Film Review - Masaan

Love, Life and Death

Film: Masaan (with English subtitles)

Cast: Richa Chaddha, Vicky Kaushal, Sanjay Mishra

Directed by: Neeraj Ghaywan

Duration: 1 hr 43 mins

Rating:  * * * 1 / 2

Debutant director Neeraj Ghaywan’s Masaan which picked up a couple of awards at Cannes this year has a very simple story at the heart of it, but it is the manner in which it is told that leaves an indelible impression. It celebrates love, life and serves a reminder of the ultimate fate that awaits all of us.

The beauty of Masaan lies in the way in draws us into the world of the characters, slowly and steadily they start growing on you. We have Devi (Richa Chaddha) who meets a guy she likes in a seedy little hotel but things take a turn for the worst. She is a feisty young lady who knows how to take it on her chin. But her father (Sanjay Mishra) a retired Sanskrit professor who does translation work and runs a small shop on the ghats of Banaras is devastated. Although he is not the typical male who likes to keep control of all that his daughter does, this is a heavy blow for him. Moreover, he is also being blackmailed by a police officer (Bhagwan Tiwari)

The parallel story that runs is of Deepak (debutant Vicky Kaushal, impressive) who is all set to become an engineer. But he comes from the family of domes, who cremate bodies on the ghats of the river Ganga.  And bodies are burnt by the dozen there- skulls have to be crushed so that the soul can be released. It is a different yet intriguing world out there.

They are a marginalized community but in a way, Deepak has broken the barrier in terms of getting decent education. But he still has to lend a helping hand to his family’s profession. It is love at first sight when he sees this girl (Shweta Tripathi). But in more ways than one, they are quite distinct – she loves the poetry of Nida Fazli, Basheer Badr and Mirza Ghalib, he hardly has any clue as to who they are and honestly admits it. Symbolically balloons are released, Facebook friendship request is accepted and love is professed. But in many parts of the country, the first thing is to check after falling in love is the caste of the other person. That could make or break things. 

Writer Varun Grover and director Ghaywan touch on these issues but the larger picture is more than just that. You are left wanting more of the innocent romance and their exchanges, there is a certain purity to it.  

When you have multiple threads in a story, the ending is always a bit tricky – I was left with mixed feelings. 

There are some wonderfully crafted scenes, take the father-daughter exchange for example, that is a fine piece of writing, or the character of the lonely railway employee (Pankaj Tripathi) who works with Devi.  There are many such endearing moments in the film. 

And then there is Banaras, the city. Cinematographer Avinash Arun (who directed the award winning Marathi film Killa) captures the essence of the city in the most unobtrusive way. While the heart of the city is evident, subtlety is also the name of the game of here. One particular shot where the kids jump into the river makes you wish you had a remote control to rewind and watch it again.

The background score by Frenchman Bruno Coulais and the songs by Indian Ocean are apt. On the acting front, Sanjay Mishra and Richa Chaddha fit the bill, but the youngsters Vicky Kaushal and Shweta Tripathi steal the show here.

Masaan is well worth a trip to the theatres, besides you can also applaud the changing face of Indian cinema. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 26th July 2015

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Film Review - Dum Laga Ke Haisha

Two To Tango

Film: Dum Laga Ke Haisha  

Cast: Ayushmann Khurana, Bhumi Pednekar, Sanjay Mishra

Directed by: Sharat Katariya

Duration: 1 hr 51 mins

Rating: * * * *

Director Sharat Katariya’s Dum Laga Ke Haisha is the first gem of the year and certainly one of the better ventures we have seen in recent times. This could well be the Queen of 2015. Films from the Yashraj stable have been a mixed bag with more misses than hits, but full credit to them for producing a film that is not run of the mill, this is one of the best films they have made in recent times.

The story challenges many conventional norms of a Bollywood film but yet the entertainment that it offers is very rooted. Take the heroine to start with – she is not exactly a size zero which is the preferred standard for lead actresses in our films, in fact far from it, she is plump and is referred to by all sorts of names because of her size. But make no mistake, Bhumi Pednekar’s debut is one of the most assuring one you will see on the silver screen and the film is much more than just her physical trait.

Set in the city of Haridwar in the 90’s, it opens with the marriage of Prem (Ayushmann Khurana) and Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar). They are quite distinct in many ways, while he is a school dropout not having passed his tenth standard and helps his father (Sanjay Mishra) run a music cassette shop, she has a B.Ed. degree. 

While she is keen to build bridges, he remains distant from her. His family, his mother and aunt are most concerned about the couple, whether the marriage is consummated or not, is their biggest worry. All these scenes are crafted with a certain charm making you chuckle from time to time. Moreover, the characters and the proceedings look so very convincing.

His friends and the group that he is a part of (an obvious reference to the RSS) have an influence on him and while he is not happy to have an oversized wife, she knows how to give it back when push comes to shove and their relationship is on the rocks.

At a crisp 111 minutes, it passes like a gentle breeze. What makes the film special apart from the remarkably well written screenplay is that it clicks in every department, be it the authentic and witty dialogues or the sharp editing by Namrata Rao.  Along with the top production values and attention to detail, Manu Anand’s camera also captures the essence of city which adds to the overall effect.   

Katariya who had assisted Rajat Kapoor earlier, keeps it simple – small, beautiful and real works better than any largesse. Take the Kumar Sanu references and his cameo for example.

The ensemble cast deserves a special mention. Sheeba Chadhha as the aunt, Alka Amin as his mother and Seema Bhargava as hers are right on the money. Sanjay Mishra is so incredibly talented that he can hold your attention even with simple scenes.     

After the disastrous Hawaizaada, Ayushmann Khurana redeems himself with an unconventional role which he plays with sufficient conviction. Bhumi Pednekar steals the show and is one the highlights of the film.

In sum, Dum Laga Ke Haisha is a treat, go ahead and help yourself. 

Published in The Navhind Times, Goa on 1st March 2015

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