Blues, Greens and a Bridge. Review on Saawariya

When media war between Farah Khan-Sanjay Leela Bhansali over the formers comment, “Dont be silly Lily” was about to cool down, a hot row over “Saawariya” or “Om Shanti Om”(which one first) was finally settled with a coin toss at our living room. Yes, the THIRD WORLD WAR was deferred till we see OSO.

Story based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic short story "White Nights". I read the story and was curious to know how it can be transformed into a Two and Half hour hindi movie. Off course there were some more attraction in the movie in the form of Sonam and Ranbir. Bhansali says "Sonam is a vintage combination of Waheeda Rehmanji and Rekhaji. She has that poetic quality. Ranbir brings the best of his grandfather and his father in his personality. Audiences of all ages have warmed up to the two of them, although they neither act nor dress like the average metro-centric dude, and although we haven't shown their faces in the trailer."(see the video clip)

…….An artist and dreamer, Raj, finds his ultimate dream when he spots a mysterious girl(Sakina) draped in black, standing alone at a bridge in a silent starry night. Here begins a new friendship, where Raj with his most appealing ways and an eternal spirit tries to win Sakina’s heart. Raj is unable to accept her haunting past and their friendship pulls him into a hurricane of desire, madness and romance…. I impede here on the plot.

This musical entertainer and Hollywood-based production house Sony Pictures’ debut Hindi movie has many other debutants apart from launching two star kids. After partially contributing in “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” and “Black”, Monty Sharma, is introduced as a full fledged music composer.

The brilliant SLB is back at the wrong side of what he does best. The Magnificence and affluence, coupled with pathos, performance evident in his earlier creations were replaced with artificial and ordinary looking drama. His signature style is missing miserably in Saawariya. After watching movies like “Khamoshi”, “Hum dil de chuke sanam”, “Devdas” and “Black”from this glorified director, Saawariya was an obvious preference over “Om Shanti om”. I don’t know why SLB had chosen to spoil his image with such a poor offering.

With a specific romantic movie the acting talent for both Ranbir and Sonam is not well tested. However in this department Ranbir scores much more then Sonam, who was just there with her plastic smiles and without any impressive show of talent. Both of them look really cute and charming. I could not believe that Sonam was ever 90 kilo, as is publicized.

Characters for Salman Khan as Imaan and Rani Mukherjee as Gulab are excellent although Salman has more or less guest appearance in terms of screen presence. Rani is excellent with her role as a pr*stitiute. As supporting characters Begum Para, Achla Sachdev are up to their own benchmarks. Zohra Sehgal has really impressed me with her charismatic performance.

The movie became so boring after interval that some started leaving the multiplex. Even after adding so many songs the director was unable to present the short story as a meaningful melodrama. Barring some scenes, the whole movie appeared more like completed in a single set and here even the best of the art director can do nothing much. I think after the success of “Black” where the cinematography was more of cloudy black, Sanjay Leela Bhansali failed here miserably on his experiments with “Blue and Green”. Omung Kumar gets the role of a painter instead of an art-director, Bhansali asking only that he be theatrical and sporadic. "Just paint everything blue". Ending was such that it appears even the director was eager to end it somehow.

Some scenes, as experiment however looks fantastic. The song “Jabse tere naina” where Ranbir dances with a towel(also drops), superbly portrays the feelings of first love of a boy. Similarly the interactions between Johra sehgal-Ranbir and Johra Sehgal-Rani Mukherjee are brilliant.

Music, as the only consolation in the whole movie though startling and meaningfully apt, could not contain the viewers. Monty, as music director will go a long way cashing on the success(music) of Saawariya. Like typical Bhansali's films, the music won't appeal as instantly but the smoothening rhythm will surely please across genre after a few listening. I particularly treasured both the music and camera work of the song “Jabse tere naina”. Shaan really did a fantastic job in this song. Shail Hada is no less with the title track and so is Kunal Ganjawala with “Masha Allah”. Shreya Ghosal certainly has given a different jerk to Nusrat Badr's “Thode Badmash” articulating the deep warmth in this piece. Parthiv Gohil with “Yoon Shabnami Pehle” compliments other tracks. Richa Sharma(Daras bina) and Alka Yagnik(Chhabeela) have added spice with lofty numbers. Its worth keeping the CD at the Sun-vice pouch of your Car. Without comparing, the album qualifies a Seven out of Ten.

Overall, if I will take out Music as a parameter, the over-hyped movie will struggle to qualify for a rating of TWO out of TEN. While driving back home, I was blaming self for going beyond buying the music CD to waste my time and money on Diwali.

In Gulabji's language I must say "I hates this". Mr. Bhansali… you should have released it on 1st April only…