People sometimes are pretentious. Even if they know that they wouldn’t like a particular type of film, they barge in the theatres with their oh-I-am-cool-as-I-am-Sarcastic attitude, moan endlessly ‘how boring the movie is!’ end up making clichéd, snide remarks about the protagonist and his leading lady followed by raucous laughter.
If you are that kind of persona, you shouldn’t read further nor watch ‘Life of Pi’. It’s not for you.
Unlike ‘127 Hours’ which is based on a true story, this movie is based on the novel by the same name written by Yann Martel. But when a true story inspires the spirit, the figment of imagination uplifts and gives wings to the spirit to soar high in the sky and not give a fig to reality.
Not one but two stories emerge as Piscine Molitor Patel recounts his tale to a writer in search for a story who is referred to him by Piscine’s uncle. And of course, it is upto us to choose from either of them!
But of course, I would like to give you an overview of the more liked story…!
Piscine Molitor Patel (named after the swimming pool in France), is the son of Santosh Patel, who is a businessman and a zoo owner in Pondicherry. Going through his turbulent teens, Pi (3.14……J), finds himself following three different faiths as he searches for the meaning of his life, not knowing that he would find one, one that would jarringly disconnect him from reality.
His father, staring at the bleak prospects of his family’s survival which is in the hands of the whimsical government of the day, decides to sell the animals and immigrate with his family to Canada.
Pi unknowingly embarks upon a journey that would take his loved ones away and pit him in a battle of survival on a boat in the stormy waters of Pacific Ocean with an Orangutan, Hyena, zebra and a Bengal Tiger for company.
The ship was ravaged by storm, killing all but him (if you choose to believe this more liked story) and a bunch of, some docile, some extremely wild animals.
Soon enough, it’s just him and the tiger on the boat against the mighty ocean, with its ethereal beauty and its gut-wrenching ire!
This is a story of survival; this is a story of how faith can spell wonders…! This is a story of turf-war between the man and the wild, as even a slight misstep can get you inside the stomach of the tiger.
Of course, as you know, I am least concerned which actors performed and which underperformed, would N. Shyamalan have proven a better director than Ang Lee, was the cinematography and the 3-D comparable to ‘Avatar’ and ad infinitum.
I leave that job to the experts. All I can say for myself is that watching this movie was a cracking good way to pass time. Hope you enjoy it!
P.S.:- If you like the movie, you can read the book. You’re Welcome!
P.P.S.:- Though this movie is made by American Production Houses, I beg someone to please change the entry on Wikipedia as this movie isn’t an ‘American Adventure Drama film’!!!
A fan mail by Barack Obama to Yann Martel for ‘Life Of Pi’!!
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