**I am not cock-eyed, I am talking to you mister, not him!**, my US culture trainer shrieked at me again.
Sigh, I should have repaired my glasses when I’d the time.’Yes’, I whimpered and diligently answered her question on the Social Security Act in the USA.
As she kept hollering about the popular sports & lifestyle activities of the Americans, my mind swept to a Bollywood movie that’s been getting rave attention from the critics & the public alike - ***Naina***.
*Did Urmila freak out in the movie’cause her new corneas made her cock-eyed?*, I wondered.’Better find out’, my mind whispered back soothingly.
’I will’, I vowed.
**Eyes that saw the past, present and the future.**
On a solar-eclipse day, Naina loses her eyes & her parents in an untimely accident at London. Twenty years later, she gains sight again thanks to a cornea transplant from a dead woman, Khemi in Gujarath, India. Her doctor? A handsome Samir Patel. The two fall in love, naach-gaana and the inevitable marriage with the blessings of the NRI community, right? How I wouldn’t wish so! And how happy I’m it didn’t end so! Naina’s normal, secure life comes to an end and her true troubles begin, and the intellectual, practical Dr. Samir finds himself drawn in too.
**Visually stunning**
The movie comes out with excellent cinematography that rivals anything international. I don’t know why, but I was reminded of another visual beauty The Cell by Tarsem Singh. I liked the way the camera played with the myriad colors.
**Urmila’s heartening act**
Another thumbs-up performance from the svelte Ms. Matondkar. Her expressions are in sync with the changing situations in the movie. This movie, like Kaun! & others, proves that(given a talented director) Urmila can pull a movie solely with her presence.
**There’s a new doc in town, and boy does he look & act cool!**
Anuj Sawhney as Dr.Samir does his best. His frustration in the attempts to reason with Naina, his late discovery that he was wrong all the time & Naina was right, his fondness for her - everything is conveyed so well by thiz man.
**Shweta Konnur(Khemi)**
Another highly talented girl makes her debut into Bollywood - not only did her eyes speak throughout the movie, but her performance has made the industry’s top-notch directors and producers sit up straight, adjust their glasses and nod positively in unison! She’s pretty, acts like a veteran and is confident - she is here to stay in Bollywood if she wants.
**Shripal Morakhia(director) **
Now, let me adjust my glasses, stand up & applaud this newcomer who had the guts to make his first movie that bulldozes the typical stereotypes of Bollywood. No dance routine, a strong story having unpredictable twists & cool ending, sincere performances from the entire cast - this guy is a winner! And he will surely go places.
Now, having adjusted my glasses and leaning back on my sofa, let me look squarely at your eye(am not cock-eyed, ok?) and tell you where Naina kinda.slipped.
**The special effects**(blowing up of London station & the like) didn’t look realistic. Oh, I know it costs a fortune to make them look as real as those Hollywood ones. But how I wish.
And pray tell me, who’s going around town and blaring for all to know that this movie is supposed to be a **horror flick**? If horror’s what you’re looking for, this movie will not give you any jeepers-creepers(read my lips!). Ya, there’re moments in Naina that can be slightly scary(slightly, remember?) Tell me honestly, how many of you truly felt chilled to the bone watching The Sixth Sense by Shyamalan? I dont think Shyamalan intended his flick to be a horror one too. He wanted to portray a character that could see the dead and feel their pain, that’s it. The same goes to Naina too. It doesn’t spook you in the real sense of the term and I feel the director Shripal didn’t exactly want to tickle your scary bone either. The fault goes to the marketing team for releasing the movie that way. Due to this slip-up, many(expecting a Bhoot) have left the theatre disappointed. The error has indeed eaten into the commercial success of Naina.
**However, I am mighty impressed nevertheless**.
*Naina will go down as one of the truly good movies of 2005 and
will be remembered by many as an Indian movie that boldly attempted to reach the heights of Hollywood’s technical finesse.and almost reached there.*