Monday, July 26, 2010

I Luv Hate Storys!

The recent Imran Khan hit, Bollywood blockbuster, has been tanked by critics. But despite that the movie has been a runaway success, so much so that top actors like Katrina and Priyanka are now vying for roles alongside our hip and happening, Imran Khan. Who it seems, was on the verge of being plucked out after Luck proved unlucky!


This critic has given the movie 3 out of 5 stars without saying a good word about the movie. Every other newspaper critic literally said the same thing.

But, (there is always a ‘but’ coming) most critics and viewers have missed the layer of duality that was woven in (might I say perfectly) with the plot. In fact, it was done all too well. I realized it, and henceforth, I will make it my mission to spread the message embedded in the movie!

Jay Dhingra (Or some totally not-so-gay name of that sorts!) is this irresistible brat, who unknowingly works his charms on Simran, a die-hard romantic and a colleague. And they live happily ever after. In short that is the story.

But on deeper introspection you realize, that there is a layer of complexity hidden beneath this misleading simplicity. All through the movie, the director ridicules the Yash Raj brand of romance. The usual, dupatta-in-the-wind, pink dresses, sarson da khet, guitars and caps, misty-eyed looks, candy floss and other sugary stuff. And, suddenly, lo and behold, the director does a volte-face and does exactly the same general stuff. The same usual, sad songs, teary heroines, tough decisions ('Luv' related mind you!), proposals on bended knee, flowers, pink sarees, chocolates and other miscellaneous sugary stuff.

Was he (The director – Punit Malhotra) really mocking the sugar-coated romance? Or not? He critiques and vociferously supports the same brand of Yash Raj romance. Nice.

A lot of critics and viewers naturally missed this layer of complexity and termed the movie as rubbish! But it wasn’t. It explores the philosophy and mysticism of duality, in the way the human mind perceives complex emotions; with equal measures of like and dislike, good and bad, yin and yang, night and day… (Not to be confused with ‘Knight and Day’ – which is another gem BTW!)

PS: Inception may have borrowed heavily from this movie!