Paheli
A supernatural Bollywood romance
My God, the visuals!
First things first, this is the best-looking Indian film in a very long time, and ranks up there with the finest ever. Amol Palekar has crafted a delectable fairytale that is incredibly well-shot. Ravi K Chandran's cinematography is spellbinding as he casts us into the fabulous sandscapes of Rajasthan with fluid harmony. Each frame of the film is picture-perfect, marinated in intoxicating colour. Real life, as we ingloriously witness after reluctantly exiting the theatre, never looked this good.
Shah is the period Rajasthani equivalent of a chartered accountant, mesmerised by the concept of marriage.
Rukh is a sprite, a shapeshifting mischief-maker who wanders aimlessly around, amusing himself. Thoroughly smitten by Lachchi (the new bride, played by Rani Mukerjee), he tries to woo her by entering the bodies of passing ravens and squirrels, even teasing her with a glimpse of his wet footprints.
Rukh learns that Shah has left Lachchi alone after the wedding, on business for five years. He decides to take the husband's form, just so he can be closer to his lady-love. After all, the man won't be back for five whole years.
It's a charming, warm romance capable of giving the most sceptical of us a big, beaming smile. Children will love it, and the affection involved in the film's creation is infectiously visible to the audience. And the twist at the end raises astonishingly dark questions about fairytale metaphors, and sends you home thinking. Smiling, but thinking. (R. Sen, Rediff.com)
Paheli
Wed November 16, 2005, 7:00 only, Muenzinger Auditorium
India, 2005, in Hindi w/English subtitles, Color, 140 min • official site
Tickets
10 films for $60 with punch card
$9 general admission.
$7 w/UCB student ID,
$7 for senior citizens
$1 discount to anyone with a bike helmet
Free on your birthday! CU Cinema Studies students get in free.
Parking
Pay lot 360 (now only $1/hour!), across from the buffalo statue and next to the
Duane Physics tower, is closest to Muenzinger. Free parking can be found after 5pm at the meters
along Colorado Ave east of Folsom stadium and along University Ave west of Macky.
RTD Bus
Park elsewhere and catch the HOP to campus
International Film Series
(Originally called The University Film Commission)
Established 1941 by James Sandoe.
First Person Cinema
(Originally called The Experimental Cinema Group)
Established 1955 by Carla Selby, Gladney Oakley, Bruce Conner and Stan Brakhage.
C.U. Film Program
(AKA The Rocky Mountain Film Center)
First offered degrees in filmmaking and critical studies in 1989 under the guidance of Virgil
Grillo.
Celebrating Stan
Created by Suranjan Ganguly in 2003.
C.U. Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts
Established 2017 by Chair Ernesto Acevedo-Muñoz.