Hmm...what is Paheli about?
hmm...let me see....hmmm..ok, ya I got it but....no wait wait.....hmmm!!!
It does make the matter worse that I’ve an average understanding of Hindi. And the climax was the checkmate I needed!
Ok, the story goes something like this - In the fairytale, seducing beauty of Rajasthan landscape, there lived a money-minded Kishanlal (Shahrukh Khan) who married a beautiful, simple gal Laachi (Rani). On the first night, Kishan continues to be engrossed in his accounting work leaving Laachi feelin miserable. The next day he leaves on a business errand, never to come back for another 5 years. Laachi who has no say on her husband’s decision quietly swallows her disappointment and moves on, helping in the household chores. But hardly was she aware that a roaming spirit has fallen madly in love with her. On hearing that Kishan will not be back for a long time, the spirit assumes the form of the former and comes back to Laachi. He discloses his true identity. However, Rani too falls in love and the romance begins. Meanwhile, ’Kishan’ continues to impress the household and the villagers by his sweet talk and charming ways. Until Laachi becomes pregnant and all hell breaks loose. The real Kishan is shell-shocked by the news and hurries back to the village, only to see another Kishan with his Laachi. The entire village goes dumbfounded. The people demand for an explanation and the head of the family Bhanwarlal (Anupam Kher) decides to take both to task. On the way to a trial, the villagers and the Kishan duo encounter a shepherd (Amitabh), who takes the initiative to solve the complex puzzle. He does............wait a minute yaar, why am I revealing everything? Watch the movie and decide what happens to Kishan and ’Kishan’!
The climax simply flummoxed me. What exactly happened after Amitabh ’solves’ the puzzle?
Director Amol Palekar is clever. I think he wants us to interpret the end the way we think is right. So who is right? You (if you saw Paheli ofcourse) who understood it in this or that way or me who understood it in no way?!!!
Please watch it, understand the end and help me restore the hairs I lost!
~ Memorable moments...
Laachi’s first encounter with the spirit - a right mix of fear and mischeviousness!
when Laachi discovers the true identity of ’Kishan’
the camel race....it was okay, I expected a Lagaan I guess.
each of the songs and dance - bewitching, in one word
when I saw Juhi Chawla in this frame, that frame, the one after that....sigh!
when Amitabh Bachchan burps after taking a large swig of water!
the Laachi & spirit’s romance......
~ and, the cinematography is absolutely sensitive. It captures the rustic beauty of the Rajasthani landscape and village goers (in their alluring traditional garb) with aplomb. Whom did I fall in love with? - the camera or Laachi?!!!
~ Aditi Govitrikar, as Laachi’s friend is wow and garners equal attention when sharing screen space with Rani.
Anupam Kher and Rajpal Yadav are hilarious. In a verbal duel with Kishan, Rajpal steals the show while Shahrukh stands helpless :)
Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Shah do complete justice providing the voice in the background.
Juhi Chawla, in a miniscule role, snatches our breath away nevertheless. And Suniel Shetty as her hubby comes and goes, leaving us caring less nevertheless. Not his fault, it’s not everyday one can grab strong villain roles aka Main Hoon Na.
Amitabh, in the crazy shepherd act, simply blows away those who shares screen space with him except perhaps Shahrukh who bravely manages to survive the human sandstorm!
Rani is spot-on! Yes, this cannot be compared to the character in Black, but it’s so impressive to watch this pretty woman score given the constraint. The silent suffering, lady in veil potrayed effectively by her would have prompted a mile long queue of MCP males to propose marriage!
Shahrukh Khan - forget Devdas or Veer Zaara. I feel you have cooly cleant the slate of your best performances and come up with one that betters ’em all.
As the insensitive hubby, you were cute. As the ghost, you rocked bringing the pillars down! Your eyes should get the next Filmfare award, not you! I could have filled three chapters on acting simply viewing the range of emotions that whizzed by your eyes. As the real Kishan who sobs and breaks down before Anupam Kher to prove his identity, you brought a gulp to many throats in the audience. This one scene has finally convinced me that you have arrived as an actor. Sorry for the delay in appreciation.
Now coming back to my friends who’re eyeing this review, what are you staring at? You are waiting for me to have a bald pate and an overdrawn tummy?!
Go watch Paheli, understand the climax and answer my doubts before I too become a wandering mayavi searching for humans to love ~ :)