His eye for detailing and his sheer aestheticism deserves
applaud, for instance, the inner quarters of the women folk are heavily
inspired by Ketan Mehta’s ‘Mirch Masala’, the scenes between the lovers are
elegant keeping the Indian exotica on mind like the cawing peacocks perched on
the tree branches of a Victorian style garden and balconies where the lake
shining in the moonlit night is adorned by the blooming lotuses (ref :
Romeo-Juliet, the famous Balcony scene, Act II, Scene II), an earthen diya
emitting sensuous arousal smoke prequel to the passion play, (but mind you, the
director doesn’t get over indulgent with the love making scene!)
Ravi Verma’s paintings (sp. Vindyavaasini and the ‘bored
housewives’) embellishing the chamber walls, Gujarat’s sweeping picturesque
landscape(do not miss the early morning beautiful shot of the Kutch), some hauntingly
beautiful gujrati folk songs in the background (‘Mor Bani Thanghat kare’
deserves special mention), and the delight of watching the intricate detailing
that has gone into the costumes, jewelries (top notch) , the art design and of
course the cinematography (courtesy Wasiq Khan’s dazzling sets and Ravi
Varman’s blazing camerawork), the use of textures, multi chrome glass frames,
colors (thankfully, he refrains from using black and blue this time!) keeping
the individual shots in mind, the eternal carnival of songs and dance (some
brilliant garba steps).
Bhansali brings the best out of all his supporting actors
and few scenes are noteworthy specially the meeting between the two clans with
Leela as the mukhiya. With Bhansali on the director’s seat you know you cannot
get away with a faulty performance, so that’s top notch here from all the
actors, but a very very special mention to Supriya Pathak. She is stunning!! As
the fearless madame of the house, a lady ogre in all her jeweled, kohl-eyed
glory, at times hilarious with her broken English with the ‘accent’ and at
times the ruthless woman who does not refrain from breaking her own daughter’s
finger by using a Betel nut cracker with relish, she is a delight onscreen!
Same goes for Richa Chaddha, as the widowed sister in law, she’s all fire and
feisty (a bit more detailing into the molestation act could have been better!)
The problem with the film is that with most of the screen
space being reduced to the clannish, outrageous violence between the Rajadis
and Sanedas, the love story which should have been the focal point
here(specially when we are inspired by Shakespeare!) takes a complete back
seat. The director didn’t give much time for the lovers to develop their
romance on you. So you might enjoy their corny antics, because they don’t look
into each other’s eyes and talk about stars and moons and living together for
the next 7 births, instead, sans any personal heart-to-heart connection, they
infuse more physical comfort in enacting their furious intimacy! hence, somehow
you won’t shed a tear for this tragic couple at the end! ! Once they meet
amidst guns and colors, their eyes connect, they swing to an impromptu garba,
and the next you know, our skirt chasing Romeo whose only source of income is
via a neon-lit porn film video parlor , finds his way straight into the inner
chambers (read antarmahal!) of our damsel Juliet! Its always a pleasure to
watch an SLB film,he still remains one of my favorite film maker of our times,
but somewhere i terribly, terribly missed another Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,
Khamoshi or a Devdas!!
