LSD: trippin’

Dibakar, you rogue! Have you made a cracker or what? You have sculpted a rascalious film. Take that in your face, to a country that’s churning out voyeurs by the minute; the horrors of a reality that we live in.

Forget the pan, tilt or track to keep fluidity in a scene. Forget the cranes and the jimmy jibs for those lavish movements. And who was it that defined ice capped mountains, grassy plains or a beach in the far east as the defining moment of romance. All you need is a small spy camera in a pen or a purse and a bedroom to keep your audience gripped.

The times they are a changing, my friend. And so is cinema in India. Yipeeeeee!!!!

There are very few films that can suck you into realm in the very first minute. The last time it happened was with the very underrated “Gulaal”. As soon as Dee Bee films hit the screen with its brilliantly crafted, tacky title sequence I knew that Dee Bee da(Dibakar) had cooked up something brilliant. And brilliant it was.

Three intertwined short stories, each one either on love, sex or dhoka reveals life, as it were, of a quintessential filmy college couple in love, a supposed MBA working at a store and his trails to bed a co worker and capture it on camera and an aspiring actress out to expose a pop star with the help of a scoop hungry cameraman with a conscience.

While watching the film one doesn’t realise that the actors on screen are all newcomers.

Dibakar knows his characters and more so Delhi like the back of his palm. Was amazed at just how much detailing has gone in, squeezing out the nuances of your everyday Delhi-ite.

Due credit must be given to the actors and the workshop directors for their efforts are seen on screen and what a pleasure it was to see them act.

With static cameras, the only other being handheld, to his disposal, Dibakar and his cameraman manage to show just what is required in every scene. The feel of the film is extremely natural and is what one would shoot if given a camera.

Dibakar’s films have had amazing amount of detailing; be it character or location or set. The art direction in LSD is brilliant and heavy in detailing, just like the characters etched out. From Shruti’s mansion to Luki Local’s vanity van; each symbolic of their owner.

I should credit Ekta Kapoor as well for supprting a film like this. With an existing and growing audience for cinema of this kind, Ekta has done well in identifying with and accepting this new genre of Indian cinema, more so Dibakar’s natural narrative style. With big time production houses, like Dharma, losing out with their dismal attempts at art cinema, ALT entertainment has hit gold.

With two successful films and the third on its way there, Dibakar is exciting; his films are a treat to watch and is, if not already, becoming a force to reckon in the industry.

My favourite scene: The fisherman’s verbal bashing.

The cameraman’s failed suicide attempt.

My favourite dialogue: “net mein kai ko kuda… Isska paisa kaun dega”

“ dekho mere fridge mein kya hai… scotch, maggi sauce, 5- star”

Rating :

Acting : 4/5

Cinematography : 4/5

Soundtrack : 4/5

Art Direction : 5/5

Direction : 5/5