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Another book adaptation…

The preview of 3 Idiots is out and it does look fresh and youthful. Since I’d liked the book ( Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat), I’m looking forward to seeing all those characters come to life on screen. Haven proved time and again that he’s a sensible director, I believe Raju Hirani must’ve done full justice to this losers’ tale of goof-ups and adventures.

Book adaptations although are a trend in the west we have few of our directors attempting to take up this challenge. The expectations people have from such a movie are far more than a run-of-the-mill commercial movie, since they’ve something to compare it to. It becomes imperative for the director to use his vision while retaining the originality and soul of the storyline.

I’m an avid reader and read all kinds of stuff. While reading a story it usually happens that I get so involved in it that all its characters start taking form in my mind. The character might be a sixty year old lady or a 2 year old kid, I empathize with them, feel a connection with them. This I believe happens with everyone who takes reading seriously. Hence when I’m subjecting myself to seeing a movie based on a book I liked, my expectations are unreasonably high.

There have been movies that’ve taken the book to another level. Say for example,Godfather. All the Godfather movies were so close to being real. One could never say that he thought Michael would be any different from Al Pacino or that he’d picturised someone else as Don Corleone,not Marlon Brando. They looked like they’d been picked up from the book itself. Such is the way book adaptations are meant to be. Unfortunately it does not happen everytime.

The argument and criticism that surrounded Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown prompted me to read it. Although we’d leave it on more qualified and learned people to deduce whether it had any fragment of reality,as a fictional novel it was not bad. The movie though disappointed me. More so since it had Tom Hanks in the lead. A good book, but a not-so-good movie.

Talking about our own film industry we’ve had a masterpiece like Guide made by Dev Anand which was made on a book by the same name written by R.K.Narayan ,and a cold turkey like Hello which was made on One night @ call center by Chetan Bhagat. Its not just the difference between the movie and the book. The choice of actors and their acting also gives an edge to the story. For example, Meera Nair’s The Namesake. It was also due to the performances of Tabu and Irfan Khan that the movie was such a success.

The vision of a director might be different from that of a writer, but their intention is the same. To give life to their imagination, to take us on a ride to a make-believe world. We can only hope that when these two come together, the world they show us is out of a dream,not a nightmare.

71 thoughts on “Another book adaptation…

  1. I have read and seen The Namesake and both the works made me love it very much. You have rightly put it that both the writer and the director have one aim-to give life to their imaginations.But not every time this book to movie works well. I watched 'Angels and Demons' and 'P.S.I love you' but haven't read the books yet….but I always feel one should read the book after seeing the movie..that's my experience with 'The Namesake'…had I have seen the movie after I read the book I might not have liked it very well…Try it once the other way round..may be it will be a different experience 🙂

  2. Point taken…it does not hurt to try out the opposite for once!I have seen Bridget Jones' Diary and loved it.. but havent read it yet…can give it a shot.. :)( Wonder how Hugh Grant's drop-dead good looks will be put on paper 😉 )

          1. You won’t believe…I feel like I’m carrying another person on me. It is so weird. I know…the little toe is just an excuse. I could’ve done abs today. :-/

          2. Hey…Listen..Can I officially make you the critical friend who reprimands when I miss workouts? I need someone to do that for me. Some accountability is required.

          3. Hahha…little toe is trying to not touch the ground and is avoiding the damn bedside that hurt it in the first place. ????
            Hey, I’m on phone right now and your blog isn’t showing any search bar. Guess will have to start my laptop and then go into your archives.

          4. yes baba…. both ‘him’ would be better!!
            or you could add a twist…
            the pervert is a psychiatrist by profession. he has been released just two days back..and is back in his job as a psychiatrist! . Because of the earlier rape, the girl is mentally disturbed and she comes to meet a psychiatrist for help, and unfortunately it is the same rapist..now donning the hat of a doctor! cheers

          5. Wowww…the storyteller at work! ????????
            This is 55-fiction though and probably this whole story won’t fit into these limited words. 🙁 Great way to develop the character and story though!
            I will change the her to him.

          6. Wow! Thanks! I can do well with small ones. Big ones make me lose track very quickly. Although I have done a few. I have few on the archives. Check out when you get time. Would love to get your feedback.

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