Vivek Oberoi scores a big one with this one after the debacle of Road. Saathiya is Shaad Ali’s directorial venture – a remake of his guru Mani Ratnam’s Alai Payuthe.
Scripted and written by Mani Ratnam, the original was made with Madhavan in the lead and it launched him in Mollywood with a big bang.
The highlights of the film are – the authencity of the story and the way it has been shot – in local trains, buses and chawls. Also to add the cinematography of Anil Mehta.
The music by A R Rahman was a drab but in the film a few songs are passable while some others just come at wrong times.
The story is of a couple who meet, fall in love and decide to get married. The rich boy’s parents insult the poor girl’s parents who make it impossible for the marriage to happen.
The couple decide to get married any way on paper and live separately till they have made successful careers out of their vocations.
An untoward incident gets the truth out and Rani is thrown out of the house by her father. Vivek too meets with the same reaction in his house and the two jam up at a friend’s brother’s place.
When reality strikes – problems happen, needless to say.
And they mount up till Rani meets with an accident and is in serious condition. The climax is a little dry and sad so to add spice to it you have guest appearances by Shah Rukh Khan and Tabu. Although there is one beautifully shot scene with the trio but other than that they don’t lend much for the audience to grip onto.
All’s well that ends well. And all ends well for this love story as well.
A story that explores “happily ever after” is a fresh idea in Hindi films and executed rather well.
For those of you who didn’t realize the last song has Shamita Shetty dancing with Oberoi. A song that was completely unwanted.