Being Cyrus (2005)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Homi Adajania

Writers:

Homi Adajania (original screenplay)
Kersi Khambatta (original screenplay)

Release Date:

24 March 2006 (India)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Who you let in can change your life

Plot:

"Being Cyrus" is a dark, comedic venture by the debutante director Homi Adajania that spins around the Sethnas - a Parsi family.

Plot Keywords:

Parsi | English | Fantasy Sequence | Neo Noir | India

Cast

Naseeruddin Shah	...	Dinshaw Sethna
Dimple Kapadia	...	Katy Sethna
Saif Ali Khan	...	Cyrus Mistry
Boman Irani	...	Farokh Sethna
Simone Singh	...	Tina Sethna
Honey Chhaya	...	Fardounjee Sethna
Manoj Pahwa	...	Inspector Maninder Lovely
Delna Patel	...	Miss Vinci
Ravi Khote	...	Bonesetter
Carol Gracias	...	Girl in Dream / Beggar Girl
Zareen Bhasin	...	Farokh's Secretary
Keku Writer	...	Eedu
Yasmin Khambatta	...	Bonesetter's wife
Rayaan Gandhy	...	Young Cyrus
Sephra	...	Young Tina

Also Known As:

Akoori (India: Hindi title) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

India

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:12A | India:A

Filming Locations:

Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Company:

Miracle Cinefilms

Trivia:

The movie was originally titled Akoori, a traditional Parsi scrambled-eggs-like side dish, to reflect the 'scrambled' Sethna family. The name was changed as majority of audience won't get the meaning. The director, however, has included a scene of Akoori being prepared where a thousand eggs are broken in a large vessel.

Quotes:

Cyrus Mistry: [narrating when being let in by the Sethnas in Panchgani] It was really as simple as that. This would be my home for the following year. At first I thought it may have been Dinshaw's need for a pottery assistant, which he had advertised for. But somehow Katy's eagerness to allow me in, told me that I'd be doing a lot more than just getting my hands dirty with clay.

Terrific!

As you saunter into the movie hall and look on as the lights go off and the show begins, you begin to wonder if "Being Cyrus" is like those numerous clichéd bollywood style Hindi-English films a la Bollywood Hollywood, Bollywood Calling etc. Also who in this world is Homi Adjanaia? and how did he manage to pull off an ensemble cast with the likes of Naseeruddin Shah and Boman Irani not to mention the uber cool Saif Ali Khan for his debut film. The answer is all for us to see--"Being Cyrus" is a smashingly well crafted original film (So rare in India these days) that it leaves you wondering if Homi Adjania is really a first time director? The story moves back and forth between Panchgani and Mumbai essentially revolving around the lives and times of the not so normal, upper middle class Sethna Family and what happens when Cyrus Mistry (Saif Ali Khan) comes into it. Dinshaw Sethna (Naseeruddin Shah) is a pot head sculptor, perennially high on grass running a pottery school in Panchgani. He lives with his bollywood obsessed, chatterbox wife Katy (Dimple Kapadia). Cyrus joins as an apprentice to Dinshaw and becomes embroiled in a maze of complex relationships that involve Dineshaw's father Fardonjee Sethna(Honey Chayya), brother Farokh(Boman Irani) and sister in law Tina(Simone Singh).

Right from the first frame, this dark thriller engrosses the viewer in its many complex layers which are difficult to fathom at times. The entire film being in English has a lot of the lines cocooned in black humor may be over head transmission, but nevertheless are in line with the story and have a hammer strong impact if actually dissected and understood. The movie juxtaposes the protagonist (Cyrus)'s own story with the story of the Sethnas and this is where the movie hits a complete high. The editing is razor sharp and the bravura cinematography captures the Parsi household perfectly, whether it is the old building that Fardonjee owns in Bombay or the Panchgani house of Dinshaw. Adjania shows a careful eye for detail while reflecting the times of a typical Parsi family living in Mumbai. Boman Irani's white on white dress, his impeccably maintained vintage car, the wedding shot lend a feel of authenticity to the Parsi setup.Manoj Pahwa brings the house down with his high on testosterone, high on fat brash Inspector Maninder Lovely.

Naseeruddin Shah is apt for the role of the grass smoking lost in life artist. Dimple, sometimes over the top, nevertheless comes up with an effective portrayal of her Katy. Saif Ali Khan is subtly nuanced and gets under the skin of Cyrus quite intensely. Honey Chayya and Simone Singh are effective in their parts as Fardonjee and Tina Sethna. The scene stealer however is Boman Irani's Farokh Sethna. Boman brings out the cocky wickedness of Farokh quite magnificently that you hate him instantly. Be it the fight with the neighbor over a dog , or the appointment with the physiotherapist or his interactions with Fardonjee, Boman is a treat. Watch the film setting aside all mindsets, its a brilliant film.