Monday, October 31, 2016

Aye dil hai KJo 2.0

I am writing here after forever thanks to my pensive social media posts that help me rave and rant generally. Unless something rare and obscure happens like ADHM. 

Yes; the supposedly controversial movie that a man walking out of the theatre called bundle- a popular mumbai word for trash and I smiled to myself. The theatre on diwali noon was 70/80% occupied and I hadn't thought of what drew others to the movie while my family followed the diwali ritual I have somehow managed to keep alive I.e. stepping out of home to not keep fighting over the rituals and relatives and all that is truly redundant.  Thanks to this man's vocal expression; I felt maybe I should structure my views and share as well; so here it goes.

Spoilers lie ahead and you are being warned. 

From the word go; this movie for me is evolutionary storyteller's hallmark. Yes; it has flipside and yet the characters stayed with me beyond the cinema hall. that rare feat itself is testimonial to Karan Johan's success. . Anushka is Alizeh; Ranbir is Ayan and Aishwarya is Saba through out the duration of the movie. Camera and lyrics / music are the other silent stars. Niranjan Iyengar's dialogues add to each - the characters; their beauty and the story. MBA being mere baap ki aarzoo; vibes being vaatavaran for Lisa Hayden and aishwarya pining to be somebody's khwahish - these work but the ektarfa mohabbat and I friend you as well as cancer hone ka kuch to faayda ho don't ring a bell with me.Here are few moments in ADHM that stayed with me. 

1) The first hint of romantic interest from Ranbir's side when the man child Ayan is being protective and escorting the escapist by choice Alizeh away from her painful past Ali (Fawad) and she asks him to leave. Nuanced; subtle and effective. The silences spoke here and Karan Johar uses lingering silent shots where moist eyes talk often and glances that develop into meaningful gaze grasping in the truth of the matter.

2) From devdasesque cutiepie; Ayan breaks into another song " Channa mereya " and Alizeh realises how he has been struggling to keep his emotions gathered and takes him aside to speak. He confesses his love and in her own terms shows how difficult it is to live with it being unrequited. This is where both actors and director show exactly why they are the best in the industry. Ranbir is no longer the man child he's played a 100 times here and Anushka isn't the bubbly and worldly wise girl she's played 200 times... They are the friends who have an aching and awkward affection they can't stand. This being the intermission again is a masterstroke.

3) Dinner sequence between the leading ladies and Ranbir: It builds up to be conclusive like life is. It doesnt make sense from the word go but slowly yet sweetly right from overt physicality between Aishwarya and Ranbir to the pauses for Anushka's reactions which never come- this is where Karan Johar  shows his grip. The altercation outside and the breakup post that too are as mature as they get in real life.

Except these; the final 30 mins of Adhm ae insipid And sappy tearjerker bits that are cliche but supposed tribute to being filmi and romantic a la Kjo. It might not be the best of 2016 but sure shows that no one else understands and translates friendship; love and now lust and longing much like the man who has been moblynched by MNS.

I call him Kjo 2.0 because The man describes his coming of age in genre of being filmy and romantic with a mention of a song " mujhse pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang" . Apt for the characters and situations too

Final verdict 3.5 stars.

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