- Film : Life of Pi
- Producer : Ang Lee, Gil Netter, David Womark
- Director : Ang Lee
- Star Cast : Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Gautam Belur, Suraj Sharma..
- Music Director : Mychael Danna
3.5
A story of a boy called Pi which is narrated by himself to a writer would take you distance with your beliefs. Atheists might stop asking "where is your god now?". Pi strongly believes in the quote, “you can get used to anything”. The movie shows that endurance is limitless in the most exaggerated form with mind boggling visuals.
Other Ratings
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Deccan
3 A much-awaited.. -
The Times of India
4 Based on Man.. -
BharatStudent
Not yet rated.. -
Rediff
4.5 One of the best..
Story
Molitor Patel is a kid who is raised in a zoo, living with wild animals around him in Pondicherry. The father believe is a realistic and practical approach to life while the mother, Tabu, strongly advocater plurality in life. Patel learns to be a Hindu who can embrace Christianity while praising Jesus for bearing his onus and seamlessly recite the Quran.
The Bengal Tiger Richard Parker is one animal that can never cease to amaze Pi and a beautiful dance is another character in the movie he can't take his eyes off.
When the zoo goes bankrupt, Patel's father wraps it up and ships the animals to Canada and a storm strikes the ship and sinks it. Meanwhile Patel is stranded in the high seas on a lifeboat, along with Richard Parker. a wounded zebra, a hyena and a drugged orangutan. How they manage to avert the crisis forms the next part of the story.
Analysis :
Ang Lee has proved that he doesn't need a great action movie to thrill you. He can deliver if his script is only the credits on the screen like with this movie. There is drama even to the minutiae of the opening credits on screen. A gradual transformation, spiritual development and a deepening plot is so dexterously done, you can connect with the movie.
Claudio Miranda has kept up with the director's imagination adding life to his thoughts. I will watch the storm shots in the movie again anytime; any number of times. The hair on my back is standing tall as I write these words. Incredible shots and visual effects.
However, the seasickness may catch up to you with the camera continuously swaying back and forth. Don't expect the bookish ending like with other adopted stories, you might be a tad disappointed to know that the story you loved has been altered to the director's liking. There is also a time when you are overwhelmed by the effects in the movie but you have no idea what's happening in the movie. Slick editing job by Tim Squyres, Music by Mychael Danna has been inspired from South Indian berceuses, buddhist chants.
Performance :
Irrfan Khan is commendable leading the movie as an old Patel. Gautam Belur is a neophyte in the role of the school boy. Suraj Sharma looks like he has struck the jackpot with amazing action on the boat. He could deliver what the directed wanted, the tranformation of a confused boy to a grown man. In the little time Tabu appears on screen she is gorgeous and performs well as Pi’s mother. Adil Hussain's stern attitude in the movie deserves applause. The dialogues are great but accents were completely ignored. Tabu's was good and Irfan's can be attributed to his schooling abroad. But why does younger Pi have an accent?
Final Word: Just go and watch it, you will not be disappointed.
(AW-Anil)
