Who would have imagined that Saif Ali Khan could give a knockout performance in a dark comedy like ’Being Cyrus’. Cynics who have been cribbing about this Khan getting the undue advantage of a take-for-granted star status must see this film. Of course, there was the thriller ’Ek Hasina Thi’ which had also seen Saif shorn of glamourdom, and he had also got his acting credentials stamped with his portrayal of the goofy Sameer in the bubbly ’Dil Chahta Hai’, but in ’Being Cyrus’ he gets to experiment not only with a whole new genre but also with a charmingly complex characterisation. He plays Cyrus, a young lad who comes to seek apprenticeship with a crackpot potter, played by Naseeruddin Shah. He lives with the potter and his wife (Dimple Kapadia) and gradually starts a pseudo kinship with some of their family members, as there is the gentle waft of flirtatious romancing between Cyrus and the potter’s wife. It is a crime to reveal the plot of a dark tale like this. One can only coax the reader to watch it in the theatre as soon as possible, as this near perfect movie from Homi Adajania, who debuts as a director with this rare treat, is definitely going to be the second most refreshing movie from Bollywood this year (the first being ’Rang De Basanti’). The movie is in English and the running time is about one hour thirty minutes; shorn of any excess baggage, it will certainly please the section of viewers who prefer the ’videsi’ fare more than the over-indulgent ’desi’ flicks. But my personal belief is that the film will strike a chord with all those viewers who are constantly on the lookout for something different as well as entertaining. ’Being Cyrus’ features an exceptionally talented ensemble cast (Boman Irani, Simone Singh, Manoj Pahwa & Honey Chhaya, apart from Naseer, Dimple and Saif) and a truly competent crew who ensure that the director gets to realise his vision.