
any number of reasons like this is clearly terrible.
Maybe that's why, or just. But then that's never stopped
them before, right? We've the route so many that
everything on this podcast like from Netflix itself.
One of them. Have to.
This is a this is like a trifecta, right?
It's a terrible, it's terrible with the nipple baby and it it's
(19:10):
also terrible with the nipple baby and like religious stuff.
Yeah, I think that that's that trifecta makes more sense.
All of that combined is like we can't be bothered.
And like this is like part of some package deal with virus.
So you can't even say no. They're like if you say no to.
This and you have to say no to like whatever the 10 different
things that are coming down the road.
(19:31):
I mean, I'm just going by railway men.
And that's so not a good president to start off with your
deal. And how is this any better than
like your deal with Shahrukh Khan?
Like bro, he gave you bottle blood, he gave you Betar and
then you were like goodbye. Yeah, this is like just, it's
almost like depressing because it feels like we've been here
before and it's now been like, what, eight years ago that
(19:52):
bottle blood came out or something, or at least.
Six years, we just, this is we're going around in circles,
which is actually just like, oh,you didn't work, let's do that
again. Unlike real women, which I don't
know a lot of people seem to watch at least or like I cannot
imagine anybody liking this movie.
There is no way. Yeah, but then there's no way to
like tell who's not liking it after watching and who's not
(20:15):
liking it before watching. Yes, I don't know nipples of
twine, I can never tell, but. Yeah, because like, actually in
a way, it's in one level. It's also like, funny to me.
Like because it's like ironic because people are attacking
this movie and you're just like,bro, you're literally doing the
same thing that the guy is fighting about in the movie.
Who, what, How? Another thing, they want the
(20:36):
movie to be banned and censored,right?
But that's what he wants him to be, censored.
OK, Like stop talking about me. They've also like hired somebody
like 3 days ago told me he just read that like disclaimer at the
end. Like, we know you're not going
to read it, so somebody is goingto read it out for you so you
don't miss it like the legend. The same guy who would like does
(20:56):
the voice over or is it something different you see?
That's the voice over, right with the voice over also happens
like right at the end. Because he he started to sum up
the movies like to. Me you like OK uncle, We got it.
No religion is very. It's always so like grating.
It was like, you know, like you stuck in some like Dora Beca
museum. I was where there's some
documentary playing short document like they create for
(21:18):
museums and Bapi's like in the Ebola.
I'm like who are these people like the name drop.
People are never heard of them Like so why why you name
dropping? Like oh sure, I've heard of
because he's big, but everyone has to name Rob is like who?
His like his mother's uncle got Nam is like mentioned as if.
(21:43):
There's some random seed like who's points out in for his
paper. It's got full Nam comes and I'm
like and and with like full video also of his face and I'm
like I don't. Know.
And then there are those two Thompson and Thompson
characters, right? Who stumble?
Exactly, those are the take one before the when they show up.
Imagine I'm like to the dot no. A villain car name is like JJ.
(22:06):
This is like what is? This is real.
That I could not get over with that they chose for some random
reason they chose to shorten it.I can't you just say Mara the
entire time? I don't.
Listen, yeah. Why is the movie called Mara?
Just very villain. Because they thought that would
get them more clicks than movie.Maybe the movie Karsandas?
(22:28):
Karsandas Mulji. Sure, I'll click on that one.
You better just call it like Aamir Khan sons movie and like
if. The movie supposed to be the
launch. Call it launch.
Khan Wirefs new bullshit, pleasewatch.
Please come watch. Click here if you.
Don't watch me make ten more with him anyway, so you will
(22:51):
have to watch at some point. Instead, and and this couldn't
be like a more of a like ironic kind of statement about this
movie. It's called Maharaj after the
villain. It's like thought anything about
not even Amir could be bothered to be like excuse me, this
doesn't make sense. Yeah, this way.
(23:12):
How is he going to never mind? That's all for this episode of
the Longtek. You can follow us on Facebook
threads, YouTube and Instagram at the Longtek part.
You can drive to us at the Longtek part@gmail.com.
Please leave us a rating and a review where this episode and we
will see you next week. Thanks for listening.
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