Ajay Devgan, one name which haunts you more than anything else as you leave the cinema hall after a thoroughly engrossing and simulating Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is a man who uses visual medium effectively to come up with haunting images and vivid emotions. Such is the tapestry of emotions handled especially in second half that the heart went out to a promising young director who though not meeting the same standards as his earlier film, Khamoshi, never the less the film is powerfully made display of emotions and turmoils.
The movie itself is a remake of 1980’s film Woh Saat Din. A husband searching for his wife’s lost lover. Woh Saat Din was a powerful hit in itself. Bhansali marries Woh Saat Din to a visual narrative. Hence, each frame expresses ideas, whether abstract or open. Nandini is a girl who is a mix of fire (bijli) and water (sheetal). The climax captures her running over a bridge with fireworks in the sky. Visual symbolism at its best. There are more examples. The red saaree, the nimbooda song, the engagement ring; there are more than you can count and perhaps make out. But an emotional thread runs through out the movie. The first half is stunningly captured Gujrat rural landscape. The barren desert has never evoked so many colors as Bhansali has extracted. The second half is pan-European in nature with museums, bars and opera houses. Bhansali has done well in catching the finer nuances and blending them with the narrative and screenplay.
’’We Gujeratis have a song for all occasions.’’ Ash tells Salman Khan and indeed the songs in themselves are a wonderful instrument used by Bhansali to create a unique ambience of joy, pain and ectasy. The songs have an image each. Hence, Chaand Chupa sees Ash in Blue and so does Nimbooda, while everyone else in pretty rustic. Aankhon Ki sees her go rustic in a scene (inspired by HAHK?) when everyone else is dark. It is director making his heroine set apart carefully and his music composer has helped him a lot. The whole narrative comprises of music, lights and cinematography along with art direction (including costumes). Watch as Ash runs when Salman is leaving and he statues her. The whole ambience is one and whole ambience is still. Watch the red as she cuts her hand. Watch her in blacks when she arrives in Italy and go to a greener saree as soon as her relationship with Ajay also greens. Visual symbolism is extrordinary. And background score plays its part as well. While first part sees Indian classical tones, the second half is inclined towards the western opera. The song Sainya Ji resonates in western ambience and score. The last time I saw songs such a unique part of narrative was long time back with Yash Chopra’s Chandini.
The performances now. Ash is in elements through out the movie. It is apparent she has done a lot of home work with her director and costume designer. She also excells in some post interval portions with Ajay. Salman Khan is better than his usual crappy style but is still not a great performance as he tends to ham big time. Ajay Devgan is splendid in a wonderfully essayed role of Dhanraj. He makes it look so real, so real that someone could love someone so purely that he could give her to her love. Support cast are ok!
Cinematography is A-class considering that a complete change in environment occurs as we move to either side of the interval. Art direction is also splendid in first half and second half sees some beautiful locales as well. Choreography is not dance alone. Ii is situational and well done. The screenplay of a mundane script is excellent. Snajay Leela Bhansali has done superbly as a director and here is a man who is passionate and sensible about his job.
My favorite sequence from the movie is the song Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. It is wonderfully captured and both Nandini and Vanraj have emoted so well with director directing this portion out of this world.
A must watch and a delightful film both in cinematic content and entertainment.
Pros : everything
Cons: cant say maybe the story