What do you think? Is it possible for a drop of tear to have effects of a dew drop? Is it possible for darkness to give birth to illumination? And most importantly, is it possible for “Death†to give the message of life? Well, the responses to these questions may vary. But there is one Mr. Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who believes that the answer to all of them is a big “Yes†and he wants all of us to believe the same. Let’s find out if he succeeds in doing so or not?!
Without going into any prologue or any further details, I will shoot out the answer … Oh yes he does … Yes he does succeed in making us believe that a matter as grave as death can inspire life into his viewers.
Before going in technical details, let me tell you how it felt to watch this movie … it felt like walking barefooted on the fresh morning grass; it felt like having a lump of grief which eventually translates into a smile; oh an yes … it indeed feels like a drop trickling down your cheek and when you reach out and hold that drop tenderly on your fingertip, you somehow feel the preciousness of the droplet and feel like kissing it.
Bhansali has created some amazing character driven movies in the past. A couple of them, namely “Devdaas†and “Black†were dark and gloomy. Though I’m probably one of the biggest fans of “Blackâ€, yet my biggest fear before going to watch “Guzaarish†was a web of gloomy darkness all around. Reason being, this movie is based on a theme which is far more darker and heavier than alcoholism of “Devdaas†and blindness plus forgetfulness of “Blackâ€; “Guzaarish†deals with death and not any simple death, rather it talks about mercy killing.
So there was a scope of huge bundles of gloomy darkness and an abyss of pessimism. But this is where the film scores its biggest point. The film is not pessimistic at all, rather it keeps on evoking optimism in the viewer; even the final steps towards death are presented in a joyous and positive tone. Bhansali deserves all the praise for infusing so much life in a story about death.
Is there any negative in the film? Definitely, there is no such thing as perfection in material world. There are two of them which this writer believes that if avoided, could’ve enhanced the already rock solid impact of this wonderful film.
• The climax drags a bit. The “Ma Ya Yo†chanting, though radiated the right positivity, yet impact could’ve fortified if it was less frequently repeated. Besides the comments about each character became a bit predictable and just a bit tedious. The scene lacked the authenticity of the emotional underline, which is very strongly present in the rest of the film.
• A very nominal flaw, ONLY COMMERCIALLY, is the abundance of English. This might not block the flow of awards and praise, but it can definitely hinder the flow of cash at the windows.
How many positives? I won’t even attempt to list all the positives, as there are so many, the biggest being the positivity of the narrative. I would though, definitely highlight a few prominent ones.
• The performances are simply fantastic.
• Direction is almost flawless. I cant say if his direction over here is even better than “HDDCSâ€, “Black†and “Devdaasâ€, but I can confidently say that it is in no way any lesser than any of them. Overall, Bhansali has caused nightmares for those who were earlier dreaming to win awards for best director this year.
• The cinematography and the background score are breathtaking and perfectly complement each other. These two aspects are the trump cards for this movie and make it an experience to cherish for times to come.
• The maiden music composition by Bhansali was a treat on audio, but it sounds like a legacy in the cinema. “Tera Zikr†has permanently occupied a corner plot in my heart. Another thing which Bhansali has cleverly done is that he has used these beautiful tracks optimally. As a result these tracks add immense value to the narrative without making it drag.
• The dialogues are meaningful and screenplay has moments which just quench your heart. There are so many scenes to watch out in this film, yet there is one particular scene which literally stunned me and still has a very very strong impression. It’s the scene where Hrithik has to lie under the leaking roof without any way to get out of it. The scene left me totally in love with the character of Ethen.
• The chemistry between Hrithik and Aishwarya moves ahead from where they left it in “Jodha Akbarâ€. It elegant and heart-waming.
Performances: The film is loaded with powerful performances.
• Hrithik Roshan has outdone himself in the past and it was expected that he will do something similar this time. What actually unfolds on the screen in even better than the expectations. I just want to stand up and applaud him for this flawless act. Simply outstanding. Greatest performance by any actor in any film this year (and that includes MNIK’s SRK and OUTIM’s Ajay Devgan).
• Aishwarya Rai has never looked more elegant and beautiful and apart from Jodha Akbar, she has never acted this good. She is just electrifying. The tenderness of her expressions and the volcano of emotion underlying these expressions is immaculately portrayed and if there is justice, then this is the role which should sweep the best actress awards this year.
• Aditya Roy Kapoor is wonderfully restrained and impressed once again.
• Rest of the supporting cast is wonderful as well.
Overall:
This film is indeed a service to the art of film making and deserves to be watched. Even if the masses reject this, even then I am glad that I spent those 2 hours watching this motion picture. This is not just a motion picture; rather it is a piece of poetry in motion.
