Its been review season of late, in and around iNFINITY. Me reviewing the OST for a Bollywood movie, my blog being reviewed and yet again, I'm reviewing something. It is a movie this time and no prizes for guessing, going by my choice of movies, that the movie happens to be Dasvidaniya.
RATING: ***/*****
Genre: Comedy [?]
Director: Shashant Shah
Producer: Azam Khan, Vinay Pathak
Banner: One More Thought Entertainment, Lemontea Productions
Music Director: Kailash Kher, Paresh-Naresh
Lyricist: Kailash Kher
Star Cast: Vinay Pathak, Neha Dhupia, Ranvir Shorey, Rajat Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Suresh Menon, Gaurav Gera, Purvi Joshi, Dina, Kunal Kumar, Sachin Khurana, Suchitra Pillai, Sarita Joshi, Kiku Sharda, Joy Fernandes, Brijendra Kala, Chandan Bisht
I had been busy searching for the exact meaning of the word since the time I had first heard of the movie. My own interpretation though was something related to the number ten. But ten what? Ten enemies? Ten responsibilities? Ten dreams? Ten ... There! Kudos to the publicity and production team, the way they made me (and quite a few other people, I believe) think, solves a lot of problems that low budget movies have to deal with (read handy, innovative publicity). The other being music of course, which I had pointed out in my earlier post, is fabulous.
The movie's cast (you can't call it star cast by bollywood standards) - Vinay Pathak (of Bheja Fry Fame, who happens to be the producer too, this time around), Ranvir Shourey (the erstwhhile channel V VJ, in a rather small cameo) Neha Dhupia (a cute little cameo again,for the former Miss India), Saurabh Shukla (as the Boss who was 'bossed'), Rajat Kapoor (as the ever repentant childhood friend), Gaurav Gera (as the family black sheep) and others, make for easily ignorable components, but you do so at your own risk.
Amar Kaul, lives a rather mundane and irksome life, as every mother's dream son. That is, until he is told about his fatal illness by his doctor and given a three months time frame to live. So, after the usual 'are you sure?' routines, he sets on, accepting the reality, and making a list of the TEN things he would like to do, before he is to say goodbye to life. And thus starts his pursuit of 'The Best Goodbye Ever'.
Every character, makes the most of his on screen presence, and more importantly you don't feel watching a bollywood flick at any time, a rather subtle trademark of Vinay Pathak starers. (again, if you could call them that).
Does the movie make you cry? Yes, at one point it does, but then, count on me to cry through Munnabhai anyday!
Nearest of the far parallels - you are reminded of Rajesh Khanna and Anand time and again. He had cancer too and tried to make most of whatever time he had left with life. But he was more of a people's man, the clown, and apparently hadn't been waiting for his doctor to tell him that he was going to be dead in time. And surely, his cancer (remember Lymphocercoma of the Intestine?) was of a fancier variety, that had the nation in a frenzy back then. But he was Rajesh Khanna - the superstar. Vinay Pathak, not quite in the same league as far as charisma goes, does manage to connect, in his own way though. And that is why I could watch the movie in one whole go. It isn't larger than life and every now and then, strikes a chord with you. I rate it 3 on 5.
My favourite scene from the movie? There isn't one, and if I were to recount all, you probably wouldn't have to watch it.
Dasvidaniya or das - vida - niya as the final scene would have us believe, is not just about Amar's list of ten things that he would like to accomplish before dying.
It actually means goodbye in Russian!
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November 24, 2008 at 5:28 PM
The way you compared the movie to Anand, prompted me to watch it. And I must say, I am not really disappointed. Nice review there... no spoilers whatsoever. Keep reviewing in the future.
November 25, 2008 at 9:23 PM
@ Ritwik
Actually, Anand came to my mind much later.. when i was writing the review... all the same... thanx for the compliments..
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