 You know the whole controversy with Pete Rose? Not being allowed into the Hall of Fame? Yeah, rightfully so. Juicer. Juicer? I thought you were talking about the other one. Do you know why Pete Rose is not eligible for the Hall of Fame? That's the other one. Barry Bonds. Yeah, most people confuse those two guys. They're both baseball players. That's true. But Pete Rose, Pete Rose is ineligible because he gambled while he was a player. Yeah. But I don't understand why that's not OK for him, but they still, I mean, mookie bets. No one here gets that joke. I do. Hey, welcome back to our stupid direction of court. I'm mookie bets. You can follow us on Instagram, Twitter, for our GC content, thanks for all the social media, like button. I love the Red Sox have a history of giving away the greatest players of all time. Yeah, me too. Today, we're doing a movie review. And we're doing a movie review of the 2010 Marathi film, Nataram. Yes. Directed by Ravi Jathav. That's what I would say. Writer, also, he wrote the screenplay for it as well. Composed by Ajay Anatul and starring Atul Kankarni and a whole bunch of other people. Atul Kankarni is the star of it, though. Correct. Obviously came out in 2010. All true. So it'd be a 100% spoiler review because it came out 12 or 13 years ago. Yeah, so if you haven't seen it three years ago. May I know? 13. No, it's 13. Yeah. So if you haven't watched it, please go watch it. Go watch it. Come back. Rick, your initial thoughts of Nataram. I was going to write a paragraph, so that should tell you a lot right out the gate. I mean, he hated it. And there's a level of this where, and I've said this before about certain films, where they come to you at seasons of your life that are definitively providential. Even aside from that, I still would love this movie. This is, I just, I love this movie. As is usually the case with people who love acting, it helps. I mean, you can't just have a good story about acting. You have to have good performances. I found this from the get go to be a very endearing film. And then I loved the message. And then overall, just from start to finish, we'll talk in depth. But I loved it. I really enjoyed it as well. I had a few nitpick issues with some of the filmmaking parts of it. But I love the story. I love the performance. Atul Kankarni has shown time and time again. He's a great actor. That is a thespian who has not given enough, in our opinion, notoriety. We've seen him many times in terms of like, he's more sport. We saw him in the film with Taboo. We've seen him in other films as well. But he's not mentioned in the same conversation as Nawaz, his Pankaj. People of his same age and I think caliber of acting. I think he's one of those actors that in the industry, everybody gives him the respect he deserves. But the larger audience doesn't. I don't think they've fully grasped. A lot of you are like, yeah, we definitely know who to. Yeah, of course you know who he is. Our stupid babies know that. I'm saying I don't hear his name talked about with Manoj Bajpayee or these other people where he should be. Even in roundtables. I mean, when you talk about all of the roundtables or the coffee with Karan's that we've seen or the interviews that we've seen, his name should be mentioned more. Yeah, 1,000% agree. So yeah, we'll get into everything about this film. But I did enjoy it as well. Marathi just seems to love theaters. Yes, they do. And I love that they love them. I think maybe we've maybe seen 20, maybe Marathi films. I'd say half 15 at minimum have been about some type of theater or arts or something, right? That's what it feels like. It does, I love it. They really, really enjoy that style and I know because they're like the theater mecca of India or like the indie industry of the Hindi industry. Yeah. But let's talk about O'Toole Kankarni because obviously he is the Kremdil Krem star of this. Very complex character. Yep, requires a thespian. Requires a thespian, also incredible transformants, transformation because I believed he was a bodybuilder. Oh, I sure did. Holy hell, I believed that he lost a whole bunch of weight and he looked like this character. Like it was like a Christian bail type transformation. It was one of those things where I was surprised if I've missed any messages from stupid babies over the years, I don't know why I haven't heard about the physical transformation he does in this film because it's on that, it's that level. It's raging bull, it's about as profound a physical transformation on screen as you're gonna see. And people wanted us to watch this film for a long time. The reason I didn't is because I was, I kept holding out hope that we'd find a version with the songs that were subbed. Unfortunately, the songs were not subbed. Which is common. Yeah, sad. But I wanted to, because I heard the songs were very important. They were still beautiful, but we did not have subs. Right, I didn't know what they were saying. So, there's that. But yeah, his, just physical, just not even acting performance. Just his physical transformation. He looked like Murkana Dungle. Oh, the minute? Yeah, the minute it started, my first, the first frame. I wrote down my answer with bro, dude got jacked. Yeah, he was massive. So like the fact that he was a wrestler, really, I was 100% believed that he wanted this. And then it was also really endearing that this guy just seemed to always want to do theater and be an actor. And like he really was striving to do this and you know, people around him weren't supporting him, but he still wanted to do it and everything. But then when he obviously transformed into the, his, I think. His eunuch for lack of a better term, because that's what he's called in the film. I hate calling him what they call him, because it seems very, very offensive. I know. To call him what all of them were calling him. Yeah. But it was incredible because I completely believed it. It also looked like a completely new character from what he was playing in the beginning. So he really committed, not only obviously the character in the film, but the actor committed to getting his body. I don't know what they filmed first. My suspicion, they filmed the slender parts first and then he bulked up maybe for a year or so, which is quite a commitment for a film to wait. I mean, they could have reversed it. It's gonna take probably the same amount of time to lose all that. Yeah, so yeah. Yeah, it should be really interesting to talk to him, but man, did I feel for his character. Oh yeah. Big time for, and many different, and also you also felt some, for the other characters that for what his actions were doing, even though he was falling in the stream, was affecting other people, just good writing. Yeah, very good writing. Because on one hand, he's falling in the stream, but also on another hand, you get that everybody, like even though it shouldn't affect his family, it is affecting his family and the people around him, and also he's being selfish with, he's married and then he's having an affair, and so he's this very gray character, but you're still rooting for him because he's a person and you want people to be happy and to follow their dreams, right? Absolutely. And so I thought it was very beautifully well written. Very human character, very believable, very human, can't deny what his heart's feeling, and at the same time struggling with, he knows full well what the ramifications are gonna mean to the people around him, yet he wants to remain true to himself. And it is a very common theme for most artists, especially actors, who throughout time, Memorial have struggled sadly with wanting to be who they are in every way, both as artists and as people and be true to themselves, yet society all around them and loved ones and family members often. Let me tell you from personal experience, friends, if you have family and loved ones, even one who supports you wholeheartedly in your pursuits as an artist, you are blessed because I know what it's like to have the opposite, and I know what it's like. I have never had anyone in my life. I mean, my kids are there and my mom and dad are there, but outside of blood, no one has come even remotely close to supporting me and loving me for who I am as an actor like Indrani. It's this, so it's really sad that society has consistently relegated actors and performers to just, it's hobby, it could never be something that needs to be the center of your life, because if it is, you're irresponsible, you're probably immoral. You know, I'm a backup plan. Yep, yeah, where's your plan B? And this really shouldn't be your plan A, yeah, so. Yeah, so yeah, I loved his point. I liked the overall message of it. Yeah, I did too. Like at the end, he was like, yeah, this kind of sucks, but also, I got nothing stopping me now. Exactly. That last frame where I was like, that's great. Yeah, I love that. Even though obviously it's, he lost his child, he lost his wife, he even lost obviously everything at his whole life basically at that village. And I'm assuming he went to maybe Mumbai or something like that and actually pursued what he wanted to pursue. Right, and the old adage better late than never. Yeah, yeah. But he was like, I got nothing to lose. Yeah. So might as well do what I want now. And it's also somewhat a cautionary tale in that regard. I mean, it is better late than never. And everybody, I think he like most people is doing his, was doing his ample best throughout his life. And you do reach a place where you, be true to yourself. Yeah. Be true to yourself. Yeah. I just, I heard an interview with Sylvester Stallone recently and explaining why he never took the money he was offered because people offered him $500,000, which was a lot of money back in the 70s to buy Rocky that did not want him starring as Rocky. Because he was an unknown actor. And he said, I wanted to make sure that I failed on my terms. I wasn't gonna die with regret after I spent that money and been mad at myself for selling out. And I wanted to die on my terms. So yeah, great message. But also at that same time, all his other team didn't use that. So they decided to give up. You know, obviously a lot of them weren't like the producer friend, I guess. He's not an artist per se, but there's others that were artists that decided to stay there and try to rebuild their life. Their life. But I also loved his last words to his buddy who said I'll be saving a stage manager position for you. And it was incredibly sad because the way they, because obviously everybody's like, you need a male, what do they call him? A male. The dancer? Dancer, male performer, male guy basically dressed as a girl, performer. And he didn't want to do it, didn't want to do it because he knew what it meant, I guess. But he'd be perceived. But also people praise you when you're doing it on stage and then ridicule you for the same thing off the stage. And it's what happened to Heath Ledger and his co-star on Brokeback Mountain. Oh, Jake Gyllenhaal? Yeah, Jake Gyllenhaal. They both were praised by critics and people, but in interviews and in many other ways they were deeply ridiculed for those portrayals. But also it was, I didn't even understand at times like that gangster guy that decided, hey, gay boy, I'm gonna show you how gay you are by raping you. I was like, how does that even make sense? It doesn't. Like what? Right. Hey, you're so gay, you're so gay, I'm gonna rape you. Right. Look at you, gay. Right, look at you, gay boy. What? Not as a story, I didn't understand. No, no, in the story, the mentality. It's the mentality of those kinds of people. How does that make any sense? It doesn't. Obviously you have some deeply closeted sexual tension that you have built up. You're living out a fantasy in the guise of heterosexual self-righteousness. Yeah. It just, I was like, how does that, like... This guy's so gay, I'm gonna kiss him. Show him how gay he is, because he's probably gonna like it. What? Yeah. Makes no sense. But also that scene was so sad. So sad. And also incredibly performed by you. So was, I loved the scene as well. Two other scenes I loved. The other one was the guy in bed with him. Oh, yeah. Saying, hey, no one needs to find out, it's gonna be fun. And then I was, the moment I was most mesmerized and couldn't take my eyes off the screen was when he is in full character coming onto the guy and he's saying, you're gonna do it, right? And he gives him the leaf and he hands it back. I was just, that was one of those moments where it's like, yeah, give the guy his Oscar. He's doing such a good job. Yeah, he definitely transformed when he was on stage as well. Yeah. Into that character. He was fully, he was, Atochal Karni was fully invested. I really liked her. Fully invested. Her as well. I did too. She had a... I liked both ladies. I liked his wife and I liked her, the dancer, future wife. Yeah. And that was interesting what they decided to do there at the end too, that she came with him at the end. She believed in him. I didn't like the end. I didn't understand the need for it. You know how it started in and how it ended with the award. I know why, because they wanted you to know that he made it. Right. I don't like that. I liked it. I think it would have been much more powerful to not know if he made it or not, but he's still pursuing it and them just going off into the distance. And... I like the ending because I know you don't like the button-up to have a happy ending. I don't. However, I do like the symbolism it creates, whether or not it's a little literal, which I think the story and script made it literal, but I think what it does is it puts the final stamp on the message of the film, which is, be true to who you know you are and in the end, you'll be rewarded. Now, it may not be in the terms of a lifetime achievement award, but that is representative of what it means. I think you would have still gotten that because he's still following what he wants to do by going off into the distance with her. I have no problem with that. Yeah, of course. That's my preferred types of endings. I know how they buttoned it up. In the beginning, you saw him at the award show and then they did the whole thing and then they ended it with that. I didn't need it at all because I would have gotten the same. I would have much preferred been like, I wonder if he made it. I wonder how he did. I wonder all that kind of stuff and they don't leave it up to you. They're like, no, he made it. I'm like, okay, whatever. That's fine. I guess he can be happy. Another thing I didn't... I think sometimes this was incredibly over-scored at times. Yeah, again, that's funny. You didn't notice? Didn't bother me. Okay. I'd say 85% of the time it was totally fine and I really enjoyed it because it's actually, especially the song part, it reminded me of Cyrat because it's the same music composers that we've heard many, many times. And their music is incredible. But sometimes the emotional moments, they would heighten up the music a little bit. It was a little much for me. But those are basically the only gripes I have at the end and sometimes it was over-scored. Other than that, I thought it was a really beautiful story. Yeah, the subject matter, especially for 13 years ago, aside from obviously loving the theater element of it being central, but the personal subject matter of all of this and the homophobia and the way society makes people feel certain ways based on you living up to society's expectations, which I thought was just really compelling. And it's not a surprise that this is a screenplay from a literary work. It feels like that because most screenplays from literary work are so substantive, you had to cut out the substance because there's so much in the books. They tend to lend really well towards screenplay adaptions as long as it's done well. And for those who know the book, I would imagine I read that it was well received critically. Yeah, like I said, this one has been on a lot of people like why haven't you watched Not to Wrong yet? The only reason I had waited this long because I was really hoping we could get subtitles for those songs because I heard they were important to the story. Yeah. Like they carried the story along, which I'm sure they did because they were beautiful. But like I said, we didn't have subtitles unfortunately. I just, my last final thought is I really do, the more I watch Marathi films, both current and older ones, the more my heart resonates with what we heard. Who was it? Do you remember who it was in that round table from the Marathi industry? Talking about how much he loves the focus of the industry but wishes it got more attention like Damal and Tolugu? I don't remember who it was that said that in that round table of artists. Yeah, I'm trying to remember. But I feel very much the same way. We talk a lot about, and it's well deserved, for example, Malayalam being so consistently, artistically unique and different. I feel like Marathi is the real quiet dark horse waiting in the wings for, and just stay true to what you're doing because I think it's just a matter of time the smaller the world gets and the more the streaming services and things of that nature make films available to people. I think it's just a matter of time for Marathi to have a breakthrough thing internationally that causes people to recognize more and more, not just them, but the totality of Indian cinema being beyond Hindi. And I just, I'm rooting for Marathi cinema because it's just consistently so good. I don't know how many, if we watched two or three this year, but that one earlier, you remember the one earlier this year that we watched the, basically about the God. Yes, then ends with the boat. The boat. In the river? Yes. Yeah. Yeah, it's his, he's the main guy who has the visitation at the tree. Yeah. Yeah. He said it was one of your favorite Indian films. Great, great, great film. Ever. But yeah, this was fantastic. Let us know what the next Marathi film should be, which will be the next Atul Kulkarni film, because we've seen Rangbassanti, we've seen him in... Hehram. Hehram, which is one of the first things we, I think really took note of him. Yeah, it was in Hehram. Hehram. And obviously we've seen the one with taboo and one heck of a screenplay writer if I may say so. Yeah. Exactly. So, let us know what his next film should be, which will be the next Marathi film that we should watch. Please let us know down below.