Kaabil- Film Review

My view of this film is mixed, tending towards the "Don't watch" side. Why? Let me explain.

The plot of revenge for a misdeed has been done to death in a number of formula films in the seventies and eighties, with better actors- Dharmendra, Amitabh to name just two. Even though Hrithik is good, he pales in comparison. He is also handicapped by the script that makes him blind. And revenge is the worst way, in my view, to show the Kabiliyat (ability) of a blind person.

What could (with a better story/script) have been a heart-warming journey to discover the everyday travails of a lovely couple in love (the first fifteen minutes are actually good), overcoming their lack of eyesight, meanders into a formula film of impossible-to-believe stunts that stretch your credibility. Yami Gautam is mostly wasted in cliched stuff, unlike in her earlier films (I think Vicky Donor was one of them). Comparisons may be out of place, but a remake of Koshish would have been a much better idea. (Gulzar's Koshish was about a deaf-mute couple, amazingly done by Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri). Might have given Hrithik/Yami a role of a lifetime.


And the last word- on the music. If Rajesh Roshan, one of my favourite music composers (with films like Julie, Yaarana, Des Pardes, Baaton Baaton Mein), has to come down to rehashing his own tunes, the end of the world must be close.

Gulzar's Birthday Today

Gulzar has been a prolific artist in Hindi films ever since he hit the bull's eye with the song Mora gora rang laile, mohe shaam rang dede (take my fair skin colour and give me a dark hue...opposite of the Fair & Lovely theme). He has come a long way, and many awards later, continues to write.

Pleasant, touching and meaningful lyrics are his forte, and his films always left a mark where it mattered- in your heart. One of my favourite Gulzar songs is from Parichay- Musafir hoon yaaron, na ghar hai na thikaana. Another perennial favourite is Aanewala pal jaanewala hai from Golmaal.

Some of his gems are Hawaon pe likh do hawaon ke naam-Do Dooni Chaar, Hazaar raahen mudke dekhi, kahin se koi sadaa na aai-Thodi si Bewafai, Woh shaam kuch ajeeb thi- Khamoshi, Thoda hai thode ki zaroorat hai - Khatta Meetha, Naam gum jaayega-Kinara, Dil dhoondta hai phir wahi phursat ke raat din, a haunting song of nostalgia from Mausam, Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa nahin (Aandhi, brilliant music by RD Burman and rendition by Lata and Kishore Kumar), Hasne ki chaah ne kitna mujhe rulaya hai - sung by Manna Dey in Aavishkar, Aapki aankhon men kuch mehke hue se khwaab hain..-Ghar, Mera kuch samaan tumhaare paas pada hai (Ijaazat).

Just in case you thought he was too serious, he made Angoor, one of the funniest Hindi movies superbly acted out by Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Varma, both in double roles, inspired by a Shakespeare classic.

I celebrated his birthday by eating Tunde kabab (famous for the Lucknow nawab) with a friend at Sheraton in Saket. Topped up with a mutton biryani.