Conflict, and its resolution, is the main purpose why a film is being made in the first place. The spectators identify with the conflict as the one affecting their very own life and that's what pulls them to the theatres, and they love to see the hero living their life on screen, facing their problems, and would like to learn how the hero/ heroine resolves those problems.
In Raavan, though one might think Beera as the theme song, on hearing the lyrics, it comes out that beera beera is only listing (boasting) the qualities of Beera, that is it. It is Thok De Killi that is setting the conflict of the story. So, I think the theme song of Raavan is not Beera-Berra, rather Thok De Killi. And I am finding two oddities (not really flaws, may be ARR-Mani have something in mind that is not yet clear to me) in this theme song: 1. It has such cryptic lyrics and such a fast pace. 2. It has jet-set speed. Lack of clarity of pronunciation is also not helping. And then its fast pace, in the stanzas, hardly any line, any word is repeated, and is rendered very fast to bring some effect, but that effect is missing me and has rather confused me. Compare thok de killi to baar baar ha of Lagaan, that was the theme song of the film, and had similar conflict, and was motivating and prompting and tempting. That had pace kept much slower than thok de killi and that pace went quite well in helping people absorb the song. -- Beera song has just one hint about it -"Janam na pooche, jaat na pooche", meaning either he is orphan so his lineage is not known, or more likely his social background has nothing great to be proud of, so he doesn't want it to be discussed. but Thok De Killi is full of real issues. That reference of Delhi is also probably for assuming political power, and that gilli danda is suggesting usurping such political power by use of brute force. It all made me think what it could be all about. -- The film is said to be on a village goon, and there might be maoist-leninist-naxalite leanings in his character, I am not sure, just my guess, but if Raavan is about Naxalite-maoists' insurgencies, I am sure that entire India is now deadly against Naxalites after they killed so many military guys in a recent ambush. So, if Raavan shows eulogizing naxalites, or justifying their causes and methods, I fear that it is going to have a severe backlash on the film and it is going to be utterly criticized and will flop and Mani personally will earn a bad reputation. Given that Mani doesn't know how to end a film will a realistic solution, if he raises the issue sincerely and then suddenly ends like bombay showing people making human chain, then also the film will be described as instilling the fear of naxalites among the hearts of people, and that will lead to same back lash. I don't know anything about the film, it is just the impression got from the music that I am saying. I am just worried seeing so many ARR films with great music flopping on account of poor scripts. -- Anyway. coming back to thok de killi. Hardly any figures of speech they are using are making consistent sense, but the nachaiya (dancer) could be politics impersonified. Mujre ka nazrana maange, heeray panne nakdi zevar (the show the politicians are putting in parliament and assembly are to be paid dearly by masses in the form of heavy taxes.) Jhoothi hai makkaar nachaiya, na koi maai na koi baiya Boondh boondh ke kapat bara, (politicians don't have any relative except money and power. they are full of falsehood). If that is the symbolism, that is the clear part of the lyrics so far. Raat ka maal, raaton ne lutaa Chaand taaron ke guchche churaye Din nikalna tha, apna bhi nikla Kisme dum hai ke suraj bujaye All this "chand taaro ko churaye, suraj bujhaye" are typical gulzarish phrases that he has often used, and these bring an unwelcome emotionality here where real life issues are involved. Aaja milke baithe, haal sunawe dil ka kelon ko khaate gaye, ham ko pehnke chilka chilka (this might mean the leader are gulping the cream and are giving the janta just crumbs) Bichde bichde keh ke humko khoob udaye gilli dilli Sehte sehte ab to gardan ghar tak tar jaate hain Choti ho gayi kabarein, bin mundi bhi marr jaate hain Sadiyon se chalta aaya hai ooch neech ka lambha kissa Ab ki baar hisaab chuka le, cheen ke le le apna hissa The above two lines almost assured me in getting the above described progression of the script, and than worries me. Apna khoon bhi laal hi hoga, khol ke dekh le khaal ke jhilli the above last line is so misfit because it is not conveying anything concrete, and the song abruptly ends, it would have been better if this last line be shifted anywhere earlier, and the song had ended with the previous two lines which are crystal clear. With due respect to gulzar saab, let's realize that handling social issues was never his forte, he made machis just because he is punjabi, otherwise the film doesn't really provide any solution to militancy, and was quite full of emotion. And gulzar couldn't really write a purposeful assertive lyrics for this song. Missing Mehboob PK Mishra's simple worded lyrics in it that would have mentioned relevant social issues in day to day languages easily understandable. Seems having a great name (gulzar saab) is not always required, jaha kaam aave sui kya kare talwar, so a Mehboob or PKM's lyrics would have been more appropriate, not to say that it would have come divine if Sahir's lyrics had been used in it. That was primarily about the lyrics part. othewise I am still finding the song good to listen to for its music. -- Rawat
