Third movie (after his comeback from jaws of death) by maverick director Anurag Basu wins hands down in all department. Having said that, it isn’t that great
it is made out to be. It falls just a bit short from being one of the
best cinemas coming out of Bollywood. I personally would rate his *Gangster *higher than this, not taking away any glory from all involved in this down-to-earth movie.
Shiney
loves Shilpa who in turn is married to Kay Kay. Kay Kay is also doing
his employee Kangana who is Sharman’s dream girl. Kangana’s roomie
Konkona Sen Sharma (also Shilpa’s younger sister) is busy searching for
would-be to deflower her. Irrfan Khan is also looking for a nice bride
and gets rejected by Konkona for gaping at her bosom. And then there is
Shilpa’s dance teacher Nafisa Ali won over by Dharmendra to have a
live-in with him. Looks Chaotic. No, it isn’t. And that’s the
exquisiteness of Anurag Basu. So many characters and all Interlinked,
still you are able to figure out as the story evolves. Remember *Salaam-e-Ishq *and
it’s chaotic plot. Nikhil Advani should take a cue or two from Mr. Basu
in managing bountiful of actors. Also unlike Nikhil, Basu doesn’t go
digging into each actor’s past or etching out each character fold by
fold. Aren’t we smart enough?
The story telling
is straightforward and the screenplay is ideal. Technically, the movie
is well shot. Mumbai is breath taking. Cameraman has done absolute
justice to every shot and angle. If the director has shown those
trademark tall buildings of Mumbai, he has also shown the tightly
packed dingy flats. One particular shot in one of those dingy flats is
worth talking about, the one in which Shiney is shown surveying
Shilpa’s to-die-for figure with his fingers. The neon lights from
across the street stabbing the ambience and her svelte belly would make
you gasp for sure.
The movie takes you through
the hearts and minds of each person. You will be able to relate to
numerous Whys and Hows. That why Kangana is sleeping with her boss
despite knowing he is married? Why Sharman hands over his flat keys to
almost everyone in his office? How Shilpa gets torn between the two
loves, one that she is hoping to get back and the one other person is
hurling at her willingly accepting her with all her responsibilities.
How Konkona gets trapped in a discomforting situation while dating her
crush Mr. Radio Jockey?
And the music. There should not be second thoughts when it comes to songs in Basu’s movies. *Murder, Gangster *and now *Metro. *Basu
definitely seems to have an ear for good music. All the tracks are
simply superb. What get on the nerves is mainly the live performances
by the trio (Pritam, James and Suhail) every time a song comes. I mean
once or may be twice its alright. But every time. Why? It’s not some
private album screening going on dudes.
Now, poring over
the performances. The list already looks like the who’s who of
Bollywood’s finest performers. There is Kay Kay in a role of a true
MCP. Never ever so far in Bollywood in my knowledge someone has
portrayed the role of a self-centered, chauvinist pig like the way Kay
Kay did. Shilpa in her first movie after instant fame from Big Brother
is a treat to watch. Kangana, Sharman and Shiney have lesser footages
compared to rest, they all are good in their respective jobs.
Dharmendra and Nafisa are cute. Finally, the couple that scores over
rest is Konkona and Irrfan. They are the soul of the movie, chiefly
Irrfan. He is the personification of what any great actor is supposed
to be. Watch him talking to Konkona in three particular scenes. One on
the top of building, next near the beach and lastly climbed upon a
horse in the penultimate scene and you will know what I mean. Konkona
is one gifted actor. Of late she seems to have taken the baton in her
hand for discovering closeted gays. First in Page 3 and now in this.
Jokes apart, she is this generation’s version of yesteryear actor
Smitha Patil. She has a startling screen presence that often leaves
traces of it in your mind.
Nonetheless, there
is nothing new in the story. We all know how people live in metro and
what happens behind those close doors. Remember Page 3; something like
that definitely would have raised the bar for *Metro. *Something
that would have swept us off our feet like the Page 3 did. It was the
sheer performances and the marvelous music that saved Mr. Basu or else
it would have been a washout. Still, go watch it. It is definitely a
breather amongst Kya Love Story Hai and Ta Ra Rums and Pums of todays.