Pyaasa - 1957

Tania says:

Oh my God. I don’t even know where to begin with this one. The Netflix blurb says it is about a poet and a prostitute and the rare friendship that they have. It is so not about that! It is really about this poet and how he wants to be all holier then thou and annoying. Ok, maybe it isn’t about that but that is what I got out of this movie. This 2 ½ hour long movie. In hindi. In black and white with a horrible transfer. With subtitles that rarely made sense. AND – the kicker – this movie is all about this poet and how his poems are so amazing and can change the world, and blah, blah, blah – well his poems are sung (bollywood!) and they ARE NOT SUBTITLED. These songs seem to be some very climactic moments but I would never know because I do not speak hindi so much.

Seriously, this movie was brutal. I understand if this movie started the Bollywood revolution but I have never seen another Bollywood movie so why do I have to watch this one? Nothing against Bollywood, you know me, I am all about people breaking into song but I do like to understand what they are singing about. The main guy, the poet, Vijay is just an annoying, idealistic punk. Again, nothing wrong with being idealistic but this guy takes it to a new level. I am totally going to spoil this movie now because I don’t think you should watch it. So the main guy is believed to be dead so the prostitute who is in love with him has his poems published. The poet isn’t really dead but in a crazy house because he keeps saying he is this poet and people keep saying “No. The poet is dead.” So – once he finally gets out and gets identified and could be super rich he says, “No, I’m really not that poet.” Apparently he prefers to be poor and suffer for his art. Then he and the prostitute with whom he is suppose to have a rare friendship with walk into the sunset. I think he takes her along because he wants her money since he doesn’t have any.

Seriously, I wanted to be all hip and pretentious and love this movie. Well, I really just wanted to enjoy it. I didn’t. I didn’t at all. The one part I liked was when they showed the poet in the crazy house and the crazy people around him were doing handstands and things. Apparently crazy = doing handstands. That made me laugh. Josh told me I could turn it off (he fell asleep, had a cigarette, went to the store and made dinner while I suffered.) but I was determined. Towards the end I decided I could fast forward through the songs since I couldn’t understand them. But I triumphed! I finished the damn thing! I watched it so the readers don’t have to. I saved you.

Josh Says:
I wish I could say more about this movie, but I can't. Because I didn't really see it. I fell asleep after the fourth song, apparently critical to the story arc, was sung in some non-subtitled, non-English language that I'm not familiar with. I only slept for about half an hour, but woke up to what I imagine was about the 15th song, apparently critical to the story arc, being sung in some non-subtitled, non-English language that I'm not familiar with. Then I did the dishes, made dinner and went to the grocery store while Tania perservered.

When I signed up for this project, I figured I'd get to watch a bunch of movies that I'd otherwise not watch. I didn't sign up to completely ruin my Sunday evening by watching a movie, that I can barely see (see B&W w/bad transfer above) and can only understand enough to know it's not very good. I get it, it was a huge breakthrough fo Indian film-making, but I just couldn't force myself to sit through the entire thing and hopefully I can save you from even trying.