Brokeback Mountain vs My Brother Nikhil


That was really a long break from blogging...Blogging has still not become my second nature though, what is essentially required for blogging is my most basic instinct - thinking.

I saw Brokeback Mountain a couple of days back.I shall not say that I enjoyed it very much. There was nothing great about the direction, the screenplay or the casting. However the photography and the background score was very good. It is a period film. 1960s. About two gay men. They were in love with each other. It is 'their love story' and it remained so and left me completely uninvolved as an audience. Interestingly, thinking about it I realized that as a film, of essentially the same category, My Brother Nikhil was such a superior quality movie. It is not just about direction. Ang Lee is versatile and talented. I have to give him that. My Brother Nikhil was a greater love story told even better.

The dynamics of the relationship in My Brother Nikhil was so romantic. It not only dealt with the sensitive issue of 'gay love' in the margins while mainly focussing on Nikhil - the HIV affected sportsperson, it also dealt beautifully with relationships. In Brokeback Mountain none of the main characters had any affectionate relationship with anyone apart from the two of them.

In Brokeback Mountain the main characters were pretty boring. Ordinary - yes but that is not why I call them 'boring'. The film did not quite show any respectable facet of these characters that will make them endearing. In My Brother Nikhil, you would want to love the couples even as individuals. They are portrayed as people one can love effortlessly.

What is then my thesis ? If you are capable of loving, then it does not restrain you or limit you. It allows you to love more. Love did nothing wonderful to the lives of Jake and Heath but love made Nikhil strong as he fought with AIDS and Nigel ( Purab Kohli ) found his vocation in social work.

Homosexuality is also about love, and My Brother Nikhil played it out so beautifully that Brokeback Mountain recedes to the background, when a comparison is drawn.

Would like to end on this note -

Dharitri - What would you do if you knew your son was gay ?
Friend - Be more protective I guess.
Dharitri - How beautiful ( in thoughts)