Strangers (2007/III)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Aanand Rai

Writers:

Himanshu Sharma (writer)
Gaurav Sinha (writer)

Release Date:

15 December 2007 (India)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

"Their lives were meant to cross each other"

Plot:

An overnight train journey, from London into France, business class, is comfortable and expensive. The...

Plot Keywords:

Train | London England | Failed Marriage | Bathtub | Suspected Affair

Cast

Kitu Gidwani	...	Book Publisher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Natalie Hatcher	...	Preeti's co-worker
Sonali Kulkarni	...	Nandini S. Rai
Kay Kay Menon	...	Sanjeev Rai
Natalie Rowan	...	Francis
Nandana Sen	...	Preeti
Jimmy Shergill	...	Rahul (as Jimmy Sheirgill)

Country:

UK | India

Language:

Hindi | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

India:A

Company:

Rise 2 Shine Productions

Not Exactly Strangers

Based on Hitchcock's 'Strangers in a Train', 'Strangers' is sort of a conversational thriller and perhaps a 'mature' drama about broken relationships. Note that this is not a ripoff. It's more a homage to Hitchcock's film and the second half is entirely different. Hitchcock's name is mentioned in 'Strangers' (as reference). For me the problem with the film was its sluggish pace (even though it's less than 90 minutes long) and just before the interval, Rai's (Menon) proposition to Rahul (Shergill) seems a little unreal. The whole conversation in the train is very interesting as the strangers narrate the complications of their individual lives. However, this is what gives the plot away. The twists that take place in the latter half are ruined by spoilers in the first half, especially the opening scene. I also wonder why it was set in rural areas of England. Is it because the location was foreign (hence adding to the characters' isolation, distance and coldness to their surroundings)? Quite an interesting choice.

I appreciate that Aanand Rai tries to tell the story and the execution is pretty impressive. The background score and cinematography contribute brilliantly to the narration. Both Jimmy Shergill and Kay Kay Menon are superb. While Menon subtly downplays his parts, Shergill makes fine use of his non-verbal expressions. Nandana Sen does well too. Unfortunately, Sonali Kulkarni has too small a role but she does the best with the little she has. Kitu Gidwani is wasted.

In spite of a few minor flaws, 'Strangers' is an interesting film with brilliant execution, fine performances and a somewhat novel plot (at least for Indian cinema).