Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota...What if? ()
Language: Hindi, English(for a part of movie)
Genre: Drama
Released: July 21, 2006
Approx Running Length: 2 hours
Director: Naseeruddin Shah (Debut)
Cast: Paresh Rawal, Ratna Pathak Shah, Irfan Khan, Saroj Khan (Debut), Boman Irani, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ayesh Takia, Suhasani Maulai, Karan Khanna (Debut), Imaad Shah (Debut)
( Exceptional, Brilliant, Good, Average, * Avoidable)
This movie is going to be a box-office disaster! Sadly, not because the movie is bad but for the reason that this movie is a bit too subtle for an average audience to understand.
All big time reviewers and the majority of audience will find the movie either an abruptly ending tale or a movie that leaves too many questions unanswered. If you look at the movie title again, you would understand why the script comes up that way but as the critics don’t forgive, we must not let the script writer go scott-free. Yes, the script/screenplay are both for the audience to interpret and extend on their own to a logical conclusion on most of the occasions. If you don’t believe in thinking with the narration, blame the script/screenplay/direction for making a movie that you should not watch. Give it a miss if you don’t want to think along the narration.
Every movie has its weaknesses and strengths. All said and done, this movie does not give you any dull moments except for probably the first five minutes where the characters are still being introduced. Rest of the narration is too fast for average junta.
I recommend it.
In short: A good movie that is as subtle as it gets and requires the audience to think along throughout the fast-paced narration. If this kind of movie appeals to you, go watch! Not necessarily a rule but if you liked Naach, you will like this one too.
Highlights:
1. The narration is fast paced and gives you ample scope to think and expand the story with your own interpretation and conclusion without really making any difference to the proceedings.
Naseer will surely run away with best debut director awards for this year.
Everyone’s acted well. Almost everyone.
Let-downs:
1. Konkona reminds of the character that she played in 15 Park Avenue. She needs to go a little easy on her expressions when acting naughty on screen. Otherwise she has done a good job. It is just the expectations from her that she doesn’t live up to.
Limiting Factor:
The movie is not for the masses but I guess even the classes would find it a rather documentry like movie when it ends.
Apt Title: What if? The narration truly asks the question and gives you the ends (which may appear loose to some people) to interepret yourself and ask the question "What if?" An apt tilte for a subtle movie.
The plot:
There is a newly wed wife (Konkona) who wants to go to US to live with her husband. She is fed up of her in-laws back home. There is a guy (Khanna) who is being pushed to US to do his MS in Bioinformatics. There is a man (Paresh) who takes youngs people to US on the pretext of doing a cultural show. There is a stock broker (Irfaan) who has to go to US to run away from his problems back home. They all have to go to US for their own reasons but their destiny cross each other.
Apart from this main theme, there is a track where a guy from America returns home and brags about the greatness of the US of A and really talks lowly of the dirty city of Mumbai. There is this poor lady (also an old love interest of Paresh) played by Ratna Pathak Shah who wants her daughter to be sent to America.
All these people are from different strata of society and have only one thing in common - hope of bright things in the US of A.
Their individual stories run parallely and their seems absolutely no connection until the last 20 minutes roll out. If I give anymore I would be giving you the end which I am sure will make your experience not worth treasuring.
Overcoming a few doubts:
1. The end of the movie ends abruptly without giving any details because it was meant to be that way. There was no intention of glorifying the end. A 20 seconds closeup at "something" gives you the chance to exclaim and guess for sure what is going to happen! It was just meant to be.
Why couldn’t a character in the movie make calls towards the end of the story? Ans: The lines were jammed.
Titles roll when you least expect it to because that is the only way this movie could have ended.
A person with an inferiority complex talks a lot about lots of fancy things to impress others. Agree?
She really has to be in love with a man to not lie to him if you are caught in an indecent act. It may be her true character (and she begs him to understand her) but the change begins when she knowns that she has lost the man of her life.
You may not express your true feelings to someone but still you know that you love each other. It can be gestures. Who do you call if you are feeling really good or really really bad about a thing? One you trust and love! You don’t have to say it to mean it.
Write to me in comments and let us discuss. There is an explanation for everything that has been shown.
Acting Pefromances:
Paresh Rawal is the best of the lot. He doesnt have to prove himself. We all know he is one of the best actors around.
Ratna Pathak Shah (Naseeruddin Shah’s wife/ Mrs Sarabhai of a famous teleseries) is following closely as far as the acting performance is concerned.
Irfaan Khan disappoints big time. Saroj Khan (the famous choreographer) who makes her debut too is just about average. Shasani Mulay has done a decent job. Boman Irani is wasted.
Konkona Sen Sharma seems to have stopped learning. She has a hangover of the role that she essayed in 15 Park Avenue. She could have done much better in the opening scene. She is better in the second half but I would argue that she has stopped learning as an actor which could be dangerous. She is not bad but she is not outstanding either as was expected from her.
Jimmy Shergil and the rest have played their role with a lot of heart. They have performed their best with a satisfactory outcome on the screen.
Imaad Shah (Naseer’s son) keeps talking in pure Hindi on screen and plays his role very nicely. I think he is natural and can do well after a few years of learning the art. He has potential.
(continued in comments section)