Paa (Balakrishnan, 2009)

[sandeep]

Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) is an intelligent, witty 13 yr old boy with an extremely rare genetic defect that causes accelerated ageing.

He suffers from a progeria like syndrome. Mentally he is 13, very normal, but physically he looks 5 times older. In spite of his condition, Auro is a very happy boy. He lives with his mother Vidya(Vidya Balan), who is a gynaecologist.

Amol Arte (Abhishek Bachchan), is young, progressive and a full of ideals, politician. He is out to prove to the world that 'politics' is not a bad word. He is a man with a mission. Auro is Amol's son.

Paa is a 'rare' story about a father-son, son-father relationship.

courtesy: bollywoodhungama.com

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/broadband/video/Movie-Promos/aaNcIh40/3/Teaser-1-Paa.html

[shariqq]

The teaser itself shows a glimpse of what will be lots of overacting by a junior AB Sr..

[safra23]

Why do I have the feeling, the movie will be smiliar or have things common from the movie "the Curious case of Benj..." ?

[sandeep]

I got that feeling too, but here it wont be reverse aging, I guess...

[shariqq]

Why do I get the feeling that it's easy to pre-judge every Bollywood movie by linking it to Hollywood?

[sandeep]

because thats where a lot of them are 'inspired' by... if not totally copied from...

[safra23]

because thats where a lot of them are 'inspired' by... if not totally copied from...

So true 

[sandeep]

saw the movie yesterday, was brilliant... a detailed review to follow, for now 4/5

[shariqq]

I can't get myself to watch this movie. AB Sr.'s head looks like an over-sized light-bulb. Did they mistake alien-prosthetics for a child's? That head just keeps me away from this movie...

[sulphurhead]

I agree, he looked like a Ferengi

[shariqq]

"Ferengi"? As in, Westerner? Or is that a Star Trek reference?

[sulphurhead]

the latter , which if you read the star Trek wikipedia entryfor Ferengi ( I had placed the link under the word Ferengi in my last post) you'll know was actually derived from Phirangi!

[sandeep]

How does one do justice to a talent powerhouse like Amitabh Bachchan?

Playing the character of 'Auro' in 'Paa' must have been one of the toughest acts in his career, but not only did he pull it off convincingly, he was adorable, funny, sensitive throughout... Requiring 5 hours of make-up and prosthetics, he was transformed completely.

Paa is the tale of Abhishek who plays Amol, Vidya who plays Vidya, and Amitabh who plays Auro. Auro suffers from a rare genetic defect called Progeria,

He is a regular 12 year old mentally, but physically 5-6 times older. He has the thoughts and imagination of a pre-teen, but the health problems of a 70 year old.

How he lives his life, his interactions with his family, especially his grandmother, and his attitude towards life, make the film a wonderful watch.

Music has not been a strong point in his previous film Cheeni Kum for Director Balki, and is not in this one either, but it doesnt matter.

Some sub-plots of the movie may not seem entirely relevant, but in hindsight they are, because they are tied to one of the 3 central character.

For a sensitive direction, outstanding acting by Auro/Amitabh Bachchan and amazing support by Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Arundhati Naag and a guest appearance by Paresh Rawal, this movie is the surprise of the year.

A clean, smart, direct family film, its to be watched by one and all!

4/5

Spolier ahead:
In Cheeni kum, Amitabh plays Paresh's son-in-law
In Paa, Amitabh plays his grandson!

[sandeep]

The making of Auro 

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/slideshow/2009/12/07/527/index.html

[sandeep]

Paa all set to enter the Guinness Book
By Subhash K. Jha, December 12, 2009 - 11:01 IST

It's soon going to be officially celebrated as the only film in the world featuring the father-son duo reversing their real-life roles for the screen.

Real-life father and son Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan are all set to enter the Guinness Book Of World Records for being the only father-son acting duo to have played reversed roles on screen in Paa. It's also the only instance of a 67-year old actor playing a 12-year old child and a 31-year old actress playing mother to a 67 -year old actor.

Director Balki admits Paa is pretty much a hotbed of unprecedented occurrences. "You know, while casting and all through the shooting, I never sat back to consider the uniqueness of the casting. It was only the people all around me who seemed to be constantly conscious of the casting oddity. To me Amitji, Abhishek and Vidya were playing the roles I had in mind for them from the start. But now, I do see that the casting is exceptional. It hasn't been done in any part of the world. So yes, plans are afoot to enter Paa into the Guinness book in various categories."

The necessary moves have already been made and Balki would make sure that Paa gets noticed in the right categories as soon as release of the film is out of the way.

After Paa, he plans to take a bit of a vacation and let his wife Gauri Shinde direct a film for his production house.

"Gauri has been a part of my creative processes for many years now. We got married two years back. The film she wants to make is very different from what I do. Her script has a flavour that's totally removed from mine."

None of the Bachchans are likely to figure in Balki's wife's directorial debut. But Balki intends to make his third film with the Bachchans, this time making sure that Mrs Jaya Bachchan too has a part.