After reading initial review on mouthshut I went onto see this movie. Last Shahid kapoor movie that I watched was also surprisingly in the same theater and made by Vishal Bharadwaj- Kaminey and that movie also left me awestruck with Shahid’s performance. I think only Bharadwaj knows how to bring out the real actor from Shahid Kapoor. And believe me, when this Jodi comes together, the output is goose bumping.
Screenplay and Direction is the main key to success for Haider and hence I will talk about it first. Movie goes very slow in the start as the content is difficult to digest but as the story moves from Kashmir to Haider’s personal life, it gains pace. Though slow, it is difficult to take eyes away from the magnificent valleys of Kashmir. There is a true Kashmir depiction here. From Snow to shawls, from wooden houses to Kashmiri Carpets. Set up is damn convincing.
It is the second best performance from Shahid kapoor after Kaminey and it leaves one guessing where was this talent hidden since Kaminey? I think, Haider would bring lot of applauses for his perfomance and eventuallly, some good scripts on his way. Shahid has a fair chance to be nominated for best actor and also win(as Amir khan is usually not awarded and there has been neither any outstanding performance from any actor nor is expected in near future movies).
After a long time, I watched Irfan Khan onscreen. His role shouldn’t be measured by the length but by the depth of his character’s importance. Irfan has delivered a terrific perfomance. His entry received many whistles. His dialog delivery is incomparable and leaves a mark in those 5-8 minutes performance.
K.K Menon is a very monotonous actor. Experimentation and method acting is just not his thing. He is good but the usual one. Nothing sort of extra ordinary.
Tabu looks more like Shahid’s Ex girlfriend than mother. I don’t know what Vishal Bhardwaj was thinking as he casted her in that role. She is still very young to play a parent. Also, in a scene when Shahid pulls her towards him catching her hairs and there is just an inch of difference between their faces, it was just very awkward moment. Which child does that with her mother?But in rest of the scenes, Tabu is flawless.
Shraddha looks really Kashmiri due to her red-red plumpy cheeks. Her performance is just OK.
Actors who played father of Shahid and Shraddha are also nice and I would love to see them again in some movies.
Also, there is a surprise for Salman Fans! No! No! No real Salman Khan! But his duplicates who raised good laughs in midst of the tragedy!’Chutzpah"
Bismil Song is shot very well and its choreograher deserves an award! A masterpiece that would be remembered for a long time and has set new benchmarks to be met. Shahid’s dance is outstanding. Not only the grace with which he does it, but also aggression that is visible on his face gives goose bumps. Very Nice!
The song So Jao is also very beautifully shot and the three undertakers in it are awesome. Choreography again rocks here.
Vishal Bharadwaj’s music was good and apt for the situations. There was nothing overdone.
There is lot of blood and gore in the movie. The story and characters are disturbing. Better not take children along to watch this flick.
Even though its an adaptation of Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Vishal Bharadwaj has given his own touch to the movie highlighting underlying problems faced by Kashmiris that is never covered by media. Also, Haider released on the very time when Pak PM raised the issue of Kashmir in US. Thus, situation turned into the favour of the movie.
Story of the movie is based on the revenge that Haider desires for his father’s disappearance who happened to be in favour of Kashmir moving to Pakistan’s side. The movie has a very dark theme. Romance has very little place in it. There is more of mother-child than boy-girl love. Complex situations makes it difficult to decide who is actually right, India, Pakistan, Kashimiris, Militants or Haider.
Best part was that Haider, who loves his father more than his mother tends to listen to her advice in the end!
The climax of the movie is something to watch out for!