...everything Hrithik knows today, he learned from Govinda.
Breakdancing?
(Kites, 2010)
Govinda did it first:
(Ilzaam, 1986)
Science Fiction?
(Koi Mil Gaya, 2003)
Govinda did it first:
(Love 86, 1986)
Playing a mentally challenged character with braces and glasses who hangs out with a gang of kids?
Yeah, you guessed it:
Let's face it: without Govinda breaking all this ground, Hrithik would be nowhere today.
not to mention the bit of Maharaja I managed to make it through, all I could think was "WOW, Krrish totally ripped this off". Which you have covered, I guess, with Koi Mil Gaya but STILL!
Posted by: Ness | Friday, 18 June 2010 at 08:48
I have to admit, the Roshans do a lot of cherrypicking of scenes and images from a lot of places and for me, instead of making the films charming, it just doesn't work more often than not.
Did you see Kites? There's a scene where Hritik tries to cheer up Barbara's character by making little buns dance on the end of forks, and it just didn't work for me. I adore little movie references, but I seriously wonder if we were meant to recall Chaplin, or just "oh, look, Hritik is so cute, " or what. But I sat there annoyed at the dancing buns, instead of enjoying the reference.
Yes, I know I just said I was annoyed at the buns, and I know what that sounds like....need caffeine right now.
If you know what I mean.
Posted by: katherine | Friday, 18 June 2010 at 08:59
Aaaahhh! I got a kick from this post! Yes, Govinda did it first! He is the trend setter :D
Posted by: Nicki | Friday, 18 June 2010 at 10:27
Yeah - it's not like movie references are impossible to do well - otherwise we'd get pissed off ALL THE TIME. I love filmi references when they are done properly - e.g as obvious homage/satire/spoof - WHATEVER, it's all about acknowledging that someone else DID IT FIRST and putting a spin on it I think, rather than blatantly copying and then trying to pass it off as original. Farah Khan, now she knows how to reference.
Haven't seen Kites but that bun scene made me think of Benny and Joon - you know when Johnny Depp's Buster Keaton obsessed character does the exact same thing, playing with the buns to entertain his lady friend. Except in Benny and Joon, because of the whole Buster Keaton/old movie theme, it's AN OBVIOUS, CUTE REFERENCE to Chaplin and not an annoying glaring ripoff.
Posted by: Ness | Friday, 18 June 2010 at 16:45
Exactly! I'd forgotten that scene in Benny and Joon, but it TOTALLY works there, and it did not in Kites. I was, like -- they're on the lam in the middle of the desert, where the heck did he get buns from?
Posted by: katherine | Friday, 18 June 2010 at 17:48