The Blue Umbrella (2005)

hyped garbage

Captivating movie !

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The Blue Umbrella is an instant classic. It is simple, heart warming and metaphorical at the same time. It is based on a novella by celebrated author Ruskin Bond. Bond's story captures the mood and the uncomplicated lifestyle of a small hill town spot-on and Vishal Bharadwaj renders it on the screen flawlessly.A little girl (Shreya Sharma) trades her lucky charm for an umbrella with a Japanese tourist. The beauty of the umbrella takes over the whole of the town. Everybody falls for it but none more than the stingy shopkeeper Khatri (Pankaj Kapoor). He wants to have it by hook or crook. What Khatri finds and looses in his quest for the umbrella is the rest of the story.This film is a reminder of the fact that Pankaj Kapoor never got the recognition he deserves. He is one of the finest actors this country has ever produced. He single-handedly turns 'The Blue Umbrella' from an ordinary film into extra ordinary achievement. The nuances he brings to his role - a twitch of his face, a gait to his walk, everything - works to etch the character in the minds of the viewer. A splendid performance is all I can say in short.The little Shreya is endearing. We are as heart broken as she is when she looses her umbrella; and we rejoice with her when she dances with it.The biggest credit of all, however, goes to Vishal Bharadwaj. It takes courage and commitment to make the kind of films he has made so far. A gem of a film !

Vishal Bharadwaj has evolved in such a wonderful Director with poetic sensibilities and characteristics of becoming world's great directors.Blue Umbrella is a screen version of Ruskin Bond's short story Blue Umbrella. It is about a young girl Binya (Shriya) who trades her superstitious lucky charm of bear nails in return of a Japanese Blue Umbrella with tourists. Instantly she becomes a center of attraction of the villagers. A small trader Nandakishore (Pankaj Kapoor) eyes of the Blue Umbrella and tries all ways of get the umbrella. When Binya's umbrella is stolen – the police raid Nandakishore's shop. Facing this humiliation and to show that he too can afford or buy an umbrella, Nandakishore orders a similar Japanese Red Umbrella. Once the Red Umbrella comes, he gains back popularity and respect from everyone in the village. During a wrestling bout where he is the chief guest, it rains and the Red Umbrella starts loosing out color and shows that it was the Blue Umbrella. The villagers decide to boycott Nandakishore and outcast him from the village. Nobody talks with him, nobody buys anything from his shop. He faces poverty and humiliation again. But this time it teaches him a lesson of life. Once when Binya forgets her umbrella at his shop, he understand the miseries that the Blue Umbrella caused him and honestly goes back to return the umbrella to Binya. But Binya shows grace and generosity by saying that the Blue Umbrella does not belong to her. The movie ends there… I applaud this movie onlybecause of the intention of good directors to make pure and beautiful cinema. Can you ever think and imagine Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese or Frank Miller making a children's movie? And that makes them less mortals. The versatility of great directors is the variety they handle. Tarantino, Scorsese and Millers are one dimensional in that sense and can not go beyond gory, blood and violence and that is were their creativity is so cornered and restrictive. That is why hats off to Vishal to have guts to venture into new medium and showcase that irrespective of whatever themes; he remains a good director.Vishal selects one of the most evolved and brilliant actors in recent times – Pankaj Kapoor who pours such a life in the character of Nandakishore that it is hard to believe this is a role depicted by an actor. He is too brilliant! Third time great – Maqbool, Dharm and Blue Umbrella. The girl Binya is good – but only to the director's lessons; and does not leave a lasting impression as the Makdee girl Swehta Prasad.The music is good, cinematography brilliant, locale of North Indian Himalayan ranges superb. All in all a great children's movie. It has the purity of cinema and showcases the goodness of human spirit. Teaches small but important lessons of life.(Stars 7.75 out of 10)

I would just like to comment on the plot synopsis written by Michelle Sohn. I disagree with the comment 'The film blends the extremely colorful and gaudy images with Bollywood-style song and dance!' Where does Michelle Sohn find 'GAUDINESS' in the movie? As an avid watcher of Hindi movies, I really do not approve of such words in a fine example of cinema! I had the misfortune of watching stupid and senseless movies like transformers, Premonition, The wedding singer etc. and i believe they are much more 'gaudy' than this movie. I request IMDb to please employ people who know how to write a good plot synopsis without restoring to jingoism. A final word to Michelle Sohn- I think Indian movies far outshine American movies so please don't write reviews if you are not really interested in our movies!!!!!!!!

Superb Performances, panoramic cinematography, excellent storytelling and made with the heart. Like all other Vishal movies this one also has all the above qualities, but this movie has one thing which takes it ahead form all his earlier flicks and that is the way it treats humans and their emotions. Vishal turns the very simple story to the story of humanity and simplicity remains as it is.How an Blue Umbrella becomes center of two lives and how the two dealt with this. These two characters are Binya and Nand Kishore, played by introducing child artist Shreya and heavily experienced Pankaj Kapur. Pankaj Kapur lived the character of Nand Kishore in the movie. This was surely the best performance by him. His dialog delivery , accent , body language all was so real.I think Blue Umbrella is not only meant for children but for everyone who want to see great movies. Vishal has created the movies which are truly across boundaries and across ages.surely a 10/10.