Delhi-6 Represents the Enigmatic India of Today

A A A Comments (5) By Michelle Orange Wednesday, Feb 18 2009

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Delhi-6
Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
UTV
Opens February 20

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Addressing the crowd gathered for the world premiere of Delhi-6 at MOMA, Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan announced that the film we were about to see “truly represents the India of today and the youth of today.” “The India of today” (and spurious representations thereof) is a concept currently under review; by the time a grudging consensus is reached, the India of next week will have crowded in. But in his claim, Bachchan (nicknamed “Little B”—he is the son of “Big B,” Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, whom my seatmates, aisle-mates, and adjacent row-mates concurrently agreed is the greatest actor in history, an assertion supported by a certain sewage-covered, autograph-seeking boy early in Slumdog Millionaire) had posed an intriguing question: Could a true-blue Bollywood film ever represent something other than the highly referent, tightly clockworked chaos of Bollywood cinema? While Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi-6—the story of an American-born Indian who accompanies his ailing grandmother (Waheeda Rehman) to Delhi and, duly appalled and enchanted by what he sees, undergoes a cultural conversion and rather brutal baptism—attempts to address the generational, economic, and religious problems dividing modern India, it does so in an unapologetically broad, whacked-out way, with each of Bollywood’s four food groups (corn, cheese, treacle, and nuts) present and accounted for. Which is to say, of course, that it’s pretty much irresistible and, in that sense, represents the enigmatic India of today as well as anything ever could.

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Sameer chadha 11/08/2010 2:24:00 AM

Great characters, music and camerawork. Brave to have the kala bandar thread- pulls it off. Captures the delightful aspects of the people the culture and the place. Many of the the reviewers in the US just won't get it. Which leads me to say that no reviewer should attempt their job on a foreign film without spending time in the country and with the people.
Andy 03/03/2009 9:25:00 AM

"Which is to say, of course, that it�s pretty much irresistible and, in that sense, represents the enigmatic India of today as well as anything ever could." Woah, hold on there. It represents the India of today as well as anything that ever could? How exactly did you conclude that? Or do you mean to say that it's relatively better than all the other crap that comes out of bollywood, so this is as good as it gets for audiences? even if that were the case, it's still a crappy movie. what part of this film -- the cinematography, the editing or the screenplay -- did you find so enigmatic? What on earth are you talking about?
Rush 03/01/2009 8:26:00 PM

Nothing special to this movie, nothing special of Abhishek also! His American accents are not real! There is nothing to do acting with the movie, Abhishek always try to do his father, maybe it could ne natural, but it doesn�t work, his father is legend! I could say Sonam was good in movie, and that firing lady who did untouchable character was top class in action, so much real! Just can't imagine if she would have given more footage what would happened to the lead character? Music is good, but worst picturing! Camera work is top class! Its unfortunate that Amitabh is not able to dilute comments against his son, but the fact is that his son has to go long way, he has not established himself. He must do something different. Frankly speaking if there would be another actor instead of Abhishek he would have done better job! Let�s hope Abhishek will come again with good film and better acting without shadow of his legend father. Nothing special in the movie, it�s really boring in some way, and it failed in the beginning when it started, director failed to give stunning start! Yes, Amitabh always become upset when his son�s movie didn�t do well, or someone criticizes his son! Rush
shruti 02/23/2009 9:02:00 AM

i haven't seen the movie and would like to..but heard that Amitabh was angry with critics for Delhii-6...what the hell ha? Being an actor You can say whatever,anything about others movie (Slumdog) But critics being critics can't do their job..? You can criticize others movie but other can't..what the hell to do with this double standard? It makes me feel bad that i WAS Amitabh bachchan's fan.
hrahul 02/20/2009 11:59:00 AM

awesome movie! first nice movie of the year. a must watch...