Hi A,

How very elder sibling of you to take the A and leave me the AR, even though we are both ARs. I look forward to the lox though, it sounds like something I’d be into.

I recently watched a movie in the cinema — something that I almost never do. But I took up the offer because this one was a little different. It was a screening of 1957 Bollywood movie called Pyaasa, written, produced and directed by Guru Dutt. I kept my expectations light, which I perhaps needn’t have, as this was a stunningly impressive movie. The craft that went into it was very noticeable. You should see it.

Most frames of the movie could be hung on a wall, such is the composition. There is very interesting use of shadows, mist and lighting throughout. Despite being a black and white movie from the late 50s, it is more atmospheric and immersive than most modern movies (when I stepped out of the cinema into the tech-park-laden area outside Orion mall, the concrete landscape felt terribly alien and repulsive, compared to the grimy, cozy lanes of 1950s Calcutta).

The writing and characters are solid too. There is a lot of poetry, art and social commentary that is done really well. My only snag with the movie is that third act. There is precisely one frame in the movie which cleanly demarcates the point where things go absolutely absurd — the movie takes on a different feeling-tone that is quite jarring. When you watch the movie, you will be able to perfectly identify this moment. The absurdity of the third act is great, but the change in tone is really strange.

I also found it a bit amusing and telling that Guru Dutt’s own life and art approximately played out like this movie.

What this movie showed me is that the state of the art in Bollywood has not advanced all that much since 1957. Pyaasa isn’t even alternative arthouse cinema but it beats a lot of artsy or quirky movies that come out even today.

Later, AR