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BARFI (2012) and its wide range of inspirational sources.

22 Sep, 2012 | Inspired Movies (Alphabetical) / B

Director Anurag Basu’s last hit film before BARFI was an all inspired venture titled METRO which took its major content from more than one sources of the west. Perhaps that was the reason why while watching two great performances in BARFI, I still wasn’t convinced enough from the film itself because its direction again looked like all inspired from the different films of Charlie Chaplin and Mr. Bean as I could recall. But since the viewers were immensely enjoying the movie due to their own reasons, the inspiration factor took a backseat at my end which was again brought forward by a great post by friends at TANQEED.com revealing its few important sources along with their video links. The post started a fire over the net which lead to several other updates at various sites including IBNLive and then the readers also started adding many other inspirational sources of the film which simply ruined the BARFI impact for many who initially liked it.

Given below is the complete list of all those inspirations along with their links which might be disturbing for few readers here too who really loved watching the movie and its enjoyable content. So just check these out and enjoy the Original videos followed by the director in the widely appreciated BARFI.

1. The single door sliding scene in the film has been taken from Charlie Chaplin’s THE ADVENTURER (1917).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84nIFGJRwPU&feature=player_detailpage#t=1354s

2. The sequence where Rupa Ganguly brings her daughter Illeana in the forest kind of location and reveals the secret of her silent love is straight away from THE NOTEBOOK(2004).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s9Cp-M0C5k&feature=player_detailpage#t=113s

3. The final scene when Priyanka comes and shares Ranbir’s bed is also similar to the one in THE NOTEBOOK (2004).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ielkiD8w-M8&feature=player_detailpage#t=36s

4. The comedy scenes wherein where Ranbir walks into a door and his nose gets hurt, which he brings back in place with his other hand, making some more funny faces along with his comic movements with the dummy on a sofa are both inspired from the song sequence of “Make Them Laugh” in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SND3v0i9uhE&feature=player_detailpage#t=108s

5. The sequence where a statue is being inaugurated and Ranbir is found sleeping in the lap of the statue as the covers are taken off is straight away taken from Charlie Chaplin’s CITY LIGHTS (1931).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5_JqX9EUZQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=105s

6. The comedy scene on the ladder with Ranbir at one end and the policemen on the other is inspired from Buster Keaton’s COPS (1922).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nkkUZ6e3jM&feature=player_detailpage#t=18s

7. The scene where a piece of paper sticks with Ranbir and the manner in which he sticks papers strips to his eyelids and tongue was also there in TV series Mr. Bean (1990) and in Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ZgyftoQ9E&feature=player_embedded#t=501s

8. Planting the nails on the road sequence which results in a car crash is clearly lifted from a Japanese film KIKUJIRO (1999).

http://youtu.be/Ip9OI7ockW8

9. The bicycle chase moving within the narrow lanes and tapping the windows sequence reminds you of Jackie Chan’s PROJECT A (1983).

http://youtu.be/-Fl43rq3Zqw

10. The mouse running inside a running wheel can also be seen in a scene of BLACK CAT, WHITE CAT (1998).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WbX9Q5SjZg&feature=player_embedded#t=100s

11. The scene where Ranbir reads the newspaper of a naked Sadhu sitting beside him is the same as in a Swedish newspaper’s Advertisement.

http://youtu.be/MZPE7YmTKmA

12. The scene where it seems a car is coming towards both Ranbir and Illeana on the road which actually turns out to be two bikes coming parallel to each other is inspired from a similar sequence in MR. NOBODY (2009).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZdQGx5jPlo&feature=player_detailpage#t=4259s

13. The “Rotating the Clock back” scene can also be seen in the Korean drama “Lover’s Concerto” (2002).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA4hW7Wjih8&feature=player_detailpage#t=571s

14. Also the sequence where Ranbir is answering a nature’s call in the field is also there in the same Korean Drama “Lover’s Concerto” (2002).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA4hW7Wjih8&feature=player_detailpage#t=2535s

15. The interrogation scene where Ranbir responds to a question that asks him to reveal everything by starting with his birth was there in “The Goonies” (1985) too.

http://youtu.be/Q5UG7ISJfP0

16. The sequence wherein Ranbir and Ileana’s start distributing food to the needy was quite similar to “Fried Green Tomatoes” (1991).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW-2f-6j4hc&feature=player_detailpage#t=1670s

17. Another interesting observation is the final scene of Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s award winning Malayalam film “Mathilukal” (1989) which reminds you of the shoe throwing sequence in BARFI.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9GnXjAc2FM&feature=player_detailpage#t=2455s

18. A real life scene which can rightly be taken as inspiration in the exact meaning of the word showing a local train passing right through a small market as also used in one of the film’s scene.

http://youtu.be/MENjFkEAj9g

19. The tragic sequence of Ranbir’s father getting a severe attack but Ranbir unable to hear his voice has its resemblances with a similar kind of sequence in Gulzar’s KOSHISH (1972).

20. The parts of its background score seem to be very close to the soundtrack of French film AMELIE (2001) and more in the links below :

http://youtu.be/6lORWT3Kctw
http://youtu.be/0xgQ3qPKF58
http://youtu.be/GIjccDXKVKk

21. The sub-plot of the film staging a fake kidnap and death is partially inspired from the similar one in GONE BABY GONE (2007).

22. The main plot of the film of a love affair between a funny differently-abled man and an autistic girl is though not entirely same but quite close to BENNY & JOON (1993) and a Korean film OASIS (2002).

Now looking at the above mentioned sources of inspiration, it can easily be said that the director Anurag Basu, does have a fabulous research team with him worth praising. Because its really not easy to first collect and then also incorporate such a wide range of inspirations into a single film.

Cheers!

Tags : BARFI (2012) and its wide range of inspirational sources, inspired movies, copied films, inspiration in Bollywood movies at bobbytalkscinema.com, Barfi and its inspirations

22 Sep 2012 / Comments ( 20 )

Akash Dhand

submitted on 22 September 2012

Good detailed study of the subject.

Bobby Sing

submitted on 22 Sep,2012

Thanks Akash Dhand, but the appreciation really should be given to Sputnik (writer) at Tanqeed.com who started this fire with his first posting.

But if the subject really interesed you then here is a complete devoted section to the Inspiration Factor in Hindi Films at bobbytalkscinema.com.....and I am sure you would love reading them too.

Cheers!

Ashish

submitted on 23 September 2012

This is so sad yaar :((. Waise they had accepted that many scenes were inspired from Charlie Chaplin and also looked like it but taking about 10-12 shots directly isn\'t good.

However, to be fair to them, rip-off is just few shots, which forms not even 10 min in totality of the film. It is unfair to feel as if they\'ve committed some crime or something. 3 idiots has more screen time which are complete rip-offs from famous TVCs and videos. Iss sabke kaaran Oscar mein shayad consider na ho for awards as I think they look for originality but itna screen time ka rip off to maaf karna banta hai bhai.

Lekin people love criticizing and hence if this link picks up, popular opinion eventually might be "Abe poori ki poori film chori ki hai kitni bahar ki filmo se" which is so untrue and sad :(. I think Barfi, despite these flaws, deserves a standing ovation for what is completely original.

Bobby Sing

submitted on 29 Sep,2012

Hi Ashish,
Thanks for your comment but I would humbly like to disagree with that.
Actually its this "OK with everything" kind of attitude which has brought our Indian Cinema at this junction and if its Ok still kin 2012 where you can be caught within days then it will really take us many more years to think ORIGINAL.

By the way, now at the time I am writing this reply, the list has increased with many more scenes reported by some friends, so chek it too.
Cheers!

Chris

submitted on 24 September 2012

What do you have to say about Barfi\'s nomination to Oscars?

Bobby Sing

submitted on 29 Sep,2012

Hi Chris,
As I see it, the choice was completely biased and flawed as there were many more deserving films which could be sent.
And if you ask me then my choice would have been the South Hit EEGA directed by S. S. Rajamouli

Cheers!

Saurabh

submitted on 25 September 2012

That is very much detailed... I am just amazed how would you have come up with this detailed analysis. :)

Great Job Done!

P.S: A Facebook Like/Share button below the posts would be awesome! :)

Bobby Sing

submitted on 29 Sep,2012

Thanks Saurabh but the list was a result of a collective reseach by friends at TANQEED.com and then additions made in further comments and mails by more as it became the talk of the season at all social networks.

P.S: I would surely look into the possibility of having a Facebook Like/Share button soon.!

Cheers!

harmansandy

submitted on 25 September 2012

Great detailed and information, I like it. You have very deep knowledge.
Awesome.

Bobby Sing

submitted on 29 Sep,2012

Thanks Harmansandy for this collective effort (as mentioned in my earlier replies) and do keep visiting!
Cheers!

Aruna_Naresh

submitted on 25 September 2012

At the Oscars, let the whole world see that India has no originality left. Shame, man......Absolutely Ashamed!

Bobby Sing

submitted on 29 Sep,2012

Yes Aruna_Naresh, its really sad for our Indian Cinema!
Keep Visiting!
Cheers!

soumya

submitted on 25 September 2012

The point is still it is a bollywood commercial movie, it is very hard to find such kind of movies with true inspiration and idea in it. Benny & Joon and oasis I have to see, I thought at least romance part is contributed by them.

Bobby Sing

submitted on 29 Sep,2012

Sure Soumya its a bollywood commercial movie but honestly only one line of A Tribute in the credits could have saved it from such negativity. (And I will soon add this in the above article too)
Keep Visiting.
Cheers!

ABHIK DAS

submitted on 25 September 2012

Add this Italian movie - \"Life is Beautiful\".

Bobby Sing

submitted on 29 Sep,2012

Hi Abhik Das,
I have seen 'Life Is Beautiful' and cannot remember any particular seq from it at this moment. So if you have a spefic scene in mind then do send me the link or time or sequence so that I can chek it easily.
Cheers!
HIS BLESSINGS

Vishy

submitted on 26 September 2012

I was tweeting live from the theatre...dint know the entire movie is a lift bt d music seemed familiar then see..it\'s Amelie\'s. I could only identify The Notebook. Looks like Mr Basu dint have the pain of writing the script.

Nice detailed post.

https://twitter.com/vishyvibes/status/246671913252974592

Bobby Sing

submitted on 09 Oct,2012

Thanks Vishy for visiting and writing in.
I hope you would also enjoy reading many more interesting posts here in various sections of the site.
So Keep Visiting.
Cheers!
HIS BLESSINGS

bbg

submitted on 27 September 2012

Barfi and some of its inspirations in side by side video can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zk_IK0Yo8A

Bobby Sing

submitted on 09 Oct,2012

Thanks for the link BBG,
But this video was posted after many other such videos already made by many energetic movie lovers.
Cheers!

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