What do you feel when you feel good? What can replace the feeling of getting drained in the rain splashing on a royal balcony and your soul getting drenched in ecstacy? What is the alternative to a night out with your beloved singing for you in a cool desert? What can one do when one reached the top? There are things in life and then there are things in life. Lamhe is about those. It promenades the life of a Kunwar and his association with an older lady and her daughter in manner which has never ever been explored again. It touches a chord somewhere in the heart from first scene itself. Maybe it is The Age of Innocence stamp or the incredibly restrained screenplay. The editor has cut the film crisply but the film moves at a pace that is grand, leisurely and one which brings the period effect in a quiet unobstrusive manner to the silver screen.
The film is about moments, the moments like the one when Kunwar first comes to Rajasthan, when the first rains slash the haveli, when the gorgeous girls sing in the rain in Rajasthani costume in the courtyard, when the Dai Ma tells Kunwar ’’Haan Ab tou Aap Bahut Bade Ho Gaye Hain...’’, when the girl takes Kunwar to the visit of Desert and sings Morni Baagaan Mein Bole, when the girl rushes past Kunwar to embrace her lover, when the Kunwar discovers the daughter, the visits to London, when the daughter discovers her mothers portrait in Kunwars collection and finally when Kunwar ’’realizes’’ love for the first time in his life. The film has a haunting and exaggeratedly opulent feel to it most of the times but that never pierces your eyes. No one will go again and watch the movie for the clothes the actress and actor wore or some gimmicky comedy that was done by the lead pair or the dance that launched a thousand steps. This is a film about rich people alright, but it is not bubble gum candy floss at any time. It flows like a river, wetting every shore of emotion on the path and completely absolving its identity in the being of love sagar.
What makes it work? Mostly it is the restrained acting. Anil Kapoor delivers what is surely his best performance ever and better than anything else in 90’s. He is a picture of sweet innocence in the beginning and mature composure later. He breathes life into Kunwar as if he was him and noone else was. Sridevi! It has not been easy to notice a Yash Chopra heroine acting. She does and that is her strength. Made to look like a baby doll, it was easy for her to do nothing else, but does she rock or not? Mother and daughter, they are two different personas and she brings them to life. Especially check her out in her mannerisms, she deservedly swept every award in the book. Waheeda Rehman, will she ever stop looking gorgeous and her acting is a study in sparsity of facial movement and saying thousand words through eyes. Anupam Kher delivers knock out punch in a role which is difficult to portray. He delivers one of his best performance as Kunwars friend, philosopher and guide. Sonia who plays Kunwars girl friend is incredibly restrained as well. The ’K’ serial vamps can have a look at her for menacing acting through minimal flickering of emotion on face. Only sore point is the model who plays Sridevis husband. Now he cant act at all.
Technically the film experiments full throttle with camera and editing. Editing gives the film a pace which suits and builds the atmosphere of plenty and scarcity. Camera moves like a dream to capture London and Rajasthan in a manner no one has ever been able to. Most of the time the shooting is in evening, morning or night and that lends a certain calmness to the overall ambience. Never has a house been photographer in so many hues of light and angles. Dialogues are top notch. ’’Main Kunwar Ko Paanch saal se pyar karti hoon’’ ’’Aur main tou unhein tab se pyar karti hun jabse main paanch saal ki thi’’ Screenplay is brilliant and only thing that has come close to it is the one of Dil Chahta Hai. Story is novel and unconventional, and has an epoch quality to it. Lyrics are superb and the music just enough to make you get tears to your eyes and not drop, and lips to part and not laugh. And what to speak of the direction. This is Yash Chopras finest hour. He himself regards this as his best work. No wonder in an age where we have seen even movies released this year on Satellite TV, this one is still directors own movie.
It works at a level that cant be explained, it can just be felt. If you enjoy the rains, if you love the feel of not doing anything and if you can remember old things and still laugh like a complete buffoon, this film is for you. Just feel it, you will never miss a Lamhein again.......