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‘Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle’: Why another weak-willed Jungle Book? (Review)
By Subhash K. Jha
Film: “Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle”; Director: Andy Serkis; Cast: Rohan Chand, Freida Pinto, Christian Bale, Andy Serkis, Benedict Cumberbatch and Cate Blanchett, Rating: **
Netflix’s big-screen experience of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” is here shrunken in size. And it’s not just the size of the screen that’s diminished. This adaptation, coming just two years after Jon Favreau’s fabulous take on the timeless tale of animals and human beings, is feeble, redundant and deplorably down-sized, often resorting to trite ploys and tested gimmicks to get our attention.
The film is not only irrelevant in the light of the earlier adaptation, it is also far bloodier with deep bloody wounds playing a large hand in making us feel the sinisterness of jungle life.
Got the gore. But where is the enigma of the jungle? Those familiar with the Kipling saga (and who is not!) would know how the film adaptations work.
The characters are all talking animals, while little Mowgli has to be a bright animal-like creature of the dark. Tragically, little Roshan Chand doesn’t measure up. He is eager to make Mowgli come alive, sometimes way too eager.
Director Any Serkis needed to exercise more control over the proceedings. The narration seems to run all over the place. And the episode where Mowgli is sent to a village to be humanised looks as strenuously off-key as the institution in the recent Hollywood film “Boy Erased” where the young gay protagonist is sent to “think straight”.
There is nothing more self-conscious than a community committed to conformity.
The “Indian” village seems straight out of a fairytale book with pop out pictures, with Freida Pinto doing a Hollywood equivalent of village ‘nautanki’, bovine smile quivering lips and all.
Freida speaks Hindi as if she had just picked it up from watching “English Vinglish” in a loop. Little dark Indian boys in loincloths (with their skin coloured to look suitably non-Caucasian) scamper around frolicking with not a care in the world.
Agreed, Kipling’s vision subsumed an aspirational fantasy. But updating a classic is all about keeping the faith alive by renewal. This adaptation of Kipling seems frozen in time, occasionally casting aside its mantel of stagnancy to reveal a heart that actually beats.
Most of these moments are accrued in the scenes featuring the voice of Christian Bale as the wise compassionate panther Bagheera.
I have seldom seen an actor do a more effective voiceover. When Bale speaks, we listen.
The rest of the animals are also voiced expertly. However, Bendict Cumberbatch’s Sher Khan is no match to his counterpart Idris Elba in the 2016 adaptation.
Staring at the disappointing take on the Kipling classic, I wondered why the brains behind this whitewashed homage to the animal kingdom needed to put their mind into making this limp leafy drama in the first place.
There is a sequence, ostensibly poignant, where Mowgli is confined in a wooden cage by villagers. Bagheera comes visiting. Mowgli screws up his face and pleads to be taken away. Bagheera refuses and walks away.
At that moment, I felt exactly like Mowgli. Trapped in a situation I didn’t appreciate. Luckily, Netflix gives us the option of the ‘off’ button.
–IANS
skj/rb
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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