Director: Shivam Nair
Cast: Abhay Deol, Soha Khan, Shayan Munshi, Shakeel Khan and Kamini Khanna
Release Date: August 18, 2006
Ahista Ahista is an immensely entertaining family film that explores human relationships at various levels that touch our everyday life.
Soha plays Megha, a girl from Nainital.She is madly in love with Dheeraj (Shyan Munshi) and it is after some provocation from him she runs away from her home to get married to him in Delhi.Abhay Deol [Ankush]is a simple guy who works as a witness in the Delhi’s marriage registrar bureau.
One day he sees Megha waiting for someone at the marriage bureau. She has been ditched by Dheeraj after promise of marriage. Megha is stranded in the city, as she cannot go back to her home.It is then Ankush helps her. He gives her moral support and helps her find a job. Gradually, Ankush himself is able to find a better job and make a decent living.
Slowly but surely, Ankush and Megha are drawn towards each other. But just before the crucial moment in their relationship, Dheeraj returns. He repents for having dumped Megha and pleads her to return...
The best part about Ahista Ahista is that it remains honest to the plot. There’re no forced song-n-dance routines , no sub-plots to satiate the moviegoer in every state and no superfluous humor to balance the emotional quotient.. The humour in the film comes from lead pair itself and is a part of the story as we witness the couples everyday activities, quibbles and fights.
Shivan Nair is a director to watch! As a storyteller, the cinema he presents is very progressive and his style of narrating the story may resemble to his peer, but the way the director handles this simple love story is what makes him stand out from the crowd. The storytelling is very simple, but to the point.
Thankfully, he shuns over-dramatization of emotions and deliberate placement of tear-jerking situations. The emphasis, rather, is on the realistic depiction of the story. Also the climax of film is bound to take you by big surprise.
Abhay Deol’s performance is another plus point. The actor conveys a restrained intensity that is absolutely necessary for this type of role. Deol brings a tasteful amount of silent edginess to the film, without overacting or going into hysterics.But Ahista Ahista clearly belongs to Soha Ali Khan. No two opinions on that! Enacting a very difficult role, she actually performs like a veteran and delivers a performance that’s bound to win her nominations in the award categories. Her growth as an actor is tremendous!Kamini Khanna as Zulfu’s Ammi is superb.Shayan is remarkable in his role. He seems to be in form after a very long time.
Technically the film is superb. The films look gels in perfectly with the films theme and story and full credit must be given to cinematographer for his splendid camerawork and colours.Delhi is captured to the perfection .Editing could have been slicker.
Music by Himesh is ace. Not one is off the track. Tum Dil... is already on the charts now. The other five songs each different in it tune really livens up the film.The background score is rivetting and enhances the films overall impact.Dialogues are realistic to the core.
All up where does that leave Ahista Ahista? It is an honest attempt that has all it takes to pick up with word of mouth publicity. Had the film opened few week after KANK, its prospects would’ve been further enhanced.