Well Intended

By MovieTalkies.com, 02 May 2008 2 / 5

Pranali The Tradition, is an issue based film, and that is perhaps the most noteworthy thing about the movie. The film talks about the devdasi system still prevalent in certain parts of India and also makes a plea for the legalization of prostitution. Director Hirdesh Kamble's idea and intention is great but it fails to come across effectively in his film. The biggest problem with the film is its script. It is so littered with cliches that you already know what to expect within the first ten minutes of the film. The sad, prostitute or devdasi being exploilted by men galore, the evil mahant and the corrupt politician with their goons has all been done to death. Even though one agrees with everything that Kamble is saying, all of it has been said so many times before in almost the same manner. Pranali breaks no new ground. The story of Pranali (Nargis) begins in the interiors of Maharashtra, where the devdasi tradition flourishes and moves to Mumbai's red light area. The film details Pranali's journey as a devdasi when just a child once the village mahant (Abhay Bhargava) casts his evil eye on her. He exploits her mercilessly along with the powers that be. It shows then nexus between the police and pimps as Pranali is sent to Akka's (Sudaha Chandran) brothel in Mumbai. Having been forced into the flesh trade, Pranali's life gets a fresh lease of meaning and purpose when she gives birth to a baby daughter and vows to never let her enter the flesh trade. Thus, begins her fight to legalise prostitution. She is helped and aided in her battle by an NRI who wants to write a book on her. Despite a decent beginning, the film fails to move on sufficiently. At the end of the day, all we get is the same old story about the exploited prostitute. One agrees that the content cannot be new, but the treatment definitely can, and that is all one would have expected from the maker. It is unfortunate that despite the best of intentions, Kamble fails to create an impact with his movie. The subject is one that needs to be highlighted. But it probably needed a more seasoned touch. The film's music which has been composed by Kailash Kher along with Paresh and Naresh is quite refreshing. It is one of the best things about the movie. The music sounds fresh, quite unlike the film's screenplay. The tandav dance which has been choreographed by Pandit Birju Maharaj had been much publicized before the film's release but it fails to have the desired dramatic impact. Nargis, who made her debut in Garam Masala, is cast in the role of the protagonist Pranali. The actress does a fairly good job with her role. But it is a performance that could have been outstanding given the potential of the role. Among the supporting cast, actress Sudha Chandran is quite impressive as the brothel madame. In fact, most members of the supporting cast turn in competent performances, be it Vinay Apte, Abhay Bhargava or Raman Trikha. Pranali is director Kamble's first film, and therefore a lot of the clumsiness in handling the script and screenplay is probably understandable. However, the one thing that does come across is his honest intent to explore this issue without any desire to titillate his audience. And it is for this honesty of approach that the film, despite its warts, is worth a watch.

Simply Melodious

By MovieTalkies.com, 14 April 2008 3 / 5

Singer Kailash Kher, along with Paresh & Naresh Kamath, makes his debut as music composer in films with Pranali The Tradition. The talented trio has already made a name for themselves with their non filmi albums, and they now bring that same sensitive touch to their film music as well. The music of Pranali is unlikely to feature among the chartbusters, but it is like a whiff of fresh air. There is a certain touching simplicity to the music, which renders it very pleasing to the ears. Despite having a very strong ' Indian' base, the composers manage to surprise one with the unexpected. A case in point is the first number, ' Sakhiyaan', which is written by Anil Pandey and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, Richa Sharma, Shreya Ghoshal & Mahalaxmi. ' Sakhiyaan', besides being a very melodious number begins on a very traditional note with Richa Sharma's vocals. But as the song progresses, one realizes that it is not your traditional Indian number, done to death in Hindi films. It is a very joyful coming together of Shreya, Mahalaxmi, Sunidhi and Richa. The number is celebratory without being boisterous and each of the four female vocalists has done their bit exceptionally well without trying to outdo the other. Sunidhi finally gets a chance to sing in a style which is poles apart from her signature style. All four sound extremely melodious and capture the mood of the song with all its nuances intact. The second number in the album is rendered by Kailash himself. The number, ' Sach Na Batana' appears thrice in the album. Kailash sings two versions, including the remix, and Udit Narayan sings the third. Kailash's version seems to catch the mood of the song better than Narayan. Both versions sound very good, as both vocalists manage to navigate the change in mood and tempo of the song expertly. But somehow, Kailash's voice has a certain soulful quality to it, which tilts the scales in his favour. Narayan does a competent job as well, but lacks that x factor, where this song is concerned. The remixed version is catchy enough. But it is 'Bikhar Gayee', sung first by Madhusree and then Kailash, which is the best number in the film. The lyrics (Anil Pandey) of the film are quite poignant, as they portray the trials and tribulations of being a women. This number reminds one of the songs of the sixties and seventies, songs which were a part of the so called socials which were made in that era. The style and content is quite similar, though, of course, the music and the actual song is different. The lyrics of the song move very easily from the personal to the universal. Singer Madhusree has an exceptionally sweet voice and she sings this number with great feeling. Quite flawless. However, it is Kailash, who again steals the show. He gives it an altogether different dimension as he goes ahead to ' live'; the song in his rendition. Kailash is one of the most inspirational singers that we have around. This kind of a number is quite his forte and he proceeds to do just that. The album rounds up with the ' Tandav' number, which has been composed and sung by the Kathak maestro, Pandit Birju Maharaj. It is a taunt piece, where the mounting tension is etched remarkably with the use of tabla and bols rendered by the Pandit himself. There is a sweeping quality to it, a sense of foreboding which is wonderfully brought out by the background score coupled with the tabla. What is noteworthy about this piece is that despite being a ' tandav,' it does not the route of the expected. It is shorn off the unnecessary loud drama that one would imagine such a piece to have. Instead, what we have is a tightly wrought, high voltage dramatic piece. The music of Pranali is melodious, unpretentious and praiseworthy for its simplicity. It probably does not have a ' hit number' since it is an album which has been created for the tuneful ear and not with an eye at the popularity charts. It is certainly a good, albeit, quiet beginning for composers Kailash, Naresh and Paresh, in the arena of film music.

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