Ethics of Critics

These days the most common occupation in INDIA is to become film critic; switch any news channel, surf any site and u will get some orator giving his/her monologue. It is still a vivid memory when I use to wait for Sunday’s TOI review and I must say that reviews in those days were actually readable. Apart from being genuine it was surely mitochondria of knowledge; illustrating the technical aspect of a given movie which seems quite bereft these days.



Khallid Mohammoad, the famous film critic In B Town circuit and an infamous personality for his review and rating for shiva(1989) and Rangeela. Honestly, till this date I never miss his reviews, it’s not that I am fond of his point of view, but it’s his reviews which are so hilarious, absurd and sometimes shallow actually they are not reviews but his personal confrontation and resentment. There is some sense of insensibility which gets exude from his article, and if I don cult classics directed by Khalid himself; Fiza will be at top followed by Tehzeeb, and Silsilay (don’t know probably missed some, doesn’t matter).



Then there are other bloggers and commenter’s (Rajiv Masand, Raja Sen, Subash Jha..etc); some known- unknown critics, which plagiarize Khalid’s mannerism in terms of writing some of their rude comments. There is list huge list and has one thing in common; quest for logic.



Cinema is an art not a science which will be driven with logics and some equation, it requires the degree of conviction in the reasoning not the degree of rationality, we don’t have any mathematical equation of people falling in love or love at first sight, it simply happens; still I can’t make why these so called critics try to make cinema as a step sister of Rocket Science or Quantum Mechanism.



In the making of cinema, different forms of arts are amalgamated and canvas (celluloid) is painted with different colors. While doing so some of the inconsistencies happens and we accept it as a whole product. I am not advocating that any crap scene (Welcome or Singh is King or APKGK) can be accepted, but bashing entire movie for one scene is simply unethical, we can easily label them as mindless.



Any form of art will have its own inconsistencies, like in Baghban Amitabh calls Hema Malini from STD booth with one rupee coin and he sung entire song; for me it was sentimental, emotional and defiantly very reasonable but there are critic who try to fathom out the LOGIC. Similarly there are movies where actor has kaleidoscopic hairstyle or makeup (costume), these inconsistencies can be easily avoidable but still are pointed out as if it’s a faux pass. If they really want to question then why don’t they questions the sensibility of killing of Defense Minister in RDB or common man having RDX from A Wednesday, or for that matter blind man driving Ferrari in Scent of a women; no we don’t question them as degree of conviction overtakes logic. The above mentioned movies were widely accepted by audience as well as critics because they were judged as a complete movie. Critics dissect every scene and pin points the inconsistencies and while following the process they lose crux.



Primary job of a critic should be reviewing a movie, which includes lightning positives as well as negatives about the movie, but these days they prefer only negativities, because it sells and makes there channel or site an instant HIT.



Movie depicts the vision or the understanding of the director about a particular theme but critics watch them as if the movie was made from their perspective; which eventually turns out to be a clash of titans and when they write their perception which is further either misinterpreted or perceived by viewer from their own sensibility; and the final product is a disaster. The best cinematic example could be NOSMOKING, which is still considered as Space Odyssey of Indian cinema.



Having said that, I don’t want that critics should eulogize movies like Kambakth Ishq, or Billu barber but they should not bash till its maker claims it to be a Masterpiece or a great cinema. . If there is something to condemn in everything then there is something to praise in everything.



Giving ratings is another jugglery and has become a telesmatic virtue which often leads to the confusion. Since every product (movie) is a different one but still we can compare them and credit goes to critics. Since they rate them that’s why we compare them.



LAK (love aaj kal) was rated as 2 star and so was Agyaat, heros, NewYork, No Smoking and Wanted which was further compared to Ghajini ( 2 and Half), Bhool Bhulaiya (1 star) and Shiva ( 1 star).



So I believe that critics should follow some ethics, simply dithering is not there job. If they assume themselves to be a learned cinemagoer; then they should maintain some dignity and shouldn’t be bias and write both aspects of cinema.