A little bit of love, a little bit of reality. Review on Masoom

While many of you might be wondering why would a reviewer choose a rather abstract review title. After all no one is cynical enough to segregate reality and love in two diametrically opposite categories for both can coexist. And then there would be those incorrigibly romantic who would talk about you being real if you love………….

This was a movie that has reflected so many dimensions of life that it would really unfair on my part to highlight only two aspects. Most of us having seen the movie for the umpteenth time must have had tears in our eyes not at the plight of the protagonists(In fact the very concept of protagonist was so brilliantly understated in this movie that you wouldn’t be able to call either Naseer or Shabana or for that matter anyone as having played a stronger role than the others), but rather at the irony and at the dilemma of whether to pass a judgment at the end of the movie.

The script was simple and complex at the same time. Why do I call it simple? Read on….

Simple

The opening shot: A happy family of an architect doing well for himself, his wife who is strong willed and sensible, a typically level headed perfect homemaker who is brining up two lovely daughters well; two kids who obey their parents yet indulge in endearingly funny fights. To add to the goody goody atmosphere they have family friends-Mr. Suri and his wife at whose farmhouse they spend their sunny, fun filled Sundays.

Aah what more does any human crave for?

Before those who haven’t had the luck to catch this flick as yet pass this script as shallow mundane or simplistic let me move on. Trust me I am almost certain I would not be able to do full justice to the reviewing part for the simple reason that I might not be able to match either the nuances or the pace of this movie.

Complex

Now for the complex part, the above mentioned characters are normal people which means that they have their own set of insecurities, their own value systems, their own discretion and their own idiosyncrasies while dealing with abnormal situations.

The architect the role of which was essayed so skillfully by none other than one of the best known actors of Indian Cinema of all time, Naseeruddin Shah, receives a letter from Nainital , a place he had been to years back. During this visit, he meets a simple but melancholic artist and the turn of events thereafter give the entire movie a very poignant feel. The artist and the architect get to know each other a little better and one night changes their lives forever.

Real

The scene where Supriya Pathak, the artist explains her lines of fortune and predicts that the architect would have a son should find a mention in the review for both the actors made it sound extremely real making it impossible to be judgmental about what ensues.

Shabana gets to know about Naseer’s son studying in Nainital and the way the couple deals with this peculiar situation makes this movie a timeless classic. At the same time, Supriya and Naseer’s son played by a rather innocent and cute looking Jugal Hansraj (I am of the firm belief that this was his first and last genuine attempt at acting) looks for warmth and affection from his new family. The father-son dup leave one feeling so bad for everybody seen suffering in the movie. Jugal did a great job at handling difficult scenes viz Nainital forests where he gets to spend a day with his father.

My personal favourites include

1) The moment Jugal gets to know who his real father is.

2) Shabana trying to come to terms with what she thinks was heinously

criminal on her husban’s part.

3) Interaction between the three kids and their affection for each other.

Other performances worth mentioning- Tanuja playing the role of a Shabana’s friend, separated from her husband. Later she realizes that her husband and herself feel the same for each other and the spirit of love is still alive.

Suri as Naseer’s friend-lively, balanced and utterly dependable as a friend.

It’s a treat for anyone wanting to feel human, feel real and feel good. Feel good, did I say? Yeah I did. Watch the movie and you’ll know why.

I am somehow reminded of those beautiful lines by Blake:

To see a world in a grain of sand,

And eternity in an hour.

Keerti