Nov 18, 2002 07:17 PM
4426 Views
(Updated Nov 18, 2002 07:17 PM)
<SYNOPSIS:>
It's a story about cold-blooded murder, deceit, justice and dewangee to par infinity. It's total case of compulsive obsessive behaviour. The plot roots from a sudden brutal 'n' gruesome murder of music magnate Ashwin Mehta (Vijayendra Ghatge) following which Tarang Bharadwaj (Ajay Devgan), a talented musician is caught red-handed soaking in the victim's blood. Well, then we cut to the appearance of the dashing, dynamic, renowned criminal lawyer -Raj Goyal (Akshaye Khanna) whose eminence lies in the fact that he's an idealistic crusader of justice. A lawyer who fights for innocent, clamours for justice…and never fails to get it. He meets Sargam (Urmila) a popular singer with several hit albums to her credit, at a party hosted by the victim - Ashwin Mehta, who is the man releasing her next album and promoting her. Sargam gets acquainted with Mr. Lawyer(much later falls in love too) and pleads him to fight for Tarang who is her childhood sweetheart. Oops…langoti yaar that is. And of course the respected music guru too.
Raj meets Tarang and gets muzzled by his timorous and bashful demeanour. Obviously a coy cat, who withers away on facing a rupture of threatening words can't possible wash his hands with such bloody murder. Raj puts his profession at stake…and fights against all odds to win this case. And he does…. only to realise he has lost more than he's won in this deal. His deadly battle with truth has just begun. And this time his life 'n' love are both at stake…
<Analysis:>
The first half of the movie…keeps you clutched to your seats…with parted lips and straining eyes. Almost every scene unfolds a new disclosure and leaves you biting your fingernails…in preparation for the next big blow. Following the horrifying Hollywood twist that leaves you totally shell-shocked. After all…it is a take-off on the English caper 'Primal Fear' that's added the 'off-beat', out-of-the-ordinary edge to a story that would otherwise meander in those typical love-triangle story lines.
The scenes that deserve a mention are the ones between Ajay and Akshaye after the former is evicted. Your head will take a total 360-degree spin and when it's back you'd want to rewind to believe what you've just heard.
The second is the scene between the psychiatrist (Seema Biswas) and Ajay, where the fact that he's (supposedly) a split personality is revealed.
The pace of the story somehow trips in the second half. Nuances and clichés of a typical Hindi movie seep in to the script and soils the dramatic impact its created so far. Especially when the film is drawing towards the climax…what we witness is a total anti-climax. Ajay appears at an ostentatious dance performance, and shakes a leg with Urmi aunty (Oops!!! baby), then guises himself as a driver and elopes with her to a dilapidated, abandoned building. This film could certainly do without this so very predictable scene that has scored the record of being repeated the maximum number of times in the 'Bollywood book of records'. But then of course Urmila is a great dancer…and a film script absolutely demands that she's given scope to display her dancing skills in an otherwise male-dominated story. After all, it's paisa wasool for the filmmakers, right?
If the first half keeps you wrapped in anxiety and gusto… the second half makes your attention wander away. Well, what remains unchanged throughout is Ajay's awe-inspiring performance. Even celebrated actors would get pangs of nerviness to step in to this role…while Devgan has totally split-open our imaginations with the ease and assurance with which he has delivered his hoax character of a split-personality. Once again he proves that he's the best that Bollywood has to offer. A real award winning performance, third in a row this year. Akshaye Khanna also had gone into the skin of the character essaying the prim 'n' propah, perfect gentleman role with much finesse. Urmila is the pretty face that gives you space to gasp for breath when you are wheezing with exhilaration in the first half. Post interval, she dons the role of a horror-struck woman with much articulacy.
'Deewangee' is certainly worth a watch and worth the moolah you've spent watching it. Popcorn and ice cream included. If you're craving to watch earth-shattering performances for a change and not just musical parodies…this is it. And you'll not be 'deceived by what we're telling you'. Believe us!
