Thoughts tumble over each other as I try to process this movie. The glorious gam quotient, of course, is unmatched. Guys have to understand, you can't expect to find this much beauty and glamor in any other movie you go to. It is all over in that regard and the trophy has been surrendered to this movie.
But there has to be more than that. And there is. The cast is loaded with old hands and newcomers, and they all give a lot. The star is Priyanka because she is telling the life story of her character. Everything is viewed through the prism of her changing perspective on her dreams. And I remember the moment in the movie when I let out a gasp of amazement at how wonderful she looked. Plus, this is her next movie achievement after Aitraaz. Many stories do not demand much of Priyanka. She's like a jewel in most movies that merely has to sparkle to justify the salary. In this movie, she has to dig into her soul and look beautiful and ugly and all the grades in between. This is the Priyanka rainbow folks.
But she has superlative help. My startling discovery from this movie is Mugadha Godse. When I saw the PR pictures, featuring her with Kangana and Priyanka, my thought was, "she's pretty but doomed to be overshadowed". Well, I have to say that in the entire cast of characters, she's the one I liked best. I might have had to adjust that if Konkona Sen Sharma had had more than a cameo. But as it was, Mugadha was extraordinarily likable.
After that there were others. Suchitra Pillai played the wife of Panache owner Abhijit. Every time she was on screen, my eyes were drawn to her. Now I hope they cast her again and again. She has SO much presence and dignity. I also liked Kitu Gidwani, who played Rahul's book publisher in Strangers, a tiny role. But still I remembered her. Her role is much bigger and more important in this movie, and she fits it perfectly.
The guys who played the fashion designers were great without exception. But my top prize on that side of the cast is Arbaaz Khan. Arbaaz is the only actor from that Khan family that I trust. He doesn't do more nor less than a role requires. The other guys in his family have personality quirks that leave me with an off taste. But Arbaaz never disappoints me. I suppose that's why he has that glamorous wife and her child. He is a MAN.
Some reviews call Kangana the real star of this movie. In some of her scenes, that is easy to understand. She starts the movie as the "show stopper", and when she marches out on the runway, there is a big voltage boost. But I have to protest her "James Dean" career. Like Mr. Dean, she always gets a non-survivor role. The first time I saw her, she was diving to her death from a tall building in Seoul. That made a huge emotional imprint on my memory. The next time she was locked up for her own good. Then she was KK Menon's floozy on the side. James Dean had a memorable career, but it was only 3 movies long. I want Kangana to do at least ten times that many, so she needs some movies where she shows she cannot be crushed, no matter how the world tries. I hope it starts soon.
In Woh Lamhe, Sana is nursed back to sanity by Adi. It is a very touching section of the movie. In this movie, Shonali is nursed by Meghna. If I had to choose, my favorite will be Shonali and Meghna together. The fact is that Shonali saves Meghna's life. That's a big turnaround from Woh Lamhe. In a movie whose parts I liked so much, Shonali giving Meghna someone who she cares more about than herself, is my favorite part of the movie.
This movie touched me more than any movie has in quite a while. I think there might be some people out there who will feel that way and be glad they went to a movie with heart.
9/10
But there has to be more than that. And there is. The cast is loaded with old hands and newcomers, and they all give a lot. The star is Priyanka because she is telling the life story of her character. Everything is viewed through the prism of her changing perspective on her dreams. And I remember the moment in the movie when I let out a gasp of amazement at how wonderful she looked. Plus, this is her next movie achievement after Aitraaz. Many stories do not demand much of Priyanka. She's like a jewel in most movies that merely has to sparkle to justify the salary. In this movie, she has to dig into her soul and look beautiful and ugly and all the grades in between. This is the Priyanka rainbow folks.
But she has superlative help. My startling discovery from this movie is Mugadha Godse. When I saw the PR pictures, featuring her with Kangana and Priyanka, my thought was, "she's pretty but doomed to be overshadowed". Well, I have to say that in the entire cast of characters, she's the one I liked best. I might have had to adjust that if Konkona Sen Sharma had had more than a cameo. But as it was, Mugadha was extraordinarily likable.
After that there were others. Suchitra Pillai played the wife of Panache owner Abhijit. Every time she was on screen, my eyes were drawn to her. Now I hope they cast her again and again. She has SO much presence and dignity. I also liked Kitu Gidwani, who played Rahul's book publisher in Strangers, a tiny role. But still I remembered her. Her role is much bigger and more important in this movie, and she fits it perfectly.
The guys who played the fashion designers were great without exception. But my top prize on that side of the cast is Arbaaz Khan. Arbaaz is the only actor from that Khan family that I trust. He doesn't do more nor less than a role requires. The other guys in his family have personality quirks that leave me with an off taste. But Arbaaz never disappoints me. I suppose that's why he has that glamorous wife and her child. He is a MAN.
Some reviews call Kangana the real star of this movie. In some of her scenes, that is easy to understand. She starts the movie as the "show stopper", and when she marches out on the runway, there is a big voltage boost. But I have to protest her "James Dean" career. Like Mr. Dean, she always gets a non-survivor role. The first time I saw her, she was diving to her death from a tall building in Seoul. That made a huge emotional imprint on my memory. The next time she was locked up for her own good. Then she was KK Menon's floozy on the side. James Dean had a memorable career, but it was only 3 movies long. I want Kangana to do at least ten times that many, so she needs some movies where she shows she cannot be crushed, no matter how the world tries. I hope it starts soon.
In Woh Lamhe, Sana is nursed back to sanity by Adi. It is a very touching section of the movie. In this movie, Shonali is nursed by Meghna. If I had to choose, my favorite will be Shonali and Meghna together. The fact is that Shonali saves Meghna's life. That's a big turnaround from Woh Lamhe. In a movie whose parts I liked so much, Shonali giving Meghna someone who she cares more about than herself, is my favorite part of the movie.
This movie touched me more than any movie has in quite a while. I think there might be some people out there who will feel that way and be glad they went to a movie with heart.
9/10