Delhi-6

One should not go to a film with the memories of the previous films by the same director even though the film posters advertise that point. Because, the expectations and the reality are grossly different. Rakaysh Omprakash Mehra (ROM from now on), continues to innovate, but does not maintain a continuous link with the viewer. Burdened by his successful past, and the desire to be "different", he creates moments of extreme intelligence and beauty--but they are just that--moments lost in the general overambitiousness of the film. To tell a story simply and with force is difficult. To tell multiple stories and then trying to tie up too many loose ends with sanctimony and sermonizing, is like tightrope walking--and ROM falls flat on his face in the last segments.

And yet, it began promisingly enough. Roshan(Abhisekh) volunteers to take his grandmother(Waheeda) back to her roots in Delhi, where she plans to live the last days of her life. The chaos, of the Chandni Chowk streets, the traffic, the inhabitants and the relatives and neighbours, the multifarious hues, smells and indiscipline are magnificently portrayed by the roving camera of Vinod Pradhan. The sudden deviations, the twists and turns of the narrow lanes are faithfully followed, and occasionally the camera shies upwards to the flying pigeons and the profiles of the Masjid and the Delhi skyline, as if it is a separate character in the film, the commentator, the observer and of course the recorder. The characters are quickly etched out.

 

Om Puri (Elder brother and less well off), and Pawan Malhotra(Younger brother and richer), build a brick wall between their houses, from where a brick is surreptitiously removed to allow gossiping between their wives!!!. Bittu(Sonam Kapoor) is  Om Puri's daughter, aspiring to do  something in life(how cliched...), like trying to be an Indian Idol star (what is there for a middle class girl to achieve fame?--is one of the B grade lines....). ..People of course have forgotten academics, perseverance, hard work etc. according to these accomplished dialogue writers!!!! The Masakali is permanently grounded and not allowed to fly, but does so after Roshan sends it aloft.

 

There is of course, the traditional Hindu Lala and the Islamic neighbour. People in this so called reality--fairyland, make achars on the roof, fervently follow the RamLila, and the bhajan singing, and the Namaaz, and are so so friendly---till of course a Kala Bandar invades their lives and all the misdemeanours are attributed to it--including rape and assault. The story then degenerates into a mandir--masjid issue, the saddhi and the maulabhi trade insults, the mobs are religiously divided and aggressive. What a simplistic explanation of communal violence!!!

 

Bittu refuses to get married and  Roshan falls for her.Roshan captures images on his mobile camera. But a fakir starts going around showing a mirror to everybody (their own images) and starts saying that there is a God in every heart. Abhisekh is beaten up by people from both sides.He is dying, but along comes Dad Amitabh in an absolutely silly and unnecessary dream netherworld sequence, following which and a few well directed cardiac thumps from a doctor, he survives and the typical Hindi film ending of love and togetherness  triumphing is picturised, possibly under commercial instructions. If a director starts by trying to be different and ends up treading the same beaten path, the disappointment is magnified.

 

There are too many cliches in the film. There are too many dialogues we have heard umpteen times in theatre and films. There are too many situations and symbols which are familiar. How much can you rely on the treatment of a film unless there is a meaty story to back it up? How much surprise can a camera and clever editing generate? How can you grapple with scenes, and make up and accents which are as unreal in a film which by its title and situation is trying to portray reality?

Abhisekh seems to have stepped out of his ad films. Sonam is a surprise and promising---but not outstanding. The support characters are a galaxy of the best in India. Rishi Kapoor, Prem Chopra,Waheeda Rehman, Tanvi Azmi, Supriya Pathak,Atul Kulkarni, Vijay Raaz have all done what they were supposed to do with efficiency and ease--but lacked time and space in the story to do any better.

A.R.Rahaman's music is good, but is wasted in the situations that they are placed, except the Mashakali and Dil Gira song. Yes, the New York--Delhi mixed visualisation  was a wonderfully aesthetic creation. I have a sneaking suspicion , that if he had the time, he would have probably changed certain aspects of the music and picturisation.

Both these songs are unique. One for its free style (sung by Mohit Chauhan) and the  Arabian  percussion, and the other for the voice of film singing debutant Ash King, the new star.

Masakali.mp3

Delhi 6  finally remains a stageplay which was filmed and exhibited in cinema halls. Its ultimate tragedy is that it tried but failed to become good cinema. Next time around ROM, stick to a simple gripping storyline, get a single scriptwriter,use a not so famous song composer, and say hell to commercial considerations and make a film..... Good films will generate money by themselves--but of course, you know that.. Please do not sermonise or pontificate. We, ordinary viewers are more intelligent than you think.

Dil Gira Dafatan.m...

Its worth a look--but not and never, a relook...