April 19, 2013
India Post
49
www.indiapost.com
Hrithik's Krrish now a cartoon character
'Eden' - the world where innocence is crushed MAGDA MARCELLA
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India Post News Service
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Rakesh Roshan's internationally successful and box-office topping franchise of Koi ‌ Mil Gaya and Krrish went on to become the first superhero films of the Indian film industry. The third instalment - Krrish 3 - is scheduled for a Diwali 2013 release, and will once again star Hrithik in the title role. This time he will be joined by Bollywood Priyanka Chopra, Kangna Ranaut and Vivek Oberoi. Speaking about the project, Rakesh Roshan says: 'Since 'Krrish 3' will be ready for release this Diwali, I wanted to revive the
he mighty Hrithik Roshan has conquered most feats in the cinematic world, from high-octane action roles, to drama and romance. But now the Bollywood heartthrob and 'Asia's sexiest man' has set his sights even higher - by becoming a cartoon superhero. Hrithik's much-loved Krrish character has piqued the interest of leading animation production house Toonz, which has partnered with Cartoon Network and director Rakesh Roshan's Film The cartoon films will depict the Kraft Productions to produce childhood adventures of Krishna, four animated who discovers that he can help movies based on people and save the world with the Hindi superhero. The car- the special powers bestowed toon films will upon him. depict the childhood adventures of Krishna, who memory of 'Krrish' with children discovers that he can help people and the newer generation who may and save the world with the spe- not have seen 'Koi Mil Gaya' or cial powers bestowed upon him. 'Krrish. I also want to spread the The films will be created over a 24 message of friendship and love month period, with the first, titled: through this series. My grand'Kid Krrish', due to air on Cartoon sons loved the idea and are excited about this project.' Network in mid July 2013.
den is a film about Hyun Jae (played superbly by Jamie Chung), an eighteen year old Korean-American who is kidnapped by an extensive human trafficking ring and forced into prostitution. It takes place in 1994 and is based on the true story of Chong Kim, a former victim of sex slavery who is now an outspoken activist against human trafficking. Hyun Jae is the shy and sheltered daughter of hard-working Korean immigrants who run a restaurant called "Garden of Eden." She helps her parents run their business, and her only rebellion is sneaking out In the back to smoke cigarettes. One day, Hyun's friend Abbie (Tracey Fairaway) convinces her to go to a bar after work. Hyun's mother begrudgingly re-
lents after getting assurance from Hyun that she'll be back by ten o'clock and will spend the entire Saturday cleaning the restaurant. Once at the bar, Hyun meets a charming fireman who introduces himself as Jesse (Scott Mechlowicz) and who seems quite taken in by Hyun, despite her braces and awkwardness. He plies her with alcohol and offers to take her home, but Hyun never makes it home. Instead, she gets sold to her traffickers and is renamed "Eden." The next several scenes show Hyun's new environment. We see
the warehouse where the (mostly twelve-tosixteen-year-old) girls, victims, slaves are housed. We see the locked storage compartments where they sleep on bunk beds, four to a room. We see the hallway where they line up every day - each one dressed in a grey tank top and grey panties. We see the communal shower room. We see their daily rituals: shower three times a day and after sexual intercourse, dry off with identical grey towels, wait in line for a daily pregnancy test. The warehouse is grey, cold,
and unyielding as steel. Filmmakers Griffiths and Phillips do not throw Hyun and the audi-
ence head-on into the midst of the horrors, the blood, the sweat, the fear, the pain of forced prostitution. No, they fan the flames. The film is completely void of sexual or nude scenes; violent scenes are rare and used only to make a point. We all know what happens to these girls. The girls themselves know what will happen to them. As the traffickers torture their victims by strumming their fear and anxiety of what is to come, the filmmakers make sure the audience feels the girls' growing dread. Through intimate close-ups of Hyun's face, we feel her fears and we experience the horror of her situation. Cont’d on page 51