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Main Tere Naal Si

2011-04-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

Main tere naal si

Main tere naal si, us vehle jad akhri sah tenu chadiyai,

Dhadkan teri mere kaan teh digi, tere dil di awaz sun aahi.

Main tere naal si, jad rab jameen tek aakhe,

Swarg vich tenu legaya, bahaan che bah paake.

Main tere naal si, jad auh aakhri shabd tere bhullan teh ked di si,

Dard tere shareer nu chad aayi, akhan che baarsi meehi.

Main tere naal si, jad zindagi de anmol pal tere akhan saamne aaye,

Tere parnam lehi lakha farishteh, shabd aasman vich gaaye.

Main tere naal si paave main haath tera faar na sakhi,

Zameen hove yaa aasmaan, hamesha naal assi hona, yeh khayal yaad rakhi.

S S Maan

English translation:

I was with you

I was with you, in that moment when the last breath left you,

Your heartbeat fell upon my ear, I heard the sounds of your heart too.

I was with you, when God came down to earth,

Arm in arm, he took you to another world.

I was with you, when that last word danced on your lips,

Pain left your body, rain fell from our eyes.

I was with you when the priceless moments of life came before your gaze,

To greet you a million angels, chanted prayers in the sky.

I was with you, even though I could not hold your hand,

Earth or sky, we are always with each other, keep that in mind.

Punjabi Poetry

2011-04-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Aaj di Heer kithe guachayi,

Ranjha labke na nigah vich aayi,

Soni dhoob ke phir na jammi,

Mahiwal di udeekan hai bas lambi.

Hon ehi daso kaun reh si baaki,

Jinu ishq di kadar, pyaar di saaki,

Pak jeda rooh, auno mera sar,

Aaj di Laila Majnu tah hoye faraar.

Aaj di Heer nu lagi nashe di aadat,

Ranjhe nu maya di pehgi zahmat,

Soni ne dilan di behziti kiti,

Mahiwal nu hawas di thiai hi piti.

Hon ehi sunao main naa kive jora,

Napaak de naal, Rab to manga vichora,

Lehran vich SoniMahiwali nahi tarde,

Bekadaran di chaki vich au sab hi saarge.

By Sundeep Singh Maan

English translation:

Today's Heer is lost somewhere,

Ranjha I searched for but could not find,

Soni drowned never again to be born,

Mahiwal I seek forever, the wait forlorn.

So tell me now who is left,

Who values love, the merchant of amour,

That soul that is pure, awaits only me,

Today's Laila Majnu deserted for sure.

Today's Heer intoxicated with liquor,

Ranjha mad with greed for money,

Soni shamed many hearts,

Mahiwal consumed by the thirst of lust.

So tell me now how do I join my name

With the immoral, from God I seek distance,

In waves SoniMahiwal no longer swim,

In the grind of unfaithfulness, they all rot.

Aaj assi mil na saake

Aaj assi mil na sake,

Kal da ki barosa,

Par eh yakeen tah jaroor hega,

Ke kithe naa kithe, milna kismat vich tah hoga.

Jad mee da boond bhegayi, main us boond de vich hazir honga,

Tere chaam teh dig ke tere masam vich chupna,

Yah phir vagdi hawa vich, jo tere kes nu uda denda,

Main phoolan di patti banke, tere baalan vich saun jana.

Jado kaaliyan raatan vich, tu mombatti jagana,

Main parwana baanke, usdi loh nu chunnaa .

Yah fir tere jakhm toh jeri lauh dulda,

Aus lauh di vich, main pehl ke baar auna.

Jado pipiyee di pioo ambar vich wajana,

Us chek di vich main rachya hona,

Yah phir jado mitti jal tere bullan nu chumnaa,

Main auhi mithas vich baanke auna.

Jad hath de uthe pehi dunghi mendhi,

Paave kisi aur di hove, aus rang di vich main rachiya hona.

Yah jado tu jag vich nahi zindagi nu jamna,

Main udhe vich peda hoonga.

Jado maut aake tenu audhe giraft vich lega,

Teri masan vich main sutha pena.

Yah jado tu swarg vich ghisarna,

Main badal baanke tere pairaan tahle rehna.

Aaj assi mil na sake,

Kal di ki barosa,

Sau baar bicharke par,

Ik baar tah sanu milna hoga.

By Sundeep Singh Maan

English Translation:

Today we could not meet,

Who can trust tomorrow,

But believe we must,

That somewhere, someday fate will bring us together.

When a drop of rain falls, I will be within that droplet,

Falling upon your skin, I will hide within your pore,

Or when the blowing wind runs through your hair,

I will come as a petal, and sleep within your tresses.

When on dark nights, you light a candle,

I will come as a moth and touch its light.

Or when blood seeps from your wounds,

From that blood I shall pour out.

When the bird chirps in the sky,

In its song I will live,

Or when the sweet water touches your lips,

I will live within that nectar and arrive.

When deep mendhi adorns your hands,

Even if it belongs to another, I will be embedded within its colour.

Or when you bring a new life into this world,

I will take birth within it.

When death comes to take you in its hold,

I will be asleep within your ashes,

Or when you glide through heaven,

I will become a cloud and stay under your feet.

Today we could not meet,

Who can trust tomorrow,

We may part one hundred times,

But at least once we will have to come together.

Ik Daali - S.S.Maan

Ik daali teh chiri baithi si,

Main daali nu hilaya, usno daraya,

Chiri chekdi, ve pardesiya,

Main ithe bethi tenu milan li.

Maar udaari, main usno kendha,

Tu begani ithe, tera chirkna fazool,

Chiri rondi, pank nu watt laake,

Main daar chadi aayi tere vaaste,

Main murke jado dali kol langiya,

Chiri mere nigha toh hoi door,

Ambar vich main kholgayi chiri gaundi,

Ithe payi adar, kuli meri rooh

Mur aa chiri main uno kendha,

Phir dali teh bait main tenu daane kilama,

Dharti teh baithi audo tenu kadar nahi si,

Ambar vich sajgi tah aaya tera bulaava.

English translation:

A bird was perched upon a branch,

I shook the branch, to put her to fear

The bird chirped, oh stranger,

I sat here to meet only you

Fly away, I tell her

You don’t belong here, your chirping a waste

The bird cries, creases her wings,

I left my flock only for you

When I pass the branch again,

The bird is no longer in my sight

I am one with the sky, she sings

Here I find respect, my soul open

Come back bird, I call out

Sit on the branch again I will feed you,

On the ground you could not care,

Now I adorn the sky, you call out for me

main gali gali labda phira, pahaaran charke feh bhi na mila,

main mandir, masjid, gurdware nu jaava,

main taarayan di loh vich apni chaaha nu likhava,

main labiya samundro, main takdha reh raaha,

main sochan ke au vasda vich teriya baahan,

main teerat teh jaake, sarovar vich doob jaava,

main bachpan di kehde vich shayad auno paava,

main maa di chaa vich apne aap nu sulava,

main mitran di gaalan vich au dard nu puljaava,

main labiya heere motiya vicho, main chadiya maya di pukh picho,

Par ant vich eh pata tah hoya,

Ke mere andaroo au gaal vasda, haje tak si soya...

S.S.Maan

Translation

I searched every lane, climbed mountains but did not find it,

I visited mandirs, masjids and gurdware

I write my desires under the light of the stars

I searched every ocean, I awaited those paths,

I thought perhaps it lives within your arms,

I go on pilgrimages and drown in holy water,

I search for it in the games of my childhood,

I put myself to rest in the shade of my mother,

I forget my pain in the words of friends,

I look for it in diamonds, I left behind my greed of wealth

But in the end I come to realise,

That it lives within me, yet it is sleeping...

Radha Ka Sangam (1992)

2008-02-16T03:38:00.001-08:00

What does one say about a film that turned out to be a colossal let down when it released at the box office back in 1992? A film that boasted of a stupendous soundtrack full of melody by Anu Malik, starred two of the 90’s most prominent actors, Govinda (who had just hit gold with Swarg) and Juhi Chawla (who was riding high from the hit Raju Ban Gaya Gentlemen) and a film that promised a high octane love story but yet ended up to be such a disaster, that it was removed from most cinemas within it’s first day of showing!

Kirti Kumar’s pastoral love story of reincarnation and enkindling romanticism is a film that I believe was badly bested by audiences when in actual fact there were many other films at the time which were ignominiously patched together yet raked in the moolah. At the time of it’s release I was a mere five years old and failed to understand the complexities of the tale but there was something about Radha Ka Sangam that stayed with me…be it the unorthodox climax or the lilting music that made me search high and low for this saga and re-visit it some fifteen years later.

A desolate mountain top reverberating with squalling winds brings Kamal (Govinda) to its peak who openly declares his love to a dubious Rupa (Juhi Chawla). Kamal, who without even a thought prepares to jump to his death from the scaling heights after Rupa informs him that if he can’t live without her, he can surely die within her presence. Yet time had another lesson to teach the two of them, when just before he hurtles off the cliff top, a mysterious Baba stops him, proclaiming that Kamal should not make the same mistake again.

A mistake that lies embedded in the folds of time and through flashback, Radha (Juhi Chawla) appears jolting through flower laden meadows and aquamarine streams in a small village of sublime nature where she meets and falls in love with her Shyam (Govinda) much to the angst of the village thakur and dacoits who deem Shyam as a thief to their desire.

After declarations between the two lovelorn youths of “prem hai janmo ka sangam” they eventually wed, only for Radha to face the wrath of her lecherous brother-in-law Chander (Kirti Kumar) who had once been promised to Radha. Before Radha and Shyam can fulfill the union of their bodies along with their souls, Shyam is sentenced to prison for a crime he has not committed, leaving his newly wed Radha pining with her mother-in-law (Mala Sinha) for the day when her Shyam will return to their abode.

Poverty stricken and tainted as being unlucky for her husband Radha becomes smothered with a veil of depression, a veil that only lifts when she learns that Shyam has been found innocent and will be returning home and at last the symbiosis of Radha-Shyam will take place.

The powerful tide of time overpowers everything, kingdoms fall, evil dies, relationships change, seasons wither, and the new sun rises and it is in that one moment of time that Radha gives up her life before she meets her Shyam…uttering under her last breath that the two will surely meet in another life.

When Shyam arrives home to find his Radha lifeless yet still in his enceinte, he too passes through to another world, where the two are reborn as Kamal and Rupa…and thus the sangam of Radha takes place.

So just why do I hold Radha Ka Sangam in high regard? To most it sounds like a routine love saga with a reincarnation theme but for me, I can not help but see the Raj
Kapoor-esque mould of cinema through the camera lens, which is in actual fact highly akin to Ram Teri Ganga Maili, where the female protagonist awaits her beau and faces the turbulence of society in her pining.

Kirti Kumar symbolist style of direction speaks more than any dialogues throughout the film and the subtly of certain scenes makes for thought provoking viewing. Take for instance, the scene when Radha sits gazing into space after Shyam has been taken away and a scorpion stings her, yet she remains unflinching although she is a corpse. The sting from the scorpion represents the physical pain of a human being yet she lessens this in comparison to the mental pain of her longing for her love.

Whilst in Ram Teri Ganga Maili, the water becomes a symbol of the physical journey of the lead character, Radha Ka Sangam shows the journey of how the internal growth of a persons longing reaches its pinnacle similarly through nature. The director has mirrored this thought aptly through a tree which grows just like the relationship of Radha and Shyam yet then dies once uprooted, only to be planted again and nurtured in another environment, mimicking the concept of reincarnation and the union of the same souls in another era.

Musically, Radha Ka Sangam is a soundtrack that is often ignored just like the film. Anu Malik had composed a few noteworthy soundtracks at this particular juncture of his career namely Sohni Mahiwal, Mard and Ganga Jamuna Saraswati but Radha Ka Sangam is a pure paragon of his ability to infuse melody and soul into a soundtrack. “O Radha Tere Bina” is beautifully rendered by Lata Mangeshker and Shabbir Kumar (a talent that has been criminally underused) and Kirti Kumar also shared the microphone in a decent attempt with “Do Bole Kekhe Hum To Haare Hain” alongside Lataji. Whilst at the time of the release of the soundtrack, there was controversy over the fallout between Lata and T-series who allegedly attempted to dub the songs she had recorded for the film with the voice of Anuradha Paudwal (who sung the title track “Prem Hai Janmo Ka Sangam”) it is only by God’s grace that the scintillating “Bichwua” song was saved from such blasphemy as Lata reaches amazing heights through her vocals in this particular gem.

Govinda had often tried his hand at more than just comedy in the early days of his career with films like Swarg, Bhabi, Aawargi and Karz Chukana Hai but alas the junta was only ready to accept him with his buffoonery antics of the David Dhawan ilk. Kudos to Kirti Kumar for bringing out the romantic element of Chichi in Radha Ka Sangam as he delivers an earnest performance and one wonders from watching him perform in such a role, why he did not go on to become more of a romantic hero in his primetime.

Juhi Chawla is my all time favorite actress…and whatever praise I have for her is always inadequate. The village belle was a role that Juhi took to with uttermost precision and went on to master in films like Bol Radha Bol, The Gentleman and Ghar Ki Izzat yet in Radha Ka Sangam she perhaps looks her most radiant and charming. Again, an actress who became more renowned for her chirpy giggle, Radha Ka Sangam offers a chance to see Juhi in a more serious avatar and she certainly shines. Late Divya Bharti was initially offered this role but later dropped by the director but I can not envisage anyone else other than Juhi who bought her vulnerability so effortlessly to the character of Radha.

Visually, Radha Ka Sangam is allowed to be incriminated for being so nectarous, each and every frame captures the agrarian ambience adding a simpleton feel to its charming screenplay.

To most people, Radha Ka Sangam is a film that evokes no memories…because it is a film that most deem worthy of forgetting. I am not stating that it is a masterpiece of a film by any means…I however view it as a film that has resisted staling like many of the films from the early 90s…there is no forced comedy, no cringe worthy dance routines and holds a theme that still remains open for a lot of debate. I still can’t fathom as to why it was received so coldly, maybe the reincarnation theme was too hard to digest for audiences, maybe it didn’t offer the ingredients of a Masala hungry viewers…but whatever it was, Kirti Kumar must have sold out to what he thought audiences wanted after this disaster as his remaining filmography leaves a lot to be desired.

“The entire world continues coming and going in reincarnation” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib) …much like cinema, some of it leaving its mark unexplainably, like Radha Ka Sangam did for me but for few others.

"Originally published on PassionForCinema.com> http://passionforcinema.com/jodhaa-akbar-review/ "

Jodhaa Akbar (2008)

2008-02-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

It’s been a long time since I have walked out of the cinema hall with a feeling of equanimity and the asseveration of having just witnessed a film that will go down in history as a classic. The last time I was overcome by such a feeling was with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s poetic Saawariya, a film that many people rejected for its folklore style.

Jodhaa Akbar rekindled my faith in why Hindi cinema is the greatest entertainer in the glimmering world of movie lights, for it could only be the Hindi film industry that could conceive such a monopolizing oeuvre.

Set in the 16th century, Jodha Akbar is a sumptuous saga of romance which blossoms under the schismatic setting of political astriction during the Mughal era.

Rajput King Bharmal of Amer (Khulbhushan Khabarnda) arranges a marriage of alliance between his daughter Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai) and the Mughal Emperor Jalaudin Akbar (Hrithik Roshan) thus sewing the seed of tranquility between both communities.

However, Akbar is unaware that Jodha resents the consanguinity in which she has been used as seal against the polemics of politics, presenting him with a battle far greater than those he has enacted on the warfield…to conquer the love of his queen.

Armed with his heart as his weapon, Akbar’s language of love is as confident as each swing of his sword and by the time he has managed to encapsulate Jodhaa, the soil of the Mughal dynasty is marred yet again with the threat of annexation in which Akbar’s love for his kingdom becomes parallel to the love of his Jodhaa.

Asutosh Gowariker has to be congratulated for making a film with such conviction and executing his story on such a grand platform. Whilst the general consensus of many is that historical films dabble more in the complexities of the past through stolid like factual presentation, Gowariker is able to use his finesse of mixing drama with authenticity – the result being an exhilarating lesson in history which also carries a strong heart. The nail biting battle scenes have all been captured with sharp camera movements, transporting the viewer to the battlefield, the tense palaver between Ila Arun and Aishwarya demanded pin drop silence from everyone in the cinema hall…exemplary of the maestro director’s ability to capture the audience and throw them into a bygone era.

Hrithik Roshan as the Great Emperor Akbar is awe-inspiring. His performance is of dizzying heights, meticulously delivered without any room for criticism. Roshan epitomizes perfection, both physically and creatively resulting in the finest screen presence to be witnessed since Amitabh Bachchan. His Akbar is powerful and unflinching yet in a split second can transform to a smirking lover of loyalty towards his queen presenting a humane depiction of a figure who was obviously more than just a temerarious ruler. Roshan proves yet again just why he is the finest male lead to grace the screen since the millennium.

Aishwarya Rai is always at her best when she is regal and in Jodhaa Akbar she is dignity personified. The character of Jodhaa demanded a fiery yet graceful streak of personality and Rai achieves this balance with uttermost ease. The scene where she exchanges heated words with Akbar upon his accusation of her deceit is tremendous as she conveys vulnerability with angst, using her eyes to emote a thousand words. A character that does not demand huge amounts of dialogues but more so relies on the ability for Rai to emote with her expressions resulting in a play of wholehearted curtailment. Jodhaa Akbar is sure to go down as one of Rai’s finest examples of talent.

A R Rahman’s music may not be of chartbusting quality but it moulds itself into the story in such a way that without becoming officious to the narrative, it still acts as a conclusive transition, especially the Sufi style “Khwaja Mere Khwaja” which oozes a spiritualistic aroma of melody. “Azeem O Shah Shahensha” is robust in its presentation and only electrifies the magnitude of the character that Akbar was.

One can not speak about Jodhaa Akbar without mentioning the cinematography and costumes. There is a danger that when films are seeped in such grandeur, they shimmer more for their ability to satisfy the visual palette rather than offer satiating content but Jodhaa Akbar does not suffer from this ailment. The need for the ostentatious presentation is fully justified and equally rewarding to the eye, be it the intricate halls of the palace or the deliciously crafted jewels, all have their place and thankfully due to a taut screenplay, do not serve as mere ornaments by which viewers can pass their time admiring their beauty. Rather, one spends the duration of the film engulfed in the proceedings of the story which are only taken to a higher level with the alluring ambience of the Mughal era.

Period dramas carry with them the promise of acting as tools for society, where in today’s times many people are recalcitrant to pick up a book and read history; cinema offers them the opportunity of visually engaging with the quondam and interpreting facts in a more appealing manner. Jodhaa Akbar allows its audience all of this in a manner which is simplistic in relaying chronologic events yet also embarks on a simultaneous journey of love and acceptance, mixing the two to create an evocative experience.

History with a heart, Jodhaa Akbar ravages the screen with its royal fest of nobility and catalytic performances , crowning it’s viewers with cinematic glory.

"Originally published on PassionForCinema.com> http://passionforcinema.com/jodhaa-akbar-review/ "

Dillagi (1999)

2007-12-07T19:48:00.000-08:00

A high voltage love triangle graces the screen in Sunny Deol’s directorial debut Dillagi, a traditional tale of two brothers in love with one girl.

Hindi cinema has witnessed umpteen love triangle sagas be it the celluloid classic Sangam or the musical Saajan, from bubblegum flick Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to the epic Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. So, one may ask what makes such a tried and tested formula an enjoyable experience in the form of Dillagi? Quite simply, the treatment of a hackneyed plotline and the flawless performances makes Dillagi one of the best films to come from the Deol dynasty, thus transcending to a highly exhilarating cinematic experience.

Ranvir (Sunny Deol) and Rajvir (Bobby Deol) are two brothers who are poles apart. Whilst Ranvir is the sagacious elder who runs the family empire, Rajvir aka Rocky enjoys his playboy lifestyle whilst indulging in girls, alcohol and parties much to the worry of his father (Dara Singh) and grandmother (Zohra Segal.)

Enter Shalini (Urmilia Matondkar) a naïve and simple girl of a middle class family whose parents (Reema Lagoo, Khulbhushan Kharbanda) only wish is to see her complete her studies and marry. However, Shalini becomes prey to Rajiv’s charming ways and it is not long before the two strike off a friendship much to the dismay of Shalini’s friends who warn her of Rajiv’s whorehound antics.

Love is blind and Shalini’s eyes become equally clouded with dreams of marrying Rajvir much to the upset of her parents who wish for her to meet Ranvir as a prospective husband. Ranvir…who has loved Shalini by treasuring those moments in which he has seen her by glance yet never had the courage to express his love, arrives at Shalini’s doorstep with his heart already in Shalini’s hands.

A cruel twist of fate leaves all three characters wounded by Cupid’s arrow. Whilst Shalini rejects Ranvir only to realize Rajvir never loved her, Ranvir wallows in his sorrows of dejection and Rajvir comes to realize that perhaps his perception of frivolity accounts for much more when it comes to love.

Dillagi’s mainstay is based upon the fact that Sunny Deol has taken out the melodrama associated with most routine love triangles and presented a story which is seeped in reality and at times is highly relatable. The college ambience and the depiction of Gen x is a highlight of the film and depicts the double life that many youngsters lead in and out of the family home.

An interesting idea that the film presents is how young girls can easily be mislead in the world of starry love like dreams. The revelation comes in the form that the traitor of Shalini’s love is not a villain, but a believable character that is perhaps representative of a large population of the youth who are laidback in their approach to relationships. This message in itself makes Dillagi compulsory viewing and whilst not once does the film preach, it does make the viewer think about the gullible facet of human nature in todays fast moving, no nonsense world.

As a director, Sunny Deol should be commended for a number of sequences which he has treated with extreme precision. Take for example the scene where Shalini is humiliated by Rajvir at college, the flow of conversation between the two seems straight out of life and the following portions of Shalini rebuilding her confidence with her parents all strike a chord with the viewer’s heart.

Furthermore, both Deol brothers share a sparkling chemistry onscreen making for endearing viewing whilst the crux of the film succeeds in creating a high flow of emotional quotient, a prerequisite for any good love triangle.

Sunny Deol as the humble and mellow brother is a revelation. It is a refreshing change to see Sunny play a more subdued character rather than the roaring beasts of men he has become associated with. He captures all the right nuances and delivers an extremely likeable performance, much like the role he went on to play later on in “Apne”. An interesting point to note is that whenever Sunny takes on a role opposite Bobby Deol, he seemingly inhibits the more soft-spoken role, an indication perhaps of his real life character traits.

Bobby Deol as the stylish college rouge manages to generate both awe and angst from the audience with his performance, matching Sunny Deol step for step. He proves that he is confident not only with lighter moments but can easily tackle the zealous strands of cinema. Also, in the moments that offer him opportunities of outburst he gives a convincing delivery and manages to span a wide range with the character of Rajvir.

At the time of the films release, Urmilia Matondkar was riding high on the success of Satya and Kaun but also simultaneously facing the backfire of duds such as Janam Samjha Karo and Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain so Dillagi offered her the chance to revert back to essaying the role of the quintessential heroine. However, the role of Shalini is more the guileless college girl rather than glamorous goddess and Matondkar fits into the character effortlessly. Like Bobby Deol, her character too undergoes a variation of emotion from innocuous to downhearted to exasperated giving Matondkar a platform to excel. As well as looking alluring, she manages to bracket her performance in the same league as that of Kajol and Madhuri who have both played the college girl with élan in their respective careers. It wouldn’t be wrong to state that Dillagi is perhaps one of the finest performances to come from Urmilia with regards to her commercial films.

Zohra Segal as the grandmother is one of the sweetest elements of the film, portraying a role that will evoke smiles and laughs every time. Ditto for Reema Lagoo who as always is reliable as the concerned mother.

Dillagi offers a stellar soundtrack which provides excellence throughout. “Sangeet” – a peppy, traditional number which has become immensely popular for many wedding functions and “Dhoom Dhoom Luck Luck” provide the heavy Punjabi theme throughout the film. However, that is not to say the album is all beats and no melody as the soul stirring “Kya Yeh Sach Hai” makes for essential listening for fans of romantic ballads and the energetic title track “Dillagi” which is interspersed throughout the film, is worth a listen purely for its use of ten singers in one track.

A special mention must be given for the bouncy picturisation of “Sangeet” which magnificently captures the mayhem, glee and glory of a sangeet function and appears charmingly rustic as a result.

Initially, Sunny Deol had teamed up with famous Brit director Gurinder Chadha for a project called “London” which after the two parted ways became “Dillagi.” This may be the reason that at times; the film cinematographically takes liberties when referring to the décor of Shalini’s home which appears to resemble London interiors and exteriors within India!

Although Dillagi struggled to find success at the time of its release, it is one of the most highly underrated films belonging to its ilk of traditional love triangles. Sunny Deol in the director’s seat managed to create an engrossing tale sans bathos resulting in a clever conceptualization of modernity meeting love.

Cardinal family viewing, Dillagi mixes familiarity with a splashing of vanguard and as the tagline suggests…The Fun Never Ends.

Sajna Ve Sajna (2007)

2007-12-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

Director Hartinder Dhami makes his directorial debut in Punjabi family drama Sajna Ve Sajna, a film that launches renowned musician Bally Sagoo upon celluloid.

Punjabi cinema has seldom been innovative and so if you are walking into the cinema halls of Sajna Ve Sajna expecting path breaking cognitions, you will highly bemused. Instead, Sajna Ve Sajna stays in the zone of wholesome family entertainment and in doing so appears as a crumb of comfort for those willing to indulge.

The story unfolds in Pakistan where the marriage of Manjeet (Preeti Jhangiani) a humble girl working in Nankana Sahib Gurdwara is broken off due to her future in-laws stating she is too educated for their son. Much to the dismay of Manjeet’s adopted family which consists of Fatima Begum (Madhumathi) and her brother Jibran (Asif Shaikh) who desperately want to see Manjeet wed, whilst Manjeet believes that God has written her destiny with another and thus accepts circumstances as they unravel.
Cut to England where Bali (Bally Sagoo) spends his time composing music with his struggling band Desi Fever which consists of his English girlfriend Charlene (Zoe Szypillo) whilst relishing the wealth of his wealthy grandfather Kartar Singh (Dalip Tahil) who has become accustomed to his grandsons spoilt ways.

In a twist of events, Bali becomes hospitalized after a car accident and is reduced to a coma, much to the distress of his family, so much so that Kartar Singh pays a visit to Nankana Sahib to seek blessings for his family. It is here in Pakistan he comes to meet Manjeet and aware of the fact that she wishes to continue her work in temples across England, takes her back with him and honors her a place in his family home.

As Balis health begins to blossom, so does a friendship between him and Manjeet and it is not long before Manjeet and Bali’s family begin to dream of marriage plans between the couple. However, Bali is in love with Charlene, a girl he knows his family will never accept yet a truth he can not hide from. Upon her dreams shattering, Manjeet vows to unite Bali and Charlene before returning to Pakistan forming a routine crux of love, sacrifice and honor.

Sajna Ve Sajna is saccharine cinema in its full glory which you will either love or hate. The director relies upon cliché upon cliché to present what could have been a novel concept of clash of cultures in a mundane fashion. In fact, the film deals a striking resemblance to the earlier released Namastey London only presenting its screenplay in a more simplistic manner.

Family audiences and those who are still in favor of vintage cinema will certainly shower laudation upon Hartinder Dhami for his reaffirmation of traditional family values as the film stays faithful to the idea of arranged marriages and abiding youngsters, perhaps a concept hard to digest for the modern sector of today’s times.

The biggest downside of Sajna Ve Sajna comes in the form of one of the key elements of a satisfying film, performances.

Bally Sagoo in his acting debut seriously needs to re-evaluate his decision to grace the silver screen for he lacks the ability to even deliver his dialogues in a convincing manner, yet alone emote. He appears nervous, bored and extremely uncomfortable throughout the entire film making one of the poorest male leads to be seen in a while. The fact that whenever he spoke evoked unintentional laughter from the audience means it is suffice to say that Sagoo delivered a performance which can be deemed to be as blank as bricks.

On the other end of the spectrum, Preeti Jhangiani is the saving grace of the film. An actress who has not found much success in the world of Hindi cinema, in Sajna Ve Sajna she makes one sit up and take note of her ability and carries the film on her shoulders entirely. It was a refreshing change to see Preeti in a wholesome role and one hopes that her venture into Punjabi cinema will not be short-lived.

Zoe Szypillo is painful to watch. She looks attractive but again delivers a torturous performance, topped with extremely corny dialogues. Her facial expressions are extremely loud making her appear more like a clown as she pouts and beams coyly throughout the film.
Dalip Tahil is excellent as the traditional grandfather and ditto for Madhumati, both play characters that surely a lot of people will identify with.

The biggest assets of Sajna Ve Sajna come in two forms…the pictorial visuals of Scotland which have been captured in uttermost glory and the soul stirring music. “Pyar Pehli Vari” resonates throughout the film and is melodic the ears whilst “Yaar Di Zulf Udoondi” boasts of fabulous picturisation and equally enticing lyrics.

Hartinder Dhami shows promise as a director with Sajna Ve Sajna, not once allowing the pace to slacken or deviating from the original plot. The only problem is that it is a case of old wine in an even older bottle making for cliché upon cliché, offering a story as foreseeable as ABC.

Contrary to impression, I unashamedly enjoyed Sajna Ve Sajna for its predictability and at times corny concoction of a tale. If you can get past the bad acting from the male lead and the sporadic cringe factor, then Sajna Ve Sajna merits at least one watch on a rainy afternoon.

Aaja Nachle (2007)

2007-12-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

Madhuri Dixit. A name that needs no introduction. Its mere existence speaks volumes of its stature. A name that carries a sense of dignity, grace and a promise of performances of the grandest caliber.

So with the queen bee of Hindi cinema returning to the silver screen in Anil Mehta’s Aaja Nachle, expectations are only titanic and with a title that promises profound promenade, an awe-inspiring Dixit asset, audiences can only expect a delicacy of eminence.

The story starts with Dia (Madhuri Dixit) gyrating to the techno beats of a hip track in her New York Studio where she shows her students just how it’s done, setting the standards high for a visual spectacle of dance and merriment.

It is amidst these vigorous diapasons that Dia receives news from India of her guru ji’s ailing health and makes the decision to return to pay her obeisance before his last breath, setting foot in the town of Shamli where its inhabitants hold only contempt for Dia and her traitorous past.

Just like a vinyl track delays it’s embarkation of glory, Dia too arrives in Shamli only after her guru has departed from the world, leaving her with the challenge to bring the art back into people’s hearts and resurrect a now desolate and dilapidated Ajanta Thearte – the temple of Dia’s childhood learning’s.

With only two months to succeed in staging a mammoth stage play of which its players must only be those of Shamli, Dia has to ensure she is first past the finishing post. Faced with a number of abecedarian townsfolk as her students, the rest of the story sees how Dia manages to replace angst with ire to once again ignite the spirit of art in Ajanta.

Aaja Nachle is very much like an unreliable car…it starts off smoothly carrying its passengers on a high voltage journey but then midway breaks down leaving them stranded on a road of sluggishness pace, only then to restart in it’s belated finale.

Anil Mehta must be applauded for taking on a woman centric film which is sans melodrama and tears which only goes to prove that not all woman orientated subjects have to be about the oppressed female making Aaja Nachle a refreshing change. However, the problem is that the story is wafer thin and lackluster and has been unnecessarily stretched out to offer very little to it’s viewers in terms of content.

Granted that the approach of the film is to appear rooted in a degree of realism hence the tale takes a simple route but it seems the director compromised his original sentiments at regular intervals in the film. Take for instance, the title track Aaja Nachle where the screen explodes with a dozen backing dancers and a flamboyant set design…pleasing to the eye but a thistle in the flowerbed considering the character of Dia is struggling to find people to join her troupe yet so effortlessly manages to indulge in this grand number.

Furthermore, the proceedings begin to appear extremely calculable midway…the usual suspects of stern businessmen, corrupt politicians and hot headed hooligans all serving as Dia’s oppositions are easily won over by a mere exchange of punchy one liners or fiery jabber leaving the story in one dimensional mode. The film could have been a vision of brilliance had we been able to witness just how a female goes about to subjugate unbending chauvinists instead of settling for the pablum manner that unfolds before ones eyes.

The summation presents itself in full allurement where the audience is greeted with a spectacle of a stage show, complete with all the frills and twirls of glittering sets and rococo dance sequences…all too hard to digest and all too commodious for a tidy ending which packs in a great polish but not enough passion to convince of this facile omega.

As this is a Madhuri film, the viewers are gifted with her presence in almost every frame and that’s what makes Aaja Nachle worth a watch, purely to see the veteran work her magic yet again. There is little to be said about Madhuri’s capabilities as she always delivers and manages to encapsulate her audience with her charm and in Aaja Nachle she is just as dependable, looking extremely radiant throughout. Yet, the sad part is that she is let down by a poor story that doesn’t offer her the potential to reach dazzlingly heights in terms of performance. I for one would like to see her take on the role of a classic in perhaps a remake of Mother India or Pakeezah, a performance that would merit her talent.

The rest of the cast have little to do apart from evoke a few laughs. Kunal Kapoor is extremely likeable as the hot blooded male and how one hopes more is seen of him in fuller fledged roles. Konkona Sen is adequate although she doesn’t leave as much impact as one would have hoped. Akshay Khanna as always is flawless.

Musically, Aaja Nachle presents its best in the form of its title track which is sure to go down as another of Madhuri’s great dance fetes. The rest of the tracks bearing “Show me Your Jalwa” are mediocre, a sore disappointment in what was supposed to be a dance centric film.

Vaibhavi Merchant has been given the chorographical reins this time around but seems to have been quite bromidic with her moves. Although Madhuri shines with whatever material she is given, the numbers are certainly not outstanding when compared to her work in Devdas, Lajja, Beta and Khalnayak which leaves one thinking that perhaps Saroj Khan would have been a better choice.

Even in its conclusion one wonders what the purpose of the film was…there is never any mention of what went on to happen of Ajanta Thearte as the character of Dia returns to New York. As a result the viewer is left disorientated with the fact that perhaps the whole premise of the film was to act as a stage for Madhuri’s dance abilities and nothing else, which leaves the film mocking its own sensibility of nurturing ones heritage.

In the films climax, Madhuri delivers an apt line – “I came to India to fulfill my responsibilities and now I am done, I am going back” – but her loyal fans will surely agree that Madhuri has to grace the motherland yet again with her gift from the God’s. Madhuri has a lot more to offer than just Aaja Nachle, a promise of a spectacle that appears to have arrived not with a bang but more of a whimper.

Waris Shah - Ishq Da Waaris (2006)

2007-11-18T16:02:00.001-08:00

A spiritualistic story of a Sufi saint who finds inspiration in love, eclipsing into epic of Heer. Waris Shah delves sonorously into devotion in an exuberant manner, presenting a high voltage period drama.

Punjabi cinema has often been deemed as vulgar and clichéd, warranting only a layman status for its films which were accompanied by unendurable performances and tasteless storylines. However, post millennium; Punjabi films have undergone as stark a revamp as a Laurence Llewelyn Bowen boudoir, replacing the hoary with the contemporary. So when National Award winners Sai Productions announced their latest venture, Waris Shah, the first big budget period drama to originate from Punjabi cinema, expectations were mammoth.

Set in the Mughal era, the story unfolds with the emperor Aurangzeb lamenting a ban on music which he believes distracts one from God, a prohibition which hallowed saint Makhdoom chooses to ignore thus being sentenced to death. Before his early demise, he instructs his disciple Waris Shah (Gurdas Maan) to travel to Malka, a village where the ban has not yet been placed and an arena which he believes will inspire Waris to write his poetic tale, Heer.

Waris soon finds his muse in the form of Bhagpari (Juhi Chawla) and the two form a sinless love which serves as the backdrop for Waris Shah’s writings. As pigeon messengers, poetry and melodic tunes of flutes all come together to decorate the lovers rendezvous, a jealous and lustful Saabo (Divya Dutta) vies for a piece of Waris’ heart, only to be rejected by his upholding morals.

As the woman scorned Saabo vows revenge and instigates suspicions amongst the villagers that Waris and Bhagpari share an illicit relationship and upon Bhagpari’s espousal to another, seeks yet again to find acceptance from her infatuation. With love turned into the bitterness of lime, the three are left caught in a web of murder, misery and mediation.

Waris Shah should be applauded for bringing about one of the most positive changes in Punjabi cinema; it goes against the grain of every cliché and brings about an innovative and high quality experience which not only looks sleek but also carries a soul. Thankfully, the audience is saved from nonsensical subplots, forced comedy and commercial gimmicks but instead director Manoj Punj stays faithful to his story and delivers the finest of his career.

Performances are of a dizzyingly high caliber with Maan taking the forefront for his sincere portrayal of the famous poet Waris Shah. Maan brings about believability in a figure that is otherwise quite enigmatical to history and breathes every breath of Waris Shah as though it was his own. Unfeasible to imagine any other in his role, it is his ability to project the nuances of the character in a subdued manner, sans melodrama which works. As Maan is already an accomplished singer, it comes naturally to him to project the singing lyrics of Waris Shah’s poetic brilliance and together with his meticulous image of smoky eyes and sonnet tresses; Waris Shah is reborn on screen.

Juhi Chawla, after a career that spans twenty years, still holds the screen presence and grace of a leading lady and her performance demands an extreme likeability. Be it her allusive eyes or infectious smile, Chawla bestows the character of Bhagpari with all of the knowledge of a seasoned veteran.

Divya Dutta in a role that merges into the grey spectrum is a revelation. She manages to create a fine line between the fiery Saabo and the susceptible woman and thus walks away with the meatier female character.

A film with a legendary singer as its lead promises timeless music and together with Jaidev Kumar, Maan creates a spellbinding composition. The film is ornamented with emblematic verses of Waris Shah’s Heer verses throughout, also serving as much of the dialogue which is a treat for those in want of rich palaver. “Ve Kabootra” proves to be one of the most soulful gems of the noughties whilst “Kas Shama Aaj Tere Li” oozes with the haunting vocals of Kavita Krishnamurty. The songs serve to only move the story ahead and with a film that is central to the arts, the music comes as a welcomed gift.

The painstaking attempt to recreate the 18th century era is prominent in each and every frame and cinematographer R A Krishna has left no stone unturned to transport the audience into a medieval world.

Credit must be given to Manjeet Maan for the costumes of the film which were meticulously researched in various museums to depict the timescale aptly. The colors of the film work in such a way that they entice the viewer into a world of finery and murshidabadi silks which is beautifully backed by an irreproachable script.

There have been countless love stories which have graced the silver screen, greeting the audience with melodrama and cringe worthy dialogues. Yet Waris Shah goes beyond its indulgently seeped chimerical tale and ignites itself with a finer flame of spiritualism and mankind’s devotion to his ardor. This is what makes Waris Shah anything but a mundane love epic.

Waris Shah is an exemplary film not only for Punjabi cinema but for cinema across the world. Not once does it compromise itself but delivers a captivating and endearing story in an immortal mien. Late Manoj Punj never lived on to see the critical acclaim the film received when it garnered a National award but he shall surely be remembered for his pinnacle that is Waris Shah.

A masterpiece of understatement, brimming with emotion and spirit that can only be classified as poetry in motion.

Saawariya (2007)

2007-11-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

If ever there were to be a cinematic ode to poetry and the fine lines of a painter’s canvas, then Saawariya is surely the epitome of timeless beauty that exudes from the artists mind. Set over four nights, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s romantic escapade tells the tale of two individuals, intoxicated with amour and faerie-like dreams.

Returning after the critically acclaimed Black and the magnum opus Devdas, in what was touted as one of 2007’s most anticipated films, Bhansali launches Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, both children of major Hindi film actors. Although, the film has not lived up to the hype and has been heavily critiqued for its dissident style, Saawariya comes as a breath of fresh air when categorized with the usual melodramatic love stories that many fresh faces are launched with.

An unknown kingdom where winding alleyways and tropical waters merge together to create a surrealistic marriage of reality and fantasy brings Raj Ranbir (Ranbir Kapoor) a wandering musician to it’s doorstep. With only the musical notes of his fingertips as his pennies, he manages to find shelter with an unorthodox elderly lady Lillian (Zohra Segal) who finds solace in his enthralling kinesics. Simultaneously, he befriends Gulabjee (Rani Mukherji) a brazen prostitute who sees Ranbir as man who is able to touch her soul rather than her body.

Whilst strumming the strings of his musical aptitude, Ranbir encounters a weeping figure, clad in a black shawl upon a bridge, reluctant to reveal even her name, let alone her face. However, just like the magic he weaves with his guitar, Ranbir strikes a chord with the mystical figure, Sakina (Sonam Kapoor) and over a course of four nights he becomes besotted with her.

Mysteries are not necessarily miracles, and Ranbir soon learns this when Sakina reveals her past, leaving the two on a path which is strewn with more thorns than rose petals…

Bhansali, the maestro that he is, surely knows how to transport the viewer into the vision inside his mind and with Saawariya, he is sure to keep our gaze fixated on the two most important people of this story, Ranbir and Sonam, packing them into every frame thus compelling the audience into their world. Whilst many have written off the film for its slow pace and unexplainable ambience, those who are willing to let their imagination fill in the gaps will surely lap up the ambiguous approach of Bhansali’s storytelling.

Ranbir Kapoor is a complete revelation and makes his debut at a time when a fresh male face is desperately needed upon the Hindi screen. At times, his mannerisms are reminiscent of Shammi Kapoor and one wonders whether this was purposely modeled for the character of the story or whether it purely is a natural inheritance. Looking suave is just one aspect of being upon the big screen but Kapoor manages to radiate an extreme raw talent which can only gleam brighter the more it is polished. Note the scene where Sonam refuses to speak to Zohra Segal on the telephone and the manner in which he flits easily from happy-go-lucky charmer to confused confidant; it surely raises mammoth expectations for his future performances.

Sonam Kapoor as the mysterious childlike girl, intoxicated in love illuminates the screen with her timeless beauty and delivers a competent performance. However, seen as her role is at times not clearly defined and the character itself is engulfed in mystery for most of the story, there is a lack of a definite impact when it comes down to her acting abilities resulting in Ranbir walking away with most of the accolades.

Rani Mukherji as the tart with a heart is extremely vibrant and exotic in her spattered appearances during the film. She captures the nuances of the character perfectly and pulls off the brash image with an underlying vulnerability, a performance which will surely slot itself amongst more of her reputable work.

To add relief to the intense proceedings, Zohra Segal comes as a waft of sweet air and is immensely likeable.

Monty Sharma, who had previously provided a spine tingling background score for Black, this time laces Saawariya with mellifluous ballads, their depth only augmented by regal sets and infectious choreography. Whilst, “Jab Se Tere Naina” provides enough reason for the female audience to salivate whilst ogling at a towel clad Ranbir, “Chabeela” brings out the seductress in Mukherji who makes full usage of the moment to glimmer and packs in enough thumkas to send a thumri into spiraling frenzy. Criminally, the soulful “Jaan-e-Jaan” is edited to only its chorus line, disappointing those who wish to see the lyrical content of this gem transcended upon screen.

Visually, the film views just like an oil painting, swamped in blues and greens throughout and it is the director’s artistic ability to speak volumes through the look of the film which makes for essential viewing. Whilst the color blue traditionally connotes a feeling of despondency, it also works in Saawariya to promote the serenity and infinity of the progressing love story, much like the sky and the sea. Green is dabbled throughout the story and is more prominent in those scenes where the character of Gulabjee appears; hence representing her jealousy for the love that Ranbir nurtures for Sakina, yet green also signifies growth, the growth of the relationships between the principal characters which grow just like the greens of a meadow. Ironically, Bhansali is able to speak so much just with the look of his film which adds an artistic dimension to an otherwise simple story.

Although it can be deemed as presenting itself in a Marchen manner, Saawariya actually hides dark undertones under its glistening exterior, with destitute prostitutes and traduced mothers all simmering under the froth of the fairy tale concoction. Just like the traditional pass the parcel party game, when each layer is peeled away, Saawariya becomes more exciting and appears just as intricate as a Persian carpet.

Saawariya is a romantic epic, transcending time allowing the director to engulf the viewer in a Boulevard of broken dreams. A must for those who wish to view art nouveau in its grandest form upon celluloid.

Om Shanti Om (2007)

2007-11-17T18:14:00.000-08:00

Farah Khan, director of Main Hoon Na, presents her next innings at the box office with Om Shanti Om, a homage to the 70’s era of Hindi cinema complete with all the frills and frivolity of new age cinema.

Bollywood. A term which is widely used to describe the Hindi film industry and Om Shanti Om packs in everything that is remotely “Bollywood” looking, sounding and moving to create the ultimate masala potboiler. An inane story which replaces bashful with boastful, magnifying everything to present an in-your face entertainer.

Rewind to the beehive, flared pants, flower print 70’s and a harlequin Om (Shahrukh Khan) explodes onto the screen, gyrating and pouting in full glory, desperate to land a role as a lead hero whilst working as a junior artist.

Om spends most of his time talking to the hoardings of hot sensation, “dreamy girl” Shanti (Deepkia Padukone) a lead actress who Om is bewitched with but it is not until Om saves her from the burning sets of a film studio, that she gives him a flicker of her eyelashes and the two form a bond.

A bond which Om mistakes to be love but in reality is only friendship as Shanti is secretly married to the lecherous Mukesh (Arjun Rampal) a money driven film producer who is planning his next blockbuster “Om Shanti Om”. Mukesh wishes to keep the marriage a secret until the completion of the film but a pregnant Shanti demands he announces their truth to the world much to his dismay.

In his rage, Mukesh mercilessly kills Shanti unaware that Om is witness to the whole incident. Whilst Om desperately tries to play the hero yet again to save his love, Shanti leaves the world…along with Om…only Om is reincarnated as Om Kapoor, son of a starlet and now an A list hero.

After a series of unexplainable flashbacks relating to his previous life, Om ultimately learns the truth of his past and sets out on a mission to undo the sin that Mukesh inflicted upon Shanti and him…this time with the help of a Shanti look alike, who may not be just what she seems…

Om Shanti Om works for two reasons, the comedic elements and the visually stunning dance numbers but a whole load of laughter and glitter can not save a hackneyed storyline which stagnates in the second half. Granted that the film is a tribute to the bygone era of the 70’s and so packs in all the clichés that audiences are familiar with but one misses an innovative and compelling story which is ultimately the backbone of any film.

Farah Khan deserves kudos for being brave enough to mock the all too soporific trends of the industry for example in the Filmfare Award sequence and throughout several other moments in the film. However after an entertaining first half, it is the amalgamation of both the 70’s and the present that leaves the viewer disdained as what starts off as a spoof film turns into a inane paradox in the second half of the films preliminary sentiments.

Khan’s role as Om is anything but path breaking. It does however, offer him the chance to play to the gallery and tap all the right buttons to present a character which is ultimately built around his star image. Whilst physically he may have re-invented himself with the much talked about six packs, it would be far more appealing if Khan presented his acting ability in a new manner instead of depending on the tinsel of big budget films to carry him through in the latter part of his career.

Padukone makes for the essential eye candy which is prevalent in most commercial flicks and delivers a confident debut. However, one wishes that Farah Khan had given her a meatier role where she could have demonstrated her acting abilities to a larger degree rather than appearing mainly as a decorative ornament.

Rampal as the villain is excellent in the first half of the film, fitting to the role as precisely as a tailors stitching pattern. He excels as the ruthless and arrogant Mukesh but in the latter half of the film, he is letdown by a shoddy get up which makes one laugh more at his look rather than grimace at his antics.

Musically, Om Shanti Om caters to almost every mood and with Farah Khan being a seasoned choreographer; the song and dance routines prove to be a showcase for her to display her forte in glory. Whilst “Deewanagi Deewanagi” appeals for its star quotient and "Dhoom Tana" is magnificent for it's presentation and nostalgic element, bringing a smile to the faces of those who have grown up on a healthy dose of Bollywood films. The quintessential item number “Dard-e-disco” with Khan in his gasconading six packs would be any drag queens wet dream for its camp factor.

Om Shanti Om is by no means a poor film; it is however a film that fails to leave a lasting impression. The aim of the director is purely to entertain and she succeeds in doing so but in the meantime, there is little substance within the story.

The death sequence of Om is well executed and makes for gripping drama, ditto for the heated confrontations between Shanti and Mukesh, however such moments come in dribs and drabs. The climax of the film is extremely drawn out and appears to send out the famous “shuffle in your seat” syndrome to its audience when a film refuses to end.

Om Shanti Om makes a lot of commotion and in doing so promises a lot to its viewers yet ends up delivering little, with the end credits rolling sooner than the smoke has settled from this gaudy explosion of Bollywood glory.

Jab We Met (2007)

2007-10-25T16:37:00.000-07:00

Take a sassy Sikhni from Batinda, a bashful business man; add a splash of Punjabi merriment and the result is Jab We Met…the burlesque romantic drama of the season.

As the lights go down in the cinema hall and the first scenes of a brooding and despondent Shahid Kapur appear on the screen, one is somewhat taken aback by Imtiaz Ali’s choice opening in what is supposed to be a frolicking romp of love and relationships.

However, our minds then flashback to 2005 when he presented us with the finely crafted Socha Na Tha, a film that showcased his potential as a director and presented an otherwise hackneyed love story in a rejuvenating manner, reaffirming our confidence that Jab We Met will certainly be a notch higher.

So the show begins with Aditya (Shahid Kapur), as he walks about his surroundings in a nonchalant demeanor, the sorrows of his life clearly visible on his face…and although we are offered no explanation as to why, we are grateful that we spared the often predictable and mundane monologues that Hindi cinema is so typical for when attempting to explain the banes of a characters life.

Instead, through slick camera shots and angles, we learn that Aditya has actually been jilted by his lover…and as result of this depressing awakening, is now aimless and beaten by the gripe of life. The beauty of Imtiaz’s Ali’s film has just begun to unfold…an avant-garde style of presenting the facts but without dawning upon them, letting the camera capture visuals that speak a hundred more words than any dialogues can.

Ebbing away is the will to live and Aditya remains enclosed in a bubble of confusion and dejection…a bubble which pops as loudly as a champagne bottle, fizzing away furiously as it drips and drabbles, and in its gushiest moment brings Geet (Kareena Kapoor) to the forefront…Geet who explodes onto the screen with the exact vigorousness of Moet and leaves a taste just as enticing.

Geet is everything that a never ending record can be…extremely satisfying to the earlobes but equally painful to the head yet she brings the required zest into Aditya’s life just when he felt that thunderclouds were only effusing upon him.

After a tumultuous encounter on a train ride to Bhatinda which ultimately ends in havoc, Aditya and Geet are left stranded in each other’s company…both occupy the jewels of life that the other needs. Whilst Aditya’s practical outlook and shrouded in realism approach brings the necessary restraint into Geet’s bumbling existence, Geet hands Aditya the jewel of hope and living for the moment…thus starting the beginning of an endearing relationship.

However, Geet has a problem. A problem which lies within the vibrant and chirpy home of her Punjabi household where her family members are preparing to marry her off to childhood sweetheart Manjeet. Yet, Manjeet has been replaced by long time lover Ashuman in Geet’s marital dreams of shenai and shaguns, a reality she is sure her family will disapprove of.

Unaware of the ensuing dilemma, Aditya escorts Geet back to her family home safely and as a result, becomes a guest amongst the bustling preparations whilst Geet awaits the right moment for her to flee into the arms of her beau.

God made time, man made haste…and haste is exactly what entangles Geet into an awakening of reality, leaving her at a point where she can no longer turn back and head down the path that once led to the ultimate quirky Sikhni of Batinda that she once was.

Could Aditya be that resolve? Unknowingly, Geet has traded part of herself into Aditya’s own being and now it is only he who can and will restore the tinted rose glasses that Geet viewed the world with. As a savior, he enters Geet’s world yet again, igniting his true feelings for her but this time with one motive, to put the sassy back into the Sikhni…

So what works about Jab We Met? The answer is quite simply everything! Imtiaz Ali has made a film which will appeal to almost every sector of the audience, complete wholesome entertainment, regulatory song and dance, romance, comedy…but all packaged in a chic and embryonic manner sans cliché and melodrama, which makes Jab We Met refreshing in its approach and piquant in its resolve.

The initial portions between Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor set the tone immediately, with the interactions clearly defining the characters and Imtiaz Ali wastes no time with nonsensical characters but rather contends with the two protagonists of his story, which are in actual fact the meat of the film.

The sleek and direct shots in quick succession of Geet’s constant babbling are proof of the director’s ability to pack in punch without drawing out the obvious, which throws out the threat of insulting the viewer’s intelligence.

Likewise, the sequence of events from the train journey, to the couple spending a night in a bed-sit right through to the arrival in Bhatinda cuts out any frills and fancies but instead concentrates on establishing what makes the characters tick and lays a strong foundation for the second half.

Whilst the first half of the film is layered with comedy and chaos, the second half relies more on emotions and the transition of both the lead characters. Although there was the hazard of deviating from the plot with singular tracks around the family members, Imtiaz stays faithful to his vision and provides a satisfying insight into the minds of the protagonists resulting in a tidy climax.

Plaudits to Imtiaz Ali for his projection of a Punjabi family which is void of any stereotypes, a welcomed change after a long time. For years, we have been subjected to the clownish, garishly dressed and buffoonery antics of Punjabi characters on screen, many of which are found in abundance in Yash Chopra/Karan Johar cinematic ventures. Growing up in a Punjabi household means as a viewer I was able to identify with the characters on every level, be it the extremely realistic representation of Geet’s grandfather played to perfection by Dara Singh or the general acquirement of the hustle bustle that rules during weddings and functions.

Sahid Kapur deserves great credit for his work in Jab We Met speaking volumes with his eyes. It was very easy for him to be overshadowed by the extremely flamboyant character of Geet but instead he proves his mettle, churning out a sincere and flawless performance. The opening scene of the film shows how he excels in conveying so much through his mask of expression and likewise, in moments of comedy, he brings about the uneasiness of Aditya like a natural. In Vivaah, Shahid played a character which can be seen to be extremely removed from reality but in Jab We Met, his character is both identifiable and likeable. A man who is still paining from the desertion of his mother and lover…and how he reaches a position where he is both at ease with himself and the people around him is conveyed with extreme panache, credit to Imtiaz Ali’s direction and Shahid Kapur’s talent.

Kareena Kapoor is a complete revelation. Although I have been skeptical in the past regarding her performances, in Jab We Met she transforms into Geet like a caterpillar to a butterfly, spreading her wings so far that her performance shows a varied range. Accused in the past of going overboard with her acting, it is exactly this trait that works for her in the film, the contorting facial expressions, highly charged delivery of dialogue and overt body language; everything works in favor for the character of Geet. Kareena is suited extremely well as the Punjabi girl both in looks and persona and one can see the painstaking attempt to make her appear authentic on screen. For example, her costumes, which are both tasteful and reflective of her Punjabi background, are taken one step further when we learn that in actual fact, Geet, the Sikhni from Bhatinda sleeps in a T-shirt and salwar…these minute details make us see only Geet rather than Kareena Kapoor and it is hard to imagine anyone else in her place. Even when the character is played down, Kareena manages to hit the right notes and still, glimmers of the zany Geet ebb through. A performance which reminded me greatly of the bubbly characters Juhi Chawla played in films like Andaz, Bol Radha Bol and One Two Ka Four with great ease; this is certainly one of Kareena Kapoor’s better examples of her talent.

Music is a huge asset to Jab We Met and Pritam has provided a refreshing and dynamic soundtrack. “Nagada Nagada” is likeable for its energetic and playful picturisation both generous in color and commotion. The use of Punjabi folklore throughout the song is outstanding and captures the spirit of the film instantly. If melody is the call of the day, then “Aao Milkar Chale” manages to serve the mushy palette and “Mauja Mauja” is scintillatingly seductive visually but perhaps deserved better placement in the story.

Technically the film loses a few points, purely for the fact that at times the wide-angled shots of the cars and trains appear as though they are in actual fact toys which gives the impression of an amateur. However, one is prepared to overlook this due to the engaging events on screen which make up for any minor glitches.

After a long time in Hindi cinema there has been a love story which throws out the mush and the predictability and instead presents a tangible tale of two yet still remains faithful to the idea of escapism.

Imtiaz Ali has to be commended for his no nonsense approach to directing and thanked for the fact that he trusts the audience to interpret the goings on as they feel apt without indulging in spoon feeding the viewers.

Just take for example, the symbolism of the train in the story…the very train on which Aditya and Geet meet and the very train which becomes the starting point of all their problems. The train which goes back and forth, back and forth carrying people to their destinations, it’s wheels furiously spinning in all its glory…yet it never becomes fully acquainted with its passengers as it’s too busy reaching its station and finally when it does halt to a stop, it finds itself desolate.

Similarly, just like the train in Jab We Met, Imtiaz Ali presents us with two characters that keep running on the same track, their passions and aspirations prove to be their steam and finally when they do stop…the journey proves to be life changing. This is the beauty of Jab We Met and exactly what makes it frivolous fun from the outside but a lot deeper on the inside.

A revivifying presentation laced with infectious comedy complete with soul, makes Jab We Met a meeting that certainly garners top place in your diary.

Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986)

2007-10-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

An adaptation of Rajinder Singh Bedi’s Urdu Novel by the same name, Ek Chadar Maili Si is a poignant tale set in rural Punjab of one woman’s fight against custom and tradition.

The Punjab has seen the literature of its soil being transcended to the silver screen many a time be it Amrita Pritam’s Pinjar, Nanak Singh’s Pavitar Paapi or Mohan Rakesh’s Uski Roti, but Ek Chadhar Maili Si is perhaps one of the most underrated of the cartel.

A woman’s place in society is only intact until her husband is by her side…the home she lives in after marriage, the children she has borne, the dowry she brings with her…none of it belongs to her but is instead the property of the man who married her. So what happens when that man no longer exists? Is she left to fend for herself under the scrutinizing eyes of society or will tradition bind her back into social acceptance?

Ek Chadhar Maili Si follows this ethos and takes an insight into to the old age custom of chadar-andazi within Punjab, a custom which allows widow remarriage and is prevalent amongst the Jatt community. Taking the audience on a journey of one woman’s trials and tribulations within her family, Ek Chadar Maili Si questions whether or not the practices which are in place hinder people rather than help.

Ranno (Hema Mailini) lives with her husband Trilok (Kulbhusan Karbandhan) a brutish horse and cart driver by day and an alcoholic by night. Making up the family is her disparaging and malodorous mouthed mother-in-law Jindhi (Dina Pathak), blind father-in-law, her carefree daughter Guddi (Neena Cheema) and her infantile son. Adding mischief to the proceedings is her tardy rogue of a brother-in-law Mangal (Rishi Kapoor) who manages to bring laughter into the household with his jovial demeanor.

Ranno is living a respectful life in a small village of Punjab with her husband and his family, albeit she is plagued with the daily abuse of her haggard mother-in-law who finds fault even with perfection, and the spiraling misbehavior of Trilok as he takes to the bottle every night, resulting in Ranno being at the receiving end of his violent outbursts.

Yet still, head held high, she is able to engage in gossip with the other women of the village or dance to merry abandonment at a neighbor’s family function, trading the cantankerousness of life for a few moments of glee, proof of her unflinching and never say never character.

Meanwhile, Mangal, with his purposeless and insouciant lifestyle, which consists of spending days roaming around with his friends stealing watermelon’s from fields, falls in love with a nomadic girl of a brash nature, Raaji (Poonam Dhillon). Raaji brings a halt to Mangal’s frolicsome antics and with her infectious personality; she hones him into a world of love and longing, trading his aimless wandering for angelic moments of passion where the two dream of tying the nuptials.

Woe betides when Trilok is murdered under a case of mistaken identity leaving Ranno widowed with two children and with the family’s sole breadwinner dead, a wake up call for Mangal to shoulder the responsibility of the household.

Ranno is subjected to the taunts and vilifications of her mother-in-law who holds her as criminal for her son’s death and when Mangal is arrested after brawling, the omen of bad luck upon the family is considered to be the unsought present from Ranno’s ill-fated hands.

Penniless, on the verge of starvation and with nowhere to turn, Ranno takes to lending money from the local villagers in order to buy food for her in-laws and her children turning a blind eye to the comments on the amount of handouts she is receiving to aid her plight.

Meanwhile, Jindhi takes to selling Guddi off for marriage in order to bring in money to the household but Ranno becomes aware of this ploy and in an attempt to ensure her children are in no further danger, for the first time stands up to Jindhi’s shrewd ways, much to old woman’s amazement.

Returning home to a cloud of privation which effuses dust of tension and squalor is no delectable prospective for any being, so when Mangal arrives home to once again pull the plough from the mud, his only respite comes yet again in the form of Raaji who still awaits the day the two will wed, whilst Mangal works day and night to improve his family condition.

Desperate to consolidate a place of her own in her in-laws home and to protect her children, Ranno becomes exhausted of any way out of her claustrophobic situation and finds it harder to keep hold of Guddi who seems ignorant to her own growing beauty and age.

Help comes in the form of the village counsel who agrees the only way to ensure the well-being of Ranno’s future and that of her children, is for her to wed Mangal under the custom of chadar-andazi, a remedy which will cure all of Ranno’s problems and protect her honor and sanity.

The decision hits both Ranno and Mangal like a javelin in it’s sanguinary grandeur, restraining both and leaving them at a point in life where duty seems to prevail over a humans desire.

Ranno, who has nurtured Mangal like her own child is suddenly forced to accept him as her husband. Mangal is bound by custom to unwillingly sacrifice the pining Raaji whilst the family all believe that they stand to gain from the extrication that chadar-andazi will bring for them.

Just how and why do social norms restrict mankind? And will the custom of chadar-andazi which is supposedly in place to solve woman’s quandary ultimately harmonize Ranno’s wounds?

Ek Chadar Maili Si is a social drama which presents itself in a simplistic manner to the viewer, heart-rending and mettlesome in its approach, aided by its authentic rural ambience.

Sukhwant Dadda has handled several portions with extreme sensitivity and allowed the actors to develop situations with subtle nuances rather than to present a garishly melodramatic saga, the kinds of which were quite common during the 80s.

Several scenes have been executed with the finesses of a maestro, for example the depiction of the relationship between Ranno and Trilok, both fiery and entrancing as we see Ranno await her husband at the doorway each day to give him his food despite his shortcoming as an individual.

The scene where Trilok attacks Ranno is extremely realistic, exempt of any ostentatious sound effects or background music but instead relying itself upon the shrieks and cries of Ranno and the blasphemous language of Trilok, filling the air with tension and disgust, leaving the viewer genuinely appalled by the antics that unfold before their eyes.

In contrast, the scene where Trilok’s dead body is carted before the doorway of the house and the villagers look on in bewilderment as they identify the body is extremely underplayed, relying on slow camera shots and actors expression. This serves to be a cleverly conceptualized scene. The very doorway which Ranno often stood at awaiting her husband or the doorway that constantly served as a threat for her to be thrown out of the house becomes the benefactor of her spouse’s corpse, plunging her from married woman to widow in split second, the doorway constantly acting as a reminder of the fragile place she holds in her husbands home.

Similarly, the scene where Ranno can not bring tears to shed from eyes upon seeing her husband’s body is exemplary and witness to Hema Malini’s capabilities as a performer. Her use of expression and complete portrayal of helplessness and confusion is so deftly presented that one wonders and regrets as to why Sukhwant Dadda did not have a longer career as a director in the industry.

The weakest point of the film is its climax which lacks punch in its deliverance. The viewer is left feeling quite perplexed as to why the character of Ranno would react in the manner she does and no real resolve is advertised. Given, the realistic treatment of the film allows there not to be a convenient culmination to the tale but a statement upon the films premise would have been apt. Instead, we are left with the feeling that the characters of the story are victims of their circumstances and the conflict that ensured earlier on can almost be deemed as irrelevant.

Also, it seems in order to add an element of cliché into the story, the love angle between Rishi Kapoor and Poonam Dhillon is actually forced and highly irrelevant. In the novel, the character of Raaji is only a passer by in Mangal’s life but in the film, the two develop a relationship offering ample scope for song and dance and couplets…a facet of the story which was not needed.

In an author backed role, Hema Mailini dominates the film with a stellar performance of a woman trapped by destiny. Her character undergoes a drastic transformation from bubbly housewife to vindicated widow and its Hema’s conviction that makes this a noteworthy effort. Those who have branded Hema as just a dream girl, enacting glamorous and spunky roles in films like Sholay, Seeta aur Geeta and Trishul surely need to watch Ek Chadar Maili Si to view the depth the actress can reach. Her eyes convey measureless emotions and even in scenes where she is required to screech and scream, there is a remarkable restraint apparent making her live the life of Ranno on screen.

Kulbushan Kharbanda is perfectly cast as the proud Jatt husband, augmenting the Punjabi accent and making his character both loveable and disgusting at the same time. He turns out a performance which is extremely rustic and creates a fine balance between menace and buffoonery.

Rishi Kapoor is given a character that like Ranno, encounters a metamorphosis and proves his versatility in both comedy and serious subject matter. Back in 1982 where he had happily accepted the widowed Padmini Kohlaupre in Prem Rog portraying an extremely sensitive character of a dejected lover, here in Ek Chadar Maili Si he appears on the other side of the spectrum, showcasing guilt, confusion and subordination all in one, making for satisfying viewing. His control over the Punjabi accent is commendable and effortless and as a result Mangal is a character that appears extremely natural.

Poonam Dhillon has little to do in the film apart from act as the young girl in love blissfully unaware of her lover’s strait and seen as her character is unnecessary, she fails to leave an impact.

Dina Pathak is superlative in a role that makes one realize just what a powerhouse of talent she was. Her performance makes you hate the character right from the opening scene and rightly so as Dina ejects an extreme irritable quality into the character of Jindi, making the viewer detest her with all their might.

Musically, Ek Chadar Maili Si offers two highly likeable songs. Firstly in the form of “Margi Margi” an upbeat folklore number of the Punjab, accentuated by Asha Bhosle’s powerful vocals. Filmed on an energetically, furiously dancing Hema Malini in a courtyard of a village house, the song makes for great viewing due to it’s fast-paced choreography and credible ability to portray a Punjabi gathering in all its glory.

The second treat comes in the deliciously enticing “Na Sona Na Chandi” which is filmed on both Rishi Kapoor and Poonam Dhillon amongst the picturesque fields of Punjab and serves as a pleasantry for its beautiful lyrics.

Although regulatory song and dance is kept as a minimal in the film, the soundtrack by Anu Malik gels well with the mood of the film and is only glorified when accompanied by the on screen visuals.

Cinematographically, Ek Chadar Maili Si earns kudos for its culturally correct setting and the panning shots of rural Punjab with its quaint alleyways and gleaming fields is as fluid as the subtle expressions of the actors.

Ek Chadar Maili Si is a film that trades in melodrama for intelligence and that is the biggest plus factor. It brings about and raises many questions to the audience, proving to be challenging and intellectual cinema which still holds, in bizarre forms, entertainment value.

The mere factor that the title is extremely ironic in itself, presenting the chadar as “maili” (sullied) when in actual fact it is supposed to redeem the characters speaks volumes of the cleverness the story holds and thankfully, Sukhwant Dadda has translated this to the big screen in a pristine fashion. It will be extremely interesting to see if his much delayed “Chooriyan” starring Gracy Singh holds the same eminence some twenty one years later.

An earthy tale, exuding high voltage emotions, piquant visuals alongside meritorious performances, makes Ek Chadar Maili Si a duvet of cinematic snugness. A must see for connoisseurs of discriminating taste.

Bhool Bhulaiya (2007)

2007-10-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

An eerie palatial house, a zany family bound with superstition coupled with an eccentric psychiatrist results in Bhool Bhulaiya, Priyadarshans latest cinematic venture.

Priyadarshan is a name that has become synonymous with comedy, be it Hera Pheri, Hungama, Hulchul or Garam Masala. Coupling his forte with Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal has almost guaranteed fireworks at the box office so his latest venture, Bhool Bhulayia demands a viewing for fans that stand loyal to the Priyadarshan trademark…one would think so; however with Bhool Bhulayia the veteran changes track, presenting a supernatural saga with bustling hoopla.

The motions unwind with Siddharth (Shiney Ahuja) returning to his motherland from America with his newly wed wife Avni (Vidya Balan). Both are greeted with open arms by his somewhat anomalous family made up of Batukshankar Upadhyay (Paresh Rawal) Badrinarayan Chaturvedi (Manoj Joshi) and his childhood friend Radha (Amisha Patel) alongside a whole host of other characters.

Tension strikes when Siddharth insists that he stays in his ancestral home which has been shrouded in mystery and misery for generations by the family. They believe it to be haunted by wandering spirits which reside on the third floor of the house, an area that is strictly forbidden to visit and locked away behind tantras and mantaras.

However, the neoteric couple that Siddharth and Avni are means they dismiss any conceptions of ghosts and ghouls and reside within the manor much to the dismay of the family.

A curious and intrigued Avni decides to explore her surrounding and ventures where no one has ventured before; to the third floor of the manor…unleashing unexplainable events which the family believes are the doings of the evil spirits…but in an era of scientific jargon, Siddharth refuses to believe these are the actions of the preternatural and looks to seek the answer behind these cabalistic proceedings.

The finger points to Radha, whom Siddharth believes to be mentally unstable and the culprit of the abstruse goings on and in order to bolster his doubts, he calls in his friend Dr.Aditya (Akshay Kumar) a clownish psychiatrist to redeem Radha of her ailment.

Aditya, with his dissident manner sets about to treat his patient but as the events become more inane, he unleashes a horrifying truth of the unerring doer responsible for the calamity of fiascos.

A truth which makes Siddarth realize that not every question concludes with a logical answer, leading to Aditya taking drastic measures to ensure that pandemonium does not obscure reality. However, in an attempt to restore harmony, how far can mere mortals go to fight the paranormal?

Supernatural thrillers have been depicted on the Hindi silver screen for eons, from Bees Saal Baad, to Jaani Dushman, from 100 Days to Kaun…many of which have been successful in providing the regulatory chills and thrills. Bhool Bhulayia however gives itself the onerous task of slotting itself into the appropriate genre of either thriller or comedy…and seen as the film packs both into its duration, the impact is not as strong as it could have been.

Priyadarshan sets the scene right from the opening shot, the panning of the ostentatious manor house in its twilight glory and apprehensive characters weary of the unknown that lurks beyond its walls features all the ingredients of a supernatural joyride.

Furthermore, the introduction of Avni and her inquisitive nature to explore the mansion is depicted in an engaging manner, with the viewer on the edge of their seat waiting for havoc to unleash itself from behind the white-washed walls and dazzling doors.

However, it is Priyadarshan’s need to entwine comedy throughout these moments which hampers the tone of the film, confusing the viewer as to whether they should be anxious or laughing resulting in an erratic mish mash.

The entry of Akshay Kumar raises the expectation of the film and one expects the character of Aditya to create mayhem as he encounters the absurd residents of the household and rightly so, as Akshay breathes a new energy into the story, bringing both jocoseness and restraint to the tale.

Climatically, the film is perhaps at its best although the need of the flashback could be argued as slowing down the pace when it was perhaps more important to build up solicitude rather than dwell upon such incidents in immense detail. However, like with any good thriller, the resolve to the problems and how they are depicted make for engaging and spine chilling viewing, especially pleasantry for fans of spectral happenings.

Performance wise, Akshay Kumar acts well in a role that by now has become typical of him to a degree. Given his past few films, Heyy Babyy, Bhagam Bhag, Namaste London, the overtly garish and loveable buffoon is enacted with extreme ease and likeability. However, it would be a welcomed changed to see Akshay present the viewer with a meatier and harder hitting role in the near future in which he would excel just as much as any other actor, rather than the frivolous antics he has become so familiar with onscreen.

It is Vidya Balan who walks away with the merits in Bhool Bhulaiya, turning out a performance that required both extreme vulnerability and barbarism. After playing the girl next door in Parineeta, the spunky journalist in Salaam-e-Ishq and the glamorous heroine in Heyy Babyy, Vidya takes her acting capabilities a step further in Bhool Bhulayia expanding her range and leaving the viewer both awe-struck and fascinated with her performance of dual personality.

Shiney Ahuja is competent in his part but at times tends to deliver a somewhat over the top performance which lacks clarity. The role of the concerned husband is often one that manages to garner much sympathy from audiences but down to either a poorly developed character or a shoddy performance, Shiney somehow misses the mark.

Amisha Patel is efficient as Radha and actually manages to leave an impact rather than becoming obfuscated by the umpteen characters in the film, proving her screen presence and acting capabilities can be prevalent when handled by the right director.

Paresh Rawal is competent in a role that does not demand histrionics from an actor of his stature and is certainly one of his poorer roles in the gallery of Priyadarshan films he possesses.

Similarly, Rajpal Yadav is wasted and extremely unnecessary. One wonders, whether or not Rajpal Yadav is becoming excessively indulgent with his poor choice of roles lately, first with Don, then RGV Ka Sholay and now Bhool Bhulayia.

Musically, the film has little to offer. “Hare Krishna Hare Raam” is a song that has gained immense popularity over time but fails to find its way into the narrative of the story. Likewise, the remaining songs that are incorporated into the film prove to serve more as gap fillers rather than progressing the story, making the music of Bhool Bhulaiya almost non-existent.

The biggest culprit of Bhool Bhulayia is its promotion. From the trailers, the makers have projected the film as a comedy but in fact, there is less comedy and more concentration upon the fear factor. This misleading of the audience is indeed what makes Bhool Bhulaiya at times a disappointment for those in hope of a wacky and rib-tickling comedy.

Priyadarshan has tackled serious subjects in the past with great charisma and excellence. The flawless Virasaat which oozed directorial brilliance from every frame is a perfect example of his ability to transcend a story onto the big screen which is poignant and gritty at the same time. Even the criminally underrated Saat Rang Ke Sapne, a personal favorite, is testament to the brilliance Priyadarshan has within him.

However, unlike Saat Rang Ke Sapne, which ultimately was a serious subject laced with subtle and at times black humor throughout, Bhool Bhulayia is presented as a supernatural affair with somewhat slapstick comedy, appearing completely out of synch with the ambience of the film.

Priyadarshan works better when he is treating the viewer to delicious shots of winding stairways and contorting shadows rather than bumbling characters or nonsensical situations which divert from the horror factor.

Bhool Bhulayia is a bona fide attempt to create a supernatural themed tale, flavored with comedic anecdotes along the way. However, in an attempt to bring both genres together, the result is a slapdash concoction of laughter and repugnance which unintentionally dilutes the amalgamation of the two, akin to a whimsical horror ride.

Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007)

2007-10-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

Pardeep Sarkar returns to the silver screen after a hiatus of two years with his woman orientated, Laga Chunari Mein Daag. Taking a gritty subject and wrapping it in deliciously enticing colors and adding the Yashraj frills to an otherwise dark topic.

Many a times has the plight of women been witnessed upon the Indian silver screen, from epics as timeless as Mother India to the subtle Bandini or the ambitious saga that Lajja was at the start of the millennium. However, the trials and tribulations women face in the dark world of prostitution has been a subject that has fascinated many a film-makers, be it the richly seeped tales of courtesans in Umrao Jaan or Pakeezah or the valorous stories of call girls as seen in Chandni Bar and Chameli, often resulting in power packed performances for the lead heroines.

Laga Chunari Mein Daag follows this somewhat formulaic storyline to present the journey of a woman from simpleton to classy concubine, reminiscent at times of films of its ilk.

Set in the holy city of Banaras, the story introduces us to Badki (Rani Mukherji) and her sister Chutki (Konkona Sen Sharma) who live with their parents Shivshankar (Anupam Kher) and Sabitri (Jaya Bachchan) in their palatial ancestral home. The family is in a financial crisis, struggling to keep afloat and as a result Badki has had to leave her education whilst Sabitri tries desperately to salvage the family by earning a pittance from sewing. The money is spent on Chutki’s education and Shivshankar’s treatment for his ailing health but with an impending legal case upon the family’s head, they reach dire straits forcing Badki to set off for the bustling city of Mumbai, a city which apparently holds opportunity upon opportunity for her to earn a wage.

Badki is akin to a fish out of water in Mumbai and with her innocuous demeanor and lack of qualifications, she finds it impossible to find a job. Determined not to let down her family and prove her worth as a daughter, she persists until the harsh realities of the world strike her and she is faced with the opportunity to make big money fast…albeit having to sacrifice her moralistic upbringing and values. As a high class escort…

Re-christened and re-vamped as the hip, seductive and confident Natasha, Badki manages to earn a hefty sum of notes in quick succession, solving her families’ problems whom apart from her mother, are oblivious to her profession.

Catastrophe calls when Chutki, now fully qualified arrives in Mumbai to try her luck at gaining a slice of her elder sister’s success. Badki, who has always sheltered Chutki from the miseries of life, desperately tries to veil her profession and having been burnt herself, attempts to shield her sister from the wrath of Mumbai’s seedy underside.

Chutki, unaware of Badki’s escort life, meets Vivaan (Kunal Kapoor) and the two fall in love whilst Badki has a chance encounter with businessman Rohan (Abhishek Bachchan) who falls for her unique personality.

Tainted, Badki avoids reciprocating Rohan’s advances in fear of her reality coming to light and decides to be the sacrificial lamb, who shall continue to serve the families needs and pay for Chutki’s wedding.

However, this planned journey to doom and gloom is rudely interrupted when Chutki learns of her elder sister’s true reality…leading to an emotional climax which questions a prostitutes place both in and outside the home. Has Badki’s honour been vitiated forever?

Laga Chunari Mein Daag should be applauded for its sincerity and guts to take a taboo subject and present it with A-list actors on a grand canvas. Although, at times the plot is contrived, it is refreshing to see a woman orientated subject being depicted on screen with conviction after a long time although it tends to mar reality with make believe at regular intervals.

The film starts off on a high, introducing the characters swiftly and perfecting the ambience of Banaras on celluloid, transporting the viewer into a world of beautiful Ghats and vintage galis. The predicament of the family is piteous sans melodrama resulting in a cathartic opening to set the tone of the film.

However, the reasons as to why Badki enters the world of prostitution seem out of synch with her characters core values. Given the fact that Badki is aware of how desperately she must earn money there is little attempt or discussion of re-educating ones self in order to land a good job but instead, it seems as though the character jumps into the world of sex as a fast and convenient way to make money. Madhur Bhandarkar’s Chandni Bar saw its central character of Mumtaz resulting to prostitution after she had been completely exhausted of any other avenue which made one feel her pain and anguish of being trapped in such a charkha but in Laga Chunari Mein Daag, little insight is given into the mindset of Badki as to why she chooses this option after being setback a few times.

Hence, this deters the viewer to a degree to empathize with the character of Badki and instead leaves a sense of confusion as to why such a traditional girl would result to such means so quickly. Had Pardeep Sarkar dedicated more time to this facet, then Laga Chunari Mein Daag could have depicted the desperation women face when going into such a job.

Also, the climax of the film is one that seems too convenient and monotonous. For such a subject, a hard hitting ending was needed in which the story could have made a stalwart statement regarding the fate and the prejudice prostitute’s face in society. However, the Yashraj fairytale ending means that the grittiness of the story is diluted, resulting in a farcical climax of glittering weddings and extravagant dance numbers, all too familiar and all too predictable.

Redemption comes in the form of the chemistry between Rani and Konkona. The bonding of the two sisters is endearing and tugs at the heartstrings, proving that female pairings can be just as powerful as the oh-so stereotypical pairings of male actors that audiences are often subjected to.

Rani Mukherji is the protagonist of the film and shines in each and every scene she is given. Her expressions are her forte and she carries off the dual characters with extreme panache, be it the naïve Badki in her singing, dancing, glycerin clad glory or the spunky Natasha of the high society world. It has been a refreshing change to see Rani cast in a film which is gladly missing the overtly garish comedy of some of her previous Yashraj films and credit has to go to Pardeep Sarkar for his subtle approach to the handling of the subject.

Konkona Sen Sharma is a force to reckon with in every manner and exceeds in her role which is irrepressible and magnanimously appealing to supporters of liberated women. As witnessed in Page 3, 15 Park Avenue or Life In A Metro, Konkona has the beauty of delivering a restrained yet effective performance and Laga Chunari Mein Daag will only offer her more leverage to a larger audience.

Kunal Kapoor is a starlet in the making and a sure force to reckon with. Even though he is relegated to the background along with Abhishek in this female-centric flick, he manages to leave a long lasting impression. He appears dapper and delivers confidently making his presence felt, taking the limelight away from Abhishek.

Abhishek, in what is touted to be an extended cameo has little to do in the film other than enact the part of the Good Samaritan. He walks through the role which seems to remind one of his brief appearance in Hum Tum, placing the blame of his lack of presence on the poorly developed character of Rohan.

Musically, the title song is effective in its purpose of extracting an emotional response and gels well with the mood of the film, mainly due to its lyrical content. The flamboyant “Hum To Aise Hain” number is a classic account of frivolous frolicking, drenched in reds, yellows and greens which explode onto the screen like a peacock tail serving as a wet dream for fans of escapist dance numbers in contrast to the melodic “Zara Gungunalein Chalo” which suffers due to it’s mundane picturisation.

Pardeep Sarkar scored points with critics and audiences with his debut Parineeta which was both classy and engaging and with Laga Chunari Mein Daag, he stays faithful to his trademark style of visually appealing scenery but slips slightly with the tautness of the script. It seems at times that commericalism has been placed at the forefront to ensure the mass audiences recieve their dose of naach-gaana rather than concentrating efforts upon depicting a true reality.

Of course, kudos must go to Pardeep for his conviction and at times brilliance of telling a story with elan. There are glimpses of his genius throughout and the beauty of the film is that not everything is spelled out for the viewer or loudly presented allowing audiences to depict ongoings as they wish. For example, Pardeep has rooted the character of Badki in Banaras, the sacred Hindu pilgrimage site, the irony being that a girl of such a spirtiual surrounding becomes the victim of the promiscious and lecherous people of Mumbai, juxtaposing both the good and the bad but without preaching upon this to the audience.

Laga Chunari Mein Daag boasts of a power house packed performance by its protagonist and delves into the world of prostitution in a vacillating mien, at times compromising tangibility for Bollywood utopianism. Should diluted macabre be as much as you can handle when rousing the cinematic gas pedal, then Laga Chunari Mein Daag is a journey of a woman that will not disappoint those wishing to join aboard.

Henna (1991)

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Set in the peaks of snowy mountains, luscious green fields and a quaint village, topped with lilting music and soul stirring lyrics, Henna is a classic love story based on the Indo-Pak relationship.

Raj Kapoor’s Henna was touted to be the swansong of his career, a magnum opus which had generated much hype and curiosity but sadly the starlet Kapoor passed away before the film could be completed, leaving the directorial reins in the hands of sons Randhir and Rishi Kapoor.

Henna tells the story of Chander (Rishi Kapoor) who is due to be wed to his long time lover Chandni (Ashwini Bhave) Chander’s old time habit of poor time keeping leads to many minor problems but more fatefully, upon the night of his engagement he is fashionably late and whilst driving to the venue, encounters a car accident where he plummets into the river. The waters carry his body from India to Pakistan, whilst Chandni searches frantically for her lover and his whereabouts.

Cut to Pakistan, in the picturesque settings of a tribal village where simplicity is the essence of life. Henna (Zeba Bhatikar) finds an unconscious Chander in the riverside and along with the help of her father Khan Baba (Saeed Jaffery) and the village nurse Bibi Gul (Farida Jalal) they nurse a lifeless Chander back to his senses…only to realize he has lost his memory.

Christening him with a new name of Chand, Henna slowly brings him back to the normality’s of life, whilst Chand happily earns a living in the village. It is during these moments that Henna falls in love with her patient and Chand too becomes smitten with her innocence and beauty. However, the local village police inspector Shabaaz Khan (Raza Murad) is relentlessly determined to make Henna his wife and when he learns this will not be reciprocated by her, begins to plan a way in which he can trap naïve Henna into marrying him.

On the eve of Henna and Chand’s wedding, Chand regains his memory and with it, the longing to return to India to his beau Chandni. The sacrificial twist in the story comes when Henna gives up her love and along with the villagers, promises to escort Chand back to India safely to reunite him with his lover.

However, upon realization that Chand is in fact Chander, an Indian rather than Pakistani, Shabaaz Khan finds the moment he had been waiting for to ensnare Henna.

The crux of the film is about the boundaries that mankind has made between these two races and how love, oblivious to any boundaries can possibly conquer all. Will Chander and Chandni reunite? And just how far will Henna’s sacrifice go to eliminate the animosity between those on either side of the border? A climatic high voltage drama answers these questions.

The beauty of Henna lies in its cinematography, performances and music…but more importantly the heart behind the head that went into creating the story.

Hindi cinema has witnessed countless Indo-Pak sagas over time, many of which have depicted blood and guts on screen (Bombay, Gadar, Border etc) but there have been few films which have addressed the issue in a more subdued manner and that is where Henna scores points. Rather than making the Indo-Pak theme the forefront of the film, the story allows time for the romanticized and dreamlike relationships to develop in its serene soundings. Cleverly, the conflict of the two religions erupts in the climax, making the viewer think about how generations of hatred and barbaric living between both communities is able to overpower a pure form of love and longing.

Back in 2004, Yash Chopra’s Veer-Zaara was touted as the first film by many that worked towards bridging the gap between India and Pakistan, but in my opinion this recognition goes to Raj Kapoor, a man who was ahead of times and with Henna made the fundamental statement of replacing hatred with love.

The story of Henna may seem like old wine in a new bottle when referring to clichéd story elements such as memory loss, a love triangle and a broody villain. Yes, it does brand itself as an out and out Hindi entertainer but what set’s it apart is the poignancy in the scenes which many films in the 90’s lacked.

Performance wise, it is Zeba Bhatikar who comes across as the clear winner. Rumor has it, that Raj Kapoor spent years looking for the right lady to cast as Henna and it seems he made a great choice with Pakistani actress Zeba. Cast as the innocent child-lady, she fits into every part the quintessential village girl. It is her rawness as an actress that works for her in this one and the vulnerability she portrays on screen that allows her character to remain etched in the viewer’s heart long after the film ends. The downside however is that she lacks in the dancing department and occasionally, her dialogue delivery can come across as slightly wooden but here in Henna it works to the majority…but may be the answer as to why Zeba found little success later on in Hindi cinema when pitied against the likes of Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla and Manisha Koirala, the reigning queens of the 90’s.

Rishi Kapoor is competent in a role that he could easily glide through when Henna was made. Not a performance that will go down as one of his greatest when compared to his work in Bobby, Amar Akbar Anthony or Laila Majnu but that is down to the fact that the script, like most Raj Kapoor’s films is woman-centric, offering most of the meat to Zeba.

Ashwini Bhave is relegated to the background in a supporting role. She appears at the start of the film, then disappears only to appear in sporadic shots of her pining for her lover, only then to resurface at the end for a brief time, hence leaving little impact. Again, an actress who found it hard to gain any credentials to her name post Henna.

Now for the glittering star of the film in all it’s glory, the music. Ravindra Jains composition for Henna has definitely stood the test of time, for Henna is deeply moving album with haunting music some sixteen years later. Each and every song is a pleasure to listen to and equally alluring when accompanied by the stunning onscreen visuals. The album caters to a variety of moods, be it the frivoulous “Anar Dana” shot in hues of bright oranges, fuchsias and yellows, the heart rendering “O Janewale” where Henna wishes farewell to her lover or the pain filled “Chittye” with its Punjabi lyrics and Lata Mangeshker’s nightingale voice. Offering as stiff competition for grandeur is the qawali track “Der Na Ho Jaye” which is opulent in both choreography and costume and is neatly accompanied by a Hindi version of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s famous “Akhiyan Udeek Diyan”.

Unfortunately, Henna is a film that failed to find much recognition at the box office due to its immense hype factor. I however, have fond memories of this film as a child and class it as one of those defining films that shaped the rest of my appetite for Hindi cinema. Although, the film fetched Zeba Bhatikar a nomination for Best Actress, it failed to win her an award and the image of Henna was so strongly attached to her that success in any other films was far to be seen.

An interesting point and one I would love to know more about is that Randhir Kapoor stated in an interview that after his father’s death, he and Rishi altered the script of Henna as Raj Kapoor’s original was far too controversial and forward thinking for it’s time and they didn’t want to take a risk with the audiences…for me it will always remain a mystery and fascination as to what the original script was…I have my own theories!

Henna is a journey of love, longing and loathing in true Raj Kapoor style. A classy tribute to the Raj Kapoor brand of cinema and a must for fans of ostentatious sagas

Welcome to Picturesque

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As dramatic as the some of the 80/90's Hindi film scenes and dialogues, it would be perhaps apt for me to start this blog off by saying that Hindi cinema has played a pivotal part in my life and to a degree shaped a lot my ideas, thoughts and dreams!

So this is my ode to all those moments, good or bad, happy or sad, cringe worthy or profound...all those times I have sat in front of the TV watching cliche upon cliche unfold or all those times I have sat in the cinema, as the lights go down, witnessing path breaking movies....

It would be best to lay out the facts...my favourite era of Hindi cinema has been and still is the 80's/90's perhaps because I grew up as a child in those years watching countless films which have remained etched in my memory...

Many of them, are not well known...and downright unbearable to sit through now and watch but to me remain special and evoke the old nostalgic feeling!

So Picturesque is going to try to write about those films (along with new releases), that aren't necessarily excellent...but may have been forgotten or not as talked about....and may just make it a little more easier for you to admit to liking them too!