Guzarish: The “in sickness” philosophy

I am not a Harry Potter fan. I realize its a confession that would raise a million eyebrows and “what are you saying?” shocked expressions, however in all honesty I am not. The last movie ‘half prince something’ is the first one I have seen and then the release this 19th. I was speaking to my colleague Moi last week and she spoke about Friday the 19th and I said “Yeah, Guzarish is going to be out then” and she responded in ecstasy the latter part of this sentence “What Guzarish, Harry Potter is releasing”. So that’s me and Harry Potter and someday I know I will get the spectacular phenomenon that he, J K Rowling, his movies and all the other characters are. For now, I was only very happy with the poster of ‘Guzarish’ - it had a soothing appeal that said to me “Jeev boy, you are surely going to watch this one”. And over the past two days of friday and saturday pleasing reviews came in.

The film screams Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB) even if a blind man sees it. The larger than life sets are replaced with a larger than life master bedroom and a villa that depicts a style of civilization, probably Portuguese more than Goan. The movie is a great one time watch on the big screen, however I believe it does not hold a “re watch” appeal. SLB has done what he does best - narrate the most simplistic of love stories that touch an emotional chord. Ethan (Hrithik) and Sofia (Aish) have done a good and great job respectively. There were times where I thought Ethan has a slightly fake laughter which could be undone, however Aish emerges as the dominant actor. 

SLB or an equivalent entity marketing the movie captioned “Aish as never seen before”. Now obviously if she is playing a Sofia, she isn’t going to look like Paro - the Thakurayan or Nandini - the Rajput (was that Rajput - I forget!). However, what I believe SLB meant to say is, “I am going to cover up Aish in beautiful clothes and bring her beauty alive like I did in my two other movies with her. However, this time I am going to add a little sex appeal to her beyond passion." And he does a credible job adding subtle sexuality to the Sofia character. Aish looks gorgeous, as she always does. What I find even more intriguing is her versatility in the looks department; drape her up in any Indian attire she pulls it off as elegantly as her Loreal poster girl image. And I know she acted well, but after watching the movie I probably expected the perfect 10 of her. Now, lets imagine Madhuri in her Dhak Dhak or choli ke peeche number; I cannot she anyone else or even Mads herself do it any better. I guess, that is yet to come from Aish and someday lets hope she delivers a perfect 10 as an actor; like she has in the god-given looks department. 

The most beautiful part of the movie is you can feel the love between Ethan and Sofia through the mundane acts of serving soup, cleansing, touch or care. The chemistry between the two oozes onscreen and one can almost feel the underlying current of attraction. I guess, this love is my favorite kinds; the one that says “I am attracted to you in ways and reasons, even I do not know and having you around is the most beautiful part of my life”. Of course their love wouldn’t have started on a romantic note or candle light date, however on chemistry both of them score almost a perfect ten. They seem like a couple who like to “kiss slowly” and even after a million kisses, every kiss feels like the first one! (Ok, that must have come out extravagantly dramatic but I hope I have driven the ‘chemistry of love’ philosophy home, loud and clear).

The movie is original in script unless there’s one already made in Hollywood or in some part of the world that I am not aware of. Its a story that deliberates on love and courtship during the “sickness” part of life and is exemplary of companionship during that phase. Its the story of love sticking through the “thin” and “lows”. In my secondary school, I took English lessons from Professor Kulkarni who taught at Subodh classes. He would have possibly been in his sixties or seventies and a gentleman with impeccable knowledge of English. Among many stories that he discussed as part of his teaching, I distinctly remember the one he told on Hamlet and second was the mention of Dana Reeves who stuck by her paralyzed Superman husband. This movie inspires me to read more about the Superman real life love and family. Looking back, I do believe that Professor Kulkarni was quite a romantic :). 

Though, I do think Mr. SLB has abused a little creative freedom to bring a courtroom into the Portuguese villa? I mean, that’s way too much freedom and stupidity. And what’s with the lawyer (Ethan’s friend)? Is she arguing in a courtroom or playing a teenager debating with an opposing team on her views over MTV grind? Use the word “objection” woman and just do not interrupt the opposing lawyer with your theories! That was one funny courtroom drama! Monikangana Dutta comes out as a very obedient girlfriend. Ethan asks her to leave, she does; he asks her to get married, she does; he is taking a vote of death, her's is the first vote he bags and she apparently understands all his pain for the past 14 years. Like seriously, dude - please! Its ok for girlfriends to dump boyfriends and vice versa. We know the world can be cruel! 

The movie has some beautiful moments that you can catch but I wont come back for any of them. Though there was one scene that did catch my attention. In a courtroom that’s full of people wearing black and navy blue, the stylist has done an absolute brilliant job with the color red as Ethan’s tie and Sofia’s scarf. That scene absolutely stands out with this red effect on gorgeous faces and very dull black and navy blue people. Another thought that crossed my mind - why hasn’t Hrithik made it to the list of hundred most beautiful people in the world as yet? If the editors of the ‘People’ magazine are going to miss an actor like this, I am sorry to say they are really failing in credibility to populate the hundred most beautiful people in the world!

The Rebound: I would say “Love Bound"

I saw this one a while back, probably at a time where a REBOUND for me would have done good. May be, just for experiences’ sake. Google would probably throw up a few theories on “Rebound”, but this movie by far is my most favorite rendition of the concept.

Sandy moves to New York with her two kids, after having stumbled upon a cheating husband, and is casually introduced to Aram in a coffee shop while finding an address. I wouldn’t call this a very distinctive plot, however wait for the story to unveil and you would have probably been introduced to one of the kindest man in the world, Aram.

Now Sandy is doing her piece of life - handling her divorce, raising kids and beyond all her current state of emotions (anguish of deceit). She’s smart and also has a sense of the general course that life will take, that is, continue raising kids, find a reasonable job and get started with the dating life. To the contrary, Aram is 24 with a world of opportunities open to him. He has the freedom to choose anything in the world that he pleases to do, however for now, he has decided to work at a coffee shop, pick up a few odd jobs at a woman’s center and babysit Sandy’s two kids. All these are his life’s choices inspite of holding a management degree from Stanford (I may have missed that important detail while watching the movie). Both have a past that significantly influence their current state of mind-affairs.

Well, the reason you love Sandy is because she looks like Catherine Zeta Jones :). I mean tell me how many women manage to look that gorgeous in a simple black dress?

I tried to get a picture of only her's however didn't get it :(

However, Aram is a work of art in this movie. I have tried to ponder over this character for the past two days and this is the best I have come up with my limiting power of thought: “If you had a unisex checklist of someone to marry; he probably would make 90% of the right ticks in that checklist”.

Hypothetically, lets say, today was your last day to live, who, what or where would you spend it? I wonder how many people would want to spend it investing in their job or shopping the most exquisite merchandise on earth? Most of the people I know probably would pick their loved ones and spend the last day with them. This “last-day-of-philosophy-on-earth” is how Aram approached his real life. In the quest of his wishes and wants, all that mattered to him were the people in his life and that included his parents and the two kids that he played the baby sitter to. He has this spiritual thought process at 25. Now world around would sit in judgement on whether it is worthwhile working at an investment bank, or babysitting kids and being a part of their growth process! What is nobler? Quiet often, its an implied assumption that women shall do the latter and men are better off doing the prior and these gender based roles are respected in line with gender orientation. The movie dispels this myth of conditioned parenting where father makes bread and butter and mother nurtures kids with care. The attachment between Sadie (Sandy’s daughter) and Frank (Sandy’s son), and Aram is evident where they spring alive on seeing him home one night. 

The kids will tickle your humor nerves in this movie. The threesome of Aram, Sadie and Frank quite enjoy their time together with video games or orchestrated American Idol shows at home. The movie infuses laugher in bits and pieces such as where Frank tries to write his name with pee along with a roadside vellah in NY or Sadie has an ‘unscheduled surgery’ where she opens up a mouse and harvests its organs. Both the kids are sensational with their witty intrusions, frolic plays and their relationship with Aram. During their first meeting Sadie also tells Aram that by the time she is Aram’s age, she would have a real job. Its probably easier for Aram to be what he is since he comes from the upper east side of Manhattan and his mother works at Ralph Lauren. But again, watch the movie and tell me, in the event Aram came from a different socio economic background - would he have taken the job at ‘Rockwell Mathers’ ( I hope I have spelt this right)?

The movie is made of simple outstanding moments if you have a sense to capture the depth of those few seconds that will last with some forever in their lives - like the photograph-frame gift on Aram’s 25th birthday captioned as ‘the human totem pole’ or the seductive smoke-blow by Sandy in Aram’s face where she says “Surfing board, in the middle of an ocean - definitely” when quizzed on the craziest place where she’s “done it” thus unraveling a little wilder youth.

The movie then takes its course of relationship between a younger man and older woman. My first response was “People will need a spiritual streak in them to get this one”. Five years of life are covered in five minutes and you wish there was more to see. Cleveland, Africa, India are covered in five blinks - not rushed but you just want to watch a little more.

The movie has subtle class like “Shall we dance”. Masala movie watchers shall trash this white-orchid film (wait does the real world have white orchids?). Jeev recommends this to all his romantic friends. Zeta and Bartha share super screen chemistry and arouse you with their simplicity. The kids infuse some laughing gas moments. The last impression I am left with is “if you are bound by love, it becomes the hardest of things to let go”.

You know why some of your super fabulous friends are single? That's because they just haven't found a love that is super hard to let go.