MOVIES N MORE : September 2013

the love triangle and rom-com a la Bollywood has been redefined: Shuddh Desi Romance is a classic and one of the best dissections of a relationship that has ever come out of the Hindi film industry.

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/shuddh-desi-romance-review-a-classic-that-redefines-love-triangles-1090173.html?utm_source=ref_article

SHUDDH DESI ROMANCE is more than a feel-good romance and the makeover it marks for the mush formula extends beyond a cosmetic change. The film is a fascinating sketch tracking the mindset of today's youth. It talks of a generation that understands love, values commitment but is often found struggling in a domain somewhere in between. Shuddh Desi Romance adds a spunky tadka to having cold feet before the wedding. Do you commit or do you not? Hamlet’s dilemma pales in comparison. And that’s exactly what makes SDR a super fun film. In today’s times when the lines between love and lust are blurring rapidly, SDR holds a mirror to the love-stricken, confused souls who want the benefits of being in a relationship without carrying the burden of the responsibilities that inadvertently come along – in a hatke and relentlessly humorous style. The film also reveals the hypocrisy where we love sex but don’t admit that we do. So there, Bollywood breaks the stereotype. It steps out from behind the bloomin' trees in tulip fields and comfortably 'shacks-up' with the times. Here 'smooch-at-first-sight' happens in a bus-full with baaratis. Coffee dates are sipped in bed (Happy Endings? Huh!). Commitment is not the criteria. Marriage is not on the cards. And sexual compatibility is high priority. Yes, welcome to a modern day shuddh romance in desiland. Plenty 'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang', tucked in with some emotion and drama too.

Like most normal couples - hence, unlike the relationships we see in Hindi movies - sexual attraction is the key to our protagonists' equation, and the film doesn't make a big deal about it.

Read more at: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/shuddh-desi-romance-review-its-a-nonformulaic-charming-little-film/420141-47-84.html?utm_source=ref_article

SCRIPT & SCREENPLAY : The script as as well as screenplay which has been written by Jaideep Sahni, perhaps the best master chef of middle class mores and foibles of northern India, is pure ghee. Cholestrol-inducing calories be damned, Sahni serves out one dishy scene after another which are finger-lickin’ good. Writer Jaideep Sahni offers a perfectly logical explanation for any untimely panic attack, 'Doubt ghadee dekhkar thodina aate hai.' Jaideep gives us a love story that is at once utterly believable and utterly romantic; characters that we fall in love with from the first frame and dialogues that makes us smile even when situation is distinctly unfunny — like a groom abandoning his bride at the mandap. The nicest part of this romcom, which triangulates girl-boy-girl in a manner Bollywood is just waking up to, is that it lets its characters talk. Like, you know, real conversations, where faces are turned to each other, where the baat-cheet between a girl and guy moves from checking-each-other-for-size -banter to will-our-noses-fit-if-we-kiss to can't-keep-our-hands-off-each-other level. Yes, that kind of locked-eyed, quickening breaths, leaping-libidos chat. If you think that the movie is your clichéd romantic love triangle where the protagonists understand the value of true love and the significance of sacrifices and all that jazz, you are highly mistaken! The quirky dialogues, the real characters in real situations battling with dichotomies our youngistan faces when it comes to the matters of heart, make this movie fun to watch.

Well to take it further, we have Raghu Ram (Sushant Singh Rajput), who is a certified tourist guide cum part time store salesman. Occasionally, he works for Tauji’s (Rishi Kapoor) agency that takes care of wedding preparations and even renders services of (fake) baraatis to any wedding party. On his way to his own wedding, Raghu encounters Gayatri (Parineeti Chopra), who is on board the wedding party as Raghu’s (hired) sister. Her persona immediately attracts the flippant lover Raghu, thereby giving birth to their ‘Shuddh Desi Romance’ with lightening speed. Raghu ditches his beautiful bride, Tara (debutant Vaani Kapoor) and comes to live-in with Gayatri in Jaipur. The neatly done scenes and commendable portrayal of their respective roles by Parineeti and Sushant give depth to the projection of modern day city romances. The lovers’ tiff, lust, love, and confusion on hot topics like marriage and commitment are shown nicely here. Adding more spice to the picture is Tauji’s character that is sensible, funny, mature, and every bit entertaining. But wait. The jilted bride Tara is not out of the picture for good as yet. So watch out for some more drama and of course, romance as the story moves on.

Shuddh Desi Romance appeals not only to college kids or married couples or the ‘arty’ crowd, but to anyone and everyone. It’s competent, challenging, bright, delectably-relatable and heartfelt and hopefully, it signals the beginning of a major shift in the industry and the audiences’ taste in mainstream feel-good Hindi cinema.

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/shuddh-desi-romance-review-a-classic-that-redefines-love-triangles-1090173.html?utm_source=ref_articl

STARCAST : One of the biggest reasons that the movie catches your interest and engages your eyeballs in the proceedings is its apt Star-cast for which credit must be given to its casting director, Shanoo Sharma. As for the performances, Parineeti Chopra has yet again delivered a commendable performance with her inherent effortlessness. Her outwardly liberal, cigarette-smoking and yet normal girl-next-door love-seeking character is the true soul of the film. Chopra shows some mettle as a woman whose spunky exterior hides emotions and is proving to be a dark horse. Sushant Singh Rajput has proved yet again that he has true potential and we would definitely like to see him more often. The dude displays the quirky, the naughty and romantic sides of his character very convincingly. Rajput adopts a woebegone manner, with laboured dialogue delivery and the same grimace for every situation he is in. Until the last scene, Raghu does not know what matters to him. Newbie Vaani Kapoor too has delivered a noteworthy performance. She is really charming and has managed to impress in her first outing as a leading lady. Romantic comedies sometimes compensate for the lack of spirit in the central lovebirds with wacky secondary characters. Rishi Kapoor’s cute and gung-ho father-figure, bullish about propagating the goods of marriage so his business won’t close, is a bright spark and he reminds us once again why he is called the most underrated actor of Indian cinema with his supreme performance. Rajesh Sharma, who appears for a brief period also leaves his mark as Vaani's Tau.

TECHNICAL FINESSE : The music for this flick has been composed by the talented and in-form duo of music directors Sachin-Jigar who have once again belted a melodious album. Some of the tracks are really catchy and have already become chart-busters. Manu Anand’s cinematography heightens the kitsch of the setting with some neon touches and warm-hued interiors. The production design has detailed authenticity. The run-down, patchily-colored small town Rajasthan kitsch makes the canvas of the insipid characters seem sprightly. The movie has been edited by Namrata Rao, who has done a descent job in maintaining the tempo of the movie at a constant pace during the run-time of 141 minutes. Although, the movie nosedives a bit in the second half for sometime due to cliches in the script but it picks up the tandem again after a short duration. Maneesh Sharma, has once again proved why he has become a blue eyed director of YRF camp. Although the movie has its share of cliches, but the romantic drama is beautifully layered with various confusions and conflicts the young and restless Gen-next faces (read creates) when it comes to love and commitment. Maneesh has been able to portray reality as it is – however complex it may be – without being judgmental. Neither does it glamorize live-in relationships nor does it look down upon the institution of marriage. Although, movie had much more potential and could have ended differently but still i am happy with Maneesh's vision and way to go, Maneesh.

WOW MOMENTS : The movie begins with a bang.....the scene where Sushant meets Parineeta and they proceed for Sushant's marriage in a bus for his marriage is one of its own kinds and sets the tempo of the movie. Apart from that when Sushant goes to Parineeta's house and the how casually they fall for each other is again something which is different from run of the mill bollywood scenes.

CONCLUSION :
Shuddh Desi Romance is a cinematic delight that’s very difficult to explain and should better be consumed with patience and an open mind. Those who are stuck in the Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge kind of idealistic romance or looking for a mushy picture-perfect ending may not quite like this unconventional tale. But for those who are keen to see the evolving face of our very own and highly complex shuddh desi romance – as it is and absolutely unadulterated – cannot afford to miss this one!

ROHIT SHARMA.

Follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/smgr105

rohitreview@gmail.com

MOVIES N MORE

Saturday, 7 September 2013

SHUDDH DESI ROMANCE : Movie Review