Of smart quips, demanding wives and battered husbands

A bustling crowd greets Farhan and Vidya with whistles and cheers in a scenario more reminiscent of the single screen audience reactions than a pretentiously sophisticated crowd that usually muffles its giggles in multiplexes. It makes me wonder if it is the remnant magic of  Bhaag Milka Bhaag and Ooh Lala playing up here or simply the effect of the clever acting of Farhan in ZNMD and Vidya in Kahaani.  Whatever the answer that will never be known the phenomenon speaks of the popularity of the actors reflecting reactions that once were reserved for Mr.Bachchan. And the reaction even before a single dialogue has been spoken. The crowd was clear in its cheers. It was here to enjoy and have a blast.

Saket Chaudhary does not disappoint them as he put together an extremely witty funny roller coaster of a ride of a young couple that executes personal sexual fantasies more found commonly in the advisory columns of tabloids on “ How to spice up your sex life”. In hilarious opening scenes the director sets the context on what to expect going forward and the lead couple stamps their authoritative execution of their well-designed roles.

The couple leading a carefree life is thrust into the midst of serious parenthood accidentally. However the plot there also gives free rein to the writers to let loose all their stowed away jokes on happiness and boredom in marriages, the clichéd developments of parenthood and subsequent misunderstandings. There is a hilarious ride till the intermission reminding one of a fast paced Hrishikesh or Basu Chatterjee film. People actually howl with laughter at some of the jokes and it makes one happy to see people so happy and gurgling with naughty laughter.

The young and middle aged audience identifies well with the travails of the young couple and that to a certain extent explains the thigh slapping and cheers at every punch line which is plenty in the first half.

And then the famous curse of Indian Films strikes the film. There is no story left to propel the film forward and the director and his writer are left with no plot machinations to drive the story or to keep interest from flagging down. Watching this movie late night post intermission can then be actually challenging and if you keep your interest wide awake it is thanks to the outstanding efforts by Vidya and a simple seamless in role definition and cool characterization by Farhan. They seem cut out for the part.

Vidya does not seem to have any qualms about the need to look like a zero size actress or anywhere close to that. While that is brave and refreshing it almost borders on the ‘do not care’ attitude. Farhan is effortless in the first half and then strain shows in his depiction post interval as he picks up the burden of keeping the movie going despite lack of a dramatic plot or twist. You start wondering about the purpose of the movie at this stage.

The music is practically nonexistent and where it does exist seems to represent a musical sutradhar. Totally forgettable.

So the script and screen play reign supreme in the initial stages and you feel like giving a four star for the first half and a 2 for the second half finally ending up with a weak average overall. Do not wish to reveal any of the punch lines as it just kills the film. Watch it and laugh out loud!

Vidya does seem to exhibit a streak of overconfidence in her acting in this movie and one hopes it was more of an aberration and or a demand of the script not fully utilized. No complaints with tongue-in-cheek master Farhan. Clearly the actor is already sitting in the top bracket of great actors without making a noise.

So do accidental babies create strife in marriage or do they help renew and strengthen the sinews of bond in the couple.
Do watch and laugh. However keep snacks handy for the second half to keep you occupied.

One of those rare movies you recommend despite wanting to give it only 2 ½ stars

**1/2

You are now on the highway. Please Applaud !

I have a  soft corner for Imtiaz Ali. Dating back to an interaction two decades back. I almost stood up when I first saw Jab We Met. The surprises at every corner of the road travelled by Shahid and Kareena were absolute delights. He evoked a classy sense of humor in Love Aaj Kal and then I watched with disconcert not sure if I had liked RockStar. Having been drunk on the heavenly music of the movie by Maestro A R Rahman and after practically selling Pataka Guddi to everyone who wanted to hear, the wait for the movie was finally worth it.

The verdict straight away. I wanted to stand up again. Just microscopically short of being a marvelous and a great movie. The opening kidnapping scene takes you back to Roja, when another master Mani had led you to the hills and captured them with the camera caressing nature careful not to pollute it with attention too much. I bit my lips praying that the wonderful songs by ARR were not tucked into the screenplay to pop up jarringly to justify themselves.


The film is not about a story. It is about treatment. It is about loving your country well enough to make it appear more alluring than a dozen other over rated countries. It is the ability to see beauty as much in a  whole row of dilapidated trucks lost in time as in a snow laden country racing by, or taking the road less traveled alongside a river with virgin gurgling waters.


The protagonist Alia lands up, in a sequence of events, on a road journey with her apparently malicious perpetrator. Being on the run is not used as an excuse to showcase scenery but knowingly used as a tool to allow the individuals who are hurting from deep within to  unravel themselves. If you do not allow yourself to be sucked into their lives you may find the plot-line dreary because you cannot connect with the alternating misery and happiness of the main leads.


The girl is from a wealthy and powerful family and appears gung-ho about life. Till the road journey scratches her surface provoking her to abandon efforts to get back to her cozy life and instead tease out the wound which appeared to have healed externally but is hurting deep within. The experience mirrors in the male lead Randeep's evolution in the journey. Brilliantly interweaving personal stories within the main matrix of a kidnapping used as a tool to lay out the emotional wares, Imtiaz is simply outstanding out doing himself in the process and marching into uncharted territory without sacrificing the entertainment index.


Talking too much particulars and specifics of the movie will actually destroy the experience of watching it and the hard work put in creating the various moments an accumulation of which actually completes the experience, will be lost. Softly nudging the story along is AR Rahman with his soulful numbers never ever appearing out of place and taking care never to intrude into the narrative and when it does with Pataka Guddi,  Alia simply traces out the music with her fingers in the air. She even sings a lullaby with not a note lost.

There are many winners in this movie. Randeep Hooda, a wonderful actor who has been floundering for some time now trying to make a niche for himself has found his cut with this role. He performs it with the right amount of restraint never once going overboard or hamming to overwhelm his own character.

Director Imtiaz Ali brings a lot of serenity with his very clear presence behind the camera. The editing is seamless aided by great photography except when camera shots on top of a truck giving the front and the back views are totally disconnected, the rear camera showing a well tarred road and the front one showing  a narrow rough road. Obviously very bad editing at that point. Perhaps they thought no one would notice it but it jars!

There are wonderful real people all along the screen play and they live up to their individual roles with natural vigour creating memorable characters. Imtiaz merits each character in the story with a unique ness that allows them to stand out on their own and make a mark in the few moments that they are on screen. Last seen only in Lagaan or Swades.

And as for the main female lead. Dare I say that this is the performance of the year? Perhaps in the last few years only Vidya Balan has come this close with her natural flair in Kahaani. Here we see a full throated performance from Alia who gives herself up to the director and his vision. This is one of the most spirited natural performances in recent times. Be ready to get choked in a final long gut wrenching climax carried on shoulders fully by the young girl. The signs of a star certainly.

Want to be surprised?  Want to flush the bad experiences of some bad movies recently? Enter this Zen like audio visual experience. And you will not regret. So why not a full five star rating. Because the film is allowed to intentionally flag at some places making the narrative appear to be taking a pause. But this is highly debatable in terms of the impact they could have on the final output.It is the total sum of all the effects that complete the experience for the audience. It is difficult to believe that the movie has not been shot chronologically. So perfect is the transition from scene to scene. This is a craft difficult to create and easy to comment on. For today I will just applaud! Well done Imtiaz!

Pataka on the Highway !

Ok so how am I accomplished to be reviewing music from the upcoming movie Highway or from any movie for that matter. Do I know my Sa  from my Ga from my Pa. But then the movies and its songs are for consumers like me so I guess I can dare to make a comment on what appealed to the ears and what did not, maybe without any grandiose references to ragas to exhibit literary knowledge of music.

I am an unabashed fan of A R Rahman, the man who introduced new sounds to the movies. After RDB if there is anyone close to that eternal creativity it is ARR. As a common man the unique specificity that I notice in ARR ‘s style is his attention to allowing all instruments take a life of their own without getting lost in orchestration and then the new voices springing forth like fresh flowers blooming in a nursery.

The first song that I heard of Highway was Maahi Ve and my spirits dropped. Not because it is a bad song but it looked like an old road travelled on. ARR goes into his “Maa tujhe salaam” pitch. Like ARR songs it grows on you but the sound is certainly not new. There is a rhythmic beat obviously reflecting a linear movement across a road with clear skies. Reminiscent of Yunhi Chala chal. My heart started to sink too prematurely and then I heard “ Phataka Guddi”

Phataka Guddi just blows you away with the first hearing. ARR picks up the wonderful Nooran Sisters outstanding exponents of Sufi music and obviously got noticed by the master at the MTV Coke studio and for their Allah HU rendition. 

The song starts with keyboard modern sounds  suddenly overwhelmed by the boisterous Sufi sounds of the young girls. There is so much energy and enthusiasm that makes you want to rewind and hear them repeatedly. The use of flute is absolutely heavenly. The lyrics are something. Phrases like “ Sajje Khabbe Dhabbe killi ho”  complementing the wonderful claps that rhythmically accompany . The ending Kukuku is a bit jarring though.

Having sensed the potential of this song ARR decides to use it in a male voice – his own though he tries sincerely to avoid his high pitch Ma tujhe salaam style.  

There is a strong Punjabi  stress to the lines though some mouthing of words like sharf khuda ka and jarf khuda ka do not seem to come out effortlessly. But Ali Ali is just beautiful. The song keeps shifting tracks into various velocities of arrangements as if ARR did not want you to remember the Nooran Sisters rendition. He succeeds. The song grows on you after 4 to 5 hearings.  The sudden rock at the end surprises but I guess it is driven by the script that demands it. One still thinks that there was scope for a full-fledged rendition by a couple of male singers of the original Phataka Guddi without altering the rhythm.

Then the album treads into a “been there heard that “ with Kahaan Hoon Main By Jonita Gandhi. It is sadly forgettable.

Wanna Mash up seems to have strayed wrongly into this album because it is actually likeable and seems like an odd song out. It has some great beats and some enthusiastic rock singing by Kash and Krissy from Singapore. Again one marvels at ARR’s ability to dig out talent and springboard them into  popular space.        

Sooha Sooha for some reason reminded me of Ahista Ahista from Swades. Alia Bhatt makes a nice attempt in  a child’s voice. Apparently it should be a lullaby.

I honestly struggled my way through the other songs like Tu Keja and Heera. But some songs take a life of their own when you watch it on the screen aided by skillful direction. And when it’s an Imtiaz and ARR combination it is something to look forward to.

Conclusion “Just for Phataka guddi versions I would give it a full 4 star” Great music ARR and Imtiaz!