Jul 16, 2015 11:27 PM
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(Updated Jul 17, 2015 05:24 AM)
Wondering when was the last time I ventured into a theatre not get blasted with over the top dialogue, colours, background sound and over the top acting. If it had something to do with patriotism it had to even more vocally violent. Loud shrieks and the power of the lungs equated love for the country. And if it had to be about people across borders the caricaturing of burlesque characters had to abound in the chase for authenticity. Luckily Bajrangi Bhaijaan succumbs to none of those temptations as its Bajrangi devotee – Pavan Kumar Chaturvedi Salman Khan makes no bones about his eternal quest to be a conformist and generally be a nice truthful human being. Colours run riot as his devotional character is established and culminates with his coming across a little mute girl who has wandered off into Indian territory from the Pakistan side across Wagah. While Pawan makes genuine attempts to shake off his responsibility towards the little girl, she finds familial comfort in him. After rescuing her from harrowing incidents with unsocial elements he takes upon himself the arduous task of returning the little girl to her parents across the border.
How does one get a girl across the border without passports, visa and acceptance of the fact that the mute girl is indeed a Pakistani citizen? Kabir Khan known for his entertainers like Eke That Tiger, New York and Kabul express all pf which attempted new screenplay territories and weaving a gentle social message into it, does not disappoint. His prima facie victory is his casting. It is doubtful if anyone other than the muscular but baby faced Salman could have fit the bill, Nawazuddin as a Pakistani Journalist does not even need any opinion on and the cute surprise package Harshali Malhotra who plays Shahida the little lost girl with such subdued panache that one finds it difficult to believe that she is actually not from Pakistan. The best part of the story telling is that the director feels no compulsion to find excuses to get back to the heroine Kareena Kapoor playing Rasika – the hero’s family friend’s daughter despite a very clear love angle being developed. That one thought was the sincerity to the conviction of the story that needed to cross borders.
Treading dangerous terrain of potential offended feelings Kabir carefully treads the emotion mines and portrays both nationalities with polite and genuine justice. He defuses religion and geography sensitive bombs with the ease of a specialist and makes the audience comfortable with discussion of otherwise regularly volatile topics like the hesitation to visit the others religious sites or mouth religious salutations. There is a clear attempt to indicate that it is ok for both the religious communities not to ostracize the other’s approach to their religion or its practices. Tolerance towards communities at home is one aspect but reaching across communities across the borders requires even a wider chest and Kabir and Salman exploit that need to the fullest by scripting the bottom line – Being human is more important than being a citizen of a country
The movie is not in the face and does not have loud head banging music which usually hurts you even after you exit from a hall and goes at a steady pace sometimes even slowing down without making you shift in your seat. The scenes supposedly across the border are captured with a lot of authenticity though on and off one does not notice shortfall in the ethno linguistic area as the people speaking across the border still sound like at home. There are certain heart rending scenes that connect very well thanks to the artiste’s complete conviction towards their roles. With its dose of comic interludes, tear jerking scenes and a lush photography it is a good watch for the entire family.
Songs do not really complement the strength in the story line but provide support. The leads are all into their roles with grand conviction and it is a treat to watch Harshali, Nawazuddin and the handsome and extremely sobered down Salman live up to the director’s expectation. Watch Salman as he displays his confused angst at having to overcome his mental religious barriers due to his devoted love for the child. Harshali uses her eyes to great effect and it is difficult to believe that she does not speak through the movie as you hear a lot from her. And as for Nawazuddin, watch his command over the medium, as he exhorts his people to defy norms in a scene, that you badly want to believe, happened. Kabir true to his name strives to live up to his name of the saint who is revered by all. He seems to want to bring that thread of affection with this attempt and with the dialogue writers treads dangerously on very thin lines as he attempts to sardonically chastise people for their religious differences when all that one needs is love.
There are scenes that hold your attention like the initial scenes of the Samjhauta express with its realistic treatment of a train that stops in the dead of the night monitored by horse bound soldiers or the top view of the Wagah Border railway gates, or recreation of the scenes of a crowded Kurukshetra street, the lush beauty ofthe mountains and finally Salman who delivers the almost over the top dialogues with calm aplomb. You heave a sigh of relief when he does not break into any Dabangish jigs.
The Indians and Pakistanis will not run into each other’s arms with this movie releasing in both the countries but it is guaranteed to make them want to look at each other with a different more accepting lens
It will be good to know what the gods make of it . Jay Shri Ram as Salman could have said. Here is a movie that you hate to hate.
3 1/2
