Feb 09, 2005 01:24 AM
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(Updated Feb 09, 2005 02:13 AM)
Shabd is a fine psychological tale of a writer, his wife and ‘her lover’!
It is not a classic, but definitely not trashy either! The emotions are quite subtle to connect to, which makes it look like poor screenplay on the surface!
Contrary to popular ideas, I think that Shabd is NOT a regular love triangle movie… It is more a reflection of the emotions undergone by 3 characters.
Shaukat (Sanjay Dutt) was a successful writer who once won the booker prize… Following the debacle of his latest novel, which the critics called ‘Unreal’, he is at wits end to come up with new ‘real’ ideas for his next novel.
He learns of a romantic guy called Yash (Zayed Khan) who is interested in his wife & doesn’t yet know that she is married!
Shabd totally deals with the emotions faced by Shaukat (Sanjay Dutt) as he dares his wife to let go of her limitations and explore the romance with Yash…so that he may get a ‘life-like’ perspective & inspiration for his next novel!
The dual emotions faced by shaukat are shown clearly, allowing the viewer to appreciate the battle between him & his alter ego!
Indeed, themes like these, which focus on the nature of the human mind and the games played by it to satisfy its baser desires, require a closer look at our own subconscious mind in order to appreciate the beauty of the characters!
Shaukat (Sanjay) – A man who loves his wife passionately, but his mind (his alter ego) plays the devil when it conceives of the normally unthinkable acts!
The scene where he asks his wife if she has any other passions other than just cooking & cleaning, reflects his state of mind – he wants something out of the ordinary, for which he is ready to go to any extent.
In his perspective, even though we have to suffer the consequences, the EXPERIENCE itself makes us wiser!
Would the lessons from experience be worth suffering though the consequences? That is the nature of this story and the conclusions have to be drawn by ourselves!
Antra (Aish) – a woman who lives the simple life, doesn’t like experimenting, and does not have strong passions for anything in life. She is confused when her husband wants her to let go & indulge in her wildest romantic pursuits. Half heartedly she agrees, and her dual mind throughout her liaison with Yash is well brought out!
Yash (Zayed) – a man who thought that he has attained the love of his life – Almost!
He suits the character well in this chirpy role!
Some of the scenes that throw insight on the nature of the mind:
The interval point, where the two sides of Shaukat come face-to-face is excellent characterization… One side tells ‘So what?. Just do it! It’s just for the novel and it wouldn’t affect your life in any way!’ while the other side of the mind deals with it rationally and disagrees!
Antra struggling to mention to Yash that she is married and unable to do it… clear case of the mind unable to decide clearly on which is the right course of action. She would rather wait and let things take its own course than making a decision herself. Ultimately things get so far that she is forced to confess that she is married!
Shaukat dreaming up his character ‘Tamanna’ and her romantic pursuits. Gives a strong insight into the mind of an aspiring novelist. He wants to be a creator & YET, he thinks that he needs a touch of realism from life itself, due to his past failure!
Shaukat meeting Yash and ‘approving’ him… He looks just like what he had imagined… Slowly but steadily, the depths to which Shaukat is sinking into the drama he created is well portrayed.
The climax, where he loses control of himself. He himself cannot distinguish the real from the unreal, due to leading a dual life! A strong reflection on state of affairs if we let our mind dictate its way through life without applying the intellect!
The Setting:
The setting of the movie is picturesque and the production values are grand!
The film is a treat to the eyes and the music is smooth, with a touch of Spanish in the background to suit the atmosphere!
The college set and the dance sequences are very aesthetic.
The backdrop is just perfect for this tale!
The Cast:
Sanjay Dutt’s performance is very believable as the novelist struggling with his own alter ego!
Aish does well to convey the emotional trauma she is going through!
Zayed khan fits the role of a cool romantic dude.
On the downside…
Some of the cons in the movie are the excessive focus on Shaukat’s obsession with his novel. I can’t think of any other direction the movie could have taken, but then the pace slows down a bit without the introduction of any dramatic scenes in the post interval section. The story is ideal for a 90 minute English film, but stretched into the Bollywood setting, the drag will be noticeable. For viewers looking for non-stop entertainment, this drag will lead to a negative impression of the movie!
On the whole, Shabd is a character-driven movie that is steeped in psychological perspectives.
Instead of looking for mind boggling events and ‘something excting to happen all the time’, look for the subtle imagery, the detail and depth in each character & follow through their emotions.
Without expectations of a regular masala entertainer a sentimental tear jerker, you will not be disappointed at all with Shabd!
Looking at this movie superficially is definitely not the way to judge it!
