ENDHIRAN (INDIA/2010/S. SHANKAR)

A modern twist on the Pygmalion story, Endhiran concerns the endeavours of Dr. Vaseegran who constructs a high-powered android named Chitti in his own image. Despite sharing the athletic ability of Bruce Lee and the dance moves of Michael Jackson, Chitti is not regarded by the relevant authorities as a valuable contribution to the field as it lacks rational ability or emotions. When Vaseegran transplants a positronic brain into Chitti to help him relate to humans better, he gets more than he bargained for as Chitti’s newfound emotions lead him to develop strong feelings towards Vaseegran’s fiancée Sana. Attempting to win Sana back, Vaseegran foolishly goes into competition with Chitti’s superhuman powers, underestimating the android’s ability to mimic his master’s behaviour.

A huge success at the box office, grossing more than any other Indian film ever, Endhiran covers many genres and feels as if it was designed to entertain the widest range of people conceivable, although whether it fulfilled this goal is another question. Lead actor Rajnikanth, playing both Vaseegran and his robot analogue Chitti, has some great comedic turns but is unable to sustain interest for the film’s 155-minute runtime. For the casual Western viewer, there are plenty of WTF moments – a scene where a naked girl runs into traffic is particularly baffling – as well as a plethora of tongue-in-cheek movie references, although the proviso of satire has not saved the film from accusations of plagiarism. But for all its various flaws, this Kollywood blockbuster has undeniable entertainment value.

ABHIJAN (INDIA/1962/SATYAJIT RAY)

An acknowledged influence on Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece Taxi Driver, this film follows the story of Narsingh, a ballsy cabbie whose two greatest loves are his 1930 Chrysler and his Rajput ancestry. When he inadvertently cuts off the district inspector, his attempts to smooth talk his way out of the situation land him in further trouble and his licence is revoked. Without his car, Narsingh feels lost and takes it upon himself to hitchhike to Rajasthan, where he encounters artful businessman Sukhanram who hires him to transport a consignment of opium. After some hesitation, he accepts and soon finds himself on a steady decline into a world of immorality. Throughout the tale, Narsingh’s pattern of self-destruction and irresolution is mirrored in the women who catch his eye. Neeli, a steadfast prostitute, bears the brunt of his frustrations, while village girl Gulabi brings out every guarded grain of optimism from him.

Best known for his low-budget, world-class Apu trilogy, director Satyajit Ray displays here a mature and confident style, creating for us a turbulent, dichotomous journey to share with the protagonist and fleshing out every character with the open wistfulness frequently seen in Italian neorealism. The photography makes for a pleasant surprise, and there are some particularly memorable images of Mama Bhagne, the rock said to carry everyone’s sin. Actor Soumitra Chatterjee does a superb job in the lead role, his expressive face saying more than a thousand lines could, while classical beauty Waheeda Rehman illuminates the screen with an award-worthy performance.