Random Expressions

Mid-week holidays are dicey. The weekend effect is missing, and it spoils the flow of the week. But festivals can fall anytime, and this year most of them are coming at odd times. Yesterday was Ram Navami, and we had a day off.

A friend had come over in the evening, and to kill time we visited the only happening place that I could think of -Pacific Mall (Sadar Bazar is an option, but it is closed on Tuesdays). Since there is only so much one can window shop, we decided to catch a late night show. My friend left the choice to me, and I chose Just Married - a film about which I have read many bad reviews, but one that I really enjoyed. So, I just wanted to check if I was wrong somewhere.

The film seems a huge flop and what better proof could be that the ticket seller was reluctant to issue tickets, since we were the only ones asking for it and he feared that the show might be cancelled if the minimum clientele is not gathered. But we stuck on, and pestered him enough to release the tickets. By the time the show started four more people had ventured in. And that was the total attendance six people in the entire auditorium!

I loved the film the second time as well, despite it being pretty fresh in my mind. This time I concentrated on all the subtle nuances that Meghna Gulzar has built in, and once more I was bowled over by her detailing and scene structures. I had loved the dialogues the first time, but yesterday I could see their resonance at several places. I also understood the relevance of other couples they are not main stories, but in their own way they act like a chorus or a comment on the dilemma that Esha and Fardeen are facing. Meghna has built an excellent ambience which gives the effect of seeing a real honeymoon. Meghna’s inspiration is clearly the middle-class cinema forwarded by the likes of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Bhattacharya. It’s hard for me to describe, and I fear I will take up a lot of space if I start to elaborate the things that I loved in the film. This time, I didn’t mind the overtly filmi denouement even!

A review in a national daily had pissed me off considerably. The reviewer, a lady, had cruelly reduced the entire film to a disparaging one-line which went something like- the film is about whether Esha Deol’s character will have sex or not! I am shocked that a woman could even pass off such an insensitive remark. Maybe the reviewer hasn’t heard of things like emotions and feelings and non-acceptability of strangers for husbands; or probably she doesn’t mind sleeping around with the next hunk that she comes across. But as far as I know or have understood women, Esha’s problems are real. And such women still are in majority. Perhaps, the reviewer needs a strong reality check and needs to move out of her ivory tower and page-three social circle. As Fardeen says in the film, so do I want to frustratingly tell the reviewer, “It’s not about sex dammit!”

I also paid a closer attention to the lead performances and found that Esha Deol has really used her body language to full advantage; small things like nervously twisting her fingers when talking to her husband of few days, or shrivelling up whenever he is too close for comfort, go a big way to add up to a stupendous performance. Same for Fardeen Khan there is an extremely mature sensitivity in his acting, reminding him of his role in Kuchh Tum Kaho Kuchh Hum Kahein (another film that no one saw, but I loved!) I know he has received a lot of flak, but considering that he started off from something like Prem Aggan where he acted worse than a kid would do in a school-drama, it is a quantum leap, and perhaps someone who should be given his requisite due. Of course, there is always room for improvement, and at a few places I could see where they have faltered.

Plus, both Esha and Fardeen make a very good pair. Meghna has ensured they are not larger-than-life; just peep out of your window and probably Abhay and Ritika (the characters they play) are a couple right in your neighbourhood!

I am not into writing fan mails and this post is the closest that I can get to but I truly wish to thank Meghna Gulzar for making this very perceptive, insightful and understanding film!

And yes, my friend - who is not much into seeing films - enjoyed the movie!

Del.icio.us : Esha Deol, Fardeen Khan, Gulzar, Just Married, Meghna Gulzar

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 28th, 2007 at 8:58 am and is filed under Film Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.