After the remarkably insipid ’company’ RGV hits back with a crisp and creative offering, told in a compelling fashion. the movie really stands out in the movies released in 2003 because of its ’different’ plot, studied peformances, stunning soundtrack and fine camerawork. while I cannot claim to be a expert in assessing good or bad cinema I do know for certain (who doesn’t?) that cinema, though primarily a visual medium, cannot afford to underestimate the power of the audio medium in the conveying of ideas. This is where RGV scores. The background score throbs, hums and drones and occassionally relapses into a even more moody and terrifying silence as urmila matondkar, ajay devgan and a host of other characters take us thru the doings of the spirit of a woman who supposedly killed herself by hurling to her death in a posh bombay apartment. in fact, it is precisely by the use of silences that the director manages to amplify the sound effects, much in the same way that a clever artist uses white space or background to highlight the painting. the other interesting feature of the movie is the complete absence of songs - this is exactly where another movie in the same genre, ’Raaz’, erred. Somehow RGV manages to keep the suspense pedal pressed without digressing into other parts of the story. So Urmila and Ajay have only one love scene, that too to the ’incongruous’ soundtrack of a BBC bulletin. Which reminds me - this is by far Urmila’s best performance to date. If she doesn’t win at least a Filmfare award for this one (if not a National one as well), then something is really wrong with our judges. Wisely, RGV chooses to keep Vishal’s (the husband’s) character in the background - now baffled, now frightened and then skeptical but never taking away the focus away from Swati, the character played by Urmila. Nana Patekar as the cop plays out his part well and provides almost comic relief. And yet no scene in the movie can be called comical - it is just when you are done with the movie, you realise that certain dialogues are present only to remind you that this is after all a movie - such is RGV’s grip on the audience. One scene from Tanuja (welcome back!) and Urmila in which she soothes the tortured brow of the possessed Urmila stands out as teh best scene. Rekha is as efficient as ever and Victor Banerjee gives loyal support. But it is Urmila most of the way.
After ’Satya’ easily his best film. Thank you for a scare flick that doesn’t use rubber masks, dripping blood and ruffled hair but actually does it with elevator lights, floor mops and the refrigerators. Watch it, even if it means you will think twice before getting that water jug from the fridge at midnight.