Trailer Talk: MADRAS CAFE (2013)

For those not familliar with the “Trailer Talk” feature here at Blank Page Beatdown:

“Trailer Talk” is where I document my freak outs regarding upcoming films that I get super excited about. Or rip apart with my super critical bionic eye. It’s also an attempt to feature some films that may not get the attention they deserve prior to release, but movies definitely worth keeping an eye out for. Not the bionic one. Sometimes I make predictions, and we get to see if I’m right or wrong after the movie releases.”

One of my favourite Directors has only had 2 releases in 8 years. Despite that, I’m as excited as ever to see his name associated with any movie, as I was with this one. Check out the 1^st Trailer for MADRAS CAFÉ…

Last year, Shoojit Sircar gave us the hilariously awkward Bollywood film known as VICKY DONOR. Sircar took the industry by storm despite having a new actor and an unconventional story. MADRAS CAFÉ seems to tread on similar paths, while looking like a typical movie. A war movie with politics, battlefield action, journalists uncovering conspiracies and the whole shebang. Unfortunately though, the Trailer sucks. The editing, the sequence of events and linear storytelling is just plain horrible. Trailers should set up what the story is about, whereas this is just a bunch of scenes from the movie pasted together.

However, it still excites me to see the movie, simply because of the Director and the way the film looks to have been made. John Abraham plays an Agent operating a covert team; to do what and where and how is not explained clearly. There are amazing war-like action sequences that look even better due to the realistic, almost documentary style camera work and cinematography. Some crazy histrionics by some unknown supporting actors, talk of a mole and eye brow raising suspicions give  off an atmosphere of tense… tension.

MADRAS CAFÉ almost reminds me of Shoojit Sircar’s 1^st movie, a smaller movie similarly dealing soldiers, Indian Army and all. …YAHAAN was a masterful movie, showcasing the war in Kashmir, but never being a propaganda movie, nor being derogatory or demeaning of the issues on the other side of things, while having some emotional depth and being just a beautiful movie over all. A lot of scenes in MADRAS CAFÉ look similar, as we see Abraham’s character get taken hostage, and some other unique situations playing out, which make little sense… yet. Best thing about …YAHAAN was that despite being a love story, it gave equal importance to the terrorist sub plot, and was very unique in it’s handling of the material. If that is any indication to how MADRAS CAFE will be, then I’m definitely jazzed!

John Abraham is starring and producing this as well. The Trailer also features Nargis Fakhri, last seen in ROCKSTAR where they dubbed her voice by someone else and made her sound stupid. However, hear she seems to be playing an (majority) English speaking reporter, so hopefully they let her speak for her self. (get it?) Bollywood hottie Jacqueline Fernandez is also billed as being in this, however, there’s nothing of her seen in the Trailer.

MADRAS CAFE is easily one of my most anticipated films of 2013 when it releases August 13th. . Are you as excited as I am??

Links:

Madras Cafe Official Facebook

Madras Cafe on IMDB

Madras Cafe on Twitter

My Review of Vicky Donor

My Review of …Yahaan