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Zubeidaa More at IMDbPro »
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| Index | 19 reviews in total |
7 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Zubeidaa, the rebellious princess, 17 October 2010
Author:
Peter Young from Australia
In 2000, Khalid Mohammed, a famous film critic, directed a movie called
Fiza. Fiza is one of my favourite films, and I particularly loved the
great performance of its leading lady, Karisma Kapoor. In this film,
Khalid Mohammed assumes a part as a writer. The one who directs this
movie is none other than Shyam Benegal, one of India's all-time best
filmmakers, and the one who plays the title role is Karisma Kapoor.
This is the third movie in the unofficial trilogy of Benegal movies
scripted by Mohammed, all of which are partly fictionalised true
stories centred around Indian Muslim women who made a lasting impact on
Mohammed's life. The first movie in the trilogy is the brilliant Mammo,
which was based on Mohammed's beloved grandaunt, and the second is
Sardari Begum, titled after a popular Thumari singer of his mother's
era. Both characters actually appear in this movie. But here Mohammed
tells the story of Zubeidaa Begum, who was his real mother.
Zubeidaa Begum was the daughter of a famous filmmaker and an aspiring
actress. When her father, who disapproved of her dreams to pursue an
acting career, found out she was acting secretly in films, he arranged
her marriage to Mehboob Alam. However, right after Zubeidaa gave birth
to a baby boy, they divorced. Zubeidaa was a charming, high-spirited,
incredibly honest and rebellious woman who refused to live her life
according to traditional mores and was constantly in search of
happiness. One such opportunity presents itself in the form of Maharaja
Vijayendra Singh, the prince of Fatehpur, who is already married to a
much older Mandira Devi. Vijayendra instantly falls for Zubeidaa, and
she leaves everything behind her, including her little son whom her
father does not allow to take, to enter his house as his second wife.
The story relates Zubeidaa's trials and tribulations in the big house,
her loneliness and yearning for her son and for her husband, who has
very little time for her.
The story of Zubeidaa is convincingly narrated and is efficiently
presented through flashbacks as told to the character of Riyaz,
Zubeidaa's elder son who is now a journalist trying to find some
documentation of who his mother was. He is surprised to hear that she
was a charismatic woman who lived life to the fullest, and the movie is
authentic enough to make the viewer feel a connection to the story and
to its main protagonist. Unsurprisingly, Shyam Benegal's direction is
excellent and he unusually accepts many of the ingredients of
mainstream Hindi cinema, which certainly sets this movie apart from his
previous directorial efforts. He is aided by Mohammed's script, Javed
Siddiqui's fantastic dialogues, the terrific sound design, the
wonderful cinematography, and of course the art direction; the sets,
the costumes and the props all successfully capture the atmosphere of
the 1950s. One cannot go without mentioning A.R Rahman's music which
gives life to the film. "So Gaye Hain" is the finest song in the
soundtrack and its melody is really calm, haunting and melancholic.
The one who is most responsible for making Zubeidaa the movie that it
is and the character so memorable is unquestionably Karisma Kapoor.
After delivering an all-time great performance as the main protagonist
in Khalid Mohammed's Fiza, she is now cast in the role of his mother to
deliver another performance of equally high standards. Shyam Benegal
once frankly stated that he actually had not seen a single movie of
hers before, and therefore he directed her with utmost guidance.
Kapoor's portrayal is indeed heartfelt, real and powerful, and she
displays Zubeidaa's feisty nature, determination, yearning, anger and
frustration with energy, depth and conviction that make her really easy
to relate to. Manoj Bajpai is very fine as Zubeidaa's loving husband.
Rekha is superb as Mandira. She is amazingly restrained and graceful
and is mysterious enough to make one wonder what her real take was. The
supporting cast includes Amrish Puri, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor and
Lillete Dubey, and all of them manage to leave a mark.
Zubeidaa's ending is really poignant, but its melancholic and
bittersweet feel actually explains why Zubeidaa Begum will be
remembered. It's great that Mohammed decided to immortalise his mother
even though he sadly did not even know her that much in her life and
her portrait existed in his mind only from stories he had heard from
those who knew her. Anyway, kudos to Mohammed, Benegal and Karisma
Kapoor for making Zubeidaa the entertaining and moving picture that it
is.
9 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
The Greatest of Movies! A must see!, 18 November 2001
Author:
suhailmu (suhailmu@hotmail.com) from New Jersey, USA
This is by far one of the best Indian movies I have ever seen. One really
gets a sense of the life in the early 1950's in India. The plot is very
rich. Full of life. Full of characters, nuances. There are so many
stories in the background: partition, status of Muslims in India, Indian
cenima, fate of Indian principalties. The dialogue is just awesome. But,
of
course, the focus and center of the movie is the story of Zubedaa. Khaled
Mohammed's script -- based on the life of is mother -- is simply amazing.
In
general, I do not like Karishma Kapoor's movies -- but she gives a
phenomenol performance here, even better than her performance in Fiza. I
hope she will continue do serious roles in the future. In fact, everyone
in
the movie is great. There are no "mistakes" in the movie. What starts
out
as very simple story builds up to something very powerful. There is no
naive sentimentality here. This is art! High art! And no this is not one
of
those aesthetic pieces that are out of touch with reality. I just cannot
say enough about the movie. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
Of course, this movie is only for serious viewers. If you are looking for
action or laughs, look else where.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Zubeidaa: a Vision of Female, 5 September 2008
Author:
guardians2006 from Indonesia
A vision of female follies & desires SHYAM Benegal spearheaded the
parallel cinema movement in the 70s and the 80s with movies like
Nishant and Manthan whereby making icons of Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin
Shah and Smita Patil. His genuine concern with womens' issues is
evident in movies like Mammo and Sardari Begum (both scripted by Khalid
Mohammad) with their women-oriented themes. His latest film Zubeidaa
offers perspective vignettes and explores the female psyche and
interaction in different environments. Benegal has a kindly vision of
female follies and characters, their motivations, desperation's and
desires.
Starring Karisma Kapur, Rekha and Manoj Bajpai, the film has strong a
backup in Surekha Sikri and Lillette Dubey, supported by his favorites
Amrish Puri and Rajit Kapur, Shyam Benegal calls his film a "lyrical
romance" and it is one, but that is not all that his film offers. The
film, a period romance set in the 1950s, is the story of a young Muslim
girl from an affluent family. When her father discovers that his
daughter has signed a film, he forces her into a marriage which ends in
a divorce and a baby. Zubeidaa meets her true love, a Rajasthani prince
(Manoj Bajpai) but the trouble is that he is already married. However,
she consents to becoming his Chhoti Rani.
Basically there are four strongly etched characters in the film.
Surekha Sikri is the Muslim wife in an urban, educated setting who
abides by the laws set down by the husband and accepts his tyranny as a
traditional male domain, "you know sahib always has his way. You'll
have to do what he says in the end". Her contemporary is Lillette Dubey
who plays Miss Rose Davenport, a dancer in the movies…and she's utterly
irrepressible! Out to have a good time, she interacts on a superficial
level with everyone connected to her. Still she has a kind heart and
when she decides that Zubeidaa has had enough of moping around after
her divorce, she promptly introduces her to the dashing prince and
shamelessly abets the romance. Her statement, "men and horses are more
my style my dear", (said with a mischievous wink) is completely her!
The interesting thing is that the same fact, when examined by her and
by Sikri, portrays diametrically different views of the truth making
one realize that truth is never absolute! These two utterly different
women, belonging to the same generation, remain true to type till their
old age.
Karisma Kapoor and Rekha in Zubeidaa Benegal is never judgmental and
nor does he allow the audience to become holier-than-thou. So human are
both the women and so sympathetically has the director dealt with his
characters that one simply accepts them and likes them.
The main character, that of Zubeidaa, superbly portrayed by Karisma
Kapur, has overlapping shades to it. Zubeidaa has fiery feminist
instincts and is rebellious and tempestuous until the end. At the same
time she's feminine, vulnerable and very young. She chooses to live her
life the way she wants to. After giving into paternal authority once in
her first marriage, she isn't willing to throw away her chance for
happiness the second time. Fully aware of the prince's previous
marriage and family, she's ready to accept a strange environment and a
different religion for the sake of love. She makes her choices and
sacrifices willingly and knowingly. Karisma has surpassed herself as
the passionate, defiant, willful and troubled Zubeidaa, the truly
modern woman.
In direct contrast to her is Mandira Devi, the Patrani of the prince.
Graceful, mature and traditional, she upholds the role and duties of
the Rajasthani princess, yet surprises Zubeidaa by saying, "call me
Mandy". She treats Zubeidaa with resigned, amused affection, never
losing her savor-fare while she instructs Zubeidaa in her expected
role.
The most important facet that Benegal has been able to bring out
through the film is the fact of female bonding. Whether it is Lillette
with Karisma or Karisma with Surekha or Karisma with Rekha, females in
the film interact, react, exist and equate with each other, despite the
parameters set by males. They understand and accept each others' drives
and emotions. Rekha and Karisma, in fact, have a frank discussion about
their respective relationships with the prince. Both accept that they
have a different role to play in his life—but in the final analysis,
that role is assigned by the male. So if the prince says of his senior
wife, "woh eek ache Rajput bah ha", he says to Karisma, "sada ha seen
bane Rana Ur Dill belling", leaving no ambiguity in the respective role
expectation.
The plot of the story moves fast from scene to scene—from the 50s to
the 80s (the film is in a series of flash-backs) without losing track
of the story. It is also not so 'period' that one cannot relate to it.
There are traces of the British upper class manners,egg. The meals and
decor in Karisma's house is very Anglicized, people speak English
comfortably, on the stereo a Dean Martin song is playing, in a party is
a live band with the saxophone, trumpet and drums playing a waltz.
There are puff sleeves, shingled hair and net depots, there is talk of
the newly-formed Pakistan, the Privy-purses being withdrawn is a
burning issue and many details like these to make the setting
completely authentic. Back home in Fatehpur too, the true Rajasthani
setting has been portrayed with attention to minute detail.
In the final analysis, Benegal has made a film which is a milestone as
far as women-oriented movies are concerned. The theme, characterization
and issues that the film examines are fair to women and have been
examined without any searing criticism to mar the tone of the picture.
3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
A Rich And Resonant Historical Romance, Though It Ends Up Feeling Incomplete, 24 September 2007
Author:
Afzal Shaikh from London, England
Shyam Benegal is an international award winning film director who made
his name in the 1970's with films, such as Anker (1974), that focus on
controversial subjects involving the examination of fraught, complex
social and cultural relationships. These films tend to concentrate on
the lower rungs of Indian society. Zubeidaa is a refreshing update in
this mode of film-making, as Benegal transfers his name-making
qualities to a subject at the higher end of society.
It is the story of a young man, Riyaz, who goes on a journey to
discover what has happened to his mysterious mother, absent for as long
as he can remember. What he discovers is reenacted in scenes set not
long after independence, as the naïve but headstrong young Zubeidaa is
scandalised by her romance, and subsequent marriage to Prince
Vijayendra Singh of Fatehpur, head of a grand Hindu ruling royal
family. As a middle class Muslim divorcée with a child by another man,
her relationship with the Prince is naturally complicated by
socio-political and religious factors.
But not only does she become entangled in the politics of the royal
circle around the Prince, particularly in her relationship with the
Prince's first wife, Mandira Devi, she also gets caught up in the
larger politics of India. The film is set during a time not long after
Independence, a time of change and uncertainty for the traditional
ruling class of India, which still laid claim to about a third of the
country.
Though it is clear that this film is much more than royal watching,
having such a subject naturally supports a lavish treatment, which
Benegal ably supplies, as well as making the film's content rich in
nuance and resonance, handling its mature romantic storyline
gracefully, and skilfully embedding it into its larger historical
context.
The characters are generally very well developed with empathy and
without judgement or cliché. The acting matches this. Karisma Kapoor
captures the strength and naivety of Zubeidaa with aplomb, and Rekha is
authoritative and understated as the enigmatic Mandira Devi.
The only problem I have with the film is Zubeidaa's grown son, Riyaz.
Riyaz is imperative to the film, since the viewer follows him on his
journey of discovery. Seeing great characters through the eyes of other
characters is a useful fictional device, most successfully utilised in
Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway's character
is revealed by his journey in discovering Gatsby. However, in Zubeidaa,
Riyaz stays enigmatic while discovering his mother, and even, at times,
comes across as anodyne, feeling more like a biographer looking into an
interesting episode in history, not a son trying to find his mother.
Rajat Kapoor, playing Riyaz, does not manage to rise above his
character's failings. And so, unfortunately, the film ends up feeling
incomplete.
5 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
REALLY good movie. Worth seeing. Painstakingly made., 20 February 2001
Author:
sai from NJ, USA
I saw this movie with minimal expectations. Except that Shyam Benegal is
known to make 'art' movies.
I left with a most wonderful feeling. Shyam Benegal has bridged the gap
between serious movies and the pot boilers produced by Bollywood. I don't
expect this movie to be a hit. But here are the things I found fascination
in the movie (in no particular order):
i) The character of Zubeida as played by Karisma Kapoor was perfect! If it
was the intention of the director to show her as a very happy-go-lucky
girl
that does not want to be confined by anyone or anything - she has
portrayed
it superbly. Of course, she DOES come across as being selfish, as not
being
willing to share the limelight (or her love for that matter) with another.
But - that is what she IS!
ii) The story was very melancholic. Interspersed with moments of laughter.
But the melancholy prevails thru till the last frame.
iii) Cinematography has a dream like quality (when in flashback mode)
along
with a matter of fact presence today. I especially liked the sepia tones
of
yester year juxtaposed with the more real life tones of the present
day.
iv) The direction itself is (as usual) flawless. I thought there was a
mistake once or twice - but upon rewinding I saw (to my relief) that I was
very much mistaken. The only part not so convincing is the plane crash
itself. If only Indian movie makers would not mind doing the real thing
:-)
In particular, I feel the reason Karisma seems to be so perfect in this
role, is the director. That is NOT to detract from her performancs! But
just
having Shyam Benegal as a director raises you to the next level - that you
probably never knew existed.
v) The camera work is poetic. Whether in the past or in the present, it
seems to caress each of the central characters. Whether it is Amrish Puri
or
Rose in the past or Rajit Kapur and the palace in the present, the camera
seems to linger longingly on each of them. Especially in the present, when
the camera seems to wish the place back to life the way it
was.
vi) Manoj Bajpai's casting (Victor). This, as expected, is one of the most
controversial castings ever done. Manoj's portrayals in movies so far have
been anything BUT regal. However, it is MY feeling that he did a
commendable
job of airing royalty. I thought he was cast perfectly. However, his
younger
brother seems to be more regal than him. In the one scene in the present,
he
does look like a former maharaja.
vii) Rekha as the Queen (Mandira Devi). Now THIS was a big no-no in my
view.
She looked so much older than him! However, if history has to be portrayed
correctly, what other choice do we have?
viii) Lilette Dubey (Rose). This is ONE woman you can see as having done
her
role complete justice. She floats thru it and you are left wondering
whether
you should be loving her or hating her.
ix) Karisma Kapoor (Zubeidaa). I don't mean to belittle her by talking
about
her so late in the review. She was perfect for the role. She has done the
role perfectly. You love to love the vivacious girl in her. You struggle
along with her as she tries to adjust to being a queen - failing
miserably.
You want to dance with her - when she commits the crime of dancing along
with the visiting commoners. You fall in love along with her. She deserves
to win the Filmfare award for best actress for 2001. She has proved that
she
is not a mere bimbette (as Dimple has ably demonstrated the transition
from
bikini clad gal to fine actress) and is probably the only one of the
current
Kapoor generation worthy of her great grandfather's name.
I rate this movie a 9 out of 10.
6 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Enjoyable, 14 February 2001
Author:
baburoy from Delhi
Zubeidaa was a real person. Shyam Benegal has tried to portray her story
through the movie. When Indian films graduated from the silent era to the
talkies, Zubeida starred in the first Indian talkie - Alam Ara. She was a
divorcee who fell in love with the then maharaja of Jodhpur. They got
married but Zubeida never earned the status of a queen. She always
remained
the 'other woman'. Zubaida married the late Maharaja of Jodhpur Hanwant
Singh, a high- flier who fell for her beauty. Both the Maharaja and
Zubaida
were killed in an air crash near Jodhpur 48 years ago. Their son, Hukum
Singh, popularly known as Tutu Bana, was murdered fifteen years ago under
mysterious circumstances at Jodhpur.
Well known film journalist Khalid Mohammed, Zubaida's son from her first
marriage, wrote a story on her late mother. Originally, it is a love
story,
but for the film version, little changes have been made.
Now the film - Karishma Kapoor has matured as an actress. She was known as
Govinda's heroine. Now with movies like Fiza and Zubeidaa, Karishma has
shown that she can act. Rekha is wonderful in her short but important role
as the King's elder wife, Mandira Devi.
The only flaw I found was casting of Manoj Bajpai as the king. The Rajput
kings were really majestic looking - tall and fair and very cultured.
Manoj
Bajpai did not have that in his personality though he made for it by his
acting talent.
This is not a typical Shyam Benegal film. People expecting a serious
thought
provoking movie would be disappointed. This is Shyam Benegal's first
attempt
to bridge the gap between Commercial cinema and the 'art' cinema.
The movie is a love story of a journalist talking to people trying to find
out all he can about a mother he never knew. He meets people and through
them Zubeidaa's story unfolds.
I enjoyed the movie and give it 7 out of 10.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Zubeidaa haunts you...., 25 August 2008
Author:
ritsjoey from Kolkata, India
Shyam Benegal is not generally associated with opulent cinema. So when,
I saw the trailers of this movie, which boasted of Shyam Benegal's
direction, Khalid Mohammad's story, A.R.Rahman's music & Karishma
Kapoor's acting, I was quite intrigued. Little did I know that the
memory of Zubeidaa would haunt me in the years to come.... Zubeidaa,
without a doubt, is one of the finest Indian films I've ever seen.
Why??? Well, here are 10 reasons:
1) Zubeidaa was like a breath of fresh air in 2001 when the landscape
of Bollywood was pathetically repetitive. A beautiful and a poignant
story with an equally brilliant screenplay is the backbone of the film.
2) Shyam Benegal is able to re-create the magic of the 50s & the 60s.
Right from the minutest detail in the frame till the most trivial
gestures of the actors...it all oozes the rich sophistication of the
bygone era.
3) The sets, the costumes, the props.... You cant help but notice the
ocean green eyes of Karishma, the luscious red sarees, the whole mood
was jussssst right!
4) A.R.Rahman's haunting music paired with Javed Akhtar's lyrics give
you some very unforgettable moments in the movie.
5) Beautiful characters.... The patriarch Amrish Puri, the meek Sulekha
Sikri, the suave Vajpayee, the very elegant Rekha. But the limelight is
on Karishma Kapoor, whose complex character haunts you....
In the name of good cinema, please watch Zubeidaa!
3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
As real as the Film itself, 16 April 2003
Author:
(lalit_chadha_1@yahoo.com) from New Delhi, India
Zubeida, is a classic film. In fact one of the best films to come out of the Hindi Film industry in recent times. All the aspects of the film, whether be it the taut and intelligent Direction (vintage Benegal ji), the music (the re-incarnation of R.D.Burman as modern age A.R. Rehman giving very popular and ever lasting amazing numbers, the haunting lyrics, the very original storyline, the entire canvass, was a cinematic treat. Of course the histrionic talents of Surekha Sikri, Amrish Puri, MAnoj Bajpai, Rajat Kapoor, Lillette Dubey amongst others combined with the deadly combination duo of my all time favourite actresses REkha and KArisma KApoor was deadly! In fact i can't thank Mr. Benegal enough for bringing these two great actresses in the same canvas and the result was there for everyone to see. KArisma, i would say, excelled is a low word, she just was as good as Smita Patil or Shabana Azmi would have been in the same role. The kind of Depth, the look, the innocence, the beauty, the charisma, the fear, the strength, the naivety, the revolt, the love - all these expressions and more that she displayed in this film were worth a NAtional Award at least if not the Oscar! Well, the Filmfare critics award made up for it. All in all a collector's item, a great always-to-be-remembered film.
Majestic, 28 April 2010
Author:
nmegahey from DVD Times
Zubeidaa is the third of an unofficial trilogy of films created by
Shyam Benegal in collaboration with writer Khalid Mohamed, but this
colourful two and a half-hour film is a remarkable epic in its own
right, worthy of being compared to Visconti at his finest and most
extravagant.
The story of Zubeidaa commences with the flamboyant flourish of her red
scarf falling out of the heavens onto her grave at her burial in 1982,
and the remainder of the story of her life being told in flashback as
it is uncovered by the son of her first marriage Riyad Masud (Rajit
Kapoor), now a film journalist. The principal object of the search that
will reveal much to him is a missing reel of 1952 film that Zubeidaa
(Karisma Kapoor) completed before her father refused to let her
undertake a career in the movies, physically removing her from the set.
Her father has other ideas for his daughter, arranging a marriage to
the son of a Pakistani businessman in order to form a closer alliance
between the two families.
When the marriage eventually fails, despite the birth of a son,
Zubeidaa's rather more free and outgoing friend Rose introduces
Zubeidaa to a wealthy Raja Vijendra Singh, known as Victor, who falls
madly in love with her beauty. Despite already being married to the
more exotic and refined Mandira Devi (Rekha), and despite being a
Muslim while Victor is a Hindu, Zubeidaa agrees to become the
Maharaja's Junior Wife. The arrangement is inevitably not without
difficulties, Zubeidaa feeling threatened by Victor's brother and
increasingly marginalised as Victor embarks upon an election campaign
to retain authority and represent the best interests of the people of
his region, taking Mandy Didi (as she is known to Zubeidaa) along with
him, the whole affair ultimately resulting in tragedy.
Zubeidaa is a vast and epic movie, colourfully filmed in widescreen
with an eye for the opulence of the period, appropriately almost taking
on the appearance of a near-fairytale for Zubeidaa's marriage to a
wealthy Maharaja, breaking into lively song and dance arrangements with
an impressive score by A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire). There is much
more to the film however than it being a beautifully photographed
fantasy, the story dealing with Benegal's characteristic treatment of
the diversity of Indian culture, politics, religion and tradition,
showing where it clashes and complements in all its infinite variety
and beauty.
A story of a Princess, 2 April 2008
Author:
Tehmina Inayat from Waterloo, Canada
I enjoyed watching Zubeidaa. The acting was great, and history and Rajhastani culture were portrayed beautifully. The only thing I hated about the movie was the character of Zubeidaa. It was always about, 'I, Me, Mine' with her, and to me she seemed like a spoiled and childish brat. Karishma Kapoor looked very pretty and her acting was wonderful, despite a stinky character she portrayed. Rekha looked beautiful and young as always.If you can help not hitting the screen every time Zubeidaa wallows in self pity, I recommend you to watch the movie. If nothing else, it can give one a pretty good idea of the lifestyle of Maharajas in that time era!
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