Big Stars, Great Music, Excellent cinematographer, good director, something like an offbeat theme, will it work? Paheli falls in this genre and does keep your interest alive but there is one unanswered question which keeps you blinking once the show is over. But it still is one of the finest film made in 2005. If you believe in giving logic a backseat, then Paheli is recommended for you.
The Story
The story revolves around Lacchi (Rani Mukherji) who is married to Kishan (SRK). The movie starts with Lacchi and Kishan getting married and are on their way to Lacchi’s sasuraal. In the middle of their tiresome journey, they take shelter in a place where Lacchi encounters some strange happenings. She doesn’t react to it. Kishan is shown as an uninterested husband who keeps himself immersed in the accounts book. Kishan leaves to Pardes for 5 long years immediately after his wedding night and Lacchi is heart-broken at her husband’s departure. There is a ghost (SRK in a double role) who is in love with Lacchi and who takes on the form of Kishan knowing that he is leaving to pardes for 5 long years. Lacchi and the entire family is happy on the arrival of Kishan (ghost). But the ghost tells Lacchi that he is a mayavi and that he was the one who did those strange things when Lacchi took shelter in that place. Lacchi is shocked but the ghost tells her that he would go away if she doesn;t want him. This brings Lacchi close to him and they start living happily though they are worried about real Kishan’s arrival. Everything goes well until one day when Lacchi becomes pregnant and at the same time the real Kishan also lands up. How the mystery is resolved and whom Lacchi finally lives with forms the climax.
Plusses and Minuses
There are a lot of interesting moments in the movie. Some of them are:
Lacchi’s encounter with the ghost for the first time in the shelter place.
Ghost entry into the house and the Dheere Jalna song.
Ghost Kishan telling Lacchi about his love at first sight with her.
Sudden change of real Kishan on seeing the ’’ber’’ and his longings for Lacchi.
Rajpal Yadhav’s scene with both Kishans
Camel race and the scene after the camel race between Lacchi and ghost Kishan.
Laga Re Jal Laga / Kangna Re song
Scene involving the shephard (Big B).
On the flip side,
The climax leaves an unanswered question as to why didn’t the ghost do that initially??
Sometimes, the story moves very slowly.
Performances
One word to explain SRK’s acting is ’’Fabulous’’. He carries off the role of Kishan and ghost with subtle difference and when the two meet, this subtle difference makes you differentiate between the two. SRK doesn’t have different get-ups for the double role and still his acting helps us to differentiate between the two in the climax scene. Rani, my god, I don’t have words to tell how matured she has become in acting. As Lacchi, she is wonderful and does full justice to her portrayal. She is bewitching in the song sequences and her chemistry with SRK is fantastic. Anupam Kher as SRK’s father is marvellous especially in the scene when he gets 5 gold coins from the ghost. Juhi Chawla and Suniel Shetty are wasted in a miniscule role though Juhi leaves a mark. Amitabh Bacchan as the shephard is fantastic who solves the Paheli. Rajpal Yadav as the messenger does a good job. The others are apt.
Music Director MM.Kreem has done an excellent job with all the songs keeping the tempo of the film. Cinematographer Ravi.K.Chandran is excellent and does a great job. Director Amol Palekar, who is known for offbeat themes, comes up with a good script though the climax could have been better thought of. Even otherwise the execution is brilliant.
Verdict
Paheli is an entertainer with great songs, 2 superstars(SRK and Rani) and excellent picturization. Logically, the film has one flaw and despite this flaw, it is entertaining.
I would give 7 out of 10 for this rustic folk tale love story.