FILM
REVIEW: NAACH (2004)
Producer:
Ram Gopal Varma
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Antara Mali and Ritesh Deshmukh
RATING:
5/10
SYNOPSIS:
Abhi (Abhishek Bachchan) dreams of becoming an actor and therefore travels
to Mumbai. He’s willing to compromise on every value just to ensure
that he gets a decent role. Whilst in Mumbai, he meets a struggling
choreographer called Rewa (Antara Mali). She teaches him the art of
dancing. Abhi finally bags the lead role in a film, whilst Rewa is initially
hired as choreographer. Unfortunately the heroine demands her own choreographer
and Rewa is therefore given the boot! However Abhi creates a big impact
in the industry and starts getting some good assignments – the
audience seem to love him! In the meantime, he also falls in love with
Rewa, who continues to struggle. Her ideals do not permit her to accept
the inevitable. She does not want to bow down to any sort of pressure.
So much so that when she gets an offer to be the choreographer of a
film under the condition that she tries and convinces Abhi to be apart
of the film as a hero, she refuses and returns home. It is at this time
that Abhi rushes back to her house with his brand new car and asks her
about the assignment. Rewa says that she cannot take help from Abhi
for the job. Abhi is upset and an ego clash begins.
Abhi and
Rewa walk out of each other’s lives. Abhi continues to churn out
hits, while Rewa struggles to get work. She even comes across a Subhash
Ghai look-alike director (Manoj Pahwa in a delightful cameo) who tries
to use the casting couch on Rewa asking her to be a heroine in his film
in lieu of spending the night with him. Rewa refuses. Soon she gets
an offer from a young director Diwakar (Ritesh Deshmukh), to choreograph
a music video. Diwakar loves Rewa’s work. He falls in love with
her. The music video is a hit. Abhi meets Rewa at a restaurant and congratulates
her. After he goes to meet her and proposes to her, but she rejects
him. Abhi’s upset, but continues his work.
One day
Diwakar comes to him with a film offer stating that he wants him to
work in his film opposite Rewa. Abhi is not able to concentrate on his
work as he realizes the closeness between Rewa and Diwakar and even
bashes up a nosy gossip journalist and walks out of the film later.
Rewa and Diwakar now try and convince him to work in the film again.
CRITIQUE:
Naach is a well-made film, but is succeeds and fails on a few counts.
This film is one of the better products emerging from Ramu’s stable
in the last few months. It does have some commercial ingredients if
Ramu decides to trim the songs a lot and keep the songs only for effect
rather than show the entire numbers. The film shows how much Ram Gopal
Varma is in love with his product Antara Mali and that passion can destroy
a filmmaker. Maybe he should cast the sometimes awful looking Antara
in his next film Chudail. She seems more apt for that film. She does
not look heroine material and whatever Ramu does to her, she cannot
repeat what an Urmila Matondkar could do in Rangeela.
NEGATIVES:
The
film starts off on a very slow pace. There is not much action happening
and the film slowly tries to establish characters, and their values
and relationships.
There are too many songs, too slow at times. This again slows down the
pace of the film.
Antara
Mali is not certainly worth being a glamorous heroine. She fitted the
role of the de-glamourised slum dweller in Company.
The film is a cross between good cinema and commercial cinema. So we
don’t know whether it is coming or going. That could cost the film
dearly in terms of its audience.
Antara’s
body show could be a draw for the front benchers, but the film is not
entirely for them. A rain drenched song reveals all apart from two song
and dance numbers. Guess even she would squirm in her seat if she watches
these songs with her family.
The cinematography is A-grade.
Abhishek Bachchan is the best of the lot. His performance is stunning
especially in emotional and intense scenes. The last scene when he gets
drunk and reveals all to Antara and Diwakar is stunning. AB junior has
arrived.
Ritesh Deshmukh surprises with a serious and intense role. He has an
ugly looking stubble/beard which takes away the innocence in his face,
but it suits the character well. Hope he doesn’t get typecast in
such roles after a film like Masti, which was good for his box office
prospects.
Ram Gopal Varma stuns you as a different filmmaker at times crossing
an Abhimaan (Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bhaduri) with his won Rangeela (Aamir
Khan, Urmila Matondkar).
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