What is acting all about? What's good performance?
Had gone to watch 'Birdman' with a lot of scepticism. It was difficult to say what were the feelings after it was over, but definitely impact was not negative. At times subtle at times overt, the ongoing war between the superhero and the actor catches you, but not by the throat, like it caught you in 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest'. Nonetheless, it has that experimental quality about it, which reminds you of what you did in the 70s and 80s, at least in Marathi theatre on Chhabildas stage. Had done a lot of such one-act plays during college days and felt like visiting that yore again. We presented them with gusto though going well over the heads of the audience many times, at times even the cast, but it was the call of the day then, so we did them and were proud of it!
Had gone to watch 'Birdman' with a lot of scepticism. It was difficult to say what were the feelings after it was over, but definitely impact was not negative. At times subtle at times overt, the ongoing war between the superhero and the actor catches you, but not by the throat, like it caught you in 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest'. Nonetheless, it has that experimental quality about it, which reminds you of what you did in the 70s and 80s, at least in Marathi theatre on Chhabildas stage. Had done a lot of such one-act plays during college days and felt like visiting that yore again. We presented them with gusto though going well over the heads of the audience many times, at times even the cast, but it was the call of the day then, so we did them and were proud of it!
Michael Keaton was superb as Riggan Thomson but did not at any juncture feel that we fall short on this front by any account. We too have our lot of stars and actors on par with Hollywood, maybe not more, but definitely not less.
One such performance that hit the silver screen recently, was given by Mr.Nana Patekar in 'Dr Prakash Baba Amte'. Nana's personality does not really suit the protagonist Dr Amte, as he is known as the humble, polite, soft-spoken gentleman of few words. On the contrary, Mr.Patekar's body language is aggressive. After going through umpteen number of loud and unrealistic roles mechanically, or maybe because of stories about his behaviour off-screen, making rounds aplenty, or maybe because of plain bias on my part, Mr Patekar's choice for the role of Dr Amte was a case of miscasting. While watching the movie one kept on feeling that Mr Patekar has donned the garb of calculated politeness and the effort shows. In one or two scenes, even that mask comes off. Once when the leopard dies and after the horrifying delivery, the protagonist has to perform. I don't know either Mr Patekar or Dr Amte personally but going by what is said about Dr Amte I feel he wouldn't have cried the way Nana has cried. Filmy, loud and gross! Dr Amte definitely must have felt sad, but he must have hidden his tears behind a brave front, internalizing his personal anguish.
Nandu Madhav or Atul Kulkarni would have fitted the bill perfectly but they don't carry the halo around them like Nana, so...!
My prejudices apart, there are no doubts that overcoming these personal shortcomings, Mr Nana Patekar has given a brilliant performance.
Actually, that's not the point. The point is performance, acting.
There are dime a dozen duplicate Nana Patekars, Amithabh Bachchans, Sanjeevkumars and so many others, enthralling the audiences of street orchestras and on any two penny stage, on the obscure corners of the dinghy gullies. My question is, 'If any actor if that easily could be mimicked, is really that great an actor?' Because this type of stylized theatrical 'Acting' is lapped up by the naive patrons, it thrust upon them repeatedly. And Poor viewer too takes it to be a 'Performance par excellence !'
Mr Nana Patekar is not alone here, there were and are many renowned so-called stalwarts who market the overacting. With the motto ' This is what acting is all about' these greats as if tell the patrons,'Come on let me show you [ moron] what it means by THE performance !' Rajkumar topped the list of this arrogance. With Profound apologies I have to say, late 'Dr Kashinath Ghanekar' too was sold to this type of attitude. In fact, plays were written with him and his acting calibre in mind and surprisingly they used to run to packed housed too! In the play ' Ashrunchi Zaali Phulay' he used to get thundering applause for his delivery of word ' Kadak'. I was hardly 16 at that time, but found it odd even then and felt 'This is NOT acting !' When Chittaranjan Kolhatkar joined him in it, in the later performances it was limit!
Again with heartfelt apologies, Sanajy Mone, Nasiruddin Shah Prabhakr Panashikar belong to the class. To a certain extent even Shabana Azami. Late Sanjeevkumar and Bhakti Barve too were expert in this game.
What then is real acting. Those who have clean slates really have given masterpiece performances. Late Smita Patil and Nutan did not have any set pattern of acting. Similarly, Om Puri and Madhuri Dixit measure up to the mark, as they don't have any style. [ have you seen anybody mimicking them ?]
Sharmila Tagore,, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor even Dilipkumar many a time went through the roles mechanically, but they knew it and never pretended that they were performances. It was like 'Demand and Supply' and it was compromise for the market, no false assurance of the 'Acting'. Rajesh Khanna ruled the roost here!
In my definition of Real Actor/ performer, Late Smita Patil was perfect. Just to analyze, not to dissect, let's take Late Satyajit Ray's 'Sadgati', Late Sunil Dutt's 'Dard ka Rishta' and Shyam Benegal's 'Manthan' and 'Bhumika'
In Sadgati and Manthan she was a rural woman without an introduction to ABCs. But the roles were so different and Smita conveyed the nuance of the respective role so effectively that hats off to her. Naive, subservient, in love with her husband, downtrodden woman of Sadgati was totally different from that stern, full with self-confidence, sharp and articulate protagonist of Manthan.
Patient, understanding, calm NRI Doctor of Dard ka Rishta was miles away from, though the actress but with middle class values, rebel and simmering from within Heroine of Bhumika. These were the performances to be watched for, for her craft alone. In every role, she changed her torso, her body language to even her gait and dialogue delivery!
Real performance can not be copied! Her performances were never like a cast from the same mould so were never stale and were full with vigour and vitality! Always!
Nutan, Balraj Sahani too carried the same mantle.
Hollywood has a casting director. Sadly we don't. So when we see any performance by Hollywood actor, it sounds real because the actor is selected for his/her suitability for the role and not because he/she sells on the box office.
I am waiting for such thing to happen here, till then it's left only to suffer!
What then is real acting. Those who have clean slates really have given masterpiece performances. Late Smita Patil and Nutan did not have any set pattern of acting. Similarly, Om Puri and Madhuri Dixit measure up to the mark, as they don't have any style. [ have you seen anybody mimicking them ?]
Sharmila Tagore,, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor even Dilipkumar many a time went through the roles mechanically, but they knew it and never pretended that they were performances. It was like 'Demand and Supply' and it was compromise for the market, no false assurance of the 'Acting'. Rajesh Khanna ruled the roost here!
In my definition of Real Actor/ performer, Late Smita Patil was perfect. Just to analyze, not to dissect, let's take Late Satyajit Ray's 'Sadgati', Late Sunil Dutt's 'Dard ka Rishta' and Shyam Benegal's 'Manthan' and 'Bhumika'
In Sadgati and Manthan she was a rural woman without an introduction to ABCs. But the roles were so different and Smita conveyed the nuance of the respective role so effectively that hats off to her. Naive, subservient, in love with her husband, downtrodden woman of Sadgati was totally different from that stern, full with self-confidence, sharp and articulate protagonist of Manthan.
Patient, understanding, calm NRI Doctor of Dard ka Rishta was miles away from, though the actress but with middle class values, rebel and simmering from within Heroine of Bhumika. These were the performances to be watched for, for her craft alone. In every role, she changed her torso, her body language to even her gait and dialogue delivery!
Real performance can not be copied! Her performances were never like a cast from the same mould so were never stale and were full with vigour and vitality! Always!
Nutan, Balraj Sahani too carried the same mantle.
Hollywood has a casting director. Sadly we don't. So when we see any performance by Hollywood actor, it sounds real because the actor is selected for his/her suitability for the role and not because he/she sells on the box office.
I am waiting for such thing to happen here, till then it's left only to suffer!
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